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In order to shine bright as a star in your workplace, you must establish a set of goals and not only achieve them but exceed them. A star never lets obstacles get in their way.
The first step to stardom requires an attitude adjustment. Start by examining your outlook about work to see if you’re being influenced by negative thoughts. Rethink your negatives and turn them into positives. That’s how you ignite your spark and shine like the star. A star is rewarded with recognition not because they’re good at their job. A star earns recognition because they’re providing exceptional service to their company.
Here are some thoughtful methods for building recognition for your achievements:
Communicate Effectively
A star at work shines because coworkers talk about the unique qualities they saw in you. You need to be a good communicator in order to get people talking about your shining achievements. You don’t need to talk a lot; you need to provide information that matters.
Develop Valuable Skills
Recognition and awards are often given to people who have special skills or expertise in an area. Identify the skills most valuable to your company and become more skillful in those areas. These can range from soft skills like creative problem solving, writing, or negotiation to technical or computer skills.
Document Your Wins
No one else is going to remember what you’ve done. You’re not necessarily on your own but you’re part of a large system where everyone has their own goals and achievements on their minds. Make a record of your star-making achievements. It’s the hard proof you need to show your supervisor that you’re valuable to the company and deserving of recognition and advancement.
Do More
Once your work is done, your job is just beginning. You must regularly ace your everyday assignments and then provide your company with the innovation that makes you a visible and valuable member of the organization. If there is an opportunity to take on a new assignment, take that opportunity. Before saying yes be certain that you have the time to excel at star level tasks.
Create a Network
Review your list of contacts and identify their areas of expertise. Figure out how you can help them and identify possible solutions you might be able to provide. These people are your allies and will help you to build a reputation that leads to recognition and awards.
Always Be Willing to Help
A star is humble and always willing to pitch in when help is required. You’re ready to listen to other people and aren’t defensive when you’re given an assignment. A star focuses on what needs to get done and gets it done.
It’s time for you to shine. Your colleagues, team members, and supervisors are committed to the success of the company and, therefore, they’re committed to your success as well. It’s a win-win situation. So, what are you waiting for?
What’s your strategy for earning recognition at work? Your experience is important to us. Please comment on this page or tell your story on Twitter and follow @Cydcor, and please share this article with your friends.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada, to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
Don't forget to follow Cydcor's channel on YouTube for our latest company videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/Cydcor
Some people believe that a great salesperson is born, not made: that the ability to close a sale is a gift that one must be blessed with at birth. Well, those people are wrong.
Certain people might have an outgoing personality that gives them a bit of an advantage when it comes to networking or closing a deal but the true qualities of a great salesperson aren’t genetic—they’re learned and improved upon with practice.
What qualities does a great salesperson possess? A great salesperson looks just like you. But in order to release the successful salesperson within, you need to identify the qualities a good salesperson must possess in order to achieve success.
As you review this list of qualities a great salesperson must possess begin to make a list of the qualities that you believe you lack or need to develop. Be honest in your self-assessment. If possible, get input from your team, supervisor or sales manager.
Doing this exercise on your own is a powerful technique for improving your sales skills. Including your team members or manager in this process lets them know that you’re motivated and committed to continuous improvement.
You need a plan if you are going to succeed in sales. A great salesperson identifies their goals and keep them in the center of their vision: obstacles never sidetrack them.
You’re not just interested in making a sale. You’re building a long-term relationship with your colleagues and clients. A great salesperson cares about the person as well as the sale.
You always make a great first impression and you enjoy meeting people and hearing about their job, the obstacles they face, and the values that are important to them. A great salesperson listens and remembers.
You know that you have the skills required to get the job done. If you encounter rejection you keep moving forward, understanding that it’s part of the process. A great salesperson never gives up.
You have all of your materials ready whenever you need them. You have internalized your company’s message and methodology. A great salesperson provides solutions for all of their clients’ pain points.
You build your interactions with your customers by developing positive interrogative engagement. Questions are specialized tools you use to identify your customers’ obstacles and objectives. A great salesperson is curious and insightful.
You have a friendly personality and you bring positive energy to all of your encounters. Your customers look forward to working with you because you leave a positive impression upon them. A great salesperson leaves people smiling.
You must get the job done. You understand that making a sale is an urgent problem and that it needs to be solved in a timely manner. Nothing will get in your way because you’re determined to solve the problem in front of you. A great salesperson gets results.
