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Health: Protein Injection Which Could Replace Knee Surgery

in health - on 10/29/2016 10:29:00 AM - No comments

By SARA MALM – September 3

A single injection of protein harvested from a patient's own blood may replace the need for knee surgery for osteoarthritis sufferers.

The new 20-minute procedure sees blood drawn from the patient's arm, separated in a centrifuge, after which part of the fluid is then injected into the arthritic knee.

The surgeon who brought the treatment to the UK believes it can stop the need for keyhole surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee altogether.

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, particularly affecting people aged 65 and over.

The degenerative condition affects the cartilage – the joint's connective tissue – causing pain, stiffness and inflammation.

A trial study in the Netherlands published earlier this year showed that 85 per cent of patients had little to no pain in their knee six months after new procedure, which is called the NStride Autologous protein injection.

A further, larger, study based on work in Italy, Austria, Belgium and Norway, which has seen similarly positive results, is due to be published later this month.

About 55ml of blood is taken from a vein in the patient's arm, mixed with an anticoagulant and centrifuged at high speed for 15 minutes, causing the blood to separate into three layers – a yellow blood plasma; a red blood cell concentration; and a 'platelet-rich plasma', a solution comprising platelet cells and some white blood cells.

Article Source: orthospinenews

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Stop Begging People to Stay. Let them Go

in relationship - on 10/29/2016 10:28:00 AM - No comments

To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.
There are people who can walk away from you. And hear me when I tell you this!
When people can walk away from you: let them walk.
I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you,
loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you,
staying attached to you.
I mean hang up the phone.
When people can walk away from you let them walk.
Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left.
People leave you because they are not joined to you.
And if they are not joined to you,
you can't make them stay.
Let them go.
And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person,
it just means that their part in the story is over.
And you've got to know when people's
part in your story is over so that you
don't keep trying to raise the dead.
You've got to know when it's dead.
You've got to know when it's over.
Let me tell you something.
I've got the gift of good-bye.
It's the tenth spiritual gift,
I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful,
and I know whatever is meant for me to have
will come to me when it's time for it to.
And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it.
Stop begging people to stay. Let them go!!
If you are holding on to something
that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life,
then you need to..JUST LET IT GO!!!
If you are holding on to past hurts and pains ..
If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth...
If someone has angered you ...
If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge ..
If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction...
If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or
talents..
If you have a bad attitude...
If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better...
If you're stuck in the past and doors keep opening up for change...
If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship....
If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help
themselves..
If you're feeling depressed and stressed..
If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling
yourself and nothing works, take your hands off it and LET IT GO!!.
Let the past be the past.
Forget the former things.

Get Right or Get Left .. think about it, and then
LET IT GO!!!

Important: The above approach should not be considered for blood relationship (father, mother, brother, sister)... we must put a lot of efforts not to lose these relations...

Respect Your Parents - 35 Ways

in family - on 10/29/2016 10:15:00 AM - No comments

1. Put away your phone in their presence.

2. Pay attention to what they are saying.

3. Accept their opinions.

4. Engage in their conversations.

5. Look at them with respect.

6. Always praise them.

7. Share good news with them.

8. Avoid sharing bad news with them.

9. Speak well of their friends and loved ones to them.

10. Keep in remembrance the good things they did.

11. If they repeat a story, listen like it's the first time they tell it.

12. Don't bring up painful memories from the past.

13. Avoid side conversations in their presence

14. Sit respectfully around them.

15. Don't belittle/criticize their opinions and thoughts.

16. Avoid cutting them off when they speak.

17. Respect their age.

18. Avoid hitting/disciplining their grandchildren around them.

19. Accept their advice and direction.

20. Give them the power of leadership when they are present.

21. Avoid raising your voice at them.

22. Avoid walking in front or ahead of them.

23. Avoid eating before them.

24. Avoid glaring at them.

25. Fill them with your appreciation even when they don't think they deserve it.

26. Avoid putting your feet up in front of them or sitting with your back to them.

27. Don't speak ill of them to the point where others speak ill of them too.

28. Keep them in your prayers always possible.

29. Avoid seeming bored or tired of them in their presence.

30. Avoid laughing at their faults/mistakes.

31. Do a task before they ask you to.

32. Continuously visit them.

33. Choose your words carefully when speaking with them.

34. Call them by names they like.

35. Make them your priority above anything.

*Parents are treasure on this land and sooner than you think, that treasure will be buried.* *Appreciate your parents while you still can.*

