How to Easily Earn More Respect at Work - The Muse

How to Easily Earn More Respect at Work - The MuseHow to Easily Earn More Respect at Work Sure, we may not love our co-workers, and sure, they may not love us- but that doesnt mean that we dont want to earn their respect. Having it not only helps us get ahead in our careers (a.k.a., people think of you when opportunities pop up), but also helps us be more productive every day. Because truth talk When no one respects you, its hard to convince people to back your idea, or pitch in on a project, or even listen to you in meetings.So, how do you command respect in the office? Its actually easy to do if you practice these five key habits.1. Validate Others OpinionsIn the same way you want someone to back you up when youre proud of an idea, people will respect you if you stand up for them when they share their own thoughts- especially when no one else speaks up. In fact, this is exactly how women in the White House prevented each other from being interrupted during President Obamas presiden cy. If someones point went ignored, they repeated it and credited it to the original thinker.You can easily copy this trick- its as simple as saying I actually like Jerrys idea, and its pretty feasible- all wed have to do is XYZ.2. Help Out When You CanOK, a little obvious, but being a kollektiv player is an instant hit with most people. So, if you see someone struggling, offer to help them out. If you notice an assignment lagging behind its deadline (even if its on a different team), ask if theres anything you can do. If others are staying late while youre heading out right at 6 PM, stick around for a bit and ask if anyone needs assistance. Even if you get turned down, youll still be remembered as someone your co-workers can count on. 3. Speak With Confidence, Not CockinessPeople who command respect stand by their beliefs- not because theyre always right, but because they believe in doing the best for the company. They dont dismiss other peoples opinions (in fact, they welcome oppo sing views), but when they know the best solution for everyone, theyre not afraid to state it- and state it with confidence.But that doesnt mean they brag when everything goes well. Rather than boast about their success and shine the spotlight back on themselves, they use what they learned to further improve their teams efforts.4. Avoid ComplainingNobody likes a whiner, especially in a professional setting. Dont protest when things dont go your way, or your boss is demanding a lot from you, or youre assigned an especially difficult project. Perservering shows that youre up for challenges and wont give up when when things get hard.Thats not to say you cant voice feedback or offer up honesty when the situation merits it, but rather that you should understand when youre bringing up a valid concern or just venting. 5. Do Your Job (Well)Finally, the easiest trick in the book- do your job, and do it well. Work hard, meet deadlines, be an open communicator, go beyond your job description e very once in a while, and theres no reason people wont admire you and what you do for the company.If youre already doing all of these and still cant get people to respect you. Well, you just may be guilty of these seven common mistakes. But assuming thats not the case, you can abflug putting these into practice right away and changing everyones image of you for the better.

creative resumes, and how long employers take to respond

creative resumes, and how long employers take to respond creative resumes, and how long employers take to respond A reader writesI would like to inquire on how long an employer will usually take to reply to an expression of interest in a job. I am a 16 year old student that has emailed several different employers with my resume and cover letter and have only received an instant reply from one. A few were advertised positions and the rest were general inquiries on my part. I admit it has been less than a week since I have sent them but considering I received a reply from one within a few hours, I am rather anxious and frustrated to hear from the rest too (I have refreshed my email around 20 times today, I kid you not).I understand that the job market at the moment isnt particularly keen on employing less experienced teenagers but surely the lower pay rate attracts them? Im also unsure whether my resume is a turn-off because I made a much more creative one that mucksmuschenstill clearl y delivers the facts and figures, but is presented with color and more flair. Also the jobs I am applying for are cafes, juice bars and fashion stores. And no doubt my lack of real retail experience (I only have volunteer work) disadvantages me. Any words of wisdom you may offer?Okay, clearly I have to drop my preconceived notions about teenagers not reading career blogs, because you are the second 16-year-old in three weeks to write to me. It still surprises and impresses me though.It can take some employers quite a long time to respond to applications. A week is definitely nothing some take a month or even more. I tend to be pretty fast and often respond within a few days, but even I wouldnt feel ashamed of myself if it took me, say, two weeks. And lots of employers really do take a lot longer. In some cases, this may be because theyre disorganized, but generally its just because they have lots of other stuff going on that they have to deal with first. So stop obsessively checkin g your email.As for creative resumes, in certain fields if theyre well-done, they can be a plus. Im sure there are some HR people or hiring managers out there who consider them a deal-breaker because they want you to do things the traditional way, but in general I suspect most people feel like I do, which is this The most important thing about your resume design is that I need to be able to read it clearly, without straining, and I want to be able to quickly scan it and get the highlights. Creativity, while a nice trait, doesnt trump those requirements, so make sure whatever format you use works in those ways.As for more general teenager job-searching advice, Im going to refer you to the comments section of the belastung post from a teenager people offered up really helpful advice, so read through that and see if its useful.

