by J Stewart Black | May 28, 2020 | General, Jobs
Videoconferencing has been around for more than 20 years. Until the pandemic, though, you would have found that many, if not most people needing to attend a meeting remotely, would have been calling from a real conference room full of their teammates. Today, we’re routinely holding videoconferences that are 100% virtual. And that introduces a problem technology can’t fix.
The problem is us, specifically the fact that we haven’t evolved socially – or even neurologically – to the point where we can bear much isolation. So much of our wellbeing, and by extension what makes us productive, is predicated on physical proximity, that the removal of that proximity for any period of time can be severely damaging. One surprising casualty of social distancing? Laughter.
Normally people laugh about 18 times per day. And 97% of that time, we’re laughing with others – we are 30 times more likely to laugh with others than to laugh alone. Think about it: when was the last time you had a funny thought alone and laughed at it out loud? Now think a bit more: how often when you and your friends laugh at something, is that something actually funny? It may surprise you, but research shows that 80% of what people laugh at is really not that funny.
So why do people laugh? They laugh because others laugh. They laugh in order to laugh with others. Just as everyone starts yawning when just one person yawns, most people can’t help but laugh when those around them do. This is why comedy shows on TV have pre-recorded laugh tracks.
Laughing in response to other people laughing is not just a behavioural phenomenon. When we laugh, our body releases two key chemicals. First, our pituitary gland releases endorphins into our blood where they make their way into the brain and spine. Endorphins are polypeptides that interact with opioid receptors in the brain to help relieve pain and trigger feelings of pleasure. In fact, studies show that people can endure 15% more pain simply by laughing for a few minutes beforehand.
Second, when we laugh, our brain releases dopamine — a neurotransmitter that creates a sense of euphoria. Dopamine can enhance learning, motivation and attention. In fact, the overall health benefits of laughter and the neurochemicals involved include improved immune functioning, stress relief, increased tolerance for pain, improved cardiovascular health, reduced anxiety, a sense of safety and improved mood. Laughter is also associated with higher motivation and productivity at work. Which brings us back to Covid-19.
The isolation we have imposed on ourselves to combat the pandemic is severely curtailing social interaction, leading to decreased laughter, and a consequent reduction in beneficial chemicals that our bodies need. To make matters worse, the associated stress and fear we are experiencing alone is pushing our biochemicals in the wrong direction. When we are under threat, danger or stress, our body releases cortisol, a glucocorticoid hormone produced in the adrenal glands on top of each kidney, into the bloodstream.
Most cells within the body have cortisol receptors, so its effects are widespread. Too much cortisol can result in weight gain, headaches, irritability, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and high blood pressure. Here are five concrete steps you can take to increase laughter among team members when meeting virtually:
- Slow down. Most leaders feel they need to make every virtual interaction as fast and efficient as possible. When virtual interaction is all people have, this is a mistake. Laughter is one of the best ways to keep a team emotionally connected. But you need to give it time and space, even if you have to put off some of the actual work.
- Get the video working. Humans are amazingly good at reading both visual and auditory clues and cues when it comes to laughter. The more channels you can give them to give and read cues the better. For that reason, make sure that all your people can and do attend via video, because that will increase the cue-flow for laughter.
- Smile a lot and talk in a slightly higher voice. People naturally look to the leader of a meeting for signals as to what is okay in terms of behaviour, including permission to laugh. The simplest and strongest facial signal that laughter is okay is a genuine smile. The key auditory cue is the pitch of your voice. Almost regardless of culture, a slightly higher pitch in your voice signals that you want to set a lighter rather than more serious tone for your group.
- Set the example. Because like a yawn, laughter sparks laughter, perhaps nothing is more powerful in generating some laughter in your team than laughing yourself. However, just as people can generally differentiate between genuine and fake smiles, they can tell the difference between a real and a forced laugh — which leads to the final recommendation.
- Get in the mood yourself. You need to start with your own chemistry ahead of any meeting. It’s easier to keep laughter (and its neurochemicals) going than it is to start cold in front of all the faces on your Zoom page. Ideally, get yourself laughing — even for just a few seconds — in advance. I advise watching a funny video just before the meeting starts.
This article first appeared in Harvard Business Review.
by Euphoria Telecom | May 28, 2020 | General
The implications of a move to level 3 lockdown are quite significant for businesses. While the exact regulations are not yet available, at this stage what is clear is that South Africa will go to level 3 on June 1.
“For businesses, this means preparing for level 3, as well as having contingency plans in place to go back to level 4 or level 5 if need be,” said John Woollam, CEO of Euphoria Telecom. The downgrade to level 4 has provided an opportunity to get some business operations up and running again. The cost of staying shut is high, and remote working isn’t viable for every business or every job role.
