Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Interview with Chris Guillebeau on Bringing an Adventurous Spirit to Work

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Interview with Chris Guillebeau on Bringing an Adventurous Spirit to Work Chris Guillebeauis the opposite of me. He’s a risk taker, I’m cautious. I just want to earn a living, he’s after World Domination. And where I thought going to London for four months was living dangerously, Chris has traveled to every country in the world â€" sleeping in airports and meeting people from all walks of life. Because I believe we can learn the most from those with different perspectives, I interviewed Chris aboutcrossing culturesand breaking down barriers. Alex: In your travels, what cross-cultural similarities did you notice about the world of work? Chris: There are certainly lots of differences. Some countries take long siestas through the afternoon and others value every minute as money earned or lost. But the main similarity is that we all want our work to count for something. It’s not just something we have to do in order to achieve another goal like paying the mortgage. We want our lives (which usually include a lot of work time) to matter! Alex: When it comes to work, what tends to set the U.S. apart? What can U.S. leaders learn from those in other countries? Generally speaking, it’s fair to say that the U.S. has a spirit of optimism and independence that isn’t as present elsewhere. A lot of the American mythology about “pulling yourself up by the bootstraps” and “rising above the ever-present challenge” has helped us become who we are. At the same time, though, I don’t think entrepreneurship is intrinsically American. I once lived in Sierra Leone, where almost everyone outside the main cities hustles and most people make an independent living of some kind. People can be resourceful anywhere. For the rest of Chris interview, head over to Intuits Fast Track blog.