5 ways to be a good manager of your former coworkers

5 ways to be a good manager of your former coworkers5 ways to be a good manager of your former coworkersOut of all your coworkers who applied to a highly-coveted management position, you were chosen. So where does that leave your relationships with them now that you oversee the entire team?Heres what to keep in mind when managing former coworkersDont act like nothing happenedWhether your former peers (or you) like it or not, your dynamic is about to change - you owe it to your team to show them that you understand that.Levo says you that should be the one to tell them the news, before any company-wide email or announcement is released because feeling like the last one to know the news could strengthen potential resentment.Obviously, youll need company approval to make any kind of announcement, but if possible,you should tell your new employees privately, and you should keep the katechese clear, direct, simple, and relatable Youve been promoted, youre excited about this opportunity, and you know that this might create some awkward situations based on your current relationships. Dont overwhelm them with too much detail. Let it all sink in.Dont move too fast in the beginningMichael Watkins, the chairman of Genesis Advisers and author of The First 90 Days and Your Next Move,tells theHarvard Business Review that new managers should proceed with caution, but make it clear that youre going to act according to your new supervisory role.You are walking a bit of an edge. You dont want to come in as Alexander Haig and you dont want to act as a super-peer either, Watkins says, referring to Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Regans notoriously ambitious cabinet member.Come up with small decisions you can decide on pretty fast, and save the larger ones for when you have more experience and can get more perspective.Watkins reportedly cites creating a new team schedule, putting one-on-ones on the calendar and letting your new direct reports know how you envision future team communication as examples.Show your team some respect by hearing them outListening is a big part of good management. Sustain your teams trust by giving them the face time they deserve, and making koranvers that everyone has the resources necessary to succeed.Also be sure to answer new questions they have, and give them the names of people in HR who can answer questions you dont know the answer to, should they come up.Back up - give them spaceMonsters career expert, Vicki Salemi, writes on the site about how she distanced herself from her former coworkers during casual discussions once she became their manager.When there was leftover food in the conference rooms I joined in and we chatted, but I only went for a few minutes and then made a quick escape, Salemi wrote. I understood that everybody needs time to vent about the boss or work, so I tried to let my employees have some privacy in their social lives. Also, I knew that being too friendly would make my job harder later.Salemi sa id she also changed the amount of information she shared with her former coworkers once she became privy to the new management-level info.Its extremely important to create boundaries, she explains.Develop a strategyJeff babo, who spent 13 years as a Navy SEAL and went on to write Navigating Chaos How To Find Certainty in Uncertain Situations and hostThe Chaos Cast Podcast Leadership Lessons from Chaos, says setting yourself achievable benchmarks is an important first step as a new manager.Take a moment (or two) to consider two things 1) what you need to do and 2) who you need to be in the next 30, 60 or 90 days to be successful. What will be considered a win for your role?Boss writes in Forbes.Note that this isnt necessarily a win for you, personally (i.e. feeding the ego), but rather a win for the role and responsibilities youre expected to fulfill as a professional, he writes.However, dont succumb to the trap of making changes for changes sake, just because you feel like you need to shake things up to prove your worth, Boss says.Consider your relationship with your own manager at the organization, and how youd like to draw from what works - and avoid what doesnt work as well.Move forward with confidence, but dont overdo it.

4 Ways to Overcome the Ums, Likes, and Aahs in Your Job Interview

4 Ways to Overcome the Ums, Likes, and Aahs in Your Job Interview4 Ways to Overcome the Ums, Likes, and Aahs in Your Job InterviewAre your interview spiels full of ums, likes, and aahs? Then this blog post is for you.We encounter a lot of professionals who unconsciously use these filler words. When they use um, ahh, you know, and likeonce or twice, there really isnt an issue. In some ways, it makes peoplesound like theystudied their words carefully before speaking.Its when they keep repeating them thats when the problem arises. Why? It kills their credibility, making them soundlike teenagers insteadof professionals.So how do you overcome the ums, likes, and aahs? Here are 4 ways Speech RhythmWhen you dont plan and organize what you want to say in an interview, you ramble or use unstudied speech. If your thoughts are organized before going on your interview, you will speak better. Ritchelle Blanco Dejolde, a presentation and speech improvement trainers suggest that you chunk your sen tences before you speak and then pause for a second or two. This will help you create a rhythm when you talk. For example spoken words / break / spoken words / break. If you can maintain this rhythm throughout the interview, the ums and aahs will fade away. Make a recordingHave you ever recorded yourself delivering a speech? It can be brutally painful to do this but it is absolutely necessary. Listening to your own voice and hearing your mistakes is an eye opener. If you listen well, and study yourself, and all the little fillers you use, you will be astonished at how often you use them. These are called speech crutches and once you learn what yours are, you will be more careful not to use them the next time you sit down for a job interview. Use pre-planned transitional fillersWhen you say the filler um, youre telling the interviewer that you are still gathering your thoughts and that your train of thought is incomplete. Use transitional phrases instead. Instead of um, use moving on , or lets talk about, or another valid point is In the beginning it will sound a little fake, but if you practice these phrases, you will abflug sounding more natural. Use tip number two here as well. Make eye contactWhen you apply making sincere eye contact throughout a job interview, you are less likely to use these filler words because its really awkward to say um when youve locked eyes with the interviewer. Try it on a friend or a spouse before your interview. Position your body and gaze directly into their eyes with engaging attention and have them ask you interview questions. It may feel a little silly but you will also find that you use your filler crutches a lot less.With consistent practice of these effective strategies, you will lessen the need to use these credibility stealing fillers in no time.

