Thought

By Brandi Britton, OfficeTeam 

“I speak two languages, Body and English.” — Mae West

Mae West had it spot on. This iconic actress was the queen of sharp one-liners as well as smirks and sideways glances. In fact, body language sometimes speaks louder than words, which is why administrative professionals need to master the nonverbal cues they’re transmitting — both consciously and subconsciously. Equally important is knowing how to read the subtle signals of the people you encounter daily.

Here are some tips for projecting and interpreting various forms of body language.

It’s not just what you say…

The successful administrative worker is a consummate pro. Even when you think the other person is wrong, such as a verbally abusive customer, you should be the adult in the room and respond calmly and professionally. What’s more, when you take the high road, many times your tone causes others to reconsider their words.

As a job seeker, an energetic tone of voice is highly effective for making a positive first impression. Whether on the phone or during in-person interviews, your words and vocal inflections should work together to let hiring managers know you’re enthusiastic about their company and tackling whatever tasks come your way. 

Put on a good face

To rid your face of negative expressions during a job interview, practice having a friend lob you questions and videotaping the session. Does your smile reach your eyes, or is it isolated around your mouth? Are you fidgety and nervous or calm and confident? Is your eye contact confident or self-conscious? The more you practice this scenario, the more you’ll be able to control your facial expressions during the actual event.

At the same time, pay attention to other people’s faces to pick up on important nonverbal cues. Let’s say you’re planning an office event and suggest to your boss that it be held at a nonconventional venue. If they say “okay” but look down or away, it could mean they aren’t totally on board with the idea. This is a sign you should ask a follow-up question or make a different recommendation.

Shakedown

Whether greeting a new acquaintance or a longtime client, one of the most important nonverbal communications is the initial handshake. You want to strike a happy medium between the death grip and limp fish.

Take a stand

Convey a sense of presence and professionalism with your stance. This means no slouching or other ways of making yourself small. Stand or sit up straight, square your shoulders and lift your head. This body language communicates that you consider yourself an equal member of the team.

Dress the part

As part of your interview preparation, research what you should wear. Peruse the organization’s website and check out their social media. Is the prospective employer’s dress code jeans-and-hoodie casual or suit-and-tie formal? If you know former or current employees, ask them for advice.

A good rule of thumb for interviews is to dress one notch above a company’s normal dress code. So, if the tech startup you’d like to work for has a casual work environment, opt for business casual.

Be good with your hands

When talking to upper management or listening during a meeting, what are your hands and arms doing? Biting nails, twirling hair, tapping fingers, cracking knuckles, touching your face, running the back of your hand across your nose — all these gestures are distracting and detract from your professionalism.

Brandi Britton is a district president for OfficeTeam, the nation’s leading staffing service specializing in the temporary placement of highly skilled administrative and office support professionals. OfficeTeam has 300 locations worldwide and offers online job search services at roberthalf.com/officeteam. Connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and the OfficeTeam blog.

Choosing texting over sex and other shocking revelations about our cell phone behavior in the tech age

Smartphones are so much a part of our lives that we can’t leave home without them, but when has our need to check our phones gone beyond the pale? Tech-buying site Decluttr.com surveyed 1,000 U.S. smartphone owners age 18 and up to find out just how addicted they were to their phones.

Highlights from the survey include the following.

• Family Focused: Overall, smartphone owners look at their phones more when they’re with friends than during family time, but men do so more during either occasion: 67% during family time and 63% while spending time with friends. Multiple respondents also stated that they make a conscious effort to put their phone aside to focus on quality time with family.
• Distracted Dating: 67% of males, in comparison to just 13% of females, admitting to checking their devices whilst on a romantic night out.
• Sobering Sacrifices: Alcohol and video games were the top two things that men and women would give up before handing over their phones, but one of the biggest difference is giving up sex. Though not at the top of the list, twice as many women than men would rather give up sex than give up their phone. Sorry, fellas. Maybe it’s the distracted dating.
• Serious Streamers: 83% of men (in comparison to just 17% of women) say the worst part about not having their trusted smartphone with them is not being able to watch videos or stream movies and TV shows.
• Postponed Parting: Even if their phone had a cracked screen, 52% of men would put off getting it fixed because they can’t be without their phones.

Liam Howley, marketing director at Decluttr, comments: “While smartphones can be an extremely useful tool for information and entertainment, they can also lead to users missing out on what’s actually going on around them. Our survey suggests that men may be zoning out important occasions such as weddings in favor of checking their phones or falling short of paying attention to their family members, friends or even their date.”

