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Is your glass half full, or is it half empty?
Before you answer this question, take a moment to think about what you’re being asked. The standard response from a traditional optimist is that the glass is half full.
Pessimists also provide an expected answer and observe that the glass is half empty. But an authentic optimist, one who’s been improving his or her performance at work and in life, will simply say, “I’m thankful that I have a glass.”
You see, the authentic optimist has developed the ability to see the details in the situations and challenges the encounter every day. They have learned to recognize opportunity and respond with originality tempered with a bit of audacity. Optimism has a lot of benefits—one of them is original thinking.
Optimism isn’t a trick. It’s not a gift, either. It’s something you can learn. It’s a skill you must learn if you want to develop your career and build success. At its best, optimism is a way of life. Are you ready to embrace it fully?
You may have been taught that to be an optimistic person you must “hope for the best.” Actually, those are two different things. Hoping for the best leads to passive decision making - you will sit where you are until something good happens. But you may be sitting in the wrong place. When something good happens on the next street over, you’ll miss it entirely because you misunderstood optimism.
Optimism is a state of mind, a decision, and a daily practice. As you begin to cultivate your own personal optimism you’ll begin to see that it’s not a magic bean or a book of spells. Optimism is a point of view. It’s learning how to see that each challenge you face at work, on the road, on the phone, and at home, presents you with an invitation and an opportunity to achieve your goals.
Now, it’s easy to see bad news and difficulty. Even some optimistic people may see that the glass is half empty. But authentic optimistic people have developed their skills to achieve and expect success. They never stop looking once they notice that the glass is half empty. An optimist sees that there are choices to be made and opportunities to be considered.
About StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath
Most people like to focus on fixing their weaknesses instead of making the most out of their strengths. To help people uncover their talents, the research-based management-consulting group Gallup introduced the first version of its StrengthsFinder online assessment in 2001. StrengthsFinder helped millions find out where they truly stood out. Its sequel, StrengthsFinder 2.0, unveils a new and improved version of the popular assessment. Although it can be read once to learn a few new things, it’s a great guidebook to continually refer to for career growth. The book is full of strategies for applying a person’s strengths professionally and personally. StrengthsFinder 2.0 is an approach by scientists to provide readers with a tool to identify their strengths--or more precisely, their talents. Author Tom Rath leads readers into their journey of becoming the best they can be.
Why Cydcor Reviews recommends this to future leaders:
If StrengthsFinder 2.0 will do anything for a reader, it’s pinpointing the things that a person does well and the skills they can continue to grow. The combination of dissecting these talents and the development of a plan of action works relatively well. An interesting point that Rath makes is that talent multiplied by investment will equal more strength. This means that investing in the things that we do well will make us better professionals. But finding out these strengths is not the end of the journey. It’s up to the reader to further develop other areas that may need improvement. This is an easy recommendation for any future leader who wants to use the things they know about themselves to discover what other qualities lie beneath.
Our favorite part:
When it comes to books that require you to take a test to determine the best way to read it, the test always needs to be worthwhile to take. The online test that StrengthsFinder 2.0 provides can open readers’ eyes and helps them start their improvement. The book will help you find your strengths and the best way you can apply them. Although the test is essential to reading the book, which may not appeal to some readers, it can still open up doors to understanding the way you work and give you ideas on ways to apply your strengths. It can help managers, business professionals, and future leaders tenfold.
Cydcor is the leading provider of outsources sales team worldwide. Learn more about Cydcor by visiting us on Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/cydcor/)
About The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team isn’t your average book of business advice. Author Patrick Lencioni has crafted another excellent leadership fable to go along with his previous bestsellers, The Five Temptations of a CEO and The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive. In this book, Lencioni focuses his intellectual storytelling on the fascinating and complex world of team building. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team follows Kathryn Petersen, CEO of start-up Decision Tech, and how she handles a difficult leadership crisis: uniting her team when it begins to threaten the integrity of the whole company. Lencioni's gripping corporate tale serves as a timeless reminder that leadership requires as much courage as it does insight. Just as with his other books, Lencioni has written a captivating story with a simple message for all those who strive to be the best leader they can be.