As many business owners have discovered, however, going back to work at level 4 isn’t an easy thing. “Level 3, with greater freedoms, is likely to prove as complicated, as the government strives to ensure people social distance, wear masks, and disinfect hands, items and spaces,” added Woollam.
Here are five key questions to ask yourself to ensure you are prepared:
Business space – You need to sanitise your entire office before you can resume operating, and then disinfect it regularly. Some areas and items will need to be disinfected after each use, which can be multiple times a day. The business has to supply masks and ensure they are laundered. Key question: How many staff can I keep working remotely in order to protect my people, suppliers and customers and manage virus-related costs?
Cutting costs – Business owners need to carefully manage cash flow and be ruthless about cutting costs and saving jobs. This means balancing the advantages of opening offices or locations and having teams working there daily, with the costs of keeping people safe and the space disinfected. For many businesses, the cost of maintaining a sanitised office space and a schedule to ensure only one-third of their staff are onsite at any given time, will likely prove to be more costly than its worth. Key question: How can I optimise remote operations to save costs and enhance productivity?
Adapt – What do you offer? How can you adapt it to better deliver value to your customers? Can you change what you do to open new revenue streams? How resilient is your business? If you cannot operate, how can you pivot to begin to operate again? Many e-commerce companies pivoted to deliver essential goods rather than shut down for the duration. You need to look at what you can do to work optimally in these circumstances. Key question: What can I do to fill needs that are not being met?
Reconsider – Consider going remote long-term. Look at the advantages, look at the costs of maintaining offices – even beyond the need now to sanitise and social distance – and consider how you can change the way you operate to make your business and your employees better and more productive. Key question: What are the risks and benefits of moving operations remote for the long-term?
Invest – Invest in the tools and technology now that will enable you to run your business remotely, seamlessly. Move the technology you need to run your business onto “Software as a Service” platforms, running in the cloud – from your telephony to your call centre, your ERP to your email. This allows you to access these tools from anywhere and it makes you both resilient and able to move quickly. Look for providers that offer month-to-month contracts, rather than long-term ones that will tie you in. Equip your people with connectivity, laptops and the software tools they need to work – and you’ll be protected from whatever market shifts may come in the future. Key question: How equipped am I to deal with changes in lockdown levels and possible long-duration lockdowns and other disruptions in future?
It’s become a cliché to call things the new normal, but realistically, we don’t know what that is yet. We don’t know how long the pandemic will continue to disrupt business operations. And we don’t know how our customers and employees needs and requirements are going to change – although we can already start to see shifts, like the increased willingness of customers to buy online and deal indirectly. Businesses need to be as flexible as possible if they hope to weather the ongoing disruption, and in 2020, that means equipping themselves with the mindset and the technology to operate – however, whenever and wherever is needed and possible.
Supplied by Euphoria Telecom
by Meropa | May 21, 2020 | General, Jobs
A month or more at home might once have seemed quite a nice idea, but for most of us the novelty of not having to battle the commute to work has now worn off and the lockdown is beginning to take its toll.
Even though the restrictions have now been eased slightly, the reality is that most of us had mentally, if not literally, marked midnight 30 April as the moment things would get back to normal. They haven’t, and won’t for some time – even then it will be a new normal. At best that’s anticlimactic.
It also adds to lockdown stresses arising from not being able to visit family and friends, juggling working from home while trying to educate and entertain children and being confined in a single place most of the time. For many of us financial concerns make this stress worse.
Some people have already been directly affected, having received retrenchment notices, being placed on compulsory leave or having to sacrifice commissions, increases and bonuses or absorb salary cuts. For others, the uncertainty of what might happen next week or next month can be just as worrying.
“While there’s nothing you can do about what has happened or might happen, there are some positive steps you can take to make yourself feel less vulnerable,” says Shafeeqah Isaacs, head of consumer education at financial services provider, DirectAxis.
“We do a lot of financial education in different communities around the country and it’s significant that in every case participant say the first step towards taking control of your finances is the most powerful.”
Three positive first steps you could take are:
Understand your situation – You need to know what your current financial situation is before you can make any decisions about your financial future. This means drawing up a budget. Most people don’t bother, either because it seems like too much hassle or they’re worried that their financial situation might be worse than they thought.
At its most basic, a budget is just a list of your income and expenses and will help you understand what you’re earning each month and where you’re spending it. This simple exercise will help you to decide if you need to reduce some of your expenses and where you can possibly make savings. Drawing it up yourself using your bank statement should be pretty easy.
