Tips for Public Speaking in a Second Language

Giving a presentation or speaking in public in your native language can be nerve wracking. Presenting in a second language can seem like an insurmountable task. But the reality is, with a little time and preparation you can give a successful presentation in English and impress your audience. 

        Give yourself extra time: 

 

If you are presenting in a second language, procrastination is not going to be helpful. If possible, give yourself an extra week or two to prepare for the presentation. (The extra time will also allow you to follow the rest of our suggestions.) 

Write the speech out:

 

While you don’t want to read your speech, writing it out in advance, in the language you will be presenting in will help you clarify your thoughts and boost your confidence in your presentation. Avoid writing the speech in your native language and then translating it. Direct translation often leads to incorrect sentence structure and awkward phrasing.

Read it out loud:

 

Reading your speech out loud will help you become more comfortable with pronunciation and sentence structure. It will also help you feel more confident presenting from your notes if you have read the speech out loud a number of times before the presentation.

Create simplified notes:

 

After you have written your speech and read it out loud, create a set of simple notes or an outline to help you stay on track and remember key points. 

Read More

Motivation Mystery: How to Keep Employees Productive

Employees are happy tend to be more productive, which is better for a business’ bottom line. Lots of research has shown the relationship between employee satisfaction/perception and a company’s success.

I’ve seen it firsthand for more than two decades. Motivated employees can make all the difference in a successful company.

In my previous post, I explored the importance of positive work environments and one key benefit is that great workplaces can help motivate employees.

It makes sense. Employees that are happy tend to be more productive, which is better for a business’ bottom line. Lots of research has shown the relationship between employee satisfaction/perception and a company’s success.

I’ve seen it firsthand for more than two decades. Motivated employees can make all the difference in a successful company.

There are a number of incentives that I’ve found to be helpful. Here are five:

• Bonuses: Employees usually respond to bonuses and other financial incentives as a way to reward great performances.

• Perks: I saw good responses to perks that weren’t simply financial, such as casual days at the office, half days, office parties, and social activities outside of the office.

• Amenities: Workplace amenities – like a gym, cafeteria, or daycare center – are nice incentives for employees to come to work and to stay focused on their projects.

• Education: 

Importance of Teamwork in the Workplace

Why teamwork is heralded so much? How is teamwork important at the place you work? In this article, we tell you why working in a group can more often than not raise the productivity of the team and the company.

  

"Teamwork is essential - it allows you to blame someone else." ~ Anonymous

Funny quotes apart, sometimes teamwork is truly underrated. While it is human tendency to believe that they are more than capable of handling things on their own, the truth of the matter is that in order to finish any work, whether at your office or at home, you need other people. By its very definition, teamwork is the ability of a group of people to understand the situation they are faced with, pinpoint their individual strengths, and then use these abilities to achieve an end result that is favorable. In a workplace, without proper teamwork it is often possible to have mixed results, miscommunication, and a situation where people do not achieve their full potential. As human beings we are first introduced to the concept of teamwork when we indulge in some form of team sport. A team sport allows you to understand the importance of allowing other members in the team to do their bit. It also teaches you key things like proper communication and the importance of sharing responsibility.

Working in a team does not in any way reflect on a single employee's inability to perform the task with effectiveness. Teamwork is highlighted in situations where in many people with diverse skill-sets need to come together in order to complete a task that needs different perspectives. Working in a team ensures that the completion of work is thorough. Effective teamwork can be imperative for proper completion of result oriented tasks. Another factor that needs to be taken into account is the fact that it merely reduces the time taken to perform the task.

Importance of Teamwork in the Office

Characteristics of a Good Team

How does one define a good team? Which are the main features of a good team? Here, we shall check out some of the major characteristics required to build a good team.

A good team makes all the difference to any company. Team building can at times be a daunting task but it can be achieved with good leadership skill. Setting of goals and having the team to understand all their responsibilities helps to build up a good team. Team building activities helps a team achieve more and it also helps a team to bond better. So, what are the characteristics of a good team? Which are the various qualities one should look for in a good team member? Here, we shall take a quick peek into all the specific characteristics that are required for a good team.

Proper Distribution of Task

A good team knows about all the distribution of tasks to achieve a streamlined process for the same. A good environment is possible when all the team members are aware of their responsibilities and do the needful in the stipulated time. A well-managed team knows the targets or what is expected from them. They are always a step ahead in their achievements of the same.

Clear Communication

A good team would always have clear communication amongst its team members. For a team to function properly, the tasks have to be explained clearly. The environment should be open and should be free enough for problems to be resolved. Good communication between team members would only facilitate the work process and bring about better results for the company.

High Levels of Integrity

A team cannot be complete without the team member displaying high levels of integrity for the company. 

Continue Reading

Elements of Effective Teamwork

Cooperation is a tough dynamic to foster. You must pay careful attention to all the elements of effective teamwork, adjusting your approach as necessary to accommodate the personalities of the team members. But with thoughtful planning and organization, as well as the right kinds of motivation, you can make any team more effective.

Communication

Each team member must know what her teammates are doing, especially if the project is complex. Open lines of communication -- among peers and also with the supervisor -- allows the entire team to respond quickly to unforeseen events. For example, suppose a personal emergency causes one team member to miss an upcoming deadline. Rapid communication among the other members allows them to quickly pick up the slack.

Effective Interpersonal Relations

Even simple projects require effective interpersonal relations. For example, a team leader must be an effective manager, offering guidance and encouragement to under-performing team members and keeping tabs on everyone’s progress. The team members also must work together well, not competing for credit, but rather focusing on how to help, or at least not impede, their teammates. Also, team members must maintain functional relationships with the team leader, for example, by being open to criticism and following directions well.

Task Delegation

If a team leader doesn't delegate tasks well, the team can't capitalize on the primary advantage of teamwork: differentiated skills. Abilities and experience vary among team members, so the project’s assignments should be based on who can best perform each task. The overall effect of smart task delegation is efficiency. If everyone does what he is best at, the team functions at its highest possible level.

Goals