Must-Read Legal Websites for Attorneys

Must-Read Legal Websites for AttorneysMust-Read Legal Websites for AttorneysBeing an attorney doesnt mean should be stuck reading briefs and journal articles each and every day. There are so many great online publications and blogs that have so much rich content that range from timely law topics to career tips, to the common struggles of a lawyer. Not only can these websites provide great resources, but also the articles can often help you feel more rejuvenated and enthusiastic about the law. Here Are Seven Websites We Recommend You Bookmark Above the LawThis website publishes new content on a daily (even hourly basis). Article topics tend to focus on the following areas BigLaw, small law firms, legal technology, legal marketing, in-house counsel, law school, and government issues. You can always count on Above the Law to offer a thoughtful (and sometimes even humorous) look at current events. For example, there has not been a shortage of articles about the recent Supreme Court d ecisions. Above the Law also has a great Career Center on the website, which includes job postings from throughout the country and advice for job seekers. JD SupraThis website syndicates content from publications to blogs on a multitude of law and business topics. JD Supra readers include in-house counsel, business leaders, reporters, and editors.The ability to search the site by topic area is very helpful, especially if you are researching a specific field such as same-sex marriage or patents. The Trending feature at the top of the website lets you read the fruchtwein popular and topical articles being circulated and read.ABA JournalPerhaps the standard for lawyers and legal professionals, ABA Journal includes articles and blog posts about current issues and the latest in legal news. If reading articles and blog posts dont always fit into your daily schedule, check out the ABA Journal podcasts that are interesting and can be listened to on the go. A recent podcast featured the topi c of how lawyers can maximize relaxation while on vacation. Findlaw.comThis legal website provides job listings for a wide range of legal professionals. It also maintains a comprehensive set of legal resources for law students and legal professionals including case law and legal news.Trebuchet LegalThis site focuses on what happens after you attend law school and pass the bar exam. Created by the founders of The Girls Guide to Law School, Law School Toolbox and Bar Exam Toolbox, Trebuchet provides career-related advice to law students and attorneys. Articles range from how to start your own virtual law office to marketing yourself as an attorney. LawJobs.comIf youre on the search for a new job or legal career, youll want to bookmark this site. LawJobs.com lists legal job openings, classifieds and nationwide ads for lawyers, paralegals, and legal support staff. The Career Center includes career profiles, salary information, and career advice. Its a great resource if youre in the mark et for changing jobs or careers.JD Careers Out ThereIf you just finished law school and still arent koranvers what type of legal career you want, this is the website for you. Founder Marc Luber has two goals with his site to help you find a career youll love, and help you be successful at that career. Be sure to check out Marcs video interviews in which he talks about what you can do with a law degree and how to break in and find a job.

7 Reasons to Look for a Job While You Love the One You Have

7 Reasons to Look for a Job While You Love the One You Have7 Reasons to Look for a Job While You Love the One You HaveMost people wait until theyre miserable, desperate, or unemployed to start looking for a new job. But as it turns out, it might be smart to look for a job while youre in a position you love. That might sound odd, but there are a few good reasons for doing this.Heres why you might want to look for a job, while you still love the one you have1. You can be more objective and have higher standards.When youre desperate for a new job because the one you have is terrible, any ol gig can start to look good. Once you start feeling slightly desperate, jobs that dont match your criteria (e.g., they dont offer work flexibility or arent in your intended career field) might bedrngnis matter so much now- but will later on. Having a job that you already love allows you to job search more objectively- and more importantly, more selectively- to find a position that will truly be a fit for you.2. You can look more leisurely. Lets say that you have a huge fight with your boss and in a moment of bravado/stupidity, you quit your job on the spot. Looking for another job that checks all the boxes can be tough, especially so if youre doing it under duress. Being able to take your time to look for a job, picking and choosing which jobs to apply for at ease, can not only strengthen your own job searching skills for when the time comes to actually look for a new position.3. You can get a sense of what types of jobs are really out there. Time truly flies, and a job that you thought you would only be in for a year can suddenly become two or three years. Looking for a job while you love the one you have can give you some insight into the current job market and help you assess what types of jobs are out there. You can also learn what potential new skills, education, and experience employers and recruiters are looking for right now. That way, youll be prepared if and when you d o decide to search for a job.4. You can negotiate better. Salary can sometimes be a sticking point when it comes to accepting or turning down a job. While you can use a salary calculator to estimate how much employers are paying for jobs in your field, nothing beats real-life experience in finding out what your exact set of skills and experience means to a potential employer, in dollars and cents. Being employed can help you to negotiate salary better since youll already know what other employers are paying- and more importantly, youll know your own worth. Since youre employed, you have nothing to lose by asking for a higher salary or better benefits- and if a potential employer knows that youre exploring new opportunities, he might make offer you a better deal to get you to leave your current job.5. You can improve your interviewing/job search skills. Job searching can take some finesse, and if youve been out of the job market for a while, your own job search skills or interviewing skills might be a little rusty. Starting a job search (even if you love the job you have right now) can oil out the kinks you might initially experience and also help you to polish your interviewing skills as you meet with various employers.6. You can boost your network. In todays job market, its never a bad thing to know a lot of people. Having a rich, robust network can help you connect with people who might be able to give you some solid job leads. You never know when you might need to reach out to a contact for help in looking for a real job.7. You can be better prepared for the future. Sure, you love the job you currently have. But what if the company suddenly downsizes- and you lose your position? Thats where doing some pre-job searching can put you ahead of the competition. You might have already done some interviews and established new connections that could lead you to a real job interview- and a real job offer sooner rather than later.Start Looking for a New Job