Personal Branding Interview Nikki Stone - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Nikki Stone - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Nikki Stone, who became Americas first-ever Olympic champion in the sport of aerial skiing at the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. She just released her latest book called When Turtles Fly. In this interview, Nikki talks about her background, how to gain confidence, her inspirations, how to take calculated risks, and more. Can you tell us more about your professional background? At the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, I became America’s first-ever Olympic Champion in the sport of inverted aerial skiing. What made this performance so challenging, was the fact that less than two years earlier, a chronic injury prevented me from standing, much less walking or skiing down a slope at almost 40 miles per hour. This taught me my first big lesson on overcoming adversities. There were so many skills I learned through my aerial and academic career, and I knew I wanted to help others find whatever their “gold medal” may be. I still remain involved with the Olympic movement having the honor of mentoring all of the current Olympians through several Games Prep Olympic programs, but the majority of my time is spent traveling around North America speaking to corporate businessmen and womenâ€"from Fortune 500 CEOs to individuals just starting outâ€"sharing valuable secrets to success. What are three things a reader could do today to bring out their inner Olympian? Take the stress and pressure straight-on by building your confidence. Start journaling to recognize what you do well and what you can improve. Each day, write down one thing you did well that day and one thing you could improve on. It’s often easy to see the achievements and improvements others make, but we have to take the time to recognize that regardless of what we are going through, we can change, too. Build your confidence by getting to know and appreciate yourself. Focus on the process, not results. We need to learn to live in the moment and concentrate on what we have control over. And that’s the process, not the end results. For example, we can’t control someone else’s impression of our work; we can only control what we produce. Be ready to bounce back when you fall down. Whenever I felt “defeated”, I’d remember a quote from General George S. Patton: “Success is how high you bounce when you hit rock bottom. Bounce a Superball (or some other bouncy object) to remind yourself to have a hard outer shell when challenges present themselves. What inspired you to write your newest book, When Turtles Fly? Growing up, my mother taught me that I could achieve anything I wanted as long as I followed the Turtle Effect philosophy. She told me that in order to reach my dreams I had to remember to have a soft inside, a hard shell, and be sure to stick my neck out. I always held that belief system close and adapted it to every situation I encountered. The philosophy has been such an effective motivator for me that I wanted to help people develop this same confidence and share the tools that are common to those at the top of their given field. The philosophy holds true for any career or endeavor and I wanted to demonstrate these parallels through the stories of contributors who are at the top of their fieldsâ€"including Olympic and X-Games gold medalist Shaun White, icon fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger, bestselling author and leadership expert Dr. Stephen Covey, skiing champion Lindsey Vonn, Prince Albert of Monaco, celebrity chef Todd English, NFL quarterback legend Steve Young, Fortune 500 CEOs, Nobel prize-winners, and many more. We all receive the emails that start, “I am not typically someone who forwards these stories/quotes/anecdotes along, but this one was so powerful/moving that I had to make an exception.” I wanted to write a book full of the type of stories that move you to action and you can’t help but forward them along. We all have the choice to be the victim or the victor. When Turtles Fly will help people on that path to surpass their career plateaus, find the exciting new jobs they’ve been looking for or raise they have been hoping for, stick to their diets, take more risks, build their confidence, develop powerful relationships, take on new leadership roles and work to find their full potential. The stories in When Turtles Fly will help put everything in perspective for readers and help them see that there is always more to be gained. Your new book When Turtles Fly highlights how taking calculated risks can help you achieve success. Give us a glimpse inside. I am terrified of heights, something few people would imagine of an aerial skier who launches herself high in the air at every competition. I would literally go in the woods and lose my lunch every time I had to do triple back flips. So why would I put myself through such agony? For an Olympic gold medal. I would never fling myself into space just for the fun of it; I needed an incentive. I knew that I’d have to risk doing one of the most difficult maneuvers in order to impress the Olympic judges and win gold. When I weighed the positives and negatives, I realized that the nausea, shaky legs and risk of injury were worth it. Looking back, I believe I still would have made the same decision if my outcome had been a fourth place or even last place finish. I would have been more disappointed in myself for not trying. How do you encourage others to take life-enhancing risks? Fear of failing actually holds people back more than most other fears. Ask yourself, “If I knew I couldn’t fail, what would I try?” After you answer this question, ask yourself why it would be so awful to fail at the task or activity. We learn much more from our failures than we learn from our accomplishments. Besides, if you don’t try, you have already failed. Why not give yourself the chance to succeed? Pick something that scares you a bit, and decide you are going to take the risk to follow through with it today. The world’s most successful individuals didn’t allow these setbacks to impede their efforts. You can’t sit around and wait for your success. Nothing worthwhile comes without effort. You have to take action in order to make things happen Where should readers look for you next? Both of my parents are cancer survivors. I know that they are here today because of the advances in modern medicine. I want to help more families keep their loved ones around, and this is why I’ve decided to donate 25% of my proceeds of When Turtles Fly to the American Cancer Society. Over the next 2 years I will be attending various ACS events to help raise more funds and awareness for the cause. I will also be continuing to deliver motivational speeches for corporate groups and educational organizations. It is an incredibly rewarding job when people share that they have made (or will make) positive changes in their lives because of something I’ve said. I will also continue to train Olympic athletes and business professionals in speaking/media skills and continue to write articles and columns for a number of magazines, newspapers, and websitesâ€"and soon start on my next book. And lastly, but most importantly, I will spend every spare moment with my toddler Zali. - Nikki Stone became Americas first-ever Olympic champion in the sport of aerial skiing at the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. What made this performance so unbelievable was the fact that, less than two years earlier, a chronic spinal injury prevented her from standing, much less walking or skiing off a twelve-foot-tall snow jump that launches aerialists fifty feet into the air. She overcame the injury and went on to earn 35 World Cup medals, 11 World Cup titles, 4 national titles, 3 World Cup titles, a World Championship title, and membership in the Ski Hall of Fame. Nikki is also a magna cum laude graduate of Union College and a summa cum laude masters graduate of the University of Utah. Her aerial retirement is less than restful as she trains Olympic athletes and business professionals in speaking/media skills, coaches personal and professional development courses, hosts group skiing adventures, sits on five different charitable committees, and writes articles and columns for many magazines, newspapers, and websites. Nikkis career focus is now on traveling around the world working as a sought-after motivational speaker, sharing her secrets to success by inspiring her business audiences to Stick their necks out. He book is called When Turtles Fly.