You might hear a no but you don’t accept no as an answer. You’re equipped with the ability to control conversations and will not give up on your pitch. A great salesperson is a gifted storyteller who engages his or her audience.
You understand that success in sales is not won; it’s earned through hard work. You recognize the importance of competition and know that you have to seek opportunities—they won’t come to you. A great salesperson shows up and does their job every day, despite disruptions and without delays.
As you review this list of qualities that make a good salesperson you may identify areas for improvement. Recognizing the need to improve is not a sign of failure. It’s an indicator that you have what it takes to succeed as a salesperson. Are you ready to become the best salesperson you can be?
What qualities make you a great at your job? Did we leave anything out of this list? We want to learn from your experience. Please share your thoughts on our Facebook page and post this article on your social media. Let’s start a great conversation.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada, to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We've done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
“Most people live and die with their music still unplayed. They never dare to try.”
– Mary Kay Ash, Sales Leader and Founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics
Initially, an entrepreneur was a confident man or woman with a deep vision of business. They were convinced that their idea was going to be the solution thousands of customers needed. That’s still a valid definition of the word today or, at least, up to a point.
You know this type of entrepreneur if you’ve ever watched the television program Shark Tank. On each episode intrepid innovators make the pitch of their lifetime to a group of business experts—the sharks. Sometimes an idea that sounds a bit whacky when you first hear about it actually makes sense during the pitch. At other times a sensible idea falls apart fast when the people making the presentation haven’t done their homework.
But these entrepreneurs have an impulse: they want to do or make something better. They have professional insight that makes them believe in their ideas.
Learn more about Cydcor on our business profile on D&B's Hoovers.
Entrepreneurial spirit isn’t limited to billion dollar startups or someone working in their garage on the next-big-digital-thing. It’s possible to embrace an entrepreneurial spirit while you’re working just about anywhere. The key to developing one is to be open-minded, curious, and committed.
Developing your entrepreneurial spirit requires the correct mental motivation. You have to bring the right attitude to your work in order to develop the ability to see opportunity instead of obstacles.
Entrepreneurs work in a competitive space that requires courage. Many people are afraid of competing in business, but don’t back away from a struggle. Use the fear as a catalyst to awaken and engage your inner entrepreneur.
Here are some tips to help you find your entrepreneurial spirit:
You Get Things Done
An entrepreneur tests ideas and learns from the feedback. Act on your inspiration. Make a presentation that explains a new process. Share it with your team or your supervisor. If there is an extra assignment available take it on: an entrepreneur has the drive required to get it done, no matter what the obstacles may be.
You Take Thoughtful Risks
You’ve nurtured the ability to be agile and adaptable. You’re able to produce as part of a team but can also work on a project by yourself and frequently make strategic decisions. Understand that taking risks delivers rewards if you’re successful, but there could be problems if you fail. You’ve developed ease with risk because you’ve done the research. You don’t guess. You make thoughtful decisions that are integrated into your plan.
You Always Ask Questions
You’re uncomfortable with the status quo. There is always a way to improve processes and methods for doing routine things more effectively. You question accepted wisdom and aren’t afraid to speak out against the traditional way of doing things because your ideas will improve the process.
You Emphasize the Positive
You get excited when you face a challenge and enjoy pushing boundaries when you’re in pursuit of a goal. You never think about what you can’t do. You focus on the positive and get other people who work with you excited, too. If one approach doesn’t work, you have another option to try. You don’t find blame—you find solutions.
You Give Voice to Your Passion
Your enthusiasm for your work is captivating. It reveals your passion and the depth of your commitment to reaching your goals. You have a deep understanding of your industry and bring your energy and expertise to all phases of problem solving. When in doubt, remember these powerful words from Warren Buffet: “Without passion you don’t have energy. Without energy, you have nothing.”
Go ahead. Embrace the entrepreneur within. It’s time you did.
How have you developed your inner entrepreneur? What strategies do you use when you decide to turn obstacles into opportunities? We would love to hear your thoughts about this topic. Please comment on our Facebook page and share this article on your social media.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada, to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We've done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
We reward Olympic athletes with gold medals for setting records. We value the person who is able to compete and win on their own terms. But athletes don’t win races on their own: these exceptional people train every day and work with coaches who teach them how to perform under pressure.
Think of yourself as an athlete in your own life. When you’re entering a time of increased pressure you need to continue to train. You also need to share what’s going on with your team at work and your family and friends.