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Sense of Security!

in wisdom - on 10/28/2016 11:33:00 AM - No comments

Imagine what you could do in your life, - for yourself - your family - for other people. How could you master your relationship with money?

There are many people that are financially wealthy. They have lots of money but they live in fear of losing it. You probably know some people like that. Inspite of having sufficient money they seems to be not enjoying fully.

Once I understood how money is really created and how it flows into and out of our lives, I never feared losing it. I learned how to develop a trust in the "flow". If I lost the wealth I have right now, it would bother me certainly I may be in depression. I would probably be upset for a few days, but I know with certainty I could create it again and I can have stable life. To me this confidence is real freedom.

This freedom that comes from knowing you will never be without the flow of money into your life is more valuable than having wealth alone, because it is something that cannot be taken away.

When you have this freedom you do not have to live in fear of what is going to happen. You will have a sense of certainty about your future. This is what most people require. This is what everybody should develop to continue to have good productive life.

The Health of a Group or a Team

in Leadership - on 10/28/2016 11:31:00 AM - No comments

Suppose there are twenty friends, who approve of each other, who are very happy with each other.

Then even the most meaningless joke will evoke happy laughter. All get the happy relaxed face, the enjoyment of benign synergy, everyone listening to the other and smiling not at what one actually hears, but smiling in anticipation. The health of a society can be gauged on the basis of the prevalence of groups that collectively laugh and where one finds the members of the group whose faces wear a smile.

On the other hand suppose the members are basically disapproving of each other. Then even the funniest joke creates only a tepid reluctant smile. The smile will vanish instantly. In such a group manufacture of any grievance, becomes very easy and one finds agitations,vandalism,destruction,riots,the use of imagination for vituperation, never answering a question straight but changing the topic, hogging all the time for own outburst passed off as discourse...

The dominant fear in such societies is the fear of disapproval. As a result one never talks openly, but only tactfully.

Now where does one find the carefree smile? We find it mainly in communities that live in nature, where nature is blooming and prospering.

And where do we find people who are neurotic, diabetic, suffering from BP, always anxious, unable to sit relaxed but only in hurry. It is in our industrialized societies where people get imprisoned in the concrete jungles with pollution spewing vehicles, sounds of people quarrelling or marketing and bargaining...all propelled by only one emotion---anxiety as a hormonal system. And we call this advancement and development!!!!!!!

The deception called development is made acceptable by what is called the increase in economic growth, now a euphemistic adjective is also added to this phrase---the JOBLESS growth, a euphemism for the loot of livelihoods and nature. In this model of development, millions of employees become redundant,forests,rivers,lakes,beaches,the flora and fauna, get extinguished permanently...the very capacity or faculty of smile vanishes. Blind anger, in search of some reason to explode for venting, lies, below the surface. When the people lose livelihoods, and when they are not even allowed to save by tax on fake income with the term income itself left undefined, giving the power to damn any receipt as income, when loot becomes politics...,it is the road to anarchy and social depression.

Can we destroy our geography and prosper? We desperately need the blooming forests, rivers, the flora and fauna, to create livelihoods, to create the songs, dances, music,...the sense of happy belonging. Development or profit must mean profit to the environment, to the ecosphere, to the society and most unimportantly to the trader. Our system of accounting and book keeping must change to the holistic model.

