Over the past few weeks, people from across the country submitted their ideas, via telustalksbusiness.com, on the places and spaces they think are Canada’s best locations for working outside the office. This week, as part of TELUS’ continuing focus on flexible work, we want to highlight some of the more interesting locations where Canadians have leveraged communications technologies to work remotely. This is the third post in a series of four articles that will appear over the next few weeks...
When Torontonian and Spell Boundcommunications founder, Sara Tong wants to escape the buzz of the big smoke she has a certain place she likes to go. In her opinion, the best place to work away from the office is...
“An island oasis located minutes away from the heart of downtown Toronto – Centre Island is a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of cosmopolitan city life and still get back for dinner time. At Centre Island, you can enjoy the tranquil environment and really focus. In the summer, it is a fantastic way to work anywhere, anytime. And with wireless access and email availability I can make sure that I am accessible to anyone who needs me."
There must be a connection between islands and tranquility, as British Columbian and CEO of Trispark Consulting Inc. Bryan Sparks also says an ‘island’ is his favourite place to work away from the office, in this case, Vancouver Island:
“It's close to home, but far enough away to feel free. It's out in the open with a spectacular view of the land, sky and sea that makes Canada so beautiful. When I'm here, whether I'm on my laptop, mobile, or brainstorming with a pen and paper, everything flows right. The right words come out, the right ideas find there way to the page, and the emails seem to float away faster. Working away from the office is beautiful; Vancouver Island is why."
Beautiful scenery, quiet, close to home...What do you think are the quintessential elements to a good place to work remotely? Do you find you work better in a busy or quiet environment?
Today, the Golden Arches of McDonald’s are one of the most recognized symbols in the entire world. With 31,000 restaurants in over 120 countries it seems one is never far from the planet’s biggest and most successful burger chain. But while people from Argentina to Zimbabwe can easily identify Ronald and his restaurant’s trademark Golden Arches, how many could name the savvy entrepreneur and leader who turned a tiny restaurant into the most successful fast food operation in history?
Ray Kroc, opened the first franchised McDonald’s restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1955 and over the course of his career amassed a $500 million fortune from a business that, as he put it, “put the hamburger on the assembly line.”
While Ray passed away in 1984, without his passion and leadership the company would never have achieved the levels of success it enjoys today.
Here are some of the leadership principles Ray Kroc lived and led by.
Vision. When Ray Kroc first saw the multi-mixers in the McDonald Brothers hamburger drive-in, he knew he had found what he was looking for: the opportunity to establish a nationwide chain of standardized, fast-food eateries. Kroc envisioned eight restaurants churning out burgers and making a steady stream of cash immediately.
Good leaders are people of vision and when they look at a certain situation, they see it’s potential. They see what things could become.
Conviction. "There’s almost nothing you can’t accomplish if you set your mind to it," Kroc told a group of university graduates in 1976. Kroc held fast to his dream of McDonald’s restaurants. And furthermore to the idea that the restaurant concept would only succeed if everyone in the system— the operators, suppliers, corporate managers—held to the same rigid standards in food quality, preparation, delivery, and service.
Good leaders must have a conviction which command’s other as if it were there own.
Flexibility. As rigidly as Kroc held to strict standards in food preparation and service, he was always open to new ideas from his many operators and franchise owners. New products from franchisees like the Big Mac and Egg McMuffin were huge successes while others, such as the Hula Burger and a strawberry dessert were total failures. Yet Kroc was smart enough to run with a good idea no matter who brought it to him.
Good leaders stay committed to their decisions, but are flexible in their approach.
Enthusiasm. Ray Kroc loved talking about the hamburger business. He was passionate about it and he genuinely cared about all aspects of it, from the size of the meat patties to cut of a french fries. This enthusiasm or passion for the business seems innate to many leaders, and they need it in spades. With such infectious enthusiasm, Kroc was able to attract so many of the right people to him.
Good leaders attract and inspire people with their passion and enthusiasm.
Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. – while Ray Kroc may not have the well-known cache of other great leaders in history, and while the ubiquitous Golden Arches may get more recognition than the man behind them, he most certainly embodies the qualities of a good leader. When asked about leadership, Ray once said that, “The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves”. A man with vision, conviction, flexibility and enthusiasm – Ray Kroc is a model for all those who aspire to lead.
What other qualities do you see in good leaders? What leaders do you feel exemplify good leadership? Join the conversation by adding a comment below.
Forrester’s latest report on The US Consumer PC Market In 2015, states that in 2015, 23% of all PCs sold to consumers in the US will be tablets. An impact of the rise in mobile working? We’d like to think so.
In February, IDC revealed that the world’s mobile worker population will pass the one billion mark by the end of this year. “By 2013, the total of office-based, non-office-based and home-based mobile workers will grow to nearly 1.2 billion people, representing more than a third of the world’s workforce”.
What’s also interesting to note is that for the purpose of their study, Forrester includes the iPad in their definition of “PC”.
TELUS’ mobile work option was beneficial to its 1,600 employees at 25 York Street in Toronto during preparations for the G20 this past weekend.
Join the conversation! What technology do you use to mobile work? What benefits do you enjoy by working remotely?
Welcome to our App of the Week series where we highlight Smartphone and iPad applications for business.
In work and personal life, conversations often start out very similarly. After a short greeting and a "how's it going?", the topic often turns to a current event. For example, when eastern Canada was shaken by an earthquake earlier this week, you can guarantee that thousands of meetings and conference calls started with "did you feel the earthquake?"
Within minutes of the earthquake, people were looking for facts, not only for personal knowledge but more importantly to share with colleagues. Knowledge is power in business and knowing what's happening in the world grows personal strength.
An easy way to keep up to date with current events is to use a news application on your Smartphone. These apps make fast work of scanning and reading headlines or full articles. The problem is that Canadian content isn't always easy to find. To assist, here are 5 of our favourite Canadian news apps for the Apple iPhone:
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail has offered an iPhone app for some time now. The app loads fast and top stories are readily available. Each headline includes a picture, making it easy to scan through articles. Articles are up to date and they offer an excellent mobile business section. Free from the iTunes store.