Does Bad Early Education Burn Career Bridges

Does Bad Early Education Burn Career Bridges Education is the cornerstone of democracy. Its mission is to transmit the knowledge and skills needed for young people to become productive and contributing members of our society. Given the number of students who live in poverty and struggle to find the right pathway in life, education has proven over time to be one of the key predictors of lifelong success. As the youngest of six children from a family with very little financial stability, I watched my older siblings leverage their education. From one generation to another, our family has seen tremendous growth in terms of opportunities and access to better paying jobs. As schools, school districts, colleges and universities understand the complexities of their organizations, our young people are more confused than ever about the direction to take to secure a successful future. In my conversations with hundreds of students, they all seem to want the same thing; opportunities to think, create, and contribute to a larger society. While this all seems simple, the right conditions must be created in order for our young people to have equal opportunity for equity and equality to exist. I heard recently, “the shoe that fits one person pinches another.”  The significance of this statement is: there is a difference in equity and equality. As our young generation pursues greatness, stardom, financial independence, education, or whatever their individual dreams and aspirations might be, education is and will continue to be the foundation upon which their lives and the lives of their children and grandchildren are built. I watch and observe the dynamics of my own family. My father went into the military right out of high school; my mother finished three years of college and stopped going to return home to help my grandmother recover from the death of my grandfather. She never returned. Their lives and ours was a struggle; to some degree, just to put food on the table. My brothers, sisters and I paid attention and all went to college. All of our children made the decision to attend college. As a result, we now have doctors (education and medical), lawyers, judges, and teachers in our family. The verdict is in: life is more difficult without education; it’s less difficult with education. If this is so clear to those of us who have endured the “ugly” side of life, finding it difficult to live life on life’s terms, why then is it so difficult to convince the millennial generation that education is not only an important ticket to punch on life’s journey, but an imperative one? One might argue the point of contention is the cost of education or the status of the student loan argument presently taking center stage in presidential debates and on the floors of parliament or congress. We must also add the influences of our young people. While writing my book entitled, “Do You Know Enough About Me to Teach Me?” I researched influences on educating today’s youth. There was five listed and are in order of earlier influences in their life span: Home School Church Peers TV Later in their life span (teen-age years), these influences flipped to the following order: TV/Media Peers Church School Home Could we be experiencing the fall-out of the influence of what families provided long ago: security, values, boundaries, and most importantly, positive influence on young lives? I would venture to say, regardless of socio-economics, it rarely mattered years ago how much money families had. What mattered were the positive influences and the push from the home for children to be better and do better. We are reminded today that education matters and it matters because it produces opportunities for our young people to live a good, stable life. While our young generation can and will use examples of Hollywood movie stars or professional athletes who didn’t choose education to provide their pathway to success, we know better. When we know better, we must do better on behalf of our young children, students, and youth. While all dreams are possible, the chances of becoming a movie star or a professional athlete are small compared to one earning a degree. I should know I was one of them. As a great high school and college athlete, my future was bright until an injury prevented me from competing at the next level. When I look back and realize the fact that, if I had not finished college, my life would not be what it is today, it frightens me. More importantly, my children and grandchildren’s lives would not be what it is today, nor would the lives of the countless thousands my work over the past 36 years has impacted positively. In my opinion, education is the vaccine for poverty. Author: Dr. Stephen Peters, the youngest of six children watched his older siblings leverage education to become successful. He used his athletic talent to land a college scholarship to play basketball. Upon graduating college with no professional contract in sight, he continued to secure more education until he received his doctorate degree. Dr. Peters believes a quality education provides options that secures a pathway to a life worth living. Follow Stephen on Twitter at  @stephengpeters. [Featured image: Shutterstock]

