Why Soft Skills are Important 08/13/2011
By: Sandy Chernoff, owner: Soft Skills for Success Today’s competitive world has made everyone more concerned about how to find work, and how to excel in the field he/she has chosen. We all have our strengths and weaknesses; it is vital that we mould and develop those strengths, and overcome those weaknesses. Why Soft Skills Make the Difference Employers often have to choose from 10 or more viable candidates for any one position. How will they select the best one from a group of individuals who all possess similar educational qualifications and work experience? Usually that will boil down to the one with the best soft skills:
Most successful businesses rely on relationship building and that develops with good communication, excellent customer service and quality products. Collaborative teamwork cannot exist without cooperation, support, clear communication, trust and respect....all of those are based on good relationships. Soft Skills Improve Job & Organizational Performance Those possessing good soft skills will improve their performance at work. This will not only catch the attention of the boss, but will help to increase the happiness factor of those they contact. This in turn will enhance the creativity, productivity and ultimately, the bottom line of the company. The more members of the team with excellent soft skills the more all of the aforementioned will be true. Employers realize that in order to achieve company goals, they require employees with effective soft skills. Soft Skills Bring Personal Growth and Success Soft skills are empowering. No matter what career path one chooses, the better one’s soft skills the more impressive will be their accomplishments. These attributes are beneficial in all aspects of a person’s life: at work, at home, at play. To learn more about Sandy Chernoff and Soft Skills for Success visit: www.softskillsforsuccess.com Sandy, Thank you for sharing this valuable information on Soft Skills with us. Michelle Panzlaff Tidy Tiger Add Comment Stop Feeling Overwhelmed & Learn to say 'No' 12/16/2010
Recently I was asked to ake a contribution to an Organizing Blog by a colleague of mine, Stephanie Calahan. Since "Overwhelm" is a word that we hear allot of, Stephanie brought us all together to help provide our best strategies to break out of this state. Take a moment to read the post "106 Thoughts on Overcoming Overwhelm in a Freaked-Out World" http://www.productiveandorganized.net/2010/12/106-thoughts-on-overcoming-overwhelm-in-a-freaked-out-world.html My contribution can be found at #79, and here it is, just for you: #79 Decline doing what is not of value to you. Saying NO can be hard because as helpful, loving and creative people we want to help, support and show just how much we are capable of when it comes to new assignments and opportunities. Learning to say No can be difficult, yet it is a valuable skill if we want to stay focused on what is truly important. When assignments come up ask yourself if it aligns with your overall goals, or if it is too important to let go. If you answer is NO, then decline to get involved Buying Stuff Can Cost You! 05/18/2010
By Louie Lapa, When I look back at the 10 years in this business of savings, spending and the key to being ahead, I've come to the conclusion that it's all about the choices we make on a day to day basis. It's about the habits and values that were instilled in us when we were young, and it's about how we feel about job security, whether we have an abundance mentality or one of scarcity. For example, I've sat in meetings with an individual who earns $50,000 and saves 20% of his income per year with absolutely no regret, or problem for that matter. I've also sat across individual that makes over $250,000 and barely being able to save $14,400 in one year!! Why? Lifestyle choices. One prefers to dine in, one prefers to dine out every day. One prefers to go for runs and jogs, and hikes (which are free except for snacks and water) and one prefers to golf at expensive golf courses, 3 times a week, with rented golf carts, new golf balls, new gear and new equipment every year. Granted, both are enjoying themselves in different ways, but would you believe that the person making the most money still carries a mortgage? Moreover, this individual is retired and aged 67!! Why do we spend first, buy stuff we don't need, then come up short in retirement? Easy...consider this: * Buying a pair of shoes once a month (let's say $150) * Buying various larger furniture or appliance pieces 2 times a year ($500 each) * Purchasing computers or new gadgets every year ($1000) Doing these 3 alone for 20 years can mean $173,895 in opportunity lost. This amount of retirement money can provide you an income of $15,446 per year for 30 years!! To learn more about investing your hard earned money into more than stuff, I want you to consider calling on Louie Lapa, Investment Advisor & Certified Financial Planner for Dundee Securities Corporation. I think he is onto something good here... Email: llapa@dundeesecurities.com Or find him on the web a http://lapa.dundeewealth.com Clear the Inside Clutter! 04/26/2010
