me

meWhy leaders should write we/us instead of I/meLeadership doesnt mean take all the credit.If employees read and hear leaders drop a lot of, I did this and I did that and, in essence, look at me go, the word choice can create unnecessary distance and fracture the relationship between management and staff.If you, as a team leader, did accomplish a task, then it may be appropriate to lead with I.For example, in an email to multiple staff members I went ahead and called our client, Morgan, to reschedule the meeting for Friday at 230 p.m.But if the particular action involved several hands, then dont act like you did all the heavy lifting - or omit the people who played a key role.Again, in an email to multiple staff members, several who could have played a role in the heavy lifting Thanks to everyone who put in the extra hours over the weekend to schliff out the RFP for the Jackson account. Thats an account wed love to have to build up our robotics division.Now, observe how much differe ntly that quote reads with a focus on I.Good news. The RFP for the Jackson account is done and submitted. I hope we land the account because Id love to add that project to the companys robotics division.Feel a different vibe here? All about me, me, me - the great and esteemed company leader.Keep an eye on I.Your employees sure will.Thisarticlewas originally published onDannyRubin.com.

How to Write for the FOB of a Magazine

How to Write for the FOB of a MagazineHow to Write for the FOB of a MagazineEditors at magazines use slang terms, or industry terminology, to refer to different sections of a magazine. One such term is for the front of the book, which is also known asFront of Book, Front-of-the-Book, or FOB. FOB Slang for a Particular Section of a Magazine The book, first off, is another word editors use to refer to the magazine itself. Therefore, the front of the book is used to refer to the front, or opening, section of a magazine. Magazines are broken down into three sections by editors the front of the bookthe featurethe back of the book Not every magazine follows the three-part structure, but the majority do and the front of the book usually contains smaller, shorter stories than the feature section (where features usually run). When you read a magazine youll notice that the first few pages are often dedicated to smaller stories and that the cover stories (and longer stories) are usually in the middle of the magazine. Those first few pages you read are part of the front of the book. Whats Up Front? The term FOB may be slang, but its serious business. Editors are very calculated about the types of stories, short articles, and advertisements they choose to publish in this section. Some of the usual pieces that are found in the front of the book are The Table of ContentsSince advertisers usually prefer the right side of a magazine spread for better visibility, the table of contents ends up being thefirst page of pretty much any magazine.MastheadThis master list of all the people that work in the magazine is usually on one of the first couples of pages. It may share the page with an advertisement or even letters and opinions from readers.A Letter From the EditorThe editors welcome letter explains the content of the issue and is always the first editorial page in a magazine. This piece is instrumental in expressing the editors journalism style while covering the main to pics of the issue and introducing overlying themes. One-Page TopicsGenerally magazines jump into content with short one-page topics that contain news, reviews, and highlights of arts, culture, upcoming events, and more. Often short one-page columns, interviews, and opinions are also placed here. How to Write for the Front of Book Many editors are regularly on the hunt for well written and interesting stories to fill one-page topic pages. If you are interested in pitching a story or have been given an assignment for the FOB, it is best to start with the magazines guidelines for writing. Usually, articles meant for this section of the magazine range from 100 to 300 words and should focus on one small aspect of the subject you would like to write about. Common Formats Most magazines have a uniform, standardized design for their one-page topics pages. The design is changed only slightly from issue to issue.To keep the interest of the reader, some common formats used in the FOB i nclude Images accompanied by short descriptions of key points. For example, Mens Health magazine features a Bulletin page that spells out 12 of the latest scientific studies released since the last issue was released. Each study snippet is accompanied by an illustration.A full-page photo with a brief story or description.Two short front-of-book articles that share a page with an ad image.Timelines created with dates, images, and short descriptions to better describe the evolution of a certain idea, story, or product. Comparison of products, trends, places, or outfits. These short topics are usually very visual stories as well. As you can see, there are a lot of different ways that the FOB can be presented. Though a magazine may stick to a certain way of telling their stories issue after issue, the possibilities out there for all the different types of formatting are endless. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the formatting used by the magazine you want to write for and dont skip reading the magazines writers manual thoroughly before you start.

6 Ways to Become Invaluable at Work

6 Ways to Become Invaluable at Work6 Ways to Become Invaluable at Work We all have those colleagues, who no matter the circumstances, consistently see growth, receive opportunities at a faster rate than others and hold a permanent spot in their bosss good graces. Love them or hate them, their ability to thrive in almost every situation makes them invaluable to those around them.While it may look like their achievements are effortless, there are obvious lessons to be learned from their success. Lets examine six behaviors they often demonstrate in the workplace.A top performer on any team will set the tone for the rest of the pack with their go-getter attitude and contagious positivity. In the face of adversity, they are able to move forward and influence their team to follow suit. They seek out feedback and receive constructive criticism without it leaving a sour taste in their mouth. They have an even temperament, and never allow themselves to get too high, or sink too low. Their resilience allows their leaders to trust their ability to handle anything thrown their way.Some behaviors to put into practice and increase your positive impact include avoiding blame, providing support, showing interest in your colleagues and treating your teammates with gratitude and respect. These practices alone can increase your performanceCommitting to deadlines and a willingness to work above and beyond are sure-fire ways to land in your boss good books. Too often, people expect to find shortcuts to results without putting in the needed legwork.Invaluable employees put the same integrity and devotion for the parts of the work they dont like as the ones that they do. They earn the respect of leaders by demonstrating their diligence in everything they do and their willingness to go the extra mile.When faced with a challenge, our immediate reaction can be to run to the person with answers rather than challenging ourselves to find solutions on our own. Your bosse s are there to support you, but they wont appreciate solving all your problems before youve tried to solve them for yourself.When experiencing roadblocks, top performers only go to their bosses once theyve tried out a few solutions. Rather than asking for answers, they ask their boss for perspective or seek guidance on solutions theyve been working through. They drive results by asking meaningful questions and are not afraid to bring new ideas to the table.Invaluable team members are often involved with many initiatives, as people are constantly looking to them as a go-to person.Achieving this can be tricky as you dont want to forcefully insert yourself into other peoples work. However, by offering support and expertise to your colleagues and building strong relationships with people outside of your team, you increase your chances of being considered for new projects and experiences. Building strong relationships is a huge part of succeeding in a large organization, as your netw ork in a company can be almost as valuable as your skill set or ability to execute on tasks.Adopting a lifelong learning attitude is another way to always elevate your team and your leaders, as this demonstrates your agility and openness to change. Top players will show that they are able to share their knowledge rather than horde information a sign of a true team-player A great way to do this at work is to share articles, best practices or industry insights with your colleagues and leaders. Take the time to learn what your team is doing, and make sure to share any tools, programs or information that may benefit their workflow.The best way to become invaluable is to always make sure you are making your bosss job and life easier. By taking the time to understand their pressures, you can work towards alleviating some of their stress. Top performers will understand their supervisors shifting priorities, and act in a way that always helps drive the end goals.Conversely, there are some sure-fire ways to erode any trust or credibility youve built with your boss . Some of these behaviors include blaming others for problems, working in silos rather than partnering with your team, letting your emotion rule at work, being unresponsive with your stakeholders and getting too complacent in your role.By taking all these points into consideration and removing your ego from the picture, youll show your boss that you really understand and align with the mission of your organization. If you want to be considered as invaluable, remember that talk is cheap, but results will always speak for themselvesStacy Pollack is a Learning Specialist with an MA in educational technology. She is passionate about building leadership programs that engage and contribute to the success of her organization. She loves to share her perspective on job hunting, career building, and networking for success. Connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter .