5 Ways Twitter Can Keep Your Company Running Smoothly

5 Ways Twitter Can Keep Your Company Running Smoothly
Solve outdated internal communication methods with just 140 characters.

1. Determine what's not working

E-newsletters that don't get clicks, company update emails being sent straight to the trash--it's easy to tell when your internal communication channels have become outdated. Unhappy with UPS's channels, Keener began looking for ways to enhance the company's system. "It was obvious we needed to wipe our minds of what an internal channel is or should be," he says. "Most importantly, we needed to be where employees were." After researching various communication methods, Keener and his team created UPSers, a Twitter account specifically for employees.

2. Establish a purpose

When creating a private Twitter account for employees, you want to always have a mission in mind. Is it meant to inform employees of industry news? Is it to build company morale by recognizing employee efforts? Keener warns it's important to be specific about how you intend to use the account. "Ours is for employee engagement, not convincing employees of anything," he says, referring to more policy-driven internal channels. "Be intentional about that because if you are going to try to convince people, you need to be ready for those who disagree."

3. Take advantage of hashtags

Nothing generates traction quite like a hashtag. Invite employees to join in on conversations by encouraging the use of a specific one. With community involvement at the core of UPS's mission, the company developed a #UPSvolunteer campaign to create conversation. "Employees are extremely proud of the work they do in the community," Keener says. "It's only natural that they want to share those things socially, so we give them the opportunity." Hashtags can also be a great tool for leading company discussions or gathering feedback.

4. Share internal news

To truly engage employees, your Twitter account should provide a service. Notifying staff members of an upcoming event or recognizing company accomplishments shows that there's a benefit to following the account. Posting staff stories not only builds community within the brand, but it also stands the chance of being seen--better yet, shared--outside your account (if it's set to public). Even if your company isn't saving lives, its internal news could have viral potential.

5. Value the transparency

Though privacy settings are available, some critics still argue that Twitter's transparency and lack of group features make it a questionable internal communication source. But the town of Jun has found that such a transparent, platform provides a great opportunity to connect officials with residents. The same is possible in business, especially for large or multi-regional teams. "When you can have the president of senior operations retweet things from an employee, it's great," says Keener, who encourages all UPS regional offices to create Twitter accounts. "No question we'd recommend it."

Thank you to Melissa Studach for writing this article.

7 Things Really Successful People Never Do

7 Things Really Successful People Never Do
We each create our own opportunities.

 

 

What differentiates those who are successful from those who are not? There are lots of ways to approach that question, but one of the most powerful is also one of the most simple.

It's a matter of habits. In business and in life, if you truly want to succeed, there are some habits that work and there are other habits that never should be repeated.

If you're not as successful as you want to be and you know you can do better, copy the habits of those who are successful.

Just as important, eliminate any of your own habits that are holding you back. Here are seven top candidates--habits that successful people never allow:

1. Believing you can please everyone. Once you truly understand that it's impossible to please everyone, you learn not to even bother trying. It's nothing but a recipe for disaster, misery and frustration--and one of the biggest keys to failure.

2. Repeating what didn't work the first time. Whether it's in business, a job, or a relationship, successful people do not repeat the same mistakes. If it didn't work the first time, they don't try again expecting a different result. Successful people know that mistakes are for learning, not for repeating.

3. Accepting short-term contentment over long-term value. Successful people know that things take time, and it's the daily grind that in the end will get them to their dreams. It's the small painful steps you go through day by day that will benefit you in the future. If you can make it through the pain you will get to the gain.

4. Compromising themselves to fit in. Successful people never try to adjust themselves to fit in to the crowd. They understand that who they are is what they are, and they don't try to change themselves for others. The bad news is that if you want to succeed, you are not going to fit in with everyone. The good news is that the great ones never do.

5. Trusting something that looks too good to be true. No matter how great something looks on the surface, successful people do their due diligence and make sure that what they are looking at has actual value and is worthy of their time. They know that when something looks too good to be true, it probably is.

6. Taking their eyes off their vision. One trait virtually all successful people share is focus. They never take their eyes off their visions, dreams and goals; they do what they need to do and they do it with meticulous determination. People who are successful know where they are going, and because they do, they succeed. It's as simple as that.

