1. Be confident. If you don't believe in yourself, why would anyone else? We all have something we are good at. Have faith in yourself and try to work on your niche skills. Drive the fear of failure far away from you. Remember, what doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger!
2. Be clear. Fuzzy, undefined goals are difficult to focus on. How will you proceed when the path seems all foggy? Request your manager for defined, measurable objectives and tasks.
If your manager is not very forthcoming, take some initiative and work with him until you have clarity about your role and what you will be appraised on, at the end of the year. Self-motivated people work best with clearly defined objectives in life. Even if the targets seem a little hazy, house-bred motivation can come in real handy!
3. Work on yourself. Nothing works better as a power shot of motivation than the knowledge that you are good at what you do! Be on top of things at work. Identify your weak areas and get them out of the way. Enroll in courses that will raise your market value and also your motivation levels. Getting a few certifications and qualifications in your functional skills will definitely instill a great deal of confidence.
4. Take criticism positively. Even though the other person has no such intentions, turn all negative criticism into a positive driving force. Failure is a state a mind. If you think you can succeed, you will. Always think positive. That way, instead of brooding over past disappointments, you will route your frustration into positive energy required for working harder. It works like magic.
"My boss was always running me down. Even when I did a good job, he never praised me. Initially I used to feel terrible and slowly started to look for excuses to avoid official meetings when he would once again find reasons to discourage me. I contemplated resigning and finding a new job where I did not have to prove myself over and over again," recounts Mohit Sethi*. "But then, there were no guarantees that my next boss would be better to work with. So, I took it up as a challenge. I started reporting to work early and always finished my tasks before time. My team members started to respect me more because I helped them when my work was done. Gradually, my boss took a back step when he realised that I was now a highly productive member of the team. If I had not been self motivated to prove a point, thoughts of having failed and run away would have chased me forever."
5. Look out for challenges. If the current job demotivates you, not to worry. Be open to try out new things if your present role has become too boring to continue even a day more. Talk to your seniors to redefine your role to optimise your capabilities. Establish your reputation as somebody who is not scared to take on new challenges in life.
6. Be persistent. Most things may not work out right the first time. This just means that you need to try harder. However, ensure that you set your heart on goals that are really important to you and will help you progress in life. Save your efforts for things that matter. Do not waste your energies on peripheral things.
7. Keep the company of successful people. Try to surround yourself with confident people who are driven and high on life. Read books that fill you with optimism. Put up motivating posters and quotes on your workstation that will spread positive energy and drive away any depressing thoughts. Look around for successful people and try to emulate them. Find out what makes them tick and include that in your working style.
8. Celebrate life. If something doesn't shape up like you thought it would, it does not mean everything else is doomed as well. Do not feel stressed; high stress leads to low motivation. Take active interest in things happening around you. Live your life well. Continue to have faith in yourself and get involved in things that give you happiness. That itself will generate enough motivation for you to glide over waves of setbacks.
9. Start today. List all that is important for you to achieve your goals. Divide long-term goals into smaller milestones and celebrate each accomplished goal. Procrastination is a killer so keep it at bay.
10. Keep dreaming. Lastly, do not forget to keep dreaming. Dream big! Let your dreams fuel your desire to get closer to your goals. Write your dreams for yourself in a diary or a journal and constantly refer to them so that you do not forget or lose sight of the objective.
Remember, "Motivation is all about how high you can bounce when you hit absolute rock bottom."
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Sunday, October 7, 2007
How to ask for a salary increment?
Schedule an appointment
Don't storm into the boss' room with an ad-hoc request for a raise. Plan an appointment and have a strategy. Speak to trusted colleagues, friends and people from the industry and get some information on what a normal raise is for someone with your profile and experience. Also take your boss's mood into account.
Write a note to your boss without stating the precise reason for the meeting. Say it is to discuss a personal matter, to discuss your development or present an idea. If you say you want to ask for an increment, your boss is likely to say 'No' on the spot. Here is a sample note you could send to fix an appointment:
Dear Sir,
Could we meet for 30 minutes anytime this week to discuss my role and development? I would appreciate your advice. Please give me a time and date that suits you.