Metro News
The worlds free urban commuter newspaper is also available as an iPhone app. Although the app can sometimes be on the slower side to load, it's regional settings make it a good option for those in major cities as it provides solid local content. The Latest News option makes for quick scanning of major news worldwide. Of major note, this application is bilingual. Free from the iTunes store.
CBC Radio
CBC has taken an interesting approach to offering news to mobile users. They have invested more in making their www.cbc.ca/news website mobile friendly - and have been quite successful at it. They also offer an excellent app for CBC Radio in both English and French. From the application you can listen to CBC Radio 1, 2, 3 and selected CBC Television audio including George Stroumboulopoulos and Rex Murphy. On the French version of the app, local Radio Canada stations are available as well as RCI. Personally, I find the hourly news on Radio 1 very satisfying and it's great to be able to pull it up on your iPhone from anywhere in 3G+ coverage. CBC Radio English: free from iTunes store.La Radio de Radio-Canada: free from iTunes store.
Canadian Business Mobile
Canadian Business Mobile is a simple application focused solely on business news. Although the application displays advertisements (common for free apps), it's a good application to review business news at the end of the day. The major stories are accessible and easy to read with a good solid focus on Canadian content. Free from the iTunes store.
Macleans's
A long standing Canadian magazine, Maclean's also offers an iPhone app. True to Maclean's journalistic style, the application doesn't necessarily focus on stories that have broke in the last five minutes, but rather analysis, perspective and “behind the scenes” background - as they say "what matters to Canadians". If you like the magazine, you will enjoy the app. Free from the iTunes store.
How about you? Do you have an application that you like to use to keep up to date on Canadian news? Let the Community know by adding a comment below.
Earlier this week, Apple launched a highly anticipated (and free) upgrade to the iPhone operating system: iOS 4. As there is already considerable discussion online about new features such as multitasking, folders and combined email boxes, let's look at the upgrade from a different perspective.
When a business has a handful of iPhones, management is generally straight forward and is handled by end users. When that number grows to the 50, 100 or even thousands, management becomes more complex and is usually handled by a centralized group. Features such as strong security, management tools and systems integration become key to implementation and upgrade decisions. Fortunately iOS 4 lays a solid foundation through a number of enhancements targeted to larger businesses.
Here are five such foundational enhancements in iOS 4 and a business overview of each:
Enhanced Security
Although Apple iPhones have always had a strong level of security and encryption, iOS 4 takes it to the next level for businesses. A new Data Protection feature enhances the built-in hardware encryption to further protect email messages and attachments by using the device passcode as an encryption key (further details are available on the Apple Support site). New data protection API's can also be used by third-party apps to improve security.
Mobile Device Management
iOS 4, along with new Mobile Device Management protocols and appropriate management software, helps businesses manage their iPhone fleet more efficiently. The foundation has been set for companies to remotely (wirelessly) manage their iPhone configuration, policies, compliance, applications and even lock or wipe a specific device.
Wireless App Distribution
To date, there are two main ways to get applications on an iPhone: Through the App Store on the iPhone or via iTunes on a Mac or PC. But what if a business wants to push out, update or remove an application for a fleet of iPhone users? The upgrade to iOS 4 lays the foundation for such interaction to occur wirelessly – no physical connections/cables required. The option for in-house developed applications is also available.
VPN enhancements
SSL VPN support in iPhone OS 4 adds to the existing VPN support already available on the iPhone. The new SSL VPN protocols can now be leveraged to connect more seamlessly to securely connect to a corporate network.
Multiple Exchange accounts
Microsoft Exchange is the mail, calendar and contact management solution of choice for many businesses, however the iPhone has long been limited to only one mailbox per phone. This presented a challenge for many mobile professionals who need to monitor multiple accounts for messages. Fortunately iOS 4 has enabled multiple accounts and users who upgrade can take advantage of this feature immediately.
Also of note, iOS is now compatible with Exchange 2010. As a result, businesses that plan to upgrade can be confident that their iPhone users with iOS 4 can continue to receive and manage their mail accounts.
Interested in more?
Do you have a specific question on how your company can better manage an iPhone fleet recently upgraded to iOS 4? Is your business considering a switch to iPhone and don't know where to start? If so, you have two options:
Add a comment with your question below. Not only will you be able to tap into the experience of hundreds of other business professionals who are members of TELUS Talks Business, the team behind the scenes will bring in experts where appropriate to get you the best available answer.
If you prefer a one-on-one consultation, click the Contactlink above and provide us with a way to get in touch with you. Yes, the person will be a sales professional, but they're friendly and don't bite! Promise.
Even if you don't have a question, we would love to hear your thoughts on iOS 4 for business through a comment below.
Over the past few weeks, people from across the country submitted their ideas, via telustalksbusiness.com, on the places and spaces they think are Canada’s best locations for working outside the office. This week, as part of TELUS’ continuing focus on flexible work, we want to highlight some of the more interesting locations where Canadians have leveraged communications technologies to work remotely. This is the second post in a series of four articles that will appear over the next few weeks...
While the downtown core of our nation’s capital doesn’t sound like the most tranquil of work environments, according to Cornelius Rachieru, User Experience Strategist at Ampli2de Communicationsthis is Canada’s best location to work remotely:
"My rooftop patio in a quiet area of Ottawa's downtown core is an amazing place to work outside the office. I lie on my hammock and work wirelessly from my laptop. Of course, a cup of hot chocolate is always by my side. Because I am a creative professional, being outside and under the stars (I tend to work at night, especially during the summer) is a combination that I just can't get anywhere else. So there you have it, the absolute best place to work in Canada”.
What’s your favourite place to work remotely? Does your employer allow you to work away from the office?
My name is Evan Carmichael and I believe that the fastest and most effective way to build a business is to model the strategies of people who have already successfully accomplished what you’re trying to do. I call it Modeling the Masters. My last post was: How to Promote Your Business like P.T. Barnum.
Today I’m going to focus on how you to break through to achieve business success like Mary Kay Ash, founder of the multi-billion dollar company, Mary Kay Cosmetics.
Must Watch Video
“Most successful people are ordinary people with extraordinary determination.” – Mary Kay Ash
Mary Kay Ash (May 12, 1918 – November 22, 2001) was an American businesswoman and founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc. Raised in a time when few women were in business, let alone successful in business, Ash broke down barriers on her rise up to creating a multi-billion dollar operation.