A Stealth Virtual Car

A Stealth Virtual Car A Stealth Virtual Car A Stealth Virtual CarFrom movies to virtual ads in sports stadiums, realistic computer graphics have invaded our world. But to create a believable virtual car, one that makes you feel the acceleration as it comes out of a curve, you need to start with a real, physical car.Not just any car, either, but the first car that morphs its size and performance to emulate anything from a Ferrari to a pickup truck.That would be The Mills fully adjustable Blackbird, named after the stealthy SR-71 spy plane. The automotive version is stealthy too, but in its own way. It is designed for what CGI artists call reskinning placing virtual shapes and colors over a real car so it looks like another vehicle.Surprisingly, the driving force behind the Blackbird is television ads, said Angus Kneale, chief creative officer of the New York office of The Mill, a British advertising agency, who has directed many commercials.When model years change, automa kers might change only a few features, Kneale said. Rather than refilming an ad, we digitally junger mann those features.The Blackbirds electric motors are programmable to emulate the driving characteristics of almost any vehicle. Image The MillCreating a believable CGI of a moving car is not simple. It requires not only a physical car that moves realistically, which you can then reskin, but also complex photography to capture shadows and the reflections that would ordinarily show up only on highly polished paint and chrome.I got to thinking, There must be an easier way to do this, Kneale said. He decided to design a single car that could emulate any vehicle on the road, which would simplify photography. To build it, he turned to J.E.M. Effects, a special effects company that makes cars that withstand chases and crashes in films.They built a car that can extend its wheelbase and length by up to 4 feet and its width by 10 inches to mimic various makes and models, and can a ccept a wide range of wheel sizes. It has adjustable suspension and a powerful, electric motor that Kneale can program to match the acceleration, ride height, rigidity, and dampening performance of virtually any vehicle.To gather the photographs needed to create reflections, Kneale enlisted Lev Yevstratov of Performance Filmworks, which specializes in suppressing vibration in the long camera arms used to film Hollywood car chases. Yevstratov shrunk the large mechanical devices ordinarily needed to do that so that the four high-definition Blackbird cameras did not stick out from the vehicles silhouette.The first time we tested it, it worked like a dream, Kneale said. The Mill is already using the Blackbird to film virtual vehicles driving down roads of all sorts, and saving clients millions of dollars in CGI processing time, Kneale said. If you want to film a campaign in Patagonia, its remarkably cheaper to send one Blackbird than your entire line of vehicles.Read the latest issue of the Mechanical Engineering Magazine.I got to thinking, There must be an easier way to do this.Angus Kneale, The Mill