However, when it comes to taking a break from their phones, 43% of men say a digital detox would be beneficial. The same goes for women, with 56% stating a detox would be good. Several respondents said that they use vacations as the perfect occasion to take a break from their phones. With Summer fast approaching, maybe it’s time for a break during a break.

Decluttr’s tips for weaning yourself off your cell phone:

• Gradually leave bigger gaps between checking your messages or social media posts. If you normally check every 15 minutes, make it once an hour, if every hour, leave it for 2-3 hours etc. Build up to only checking two or three times a day. You can let friends/work colleagues know in advance that you’re going to be doing this and that if there’s an emergency where they need an urgent response from you, they can call you.
• If you think you’ll get bored without your phone to turn to, think of ways you can fill your time instead. Read a book or listen to music when you’re travelling on public transport or waiting around. You could also make better use of your time learning a new skill or doing some exercise.
• In social situations, only use your phone if you’re sharing something with the people you’re with – looking up information or posting a social media post that includes your friends.
• Don’t check your phone when you’re on a date, or with someone you’re meant to be spending one to one time with. Focus on whoever you are with and give them your full attention.
• Be fully present and start to appreciate being in the ‘here and now’. Take notice of what’s going on around you, connecting with real people in the real world.

Lead  your employees to success by helping them be productive and focused

One of the biggest challenges corporate leaders face every day is balancing what’s good for the team with what works best for individual employees.

After all, not everyone thinks the same way – even top performers. Their motivations differ, as do their work processes. Some are collaborators; others work best alone. Some are procrastinators; others thrive on a deadline. Some love a bustling work environment; others pull on headphones to block out the buzz.

But leaders can make it a goal to help all those diverse personalities find the “highest-performing version” of themselves, says Dr. Greg Wells (www.drgregwells.com), author of “The Ripple Effect: Eat, Sleep, Move and Think Better.”

“There are general changes you can enact in the workplace that can speak to the very specific needs of every member of your team,” says Wells, a scientist who specializes in extreme human physiology and has spent 15 years working with Olympic athletes. He suggests:

• Encourage breaks. This isn’t about running out for a quick cigarette. Quite the opposite. Wells says office breaks can have a healthy bent – anything from providing an hour of tai chi instruction to offering a tranquil garden setting for quiet reflection. “Make sure you take some time to break the stress cycle and allow people to rest, recover and regenerate,” he says. “Doing this not only will help them perform better in the moment, but it also recharges the body and brain to stay healthy over the long-term.” Walking is especially powerful as it has been shown to improve creativity. Exercise in nature, such as going for a walk in the park has been shown to improve problem solving. Creativity and problem solving are essential for success in today’s work environment so moving breaks can be very helpful for you and your teams.

• Remove distractions. Being mindful is key to success in any discipline, be it music, sports, drama, or business. “Yet we live in the age of distraction,” Wells says. Emails, social media, text messages and YouTube compete for our attention, not to mention the job we’re supposed to be doing. “Athletes who are able to stay on task despite pressure and distractions perform to their potential,” he says. “Those who fail to ignore the distractions make mistakes or don’t perform to expectations.” Your team can start by turning off the electronic noise for an hour at a time. Or try “single-tasking”: Ask them to choose their most important task to work on first and to perform that task as exclusively as possible. Wells says he’s a huge fan of Robin Sharma’s 90 : 90: 1 principle – for 90 days, take the first 90 minutes of each day to work on your life’s most important work. Try that tactic out and you’ll be amazed and the exponential gains you make in your life and career, he says.

• Focus on “micro-improvements.” Wells says one of the best approaches he’s seen for turning good into great is focusing on “1 percent gains.” “What sets elite athletes apart from the pack is a commitment to being just a little bit better each day,” he says. “A 1 percent change might not seem like much, but small improvements in the way you live each day will amplify your life.” One percent of your day is 15 minutes, and 15 minutes of exercise can reduce your risk of breast and colon cancer from 24-40 percent. The micro changes add up over time and can have a powerful effect on your health and performance.

Of course, workers are notoriously averse to change – whether they’re in an office, a factory or behind the counter at a fast-food restaurant. But with positivity and patience, Wells’ believes his suggestions should be an easy sell.
“Each employee will benefit in his or her own way,” he says. “But the end result will be a more engaged and more productive group.”