Ash's professional career began in the direct sales business. She worked for Stanley Home Products, recruited over 150 women to work for her, and earned a percentage of the products they sold. Her success worried Stanley Home Products executives so they moved her to Dallas and refused to pay her commissions from her previous recruits. Ash joined another direct sales company, World Gift Company, where she excelled and again had her efforts penalized when she was demoted after achieving too much too quickly. She chose to resign rather than be demoted.
Ash used her $5,000 life savings to open a cosmetics company, Beauty by Mary Kay. Ash had bought the formula for a skin-care cream she was using as well as a storefront in Dallas, and began hiring friends as independent beauty consultants, her term for salespeople.
In its first year, company sales reached $198,000, primarily from sales sessions, or ‘skin care classes’, her sales team would hold in private homes. At the time of Ash's death, Mary Kay Cosmetics had over 800,000 representatives in 37 countries, with total annual sales over $2 billion at retail.
Action Item #1: Break Down Barriers in Your Way
Starting a business is tough. It can be hard to get customers to believe in a new company and people will doubt your ability to succeed. At times you might even wonder if you made the right decision or if you're better off going back and getting a job.
Mary Kay Ash was tired of being held back and being told that she was "just thinking like a woman." Starting her own business was her chance to reach her full potential. According to Ash, “You cannot keep determined people from success. If you place stumbling blocks in their way, they will use them for stepping-stones and climb to new heights.”
No matter what challenges you come up against, remind yourself of why you started your business and what your vision is. Break big barriers down into small chunks and tackle them one by one until the problem is solved. Whatever you do, don't give up!
Action Item #2: Live by the Golden Rule
Whether you are dealing with customers, suppliers, the media, employees, partners, or someone else who can have a meaningful impact on your business, remember that you're dealing with a person and people like to be recognized and appreciated.
Mary Kay Ash's advice is simple: “I have learned to imagine an invisible sign around each person’s neck that says ‘Make me feel important.’ I never cease to be amazed at how positively people react when they’re made to feel important. Everyone wants to be appreciated. So, if you appreciate someone, don’t keep it a secret.”
As a business owner there never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done which can often cause us to get stressed out and treat people poorly. Try to remember Mary Kay Ash's rule and make the people around you feel important and appreciated. You'll see far better business results and you'll have a lot more fun as well!
Action Item #3: Be Enthusiastic
Your business idea doesn't have to be the most creative or original. What can make the difference between success and failure is your enthusiasm for what you're selling. When you're enthusiastic you'll be more convincing and you'll have an easier time convincing people to take action.
According to Mary Kay, “Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm. If you act enthusiastic, you become enthusiastic. A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further than a great idea that inspires no one.”
Running a business can be a grind and sometimes we can lose our own enthusiasm for the company. When this happens remind yourself again why you started the business and try to get excited about the next meeting you're going to have. If others sense how excited you are they are more likely to be convinced and want to get involved. This in turn will give you more energy and enthusiasm so don't waste the opportunity!
True Story
Every day before Ash went to work, she would make a list of the “Six Most Important Things” to do, and give herself deadlines to finish each. In her own words, Ash said “Over the years, I’ve observed that nearly all high achievers know how to make good of those 1,440 minutes in each day. We must have a theme, a goal a purpose in our lives. If you don’t know where you’re aiming, you don’t have a goal. An average person with average talents and ambition and average education can outstrip the most brilliant genius in our society, if that person has clear, focused goals.”
Closing Thoughts
How have you broken down barriers to build your company? Do you have any examples of how recognizing others and being enthusiastic have helped your business? As always, I’ve love to hear your thoughts if you leave a comment below!
If the amount of media coverage is any indication of popularity, then mobile working is definitely top-of-mind. On Friday, IT in Canada offered thoughts on mobile working, and the article spoke directly to how, at TELUS, we are both helping our clients go mobile, and how we’re taking our own workforce mobile.
The article, entitled “TELUS Leads with Flexible Work”, highlights both technological advances and cultural changes as major factors in businesses going mobile, or becoming “flexible”. The article also cited some interesting facts on mobile working:
89% agree that allowing for flexible work makes a company more attractive to work for.
73% agree that flexible work has a positive impact on employee productivity.
71% of managers believe that their employees are effectively completing their assignments when working remotely.
Also of interest late last week, Clive Thompson from the Globe & Mail wrote “The end of the office”. In the article he explains how web-literate generations X and Y are becoming the driving force behind entrepreneurship and are more apt to adopting the technologies necessary to go officeless. He also explains that generation Y also tends to rank the importance of a physical office much lower than other demographics do, while at the same time preferring to work outside of the office.
What are your thoughts on mobile or flexible work? Have you seen any other interesting stats or research on the subject?
Welcome to our App of the Week series where we highlight Smartphone and iPad applications for business.
The ability for a person to read on a mobile device has evolved incredibly over the past decade. Technology has grown from glorified calculator screens (remember the old Motorola StarTac 3000?) to the amazingly sharp “Retina display” soon to be released with the iPhone 4G.
The iPad represented a strong step forward in the area of mobile reading with its large, easy to view screen, 3G+ internet access and extensive battery life. Applications such as iBooks also make is easy to purchase, download and read your favourite novel or classic literature. However, a mobile worker faces special challenges when it comes to reading – namely large files of a variety of different types.
Mobile workers are sent a variety of files that we need to read on the go: Word docs, PowerPoint slideshows, HTML pages, videos, PDF’s, spreadsheets, etc. Out of the box, the Apple iPad doesn’t open them all and even if it does, they often just don’t look right. Furthermore, large files sizes on an iPad can be like kryptonite to Superman, slowing or locking up the iPad. Fortunately there is a very low cost application available help.
(click image to enlarge)
GoodReader ($0.99 from the iTunes Storeas of June 17, 2010) is a simple, yet very sturdy, reader application for the iPad. Once installed, it integrates with applications like Mail to allow for the opening of attachments in GoodReader instead of the standard viewer (hold your finger on the attachment to get the option for GoodReader). When it comes to large PDF, PowerPoint or Word files, the difference is quickly visible. Loading and navigation time is fast and the files look much closer to the full computer original.
