Why Remote Workers Are More (Yes, More) Engaged [Jobs]

Why Remote Workers Are More (Yes, More) EngagedIf you work from home, you've probably gotten an eye roll or two from your office-bound friends. But as consultant Scott Edinger explains, working from home or in a remote office can lead to increased productivity, more effective communication, and better teamwork.

Who is more engaged and more committed to their work and rates their leaders the highest?

A. People who work in the office
B. People who work remotely

If you picked A, you might be as surprised as the investment firm I worked with recently, which found in reviewing results of a 360-degree feedback process that the answer was, in fact, B.

The team members who were not in the same location with their leaders were more engaged and committed? and rated the same leader higher?than team members sitting right nearby. While the differences were not enormous (a couple of tenths of a point in both categories), they were enough to provoke some interesting speculations as to why this might be happening.

It made perfect sense to me, though. Here's why.

Proximity breeds complacency

I've worked with leaders who sit in the same office with those they manage but go for weeks without having any substantive face-time with them. In fact, they may use e-mail as their primary source of communication when they sit less than 50 feet away. It's even worse if they sit in different parts of a building?or all the way on another floor. This is not to say that these leaders are in any way lazy?just that because the possibility of communicating is so easy, it is so often taken for granted.

Absence makes people try harder to connect

When I managed a team of professionals in nine different locations, I made a point of deliberately reaching out to each of them by phone at least once a week, and frequently more often. I'm not an anomaly here. Most leaders I work with make an extra effort to stay connected to those they don't ordinarily run into. They can see that taking even a few minutes to talk about what's happening in their respective worlds before addressing the tasks at hand makes a difference in maintaining the connection with a colleague. What's more, because they have to make an effort to make contact, these leaders can be much more concentrated in their attention to each person and tend to be more conscious of the way they express their authority.

Leaders of virtual teams make better use of tools

Because leaders of far-flung teams have to use videoconferencing, instant messaging, e-mail, voicemail, and yes, the telephone, to make contact, they become proficient in multiple forms of communication, an advantage in leadership that their traditional counterparts could well develop but not so automatically.

Leaders of far-flung teams maximize the time spent together

Having had to make such an effort to get the team together, these leaders naturally want to make the best use of their precious time. They take care to filter out as many distractions as possible so they can focus on the work to be done together. They also typically spend more than an ordinary work day together, socializing at planned luncheons, dinners, and activities. This level of focused attention is hard to replicate day to day. I've heard from some employees who work near their bosses on teams whose other members work elsewhere that the most time they spend with their leader is when the others come in for such meetings.

None of this is to say that working remotely is better than coming to the office. Or that virtual teams are better than traditional ones. On the contrary, I'm suggesting that they are exactly the same in this regard: Someone working in the same office with their leader needs just as much effective communication as someone located in a different office. It's just that, ironically, they're less likely to get it.

Why Remote Workers Are More (Yes, More) Engaged | Harvard Business Review


Scott Edinger is the founder of Edinger Consulting Group. He is a coauthor of the October 2011 HBR article, "Making Yourself Indispensable." Connect with him on Twitter @ScottKEdinger.

Photo by Antony Mayfield.

Want to see your work on Lifehacker? Email Tessa.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/h3QjfMQUTJQ/why-remote-workers-are-more-yes-more-engaged

mega lottery sag aftra mega mill power ball april fools pranks livan hernandez soledad o brien

Berners-Lee: Internet Can't Be Killed, Speech Can't Be Silenced

There is no off switch for the Internet, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, who's widely acknowledged as the father of the Web, said in London when launching the World Wide Web Index report for 2012. The Index assesses the use, utility and impact of the Web around the world. It looked at 61 countries.

Source: http://ectnews.com.feedsportal.com/c/34520/f/632000/s/23258ee8/l/0L0Stechnewsworld0N0Crsstory0C760A860Bhtml/story01.htm

did the groundhog see his shadow punxsutawney phil groundhog day ground hog donald trump groundhog day 2012 serrano

THE RACE: Jobs report looms over Demo convention

President Barack Obama waves as he boards Air Force One before his departure from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Tuesday, Sept., 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

President Barack Obama waves as he boards Air Force One before his departure from Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Tuesday, Sept., 4, 2012. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Republican vice presidential candidate, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., greets Ed Crawford on the tarmac after arriving at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012, in Cleveland, Ohio. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

President Barack Obama greets a young child and other supporters on the tarmac upon his arrival at Naval Air Station Norfolk, Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2012, in Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Mitt Romney enjoyed just a small-to-modest bounce in the polls from his party's convention. President Barack Obama has to worry about getting a big downer the day after his convention.