As we take on more assignments we begin to feel pressure, and that pressure brings on stress that’s bad for your health, destructive to your productivity, and complicates your personal life. Here are some strategies for handling pressure at work and at home from Cydcor. Experiment with these tips, and over time, you will develop your ability to achieve success under pressure.
Cydcor is hiring! Head over to CareerBuilder to learn how you can join the Cydcor team today.
Be a Good Communicator
Alert your supervisor when you’re entering a stressful time. If you decide that you’ll have a problem completing your assignments you must inform your supervisor. If you’re unsure about getting something done you need to be responsible and professional enough to ask for help. Be proactive and raise a red flag when you see trouble on the horizon—not when your ship has started to sink.
Control Your Emotions
Problems will arise and pressure will grow depending on time, resources, and the difficulty of the assignment. We often react emotionally when we start to experience pressure at work. Some of us perceive pressure as a challenge while others might experience it as a threat. While emotions make it hard to think clearly and limit your ability to solve problems, know that it’s okay to feel the emotions. Transform them into the energy required to complete the task.
Make a Plan
Climbing a mountain seems impossible, but taking one-step forward is a much more manageable goal. Get the pressure you’re feeling out of your head and onto paper. Break it down into smaller tasks. Be specific. Assign a time frame for each of the steps. If possible, delegate tasks. Make notes about the process once the task is complete so you’ll have an even better plan the next time a similar situation occurs.
Cultivate Bravery
Sometimes, pressure appears seemingly out of nowhere. When something goes wrong you need to be brave. It’s time to change your thinking. Instead of choosing panic, recognize the problem and then tell yourself, “Well, that’s inconvenient, so it’s a good thing I have my notes and I’ve practiced for this situation.” Bravery comes from practice and experience. Imagine what could go wrong and develop some possible responses. Write them down. Visualize yourself completing the tasks in a calm and relaxed manner.
Take Care of Yourself
During times of high pressure it’s easy to get distracted and forget to take care of yourself. It’s at these times that you need to be most aware of your health. Avoid fast foods or unhealthy comfort foods. Eat a balanced diet, drink lots of water, schedule short breaks during the day, get plenty of sleep, and try to get some type of exercise everyday. It relieves stress, lowers your blood pressure, and improves your mood.
Check out other blogs full of business advice from Cydcor, including Building and Maintaining Customer Relationships.
Learn more about Cydcor by connecting to us on LinkedIn! https://www.linkedin.com/company/cydcor
Every morning as you prepare for the day you face a simple choice: how are you going to accept the big and the small obstacles that you encounter during the day? Will you let these challenges become impossible obstacles or will you think like an optimist and turn them into opportunities?
Optimism is the tool you need, and the good news is that it can be developed. To engage your optimism, you need to mature the ability to pause for a moment when you encounter an obstacle. During that pause, begin to reframe what you’re seeing. Learn how to see an obstacle as an opportunity. Optimism isn’t a gift you’re born with—you develop it with practice and eventually you will become an authentic optimist, ready for any opportunity.
Consider these 5 ways an optimistic attitude will create positive results in your life. Try one at a time. Remember that becoming an expert with a new tool takes practice.
Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance. - Eckhart Tolle
It feels good to start your day with a grateful attitude. Your attention moves from the negative to the positive. Consider the good things in your life and your successes; even the small things are important. At the end of the day, before you fall asleep, think of five things that you’re grateful for and feel the happiness they bring to your life.
What matters most is not what these obstacles are but how we see them, how we react to them, and whether we keep our composure.- Ryan Holiday
If you identify something as an obstacle, your mind will respond with ways to make repairs; That means your energy is heading in the wrong direction- toward the negative. When you correctly identify a task, assignment, or a deadline as an opportunity, you begin to activate your optimism and align your skills toward a positive outcome.
Learn more about what Cydcor does for clients and team members by watching our latest video on YouTube.
You do not need to be a victim of worry. Reduced to its simplest form, what is worry? It is simply an unhealthy and destructive mental habit. -Norman Vincent Peale
Low optimism is evident when you’re confronting feelings of anxiety and fear about the future, which often leads to rumination, a negative type of self-talk that imagines everything that could go wrong. An alternative to ruminating is imagining the positive. Create a movie in your head that visualizes your confident self, feeling powerful and achieving success.