(click image to enlarge)
It has been reported that users can open files up to 1 GB in size using GoodReader without ill effects (the standard viewer would hang). In the viewer, a variety of reading aids are available including text searches, screen contrast and page navigators. The zoom feature is excellent – clarity is retained all the way up to the highest magnification.
(click image to enlarge)
GoodReader shows it’s flexibility by handling a variety of file types. Those types include: .doc, .ppt and .xls from the Microsoft Office suite, all of the iWork 08/09 suite, HTML, the majority of image files including gif, jpg, bmp and others, plus many common video types. Files open quickly and cleanly and through a few weeks of regular business use, only one tested file type didn’t open (.flv Flash video file).
Specifically for PDF files, GoodReader has an option called PDF Reflow. This feature creates an easy to read text only version of the PDF file, stripping out all pictures and formatting. A great option for scanning through large documents or de-cluttering a document.
(click image to enlarge)
Read and manage?
So far, we have been focusing on the reading strengths of GoodReader – but there is more. GoodReader is also a file management and transferring solution for the iPad. For example, you can setup GoodReader to transfer files between your iPad and Mac or Windows PC via WiFi. It also facilitates the direct download and storage of files from the web over both WiFi and 3G+ (not just files emailed to you!).
(click image to enlarge)
YouTube User Dannyar10has put together an excellent review focusing on the file management features (10 min long, but comprehensive).
Bottom line: For business users, this application does what it is designed to do – make it easy to view and read large files. It also is excellent at managing downloaded files. For $0.99 it’s a deal.
Do you have this application? What do you think? Join the conversation by adding a comment below.
Cloud computing is gaining broad recognition as being the way IT services are delivered going forward. The key advantages that cloud computing offers compared to current IT approaches are flexibility and speed.
What is Cloud Computing?
“Cloud computing enables individuals and businesses to use computer programs and resources over the Internet."
While individuals and businesses have been using the Internet and visiting websites for well over a decade, cloud computing dramatically expands it to the point that users can run all their programs “in the cloud” and instead of buying and installing big computers in the home or business, they can simply rent computing power from a service provider, just like buying electricity from your local hydro company.
With the ability to deliver IT services in a way that organizations can add resources as needed, cloud computing allows for greater ability to support a growing user base, adapt to increasing or cyclical business activity, and react faster to market opportunities. All this with significantly higher efficient use of capital and a resulting lower cost per unit of IT.
There are three fundamental avenues for cloud computing to deliver these benefits. These are described in the industry as three layers: Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS). Each one addresses a different aspect of IT and is geared towards a distinct set of users and their needs.
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)
SaaS is predominantly geared towards the end-users - your employees. It enables users to quickly access standardized business applications, from e-mail, word processing and spreadsheets to customer relationship management tools and enterprise accounting programs, from anywhere via a web browser.
Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)
IaaS and PaaS layers are geared towards your technical staff. IaaS enables IT departments to rent computing power and sub-system components such as storage capacity on an as-needed basis. This capability is particularly useful when the demand for computing capacity is seasonal or needed for relatively short durations, such as projects (e.g., oil exploration or customer analysis projects), developing and testing new programs, or to function as backup systems in case of system failures or disasters. IaaS provides effective alternatives for small and medium businesses to run their systems in a hosting company’s data center rather than having to invest in their own infrastructure. This includes computers and the supporting capabilities such as redundant power supplies and cooling.
PaaS provides system and application developers an accelerated approach to write programs by enabling access to pre-built program libraries or functions such as databases through special commands called Application Program Interfaces (API), which in turn, automatically deploys the programs.
What it means for business
The common theme behind all three layers of cloud computing is that from the business buyer’s perspective, each layer of service can be accessed independently, so that the business can get just what it needs without having to become entangled in all the other components. This greatly simplifies and accelerates IT deployments, leading to lower cost and a concrete way of aligning IT with business needs.
Underpinning cloud computing are cumulative technological advances over the past 10 years or more, including increased network speeds, robustness, multiple access methods from wireless to wireline, extensive use of virtualization techniques, and advances in computing hardware power. The confluence of these technologies makes cloud computing possible in a cost-effective and pervasive manner that is transforming the IT industry today as is evident in many publications, from the leading daily press to the Costco member magazine.
Businesses need to plan now to embrace cloud computing to their advantage. This is a broad topic that will be discussed further in upcoming articles. As a starting point, the first step is for both business owners and IT leaders within the company to understand the potential of cloud computing to reduce their costs while allowing flexibility and growth. This is the opportune time for businesses of all sizes to review the different layers of service from SaaS to PaaS to IaaS, and examine how the IT challenges – both current and future - can be addressed through the “cloud”.
Join the conversation! Tell us what your thoughts are on cloud computing.
Over the past few weeks, people from across the country submitted their ideas, via telustalksbusiness.com, on the places and spaces they think are Canada’s best locations for working outside the office. This week, as part of TELUS’ continuing focus on flexible work, we want to highlight some of the more interesting locations where Canadians have leveraged communications technologies to work remotely. Stay tuned over the next few weeks as we share some of our key findings...
With more and more businesses giving employees the freedom of flexible work options, it comes as no surprise that TELUS was blanketed with submissions from nearly every province. Not only did people describe their favourite places to work remotely but they also sent us stories about how wireless technologies contribute to their business success. So, while the below profiles will probably make you loathe your windowless office or stuffy cubicle, keep reading and find out how with flexible work you can make working anywhere, anytime a reality.
While we received tons of submissions from people who said their favourite place to work away from the office was their cottage, backyard or patio, it seems the most popular locations for remote working is the cozy and unassuming local coffee shop. Here, Bianca Bruni, describes how the common coffee shop is the best place for creative thinking:
I find it much easier to think when I am away from my desk. The whole office environment makes me a bit anxious due to the nature of the business that I work in. When you are around stressed people it restricts the flow of creative and constructive thoughts and replaces them with quick solutions (which are not necessarily the best solutions). When I am in an environment that is a bit more relaxed and casual it is much easier to think and be creative. Some of my best ideas have come to me over a cup of tea while sitting in a cozy coffee shop with my laptop or blackberry. In such a relaxed atmosphere I sometimes will see someone or something that I wouldn't be exposed to in my office environment that triggers a thought pattern which in turn leads to a great solution to an issue I am working on. Never underestimate the power that an environment has on a worker - particularly those who need to be creative!”