The freelancers guide to ultimate productivity with Mac OS

The freelancers guide to ultimate productivity with Mac OSThe freelancers guide to ultimate productivity with Mac OSSo, what do you do?Its a question I kind of dread. Not because Im unemployed, far from it. More because the answer is complicated enough to be awkward. Im a writer, project manager, business representative, historian, podcaster, voice actor, and probably some other things I cant remember right now.That means two things. First, I need a really good resume (view here) so potential employers can wrap their head around what on earth I really do. Second, I really need a great ordnungsprinzip to stay productive and organized. This is how I do the latter.Visit and create an outstanding resume too.The BasicsTo start, I do all of this with a Macbook Pro. Still, I have to point out that all of this is more or less possible with a Windows or Linux machine if you customize it enough. That said, the foundation of my organizational system is multiple desktops.Multiple DesktopsSo I g enerally have 8 desktops open at any time. I dont use them all, but I always have at least one with nothing in it in case I need a quick distribution policy to put some new work. Each desktop is set for a specific task. In this caseDesktop 1 The Personal StuffMy first desktop is the only real constant in this picture. Its for personal things, fun things. It contains my personal email, facebook, and whatever Im reading. I generally keep it on the left side of my desktops because its always relevant and it helps to have it in the same place at all times. I always know if I want my personal stuff I just swipe left a few times and Im there.Related articlesWhy we love (and hate) personal resumes7 Mistakes That Are Common In College Students Resumes and How to Fix ThemA recruiter explains how to make your resume stand outDesktop 2 This ArticleSo after the personal desktop, each one is set to one task. This article for example. Desktop 2 has a slack channel, some articles Im using for refe rence, and a Google Doc. That makes for three windows, each with one or two tabs open (thats important for later).What this all means is that everything in this desktop is connected to writing this article and if I swipe up with four fingers I immediately see everything I have on this desktop. That translates into clarity and visibility.Desktop 3 Project ManagementI also help manage a project creating an online education platform about entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa. Here Ive got three windows, one for the various Trello boards associated with this project, another with a few articles I need to read on that subject, and a final one with updates from the company.So this desktop is for managing the project, but if I need to write a lesson, Ill use another desktop to keep my total number of windows and tabs down. Plus, if Im writing a lesson I dont need to have easy access to these project management tools.Desktop 4 Lesson WritingHere Im writing a lesson for the project mention ed in Desktop 3. Ive got an excel document open with all the transcribed interviews Im basing the lesson on in addition to a Google Doc and a page containing the outline and request for the lesson. Once again, Ive got only three windows each with no more than three tabs.Desktops 5-7 Free SpaceI always try to make sure I have at least one blank desktop. That means if anything new comes up which isnt connected to an additional task, I have a place to put it. It also means I always have at least one empty desktop to use as a buffer between my active and inactive tasks. Active tasks go on the left of the empty desktop(s) while inactive ones are on the right. This way I can keep track of how many things Im actively working on at all times.Desktop 8 Inactive TasksAnything Im not working on now but want to leave open goes here. In this case, its some project management windows for my work as a content creator. At the moment, Ive completed all of my tasks there, so that desktop gets moved o ff to the right until it becomes active again.Organizing Within DesktopsTo be honest, every time I see someone with 20-30 tabs open in a single window Im a bit horrified. Not because theyre doing too many things at once (Im certainly as guilty as they come there) but because they have essentially no organization to it. Truth is, its not that hard to avoid this problem.If you read the section above, the answer should be fairly obvious. If you maintain separate desktops for your various tasks, then each time you need to open something new, this should be done within that desktop. So you shouldnt end up with a single window in a single desktop with open web pages pertaining to 4 different projects.Then, whenever you end up with more than 4 or 5 tabs in a single window, ask yourself if you can either close some of them or create a new window for them organized around a single purpose. Whenever you get a tab pileup, this tells you that some action needs to be taken to avoid a pileup.Movi ng Between DesktopsI changed from using Windows to using Mac OS back in 2007. If you asked me why Ive stuck with that change for all these years it wouldnt be for the hardware, for the stability, for the aesthetic, or any of the other reasons Mac users usually give. For me, its all about gestures.Four fingers to the right, four fingers up, three fingers to the left, two fingers to scroll, these action are at the absolute core of how I interact with my laptop and how my organizational system works. I can have so many windows on so many desktops because Ive set up my trackpad so I can easily move between them and see everything I have open with just a few gestures.Chances are, if this system sounds awful to you, its because you havent set up the gestures or tastatur shortcuts necessary to make it work. Thats the real key, you have to be able to easily move between all of these desktops and windows. Take that ability away and this entire system falls apart.Sounds Interesting? Try ItPle ase, lets all do what we can to prevent 30 tab windows from haunting our nightmares. Stopping that particular scourge is in our hands.But Im also curious to hear how you all organize your work? Let me know more about your system in the comments.