Successful People who Werent Afraid to Ask

Successful People who Werent Afraid to Ask Successful People who Werent Afraid to Ask Reaching out to ask a question, emailing your boss with a query or raising your hand in class are actions that are overflowing with thought, second-thoughts and a deep sense of trepidation. Yet it is the fruchtwein successful individuals in todays world who have taught us that he who is rich is the one who is not afraid to ask.Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers. VoltaireHere are a few examples of highly successful individuals who werent afraid to askSteve JobsSteve Jobs, at just 12 years old, called up one of the founders of HP, Bill Hewlett, to ask him for help. The American entrepreneur and co-founder of Apple Inc. found the number of the Hewlett Packard co-founder in the phone book and asked him a question about building frequency counters. The then junior high school student was quickly offered a job on the HP assembly line building frequency counters.Later on in his care er, it is rumored that Jobs hired John Sculley, CEO of Pepsi, so that Sculley could be a mentor to him. Although it became a somewhat contentious relationship, a big reason Jobs hired John Sculley was apparently due to the lack of leadership qualities Jobs had and so he looked to Sculley to teach him.Howard SchultzStarbucks founder Howard Schultz once asked Bill Gates Sr., father of the founder of Microsoft, for help standing up to a titan Seattle investor. Schultz turned to Bill Gates Sr. once again to be one of the first investors in the now multi-billion dollar company, Starbucks.Bill GatesBill Gates turned to his mother for an initial connection to IBM securing them as a client.It has also been widely reported that Gates often turns to the American business magnate Warren Buffet for advice.Jim RohnThe American entrepreneur is quoted as saying, To solve any problem, here are three questions to ask yourself First, what could I do? Second, what could I read? And third, who could I ask? Words he lived by.Richard BransonFounder of the Virgin group and English business magnate Richard Branson owes his early success to asking lots of questions. I was willing to listen to anyone who could help.Donald TrumpOne of the most renowned successful American businessmen, Trumps net worth is $3.2 billion, according to the 2013 Forbes Rich List.Trumps kindergarten teacher remembers him as the boy who never stopped asking questions. He was the most inquisitive student she had ever had in her class.Michael BloombergThe Founder and CEO of Bloomberg L.P. and New York Citys 108th Mayor, Michael Bloomberg said it best when he stated that, inquisitive people who are not ashamed to ask questions invariably wind up knowing more and there is a high degree of correlation between knowledge and the ability to make good decisions. There is also a high degree of correlation between people who have the information and people who succeed.Successful people are successful in part because they have learned the art of asking questions. Doctors ask questions to find a cure and investigators to solve a case. Of course, it wouldnt be smart to ask questions for the sake of asking questions. Rather formulate a question prior to asking to obtain the most effective and helpful response.Take a page out of their books, swallow your fear and go for it. Because I will let you in on a secret nobody has it all figured out. Any questions?

What the Pros Are Saying About Cover Letter Resume Example and What It Means For You