With the growing popularity of flexible work options it seems almost everyone has a favourite spot to work that is outside the regular office. Whether it’s the time saved commuting, the reduction in stress or the boost in productivity that the majority of remote workers experience – it seems the benefits of flexible work are hard to ignore. And with the results of a recent TELUS commissioned Harris-Decima survey stating that only 46 per cent of Canadian workplaces currently offer a flexible work program, it is clear that there are many more people out there who have yet to experience the joys that working anywhere, anytime can bring.
Do you have a favourite coffee shop for working remotely? What sets it apart from other coffee shops?
“Do not think that you are the best and that you can do everything all by yourself – only teamwork brings the best results.” Hans-Ulrich Schaer, The Information Management Group (Switzerland)
We came across a great Newsweek article with Cisco CEO John Chambers that got us thinking about the shift in leadership from “command and control” to “collaboration and team work”.
Wikipedia defines collaboration as “a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together in an intersection of common goals by sharing knowledge, learning and building consensus…teams that work collaboratively can obtain greater resources, recognition and reward when facing competition for finite resources.”
It’s a simple idea. Extraordinary things can be achieved when there is a culture of team work and collaboration. But as a leader, how do you enable this culture within your team?
In their book, The Leadership Challenge, Kouzes & Posner identify 9 ways in which leaders can foster collaboration to promote cooperative goals and build trust:
Conduct a collaboration audit: Identify groups that you and your team interact with to get your work done and look at what you can do to develop a more collaborative approach among your teams.
Be the first to trust: Trust is contagious, distrust is equally contagious.
Ask questions, listen and take advice: People need to feel that their voice matters and that their vote counts. Ask questions and listen to the advice that people give you in response to your questions.
Always say we: No one ever accomplishes anything significant alone. Inclusive language reinforces the fact that goals are truly collaborative.
Create jigsaw groups: Organize groups in a way that gives each team member a “piece of the puzzle”. Every person is essential to the accomplishment of the final result.
Focus on gains, not losses: People respond differently, depending on how problems are framed. Focus on areas of agreement, rather than differences.
Make a list of alternative currencies: Ask questions and listen to the needs and problems exposed. Customize your rewards to the needs of the different parties involved.
Take a lot of human moments: Spend time with your team. Creating time for one-on-one communication will help you to develop an understanding with team members.
Create places and opportunities for informal interaction: Teams need opportunities to socialize, exchange information, and solve problems informally by meeting on both a personal and professional basis. Taking 5 or 10 minutes at the beginning of formal meetings for community building helps build connections.
Nothing speaks better to the power of teamwork more than team sports. In the spirit of the FIFA 2010 world cup, we’d like to share with you this video (team allegiances aside, of course!)
Join the conversation!
Tell us about the creative things you and your team do to foster collaboration and teamwork.
According to a recent article in the Globe and Mail, LinkedIn has more than two million Canadian members – almost double what it was just a year ago, making it one of its fastest-growing markets among more than 200 countries. Initially used as recruitment and networking tool, today, the platform is primarily used as a way for both individuals and companies to connect with each other and stay in the loop on industry trends and developments.
Why is LinkedIn valuable for businesses?
LinkedIn is valuable for companies because it presents the opportunity to:
Strengthen online credibility of the company and its employees
Connect with clients, partners and prospects in a meaningful and credible way
Allows clients, partners and prospects to easily find and learn about them through search
In addition, LinkedIn can be used as an internal tool to:
Gain valuable insight into competitors and prospects
See prospect connections and know who to leverage for introductions or insight
Stay in touch with professional contacts who change companies or positions
Conduct market research, gather insight and collect opinions/recommendations around relevant topics, prospects and new recruits
How are you using LinkedIn to better your business these days?
Welcome to our App of the Week series where we highlight Smartphone and iPad applications for business.
Do you own a small business and are thinking about creating (or updating) your website? As you go through the process of deciding on a domain name, finding appropriate hosting and determining what your target audience wants to see, the planning quickly moves to the “look” of the website. Even if the plan is to hire someone to build the site, most businesses start with a concept or simple drawing of what they want their web presence to be. Web professionals call this initial design a wireframe.
(click image to enlarge)
A website wireframe is a simple layout that illustrates basic elements of a web page without the use of artwork or color – basically the building blocks of a website. It’s similar to a house plan, but instead of showing the walls of a kitchen, bedroom or dining room, the layout shows page sections, web buttons, video or picture locations, text areas and navigation elements. The artwork, images and color (collectively considered the site branding) is then created based on the wireframe in order to keep the site consistent and user friendly.
The problem is that many wireframes start out as drawn on a piece of paper (I’ve done a few on the back of a napkin over the years!). Great for jotting down quick ideas, but difficult to share. There is also the option to use programs such as Microsoft Visio or Photoshop, but unless you use them regularly they can be challenging to use fast. Then came the iPad.
iMockups for iPad ($9.99 from the iTunes store) is a website wireframe application that appeals both to occasional users (such as those with ideas to update their business site) as well as professional web designers. Being specifically designed for wireframing, the app makes the process very friendly.
(click image to enlarge)
For the novice
iMockups has a very short learning curve. It is possible to understand the basics of the application and start drawing your wireframe mockup within less than 5 minutes. Elements are simply dragged on to the page and moved around with a touch and drag. As you move items in place, red lines will help place components in relation to others – so that everything looks in line with each other and you don’t have to guess at sizing.
(click image to enlarge)
Here is a nice, short overview of iMockups features and use:
Once your wireframe is created, it’s easy to share the concept (via email) with colleagues for feedback or your web development professional as a starting point for discussions (they will have lots of ideas backed with solid experience so take their advice!).
For the web professional
First, it should be clear that iMockups is considered a low-fidelity mockup tool. It doesn’t offer super complex functions and has a limited palate of elements. It’s all about sections, flow and basic functions so you will have to go more detailed later. However, it is stellar at capturing ideas during brainstorming sessions or rapid wireframing. It is perfect for recording that late night idea or quickly developing a frame directly with your client.
Currently the export options are limited to only PNG image or a save to your iPad gallery. It makes the design process solo as it becomes impossible to send a work in progress to another colleague for edits. According to the iMockups support site, plans are in the works to introduce export to Balsamiq.
iMockups also has a frame properly sized for iPhone wireframing. The functions are basic and good for simple application design and mobile site layouts.