Interview Advice That Wont Work in Real Life

Interview Advice That Wont Work in Real LifeInterview Advice That Wont Work in Real Life1There are many armchair experts out there peddling job search advice thats faulty. Before you make the mistake of following it, review this list of misguided vorstellungsgesprch advice that will fall flat if you try to use it in an actual interview situation.Heres some job interview advice that wont work in real lifeQuittingThe wrong approach When youre asked about why you want to leave your current position, you focus on challenges that youre facing in your role, emphasizing to the interviewer why you believe their position will be the right fit for you.A better strategy Focusing on negative aspects of your current job, boss, or colleagues can be a red flag to hiring managers, who may view you as having a poor attitude or being a high-maintenance employee. When youre asked about why youre seeking a new opportunity, dont highlight challenges where you are now- for example, I work in a small offic e and think I would do better in a larger one. Instead, emphasize that youre ready to grow in new ways professionally that only a specific type of new opportunity, role, company, or industry can provide. Point out the exact ways that you think youre the right fit for the position you want, and show how the job is a perfect next step for your career.Salary ExpectationsThe wrong approach When an interviewer asks you about your current salary and salary expectations in the initial phone screen or first meeting, youquickly offer up your numbers.A better strategy Sharing numbers too soon in the hiring process can pigeonhole you into a lower salary band. Its a smart best practice to always try to get the employer to share numbers or a range first, to avoid pricing yourself out of the job by naming a figure thats too high or too low. As a first step, be sure to do your research on average salaries based on industry, job title, and location prior to your interview. Then if salary comes up i n one of your initial conversations with the hiring team, try to deflect it back to them by saying something like, Im familiar with industry averages for this title, and Im wondering if you are able to share the salary range with me for this position?FailuresThe wrong approach When youre asked about a previous mistake or failure that youve made on the job, you figure honesty is the best policyand prepare to detail your biggest professional doozy.A better strategy Part of the savvy involved in answering interview questions is using discretion with your answers. Yes, you want to be honest, but you likely have many possibilities to choose from when answering this question. Your goal is to share a misstep that allows you to show how youve grown as a professional since the time you made the error. A good choice might be learning how to manage your time better after missing an initial deadline early in your career, or improving your teams customer service level after a missed opportunity leuchtdiode to a lost sale. Your goal should be to emphasize your learning curve and new insights, as well as to avoid sharing anything that might cause the hiring team to question your judgment and professionalism.There is no blueprint or definitive roadmap to interview success. But by avoiding a few common landmines that could sabotage your job search efforts, youll be positioned more favorably to impress the hiring team.Looking for more interview advice? Check out our job interviewing tips category.

