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.

• What brought you here? What are you interested in learning?
• Tell me about you?
• What is your latest project?
• Are you familiar with social media? How do you use social media to connect with customers?
• What’s the most interesting part of your work?
• Which leaders in your field inspire you?

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:

• Describe your most memorable experience
• Explain the problems you had before and the solutions you found
• Share how inspiring messages from a speaker motivated you
• Teach some new ways of doing things

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.

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 25^th 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

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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 25^th 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 25^th 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 25^th 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

• Men: Khakis or slacks, casual button down or polo shirt, loafers or sneakers.
• Women: Skirt or slacks, open-collar shirt, dress, flats or sandals.

Business Professional

• Men: Sport coat or blazer with slacks, dress shirt, open-collar or polo shirt, optional tie, loafers and socks.
• Women: Suit, business-style dress, skirt with jacket, flats or low heels.

Cocktail or Business Formal

• Men: Business suit—vest optional, tie, dress shoes, dress socks.
• Women: Cocktail dress, “little black dress,” long dressy skirt and top.

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.

• Blazer or Sports Jacket: Men and women can dress up or down with a good blazer or sports jacket. It should be a structured jacket in a traditional color—black, brown, or navy are easy to pair with formal and informal looks.

• Dress Pants or a Pencil Skirt: Dress pants for men or a pencil skirt for women are always good options—in black, gray, or navy. These colors work with a variety of casual or formal shirts and blouses, neckties, or understated jewelry.

• Shirts and Blouses: Men should include button down shirts in light colors—nothing flashy. Women should consider knit or silk blouses in a solid color. In both cases shirts and blouses should be comfortable, never too tight or revealing.

• Shoes and Footwear: Wear a comfortable pair of shoes when you’re traveling. Keep the sneakers in your luggage and wear them when you’re at the gym. Men should select brown or black shoes that tie. Match socks to the shoe colors. Low heels or flats in a style with closed toes work well for women. Black and brown are good for professional events.

• A Formal Event: Gentlemen should wear a suit and tie to a formal dinner. Women should plan on wearing a dress. Dressing correctly for this event requires familiarity with your corporate culture. It’s one time when it may be appropriate to show some flair at a professional event.

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 22^nd 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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Cydcor Reviews is a website dedicated to recommending business-related books to professionals and aspiring entrepreneurs. Learn more about Cydcor by checking out our page on Flickr.

About Pitch Anything: An Innovative Method for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning the Deal by Oren Klaff

Delivering an excellent pitch to potential sales clients doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Enter Pitch Anything author Oren Klaff, who knows a thing or two about making a sale. Over the past decade and more, Klaff has utilized his pitching method to raise more than $400 million. In Pitch Anything, Klaff describes his formula to help any business professional with any sale pitch.

According to Klaff, crafting and executing the perfect pitch isn’t art; it’s more centered on science. By applying the latest scientific findings and discussing real-life examples, Klaff describes how the brain makes decisions and responds to sales pitches. By learning how the method works and what you’ve been doing wrong, it’s much easier to understand how a successful pitch is done. Whether you're presenting to new investors, locking down some new business, or even negotiating for a higher salary, Pitch Anything has you covered when it comes to perfecting the pitch.

Why Cydcor Reviews recommends this to future leaders:

Learning the method of a successful pitch isn’t too difficult, but many people fail the first step: getting the attention of potential buyers or clients. Attention requires the combination of two things working together: desire and tension. Not only do you need the person to be interested in what you’re selling, but you also need them thinking that they would be lucky to have the product or service. Be sure to let the client know that you have the best service or product and that they would be missing out by not buying. You have to be passionate about what you are selling and get other people to be passionate about buying.

Pitch Anything has great insights on how the brain processes simple information and how to take advantage of this with clients. Klaff has done the required research to prove his points, while still bringing something new to the table.

Our favorite part:

The sales method that Klaff discuses in Pitch Anything is simple to understand and apply. The “STRONG” method of pitching can be put to use immediately by any business professional. The steps include setting the frame, telling the story, revealing the intrigue, offering the prize, nailing the hookpoint, and finally, getting a decision. Applying these tactics and strategies will help to engage and persuade the person you’re pitching to, and you'll find more agreement and support than you ever thought possible.

Integrity means that you have high moral principles and follow professional standards. Simply put—to practice integrity in the workplace you can’t just talk the talk—you have to walk the walk. A lack of integrity can lead to poor decision-making and have a negative influence on your work and your employer.

Integrity Begins With You

Be well groomed at all times. Keep your work area and your car neat and clean. This habit shows that you care about the impressions you make as a representative of your company. Clients and colleagues will see that you respect your employer’s values and are a responsible person. If you make a promise you must keep it. It proves that you’re a dependable person. Only agree to provide services that you can actually deliver. Don’t over promise. If you do something wrong, fix it as soon as possible.

How Do I Show Integrity at Work?

You have to be honest and ethical in all of your actions if you want to practice integrity in the workplace. Understand that you’re a role model for your colleagues, clients, and vendors. Be consistent about how you apply your ethical standards. Rely on facts at all times in your interactions at work. Never make excuses or avoid sharing bad news. Integrity requires that you speak up when you notice a practice or behavior that diverges from the company’s ethical standards.

Practice Company-wide Integrity

Practicing integrity at work provides positive outcomes for your company. However, you need to understand how your company practices integrity. Become familiar with your company’s core values and use them as a guide for developing your workplace integrity. Allow your team members to share their concerns about anything they see as going against your company’s values. Encourage an atmosphere that supports honesty and fairness.

Integrity Welcomes Risk

Every decision you make will involve some elements of risk. You must be willing to take a risk in order to achieve excellence and be competitive. If there are objections to your suggestions, remain positive. Gaining support from team members and stakeholders requires effort. Do the work. Ask for input from all participants and encourage them to share their concerns.

Practice What You Preach

Your behavior at work must offer a good example for your team members, colleagues, customers, and your community. Recognize your own skills and appreciate the contributions of others. Share your experience with your team and help them to develop their own integrity in the workplace.

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