It is my pleasure this week to include this insightful contribution from Regina at ‘Veracis Wellness Inc.’ Enjoy… “Your outer world is a reflection of your inner world. Most people tidy their physical space first which creates an environment for inner contemplation. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to meditate with the nagging reminder of all the cleaning that still needs to be done, or opening you eyes to clutter!” Clear the clutter externally to experience inner calm. Be gentle with yourself, beginning with one area at a time. The same is true for your inner self. Every time you bring order and cleanliness into your surroundings, give yourself a few minutes to reflect on the clutter you’ve let go on the inside. The way you think and act today is different from who you were yesterday. The satisfaction you experience when things are in order will relate to your inner happiness. Be in the moment, smile and enjoy the freedom to touch truth from within. Light, Laughter & Love, Regina Kaiser To learn more about Veracis Wellness Inc. Call Regina at 604.461.5511, email regina@veraciswellness.com or visit www.veraciswellness.com today. Creating Space 04/19/2010
We all know that the Maple Leaf serves as a great symbol of national pride. Did you also know that the Maple Leaf also signifies a great Canadian Company that can help you create more space? Maple Leaf Self Storage has been in business for over 25 years, they have 10 great locations in the Lower Mainland and two in Calgary. I recently visited the Vancouver Location and it was not only the facilities that impressed me, the people really make the difference. I am very impressed with Maple Leaf Self Storage Inc as their facilities are clean, organized and secure. They offer clients a safe, dry, temperature controlled haven for valuable possessions and as an organizer I appreciate just how important good containment is. That is why today I thought I would mention them in Tidy Times. They even offer a no-charge "Business Centre" on site to assist clients. I highly recommend checking them out for your storage needs, even the needs you haven't even considered yet. Wouldn't off-site storage for your valuable yet less used items free up some floor space where it really counts? Learn more about Maple Leaf Self Storage and check out some great pictures from the recent Members Reception held for Vancouver Board of Trade. This fantastic networking event was hosted by PJ and Angelica, the proud managers of Maple Leaf Self Storage. Member's Reception at Maple Leaf Self Storage www.mapleleafstorage.com Keep it Clean. Keep it Longer! 03/30/2010
 Once while I was visiting with my dad we decided it would be a great idea to give my laptop a cleaning. Now I have done this before so I wasn't too worried, yet I think my dad's vacuum is a little more powerful than the one I have because as we were giving the key board a once over my 'J' key disappeared. Yikes!! Of course you can imagine my shear first reaction of terror. This might be slight exaggeration yet indeed it did make me pause with concern. Luckily my dad just popped open his vacuum, found my 'J' and it was still looking ok. I managed to get it placed back on my laptop keyboard and all was well again. Now I make sure to use the small attachment I have at home that the key wont fit through. Overall I am very careful with my laptop because, it cost a lot of money and I want it to last a long time. What about your computer, what about your companies systems? Did you want your investment to last a long time and run well too? Let me ask you, did you know... The average business spends more per month on its coffee supplies than it spends in an entire year providing preventive maintenance service on it’s computer hardware system, which they have invested anywhere from several thousand to hundreds of thousands of dollars in purchasing. Modern computers with their powerful computing ability no longer need to be replaced every 2-4 years. If properly maintained, computer hardware can last 7-10 years or longer, saving your company several thousand to hundreds of thousands in capital investment. Employees appreciate a clean, healthy work place environment and customer testimonials report a noticeable reduction in employee sick time. What does one employee sick day equate to in costs to your business not only in unrecoverable salary and benefits expense, but also disruption to the workplace productivity, fumbled orders / customers, lost sales? Think your janitorial service is cleaning your computers, better think again. At best, janitorial companies will do little more than wave a feather duster over your equipment. This is usually the janitorial company’s policy for insurance reasons. But don't worry, I found a solution for you: Let me introduce you to Dataclean Computer Services. Their client list speaks to both their reliability and integrity, providing service to the banking industry, call centre’s, law firms, municipal police, crown corporation offices, provincial utilities companies, municipal city facilities and small to corporate sized independent business. Datacleans service maintenance schedules are custom tailored to fit your business based on your specific office environment requirements. i.e. shared vs. exclusive use of equipment. For an online quotation for your equipment cleaning requirements visit www.dataclean.ca and click on the "Online Quote" tab. Dataclean Computer Services Contact: Willard Wilton Email: wwilton@dataclean.ca Phone: 604-258-8837 Fax: 604-582-5197 Willard’s got my support: "What impressed me the most about the service and products that Willard at Dataclean provides his clients is the outstanding integrity and commitment he demonstrates while doing so. The level of dedication and care that Willard puts into his work, in my perspective, is the most valuable aspect of working with him. The product options are fantastic too, yet it's the people thatdo it for me. Thanks again Willard!" Michelle Panzlaff – Tidy Tiger Solutions Investing in Yourself 03/01/2010