The Little-Known Secrets to Forklift Operator Resume

The Little-Known Secrets to Forklift Operator Resume Forklifts vary in dimension, type of cab, and sort of fuel. The very first indicator that youre above age and can operate a forklift, is that youve completed high school. If this Forklift Operator resume example was not sufficient for you, youre absolutely free to review several other samples and templates from ur website. Thus, whether youre a fresher or an experienced one, utilizing a forklift resume template is almost always a nice and wise decision as youll have the surety that youve covered all of the vital points about your key skills along with work experience. Knowing the way to use a forklift safely will help keep your workplace safe, reducing both the human and company costs related to accidents. Do youve got the tools you want to have a manufacturing job. If theres a certain skill or item of machinery youve got zero experience with, enable the employer know you are ready to learn. Coming with extensive understan ding of safety procedures and capacity to operate and carry out preventive maintenance on a forklift. The Appeal of Forklift Operator Resume Hiring managers are somewhat more likely to hire based off of a referral than every other hiring method, and that means you will need to create lots of connections. Once you have decided on the jobs which you feel are most relevant, then youll want to reservierung them from the most present first. Youve got to tailor it to the work offer. Speak to the recruiters at tempstar staffing for more information. In some places, certification may be deemed necessary. As you may discover the occasional position that provides on-the-job training, most employers prefer to employ experienced professionals. Salary, incentive, wonderful advantages. Forklift Operators should have excellent communication abilities and an awareness of the significance of teamwork. Other duties could be assigned. Possessing a skills section for your resume is critical to its success since most employers search in order for it to see whether youve got the perfect abilities and qualities that can improve your performance. Utilize our cover letter sample to polish your abilities and receive the job that you want. Your resume must immediately tell the employer which you are somebody who will choose the work seriously. Underneath each employer and date ought to be the duties which you were accountable for. Finding Forklift Operator Resume on the Web Above all else, you will need to highlight your capability to operate a forklift. Do you understand what things to put in your certified forklift operator resume. The forklift training can likewise be conducted at your own workplace by choosing a trainer. Learn more about the way to have forklift certification. Speaking of injuries, its also wise to emphasize your capability to operate a forklift safely. An individual may accomplish a forklift certification in a large number of means. An individual which gets a forklift certification will usually be in need in a large number of industries for employment. The Debate Over Forklift Operator Resume You only have to demonstrate a few achievements. On the flip side, it isnt supposed to be a comprehensive collection of your every expert activity or achievement. Examine the accomplishments, skills and experience youve listed. Dont be shy when it has to do with highlighting precisely what youre capable of. The Argument About Forklift Operator Resume Work aspirants should keep an eye out for a resume template rather than a courses vitae template. Then be sure that your certification field is put in an easy-to-see position on the webpage. Creating your resume is vital. The templates are created in a way that they make the resume get noticed. ur resume builder makes it simple to create a well-written resume in a couple of minutes. Have them on another bit of paper because a company might ask to see them. Just take the oppor tunity to plan your work search so that you may be certain to cover all bases. Well go through all the measures to making a successful resume that will be certain to stick out from all the others.

