When RunWithIt Synthetics set out to apply synthetic modelling to predict the impact future disruptions might have on energy grids – such as uptake in electric vehicles, greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, energy efficiency, better battery storage, cybersecurity threats, photovoltaics and even disasters – they turned to the University of Alberta. More specifically, they turned to electrical…
Placing content on social networking sites could spell doom for your career
Most job candidates don't consider the power of the social networking Web sites and the impact they have on hiring decisions. If they did, they'd think twice about the information they place on sites like Twitter and Facebook. Companies are more savvy about getting the lowdown on candidates today than they were in the past.…
Use of less hazardous materials, personal protective equipment and regular health checkups recommended
Construction workers who work with hazardous insulation materials are much more likely to be affected by repeated chest infections and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to new research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The study followed 990 insulators over six years. Participants underwent regular pulmonary function tests and chest radiography…
If your goal is just to stay employed, you risk being replaced by someone more enthusiastic and passionate about the job
If your goal is just to stay employed, you risk being replaced by someone more enthusiastic and passionate about the job. So says Vaughan Evans, a London-based economist, business strategist and author of Backing U! A Business-Oriented Guide to Backing Your Passion and Achieving Career Success. While the book was written in 2009, its premise…
We reveal a lot about our attitudes, emotions and motives by the way we hold our bodies
I often address leadership groups about the importance of nonverbal communication in business. Senior managers actively participate in the sessions, asking questions and volunteering for various demonstrations. Everyone seems genuinely interested in the topic. Everyone, that is, except this one time when one woman sat for the entire time with her shoulders rounded, chin tucked…
Countless innovators in all fields have cited intuition or gut feeling as the motivator for achieving greatness
Countless innovators in all fields have cited intuition or gut feeling as the motivator for achieving greatness. Whether it's a life-enhancing invention, a technology that saves lives or turns out products or machines faster and cheaper, this mysterious feeling called intuition fired the creative spark. But intuition also triggers hunches that warn us of danger…
Some people are extraordinary salespeople. But it's not because they have an innate knack
How many times have you heard someone say, "He's a born salesman"? Or, "She has a gift for sales"? Unquestionably, some people are extraordinary salespeople. But it's not because they have an innate knack, or because there is a genetic component behind the skill. It's simply because they worked hard at honing their skill. At…
Stop making excuses and go for it!
“The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof,” says author Barbara Kingsolver. Have you ever stopped to wonder what you want…
Leaders must understand how nonverbal skills can help them develop positive business relationships
Many executives in my audiences are initially skeptical about hearing a speaker on "body language" because they suspect that the topic might be interesting, but not very practical. By the end of my program, they know better. Here's what they learn ... 1) Science has validated the impact of body language Body language is the…
Your intuition works by drawing your attention to something your analytical brain can’t see. And it has your best interests at heart
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts rushed to provide advice and offer expertise on how to respond in the face of crisis. Much of it was very helpful – and overwhelming in its sheer volume. That has subsided significantly. Perhaps consultants got busy with other things or ran out of things to say.…
Acing the Interview: How to Ask and Answer the Questions That Will Get You the Job! by Tony Beshara offers interview tips that can lead to job offers
New books about landing job interviews are published every year. But a chapter in one 13-year-old book, Acing the Interview: How to Ask and Answer the Questions That Will Get You the Job! by Tony Beshara, is worth re-reading. It lists essential interview tips that can lead to job offers. Here are 14 of them:…
Motivated employees are the lifeblood of every great business. Understanding what you can do to motivate your workers is essential
It’s true that people don’t quit a job, they quit a boss. A great boss can change the dynamics of an organization and inspire people to create a culture where work doesn’t feel like a chore. Motivated staff are key to having an operation that’s well functioning and takes care of customers in a way…
Faith Wood knows how to resolve conflict. Her years in front-line law enforcement taught her how to effectively de-escalate any situation to a successful conclusion. Faith will use her knowledge of conflict management to guide you through the oft-times stressful experiences you may encounter in your personal or professional life. Her Conflict Coach column appears…
A better future awaits if we use this period of uncertainty to work on our mental, physical and career well-being
Dread isn’t too strong a word to describe the feelings many have about the winter about to start. The COVID-19 virus is reason enough to worry. There’s not much individuals can do about that except follow all the good advice about staying safe. However, there are two other major depressing impacts of COVID-19 that we…
The cost of isolation and fear caused by our response to the pandemic might be much higher and even more deadly than the illness
I feel old. For the second time in a month, I’ve pulled a muscle in my back. It’s left me sore, stiff and walking like an old man. Yet I’m truly blessed that my life has been filled with good health – with the exception of injuries and concussions derived from my life of activity,…