On Friday, the Labor Department announces unemployment data for August. The last report showed the jobless rate still painfully high at 8.3 percent. So both parties are keenly watching the new numbers.

The jobs report may bear more on Obama's political fate than all the happy-face speeches at the Democratic convention in Charlotte, N.C., which began Tuesday and featured an evening speech by Michelle Obama.

If the jobs report shows a marked improvement, it could lend momentum to the Obama campaign thus far lacking. Another bad month could do the opposite.

Presidents historically have gotten a heads-up before the release. Obama campaign officials said Tuesday they didn't know if he would be briefed before delivering his acceptance speech Thursday.

Even though many jobs have come back since the depth of the recession in 2008-2009, there still remains a net ? although shrinking ? loss of jobs under Obama.

The tight race makes the three presidential debates in October all the more important. Romney spent Tuesday in debate preparation in Vermont.

Romney's modest convention bounce reflected how few Americans remain undecided.

President Jimmy Carter was clinging to a small lead in most major polls when challenger Ronald Reagan famously posed this question at their sole debate in late October 1980: "Ask yourself, 'Are you better off now than you were four years ago?'"

Republicans are asking that question again.

"The president made a lot of promises. Those promises haven't materialized," said GOP vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan, making the rounds of morning television interviews. Ryan also campaigned in Ohio and Iowa.

Obama, in his final pre-convention stop in Norfolk, Va., said he'd watch his wife's speech from the White House, calling her "the star of the Obama family." He goes to Charlotte Wednesday.

__

Follow Tom Raum on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tomraum. For more AP political coverage, look for the 2012 Presidential Race in AP Mobile's Big Stories section. Also follow https://twitter.com/APCampaign and AP journalists covering the campaign: https://twitter.com/AP/ap-campaign-2012

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-09-04-The%20Race/id-38bd82c2199246dfacfcfda9386b32f4

the perfect storm hard boiled eggs sound of music mickelson how to tie a tie snl green bean casserole

Check out some fun soccer games online | Playstation 3 game ...

Are you a big Soccer/Futbol fan? Maybe you wish you had a good game for your gaming console, but you just have a laptop instead. Don?t fret because you can still get in a few cool soccer games all from the enjoyment of the internet. There are 1 on 1 titles, free kick titles that work on your basics and penalty kicks, and even a novelty game called ronaldo which pokes fun at one of the top soccer players from the Brazilian team as he is a fat and out of shape player. You?ll definitely get a good laugh or two as you chase down this chubby striker who?s supposed to be one of the best in the whole world. I bet he kind of would get a laugh as well playing this title.

One of my most favorite games to play that your kids would probably love is the Mario Football game. If you played the Super Mario Strikers game for the Nintendo Wii, 9 times out of 10 you?ll probably like this game as well. It?s fun, it?s fast paced and you?ll be able to dominate the soccer field with the help of some of your friends. If defending is more of your style rather than simply kicking the ball around and scoring, you should try out goalkeeper. You have two big hands to defend oncoming strikes toward your goal post. Definitely build up your defensive skills by keeping the ball away from the net. Another cool title is Street Soccer in which you play on a blacktop turf dribbling the ball and passing it to your teammates. It gives off a different vibe than simply playing it on the soccer field.

For more information as far as playing these great online games, you should take a look at the Soccer Game site. Enjoy!

Source: http://playstation3gameconsole.com/check-out-some-fun-soccer-games-online/

ihop statins chardon sean young juan pablo montoya free pancakes at ihop martina navratilova

Reader recommendation: The Back Page

These comments are not screened before publication. Constructive debate about the above story is welcome, but personal attacks are not. Please do not post comments that are commercial in nature or that violate any copyright[s]. Comments that we regard as obscene, defamatory, or intended to incite violence will be removed. If you find a comment offensive, you may flag it.

  • If you have questions about comments or comment policy, check out our FAQ page.
  • When posting a comment, you agree to our Terms of Service.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/TH80UJdWyVI/Reader-recommendation-The-Back-Page

pekingese ups tcu football westminster bonnaroo 2012 lineup twisted metal sea lion

US sending high-level business delegation to Cairo

(AP) ? The Obama administration is sending to Cairo the largest ever U.S. trade delegation to the Arab world in a bid to help revitalize Egypt's economy and strengthen ties between the once ironclad allies, officials said Tuesday.

