How to Be Innovative at Work

To state the obvious, work is a very integral part of our lives. We do the same thing, day in and day out for most of our careers. 

At the same time, there’s all the talk about new ideas and increasing productivity at the workplace. In this scenario, innovation is the buzz word all over the place. Innovate, companies say. Moreover, do it quick. How do we really go about value addition to our routine work, while dealing with our normal responsibilities at the same time?

1. Not an option

First of all, it should be clear in our heads that innovating is no longer an option. It has become a necessity – for the organization to thrive and survive, and also for the individual employee to make his presence felt at the workplace. We must make it a point to get started right away. It’s never too late to start thinking of new practices that can be implemented at work or looking at better methods to get certain tasks done.

2. Be sure, be real

We need to be completely certain when it comes to innovation. It may seem very tempting at first, to think of a plethora of thoughts, trying too hard to come up with ideas related to phases at work that we have nothing to do with. We must have a clear sense of purpose when we set upon the search for gathering data and finding new solutions. To begin with, our area of work is the best place to focus on.

3. Think new, think different

It is but obvious that the best way to innovate is to come up with a new strategy or a new methodology of going about activities, tasks or achieving targets, rather than trying to modify existing ones. Best case in point is the way Apple came up with the idea of touch-screen phones. We can clearly see how they have revolutionized the smartphone market today. Similarly, we must try and find areas that the organization can work on, but have been overlooked or have not been registered as areas of improvement or building upon.

4. Gather your thoughts

Innovating is quite like trying to put together the pieces of a puzzle. New ideas and thoughts come to us as fragments of our imagination as a whole, with the entire picture still hazy. This is when we need to gather our thoughts and make an effort to put the pieces in place. The bigger picture is always what matters in the end. Will each individual step make its desired successful contribution to the greater cause? We also need to work out the timing of each step in the process.

5. Implementation

The importance of a well planned and effective implementation strategy just cannot be undermined. Without a proper push from the management and the proper utilization of employees’ capabilities, the blue prints for any innovation will remain just that – a blue print. We need to be aware of any hiccups we may face during execution and we should be well-equipped to tackle and overcome any obstacles which we may face.

What really defines the innovation process is the burning desire to improve upon our past successes and the constant itch to leave a mark in our respective fields of work or study. We must be willing to experiment and face the unknown out there. Innovation is nothing without a longing for adventure and the willingness to think and do different.

Mistakes You Might Be Making With Your Business Casuals

The modern workplace environment emphasizes upon making employees feel more relaxed.

This is regarded as central to the objective of extracting maximum productivity from the workforce. Perhaps, the best example of this practice is the Google headquarters in US where the workplace has been merged with every culinary, physical and psychological mode of taking a break from work with the view of raising employee productivity!!

However, every organization doesn’t have the assets or the endeavor to provide as much liberty as Google. Instead, most workplaces insist upon wearing business casuals to work. This kind of dressing is a blend of casual comfort within an exoskeleton of formal wear. It helps to render professionalism to the office without making the employees suffocated in their conventional workplace attire.

Mistakes Related to Wearing Denims

This is an area of constant confusion among men trying to get the business casual look right. It should be understood that wearing denims to work might or might not be encouraged by your employer. Thus, you need to check the policies first. Secondly, denims have to be worn in a certain way so that they fit within the realm of business casuals.

For instance, don’t wear shredded jeans or those that have strange motifs embossed on them. Similarly, jeans that are too faded or those with eccentric shades should be avoided.

You might like your denims to be weathered and dirty but this doesn’t mean that it is suited for the office. Your jeans should be clean, even if not ironed, and shouldn’t have too many threads sticking out. Secondly, don’t combine your denims with formal shirts. This combination is just wrong and defies the concept of business casuals—this dressing refers to an overall look and not mixing casual wear with business shirts to 

create a confusing combination.