People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude.- John C. Maxwell
Language defines our emotional state and creates the space in which we respond to a challenge. Instead of saying, “it’s impossible,” say, “it’s a challenge.” Shift your “no” toward “yes”. Stop complaining about personal problems and things that are getting you down. Greet the people you encounter with an optimistic response. If someone asks, “How are you?” Your response will be, “I’m doing great today.” Optimism is powerfully contagious and will make a great impression on the people you meet.
No one knows more about optimism than a Cubs fan. After waiting 104 years, it's our optimism, and not the winning, that binds us together. We really do believe the next year will be the year. -Grant DePorter
Begin to pay attention to sources of negativity in your life. Does listening to the nightly news lead you to feeling sad? Then find a commentator or writer who answers despair with hope and celebrates positive stories. Volunteer your time working on a cause that helps others. Cydcor provides employees with an opportunity to support Operation Smile. Joining a group that’s doing good means you’re making the choice to be around optimistic people. Eventually, their optimistic view of things will contribute to your success as your optimism also grows.
Cydcor encourages ongoing education and professional development. It’s one of our core values.
Once we’re out of school we often abandon it altogether. And that’s too bad. Because if you want to get noticed at work you need to keep cracking the books—or tablet, smartphone, or headphones—whichever device works for you.
We’ve made personal developmental whole lot easier for you this fall by providing a reading business-focused reading list. There are lots of interesting ideas here that will improve your approach to work and your experiences in life. We’re looking at the big picture and that includes the whole person.
If you don’t like to read alone consider creating a book club at work for those eager to work on their skills too. Invite your coworkers, team members, mentors, bosses, supervisor, manager, and assistants to join the club. Try to arrange a meeting in person before work for coffee and conversation—when everyone is bright eyed.
Now it’s time to start studying. Check out this list:
To Sell Is Human by Daniel Pink
Pink teaches skills that will improve your sales technique and empower you to get others to take action. Develop a better understanding of negotiation, persuasion, and how to pitch.
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do In Life and Business by Charles Duhigg
Duhigg is a New York Times business reporter who investigates scientific research revealing why we have habits and how we can change them. He brings a deep understanding to the study of human nature and personal transformation. Read Cydcor's review of this title here.
The 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling by Jeffery Gitomer
Selling is easy but it takes hard work to be good at it. Gitomer values optimism in his approach to sales. He’ll teach you to craft a positive attitude that wins people over.
Life is What You Make It by Peter Buffet
Warren Buffett’s son, Peter, is an Emmy-winning songwriter and musician. He may have grown up around great wealth but it was never promised to him. He writes about his life journey and the core beliefs about choosing to do good in your work life and in your personal life.
Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier
The authors have some great insight in new strategies for approaching work with a better, faster, easier way to succeed: doing the work and avoid the distractions. It’s a great read for people with an entrepreneurial spirit who want to accomplish great things in their organizations, but also have dreamt of being able to do it on their own.
Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk
You need a social media expert like Vaynerchuk to learn how to connect with today’s customers. Your social media message has to be engaging and correctly prepared for specific social media platforms. This book will teach you how tell a good story that wins customers.
Search Inside Yourself by Chade-Meng Tan
Explore the positive power of meditation and learn how to train your attention, develop self-awareness, and form new paths that lead toward wisdom and success. Chade-Meng Tan was one of Google’s first engineers. Not your typical meditation advocate.
The Effective Executive by Peter F. Drucker
Drucker teaches us that an executive has the ability to get the right things done. Learn the importance of innovation, entrepreneurship, and management for the thoughtful executive. It may have been written in the 1960s but its message still rings true.
Cydcor also has a website dedicated to the latest business book reviews. Check out cydcorreviews.com for more recommendations on business books for personal development.
Keep up with the latest company news and announcements from Cydcor by connecting with us on LinkedIn.
Cydcor, the leading provider of professional in-person sales teams, provided a select group of students the opportunity of a lifetime: an internship program at Cydcor’s offices in Agoura Hills, CA. Each year, the company provides gifted students with the prospect of building business experience in a real-world corporate setting. Their assignments are designed to match their current interests or studies, such as event planning, finance, or marketing. The interns receive special training and are expected to accomplish real work in their departments. Cydcor is proud to provide this opportunity each year, and help these talented students craft a vision for their professional life after college.
Cydcor’s Summer 2015 interns provided the following feedback on their experience working at our offices in Agoura Hills, CA:
Juan H.