These Quotes from Children’s Books Are Surprisingly Wise

in wisdom - on 10/27/2016 03:55:00 PM - No comments

These inspiring words come from an unlikely source: children's books. Many important and profound life lessons are found in literature for the young ones. As children, we were so entertained by the stories, characters, and colorful illustrations that we never realized or understood the deeper messages these stories were teaching. Looking at them from adult eyes one can appreciate all the wise words these stories have to offer.

From Winnie the Pooh, by A.A. Milne

From Horton Hears a Who, by Dr Seuss

From Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White

From Peter Pan, by J.M. Barrie

From The Twits, by Roald Dahl

From A Light in the Attic, by Shel Silverstein

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Technology Will Replace Many Professionals

in technology - on 10/27/2016 08:38:00 AM - 1 comment

Faced with the claim that AI and robots are poised to replace most of today's workforce, most mainstream professionals — doctors, lawyers, accountants, and so on — believe they will emerge largely unscathed. During our consulting work and at conferences, we regularly hear practitioners concede that routine work can be taken on by machines, but they maintain that human experts will always be needed for the tricky stuff that calls for judgment, creativity, and empathy.
Our research and analysis challenges the idea that these professionals will be spared. We expect that within decades the traditional professions will be dismantled, leaving most, but not all, professionals to be replaced by less-expert people, new types of experts, and high-performing systems.
We conducted around 100 interviews, not with mainstream professionals but with leaders and new providers in eight professional fields: health, law, education, audit, tax, consulting, journalism, architecture, and divinity. Our focus was on what has actually been achieved at the cutting edge. We also immersed ourselves in over 800 related sources — published books, internal reports, and online systems. We found plenty of evidence that radical change in professional work is already under way.

There are more monthly visits to the WebMD network, a collection of health websites, than to all the doctors in the United States. Annually, in the world of disputes, 60 million disagreements among eBay traders are resolved using "online dispute resolution" rather than lawyers and judges — this is three times the number of lawsuits filed each year in the entire U.S. court system. The U.S. tax authorities in 2014 received electronic tax returns from almost 50 million people who had relied on online tax-preparation software rather than human tax professionals. At WikiHouse, an online community designed a house that could be "printed" and assembled for less than £50,000. In 2011 the Vatican granted the first digital imprimatur to an app called "Confession" which helps people prepare for confession.
We believe these are but a few early indicators of a fundamental shift in professional service. Within professional organizations (firms, schools, hospitals), we are seeing a move away from tailored, unique solutions for each client or patient towards the standardization of service. Increasingly, doctors are using checklists, lawyers rely on precedents, and consultants work with methodologies. More recently, there has been a shift to systematization, the use of technology to automate and sometimes transform the way that professional work is done — from workflow systems through to AI-based problem-solving. More fundamentally, once professional knowledge and expertise is systematized, it will then be made available online, often as a chargeable service, sometimes at no cost, and occasionally but increasingly on a commons basis, in the spirit of the open source movement. There are already many examples of online professional service.

The claim that the professions are immune to displacement by technology is usually based on two assumptions: that computers are incapable of exercising judgment or being creative or empathetic, and that these capabilities are indispensable in the delivery of professional service. The first problem with this position is empirical. As our research shows, when professional work is broken down into component parts, many of the tasks involved turn out to be routine and process-based. They do not in fact call for judgment, creativity, or empathy.

The second problem is conceptual. Insistence that the outcomes of professional advisers can only be achieved by sentient beings who are creative and empathetic usually rests on what we call the "AI fallacy" — the view that the only way to get machines to outperform the best human professionals will be to copy the way that these professionals work. The error here is not recognizing that human professionals are already being outgunned by a combination of brute processing power, big data, and remarkable algorithms. These systems do not replicate human reasoning and thinking. When systems beat the best humans at difficult games, when they predict the likely decisions of courts more accurately than lawyers, or when the probable outcomes of epidemics can be better gauged on the strength of past medical data than on medical science, we are witnessing the work of high-performing, unthinking machines.

