Archive for the ‘Leadership’ Category

Why business should not ignore cloud computing

Saturday, July 11th, 2009

NetSuite Pricing

Every business executive and technology editor I know is talking about the benefits of cloud computing. But what is it, what is the impact on business and what are the financial and tangible upsides?

Cloud means Internet. The computing happens on the Internet – instead of the software you use being installed on your computer, it’s hosted on the Internet on a server located in a data centre commonly staffed by people who are adept in managing technology. This type of “cloud” software is sometimes called “on demand” or Software as a Service (SaaS).

Some well known examples of well established Software as a Service are:

Web based CRM Software (Customer Relationship Management) – Salesforce.com pricing approximately $9 per user/month.
Small business management and accounting software (small business ERP) – Salesorder.com pricing $45 per user/month.
Medium sized business ERP software – NetSuite pricing approximately $99 per user/month.

There are a number of significant benefits for every business here:

Time, cost savings and reliability

Businesses no longer require a permanent systems expert to help them choose, commission and look after the hardware and software platform thus lowering operating expenses and time to deploy. The burden of regularly backing up information is taken away as this is almost always an inherent function of the “cloud” software. Cloud software “operators” normally have stand by systems that can be brought to bear in minutes should a serious failure occur.

Easier selection and wider choice

Through the ubiquitous web browser, businesses now have 24/7 access to a big selection of business software they can in most cases immediately test and quickly assess if the software suits their needs at minimal expense. This makes it effective for people in large businesses to by pass the usual information technology procurement processes and easily evaluate and justify their business proposal.

Superior user experience

The net provides rapid feedback to application developers and has led to substantial progress in user interface design resulting in easier to use software thus decreasing learning times and improving user satisfaction. This of course means quicker adoption and higher productivity.

Tags:
Posted in Leadership | No Comments »

Learn to Become an Extrovert

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

Extroverts are seen as people who crave social interaction and thrive most when amongst others. They usually have good social abilities such as making small talk and the natural confidence to speak to strangers and comfort in these situations. On the other hand, introverts are seen to enjoy alone time much more and tend not to feel as comfortable around people they have never met. It is not impossible for an introvert to become extroverted and by following a few simple rules and ideas this can easily be achieved:

  • Develop basic social skills. Social skills are seen as an extremely important factor in an extrovert frame of mind. These can be acquired pretty easily with some simple exercises like going to parties and speaking to people that you don't know. By doing this confidence in your own social abilities can be improved.

  • Make yourself a list of the qualities you want to develop specifically. This will help you to know if you are developing and check your results. For instance, if you want to be part of a social group you may feel as though you need extrovert skill sin order to have the confidence to join. By meeting personal targets this allows you to both be accepted into your social group and become an extrovert more easily.

  • Online socialising is great for keeping in contact with people; however it is not good for bonding at all. Although this will have a positive effect on your social life to begin with, face to face communication will help you develop much more naturally.

  • Give subliminal messaging a go. By sendingsupportive signals to your inner subconscious mind this will create a greater sense of extrovert personality traits inside of you and will help you to become an extrovert much more rapidly.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Leadership | No Comments »

Master Leader Vince Lombardi Would Turn 96 Years Old

Sunday, June 14th, 2009

“Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing” is probably late Vince Lombardi’s most famous maxim.

THE VINCE LOMBARDI LEGACY

Vince Lombardi has become virtually synonymous with the NFL. This began during his career: he was featured as the face of the NFL on the cover of Time on December 22, 1962 as part of the magazine’s cover story on “The Sport of
the ’60s.” Lombardi’s players were wholeheartedly devoted to him, and his emphasis on hard work and dedication endeared him to millions who admired his values.

In addition to Lombardi’s contributions to the history of professional football, Lombardi is legendary for his coaching philosophy and motivational skills. Many of Lombardi’s speeches continue to be quoted frequently today, and he is well known as being unequivocally committed to winning.

“Lombardi time” is the principle that one should arrive 10-15 minutes early, or else be considered late. His chief scout, Wally Cruice, once said of Lombardi’s single-minded devotion to the game: “you didn’t talk about anything but
football. If you didn’t have the facts, he didn’t want you to waste his time.”

Lombardi is also credited with introducing the concept of zone blocking to the NFL. In zone blocking the offensive line players block as a unit, instead of individually man-to-man, as was the norm up to that time. The running back
then was expected to run toward any hole that was created. Lombardi referred to this as “running to daylight.”

Lombardi’s grandson, Joe Lombardi, is an offensive assistant with the New Orleans Saints. Vince also had a brother, Joseph, who was active in the National Football Foundation and college hall of fame. Joseph died in 2005.