Don’t Get too Sporty

The other, most common mistake is trying to get too sporty in your business casuals attire. Most men fail to understand that business casuals don’t include your gymming or sporty clothes. Yes, sporty jackets are allowed but that is because they closely resemble blazers and present very neat cuts. Thus, wearing track pants or bright sneakers isn't recommended. This might be allowed on Fridays at your office but even then, going too ballistic with attires that border on the latest hip-hop trends isn't the best choice.

Not Paying Attention to Detail

Just because you are wearing business casuals doesn’t mean that you forget to accessorize or pay attention to the smaller parts of the ensemble. For instance, if you are wearing chinos, it shouldn’t be messed-up with too many creases. If you are using a belt, remember to choose one that compliments the shoes. Similarly, the shoes should be in coherence with your overall color scheme.

It doesn’t make sense to wear sparkling, new leather shoes with cargos. Similarly, wearing canvas shoes that are too flashy and don’t gel with your jacket and shirt look, should be avoided. Try to accessorize with a proper watch where the strap can be complimentary to your business casual combination.

Avoiding Typical Business Casual Mistakes


One of the simplest ways to avoid turning yourself into the top contender for the worst dressed employee of the month is shedding your ego and seeking help. You are bound to find some colleagues, seniors and bosses who can provide you a clearer perspective on what can be worn and what isn't allowed.


Avoiding Business Casual Wear Sins
A few things that don’t fit within the definition of a Business Casual include:


Shorts, unless your office clearly allows it
Gelled hair transformed into bizarre shapes
Baggy Shirts, T-Shirts or Lowers
T-shirts with flashy art or slogans
Extremely tight-fitted jeans
Spandex in any form
Hooded Sweatshirts
Jackets with team logos
Denim Jackets
Sweat Pants


Recommendations for getting your Business Casual selection right:


Khakis
Cotton pants
Plain T-shirts
Collared Shirts
Corduroy Pants
Polo Shirts
Linen Shirts
Full-sleeves sweaters
Turtlenecks
Shirts with various types of checks
Casual Sports Jackets
Thin-soled Leather & Suede shoes
Plain Sweatshirts
Simple Sneakers


Just remember that the term “business casual” has business as the first word. This means you should choose good-quality, slightly-sober clothes, footwear and look a bit coordinated in your appearance. This doesn’t mean you have to forego style but just try not to push the boundaries of fashionability.


Source:by-google:http://cbusinessinfo.blogspot.in/2012/05/mistakes-you-might-be-making-with-your.html

India's Most Powerful Businesswomen

In a male-dominated world of business, these Indian women have broken all barriers to get to the top

Name: Chanda Kochhar
Role: Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer
Company: ICICI Bank Limited

Chanda began her career with ICICI as a Management Trainee in 1984 and has thereon successfully risen through the ranks by handling multidimensional assignments and heading all the major functions in the Bank at various points in time.

Name: Vinita Bali
Role: Managing Director
Company: Britannia Industries

Vinita has always made unconventional decisions. Rising prices of wheat, sugar and dairy products affect her as much as they do every housewife.

Name: Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
Role: Chairman and Managing Director
Company: Biocon India

Kiran is India’s bio-tech queen. She says in a an interview to Forbes India that she learnt the importance of self-reliance and personal re-invention at an early age. From starting of with Rs 10,000 in a garage her company Bioconis today worth Rs. 1,511 crore.

Name: Mallika Srinivasan
Role: Chairman and CEO
Company: TAFE

Mallika believes in a no-frills working style. She has risen to become India's tractor woman making an indelible impression in a heavily male-dominated industry. TAFE's turnover, a mere Rs86 crore in 1985 - the year she joined - had risen to Rs5,800 crore by 2010/11

Name: Ekta Kapoor 
Role: Joint Managing Director and Creative Director
Company: Balaji Telefilms

Ekta has created a niche for herself as the queen of the silver screen soaps. She rules almost every television network.

Name: Neelam Dhawan
Role: Managing Director
Company: Hewlett-Packard India

Neelam has been an icon for women in the IT industry. There were just a handful women in the industry way back in the early 80s when she began her career accidentally at HCL.