Our inclination is to be sympathetic to this transformative use of technology, not least because today's professions, as currently organized, are creaking. They are increasingly unaffordable, opaque, and inefficient, and they fail to deliver value evenly across our communities. In most advanced economies, there is concern about the spiraling costs of health care, the lack of access to justice, the inadequacy of current educational systems, and the failure of auditors to recognize and stop various financial scandals. The professions need to change. Technology may force them to.

Richard Susskind is IT Adviser to the Lord Chief Justice and Chair of the advisory board of the Oxford Internet Institute

Source: HBR

Story: Chicken, Chicken, Chicken

in Short Story, Stress - on 10/26/2016 02:29:00 PM - No comments

By Junaid Tahir

Colleague Faisal is a person who prefers to stay alone. He is kind of introvert person who does not mingle well with people. On Sunday noon time, he opens his lunch box and eats fried chicken which makes him feel good. On Monday noon, he opens the lunch box and eats fried chicken again. This time he does not like it as much as he did yesterday. On Tuesday, at lunch time, he opens the lunch box and finds fried chicken which he eats but this time I can feel irritation in his mood. Well, next comes the Wednesday, and guess what, he has fried chicken in his lunch box. He is annoyed to see fried chicken on fourth consecutive day but eats it without saying any words of complaint. On Thursday, just before the lunch break I converse:

"Most likely, you have fried chicken today"
"Yes"
"Why don't you ask your wife to give you something else for food which can keep your body healthy"
"I am unmarried, I pack my lunch myself"

"What !!! XoYz%*&%$O %$## !@#%% "

Flash:This story might look strange but this is how we give mental food to our brains on daily basis. If we co-relate this story with a bad event of the past which we remember again and again, we are giving a special food called "Stress" to our mind on daily basis. Considering the fact that eating fried chicken on daily basis can lead our cholesterol levels towards danger zone causing chronic heart disease, can't we just think with common sense that giving stress to our brain and heart we are seriously impacting our body developing Sugar, High Blood Pressure, Heart blockage, Asthma, Anxiety and God know how many other diseases in the long run !!!
read 400+ stories on dailytenminutes.com
So the choice is yours. Either we keep feeding your brain the germs of negativity and stress OR develop the power of not looking back and start living in today. Remember the fact that life never stops. People who live in their past, stop living on earth – or simply die soon. So we must exert our energies to bring something positive and fruitful today which can bring happiness in our life or in our loved ones' lives. About the problems we should develop the MGTD attitude: which means Meet them (confess the situation with no fear), Greet them (think positively), Treat them (focus on solution) and finally Defeat them (do practical things for eradication).

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10 Powerful Habits That Will Boost Your Intelligence

in analytical, improvement, self audit - on 10/26/2016 08:28:00 AM - No comments

To stay healthy, your brain needs exercise just like your muscles do. Spending a few minutes doing mental exercises will not only help strengthen your thinking but also improve your memory and even calm your mind. So today Bright Side brings you 10 habits that can help you expand your brain and exercise your mind.

1. Observe

Seeing is not the same as observing. Observing involves analyzing what you see. When observing, you will notice all the things that you have overlooked for a long time. Absorb what is around you, and do not stop imagining.
This article will help you develop your powers of observation.

2. Learn

If you open your mind and never stop learning, your brain will get used to wanting to know more and never stop that process. Embrace any opportunity you have to learn something from people who have a broader knowledge in certain areas.
This article will tell you about the surprising benefits of learning a new language.

3. Listen

When listening to the sounds around you, you absorb a part of the world. If you go for a walk down the street, pay attention to what other people are talking about in order to learn how they think.
You can also practice this habit by listening to new music.

4. Experiment

If you do not step out of your comfort zone and begin to experiment with new things, you may miss something that can change your life or your mind. Search for courses that catch your attention, and learn about a field you don't know much about.
This article will help you find the courage to get outside your comfort zone and take a step forward.

5. Expand

Never stay with your first acquired knowledge. Question things. Gradually your knowledge will grow, and your brain will get used to not settling for one piece of information.
These insightful books will help you expand your mind and look at our world through different eyes.