Why Cydcor Reviews recommends this to future leaders:
Anyone who has had difficulty with leading and getting a group of co-workers to work together will find value in this book. The model that Lencioni lays out consists of five tiers that describe the five dysfunctions of a team. These include an absence of trust, a fear of conflict, a lack of commitment, an avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results. These are all dealt with accordingly and can open a leader’s eyes to some good ways to start making a difference. Although this is a fictional account of a leadership situation, it’s still possible to see yourself and your team in this business fable. Lencioni leads readers through the right steps to take and how to move a team from dysfunction to smooth operation. The examples are eye opening and will be useful to compare to your team’s last meeting.
Our favorite part:
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team offers practical advice as well as exercises that are easy to implement in any workplace team. Disagreements occur frequently while collaborating, but a leader needs to keep going no matter the problem to unite everyone. The story told in this book can help the reader visualize typical workplace dysfunctions while offering effective advice on how to overcome them.
The Five Dysfunctions of a Team seeks to identify and alleviate the problems that arise for many work teams. The success of a company depends greatly on how willing its leadership is to face issues head-on.
Even if you’ve been born with a friendly personality, you may find yourself stuck when you’re in a situation that requires you to start a casual conversation. If you’re a naturally quiet person, these social situations might be uncomfortable experiences. When you’re nervous you lose your confidence and find it difficult to focus. Follow these suggestions and learn how to turn small talk into a new skill!
Don’t Just Say Hello!
Saying hello is a standard introduction during a social encounter. It works, but it leaves the conversation with no place to go. Instead, get the conversation rolling with adding open-ended questions.
Small Talks Needs a Big Brain and a Big Attentions Span
Once you’ve asked an open-ended question, pay attention to what the person is saying. At the same time, think of one or two follow up questions based on what the speaker says. Pay attention to their eyes and facial expressions. You can nod your head to show that you’re listening. It’s okay to smile, laugh, or become serious depending on the conversation. When there’s a natural pause in the conversation, make a comment and ask another leading question. If you get nervous, just take deep breaths and try again.
Common Interests Build Common Ground
As you continue your conversation, you’ll discover shared professional interests and concerns, which will help you build a conversational connection. If you’re attending a business conference, you have the topics related to your business in common. This can be a great confidence builder when it comes to improving your casual conversation skills.
Know When It’s Time to Go
After a certain amount of time, you will know that you’ve reached the end of your conversation. At that time, let your contact know that you have other people to speak to. Simply say, “I’ve really enjoyed speaking to you, and I appreciate all the information you shared and getting to know more about your business. Here’s my card. Can I have your business card too?”
If you say that you’re going to follow up or provide some kind of information—do it. That’s how you turn small talk into big success—one conversation at a time.
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The day you return to the office from a business trip will be focused on getting caught up on work that you missed. If possible, don’t schedule any meetings during your re-entry. Here are some other great tips for how to get back into the groove of the workplace.
Stay In Touch While You’re Away
Use social media to stay in touch with your team at work, as well as your family and friends. Check your email and voicemail so messages don’t pile up. Even though you have set up a system to control your workflow while you’re out of the office, things sometimes slip through the net. Let your team members know that you’re working on various problems. Ask them for help with items you can’t complete while you’re away.
Share What You Learned
Take notes, save hard copies of presentations, get links to PDFs, and document events with photos, if possible. Once you’re back at the office, build your notes into a PowerPoint presentation to share with your team members and on social media. Cover these topics:
Sharing what you learned at the conference improves your skills as a mentor and lets your supervisor see your leadership abilities.
LinkedIn and Facebook are powerful business tools that give you an opportunity to share new business insights. They’re powerful publishing platforms that can amplify your industry’s voice.
Building Your Network
Assemble all of the business cards you collected during the conference and get them into your contact database on your first day back in the office. Your records should include where you met this contact and how you connected during the event. Take note of what you discussed or an event you both attended. Paying attention to these details will make contacting him or her easier because you shared a personal experience.
Reach out to conference contacts on social media and ask them to connect with you. Send your contacts a short email and remind them about how you met. If you feel that you established a strong relationship with someone and they suggested that you to call, follow through on their invitation. Use this experience to build your networks and your connections.
