Kolz Blog

Designer David Seah has released the 2008 version of his excellent compact calendar spreadsheet template, an entire year represented as a "candy bar o' time" which prints onto a single piece of paper with lots of room for notes. Fold up the compact calendar to stick in your wallet, or affix it inside a project notebook. The layout makes it easy to block out projects, vacations, and other long-term initiatives. In fact, it looks like a fantastic mini "Don't Break the Chain" Seinfeldian calendar. The 2008 Compact Calendar is an Excel (or any spreadsheet) template that works on all platforms. (Here's our post about the 2007 version.) [Read more]

After over a year of blogging I’ve finally done a guest post! You can check out my article covering how to make a smooth transition to a new job over at Executive Assistant’s Toolbox. It’s personally one of my favorite blogs so I highly recommend you check it out [Read more]

Here we are and it's just about time for the annual reviews to begin at work. If you aren't sure if you "meet" or "exceed" expectations, odds are you haven't tipped the scale in your favor. Don't get yourself in this situation. There is so much riding on these reviews it pays to plan. Consider adding a few of these points to your routine next year. If your annual review is routinely late, you may still have time to use some of these immediately to impact your 2007 review.

1. Do Good Work. Duh, right? What is good work? It's work that is aligned with your goals that you and your manager agreed upon at the beginning of the year. If your manager doesn't do this with you then take the bull by the horns and make sure it gets done. How? Schedule an appointment with your boss and bring a printout of what you think your goals should be. Make sure to align them with the company and team goals. Then ask your manager for input. Put the results in writing and forward a copy to your boss after the meeting.
2. Goal Accomplishment System. Make doing good work automatic by taking all of your goals and reducing them down to daily goals. Let your daily goals serve as your guide for planning and and executing your day. If you want to do "bonus" work, things that are outside of your goals, make sure that you are hitting your main goals first. Bonus work without completing the basics can actually make you look bad. Stay focused on your core work first and then add the razzle dazzle later.
3. Keep an Accomplishments File. It can be paper-based and/or electronic based, whatever method works best for you. In the paper folder you can keep customer appreciation letters and any other documents you receive of your accomplishments. To make this habit successful, set up a system to do it everyday. Set a reminder that will alert you each day 15 minutes before quitting time. Take 5-10 minutes to review any accomplishments from the day and either jott it down on a piece of paper or record it in an electronic format such as a text document, a spreadsheet, a Google notebook, or one of the many other free online applications such as BackPack. This very small time investment will pay huge dividends! [Read more]

A Monday Motivator

Successful relationships are key to personal success. There is little accomplished today that does not require some measure of support from community or teams.

If you want to develop successful relationships, you work on building up others. You know the people who encourage you and how good you feel when you are around them. You have likely encountered those that would tear you down, and you know how that makes you feel.

Resolve to be the former, not the latter.

One of the ways to encourage others is to praise them. There is power in recognizing what others have accomplished; it not only builds up the other person, but it strengthens your relationship.

I’m not talking about shallow flattery and sucking-up. I ‘m talking about looking for and recognizing positive character traits and action in others. Don’t lie to people. They will see through the deceit.

What are the benefits of praising?

• Your relationship develops. People sense your interest in them and are willing to give more of themselves to you.
• Your influence grows. Who is going to have more influence in the lives of others, the one who tears down or the one who builds up?
• You build stronger loyalty. When the individual knows they are appreciated, they become loyal, because they know that you care about them.
• You create happy, fulfilled people. This is not an exercise in “return on investment.” It is right to build up others, without expecting anything in return. Someone out there is looking to tear them down; you be the person committed to building them up. [Read more]