Name: Preetha Reddy 
Role: Managing Director
Company: Apollo Hospitals

Preetha has been instrumental in the group's quality certification process (ISO 14001 and 9001). As a trailblazer, she ensured the JCI accreditation process in five of the group hospitals in Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ludhiana and Dhaka. Apollo Hospitals group is India's
largest healthcare company.

Name: Shobhana Bhartia
Role: Chairperson and Editorial Director
Company: Hindustan Times Media

Shobhana, a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha, also runs one of India's largest media houses. HT Media made revenues of Rs 1,815 crore in 2010/11.

How to Learn from your Mistakes

Nobody likes to make mistakes. But as the age-old saying goes: “to err is human”.

Unless, you want to live as a recluse all throughout your life, you are bound to make mistakes almost every other day. Some can be small trifling errors and some can be unpardonable blunders. But they'll come to you for sure. While you can't do away with them completely, you can surely minimise them and learn from them. If you learn from mistakes correctly, they can propel you forward in the right direction.


Mistakes are an essential part of self-improvement. Don't be overwhelmed with guilt and remorse, rather you should analyze how you can learn from them and be a better human being.


Here's how you should do that:


Apologising Like a Gentleman
If your mistake has been a source of grief or harm to the people (directly or indirectly), it's important to offer a dignified apology. You must clarify that it was an unfortunate incident and you will take care that it is not repeated. If you refrain from apologizing, out of embarrassment or reluctance, the offended person will continue to hold it against you. This may also make a dent in your trustworthiness and your overall image.


If your apology is sincere, the other person is likely to forgive you. Don't go overboard with it. Apologise once, but sincerely. A good apology can help in restoring other people's trust in you.


Don't be a Perfectionist
Come to terms to this reality that it is impossible for us ordinary mortals to be perfectionists. If you spend your life being scared of making mistakes, you'll hardly be able to do anything in life. Mistakes are often not made, they just happen to people. If you think that you have to steer away from mistakes all throughout your life, you'll be imposing psychological restrictions on yourself.


Don't Waste Time Trying to Justify your Actions
It is our natural disposition to keep justifying our actions. Many times, we blame others for the mistake. Sometimes we say that it was not in my capacity to prevent so-and-so thing from happening. We say things like, “Yes I couldn't score well in the test but then the teacher didn't really teach anything in the class” and easily forget about the numerous classes skipped during the last session.


More often than not, we justify mistakes to massage our fragile egos. Others aren't really interested in our justifications. There's no harm in accepting your faults and apologizing and then moving on.


Understanding Why Mistakes Happen and Then Not Repeating Them
One can err to several reasons. To avoid repeating them, you have to understand and analyze the core causes. For example, you may have spoken rudely to someone in anger and haste. You must think what caused you to get enraged. Why should an innocent person becoming a victim of your anger? Ask questions. You may also be regularly making mistakes due to fatigue, sleeplessness, bad habits, and other health-related (physical and mental) issues. It this is the case, then rush to a doctor ASAP.


Now this self-analysis should not drown you in an ocean of guilt. Rather, it should reinforce your resolution to learn from mistakes. Careful consideration and sustained effort can help you free yourself of many errors, if not all.


Mistakes Give Opportunities to Learn, Grab Them
Just like failures, you can “seize mistakes” and learn from them. Don't let these opportunities go wasted. You can gain wisdom from your mistakes and fast-track the process of self-improvement. The important thing is to view mistakes as gateways to improvements in life.


Source-by-google:http://cbusinessinfo.blogspot.in/2012/05/how-to-learn-from-your-mistakes.html

Ten tips for workplace friendships

It's understandable that you would forge friendships with co-workers, given the sheer amount of time you spend with them each week. But workplace friendships can be delicate for that very reason. If you have a spat with a friend (who also happens to be your boss), the dispute may affect your work and the team vibe. Here are 10 tips to help you enjoy spending time with your friends at work while still being efficient at your job. Source: By Lindsay Olson | U.S.News & World Report LP

Here are 10 tips to help you enjoy spending time with your friends at work while still being efficient at your job. 