Set the Stage for Better Conversations

Set the Stage for Better Conversations It’s time for your yearly conversational health checkup. When was the last time you had a real conversation with someone other than a family member? (Or with a family member, for that matter.) You’re not sure? Maybe it’s because you’ve forgotten what a real conversation sounds and feels like.  Here’s a brief reminder. Conversation implies that two (sometimes three) people are exchanging ideas. They are listening and talking in approximately equal shares, exchanging the roles of talker and listener smoothly. They are looking at each other, not devices. (Yes, yes I realize I’ve just lost half my audience    who DOES that any more?) The two conversation partners   are thinking about what the other person is saying and replying with thoughtful and honest feedback. Does any of that feel familiar? If not, you’re not alone. A recent Wall Street Journal article cited research from Harvard Business School: Listeners estimate that they tune out during conversations about 30 percent of the time. It’s easy to blame the listener, but writer Elizabeth Bernstein says that talkers may also be part of the problem. We’ve all been on the receiving end of a talker who doesn’t seem to need â€" or want â€" our input. They don’t check in to see if their listener is engaged. They don’t allow others to get a word in. They ignore distracted or unhappy body language. If you’d like more meaningful conversations in your life, here are some ways to become a better partner. First, check in w to see if this is a good time to talk. Just because you have a need to talk doesn’t guarantee your partner is ready and willing to engage with you. Starting a conversation when the other party is distracted, busy, or tired dooms it to failure.   Especially if the topic is important or requires close attention, ask before you launch. Honor the answer you get. If the other party just doesn’t have the time or the energy right now, agree to talk at a better time. Better yet, offer to listen or help if they need it right now. If they do have the time to talk, Elizabeth Bernstein suggests it’s helpful to give them a cue as to the nature of the conversation,. “I’ve got some great news to share.” “I’m feeling stressed and wanted to get your advice on what I should do.” “I’m feeling bad about the way we left things last night. Can we talk about it?” Sending signals about the kind of conversation this will be helps your partner focus attention. They can also prepare to engage with the appropriate level of intensity. Even (especially) if you’re anxious or upset, stay tuned in to the other person’s body language and expressions. Watch for signals that they’re losing interest or have something to say. Stop talking every once in a while to check in. And breathe. Even if you’ve done your best to prepare the way for a conversation, your partner can become distracted or tune out at some point. This may be behavior left over from previous experience with you. Perhaps they’ve found it’s easier to agree to talk and then find something else to occupy their time while you ramble. Maybe they’re not used to giving   their undivided attention. Whatever the reason they’re tuning out, acknowledge it and ask if you should postpone the conversation or pick it up later. Again, honor the answer you get. This is a time to employ the Golden Rule: treat your conversation partner as you’d want to be treated. You don’t want to become this person (courtesy of George Bernard Shaw): “She had lost the art of conversation but not, unfortunately, the power of speech.”

5 Ways to Show that Youre Passionate on Your Resume CareerMetis.com

5 Ways to Show that You're Passionate on Your Resume â€" CareerMetis.com There’s nothing that can brighten a hiring manager’s day more than a passionate candidate. A candidate that’s in love with what they do and with the industry they want to join. It’s because being passionate isn’t only about knowing, but also about feeling. Passionate candidates are more likely to stay with the company for longer, they will try harder, they will get excited easier, they will be willing to risk more, and think positively about the future. All these are the traits every company dreams for their employees to have.It’s significantly easier to tell your potential employer how passionate you are at an interview. But to get to that stage you first need to get invited. And that’s the harder part. I want to share 5 ways and sections you can use to show you’re passionate on your resume when applying for your next new job.1) Side projects volunteeringevalSide projects or volunteering positions show so many things to potential employers. One of them is the fact t hat you do something outside of your job, which means you must be passionate about it Do you have a quote that has been a source of inspiration for you, reflects your work style, or has been a leading principle in your life? Then it’s a good idea to share it on your resume.A simple quote can speak volumes about you as a person and your attitude to work and life itself. If you use a quote from someone well-known in your industry, it signals that you’re aware of the experts, you’re most likely following them and learning from them. It’s a great section to add to your resume, especially if you decide to try a one-page resumeout.4) Favorite books“Favorite books” is a section we’re not used to seeing on a resume. But I believe it’s a great way to show that you’re passionate. For example, if you’re applying for a marketing job, share books that are related to market research or a marketing strategy The last benefit of this section is that it can be more visually appeal ing. If a recruiter scrolls down the list of resumes and stumbles upon something colorful or just different, there’s a higher chance they’ll read further.5) My timeThis section is also something we’re not used to seeing on resumes. It can look similar to the one used for a mock resume for Marissa Mayer on Business Insider. It helps you show what you do in a day and allows you to further demonstrate your passion.There are a lot of great examples I’ve seen, here’s one of them (it’s for a Content Marketing position):Reading and writingPractising YogaBloggingAttending events workshopsSpending time with family friendsTravelling dreamingIn just a few words it was clear to me that this person spends a lot of time thinking about content, it’s their real passion. That’s why they were invited for an interview.The fact that this section is more visually appealing can play an important role in your job search too. Just as the Favorite Books section, it stands out, it draws th e reader’s attention which is exactly what you should be looking for.It’s your turn nowI know for a fact that the perception of sharing your passions through a simple “Passions/Hobbies” section has a bad reputation. People think they’ll look childish if they share them on their resume. Still, showing that you’re passionate about the future job or the industry is one of the most important things companies are looking for.Often, they choose candidates that are passionate with less work experience over the experienced ones with no more life in them. And while there are loads of successful resume examples, I hope I gave you enough of directions and inspiration for when you’re in need of a resume.Do you have any experience with showing your passions on a resume? Let me know in the comments.