6. Talk

Learn from the people around you. Share the information you've stored in your brain over the years with a person who has done the same. Express your ideas, and develop new thoughts from the blending of your knowledge.

7. Exercise

The body and mind are one unit. If one is not in its best condition, the other could pay the consequences. Take 20 minutes a day to perform different exercises to oxygenate your mind.
Start now by trying to solve these riddles.

8. Meditate

If you start to watch your mind, how it behaves, and what it releases when you meditate, you'll get to know a little more. This break point can be revealing for your brain, and you'll feel how your mind relaxes.
This article will tell you about six super effective mental gymnastics techniques.

9. Analyze possibilities

Try to think outside the box, and always look for many possible answers rather than the most logical one. Never stop exploring ideas and generating possibilities and solutions.
Here's a test of your imagination and creative thinking.

10. Play with your mind

There is nothing wrong with taking your mind to unlikely places. When creating a universe in your head where everything is possible, you exercise your brain — even your sense of humor could have a very positive change.

Part of the secret of the effectiveness of these methods is to implement them every day — without tiring the brain, of course. Listen, observe, and take advantage of the world that you live in.

Source:

brightside

The Power of Trust

in Leadership, relationship - on 10/26/2016 08:17:00 AM - No comments

Trust is largely an emotional act, based on an anticipation of reliance. It is fragile, and like an egg shell, one slip can cut it. It is fundamentally important in the healthy functioning of all of our relationships with others. It is even tied to our wealth: trust is among the strongest known predictors of a wealth –low levels tend to be poor. Low levels of trust are poor because the inhabitants undertake too few of the long-term investments that raise incomes.

Oxytocin, a hormone and neurotransmitter, increases our propensity to trust others. When we are brought up in a safe, nurturing and caring environment, our brains release more oxytocin when someone trusts us. Experiences of stress, uncertainty and isolation interfere with the development of a trusting disposition and decrease oxytocin levels.

Many leaders receive feedback that others don't find them trustworthy. But being trustworthy, in someone's eyes, is based on their own perceptions. Indeed, people don't automatically trust leaders these days. Trust needs to be earned through diligence, fidelity and effort.

If lack of trust is an issue which causes you concern, what can you do to manage perceptions of trust? Here are a few quick tips:

The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say 'I.' accept responsibility and don't sidestep down. This is what creates trust.
View promises you make as an unpaid debt.
Keep talking about what matters. “Tell three times is true."
Your reputation is like a brand. What you want to be known for. Brand is trust.
Be known as a truth teller in your organization. This preserves trust, as your people know that you did not lie, and, they understand that even though you have more information, strategic imperatives prevent you from sharing.
Earn the trust of your customers by insisting that everyone observes the "five pillars of trust":
Keep your promises.
Be willing to help.
Treat customers as individuals.
Make it easy for customers to do business with you.
Ensure that all physical aspects of your product or service give a favorable impression.
The more time you spend with people, the more the level of trust increases.

Organizations typically spend considerable energy and effort in team building initiatives, including workshops, retreats, and adventure type experiences. While all of these have their place, if organizations want to increase collaboration and enhance teamwork, they need to start with trust. It's the benchmark of healthy team relationships, it's a very simple process. It's all about individual behaviors. Do individuals behave in a trustworthy manner or not? There is only a pass or fail here. And what are these behaviors? We all instinctively know them, but sometimes we need to remind ourselves of what they are.

Trust is power. It's the power to inspire and influence. It's the glue that bonds us to each other, that strengthens relationships

George Washington said, "I can promise nothing but purity of intentions, and, in carrying these into effect, fidelity and diligence."

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Helping Your Child with a Bully

in family - on 10/25/2016 11:51:00 AM - No comments

Bullying among children has always been common. While it was once largely tolerated as a part of childhood, experts now consider it to be a serious problem. The challenge is determining how much to involve yourself. Too little or too much involvement can have negative repercussions.
Ideally, you'll involve yourself just enough to get your child through it. Overreacting can create even more challenges at school and waste an opportunity to teach your child to be more self-reliant.