Written by Sophia Amoruso, founder of online women’s clothing retailer Nasty Gal, #GirlBoss lays out Amoruso’s rise to success and the struggles she’s gone through to make it to the top. It’s the classic underdog story that’s both inspirational and educational. Amoruso wrote #GirlBoss for entrepreneurs seeking a path to success that’s different from the norm, no matter how problematic that path may be. Eight years after selling vintage clothing on Ebay, Amoruso is the founder, CEO, and creative director of an online clothing company worth $100 million. Her story is both inspirational and motivating.
Why Cydcor Reviews recommends this to future leaders:
The main point #GirlBoss discusses is that anyone can reach success, no matter how big their struggles may be. It provides an authentic voice on success, failure, and what it takes to find positivity in any situation. This book offers a philosophy for making your work both worthwhile and fun while keeping things fresh. Amoruso encourages readers to own the qualities that many people are ashamed of, such as bossiness, in order to become the masters of their own destiny--financially independent and radically ourselves. This is a book that provides a direct stream of honest advice that can’t be found anywhere else. Her unconventional approach to business and her creative experience will appeal to any aspiring entrepreneur.
Our favorite part:
As most entrepreneurs know, it can be difficult to find genuine advice on how to get going on an alternative path to success. Since Amoruso did this all on her own with no financial aid or education in the area of business, her story is inspiring. Everyone takes their own path to the top, but this is a story that can open your eyes to the idea that anything is possible. #GirlBoss provides many pointers on being a leader and boss, but the main thing to take away is to never stop, even when failure occurs, and to keep going no matter the problem you may run into on the path to success.
Get your cameras ready! Participate in Cydcor’s National Conference photo contest for a chance to win $100 cash! All you need to do is share a picture using the hashtag #TheTop2015 on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
This contest will run from Thursday, July 23rd (6:00AM CST) until Saturday, July 25th (8:59 PM CST). The most creative picture will get to take home the prize! The winner will be announced on Cydcor’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter on Saturday July 25th any time after 9:00pm CST, and will be awarded on site. Get ready and make sure to follow Cydcor on social!
So be creative, be fun and start sharing your pictures now! #TheTop2015
Terms and Conditions (Facebook)
Post a photo on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook using the hashtag #TheTop2015 anytime from Wednesday July 22nd (6:00AM EST) until Saturday, July 25th (8:59 PM EST) and you will be automatically entered in the National Conference photo contest. To be eligible, entrants must be (i) at least 18 years of age and a registered attendant of Cydcor’s National Conference 2015, Cydcor employees are not eligible to participate. Multiple submissions per participant are allowed. Profanity or inappropriate language or images, as determined by Cydcor, in its sole discretion, will be disqualified. The winner will be the account holder where the picture was posted. The most creative picture will win $100 cash to be awarded on site. The winner will be selected by Cydcor, in its sole discretion, and announced via Cydcor’s Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/CydcorLLC) as well as on Cydcor’s Instagram (@Cydcor), and on Cydcor’s Twitter (@Cydcor) on Saturday, July 25th any time after 9:00PM EST. This promotional offer is not intended to create a partnership, joint venture, co-ownership or other association between Cydcor and the participant.
This promotion does not have a connection with Facebook in any way and is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. By entering the contest, participants agree to fully release Facebook from any and all liability.
Terms and Conditions (Instagram)
Post a photo on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook using the hashtag #TheTop2015 anytime from Wednesday July 22nd (6:00AM EST) until Saturday, July 25th (8:59 PM EST) and you will be automatically entered in the National Conference photo contest. To be eligible, entrants must be (i) at least 18 years of age and a registered attendant of Cydcor’s National Conference 2015, Cydcor employees are not eligible to participate. Multiple submissions per participant are allowed. Profanity or inappropriate language or images, as determined by Cydcor, in its sole discretion, will be disqualified. The winner will be the account holder where the picture was posted. The most creative picture will win $100 cash to be awarded on site. The winner will be selected by Cydcor, in its sole discretion, and announced via Cydcor’s Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/CydcorLLC) as well as on Cydcor’s Instagram (@Cydcor), and on Cydcor’s Twitter (@Cydcor) on Saturday, July 25th any time after 9:00PM EST. This promotional offer is not intended to create a partnership, joint venture, co-ownership or other association between Cydcor and the participant.