VINCE LOMBARDI’S HONORS

* In 1967, Highland Avenue in Green Bay, home to the Packers’ Lambeau Field, was renamed for Lombardi.
* As part of the Lambeau Field renovation, a statue of Lombardi now stands on a plaza outside the stadium, in an overcoat grasping a program, as he did often on the sideline.
* In 1972, the Green Bay School District named its new junior high school (later a middle school) “Vincent T. Lombardi Junior High (Middle) School.” It is located on Green Bay’s southwest side.
* There is a Vince Lombardi Square (with a plaque dedication in the sidewalk on the square) near Sheepshead Bay Road and East 14th Street in Brooklyn, New York.
* Also in Brooklyn, there are two places in the Bensonhurst area, which are dedicated or rehonored in Vince Lombardi’s honor: P.S. 204 on 15th Avenue and 81st Street is unofficially named the Vince Lombardi Public School, and the entire Bensonhurst stretch of 16th Avenue is dedicated by the City of New York as “Vince Lombardi Boulevard.”
* The Vince Lombardi Service Area and park-and-ride is the northernmost rest area on the New Jersey Turnpike at mileposts 116E on the Eastern Spur and 115.5W on the Western Spur.
* The Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University is named in his honor.
* The Vince Lombardi Cancer clinic at Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Green Bay is named after him.
* The Vincent T. Lombardi Center at Fordham University was named for the coach.
* The Rotary Lombardi Award is given annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker.
* The football field at Old Bridge High School in Old Bridge, New Jersey is called “Vince Lombardi Field.” It has been called this since the 1970s, the field in Palisades Park is also known as “Vince Lombardi Field.” His brother Joe attended the rededication ceremony in the 1990s.
* Lombardi is a recipient of the Silver Buffalo Award, the highest adult award given by the Boy Scouts of America.
* Immediately renamed following his death in September 1970, the Vince Lombardi Trophy is given to the winner of the Super Bowl annually by the NFL.

Find out more about Vince Lombardi, Vincent Lombardi or Vince Lombardi Football at MastersOfTrivia.com.

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Leadership | No Comments »

Are Higher University Degrees A Key to Leadership?

Sunday, June 14th, 2009

A doctorate is the highest educational achievement that you can earn and there is much respect associated with having those letters behind your name. Only one out of a hundred people have a doctorate, so that reverence is certainly due. Also, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, someone with a doctorate degree earns one to two million dollars in lifetime earnings more than someone with a master’s degree. With numbers like that, what are you waiting for?

Ph.D. or Doctorate?

It seems that there is some confusion when it comes to the difference between a doctorate and a Ph.D., or Doctor of Philosophy. Actually, a Ph.D. is one of several doctorate degrees that you can earn. Doctorate degrees can be broken down into two types: professional doctorates and research doctorates.

People who earn professional doctorates apply their degree to a specific profession, as opposed to an academic field of study. These include M.D. (Doctor of Medicine), J.D. (Juris Doctor), DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine), and PharmD (Doctor of Pharmacy) among many others.

Research doctorates include the Ph.D. and are often focused on a particular subject. Here is a breakdown of some of the more popular doctorates available in the United States:

  • Ph.D. or Doctor of Philosophy: This degree is normally earned by those who want to go into research or Academia. There are many fields in which you can earn a Ph.D. including history, mathematics, and chemistry.

  • Psy.D. or Doctor of Psychology: If you want to be a psychologist, than you can either earn a Ph.D. in psychology or this degree.

  • DBA or Doctor of Business Administration: This degree is for people who are interested in the theory of management. Those who earn this degree normally go into research or teach on a college level.

  • Ed.D. or Doctor of Education: If you are looking to become a school administrator than this degree is for you.

  • D.A. or Doctorate of Arts: This degree emerged in the 1960s and is offered in many of the same subjects as a Ph.D, particularly arts and humanities. It is often labeled the “teaching doctorate.”

What does a doctorate entail?

Most doctorates require that you have a master’s degree in a related field of study. Once you are accepted you begin with a rigorous course of study, especially for the professional degrees such as M.D. or J.D. The professional degrees are normally followed by an exam, such as the bar examination, and/or an internship, such as a residency. With Ph.Ds and other research doctorates, courses are normally followed by an exam and then the writing of a thesis or dissertation. These dissertations can be anywhere from 50 to 450 pages in length and commonly focus on a particular area of expertise. For example, someone pursuing a doctorate in U.S. Economic History might write a dissertation on the effects of Soviet Union socialism on U.S. economic policies during the Great Depression. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the average time it takes a student to earn their doctorate is seven years. However, there are some accelerated programs out there and a lot depends on how long it takes you to write your dissertation.

Online Study is a Great Option

If you are interested in a doctorate degree, do not rule out online colleges. Three of the five most popular doctorate degrees (according to the Department of Education) are available through online study; these are Doctor of Psychology, Doctor of Engineering and Doctor of Education. Online learning is an extremely convenient way to learn. The courses are offered in a format that works around your schedule. This is perfect for people who have a career that they do not want to take time off from, or if they have a family. In fact, online doctorates are so flexible that there really is no reason not to finally reach this highest level of achievement.  Find out more at Colleges Online Courses, College Online Tuition or Affordable Online College.

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Leadership | No Comments »

Feed the Leader Within You: Get or Upgrade that College Degree!

Friday, June 12th, 2009

Choosing an online college can be very overwhelming. How do you know which ones are worth going to with so many of them to choose from? The best way to find out is to choose several different schools that have programs that you are interested in, and then speak in depth to their admissions advisors. Below are eight must-haves for a good online college; you can base your talking points on this list.