Bullying can take several forms:

1. Physical. Physical bullying includes behaviors such as hitting, kicking, pushing, and tripping.
2. Psychological. This type of bullying centers around embarrassing the child socially.
3. Verbal. Verbal bullying involves teasing and taunting.
The effects of bullying can be serious and result in violent behavior, poor grades, drug abuse and mental health issues.
There are many signs to suggest a child might be bullied. These include a change in behavior, ripped clothes or bruises, a change in school performance, and a change in the willingness to go to school.

Consider these steps to help your child deal effectively with a bully:

1. Get the whole story. Most kids are reluctant to share things with their parents. It might take some time. Let your child know that you want to help.
2. Encourage your child to tell the bully to stop. Whether bullying occurs in a school setting or in the workplace, the first thing that will be asked is, "Have you told them to stop?" It might seem like a moot point, but it's an important first step.
3. Contact the child's teacher and principal. Schools are frequently burdened with long processes that must be followed in these situations. The sooner you can get the ball rolling, the sooner real action can take place.
4. Request a copy of the school's bullying policy. By knowing the rules, you can make the best possible choices about how to move forward.
5. If your child is being physically bullied, consider contacting the local police. This is probably more appropriate for high school-aged children than for those in elementary school. But it's not a bad idea to generate some paperwork and a pattern of behavior if the school isn't cooperating. You can be sure the school will take things seriously if the police show up.
6. Encourage your child to seek assistance at the time of the bullying. If the bully is able to get away with the behavior, it's likely to continue.
7. Strengthen your child's self-esteem and self-confidence. Many children suffer from confidence and self-esteem issues that attract bullies. Most bullies are looking for a victim. Helping your child feel better about himself will repel many bullies.
8. Create some rules around your child's use of technology. Ensure your child is using the internet and cell phone in an appropriate manner. If your child is being bullied online, your immediate reaction might be to take away their internet access. This can be a mistake. Your child will be much less likely to share any future incidents with you.
9. If your child is being cyber-bullied, report it to the appropriate cell phone, internet provider, and websites. These companies are far more likely to respond to your concerns that at any other time in the past.
Avoid under or overreacting and be sure to get the entire story. Seek out the assistance of your child's teacher and principal to get the school administration involved in a timely manner.

Helping your child with a bully is practically a rite of passage for parents. No matter how wonderful your child might be, there's always that one kid that seems to take pleasure in making their life miserable. View it as an opportunity to help your child grow and develop.
The post Helping Your Child with a Bully appeared first on My Self Improvement Daily.

Positive thoughts are the best nutrition for the mind.

in heal, wisdom - on 10/25/2016 11:47:00 AM - No comments

Positive thoughts are the best nutrition for the mind.

While we know that positive thoughts are the best nutrition for the mind, we need to recognize the source of these thoughts. One good way is to spend quality time with something that acts like a good company- a person, a book or an environment. As is our company, so are our thoughts. Also, it is good to avoid bad company- company that has a subtle influence on our thinking.

Point to Practice: Today I will spend some quality time with someone or something that will generate positive thoughts. I will spend at least 15 minutes today, which will help me to be positive and help me re-energize, because only the one who has power within is able to maintain positivity even in negative situations.

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Enjoy Everything You Do

in happiness - on 10/25/2016 11:44:00 AM - No comments

Enjoy Everything You Do

Most of our time goes into pleasing others and making them happy. Often despite our best efforts we find that people do not appreciate what we have done. When we have tried hard to please someone we feel disheartened and upset.

Whatever I do is for myself. When I recognise this fact, I will never do anything just to please others. When I am content with the effort I put in, I will never be dependent on others' recognition of what I have done. When I enjoy everything I do, I will be truly happy. The more content I am, the more others will start appreciating my effort.