7. Disconnecting appearances and reality. Who you are on the inside should be what is reflected on the outside. The moment there is a disconnect between the two, there is dis-ease within yourself. Success requires that you bring all parts of who you are--inside and out--and that you keep everything in sync. It isn't easy, but the people who are most successful never fragment themselves to be successful.

Start today to examine your own habits, determine what's leading you toward success and what's in the way, and make the changes you need to--for the sake of your future.

Thank you to Lolly Daskal for writing this article.

5 Simple Tricks to Remember Everything You Learn

5 Simple Tricks to Remember Everything You Learn
The secret to successful learning is making memories stick. Here's how you can do it more effectively.

1. Create a memory palace.

The memory palace is based on the idea that our spatial memories are much stronger than our memories for specific words or objects. You can probably easily recall, for example, where in your home you store your holiday decorations or your office supplies, says World Memory Champion Alex Mullen. And you can apply this innate ability to other harder-to-recall things, like a list of groceries.

Try it: Take your list (let's say it includes apples, paper towels, bread, and milk) and, as you walk through your home in your mind, create a scene of each grocery item in each space. In the living room, for example, you might imagine a group of kids bobbing for apples, while in the dining area you picture each furniture item covered in rolls of paper towels. Next you approach your bedroom, where you picture a giant laying on your bed while snacking on loaves of bread. In the bathroom, you see the sink and bathtub overflowing with milk.

2. Think of a scene.

We form visual memories much like how a camera records an image: What we see gets imprinted, kind of like a photograph, in a specific set of brain cells in our hippocampus, deep inside the brain. This process is called encoding.

The reason we misplace things like our keys, wallet, phone, or car so often is because we store so many similar versions of those memories. Think of how many times you've parked your car or tossed your keys somewhere. Your brain has encoded thousands of those memories. Over time, they begin to blur.

To improve your memory, you have to be able to keep those recollections apart. Next time you set down your keys, try creating a precise scene in your head, suggests US Memory Champion Joshua Foer. Take note of the surface on which you're resting it. Is it wood, steel, or concrete? Red or blue? Is there a photograph or an object nearby that you can keep in mind?

3. Establish an emotional connection.

aving a sense of connection with an object or a place can help us remember details about it.

In a recent review, Harvard and MIT scientists compared how well people could remember photographs against how well they could recall the color of a few simple squares. Overall, people were far better at remembering details about the photos than they were at recalling details about the squares. Researchers think this discrepancy has to do with people's ability to link things in the photos with their own feelings or memories, and therby keep the memory sharper.

4. Try a mnemonic.

If you're trying to remember words in a particular order, try making an word out of each of the item's first letters. One infamous example is using the name Roy G. Biv to remember the colors of the spectrum (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet).

"Mnemonics are not tools for learning per se, but for creating mental structures that make it easier to retrieve what you have learned," write Peter Brown, Henry Roediger, and Mark McDaniel, in the book "Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning."

5. Connect the new thing to older things.

Someone told to recall a man who is a baker is more likely to hold on to that memory than someone told to remember a person with the last name Baker, Foer says in a TED talk.

Why?

Because "the name Baker doesn't actually mean anything to you," Foer says. "It is entirely untethered from all of the other memories floating around in your skull. But the common noun baker, we know bakers. Bakers wear funny white hats. Bakers have flour on their hands."

"The more you can explain about the way your new learning relates to prior knowledge," the authors of "Make It Stick" write, "the stronger your grasp of the new learning will be, and the more connections you create that will help you remember it later."

Thank you to Erin Brodwin for writing this article.

8 Bad Communication Habits You Need to Break Immediately

8 Bad Communication Habits You Need to Break Immediately
Want to have better conversations? It's time to break up with these pesky bad habits.

1. Constantly interrupting.

We all have one thing in common when talking: We want to be listened to. So if you're one of those people who tend to jump in and interrupt or -- even worse -- try to complete people's sentences for them, you need to keep yourself in check.

You might think your constant interjections are a way to show your level of engagement. But they really just make you a conversational bulldozer.

2. Multitasking.

Conversations deserve your full attention -- and not just the halfhearted glances you're willing to give them when you manage to rip your focus away from your iPhone screen.