Everything You Need to Know about Killarney [Infographic]

Everything You Need to Know about Killarney [Infographic] Tourism is one of the most lucrative industries in Ireland and, within the country, the south-western town of Killarney is one of the main hubs of the Irish tourism industry. In Ireland, only the capital city of Dublin has more hotel beds than Killarney, even though the County Kerry town is dwarfed in population terms by several other Irish municipalities. The numbers alone testify to Killarney’s reputation as a tourist hotspot. The industry pulls €410 million a year into the region and employs 3,100 people, while the town welcomes more than one million visitors every year. A survey by Trivago cited Killarney as the eighth most popular tourist destination on the planet, a remarkable achievement for a town with just 14,500 inhabitants. This reputation is richly deserved, though. While it was good fortune that the town is situated near some of the most captivating natural scenery not just in Ireland, but all of Europe, the people of Killarney seized upon that to further engage tourists with a vast selection of hotels and activities. Also, the town’s fascinating cultural heritage makes it a must-see for visitors with an interest in Irish history. If you would like to know more about this enthralling, vibrant spot in Ireland’s beautiful southwest, you will enjoy this infographic from The Europe Hotel Resort, one of Killarney’s elite accommodation providers. It’s a very informative and user-friendly snapshot of the town’s history, climate, amenities and transport links, so feel free to check it out in full below.

Professional Resume Writing: Introduction To Banks And How To Write One

Professional Resume Writing: Introduction To Banks And How To Write OneIt is quite normal for a business to hire someone who has a competent resume written by a professional, and they may be able to fit you in. They may even explain how to write a professional resume for you and if you are willing to do it will give you a copy of the one you should get used to.The next step is to create your own professional resume, which you can call a 'banking' resume. This is an easier option for those who want to get more information on a new business, but who are not quite sure what to do with the experience they have from the previous business.Banking resume is going to take up a lot less time and effort than a professional resume is going to take, since you are not writing a business proposal, but merely a formal, and fairly easy to understand resume. What you are aiming for is to strike up a conversation about your skills and capabilities, and let the potential employer know that you are eage r to get started and that you are familiar with banking terms.A banking professional resume is going to be different from a resume designed for a business owner, but it still needs to be structured in a way that communicates the same message. The key to doing this is to start with your work history. You need to first of all get an idea of how long you have been in banking and also about what positions you held.In addition to the actual dates of your employment, you also need to have an idea of how much experience you actually had working in each particular position. It is important to have your experiences listed in order of how recent they are. This will help when you try to write down your information.Now that you have listed the most recent years of your experience, the next thing to do is to list out all of your outstanding achievements and accomplishments. Somebanks do not really care about awards and distinctions, while others want to see tangible proof of your value. It is no t a bad idea to include a little about the awards you received along with the ones you think are important.You will probably be asked about your credentials, and you should list them along with the awards and achievements. You might also want to list out where you learned your skills. If you have taken certain courses or completed certain projects, mention them here. However, don't forget to make sure you list the ones you completed.After you have listed all of your qualifications, and you have listed out all of your awards and achievements, you should add in a few personal stories about yourself, and how you relate to others. A good professional resume is designed to help people feel as though they are talking to someone who is well read and experienced, and knowledgeable.