There are also plenty of tools you can use to help you. Confronting reality can be intimidating if you’re concerned about your financial situation, but hope isn’t a strategy. It’s better to understand where you are to help you to decide whether or not you should speak to creditors about payment plans or find other help if you need it.
“Drawing up a budget is a positive way to face your situation and will help to improve your options and alleviate some of your worries and stresses,” says Shafeeqah. “Sticking your head in the sand and ignoring payment notices or skipping instalments will make the situation worse.”
Get an independent view – Once you’ve assessed where you stand, get an independent view of your financial reliability by checking your credit score.
By law South Africans can get a free credit report annually from one of the credit bureaus. Alternatively, you can check your credit rating, for free, as often as you like on websites like ClearScore. As well as being free, it provides a lot of other useful information such as how your score is compiled, how you could improve it and also helps you to track your financial progress over time.
A good credit score is always useful but particularly so in uncertain times. It increases your options in terms of the financial offerings for which you are eligible.
Set some goals – Understanding where you are and how the financial world views you, should give you some ideas about how you can improve your financial situation.
Try and find if you are able to make some savings. You might be able to use some of this money to pay off short-term debt or settle debts earlier, giving you some future flexibility. Or you might be able to save some money in an emergency fund, which is always a good idea especially when things are so unpredictable.
When making your plans try to set some attainable, short-term goals as well as some longer-term objectives. Reaching short-term goals, such as cutting some unnecessary expenses each month, will give you a sense of achievement.
This will help motivate you to realise your longer-term targets, such as reaching a target balance in your emergency fund or paying off a student or car loan earlier than you’d planned. “The most difficult part is getting started. Just do that and you’ll find each successive step gets progressively easier,” says Shafeeqah.
“What’s more, the benefits of doing so aren’t only financial. Taking control of your finances will also give you more peace-of-mind.”
Supplied by Meropa.
by AMY GALLO | May 21, 2020 | General, Jobs
No one likes job hunting. Scouring through online jobs boards, spiffing up your CV, prepping for gruelling interviews – none of it’s fun. But perhaps the most challenging part of the process is writing an effective cover letter. There’s so much conflicting advice out there, it’s hard to know where to start. Indeed, in an age of digital communication, many might question whether you even need a cover letter anymore.
What the Experts Say
The answer is yes. “Not sending a cover letter is a sign of laziness. It’s akin to making spelling and grammar mistakes in your résumé. You just don’t do it,” says Jodi Glickman, a communications expert and author of Great on the Job. John Lees, a UK-based career strategist and author of Knockout CV, agrees. Even if only one in two cover letters gets read, that’s still a 50% chance that including one could help you, he explains. “It’s an opportunity to distinguish yourself,” Glickman adds. Still, as anyone who’s ever written a cover letter knows, it’s not easy to do well. Here’s how to give hiring managers what they’re looking for.
Do your research first
Before you start writing, find out more about the company and the specific job you want. Look at the company’s website, its executives’ Twitter feeds, and employee profiles on LinkedIn. “Do some research beyond reading the job description,” says Lees. Find out what challenges the company is facing and how your role would help address those. Knowing the company better also helps you decide on the right tone to use in your cover letter. “Think about the culture of the organisation you’re applying to,” advises Glickman. “If it’s a creative agency, like a design shop, you might take more risks but if it’s a more conservative organisation, like a bank, you may hold back.”
Open strong
“People typically write themselves into the letter with ‘I’m applying for X job that I saw in Y place.’ That’s a waste of text,” says Lees. Instead, lead with a strong opening sentence. “Start with the punchline – why this job is exciting to you and why you’re right for it,” says Glickman. For example, you might write, “I’m an environmental fundraising professional with more than 15 years of experience and I’d love to bring my expertise and enthusiasm to your growing development team.” Chances are the hiring manager or recruiter is reading a stack of these, so you want to catch their attention. But don’t try to be funny. “Humour can often fall flat or sound self-regarding,” says Lees. Stay away from common platitudes, too. “Say something direct and dynamic, such as ‘Before you read any further, let me draw your attention to two reasons why you might want to hire me…’ If you have a personal connection with the company or someone who works there, also mention it in the first sentence or two. And always address your letter to someone directly. “With social media, there’s no excuse to not be able to find the name of a hiring manager,” says Glickman.
Emphasise your personal value
Hiring managers are looking for people who can help them solve problems. Drawing on the research you did earlier, show that you know what the company does and some of the challenges it faces. These don’t need to be specific but you might mention a trend that’s affected the industry. For example, you might write, “A lot of healthcare companies are grappling with how the changing laws will affect their ability to provide high-quality care.” Then talk about how your experience has equipped you to meet those needs; perhaps explain how you solved a similar problem in the past or share a relevant accomplishment.