More than 100 American executives from some 50 companies will arrive in Egypt on Saturday. U.S. titans such as Boeing, The Coca-Cola Company, General Electric, Google, IBM and Microsoft will be represented over four days of meetings.

Egypt's economy has slumped since last year's revolution that toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak. U.S.-Egyptian ties have suffered, too.

State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said the trip "will identify new business opportunities and partnerships for U.S. companies, express U.S. business confidence in Egypt and demonstrate a commitment to Egypt's long-term economic development."

With a population of more than 85 million, Egypt is by far the Arab world's biggest market. But two-way trade between the U.S. and Egypt totaled only $8.2 billion last year. U.S. trade with Germany, which has a similar- size population as Egypt, was $147.8 billion last year.

The delegation is part of an Obama administration effort to help countries undergoing democratic transitions as part of the Arab Spring.

The U.S. also has pledged $1 billion in debt relief for Egypt. Officials say they are working on making that money available for investment capital and job creation funds.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-09-04-US-Egypt/id-b8abb332574641479dc59a777095c595

staten island chuck dr jekyll and mr hyde edwin jackson punksatony phil trump 2012 groundhog day groundhog phil

Police follow MNDF in forming cooperative society ... - Minivan News

Police follow MNDF in forming cooperative society to conduct business activities thumbnail

The Maldives Police Service (MPS) on Sunday registered its first cooperative?society, the Police Corporative Society (POLCO), with the Ministry of Economic Development.

Registrar of Companies Ali Sujaau told local news website Sun Online that the cooperative?society had been registered with 15 shareholders. Sujau did not reveal any details of the 15 shareholders.

Speaking to local media, Police Spokesperson Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef said that the cooperative?society was formed in accordance with the police act, and that ?it would to carry out business activities that would help boost the police welfare fund.

?The main purpose of [forming POLCO] is to improve the functioning of police, and for that matter, improve the welfare fund of police officers and their families and retired police officers and their families as well. Even now there is a police shop open,? Haneef said.

Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz also tweeted about the formation of the corporative society, stating that it ?will support to improve the welfare? of police officers and family members.

Haneef confirmed the formation of the cooperative?society to Minivan News.

?We have been doing works to strengthen the police welfare mechanism, and the formation of a police corporative society was a part of the work,? he said.

Haneef further said that the current police shop that is being run will now be operated by the police cooperative?society, and that it ?would be researching new business ventures?.

The decision follows the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF)?s similar move, which has begun negotiations to enter the tourism industry with the privatisation of the Thanburudhoo island as a surf resort.

Asked if the police cooperative?society would follow the MNDF cooperative?society in entering the tourism industry, Haneef did not rule out the possibility.

?For now, I think it is too early to say what type of business that we may be focusing on. We are now discussing on an action plan of how the cooperative?society will progress and maybe it is a possibility,? Haneef said.

MNDF Welfare Company

Last month the MNDF registered the joint venture ?MNDF Welfare Company? aiming to invest in various businesses, including the tourism industry, in a bid to generate revenue to fund welfare services for the armed forces.

The ?MNDF Welfare Company??registered?at the Economic Ministry is 10 percent government owned, and 90?percent by SIFCO, MNDF ?s cooperative society, which provides welfare services for defence force officers and their?families, ?including subsidised products and loans.

Just a week after the formation of the welfare company, MNDF confirmed plans to develop?a tourist resort on the island of Thanburudhoo, currently being used by the military for?training?and recreational purposes.

Speaking to Minivan News following the decision, Lieutenant Abdullah Ali explained that the MNDF is not going to play any direct role in the development of the resort, and that the island would be leased to a third party.

He claimed that the concept of developing the training island as a tourist resort was approved by the former government in 2010, but that work had stalled ?for various reasons?.

Local surfers raised concerns over the decision on social networks, claiming that the Thamburudhoo project involved dredging and reclaiming the surrounding area of the island reef, which would destroy the popular surfing spot.

Banzai Bongo, a well-known local surfer, wrote on Face book: ?This is going to affect the natural current flow of the surrounding waves such as Jailbreaks, Honkies, Sultans and Pasta. Moreover, it will destroy dive spots around this area. So the government?s best interest is to annihilate our natural resources which include world class surf sites and dive sites.?

Bongo called for surfers to ?save these waves like we all stood against the state and saved the Trestles. Save it for or children, save it for the future.?


Source: http://minivannews.com/politics/police-follow-mndf-in-forming-cooperative-society-to-conduct-business-activities-43301

Olympic Schedule Kyla Ross Ryan Lochte Montenegro Olympic Games Dana Vollmer phillies

Energy Efficient Windows: Insulating Connecticut Homes from Frigid ...