Multitasking is a habit we're likely all guilty of. But you need to be present for your conversations, no matter how menial or futile they may seem. That means no scrolling through your email or subconsciously thinking about your grocery list. Give your conversational partners the attention they deserve.

3. Using qualifiers.

"Don't take this personally, but..."; "This might be a bad idea, but..."; or "I know what you're thinking, but..."

Qualifiers exist for nearly every situation. But if you have the tendency to overuse them, you may be driving people up a wall. Why? Well, while these prefacing statements might seem like a great way to sugarcoat your sentences, they often just come off as condescending and unnecessary.

4. Equating your experiences.

Tell me if this situation sounds familiar: Someone is explaining a difficult problem he's currently facing. You immediately retort with "I know exactly how you feel!" and then launch into your own long-winded tale of a time you experienced something that's not even the least bit similar.

It's important to remember that human experiences are all different. Your attempts to show empathy are admirable. But in most cases, you're better off just listening and lending support.

5. Floundering.

We've all had to deal with those people who seem to just ramble on endlessly without a point -- those people who appear to be talking simply because they like the sound of their own voices.

Needless to say, you don't want to garner this reputation for yourself by constantly chiming in without a clear purpose. When you do decide to speak up, make sure that you're prepared to be clear and concise. That's the mark of a skilled communicator.

6. Avoiding direct contact.

I'm a big fan of the convenience of email and text messages. However, if you've ever dealt with someone who took the time to write out a lengthy message for something he or she could have easily explained to you in person in as few as two sentences, you know how frustrating that can be.

The never-ending assortment of communication tools available today has made us all a little less willing to actually talk to one another. So before hitting send on a message, ask yourself if this is something that could be done more efficiently in person or over the phone. You'll save yourself (and the person on the receiving end!) a lot of headaches.

7. Waiting instead of listening.

As my mom always loves to tell me, "There's a big difference between hearing and listening!" And when you're having a conversation with someone, you should be actively listening.

That means you're not just staying silent while thinking of your next point and waiting for your chance to talk again. Instead, you're engaged in what that person is explaining. Trust me -- people can tell when you're tuning them out.

8. Using filler words.

"Hey, Jason. Umm ... I'm just checking in on that, uhhh ... report to see if you think you'll, like, have that done by the end of the day."

You knew this one had to make it onto the list somewhere. This is perhaps one of the toughest bad habits to break. We're all so used to littering our sentences with these unnecessary words -- it's like a nervous tic for most of us. But make your best efforts to cut them out. Your conversations will be much cleaner and more polished.

Breaking a bad habit isn't always easy. But channel your energy into removing these faux pas from your conversations and you're sure to be a better communicator. 

Thank you to Kat Boogaard for writing this article.

A Harvard Psychologist Says This Trait Matters Most: 10 Ways to Make a Great First Impression

A Harvard Psychologist Says This Trait Matters Most: 10 Ways to Make a Great First Impression
Amy Cuddy says people answer one question when they first meet you -- and that answer lays the foundation for a business relationship.

1. Listen a lot more than you talk.

Ask questions. Maintain eye contact. Smile. Frown. Nod. Respond -- not so much verbally, but nonverbally. That's all it takes to show the other person he or she is important.

Then when you do speak, don't offer advice unless you're asked. Listening shows you care a lot more than offering advice does, because when you offer advice, in most cases, you make the conversation about you.

Don't believe me? Who is "Here's what I would do ..." about: you or the other person?

Only speak when you have something important to say -- and always define important as what matters to the other person, not to you.

2. Shift the spotlight to others.

No one receives enough praise. No one. So start by telling people what they did well.

Wait, you say you don't know what they did well? Shame on you -- it's your job to know. It's your job to find out ahead of time. Not only will people appreciate your praise, they'll appreciate the fact you care enough to pay attention to what they do.

And then they'll feel a little more accomplished and a lot more important, and they'll love you for making them feel that way.

3. Never practice selective hearing.

Some people -- I guarantee you know people like this -- are incapable of hearing anything said by someone they feel is somehow beneath them.

Sure, you speak to them, but that particular falling tree doesn't make a sound in the forest, because there's no one actually listening.

People who make a great first impression listen closely to everyone, and they make all of us, regardless of our position or social status or "level," feel like we have something in common with them.

Because we do. We're all human.