No: 1. Keep your business and personal lives separate. If you had a wild time with your workplace pal last night, there's no need to blab about it for all the office to hear. Keep your personal chat reserved for your breaks and after work. You want your other co-workers to still take you seriously as a professional, and getting too chummy on the job might get in the way.

 No: 2. Take your time. If you're just beginning to bond with a co-worker outside of the office, go slow. You never know if this will blossom into a long and trusting friendship, or if you'll go back to all business. So you don't want to embarrass yourself (i.e., going overboard on Tequila Tuesdays) or reveal too much about your personal life (maybe you're thinking about a career change) and have it come back to bite you. Slowly let the other person into your life, with an increasing amount of trust

No: 3. Remember why you're there. You go to the office each day to get a job done, not take a break with your buddy every 10 minutes to gossip. Don't let your friendship derail you from being a good worker or your boss might start to notice.

  No: 4. Don't be exclusive. Realize that if you're buddying up with a co-worker, others might feel left out. Be sure to include others in your lunch dates and conversations to avoid jealous feelings.

No: 5. Don't complain about your boss. It's almost a natural instinct to complain about work to a friend, but realize that a workplace friend makes that a treacherous path to travel. If he or she is friends with or connected to your boss, your venting may cause problems for you in your department.

No: 6. Maintain some space. Life happens. Friendships fail sometimes. If that happens, your work situation may become more stressful, so be aware of how close you're getting to a co-worker and try to put a little distance between the two of you. Socialize with friends outside of work to balance out the time you spend with your work friends.

No: 7. Handle friend breakups professionally. Should you have a falling out with your pal, don't let it affect your quality of work or your other professional relationships. Hostility between two team members can affect the entire team, so keep any ill feelings to yourself and don't take them out on your co-workers.

No: 8. Use the friendship to your benefit. Sometimes having a friend on your work team can inspire and motivate you to new levels of creativity. If you work together well, reap the benefits on the job. If you can demonstrate better success in working together, you will have a better chance of convincing your boss to let you work together on future projects.

No: 9. Don't be taken advantage of. While it's more likely that co-workers will start spending more time with you because of your natural wit and charm, be wary if they start asking you to take on some of their work. More devious types may simply be the equivalent of that kid who, during group projects, unloaded all the work on you and walked away with an "A" on the project. You're mature now, so don't let that happen ... again.

  No: 10. Enjoy yourself. Sharing an interest in similar work and experiences at the same company can make for great bonding opportunities. Friends make us happy and being happy at work makes for productive workers. Just be aware of how your friendship may affect those you work with, and keep it professional in the office. 

 source:by:google:http://cbusinessinfo.blogspot.in/2012/05/ten-tips-for-workplace-friendships.html

How to Build a Successful Company

Having your own ‘start-up’ has almost become the status quo in today’s markets.
Every day, we hear news about some new start up or the other– they seem to be sprouting all over the place. However, every one of these new companies makes it big in the real world out there. So what is it that differ the big, successful companies from the ones that fizz out over the course of time?


1. Organization

Proper organization is the key factor to any company’s success. It is the manager’s responsibility to layout the company structure in a manner which ensures the stability of the company in the long run. The company should be able to tackle any new changes or developments that may come up in the market or in their respective fields.


2. Goals

The employees’ goals should be in line with the company’s goals. It is up to the manager to create such an environment in the company, where everyone works for a common cause. Providing the employees with incentives and other motivational factors are effective ways of spreading a feeling of oneness with the company.


3. Effective communication

This is the most essential factor to be implemented in any organization. Top to bottom communication has to be highly effective and vice versa. All communication channels should be capable of properly functioning in both directions. The manager should be capable of making the employees aware of any new or modified organizational strategies for the proper functioning of the company. Meanwhile, the employees should also make a note of communicating any significant internal developments to the higher management. In today’s world of intertwined mass media and social networking, managers should make the most out of the available technology to connect with employees on newer levels.