This promotion does not have a connection with Instagram, Inc. in any way and is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram. By entering the contest, participants agree to fully release Instagram from any and all liability, and agree to Instagram’s terms of use.
Terms and Conditions (Twitter)
Post a photo on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook using the hashtag #TheTop2015 anytime from Wednesday July 22nd (6:00AM EST) until Saturday, July 25th (8:59 PM EST) and you will be automatically entered in the National Conference photo contest. To be eligible, entrants must be (i) at least 18 years of age and a registered attendant of Cydcor’s National Conference 2015, Cydcor employees are not eligible to participate. Users who do not use @Cydcor or the contest hashtag will not be entered to win. Participant may not create multiple accounts to enter the contest – the creation of multiple accounts will make participant liable to have all accounts suspended by Twitter. Any participant found creating multiple accounts to enter the contest will also be disqualified. Multiple submissions per participant are allowed; provided, however, that the participant posts a different tweet each time. Participants may not post the same tweet repeatedly (no duplicate tweets). Posting duplicate tweets is a violation of Twitter Rules and jeopardizes search quality. Profanity or inappropriate language or images, as determined by Cydcor, in its sole discretion, will be disqualified. The most creative picture will win $100 cash to be awarded on site. The winner will be the account holder where the picture was posted. The winner will be selected by Cydcor, in its sole discretion, and announced via Cydcor’s Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/CydcorLLC) as well as on Cydcor’s Instagram (@Cydcor), and on Cydcor’s Twitter (@Cydcor) on Saturday, July 25th any time after 9:00PM EST. This promotional offer is not intended to create a partnership, joint venture, co-ownership or other association between Cydcor and the participant.
This promotion does not have a connection with Twitter in any way and is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Twitter. By entering the contest, participants agree to fully release Twitter from any and all liability, and agree to read and abide by Twitter’s Rules.
Making a good first impression matters. It’s especially important when you’re attending a business conference. Even if you’re not on stage, you’re on display as a representative of your company. You’re also representing your professional self. “What we wear speaks volumes in just a few seconds. Dressing to impress really is worthwhile and could even be the key to success,” says Dr. Ben C. Fletcher in Psychology Today.
Schedule Your Personal Style
Dressing with confidence requires some rules. Create a personal dress code for business events. It’s easy to do! Start with a review of the conference schedule. Will there be a team building experience such as a hike? Is there a formal dinner scheduled? The more you know, the better you can prepare. Here is a description of some common dress codes:
Business Casual
Business Professional
Cocktail or Business Formal
The Foundations of a Professional Wardrobe
We’ve identified several pieces of clothing that work as the foundations of your professional wardrobe. Review your clothes before the event. Try them on so that you’re confident about the fit and know that they’re good as new.
Lookout for more business professional tips from Cydcor on Pinterest! Check us out today at https://www.pinterest.com/cydcor/
About Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry & Jean Greaves
Professionals are always on the lookout for new ways to be better co-workers, managers, and employees. Today’s world is fast-paced, and competition is fierce. The best and most effective tools allow others to manage, adapt, and get ahead of the pack.
One of these tools is emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence allows a person to recognize their own emotions and differentiate between feelings and behavior. Your EQ (emotional quotient) is the foundation for a large number of soft skills that include flexibility, time management, trust, anger management, and change tolerance. Emotional Intelligence 2.0 delivers a step-by-step program for increasing their emotional quotient and enabling a person to achieve their fullest potential.
Why Cydcor Reviews recommends this to future leaders:
Emotional Intelligence 2.0 has a self-contained, step-by-step program to determine your current level of EQ, while also providing suggestions on how to improve it. You will learn what may be holding you back and which of the book's strategies can help increase your emotional intelligence the most. This is the kind of book you’re looking for if you need both diagnosis and treatment options. Bradberry and Greaves do an excellent job of helping readers discover their strengths and find strategies that work on their weaknesses. It also provides a quick online assessment that can help you see where you currently stand on emotional intelligence.