People here at Cydcor are very welcoming and help interns experience the real business world by treating them as an employee who belongs to their team. In several projects that I worked on, I had the freedom to use my own methodology. For example, when Crystal Fernandez assigned me new tasks, I had the freedom to use the approach I was most comfortable with. One of the best things of working at Cydcor this summer was the opportunity to attend Lunch and Learn. It provides interns the opportunity to explore different departments within the company, and to understand the culture of the company.
What role did you have as an intern, and what was your primary project?
I worked as a business development analyst. My main role within this internship was to provide effective and accurate market research because we are looking for future opportunities to expand our business. Furthermore, this position provided insight into consulting jobs since I was assigned to work on several issues within the department.
How would you describe Cydcor’s company culture?
Cydcor has a unique culture because its main objective is to enhance employees’ productivity by providing them a happy, relaxed, and professional environment. Companies are always concerned about their dress code and professionalism, but what is different about Cydcor is that we perceive results from internal sources rather than external ones. What I mean is that Cydcor’s dress code is less strict than those in other corporations because their main goal is to make an employee feel at home and happy. And when you have happy employees, you get better productivity, efficiency, and good results.
What experiences and new skills gained were most valuable?
After working for Cydcor, I was able to nurture my skills regarding market research analysis, executive decisions, and teamwork experience. Yet, the most valuable skill I gained was time management. My supervisor Crystal Fernandez helped me develop organizational and planning skills because she wanted me to always plan my activities following a schedule, which I feel is a great asset since it enhances one’s output.
What would you say to other students considering an internship at Cydcor?
If you are someone who puts the time, effort, and passion to learn new things, then Cydcor is the right place for you to learn. This company not only gives you the opportunity to express your ideas, but your idea can potentially become one that the executive board could implement. How great would it be for student to have your idea implemented by a company? If you want to contribute to a company’s change and structure come and join Cydcor.
Julian G.
My journey at Cydcor has been very unique. From the moment I had my first interview, I knew this is where I wanted to spend my summer. Everyone was extremely friendly and humble, and they even told me they would provide me with mentorship and free lunch. What more could a student ask for?
What experiences and new skills gained were most valuable?
Cydcor’s program has been both fascinating and challenging. They not only provided me with interesting tasks, but they were also very challenging. It allowed me to learn every day, developing skills in Excel and Business Intelligence, a software application used to analyze an organization’s financial data.
What would you say to other students considering an internship at Cydcor?
I highly recommend interning at Cydcor because I believe that the things I have learned during the internship will give me a competitive advantage when recruiting next year for a full time job.
Yangzi Z.
There were many things I enjoyed this summer at Cydcor: the working environment, company culture, the mentorship program, and the Lunch and Learn workshops. And the coolest CEO!
What role did you have as an intern, and what was your primary project?
I worked in the accounting department, mostly providing support. I also worked on several projects, including profitability analysis, invoice reconciliation, invoice recording, bank statement reconciliation, and client financial statement analysis.
How would you describe Cydcor’s company culture?
Company culture is my favorite thing about Cydcor. Personally, I think instead of being a corporate company, Cydcor is more like a big family. Everybody is so close to each other and overall it is a great place to work, learn, and grow.
Tina H.
The working environment is collaborative and energetic. I got to learn about what different departments do and how the entire company functions. The people here are friendly and always willing to help.
What role did you have as an intern, and what was your primary project?
I was working for compliance and quality assurance. My primary projects were audit projects to ensure we have quality sales.
How would you describe Cydcor’s company culture?
Cydcor’s company culture is very friendly and collaborative.
What experiences and new skills gained were most valuable?
I really enjoyed the intern project I worked on with all the other interns. I think it’s challenging and helped me improve my problem solving and team work skills. Being in an office and working on real life tasks also helped me learn about how I should act in a business setting.
What would you say to other students considering an internship at Cydcor?
It’ll be a fun learning experience. Don’t miss out.
Miguel B.
What role did you have as an intern, and what was your primary project?
My role as an intern was to help out HR and Learning and Development with the open enrollment presentation and the new hire surveys.
How would you describe Cydcor’s company culture?
Based off my personal experience, I would describe Cydcor’s culture as motivating, enthusiastic, positive and joyful.
What experiences and new skills gained were most valuable?
I think the graphic design and video-editing skills I developed was the greatest thing I took away from this experience.
What would you say to other students considering an internship at Cydcor?