4. Put your stuff away.

Don't check your phone. Don't glance at your monitor. Don't focus on anything else, even for a moment.

You can never connect with others if you're busy connecting with your stuff, too.

Give the gift of your full attention. That's a gift few people give. That gift alone will make others want to be around you and remember you.

5. Give before you receive -- and assume you will never receive.

Never think about what you can get. Focus on what you can provide. Giving is the only way to establish a real connection and relationship.

Focus, even in part and even for a moment, on what you can get out of the other person, and you show that the only person who really matters is you.

6. Don't act self-important ...

The only people who are impressed by your stuffy, pretentious, self-important self are other stuffy, pretentious, self-important people.

The rest of us aren't impressed. We're irritated, put off, and uncomfortable.

And we hate when you walk in the room.

7. ... Because you realize other people are more important.

You already know what you know. You know your opinions. You know your perspectives and points of view.

All that isn't important because it's already yours. You can't learn anything from yourself.

But you don't know what other people know, and everyone, no matter who he or she is, knows things you don't know.

That makes other people a lot more important than you -- because you can learn from them.

8. Choose your words.

The words you use impact the attitude of others.

For example, you don't have to go to a meeting; you get to go meet with other people. You don't have to create a presentation for a new client; you get to share cool stuff with other people. You don't have to go to the gym; you get to work out and improve your health and fitness.

You don't have to interview job candidates; you get to select a great person to join your team.

We all want to associate with happy, enthusiastic, fulfilled people. The words you choose can help other people feel better about themselves -- and make you feel better about yourself, too.

9. Don't discuss the failings of others ...

Granted, we all like hearing a little gossip. We all like hearing a little dirt.

The problem is, we don't necessarily like -- and we definitely don't respect -- the people who dish that dirt.

Don't laugh at other people. When you do, the people around you wonder if you sometimes laugh at them.

10. ... But readily admit your own failings.

Incredibly successful people are often assumed to have charisma simply because they're successful. Their success seems to create a halo effect, almost like a glow.

The key word is seem.

You don't have to be incredibly successful to make a great first impression. Scratch the shiny surface, and many successful people have all the charisma of a rock.

But you do have to be incredibly genuine to be remarkably charismatic.

Be humble. Share your screwups. Admit your mistakes. Be the cautionary tale. And laugh at yourself.

While you should never laugh at other people, you should always laugh at yourself.

People won't laugh at you. People will laugh with you.

They'll like you better for it -- and they'll want to be around you a lot more.

Thank you to Jeff Haden for writing this article.

You Don't Need a Title to Be a Great Leader

You Don't Need a Title to Be a Great Leader
If you can influence and have an impact on others, you're a leader.

 

 

Many people believe leadership is something that's conferred along with a title or attained when you direct a a team of people, but true leadership is never about authority or power. It's about helping others grow, and that's something anyone can do.

If it's your desire to influence and have an impact on others, you have leadership qualities. And if you can inspire people to do something they thought they couldn't do, demonstrate how the impossible is possible, believe in someone when they didn't believe in themselves, you're already a leader.

People don't set out to be great leaders, they set out to make a difference. It's never about the role or the title, but about influencing others, helping and supporting them.

Here are seven questions to help you gauge your own leadership:

1. Do you act with integrity? Leaders allow their good character to speak for them. If you are the type of person who is consistent in your actions, values, methods, and principles--regardless of who's watching--and if people know what say you do you will do, and do it to the highest standard, you're a leader.

2. Are you a great communicator? Great leaders are great communicators. Are you the type of person who likes to share information? To keep people informed and make sure they have all the guidance they need? Do you communicate with openness, candor, and honesty, and without drama or wordiness? You're a leader.

3. Do you have confidence? Confidence doesn't always come easy. It's what you do with your confidence that makes you a leader. If you have the ability to inspire, engage, and empower others, helping them realize they can do things they thought were impossible, you're a leader.

4. Are you decisive? One of the most basic duties of any leader is to make decisions. True leaders aren't afraid to make tough calls when circumstances require it. If you are the kind of person who can gather information, make informed decisions quickly without hesitation or second-guessing, and make it work, you're a leader.

5. Do you have a courageous attitude? A true leader is not afraid to take risks. The bigger the risk, the bigger the payoff. If you're bold about taking chances, if you can see opportunities, and if you're willing to start difficult conversations, you're a leader.