  1. Must be accredited. It is important that the online college that you choose be accredited because this is a way that you can ensure that the school meets established standards. This makes a difference if you want to transfer your credits or prove the worth of your degree to an employer. There are two types of accreditation: institutional and specialized. An institutional accreditation applies to the entire school and its programs, while a specialized accreditation generally applies to a specific degree program or school of study within the college or university. This is further broken down into national accreditation or regional accreditation. Regional accreditations are the most widely recognized.

  2. Platform must be easy to use. The “platform” is where you will find your classes, chat rooms, even your virtual library. Every online college has a different online learning platform, and they all work a little differently. You should make sure that the school’s platform is intuitive and easy for you to use. Ask the admissions advisor if you can have a demonstration of their platform and if they offer online tutorials to students.

  3. Must have tech support. Since all of your studies are done on your computer in an online environment, the chances that you will run into some sort of technical issue are pretty good. Make sure that the school you choose has 24/7 tech support. You can ask the admissions advisor how long the average wait time is to speak to tech support – chances are when you run into problems you won’t have that much time to figure them out.

  4. Must provide student services. A good online college has student services to make sure that their students have the optimal chance at success. This includes offering tutoring services for a small fee or even for free.

  5. Must accept CLEP credits. You may hear many online schools advertising credits for “life experience.” In general, the only legitimate way to offer this is through CLEP testing. These credits are accepted at many online colleges and traditional universities. They are a great way to test out of classes on subjects that you may already have mastered.

  6. Must have small class sizes. A good online college will have a small number of students in each class. This is because online students need a lot of individual attention to ensure that they do not feel isolated. A smaller class size makes this more manageable for the instructor, which brings me to my next must have …

  7. Instructors must be accessible. Make sure that the school that you choose requires instructors to allot a certain amount of time to give students the chance to speak with them on an individual basis.

  8. Must have a variety of financial aid options. If you are in need of some type of help to pay for school, like most of us, make sure that the school you choose has plenty of financial aid options. These include federal grants, scholarships, and student loans. Ask the admission advisor specifically about this – for each school has different financial aid opportunities.

All these discussion points will probably make for a long conversation, so make sure that you put aside some time to get to each of them. Don’t worry about asking the admissions advisors at your school choices too many questions – that is what they are there for! Also have a pen and paper ready (or your laptop) to write down notes, that way you can compare the different schools. Good luck with your decision!  More information about classes and enrollment can be found via College Students Online, Engineering College Online and Graduate College Online.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Leadership | No Comments »

MBAs: the Best Investment You Could Make?

Friday, June 12th, 2009

  1. Versatility: A Masters in Business Administration is one of the most versatile degrees out there. It can help you get ahead in almost any industry. Every company, even doctor’s offices or restaurants, are businesses and therefore can benefit from an employee who has an MBA. Also most MBA programs allow you to specialize in subjects like finance, accounting, and marketing. Other emphasis areas include entrepreneurship, international business, and economics. If you are interested in technology or the internet, you can specialize in information systems or e-business. Want to manage clinics or hospitals? Then a specialization in health care management is for you. You can even join the green trend and get an MBA that focuses on sustainability issues and bringing eco-friendly practices to businesses.

  1. Flexibility: MBAs have among the most varied degree programs available, some of the most common of which are business degrees. You can choose from accelerated programs without electives that will take you one year to finish, or a two year program or a three. Many schools offer weekend executive MBA programs for people who are working full time. And probably the most convenient – online MBA programs allow you to get your degree online. Some schools require that you go to class a couple of times a semester, but there are plenty of other schools whose programs are completely online. These programs cater to the busy individual allowing you to work on your degree on your own schedule.

 

  1. Make More Money: There have been many studies done that show that people with higher education make more money. The U.S. Census Bureau published a report in April of 2009 that showed that people with Master’s degrees make an average of $80,977, compared to $57,181 for those with a Bachelor’s and $31,286 for those with just a high school diploma. As for specific salary statistics for MBA graduates, the Graduate Management Admissions Council released a report in 2006 that stated that starting annual salaries for MBA graduates averaged above $80,000, which is $10,000 more per year than other Master’s degree graduates.

  1. Get That Promotion: Are you ready to take your career to the next level? An MBA is a favorite requirement for upper management positions. This degree is perfect for giving you the training that you need to be a great manager who can consider the big picture. And with all the specialization areas, you can focus on your particular industry, be it health care or IT. Also the convenience of weekend and online MBA programs allow you to keep your job and go to school. Tip: Don’t forget to ask your company if they offer tuition assistance. Many companies will pay for at least some of your school costs as long as it is related to your job.

  1. Confidence: And last but certainly not least, an MBA or any degree does wonders to boost your confidence level. This alone can give you the inner strength to land that dream job, ask for that raise, or finally get that promotion. Plus education is a great way to beat the burn-out blues or treat that office boredom.  A number of MBAs, online business degrees as well as online masters degrees are available in today’s environment.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Leadership | No Comments »