I would tell them how great of an experience I’ve had and how much I’ve learned over the course of 10 weeks.
Sam C.
The office has a pool table, Ping-Pong, a lot of free food, and a gym. I have friends that spent their summers getting coffee, making copies, or refreshing their emails. I also think that having other interns my age and sharing a group project was great for my overall experience. I am also working in the newest department at Cydcor so there isn’t really a “protocol” on how to do things, so in my projects I was given a lot of freedom.
What role did you have as an intern, and what was your primary project?
I worked on a digital resource center that the field can use with all of their sales and to make their training more efficient. I also was one of six interns working on the internship project. For the project, we came up with specific recommendations to improve the company and presented our findings to the executive team.
How would you describe Cydcor’s company culture?
It’s welcoming. I think that the people around me reached out at all times and I never felt like a burden, but that people genuinely want to help. I feel as though I know many different people in this big office from all different departments. The atmosphere can be fun and relaxed, but also motivated and focused on the work that needs to be done.
What experiences and new skills gained were most valuable?
I think just being in a real world environment is the thing I will take away the most from this summer. I would also say that working with other people to solve problems has been a skill I have acquired or improved this summer.
What would you say to other students considering an internship at Cydcor?
I would say be prepared to meet a lot of great people and that it is a fun time. I would say that you are going to work hard, but the work is meaningful and it is for people you like and respect.
Head over to https://www.cydcor.com/careers to learn how you can join the Cydcor team today!
About Conscious Business: How to Build Value through Values by Fred Kofman
Consciousness plays a large role in organizational business. Building a conscious business means finding your passion and expressing your essential values through work, according to author Fred Kofman. A conscious business also continually builds a viable way to pursue happiness for many of its employees. It calls for solid performances through its community and the dignity of each shareholder. Conscious Business is the definitive resource for achieving what really matters in the workplace and beyond.
Why Cydcor Reviews recommends this to future leaders:
The most difficult parts about starting or running a business is the amount of overtime work needed, the stressful deadlines, and the thought of being overworked without a secure future. The real challenges that make or break an entrepreneur’s success require dealing with their own integrity, priorities, and conflicts with others people. Conscious Business analyzes those challenges and offers many different tools and strategies of how we can manage them and come out ahead having built a stronger foundation and a stronger company. This book is grounded in the harsh challenges of reality in business, such as understanding that failure is never an option and success is not always achieved. It’s a great starting point for business professionals to realize it takes a lot to make it on top, but it’s definitely not impossible.
Our favorite part:
Conscious Business contains many techniques to improve organizational greatness. The book’s chapters present techniques on building unconditional responsibility, succeeding with integrity, improving communication and speaking the truth, be accountable with commitments, and how to be the ultimate source of leadership. This book creates a tool set for organizational learning that can be applied to any day-to-day business culture. It’s a quick read with worthwhile knowledge to take away.
A mentor is a guide and counselor who provides career advice and support. This relationship—also a process—often involves a younger person seeking out the guidance of a more experienced employee or supervisor.
In some cases, a mentor provides this service as way to do good or “pay it forward.” Perhaps someone in their past took the time to help them out in their career development, and to honor the kindness and help they received, they seek to share their abilities with someone new.
Some schools, companies, and social organizations may have formal mentorship programs that match a more experienced person with a less experienced person.
One of the keys to a successful mentor and mentee relationship is enthusiasm. You should only pursue start the process if you’re honestly interested in developing your professional skills and committed to paying attention to the lessons a mentor has to offer. Before you seek out a mentor, review your goals and expectations.
A Mentorship Self Review
What do you want to learn from a mentor?
A mentor could teach you about the qualities required to be a good leader. A mentor might also teach you a technical skill—how to master a piece of sophisticated software—that will also take time to learn. A mentor could coach you on professional skills related to sales and business. Before you approach a potential mentor you need to know what you expect to learn and communicate those expectations to your mentor.
Are you ready to go back to “school”?
Finding a mentor and improving your professional skills is a great idea. You need to listen to what your mentor says and do what they tell you to do. It’s a bit like being back in school because you must be willing to follow their orders. You have to do your “homework” or you’re wasting your time and—even worse—your mentor’s time.
Do you have the time to commit to learning something new right now? Calculate the amount of time you’ll work with your mentor weekly. Figure out how much time you’ll need to study and practice your new skills. You’re going to need to schedule time for reading and studying. To sum it all up—do you have time to work with a mentor and commit to learning a new skill?