Convey enthusiasm
Make it clear why you want the position. “In today’s economy, a lot of people have the right skills, so employers want someone who really wants the job,” says Glickman. “Enthusiasm conveys personality,” Lees adds. He suggests writing something like “I’d love to work for your company. Who wouldn’t? You’re the industry leader, setting standards that others only follow.” Don’t bother applying if you’re not excited about some aspect of the company or role. “Sending out 100 résumés is a waste of time. Find the 10 companies you want to work for and put some heart and soul into it,” Glickman says.
At the same time, don’t go overboard with the flattery or say anything you don’t mean. Authenticity is crucial. “You don’t want to sound like a gushing teenager,” Glickman warns. Be professional and mature. Lees notes that in some industries, like fashion or technology, it’s more appropriate to say how much you love a company’s product or services. A good rule of thumb is to “use only the kind of language that the hiring manager would use with one of his customers.”
Keep it short
Much of the advice out there tells you to keep it under a page. But both Glickman and Lees say even shorter is better. “Most cover letters I see are too long,” says Lees. “It should be brief enough that someone can read it at a glance.” You do have to cover a lot of ground –but you should do it succinctly.
When you can’t submit a cover letter
“In the black hole of an online system, the rules may be different,” Glickman concedes. Many companies now use online application systems that don’t allow for a cover letter. You may be able to figure out how to include one in the same document as your résumé but that’s not a guarantee, especially because some systems only allow for data to be entered into specific boxes.
In these cases, use the format you’re given to demonstrate your ability to do the job and your enthusiasm for the role. If possible, you may try to find someone who you can send a brief follow-up email highlighting a few key points about your application.
This article was previously published in Harvard Business Review
by Yumna Aysen | May 14, 2020 | General
A leadership role is something that is generally seen as desirable – a position to aspire to, something to work towards. Being in a leadership position can bring increased accolades, money and status. Acquiring a title in the workplace can be the reward for years of dedication, drive and hard slog, for ‘working oneself up the ladder’.
But simply occupying a position of leadership doesn’t make one a good leader. Effective and meaningful leadership is a verb – an active state of being. It requires the courage to make hard choices, the energy to bring out the best in your team, and a firm moral compass that assists in guiding decisions. Being a good leader is hard work!
There are some people who take to leadership naturally, but it is also a skill that can be learnt and developed by anyone who is dedicated enough. Here are some ways you can unleash your leadership potential:
- Have a genuine interest in developing people
Often a leader’s key job is not to lead forever. Instead it’s to teach other people to lead. The help and guidance you give your staff or team should not be to gain status, and their success isn’t something you should take full credit for. But working on the growth and development of others, and helping them become the best version of themselves, will always be to your and their benefit.
- Be a forever learner
In order to stay relevant and to keep an open mind, it’s important that you learn new things. Gaining knowledge is never a waste of time. Take short online courses or read self-development books on leadership. This will give you the tools to become a better leader.
- Be a great communicator
The key to becoming a good communicator isn’t about improving your talking – it’s about improving your listening. This is a greatly underrated skill, but so important in effective leadership. Pay attention and remain present when your team members talk. This allows you the opportunity to fully understand where they are coming from, and enables you to empower them in ways that are best for them.
- Always be willing to improve
Reach out to your colleagues and the leaders that you are developing and ask them about your strengths and weaknesses. It’s not a sign of weakness to want to improve your shortcomings. Be open to getting constructive criticism, and to creating changes if necessary.
- Inspire creativity and innovation
Effective business leaders are always on the lookout for new and better ways of doing things – and you need your team to buy into this. Encourage them to think out of the box and offer solutions that might not be the “conventional” solution. To encourage this sort of workplace creativity, you need to create an environment where people aren’t afraid to speak up.
- Do more than expected
I think this quote sums it up perfectly: “Promise only what you can deliver. Then deliver more than you promise.” Always go the extra mile. This is what will make you stand out.
- Tell the truth
Honesty is one of the key foundations of being a good leader as it creates trust and buy-in. Of course it’s often difficult to tell the truth, especially when it comes to hurting others. That’s where the art of diplomacy comes in – having a soft and empathetic touch goes hand in hand with effective honesty.
- Have empathy for others
How do you create a team that has each other’s back no matter what? By creating an environment of empathy and vulnerability, which allows people to feel safe and able to express how they feel without the fear of being shut down. Ask yourself: How can I help my team members be the best versions of themselves? If you are able to do that, everybody wins.