By Melia Goertzen, of Caron Business Solutions You get regular oil changes for your car. You drag your kids to the dentist every six months. You worry about replacing your roof this summer, even though you know you could probably wait another few years. You are proactive about all the things around you, yet you never focus on yourself... What about the time you spend working? Do you make the most of it? Doing the books, keeping records, time and billing, working on payroll... and what about that dreaded time we call tax season? How much time do you spend scrunched over your computer, paper covering your desk, pencil in hand, reaching for the Tylenol? If you're like most people, it's probably more than you care to admit. Once Michelle at Tidy Tiger has done a number on the piles of paper, maybe it's time to learn the most effective ways to use your computer software. Whether you're a larger business running on Accpac, a smaller business using Simply Accounting, or just using Microsoft Excel to keep track of the day-to-day "stuff", chances are you could be using the program more efficiently. By spending one day in a classroom, learning from Certified Trainers and using hands-on practical examples, you will gain new insight into how to use the tools you already have more successfully. Make the jump from a plain old Excel table to a Pivot Graph. Stop spending time on repetitive tasks, and set up recurring transactions in Simply Accounting. Don't just track your inventory, but control it using Accpac. You invest in so many things around you, isn't it time you focus on yourself? Don't you think you're worth it? If you're ready to take your knowledge to the next level, check out www.caronbusiness.com/training, or contact Melia at 604-291-6311. Mention this article for 5% off any course.  Photo’s and Memories Preserved 01/17/2010
This week we have the pleasure of receiving some valuable tips on how to preserve your precious memories. Our organizing partner “Golden Legacy Preserved Ltd” has thoughtfully provided some very good information and if you have photos that you want to make sure stay precious, I urge you to read this article for the full scoop… Here is a common concern: "My photos are fading away! I wanted to show to my grandchildren the photos when I was pregnant with their parents, but now is too late; the photos have scratches and have almost completely faded away". Here is part of the problem: Chemicals on the photos and slides keep reacting over time. Some color images show marked deterioration in only 10 years turning blue, yellow or red in most cases. The color dyes used in photo prints, slides and negatives will irreversibly decay overtime. Changes in temperature and humidity produce one kind of fading, changes in lighting conditions are responsible for other kind of fading. The oil in our hands and dust in the environment are also responsible for deterioration that will become more evident overtime. What can we do to protect our valuable photos? The decaying process is progressive and irreversible but it can be slowed down by careful storage and handling of the photos. Color photos will last longer if stored in the dark, in a cool dry location. The worst place to store old photographs is in the basement (too damp) or attic (too hot). Do not stack them on top of each other, photos are easily scratched and should be stored in archival plastic or paper sleeves. Most inexpensive photo albums could damage the photos. Particularly, avoid albums with sticky adhesive pages. Be careful when removing fragile photo prints, slides and negatives from boxes, sleeves and photo albums. Avoid touching of surface areas and do not force the photos off from the photo album or from each other. Another more permanent solution would be to professionally transfer them to CD or DVD. If professionally scanned, photos can then be digitally enhanced with specialized software to help restore the faded dyes to a point somewhere near to original appearance, depending on the extent of the damage. Some minor scratches could also be repaired by qualified technicians. This solution has many benefits; not only the photos will last a lifetime on a CD or DVD but you can also copy and share them with family and friends all around the world and the quality will never deteriorate regardless of how many times you play them or make copies out of them. _______________________ Thank you Golden Legacy for your helpful information, I am sure many readers will learn some important things about storing their precious memories. To help get your photo in order, call us, Tidy Tiger, yet when you need to have your memories preserved contact Golden Legacy Preserved Ltd Golden Legacy professionally transfers Photos/Slides, VHS/Camcorder, LP/Cassettes to CD/DVD with great attention to details.. "Golden Legacy Preserved Ltd. has my highest recommendation. What impressed me the most about Golden Legacy was Luis. He has passion and knowledge, so your legacy is in good hands!" Michelle Visit them today to learn more… www.GoldenLegacy.ca or call 604-527-0515 to speak with them today. |  CategoriesAll ArchivesJanuary 2012 |
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