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13 executive CV-writing tips

in Professional - on 10/24/2016 07:55:00 AM - No comments

Writing an executive CV? Here are some tips to help you produce this vital document.

1/ Keep it short: the purpose of a CV is to present you to potential employers (and headhunters) to secure interviews. A CV should not be an exhaustive list of every responsibility you've ever held and you should not aim for a complete forensic record - this will make the CV overlong and lacking in focus. Think about the kind of roles you are aiming for and edit the CV down to concentrate on key marketable skills/experiences in your career that are aligned with your current search. Two pages are usually enough for most job-seekers - three pages are OK if you are really senior. Remember that many recruiters – both in-house and agency – will spend seconds rather than minutes reviewing your CV.

2/ Ensure the CV communicates a clear message; can the reader identify what you can offer after a few seconds? Does it highlight your key selling points? I favour a "Profile and Objective" section at the top of page one that describes your professional offering. You should see this profile section as synonymous with an elevator speech that summarises your professional experience and what you can bring to the table in just a few lines. It should describe and sell you in a straightforward and convincing way.

3/ The Profile and Objective section should focus on telling prospective employers what you can do for them and not what they can do for your career.

4/ Use a simple design: overuse of colour/fonts and over-fussy design can distract the reader.

5/ Professional achievements: don't just list your duties in each role. Focus on what you brought to each position. How did you add value? I recommend the inclusion of achievements to support your job responsibilities. If possible they should be supported by hard data; money generated or saved, time saved by process improvements and so on. Also include awards and commendations.

6/ Leave it out: mug shots, race, marital status, age, religion – in most territories these details are not required and their inclusion may be off-putting.

7/ Use a simple format: a reverse chronological CV is best. "Functional" or skills-based CVs can confuse and irritate the reader.

8/ Write in simple language; don't over-complicate. Avoid clichés. I prefer the opening profile section to be written in the first person ("I am a senior IT professional...) and the rest of the CV in the third person.

9/ Leave out the jargon: company-specific and obscure jargon is best avoided. Why confuse the reader?

10/ Check and check again: spelling errors and typos must be avoided!

11/Tailor the CV to each type of vacancy: if you are applying for different categories of role you will need different versions of your CV. It may be enough to slightly change the "Profile and Objective" section for each different kind of application.

12/Key words and electronic sifting: be aware that this takes place. Think what key words and phrases recruiters might use to sift CVs in your discipline. Include them throughout your CV.

13/ Do include: interests (unless mad or bad), languages, education (unless hopeless), your full contact details (landline/mobile/Skype/email and maybe a hyperlink to your LinkedIn profile) and address.

There are many issues to consider when writing a CV. That's why many people call on a professional CV-writer to help them with this crucial document. I offer a senior, professional, executive CV-writing service. See my LinkedIn profile and http://seniorcvwriter.com for more info.

Darren Manning I also offer CV and career services specifically aimed at senior ICT executives – see http://www.djmro.com

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Critical Things Smart People Never Say

in Leadership, Professional - on 10/24/2016 07:53:00 AM - No comments

There are some things you simply never want to say at work.
These phrases carry special power: they have an uncanny ability to make you look bad even when the words are true.

Worst of all, there's no taking them back once they slip out.
I'm not talking about shocking slips of the tongue, off-color jokes, or politically incorrect faux pas. These aren't the only ways to make yourself look bad.
Often it's the subtle remarks—the ones that paint us as incompetent and unconfident—that do the most damage.

No matter how talented you are or what you've accomplished, there are certain phrases that instantly change the way people see you and can forever cast you in a negative light. These phrases are so loaded with negative implications that they undermine careers in short order.

"This is the way it's always been done." Technology-fueled change is happening so fast that even a six-month-old process could be outdated. Saying this is the way it's always been done not only makes you sound lazy and resistant to change, but it could make your boss wonder why you haven't tried to improve things on your own. If you really are doing things the way they've always been done, there's almost certainly a better way.