Sincerely,
Nikhil
Make a list of accomplishments
Create a list of accomplishments that are quantifiable and specific. For instance: 'Achieved 110 per cent of the sale target, managed the largest customer base of 130 high net worth customers in the sales region, supervised a team of 15 with a retention rate of 100 per cent.' Use words such as 'first', 'best in class', 'highest' and 'excellent'. Bring some supporting documents to the meeting, like an excel sheet that highlights your key accomplishments. Bosses like results, so be specific and detailed.
Forward-looking approach
No boss will entertain a request of paying you more for doing the same job. A smart way is to ask for increased responsibilities and tasks and link this to a salary raise either right away or in the long term. You can also create a 'pay for performance' system with your boss, where you get rewarded for the extra value you bring to the company over and above your main responsibilities.
Don't walk out with an empty plate
Give your boss/management a choice. The choice has to be between something and something else, not between something and nothing. If the company is in cost-cutting mode, consider other perks that you may be able to negotiate for in the short-term to compensate for the lack of money.
Send a follow-up note
After the meeting, send a note thanking your boss for his or her time and reinforcing the value you bring to the organisation. Also use this note to summarise the meeting, so your boss has some valid documentation.
Here's a sample note:
Dear Sir,
Thank you for reviewing my responsibilities, role and salary at our meeting today. I believe I should receive a raise based on the following reasons: (List the reasons, presented as three to four bullet points)
I would be happy to provide details on any of the above accomplishments. I am very positive about my job and the future of the organisation and am willing to take on increased responsibilities. I am committed to contributing to the company's success in the future.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Nikhil
Remember, as long as you provide value to your organisation and they are doing fairly well financially, you have every reason to ask for a raise.
Don't storm into the boss' room with an ad-hoc request for a raise. Plan an appointment and have a strategy. Speak to trusted colleagues, friends and people from the industry and get some information on what a normal raise is for someone with your profile and experience. Also take your boss's mood into account.
Write a note to your boss without stating the precise reason for the meeting. Say it is to discuss a personal matter, to discuss your development or present an idea. If you say you want to ask for an increment, your boss is likely to say 'No' on the spot. Here is a sample note you could send to fix an appointment:
Dear Sir,
Could we meet for 30 minutes anytime this week to discuss my role and development? I would appreciate your advice. Please give me a time and date that suits you.
Sincerely,
Nikhil
Make a list of accomplishments
Create a list of accomplishments that are quantifiable and specific. For instance: 'Achieved 110 per cent of the sale target, managed the largest customer base of 130 high net worth customers in the sales region, supervised a team of 15 with a retention rate of 100 per cent.' Use words such as 'first', 'best in class', 'highest' and 'excellent'. Bring some supporting documents to the meeting, like an excel sheet that highlights your key accomplishments. Bosses like results, so be specific and detailed.
Forward-looking approach
No boss will entertain a request of paying you more for doing the same job. A smart way is to ask for increased responsibilities and tasks and link this to a salary raise either right away or in the long term. You can also create a 'pay for performance' system with your boss, where you get rewarded for the extra value you bring to the company over and above your main responsibilities.
Don't walk out with an empty plate
Give your boss/management a choice. The choice has to be between something and something else, not between something and nothing. If the company is in cost-cutting mode, consider other perks that you may be able to negotiate for in the short-term to compensate for the lack of money.
Send a follow-up note
After the meeting, send a note thanking your boss for his or her time and reinforcing the value you bring to the organisation. Also use this note to summarise the meeting, so your boss has some valid documentation.
Here's a sample note:
Dear Sir,
Thank you for reviewing my responsibilities, role and salary at our meeting today. I believe I should receive a raise based on the following reasons: (List the reasons, presented as three to four bullet points)
I would be happy to provide details on any of the above accomplishments. I am very positive about my job and the future of the organisation and am willing to take on increased responsibilities. I am committed to contributing to the company's success in the future.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Nikhil
Remember, as long as you provide value to your organisation and they are doing fairly well financially, you have every reason to ask for a raise.
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