(click image to enlarge)
Bottom line
iMockups makes building a simple website wireframe friendly for both professionals and novice designers. The interface is easy to use, frames come together fast and the results are easy to share. It is now my primary wireframing tool of choice to share preliminary concepts with colleagues and clients.
One more item of note: iMockups was developed by Endloop Systems Inc. – a Canadian based company. It’s great to see a strong application like this coming from a Canadian team. Congratulations!
It's no secret that I believe the iPadis an excellent business tool. It's amazingly mobile thanks to a combination of Wi-Fi and 3G+, portable size and stellar battery life. Unfortunately, like all new technology, it's not perfect. Here are four areas that may frustrate business users.
1 - Fingerprints
You've probably heard (or seen) this already - iPad screens show fingerprints. In fact, depending on the way you look at the screen, an iPad with only a small amount of use can look awful. It's mostly a cosmetic issue for personal use, but for business users cleanliness is critical when customers are around. Handing a greasy screened iPad to a customer or colleague is akin to a dirty glass at a fine restaurant.
(click image to enlarge)
TTB Top Tip: Clean your iPad screen regularly through the day. Keep microfiber cloth close by and give the screen a wipe before handing the device to a customer.
2 - No multitasking
Business users do multiple things at the same time. On a Mac or PC, the average person has multiple windows open and switches back and forth according to the task at hand. However, with an iPad you can only run one app at the time. For example, you need to completely leave the document you may be working on to search the internet for the data you need. Tasks across apps take longer, but more importantly the entry and exit disturbs just enough to break a productivity rhythm.
It should be mentioned that Apple has announced a new version of the iPad operating system (available this fall) that will enable multitasking. Highly anticipated!
3 - No printing
Although quantities have reduced over the past decade, most business users still need to print. Whether it's an invoice, receipt or memo, printing happens. Problem is that iPads cannot print. In order to print you need to send the document or file to a full PC or Mac and print it from there. Currently there is no way around this one.
4 - No external drive support
Many business users rely on memory sticks and external hard drives to transport data. Unfortunately none of these can be directly connected to an iPad. Fortunately, there are simple ways around this including sending the files to the iPad wirelessly (by email for example). It's also a good reason to use an internet based data storage system (in the cloud).
How about you and your business? What frustrates you about the iPad? Join the conversation by adding a comment below.
Mother nature hasn't been cooperating over the past few days, but that hasn't delayed one of the first major milestones of the Honda Indy Toronto track build. The spectator stands in the action-filled pit area have been installed. Mikeis proud to be a sponsor of the track build - tough work supported by a tough phone!
(click to enlarge)
If you are an Ontario based business, you also have the opportunity to win seats in those stands for the 2010 Honda Indy Toronto or a Mike business package valued at approximately $25,000. For more information and to enter, please visit: www.builtbymikechallenge.com.
More updates as the track continues to be built! See you at the Honda Indy Toronto!
My name is Evan Carmichael and I believe that the fastest and most effective way to build a business is to model the strategies of people who have already successfully accomplished what you’re trying to do. I call it Modeling the Masters.
Today I’m going to focus on how you can promote your business like P.T. Barnum, one of the greatest promoters of all time.
Phineas Taylor Barnum (July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was an American showman, businessman, and entertainer. Above all else, P.T. Barnum was a salesman and promoter who knew how to get people talking. Today, the legacy of his work lives on in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, still billed as ‘The Greatest Show on Earth.’
When P.T. Barnum first launched his business, there was heavy competition as many entrepreneurs had set up their own traveling road shows. He knew that in order for his circus to succeed he needed to get people excited about it by being extremely different from everyone else.
Even if you did not have a ticket to his show, when Barnum’s circus was in town, you would know it. He would sweep into the city with gusto; elephants would be paraded through the streets, clowns would be sent to local hospitals to visit with sick children. Barnum was providing a pre-show to his circus that got people talking and raised the excitement levels about his acts. He would offer tours of his circus to anyone who wanted to see inside the Big Top, and also put on a myriad of free contests in order to attract crowds to the circus.
Barnum’s schemes always worked; people would show up in droves, as would the media. He was always thinking of ways to promote both himself and his circus. From making splashy entrances to using cross-promotion, Barnum did what it took to make sure people knew who he was.
Action Item #1: Sell Something Unique
How do you really stack up against your competitors? Are you honestly that different? If you are an average company with an average product selling at an average price then guess what you get? Average results.
To be successful you need to have a point (or points) of differentiation. It has to be something that is noticeable to people who don’t understand your industry. In the circus business you have to get good performers and P.T. Barnum went out of his way to find the best. From the Fiji Mermaid to Siamese twins Chang and Eng Bunker to General Tom Thumb the Midget P.T. Barnum had a unique product that none of his competitors could match.
Think about if a potential customer found your website and five of your competitors’ websites. Would they get the feeling that you are very different from the others? Be honest with yourself and if the answer is “not really” then it’s time to get to work on creating an offering that is truly unique in your industry,
Action Item #2: Promote, Promote, Promote
You can have the greatest product or service in the world but if nobody knows about it, your business won’t last very long. Whatever market you’re selling to is likely full of competitors. Even if you have a better quality product or service, your competition can get more business than you if they promote themselves properly. To be a successful entrepreneur you need to both provide an outstanding offering (Action Item #1) and promote it so everybody knows about it.
One of my favourite quotes from P.T. Barnum is “Without promotion something terrible happens… nothing!” If you’re not out promoting and selling your product then your competitors are taking your customers from you even if you can provide them with a better option. If you’re not out promoting then you lose and your customers lose.
Promoting your business doesn’t have to be expensive and you don’t have to be a great people-person. You just have to do something unique to stand out. According to the New York Times the average person in a city sees 5,000 ads per day. Unless you’re very very unique and different with your promotion people are going to ignore you. They’re not trying to be mean, we are all just trained to filter things out unless we have a reason to pay attention. Give them that reason and with your next promotion ask yourself: “What would P.T. Barnum do?”
Action Item #3: Showcase Yourself
People like to buy from people, not from companies. Think about your own buying experiences. Would you buy from someone who you can see their picture, learn about their story, and relate to their experiences? Or would you rather buy from ABC company who uses the same stock photography and boring mission statements as everyone else?