- Demand accountability, but start with accountability for yourself
You can’t expect people to be accountable if you can’t do the same. It’s important to take ownership of your goals and decisions and the consequences that might come with that. Once you develop accountability for yourself, you will be more successful in persuading those you lead to take accountability for themselves.
- When the going gets tough…
The unprecedented Covid19 experience has brought many lessons with it. One of the clearest has been that when times are tough, people need open and responsive leaders who are available and accessible. Whether you’re a president, CEO or team leader, you can’t run and hide when things get difficult. Stressful times give strong leaders a time to shine, by showing up and taking the tough questions – even if you don’t know what the answers are.
Yumna Aysen is a life coach. For more from Yumna, visit: Oh Yes It’s Yumi
by Meropa | May 14, 2020 | General
South African families are going through tremendously challenging times as most continue to stay at home during the country’s extended lockdown. While it is not yet clear when schools will start to re-open, thousands upon thousands of learners are working hard to stay on top of their educational journeys, while those parents who can do so are still working from home. External pressures combined with fear and anxiety about the future are taking their toll on parents who are, at the same time, tasked with ensuring their children don’t fall behind. These, and other factors, are exacting an undeniable emotional toll in homes during this time, an educational expert says.
“The current situation facing those parents who are trying to do their best on the work front to ensure the sustainability of their companies and their livelihoods, while having to oversee their children’s schoolwork is without a doubt extremely stressful, and it is important to take a step back and gain perspective at this time,” says John Luis, Head of Academics at ADvTECH Schools. “It is no easy task to keep children productive and learning at home, while also trying to get your own work done under trying circumstances. But we urge those parents who are ready to throw in the towel, and who quite simply have had enough, to aim to regain a sense of equilibrium and a positive environment even if it seems impossible right now,” he says.
Luis says that ADvTECH, in its preparation ahead of lockdown, introduced Pastoral Care Teams at all their schools in recognition of the fact that the current situation would come to pass. “From the start, we were ready and committed to continuing our teaching and learning through our online and distance offering, and recognised that parents and family members would need to support, guide and monitor the learning taking place at home.” “But addressing the continuation of the curriculum was only one part of the story. We realised very early that this was going to be an unsettling and uncertain time for everyone concerned, and that we also had to support our parents and learners in the challenges and demands that would accompany this time in addition to the learning aspects.”
“So we put in place Pastoral Care Teams at each school to help learners, staff and parents maintain a sense of community by maintaining regular contact, and to ensure that we are firstly aware of, and then able to help them address issues arising during this time. Many of these issues, as flagged by our partner schools abroad who went through lockdown for up to nine weeks before South Africa did, are now being realised in homes across the country.” Luis says despite the fact that public and private schools are all planning and preparing for the return to physical sites, the approach will be phased, which means that many learners outside of the designated first returning grades will still be learning from home for several weeks and even months.
“It is very important that the educational journey continues for these learners so that they do not fall behind their peers. But at the same time, the situation needs to be managed in a way that no harm is done to the relationships within the family, as a result of this pressure to continue.” So parents should aim to re-establish a productive yet calm environment even in the face of the challenges of this time, he says. “One way in which this can be achieved, is by creating a schedule which allows for both family connection and deep focus time. We as parents must set the example by demonstrating that while things are different, we can build our resilience muscles.
“In the mornings, before children start their work and parents dive into their to-do lists, make the time to connect – read your children a book, get some fresh air, and just be. When the work starts, be realistic. Don’t try to make your average 9-to-5 happen. Structure the day to allow for work-immersion slots, and during this time don’t feel guilty for not engaging directly with your children. Too much screen time is still not advisable, but if it allows the children to decompress while you can apply intense focus to your own work, it will do more good than harm.” Parents should also dedicate some time to being able to assist their children – and must ensure that they can focus on their child’s needs and learning during this time – without running over their own pending work repeatedly in their minds.
“Try to banish your own concerns during this time, and give your child your full attention. It may only be half an hour, but make that half an hour count in terms of connection,” he says. Finally, everyone should have some downtime together during the day, potentially around lunchtime, he says. “Build up your reserves for the afternoon shift by going offline, taking a tea break, hanging up the washing, and so forth.
It is important for parents during this time to look after our own wellbeing and state of mind by actively managing these factors, and not allowing our fears and anxieties to rule our entire days or our interactions with our families. By realising the need for, and then ensuring we maintain positive space and connection despite challenging times, we will be better positioned to continue our lives post-lockdown without having to start rebuilding our personal relationships as well.”
Provided by Meropa on behalf of AdvTech.