4 Secrets to Improve the Candidate Experience with Digital Tactics

4 Secrets to Improve the Candidate Experience with Digital TacticsThe candidate experience is one of the fruchtwein important and overlooked aspects of your hiring process. To deliver an excellent candidate experience, consider all of the aspects involved. When youre focused on attracting talent, building your employer brand, talent sourcing, and everything in between, youre directly impacting the candidate experience.It starts with the first interaction candidates have with your company. Nowadays, that first impression likely occurs in a digital space.To learn more about how to improve the candidate experience through digital tactics, we spoke to Tanya Williams.She is the tradigital strategist, digital visibility specialist, chief of everything, and author and speaker at Digital Conversations, a digital media strategy service located in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Williams understands the power of connecting with candidates through digital experiences.Your digital visibility ma tters to everyone, she says. Now, more than ever, building talent communities and sparking conversations in a real and relevant way is what will get you results.Your online presence is essential to your recruitment marketing strategy. If you have a bad one or none at all, youre losing out on the best talent.Read on for the full transcript of Williams digital tactics that you can use to deliver the best candidate experience from the get-goWe live in a digital world, and clients and candidates are online. Consider how you use digital in your personal life, and remember your clients and candidates are people too. So theyre probably using it in a similar way.Go Where Your Talent is Hanging OutYoure doing people-to-people marketing and you need to go where the talent are. Passive candidates arent on job boards, but they are on social media. Clients expect you to have a good website remember this is your first impression to the world and your staff also expects you to provide the right foundations so they can do the best job they can for you. Your digital visibility matters to everyone. Now more than ever, building talent communities and sparking conversations in a real and relevant way is what will get you results. So lets consider the consequences when tactics arent used efficiently and effectively. If you dont have a good online presence, you are really missing out on opportunities to connect with both clients and candidates. We live in a mobile and clickable world, where people have the attention span shorter than a goldfish at seven seconds. Yep Its pretty crazy but that is how weve been conditioned and trained. Dont Let Social Media Ruin Your Candidate ExperienceBy not having the right channels and making it easy for your candidates to connect with you, you create a poor first impression and a negative candidate experience. Yes, they do judge you for how easy it is to find you, apply for a role and your ongoing communication. Ive had this conversation with s o many candidates who have complained to me about the experience theyve had with a recruiter recently. Which means the recruiter misses future referrals, placements, and commissions. Plus, gets a poor reputation. And if you dont have a strong strategy in place, youre going to waste time and money on all of the wrong things, which ends up costing you a lot more in the long run. The bright shiny object syndrome has many victims, so do it right and do it well.There are a number of free and basic tactics that so many talent-teams are missing when it comes to social media and digital. Here are my top five that sound simple but are underutilized by a lot of recruiters across the world. I have been on enough websites to see the mistakes firsthand. So what are the common things that get missed? Get to Know Your CandidatesFirstly, you need to understand your audience better. Create personas that detail the various candidate types. The better you know them and their issues, the better the qua lity of the content and your results. If your website looks the same as your competitors, why would a client or candidate choose you? They want to know that you get them. Many recruiters are also failing to capture data to their website by adding a simple lead generation piece, such as a free, downloadable report. This is simple to do and it means you can collect valuable information, provide valuable information to them up front, but get their data and continue the conversation post website visit.The next fail is segmenting your database and setting up automated emails to make ongoing communication easier and more time-efficient. You cannot have the same conversation with everybody in your database. Niche replaces mass marketing. Consider different lists for different clients, candidates, maybe location, industry, or job type. Next, consider that too many recruiters arent concentrating on the channels they own, rather than the ones they reign. Yes, you dont own your social media ch annels, but you do fully own and control your website, your database, and your blog. So consider how you can leverage behauptung and drive followers from your social media channels to your database. And finally, look at the data and the numbers. If youre not looking at metrics and numbers, how do you know what is and isnt working? You have to measure what youre doing and then refine it from there.Dont bury your head in the sand or pretend that all is fine because its all too hard or overwhelming. Inaction equals no results and the further you get behind as well. Continue to learn more new tools and technology to help your day-to-day. Put priorities in place and be accountable for your digital execution.Stop Wasting Untapped PotentialWith so much untapped opportunity out there, its a real shame when talent teams are not taking advantage of it. An example of a company I have worked with that hasnt taken advantage of these simple tactics is around database. One company told me that th ey had a database of 60,000 people and they werent doing anything with it Crazy, I know This is just a goldmine, sitting there, waiting to be tapped into.So, what did we suggest they do? Firstly, they needed to segment the database into much smaller and relevant groups. No one wants to get an impersonal email from someone that is irrelevant. Next, they needed to clean the list so that they only had the most relevant and up-to-date information. And then the next step was to set up some automated emails so they could stay in touch without having to manually go in each week and set up their campaigns. This technology is out there and its low cost and its easy to use, so take advantage of it and work smarter and not harder. I hope you enjoyed these digital marketing insights. Get in touch to continue the digital conversation. Im Tanya Williams, from Digital Conversations and never let anyone dull your sparkle.

3 leadership lessons from Howard Schultz, Satya Nadella, and Jeff Bezos

3 leadership lessons from Howard Schultz, Satya Nadella, and Jeff Bezos3 leadership lessons from Howard Schultz, Satya Nadella, and Jeff BezosHow would youdescribe an effective leader?There are many ways to answer that question, but most would agree thattrue leadershipinvolves the ability to practice what one preaches, to set the example, and to inspire others.Over the past few years, Ive studied the leadership styles of numerous successful business leaders while researching my forthcoming book,EQ, Applied The Real World Guide to Emotional Intelligence.One lesson that stood out is the powerful way email is used (yes, email) to quickly communicate vital lessons at the right time.Below, youll find excerpts of three extraordinary emails from the chief executives ofStarbucks, Microsoft andAmazon, and the brilliant lessons we learn from each.Starbuckss Howard Schultz inspires employees after stock market chaosIn August 2015, signs of an economic slowdown in China triggered panic and resul ted in more than $1 trillion being wiped from Asian markets, sending the Dow plunging 588 points in a single day and prompting the trending hashtag GreatFallOfChina.Starbuckss chief executive at the time, Howard Schultz, wanted to make sure Starbucks employees were well aware of the situation - all 190,000 of them. So, hesent a compelling memoencouraging them to show special consideration for consumersOur customers are likely to experience an increased level of anxiety and concern. Please recognize this andas you always haveremember that our success is not an entitlement, but something we need to earn, every day. Lets be very sensitive to the pressures our customers may be feeling, and do everything we can to individually and collectively exceed their expectations. The experience we deliver in our stores, the strength and equity of our brand, and the primary reason for our current and future success is because of all of YOU. I believe in you and have never been prouder to be your p artner.TakeawaysLeadership and culture start at the top.It would have been easy for Schultz to read the news and move on, neglecting the opportunity to have any type of impact on his employees. But Schultz took advantage of a great opportunity to exert positive influence - in this case, inspiring his people to improve their customer service on what would certainly be a depressing day for many.Schultz managed to do this, not in a manner that was condescending or demeaning, but rather while dignifying and praising his people at the same time.Microsofts Satya Nadella encourages employees after an epic failAbout a year ago, Microsoft launched a Twitter bot by the name of Tay (officially, Tay.ai), in an attempt to advance artificial intelligence communication. Things went desperately wrong, though, when hackers and others caused Tay to begin spewing racist and profane comments - prompting Microsoft to shut down Tay just a few hours later and apologize.No doubt, the Tay kollektiv must h ave felt extremely down after this debacle. So you can imagine their response when they received anemail from their CEO that included the following statementsKeep pushing, and know that I am with you (The) key is to keep learning and improving.TakeawaysPeople need to know youve got their back.We all make mistakes. The question is, how can you help your people recover from those failures?In an interview, Nadella went on to explain the reasoning behind his encouraging tone.Its so critical for leaders not to freak people out, but to give them air cover to solve the real problem. If people are doing things out of fear, its hard or impossible to actually drive any innovation.When you encourage and build others up, rather than dishearten and tear down, theyll be motivated to continue giving their best.Jeff Bezos uses aNew York Timesexpos to make Amazon betterIn the summer of 2015,The New York Timespublished a scathing pieceportraying Amazon, the worlds largest retailer, as a brutal emplo yer that puts innovation and company performance above its peoples well-being.Im sure Bezos felt the criticism was unduly biased. (I dont recognize this Amazon, and I very much hope you dont either, Bezos told employees.)Butthrough an internal memo, Amazons chief nevertheless encouraged his people to read theTimespiece, and to escalate to HR any stories they knew of like those reported - even inviting individuals to email him directly. (Interestingly,Amazon later revealed significant changesto the way it would assess employees moving forward.)TakeawaysBezos initial response demonstrated a remarkable ability toset emotions aside and learn from criticism - even if its not delivered in an ideal way.Criticism is never easy to take, but it can help us discover blind spots and find areas for improvement. And even in those cases where negative feedback is completely unfounded, it still provides the opportunity to see things from another perspective - which can lead to invaluable insights .Remember, true leadershipisnt about having a title or trying to impress others.Its about great communication and taking action - telling your people what they need to hear, when they need to hear it, and setting the example for them to follow.This article originally appeared on LinkedIn.