P.T. Barnum did a great job of not only promoting his business but himself as a part of it. He was the creative founder who everyone was talking about and wanted to learn more about.
You don’t have to be a daredevil like Richard Branson and balloon around the world (although P.T. Barnum would be proud!) – but it can really help your business if you showcase yourself so that your prospective customers feel like they’re buying from a real human being. Put your picture on your website and in your marketing materials. Tell a brief story as to why you started your business and the problems you’ve been able to help solve for customers. Explain why you’re so proud of your business and what makes you different. It will have a tremendous and long lasting impact on your company’s growth.
True Story
One of the houses P.T. Barnum owned was located in Connecticut. It was a large estate, situated near a set of high traffic railroad tracks. What made the land so unique was that Barnum would frequently use an elephant to plow his yard. He took every chance he could to promote his circus. Each time a train passed by his house on its way to New York City, hundreds of passengers would see Barnum and the elephant. It was a living advertisement that spoke volumes and intrigued the commuters as they zipped by. Who was this man and why was he on an elephant in his backyard? They all wanted to find out. “Newspaper reporters came from far and near, and wrote glowing accounts of the elephantine performances,” said Barnum. “The six acres were plowed over at least sixty times before I thought the advertisement sufficiently circulated.”
Closing Thoughts
How are you promoting your company? Do you have any big promotional plans for this year? As always, I’ve love to hear your thoughts if you leave a comment below!
As flexible work options continue to grow, more and more Canadians are using smartphones to loop in with teams, connect with customers and keep projects moving forward while on the road. Work-life balance is on the mend, productivity is on the rise and both employees and employers love the emerging trend.
As you may recall, a few weeks ago, TELUS partnered with Harris Decima to conduct a survey exploring attitudes and opinions regarding flexible work.
Key findings from the survey
47% of respondents work remotely at least a few times a month.
46% of workplaces currently offer a flexible working program.
89% of employees agreed that allowing for flexible work makes a company more attractive to work for.
The majority of respondents say they are just as productive (48%) or more productive (39%) when working outside the office.
As illustrated by the survey results, the benefits of mobile working are clear – elevated morale and job satisfaction, improved productivity and lower emissions. However, in order to fully enjoy the benefits, companies need to practice due diligence to safeguard themselves against the risks. One of the most common risks when dealing with mobile teams is smartphone data security.
Below is an overview of 10 of the most common smartphone security risks and tips for dealing with them (via ComputerWorld.com):
1. No configuration management plan.
Tip: Responsibility for managing smartphones should be given to the same staffers who provision and manage PCs.
2. No power-on password, or a weak password policy.
Tip: Several vendors' device management consoles allow you to configure password complexity rules and password reset questions and answers.
3. No inactivity timeout/auto-lock.
Tip: Timeout policies should be enforced over the air through your device management console, so that the enterprise can maintain near-real-time control.
4. No auto-destruct/data-wiping plans.
Tip: Two methods should be used: over-the-air commands and locally initiated wipes. The latter should occur after a password has been entered incorrectly a certain number of times or when a device has been off the network for a predefined amount of time.
5. No memory encryption rules.
Tip: Major enterprise smartphone operating systems provide settings for enforcing encryption.
6. No master plan for backup and synchronization.
Tip: Use a secure, over-the-air backup-and-restore tool that performs periodic background synchronization.
7. No e-mail-forwarding barriers.
Tip: Forwarding of e-mail and attachments can be regulated with server-side settings of a corporate e-mail system, and additional filtering is available through commercial data loss prevention filters.
8. No application certification rules.
Tip: Private keys can be used to restrict which applications are allowed to install or execute.
9. No default browser permission rules.
Tip: Choose browser default settings that comply with company policy when phones are provisioned, to avoid providing an entry point for malicious code.
10. No plan for dealing with smartphone diversity.
Tip: Set a policy that defines what levels of support different devices will receive. Assign smartphone support to a single IT group.
What do you think? Do the benefits of mobile working outweigh the costs? Have you ever encountered a smartphone security breach? If so, we’d love to hear about some of your key learnings.
Welcome to our App of the Week series where we highlight Smartphone (and starting today Apple iPad) applications for business.
Does this ever happen to you? You have a good idea, but it’s raw. The concept is there, but you know that it’s a spaghetti strainer of holes. So you start brainstorming it from multiple angles, maybe using a whiteboard or a page in your notebook. As you connect your ideas from one to another, you develop a stronger and stronger plan, adding in points and options as it grows (and removing ones that don’t work). If you did the process visually, you just created a basic mind map. (Note: Wikipedia has a great article on mind maps)
As I admitted to in yesterday’s post, I love whiteboards and mind mapping is a favourite technique. Unfortunately whiteboards aren’t very portable for a mobile professional. So, like many, I use a classic paper and pencil – which is messy to edit multiple times, limited in space and hard to share with colleagues across the country for feedback. Enter the iPad and the app iThoughtsHD.
iThoughtsHD (currently $7.99 from the iTunes store) is designed to make mind mapping simple, mobile and sharable. The application has a very simple interface and starts just like a clean whiteboard – blank. Enter a starting point as the “centre topic” and you can quickly and easily add joining ideas creating an expanding map. Changes and moves are done with simple tap or drag and drop touches. Color and shape changes are done in a few simple touches.
I especially appreciate two features of the app:
Keep Organized. With this feature turned on, you are free to create while the app makes your creation visually readable.
Version control. iThoughtsHD keeps a copy of each editing session so you can easily rollback to a previous version.
Sharing your maps is also easy with WiFI or 3G+ connectivity. Although I favour the simple PDF export for sharing, options are available for PNG image and multiple commercial mind mapping software packages (which allow others to edit the map).
Here’s is a video from the creators of iThoughtsHD which further describes how it operates (no sound).
Bottom line
iThoughtsHD for iPad is THE tool to organize, edit and share ideas wherever work takes you. It's a recommended app for all business users.
Join the conversation by creating a profile, logging in and adding a comment below.