4. Decisions, decisions

A single decision has the power to make or break the future of a company. Proper analysis of the problem at hand is required in such cases. Rushing things is pointless in the longer scheme and may end up causing havoc. Prioritizing as well as looking for alternatives are two important factors to be kept in mind.


5. Make hay while the sun shines

Be it a new one or an old one, a company is bound to face hardships and struggles in its path. There is no escaping this bitter truth. In such a case, pre-planning is of utmost importance. The manager should see to it that an effective planning strategy is implemented throughout all levels of the company. Apart from obstacle management, good planning can also help in achieving preset targets for the company.


6. Take hold of the reins

Leading by example is one very important trait that a manager should possess. Seeing and observing a superior work selflessly for the good of the company also motivates the employees to give their best. The manager should possess the ability to take control of a wayward situation by the scruff of the neck and turn it around for the company’s benefit. It is factors like these which play an important role in deciding the success of a company. Focused implementation of these points creates a culture within the company, where taking No for an answer is just not an option. Everybody works together to achieve a common target and keeps the company up and kicking. Happy employees and a financially sound company are the perfect benchmarks for a successful company.

Source:http://cbusinessinfo.blogspot.in/2012/05/how-to-build-successful-company.html

Management Tip of the Day: Streamline your company

BOSTON (Reuters) - Businesses, as they grow, tend to become more complex but there are ways to bust through the labyrinth and keep closer tabs on the bottom line, says Harvard Business Review.
The Management Tip of the Day offers quick, practical management tips and ideas from Harvard Business Review and HBR.org (http://www.hbr.org). Any opinions expressed are not endorsed by Reuters.


"As a business becomes more complex, it gets difficult to trace costs. If you aren't sure where your company is making money - or losing it - follow these two steps to simplify:


1. Analyze profitability by offering or market. There are often large profit disparities among lines of business, brands, products, and customers. Knowing exactly where you're making money and how is the first step to making more of it.


2. Make sure each brand and stock-keeping unit (SKU) is pulling its weight. Most complex companies have many brands or SKUs that contribute little to the bottom line. By targeting profitable ones and cutting the rest loose, you can free up significant capacity with negligible loss in revenue and volume."


- Today's management tip was adapted from "Guide to Finance Basics for Managers."


source:http://cbusinessinfo.blogspot.in/2012/05/management-tip-of-day-streamline-your.html

These are Silicon Valley's highest salary payers

Software engineers are one of the most highly paid employees. Which companies pay the highest salaries in Silicon Valley? Find out...
1. Twitter

Average yearly salary: $114,917
Twitter is an online social networking service and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, known as "tweets". It was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey.


2. Facebook

Average yearly salary: $111,428

Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004. Facebook has over 900 million active users, more than half of them using mobile devices.

3. LinkedIn

Average yearly salary: $110,902

LinkedIn is a business-related social networking site. Founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003, it is mainly used for professional networking.It has more than 150 million registered users in more than 200 countries and territories.

4. Cisco Systems

Average yearly salary: $105,562
Cisco Systems, Inc is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California, United States, that designs, manufactures, and sells networking equipment

5. Apple

Average yearly salary: $103,883

Apple Inc is a multinational corporation that designs and sells consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers.The company's best-known hardware products are the Macintosh line of computers, iPod, iPhone and iPad.

6. Google

Average yearly salary: $103,438
Google is a multinational corporation which providesInternet-related products and services, including Internet search, cloud computing, software and advertisingtechnologies. The ompany was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

7. Yahoo Inc

Average yearly salary: $102,638

Founded in 1994, by Stanford PhD candidates David Filo and

 Jerry Yang to keep track of their personal interests on the 

Internet, it has become one of the most visited Internet sites.

8. Zynga

Average yearly salary: $100,494

Zynga is a social network game development company located 

in San Francisco, California.The company develops browser-

based games that work bothstand-alone and as application 

widgets on social networking websites such as Facebook, 

Orkut, Google+ and Myspace.

