Telecom in the News!

Each month NWMAP Telecom likes to feature Telecom events that made it in the news or pertinent info to your need-to-know Telecom info. We haven’t updated this in a couple of months now so we’d like to start anew this month by sharing WHERE we get our news from.

Many sites have frequently updated Tech and Telecom info in abundance, but not all of it is pertinent to everyone. We focus on widespread news that benefits or affects many people. Lately we’ve been focusing on business, sales approach, and other aspects within the Telecom industry itself.

Some great daily info for CIO’s and even CEO’s is at the Harvard Business Review site under the “Blogs” section: http://blogs.hbr.org/ There is a lot of info here from leadership, sales approaches, innovation, and all the other buzz words of the day. Some of it is based largely on opinions, making it subjective in nature, However, there are some gems here so keep on the lookout. Our favorite this month was: http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2013/07/want_to_raise_prices_tell_a_be.html

We also like our Telecom carriers’ blogs. NWMAP has over 40 carriers we represent. These are specific to the needs of our agents at NWMAP and people in the industry. We like Intelysis Blog and Telecom Channel Blog:http://www.intelisys.com/press . Another good one is 8×8: http://www.8×8.com/AboutUs/8x8Blog.aspx

For the daily grind: http://www.networkworld.com/topics/unified-communications.html and http://www.infoworld.com/news. Oh, and one more:http://www.fiercetelecom.com/news . You’re going to find company specific news here and news on the big ones like Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft, and Google, etc.

 

Business Leadership; Do You Qualify?

With the ongoing elections beating at the heart of America, making a decision about who will be our leader comes to mind. What makes a good leader? We’ve seen this age-old question, maybe mulled it over, for as long as we’ve been in the business of business. There are theories, there are tests even, but leadership evolves and changes with the business culture and atmosphere of today….and tomorrow? As usual this is yet another aspect of business when what works today may not work tomorrow.

Leaders in various industries stand out to us…some are role models, others may have gotten that far by happenstance. Either way, people are beginning to mull this question over again so let’s take a thoughtful look into it. Often times we think of a boss or CEO as a good leader, or the obvious leader, but the ability to lead does not come with the highest ranking position. So what qualifies someone, in general, as a leader?

  1. Balance of positive versus negative. Is this a 50/50 percentage of good and bad? No. research has shown just one negative comment takes about five positive ones to counteract. This also applies to constructive criticism- lead with the good followed by constructive advice.
  2. Communicate effectively. Ask questions about how people perceive what you’ve communicated to them. Don’t assume that you are leader and everyone needs to learn your communication style. This also means co-workers communicating well with each other and within the organization you lead.
  3. Don’t be too busy…for anyone or anything. The problem with getting too busy is things begin to get overlooked. Maybe you forgot to tell an outstanding employee how good they did. Little things like that effect big things like performance.
  4. Always invest in people…clients and employees. People are your business no matter what business you’re in. In the age of Internet and lack of face to face encounters, one thing still remains, people are the face and voice of your business so make personal meeting and customer reviews a regular part of your business.
  5. Learn from mistakes. Sometimes it’s helpful learning from your competitior’s mistakes or another business, but you will always remember the mistakes you made so that is naturally great, and memorable, learning material. All CEO’s will confess to having to learn through some hard-earned whoops.

Notes on Success for the CIO, CEO, and Entrepreneur

I flipped open the latest issue of Success magazine and found some inspiring stories. I don’t usually read something like this because success seems elusive during tough times. Such a broad term. Everybody’s chasing after it, right? Just like the American Dream, does it even exist anymore? But I think what we need right now is exactly what I found in the magazine- inspiration. We’ve been in a recession and will be for a while, but innovation and re-invention seem to be key now. People who used to work for others are now working for themselves. Times are changing.

Reading through the editor’s note at the beginning I picked a quote that I enjoyed. “Now, because of technology, every ambitious individual has direct and immediate access to a global market of resources and customers.” (Darren Hardy- SUCCESS magazine Publisher and founding Editor). He also states technology as being the foremost reason for the current ‘entrepreneurial revolution’. Anybody and everybody can get ahead and really be in control of their professional destiny. Personally, I don’t have a 401k anymore but I do work for myself and do what I enjoy. Even Steve Jobs didn’t have it easy at the get-go…sleeping on his friend’s floors after he dropped out of college. The key is we’re desperate enough now and there really is opportunity for the right kind of person.

Another key to success is defining what success is to you personally. My definition is doing what I love. Yes, I’m one of those people who believes if I’m doing what I love, the money will follow. So far, so good. I also believe people should  consistently train for success. Find what motivates you- some people need money in their pockets and food on their table, others want freedom and power over their life. Research what gets you there. Take lessons from others who ARE there. Sometimes setting yourself up as your biggest competitor is a more rewarding challenge than always comparing yourself to the “other” competition and their numbers.  People who succeed felt they never had a choice otherwise.

After skimming some great articles in the latest Success issue, I realized inspiration and technology are our fighting chance in this economic climate. Use it to your advantage.

Written by: Contributing Blogger, L. Izett

Need extra money in your pocket? Contact NW MAP and learn how to be a Telecom Agent: https://nwmap.com/contact-us/become-an-agent

 

CEO Slip-ups: Have you Ever Made a Big Mistake at Work?

When CEO’s explain or recall their business blunders of the past, they usually state they learned something and at the very least learned to survive what could have been a pure nightmare.  Some business CEO tips for surviving are as follows:

  • try to learn from something bad or else the experience was useless.
  • don’t be afraid to show your true self to the world, it may give you the world.
  • Don’t be afraid of not being liked ALL of the time.
  • be a great observer…try not to jump into things without spending some time observing first.
  • realize you are less likely to notice your own errors so double, no, triple check yourself and your work.
  • There is a quote by famous Director, Paul Weitz…”If you’re worried about being perfect, you’ll never come up with anything good”. Accept and adapt to your imperfections.
  • be knowledgeable about things around you and your business and be prepared for at least two different scenarios for everything you do.

Optimism in the Workplace

During a recession or in difficult economic times, it’s been revealed that employees are more unhappy with their jobs. This goes against what most of us would think. Wouldn’t people be happy they have a job when so many others don’t or when there is a shortage of jobs in the U.S, land of plenty? During a recession people also spend more money on entertainment. And you’d think we couldn’t afford those things if we are struggling just paying for the basics.

What does all this information tell us? People usually work harder for the same wages during a recession- maybe they’re doing the job of two people instead of one. Currently there is probably a lot of unhappy workers and workplace negativity. People want to be happy right now- they spend money to cheer themselves up rather than pay bills.

How do you create optimism in the workplace?

  • Diagnose unhappiness. Find out what is making employees unhappy.
  • Set attainable goals  that everyone can get involved with.
  • Many companies are trying to cut costs, but unhappy workers take more sick days, steal things from the company, and wasted more time at work. It’s best to give employees incentives, contests, rewards, recognitions, and ways they can earn even a small bonus. This seems like you are spending more money, but it will save you.
  •  Turn extra work into a project they can feel a part of and proud to accomplish.
  • If you are manager, CEO, CIO, or any level of management, remember you set the tone for the company. Smile more yourself.