Our favorite part:
The step-by-step program for increasing emotional intelligence through four core skills can be quite valuable. These skills include self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. The book’s single purpose is to increase emotional intelligence, and this is the perfect place to start. The chapter “The Big Picture” explains what EQ is and what it is not, while also giving tips to manage stress and increase your tolerance for change. Emotional Intelligence 2.0 gives abundant and practical insights to ensure readers can follow along and improve their emotional intelligence skills.
Participate in Cydcor’s National Conference 2015 Caption Contest on Instagram for a chance to win a front seat in the “Winner’s row” during General Session! Did you say a front seat along the best in the business? Yes!
All you need to do is caption this picture on Cydcor's Instagram (https://instagram.com/cydcor) stating what you imagine your winner’s quote would be when you are up on that stage. You will automatically enter a raffle for a chance to win one of those seats! There will be two winners. Make sure you tag your friends so they enter and might end up sitting right next to you!
This contest will run from Friday July 17th (12:00 PM PST) until Tuesday, July 21st (11:59 PM PST). The winner will be announced on Cydcor’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter on Wednesday July 22nd any time after 12:00PM PST. So, do not miss your chance to get some of the best seats during General Session!
See you in Nashville! #TheTop2015
Terms and Conditions (Instagram)
Caption Cydcor’s “caption this photo” on Instagram anytime from Friday July 17th (12:00 PM PST) until Tuesday, July 21st(11:59 PM PST) and you will be automatically entered in the National Conference caption contest. To be eligible, entrants must be (i) at least 18 years of age and a registered attendant of Cydcor’s National Conference 2015, Cydcor employees are not eligible to participate. Multiple submissions per participant are allowed. Each entry will be entered in a raffle for a chance to win a seat at the “winner’s row” during the General Session. There will be two selected winners from this raffle. Profanity or inappropriate language or images, as determined by Cydcor, in its sole discretion, will be disqualified. The winner will be announced via Cydcor’s Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/CydcorLLC?ref=hl) as well as on Cydcor’s Instagram (@Cydcor), and on Cydcor’s Twitter (@Cydcor) on Wednesday, July 22nd any time after 12:00PM PST. This promotional offer is not intended to create a partnership, joint venture, co-ownership or other association between Cydcor and the participant.
This promotion does not have a connection with Instagram, Inc. in any way and is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram. By entering the contest, participants agree to fully release Instagram from any and all liability, and agree to Instagram’s terms of use.
Cydcor’s National Conference for 2015 is taking place in Nashville, TN! There will be tons of fun happening at the conference (which will be held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center), the city of Nashville is also an excellent destination for tourists and travelers around the world. Here are a few standout aspects of Nashville that speak to why it was considered a great choice to hold this year’s national conference.
Nicknamed “Music City,” Nashville is the capital of Tennessee and is a favorite destination for all types of country music lovers—from classic country at the Grand Ole Opry to emerging artists in downtown clubs.
Over the last few years, creative people and companies from around the country have made Nashville home. Google took notice of this innovative atmosphere and included Nashville in its Entrepreneur Tech Hub Network.
There are a number of places that make this town famous.
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Discover the traditions of country music in exhibits that explore its roots in the nineteenth century to others, featuring the work of modern legends like Johnny Cash and contemporary star Trisha Yearwood. Locals say it’s best to plan an early visit before the crowds show up later in the day.
Ryman Auditorium
The Ryman Auditorium was home to the Grand Ole Opry radio shows for 31 years. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1994 and, after an $8.5 million renovation, it remains an outstanding performance hall.
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is celebrating 90 years of making great country music this year. Early performances featured country legends like Bill Monroe, Hank Williams, and Tammy Wynette. Contemporary performers such as Dierks Bentley and Carrie Underwood keep the country tradition alive today.
Robert’s Western World
Traditional country music has a home at this popular honky tonk. Artists from the television show “Hee Haw” once performed regularly at this venue. New talent performs every night and famous country stars like Faith Hill and Tim McGraw appear here.
Art and Culture in the Park
Nashville became known as the “Athens of the South” by the 1850s because of its large number of schools. The Nashville Parthenon was created for the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition in a neo-classical Greek style—a natural choice for such a cultured city. Located in Centennial Park, the building currently serves as the city’s art museum and houses a 42-foot statue of Athena, the goddess of reason.
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