Connecticut is known for its climatic extremes: the interior has a humid continental climate, while the southern portions along the coast have a subtropical climate. This means that summers across all counties are generally hot to humid, while winters range from cold to severely cold. To counter such frigid winters, homeowners will need to have heaters installed in their homes and ensure that structural components like the siding, doors, roofs, and windows are well-insulated.

The local government has recognized the urgent need for heaters, and has implemented the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program. This program lends benefits to those who cannot adequately cover their energy bills. There's even a special clause that applies to those who "are unable to secure primary heat, causing a life-threatening situation." A bail of up to $530 in winter heating needs can be issued to those unfortunate enough to require such assistance.

But heaters will do no good if the house to be heated is structurally faulty. A house that fails to secure even its windows will not only be unable to keep the warm air in and the cold air out, but will hamper the installed heater's performance. In light of this, homeowners need to contact a reputable contractor to ensure that key structural components are viable enough to withstand the coming winter months; moreover, inspections may lead to repairs or replacements, depending on the needs.

The window replacement CT homeowners approve of is often performed before the frosty months roll in. What may appear as frivolous spending on new panes actually helps insulate the home, keeping the drafts out. The latest energy-efficient variants such as Low-E Smart Sun Glass is 76 percent more energy efficient than the standard insulated glass produced by other manufacturers, and can really keep those energy bills down.

On the other hand, it will take more than the replacement windows Connecticut locals want to put a stop to Jack Frost. To further insulate windows, components such as window films, rubber sealants, and draft snakes should be installed. Fortunately, most of these components are inexpensive, and can be easily installed.

Homeowners should seriously consider installing the replacement windows CT contractors offer. This and other aforementioned measures will help your family stay warm and toasty during the winter months, and may add some savings to your bank account. For more insulation tips, visit: apartmenttherapy.com/5-ways-to-insul-37643.

For more details, search replacement windows connecticut, replacement windows ct, and window replacement ct in Google for related information.

Keywords: replacement windows connecticut, replacement windows ct, window replacement ct

This article has been viewed 10 time(s).

It is a violation of our terms and conditions for writers to submit material which they did not write and claim it as their own. If this article infringes on your copyrights, you MUST either call us at 706-866-2295 or send proof of infringement along with the offending article's title, URL, and writer name to

IdeaMarketers.com
Attn: Marnie Pehrson - Copyright Concern
514 Old Hickory Ln
Ringgold GA 30736 USA
If you email us or use our problem submission form, we CANNOT guarantee we'll receive your notice!

Source: http://www.ideamarketers.com/?articleid=3536027

the shins atomic clock daylight savings time john mccain game changer selection sunday corned beef recipe

What Social Media Training Should Teach You | Cashpowerinfo

Using social media to help advertise your business is very popular with Internet marketers today. If you have an online business of any kind, it is vital that you use social media to help you grow your business. There are many social media marketing courses on the Internet today that you can take. Below are some things that you should make sure they teach you.

They should teach you what you should not do when using social media to grow your business. The person teaching this course should have already made the many mistakes that people make. He should teach you the mistakes you shouldn?t make.

The course should also teach you the right way to engage with your readers. The entire point of using social media is to create relationships with your customers. You can use social media in many different ways to get people to talk about your company.

Another very important thing they should teach you is how to make an income with social media. This is the main reason you are learning social media, besides to help grow? your business, which also helps you make money. The person teaching you should be able to help you make money very quickly.

You should also be taught the different techniques to use social media with your business. The course should be very easy for you to understand with step-by-step instructions. Everything should be in good order where you can start at step one and move through the steps to the end.

The course should also help you learn how to convert followers to customers. It?s great that you have many followers but if they aren?t customers it won?t help you very much. There are techniques that you can use to convert these followers to customers.

Where to Find Training

There are many people who are now doing social media training for online businesses. You can easily find someone online by doing a simple Google search. Make sure the training company or person is reputable before you sign up with someone. You can either do extensive research and learn what you? need for free, or you can pay someone for a good training course and learn it in much less time. It all depends on your budget and time.

Learning social media techniques is very important to help you grow your online business, and it can help you earn much more money. Take your time and find the right training that works well for you.

?

Source: http://cashpowerinfo.com/what-social-media-training-should-teach-you/

celebration church new york auto show 2012 tulsa easter eggs pineapple upside down cake free ecards flying car