High Interest on a 100% Safe Investment ….invest in yourself

Have you made any New Years Resolutions for 2009? If you have room for one more resolution on your list, I’d suggest taking some advice from Benjamin Franklin. He said, “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” This is fantastic information, especially if you do something with it.

Current Assessment

As a professional, you want the best credentials, the most up to date information about your profession, a clear understanding of the market conditions and how you fit into that market and a realistic forecast of what the future holds. You, no doubt, want to provide excellent service to your company and its clients. As part of your New Years ritual, consider designing a personal rating list for yourself. Include the top 10 areas of your professional life that are most critical to your success. Begin by rating yourself on each topic based on a scale of 1 to 10, ten being the best score. This is your base line; your initial deposit. Then on a monthly basis, revisit your list and tally your score. Measurement of this sort is very helpful in accelerating your career.

Diplomatic Skills

Benjamin Franklin was known for his diplomatic skills. This helped him greatly throughout his life. In the current day business world, diplomacy is exhibited by your skills to manage your communications with all people in your organization, with your clients and with your vendors. When you create your top ten list of areas that are critical to your success, enter diplomatic skills on your list.

Increasing Communications Skills

Here are seven suggestions to increase your communication skills in the New Year:

• Focus on the person you are meeting with or talking to; this yields powerful results.

• If you are on the phone, avoid loud clicking on the keyboard; the person you are talking to might consider your conversation insincere.

• Return phone calls in a timely fashion; generally within 24 hours is standard.

• When you make a commitment to follow-up with business associates, clients and vendors – keep your word.

• Respond to e-mail within 24 hours, although the norm is much shorter.

• Keep e-mail professional and know that e-mail is not confidential, even if you say it is.

• Texting while talking to a business associate is very impolite.

Wishing you great success in 2009!

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