6. Are you a problem solver? Let's be honest: much of life is problem solving. There's always something to figure out, some difficulty to resolve, some circumstance to correct. Most people spend their time complaining about problems, but leaders view a problem not as a distraction but as a source of improvement and new opportunities. If you find yourself problem solving, you're a leader.

7. Are relationships important to you? The foundation of true leadership is the quality of your relationships. Relationships are built on a deep understanding and appreciation of others. They require the capacity to connect on a deep and personal level with others and penetrate beyond the surface with people. When you make relationships important, you're a leader.

No matter what title you have, no matter where you work, or who you work with--if you're influencing others and making change happen, you're a leader.

Thank you to Lolly Daskal for writing this article.

The Biggest Mistake You're Making When Introducing Yourself

The Biggest Mistake You're Making When Introducing Yourself
Want to make your introductions more impactful? Stop skipping this one crucial element.

Introductions can be inherently high-pressure and awkward, can't they? No matter how outgoing and vivacious you consider yourself to be, it can be tough to condense who you are and what you do into a few crisp, concise, and impactful sentences.

So, when it comes to shaking hands and introducing yourself to someone new, you likely default to something simple and standard like, "I'm Joe, and I'm the Sales Manager at Company XYZ."

At first glance, it seems effective. It's short, sweet, and it serves the intended purpose--sharing your name and your job title.

But, look closer and you'll notice that it's missing something important. While it may seem complete and polished, it's really lacking one crucial element that helps to take your introductions to the next level.

What's that? Quite simply, the value that you bring to the table.

Why is sharing value important?

Sure, spitting out your job title is a key part of an introduction, but it's really only a slice (and, often a somewhat ambiguous slice) of the whole pie. So, you want to make sure you emphasize not only what you do, but why you do it.

This is important for everyone, but particularly for those of us with job titles or occupations that don't immediately provide an adequate picture of what we do day in and day out. For example, when I used to introduce myself as only a "writer", most people would respond with something along the lines of, "Oh, so you're writing a book?"

I can understand their assumption. But, this is actually pretty far from the truth--I've never written a book, and I don't plan to in the near future.

So, instead of sticking with the tried and true introduction of, "I'm Kat, and I'm a writer," I've expanded things just a touch to say something like, "I'm Kat, and I'm a writer who helps businesses and brands engage their audiences through thoughtful blog posts and articles."

See the difference? Instead of just firing off a job title, I'm giving my conversational partner a more specific look at not only what I do, but also why it's important.

How can you improve your own introduction?

When you're so used to getting through your introduction as fast as humanly possible, I'll admit that this tactic can feel a little unnatural (and possibly even a little arrogant) at first--so adequate preparation is important for making sure that your introduction sounds exactly as you want it to.

Follow these three quick tips to come up with your own introduction that's polished, impactful, and representative of all of the great work you do.

1. Determine What You Bring to the Table

First things first, you need to narrow your focus and determine the most important thing that you want to share with the people you meet. A powerful introduction doesn't require a step-by-step breakdown of your entire career trajectory--it's important that you zone in on the key nuts and bolts.

Sit down with a notepad and jot down the key functions of your position. Getting everything out of your brain and down on paper will help you clearly see the things that should be emphasized.

2. Script Your Introduction

With notepad in hand, now it's time to start scripting a few different introductions you can test drive. Yes, you should actually write out the whole introduction. It'll make the following step that much easier.

Also, remember that brevity is important here. Nobody wants to listen to a long-winded tale of all of your skills and competencies--try to keep your introduction to two or three sentences at most.

3. Read It Aloud

Now that you have a few different alternative introductions scribbled down, it's time to pick the best one. In order to do this, you'll want to read your options aloud.

This is a necessary step to ensure that your introduction sounds natural and genuine, and not forced and robotic. We don't always write the way we speak, so it's important that you actually say those words to catch any spots where you get tripped up.

Finally, it's time to practice. Commit your introduction to memory, so that you can fire it off (with a smile and direct eye contact, no less!) at the drop of a hat. You'll be left with a short--but incredibly powerful--introduction that's sure to leave a positive impression on everyone you meet.

Thank you to Kat Boogaard for writing this article.