9. Oracle

Average yearly salary: $99,391
Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer 
technology corporation that specializes in developing and
marketing computer hardware systems and enterpris software products.


10. Amazon

Average yearly salary: $92,613
Amazon.com, Inc is an American multinational electronic
 commerce company with headquarters inSeattle,Washington. 
The world's largest online retailer also produces consumer
electronics - notably the Amazon Kindle e-book reader and is 
a major provider of cloud computing services.

10 tips to be successful at work

As freshers enter the workplace, they can often be catapulted into tricky situationsFollow the protocol that is established at the workplace.It is sometimes downrightly opposite of what we have learnt in the classroom but it is advisable to shed the old habits and adopt new ones.For example, we are accustomed to refer our seniors as 'Sir' but increasingly a lot of companies are now following the first name culture and things are pretty relaxed, so much so that that people now at times enter into cubicles sometimes without knocking the door.Some companies prescribe a code of conduct for its employee and some don't. Neverthless, here's a list of things to begin with

1. Be punctualBe on time!!! Arrive early, but never be late. Set an example for those who arrive late.If traffic jams always cause delays, plan ahead and set out early.If you use public transport, also plan ahead and set out early.Hitch a lift from a colleague or friend on days you cannot find public transport.In case you are running late, inform the office or client about the delay.

2. Break the ice in a meeting

Give a quick overview of your work responsibilities and enquire about others in the meeting.This gives everyone a chance to participate and open up. Listening to what is being discussed and asking, clarifying questions could help to break the ice.Introduce yourself right away and seek introductions from others.

Often people with initiative are admired. Ask a few questions based on their answers.This indicates that you are eager to learn more about their area of work, and can open channels of addressing senior colleagues.

3. Check your phone manners

In the initial days, don't be casual on the phone, even if the other person isMaintain some distance, simply because you don't know the other person at all. A bit of planning before a first phone call can help.Begin with courtesies, like a 'Good Morning' depending on the time of the day and move on to introducing yourself.Ask if it is a good time to talk Be as direct as possible and don't beat around the bush; small talk can be an irritant.

4. Network during lunch time

Lunch time is a good time to find out the interests of your colleagues.People usually tend to keep their guard in the cafeteria but there are some do's and don'ts here as well.Since groups are inevitable, it's a good idea to have lunch with different groups rather than sticking to the same clique, everyday.This way you will get to know more people and will not be viewed as "clannish".

5. Maintain privacy

It is incorrect to go through a colleague's email or peep into their desktop.While at work the same tenet also gets extended to eavesdropping your neighbour's conversation while at work.

6. Dress professionally

It is always advised to wear clothes which are in sync with the work culture of the organisation.Some organisations allow their employees the liberty to dress in the way which suits the individual's temperamentOn the other hand, some organisations emphasise a lot on work place dressing and consider it as a breach of office rules when not dressed appropriately.It's is always a good idea to strictly adhere to prescribed rules of office wear.

7. Never discuss work outside the circle

It is considered as a serious breach of conduct if you discuss the key points of any meeting outside the relevant circle.

Some organisations incorporate this term in their employee contract to prevent employees from talking about client business and work outside official domains.

8. Respect your colleagues

Be friendly with colleagues of the opposite sex but know where to draw the line.Don't get involved needlessly in any situation which could lead to embarrassment and could potentially damage not only your reputation, but that of the organisation as well.

9. Be a team player

Most of the work environments involve working in teams and sub teamsOne should keep some tips in mind in order to be better team player.Avoid speaking loudly, shouting across office, control your vocal pitch, do not speak out of turn and do not talk too much.
Let others speak and refrain from interrupting them, especially your seniors. If you want to be heard, you must be ready to let others speak as well.At all time, employees should maintain office decorum


10. Stay away from office gossip 

While office gossip is sometimes a good stress buster and a fun banter, one should be careful in indulging in such gossip mindlessly as it can have serious negative effects on your professional image.