Why the Salton Sea Accident Is the Worst Employee Fail of the Century

Why the Salton Sea Accident Is the Worst Employee Fail of the CenturyWhy the Salton Sea Accident Is the Worst Employee Fail of the CenturyThe Salton Sea was never meant to exist.But it did.For decades, it served as a gorgeous holiday resort, attracting massive crowds of tourists every year (more than the Yosemite Valley).But all it offers today is a bleak, desolate landscape and its level of toxicity deters anyone to tread anywhere near.So what happened? If youre unfamiliar with the story, heres a quick rundown.New rivers and a new lakeCalifornia is dry as hell. Farmers need a reliable source of water and the conditions werent much different at the beginning of the 20th century.To be able to cope with the hot desert climate of the Imperial Valley, they were looking to tap into the Colorado River to irrigate their crops.To help them out, the California Development Company decided to dredge two intake gorges. But without the use of floodgates.And, as history shows, that was a grave hum an engineering error.Courtesy of NBCThe canals levees were simply too small to handle flood waters. Whats more, the intakes soon became clogged with silt deposits from the Colorado River and the water stopped flowing.In 1905, heavy rainfall combined with snowmelt broke through the canals headworks. The unstoppable flow of water from the Colorado River gave birth to new rivers now called the New River and Alamo.These rivers took the water into the Salton Sink area. And it took almost two years to create what we now know as the Salton Sea.Nonetheless, the area rose into prominence in the 50s as a new vibrant tourist site and alsosaw a boom in recreational fishing with harbors and vacation homes dotting its sandy beaches.But the heyday couldnt last. Just a few decades later, the golden age of the Salton Sea was inevitably coming to close. The lake was dying - and animals couldnt stand it, either. The ever-increasing salinity and heavy pollution wiped off most fish and bird species, tu rning the lake into a completely barren wasteland.The environmental catastrophe was starting to take its toll. And if you think this sad story cant get any sadder, get ready to enter the surreal.Courtesy of totenstill UnfoldWhen nature goes nutsIn 1928, the Salton Sea came in very handy. The Congress was looking for a place to deposit agricultural wastewater and they choose the manmade to become a repository for this runoff - something thats still taking place today.Unfortunately, this decision only sped up the process of turning a popular pleasure hotpot into a merciless death trap.The Salton Sea became 35% saltier than the ocean and even the most salt-loving animal species couldnt spawn any longer.The lake was toxic, with fish dying in large masses because of oxygen starvation caused by overabundant algae.It was no longer a place to live, it was a place to suffer.Courtesy of NBC nachrichtensendungAir pollution soon became an issue, too. The wind has been kicking up the dust - wh ich contains toxic pesticides - from its increasingly exposed playa and taking it to neighboring human settlements and even farther.And the result?Imperial County is now battling with the highest asthma hospitalization rates in the state.The lakes also been burping up hydrogen sulfide, a gas created by the decaying organic matter trapped beneath the water. The rotting carcasses and decaying algae make the lakes rotten-egg stench unbearable.This smell can travel for quite a bit and its been reported to have reached Los Angeles - which is over a hundred miles awayCourtesy of NBC NewsA mistake of a lakeLike infamous Chernobyl (arguably even worse employee fail of the century), the Salton Sea Accident devastated a vast area of land and maimed lives of its inhabitants.Sure, there are surely hundreds of other such places across the world where ecosystem nightmares have resulted from humankinds rush to come up with short-term solutions to complex problems such as coping with severe droug ht or taming nuclear energy.To see more examples of when engineering goes wrong, check out Chinas outrageous Three Gorges Dam project displacing over a million people. Or Mexicos wind farms irrevocably changing lives of indigenous people and flooding farmers crops.Engineering mistakes and employee fails will never cease to entertain us. We got used to laughing at other peoples stupidity in amusing Youtube compilations and you had only one job memes.But the infamous time-bomb amid California drought is something different. It teaches us the hard way to measure twice and cut once. To think ahead and do things properly.This speaks to everyone, from waterworks builders to IT engineers and healthcare workers. And while the decisions in our nine-to-five jobs might bedrngnis impact the lives of whole generations of people, we need to become responsible for our everyday actions - be it work-related or not.Share Your Feedback or Ideas in the Comments

Management Skills Crucial for Engineering Success

Management Skills Crucial for Engineering Success Management Skills Crucial for Engineering Success More than half of ASME members polled in a 2008 survey reported that their jobs require management skills. The survey, conducted by Deloitte Touche LLP, interviewed about 1,900 engineers, including members of ASME, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers.The importance of management skills was underscored when participants described their immediate plans for professional development. Fifty-five percent planned to undertake management training such as project management, general management, strategic planning, marketing, or accounting/finance. Nearly half of those planning to pursue management-focused professional development considered pursuing certification or a degree.Executive ConcernsThe Deloitte Touche survey also included interviews with senior engineering and management executives from 30 science and engineering companies. Three management concerns emerged from this survey.One is an impending shortage of engineers. Another is globalization, its impact on local employment, and the need to implement quality and standardized management training in emerging markets.The third concern involved the complexity of innovation. Companies need managers well-versed in the disciplines of both technology and business to remain successful in a world where product innovation is increasingly becoming a matter of multidisciplinary, international, and often multicultural collaboration.With this in mind, it is all the more critical to identify the next generation of engineer-managers to lead companies through current and emerging challenges.Adapted from Certified to Lead by Gregory N. Marino, for Mechanical Engineering, August 2009.The importance of management skills was underscored when participants described their immediate plans for professional deve lopment.