Game changing. That's one of the phrases used to describe the all new Apple iPad. Like many Canadians, I stood in line on Friday May 28th to get my hands on one (3G version running on TELUS of course). Since then, I have jumped in with both feet and I honestly have to say the way I work has changed. Here are four ways how:
1 - Preparing for the next day
For as long as I can remember I have had a standard evening routine. I pull out my Smartphone and review my email and calendar in order to mentally prepare for the next day. The iPad hasn't eliminated that routine - it has made it more dynamic. Now, instead of just scanning appointments and reviewing emails, I am creating a daily priority list on the iPad. The larger screen and easy to use interface just makes the whole process friendlier. Only a few days in and I honestly feel like I am more prepared each morning.
2 - Mapping out ideas
I am a visual thinker and love whiteboards. Yes, I admit it publicly: I love whiteboards. I love drawing out problems, visually creating a process and tweaking it until it's right. The challenge has always been that whiteboards and mobile working don't really go well together - they aren't very portable! The iPad has become my portable whiteboard. For example, while in a conference call with my team mates yesterday, I pulled out my iPad, mapped out the process we were talking about and emailed it to the group. It took only a few minutes. Tomorrow's app of the week will focus on the iPad app I used for this: iThoughts HD. Preview: It's spectacular.
3 - Keeping up to date on news, social networks and topics of interest
In business, there is a lot to keep on top of. Email, calendar appointments, RSS feeds, news, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and the list goes on. The iPad's large screen and touch interface makes reviewing feeds easy. Since last Friday, I have taken time out of every work day to step back from my workspace, go somewhere else and review my feeds. Since I still get my corporate email on the iPad (the Microsoft Exchange integration is solid), I'm never really "away" from work, but the portability allows me to efficiently keep up to date and get back to my workspace refreshed. It also makes an ideal "second computer" to monitor feeds at your desk.
4 - The locations where I work
I love mobile working because of the flexibility it gives me - I work when I want and where I want. Since the iPad is so light and has a battery that easily lasts a work day, I am finding new places and times to work. Yesterday, I worked in 5 different locations - 4 were because I had the iPad and how quickly I can be mobile with it (I even worked from my garage while changing the brake pads on my vehicle!). No cords or bags needed. Just pick it up and go. The handoff between Wi-Fi and 3G+ is practically invisible as you move and the speeds are consistently fast. The 3G version also has an integrated GPS receiver meaning location based apps and services work well on the go.
Bottom line
The relationship isn't even a full week old but I can honestly say that I have gained productivity, expanded my creativity and have grown my mobile working boundaries because of the iPad. It's a strong work companion.
But is the iPad perfect? Far from it. In fact there are some aspects that can be down right frustrating. Check out the blog next week for a business-focused list.
Fun fact: This entire post was drafted on my iPad using the Apple Pages app.
Do you have an iPad or are considering equipping your business with one? Add in your comments or questions below.
Note: This post is the third instalment in our ongoing business leadership series for the Talking Business blog. This new undertaking was inspired by overwhelmingly positive feedback around Evan Carmichael’s recent Modeling the Masters guest posts over the past few weeks. Stay tuned for next Tuesday’s post, where Evan will profile another notable business leader.
[lead·er·ship \ˈlē-dər-ˌship\ noun]
Here’s what we found:
“The office or position of a leader, the capacity to lead or the act or an instance of leading” – Merrriam-Webster
“The process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.” - Wikipedia
“The art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal.” - About.com: Small Business Canada
This month, our neighbours to the south of the border are celebrating the third annual Internet Safety Month. We came across the news via YouTube, which is celebrating by spotlighting videos that educate families on how to stay safe online.
As more and more Canadian businesses turn to the Internet as way to connect for customer service, ecommerce and billing, it’s important to think about safety and security both on the Internet and from within your organization. As an technology-based organization, TELUS has a strong commitment to Internet safety and IT security. While security issues and breaches are not new, they are constantly changing and extremely important to our customers. That’s why, for the past two years, we’ve worked with Dr.Walid Hejazi, Professor of Economics at the Rotman School of Management, to explore the nature of these constantly changing threats. Last year we found that, while Internet safety is important for Canadian companies, internal breaches were much more damaging. In Canada, IT security breaches cost the average Canadian organization an estimated $834,149 in 2009 – a 97 per cent increase from the $423,469 reported by the previous study (executive summary of 2009 Rotman-TELUS joint study).
What types of breaches are companies seeing? Where do they feel most vulnerable?
According to last year’s TELUS-Rotman IT Security Survey results, security breaches by organization insiders nearly doubled in 2009. The five fastest rising breach categories were:
Unauthorized access to information by employees (up by 112%)
Bots within an organization (up by 88%)
Financial fraud (up by 88%)
Theft of proprietary information (up by 75%)
Laptop or mobile-device theft (up by 58%)
What are companies doing to improve governance processes?
Governance is, at a fundamental level, the process of balancing risks and optimizing resources to steer the best possible course and achieve the optimal overall business bottom line – which is no easy task. Furthermore, with the increase in enterprises extending services on the web, security threats are becoming more abundant and complex. Here at TELUS, we understand the broad range of threats that are present to organizations today. We have responded to customers by offering a complete range of security solutions specifically designed to secure applications and protect the confidentiality, integrity and accessibility of an organization’s data. We’re not only trying to offer simple and unified solutions, but services that can also provide a return on investment to the business owner.
Best practices and key learnings from TELUS:
As a large organization, we have several best practices for maintaining Internet safety and IT security. When thinking about best practices from the perspective of Internet Safety Month, we recommend increasing focus on education and awareness across IT, development and employees to ensure security risks and responsibilities are understood by all.
What’s your number one best practice or tip for Internet Safety Month?
Mike is a proud sponsor of the 2010 Honda Indy Toronto track build! To celebrate, Ontario businesses have a chance to win a pair of Gold Grandstand tickets to the Honda Indy and/or a free trial of Mike handsets for their team.
Take the Built By Mike Trivia Challenge
Beginning the week of May 31st until July 9th 2010, Mike will be posting a new trivia question to www.builtbymikechallenge.com each week. Simply fill out your information and the correct response for a chance to win tickets (valued at approximately $400).
Not a Mike customer but still live in Ontario? You also have the chance to win a free 3-month trial of the latest Mike handsets for your business, including nationwide calling and Direct Connect® (valued at approximately $25,000). Visit www.builtbymikechallenge.com for more details.