Important Qualities to Look for in a Mentor
Wisdom This quality covers a lot of ground. You want to find someone with experience that relates to your career path. But, more than that, you want someone who has the ability to review their own experience and pick out lessons that are important to share. The mentor needs to be able to identify key lessons insights that you will be able to learn from.
Authentic Working with a mentor involves an honest exchange of information, questions and answers, and sharing experiences. You’ll learn about your mentor. Your mentor will learn about you. He or she should be interested in hearing about your experiences, interests, and questions. If your potential mentor is only interested in telling stories about their success, you won’t have an authentic experience. It’s a waste of your time.
Trustworthy Asking someone to become your mentor can be risky. You might approach someone who you’ve worked with closely in the past and whose character you understand. You may also recognize that there is a colleague from another department or someone you know from your professional community. Working with them in an honest way may require that you confide in them and share some of your professional ideas and work experiences. Is the mentor you have in mind worthy of your trust?
Engaged You’re selecting a mentor based on their knowledge and experience. You’ll benefit most from a mentor whose experience is informed by a complete understanding of past and current practices in your industry. You want to improve your skills and build your mastery of a skill or process. This isn’t a history lesson. Your mentor must be engaged, open-minded, and love learning just as much as you do.
Learn more about Cydcor and what we do by checking out our latest videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Cydcor
Cydcor is pleased to announce a photo contest coinciding with R&R 2015 in Cancun, Mexico! To enter the photo contest, all you have to do is post a photo on Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #RRCancun2015 anytime between Thursday, September 3rd (12:00 PM EST) until Saturday, 5th (8:59 PM EST). Upon entry, you will be automatically entered into the R&R 2015 photo contest for a chance to win $100 cash!
See you at #RRCancun2015!
Terms and Conditions (Instagram)
Post a photo on Instagram, or Twitter using the hashtag #RRCancun2015 anytime Thursday, September 3rd (12:00 EST) until Saturday, 5th (8:59 PM EST) and you will be automatically entered in the R&R photo contest. To be eligible, entrants must be (i) at least 18 years of age and a registered attendant of Cydcor’s R&R 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, September 5th any time after 8:59PM 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, or Twitter using the hashtag #RRCancun2015 anytime Thursday, September 3rd (12:00 EST) until Saturday, 5th (8:59 PM EST) and you will be automatically entered in the R&R photo contest. To be eligible, entrants must be (i) at least 18 years of age and a registered attendant of Cydcor’s R&R 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, September 5th any time after 8:59 PM 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.
Recent research has revealed that people perform better at work and in life if we practice strategic renewal. If you’re rundown you’re more susceptible to getting sick and miss days from work.
You need to get more sleep during the week, scheduling daytime workouts, eat healthy foods, and enjoy rest and relaxation away from the office with your team members whenever possible.
These simple changes in behavior are guaranteed to improve your attitude about work your performance at work—and maybe even your beach volleyball skills.
Humans aren’t designed to run on high level without having a period of rest and relaxation. You need a time for renewal. It allows you to relax and rejuvenate your mind and body.
That’s why Cydcor’s R&R Cancun 2015 is such an important event. It celebrates your accomplishments and reminds us all that we need to take a moment to stop and smell the frangipani.
Here are some of the specific benefits of rest and relaxation whether you’re on the beach or in your own backyard:
Restores your energy: You need to recharge you batteries in order perform at peak effectiveness throughout the day. Rest and relaxation is part of your work cycle and taking advantage of it whenever possible will improve your productivity.
Repairs your body: Our bodies repair themselves from daily wear and tear when we rest. Rest and relaxation reduces stress and improves overall health. You’ll be able to easily work a full day.
Improves your focus: An active mind gets tired just like an active body. Including time to quiet your thoughts and letting your mind rest is part of the healing process. You’ll improve your ability to concentrate and problem solve at work.
Improves your mood: Relaxation makes you feel happier. When you choose to think about things that make you feel good, you’ll discover that you actually feel more positive about the challenges you face at work. You’ll begin to see obstacles as opportunities.
Increases your creativity: Too much stress and activity often disconnect you from your creative potential. Rest and relaxation will allow you to regenerate as an individual and as a team. Your ability to create and innovate as a team member and as a cohesive group will be improved when you return to work.
Keep up with the latest posts from R&R 2015 by following Cydcor on Instagram! https://instagram.com/cydcor/