"It's not my fault." It's never a good idea to cast blame. Be accountable. If you had any role—no matter how small—in whatever went wrong, own it. If not, offer an objective, dispassionate explanation of what happened. Stick to the facts, and let your boss and colleagues draw their own conclusions about who's to blame. The moment you start pointing fingers is the moment people start seeing you as someone who lacks accountability for their actions. This makes people nervous. Some will avoid working with you altogether, and others will strike first and blame you when something goes wrong.

"I can't." I can't is it's not my fault's twisted sister. People don't like to hear I can't because they think it means I won't. Saying I can't suggests that you're not willing to do what it takes to get the job done. If you really can't do something because you truly lack the necessary skills, you need to offer an alternative solution. Instead of saying what you can't do, say what you can do. For example, instead of saying "I can't stay late tonight," say "I can come in early tomorrow morning. Will that work?" Instead of "I can't run those numbers," say "I don't yet know how to run that type of analysis. Is there someone who can show me so that I can do it on my own next time?"

"It's not fair." Everyone knows that life isn't fair. Saying it's not fair suggests that you think life is supposed to be fair, which makes you look immature and naïve. If you don't want to make yourself look bad, you need to stick to the facts, stay constructive, and leave your interpretation out of it. For instance, you could say, "I noticed that you assigned Ann that big project I was hoping for. Would you mind telling me what went into that decision? I'd like to know why you thought I wasn't a good fit, so that I can work on improving those skills."

"That's not in my job description." This often sarcastic phrase makes you sound as though you're only willing to do the bare minimum required to keep getting a paycheck, which is a bad thing if you like job security. If your boss asks you to do something that you feel is inappropriate for your position (as opposed to morally or ethically inappropriate), the best move is to complete the task eagerly. Later, schedule a conversation with your boss to discuss your role in the company and whether your job description needs an update. This ensures that you avoid looking petty. It also enables you and your boss to develop a long-term understanding of what you should and shouldn't be doing.

"This may be a silly idea …/I'm going to ask a stupid question." These overly passive phrases instantly erode your credibility. Even if you follow these phrases with a great idea, they suggest that you lack confidence, which makes the people you're speaking to lose confidence in you. Don't be your own worst critic. If you're not confident in what you're saying, no one else will be either. And, if you really don't know something, say, "I don't have that information right now, but I'll find out and get right back to you."

"I'll try." Just like the word think, try sounds tentative and suggests that you lack confidence in your ability to execute the task. Take full ownership of your capabilities. If you're asked to do something, either commit to doing it or offer an alternative, but don't say that you'll try because it sounds like you won't try all that hard.

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"This will only take a minute." Saying that something only takes a minute undermines your skills and gives the impression that you rush through tasks. Unless you're literally going to complete the task in 60 seconds, feel free to say that it won't take long, but don't make it sound as though the task can be completed any sooner than it can actually be finished.

"I hate this job." The last thing anyone wants to hear at work is someone complaining about how much they hate their job. Doing so labels you as a negative person and brings down the morale of the group. Bosses are quick to catch on to naysayers who drag down morale, and they know that there are always enthusiastic replacements waiting just around the corner.

"He's lazy/incompetent/a jerk." There is no upside to making a disparaging remark about a colleague. If your remark is accurate, everybody already knows it, so there's no need to point it out. If your remark is inaccurate, you're the one who ends up looking like a jerk. There will always be rude or incompetent people in any workplace, and chances are that everyone knows who they are. If you don't have the power to help them improve or to fire them, then you have nothing to gain by broadcasting their ineptitude. Announcing your colleague's incompetence comes across as an insecure attempt to make you look better. Your callousness will inevitably come back to haunt you in the form of your coworkers' negative opinions of you.

Bringing It All Together

These phrases have a tendency to sneak up on you, so you're going to have to catch yourself until you've solidified the habit of not saying them.
What other phrases should be on this list? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Travis Bradberry is the award-winning co-author of the #1 bestselling book, Emotional Intelligence 2.0, and the cofounder of TalentSmart

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