What the Pros Are Saying About titelbild Letter Resume Example and What It Means For You Moreover that management has the option to create the candidates shortlisted with the aid of the cover letter. The choice to disclose a disability is a challenging selection and a huge consideration in the work search practice. Locating a new job, making new resumes and going to many interviews may look like an incredibly daunting practice. Life After Cover Letter Resume Example Bear in mind that its important to tailor the letter in line with the providers mission and the work role youre seeking for. You dont need that hanging over you and it might cost you the job in the long run. Its difficult to do that if they know youre searching for different jobs too. Basically the teachers that are finding job or wish to change their present job they require the teacher cover letter sample. What You Need to Do About Cover Letter Resume Example Before You Miss Your Chance A lot of people assume that a cover letter is about you. At the other times you should have a cover letter. Just make certain youre getting the cover letter you require. Its helpful for creating a superior teacher cover letter. Teacher Cover Letter is extremely much informative in regards to the teacher. Anyway you must choose to earn a Teacher Cover Letter Example. Essentially a Teacher Cover Letter Example is called the identity of a teacher. Teacher Cover Letter Sample is extremely much effective for the work seeker as they need to share their skill, experience, achievements throughout the teacher cover letter. It is helpful for the person who wants to join the teaching job. The 30-Second Trick for Cover Letter Resume Example Samples will provide you with a notion of what information to have in your cover letter, and the way to format the letter. A Teacher Cover Letter Example is crucial since it shows the capability of a teacher to control a course. Presentation is everything in regards to writing cover letters. Second paragraph reveals the specific subject. Following is a good example of the way to compose an effective cover letter which may be useful. References will help you greatly. Finding out more about an organization is another great method to work out the way to tailor your cover letter. Nobody will read that Cover Letter Resume Example for Dummies A cover letter is a superb distributions-mix to display your value to possible employers. The means of writing a cover letter shouldnt be neglected whatsoever. Since you will see, each cover letter will differ and ask you to talk about various attributes and abilities. Writing a cover letter isnt a mean task that is the reason you can surely do with some helpful hints. Whats Actually Happening with Cover Letter Resume Example Even should a work application doesnt expect a cover letter, you need to always include one. There are lots of components and kinds of resumes. Infographic resumes seem nice, but you also have to be concerned about applicant tracking system computer software. If you arent conveying why you are a really good option, youll get passed up. A cover letter is a document thats sent alongside your resume as part of your job application. For many job seekers, it plays a significant part in the application process. It is an essential part of any job application that helps you make a strong first impression.

Finance and banking bright spots amid the doom and gloom

Finance and banking bright spots amid the doom and gloom Finance and banking bright spots amid the doom and gloomPosted October 13, 2011, by Josie Chun The banking and finance industries have been amongst the hardest hit during the current global financial crisis. Thousands of positions have been made redundant since financial institutions started scaling back in early 2008, and many more positions are in danger as cost-cutting, consolidation and outsourcing continue to ravage the industry. But dont rule out a career in finance or banking just yet. There are still sectors which are surviving or even thriving some because of, rather than in spite of, the global financial crisis. There are many areas of banking and finance where jobs are still in demand, according to Simon Mortlock of banking and financial career site eFinancialCareers. Superannuation Superannuation is considered one of the most secure areas of financial services, and the least affected by redundancies. Job-seekers wi th superannuation experience, from fund administration to fund accounting, are still in demand. However, super funds are now tending to fill positions internally, so that means fewer opportunities for external applicants. For those already in the business, changing times sometimes mean a change in role. For example, abverkauf staff may move to member-education or relationship management roles to help train and retain existing clients, rather than getting new ones. Life insurance The life insurance industry is experiencing a boom there are actually more job opportunities now than before the financial crisis. As Australians become increasingly concerned about the economy and seek to protect their existing wealth, they are taking out more policies and creating more jobs in the process. Jobs are opening up across the various types of organisations which sell life policies, and these institutions are hiring for a wide range of roles from front-line salespeople to underwriters and busi ness development managers. Insolvency, fraud and forensics Insolvency and fraud specialists are in demand as companies fold and dodgy dealings are uncovered in both small and large organisations. This is an unfortunate reflection of the times, but will at least keep specialists in these areas in work. Forensics, which deals with fraud prevention, is a particular hot spot in the financial services universe, as firms expand their forensics teams. einhaltung The area of compliance, which ensures compliance with the laws, rules and standards that govern banking activities, is expected to experience strong demand over the coming year as new rules and regulations are introduced. According to Brad Shotland, Associate Director, Financial Services, Michael Page Finance, Professionals who stay abreast of developments and master newly introduced compliance regulations will be well positioned for job opportunities in 2009. Transactional banking Transactional banking, involved in custom-tailorin g banking services to meet the needs and wishes of individual clients, is also an area of resilience as staff are required to bring in additional funds and focus on deposits. According to Jane McNeill, Senior Regional Director of Hays Banking, Relevant experience and a track record are essential for these roles. Accounting Accounting is another area of stability, with demand still strong for business analysts, management accountants and auditors. As reported in the 2009 Hudson Accounting Finance Salary Guide, this is being driven by an increased focus on efficiency as companies look to improve business processes and minimise costs. Two other areas which could potentially generate demand for accountants are the Federal Governments financial stimulus package, which may increase reporting requirements for some companies, and carbon trading. Credit analysis The days of liberal lending are well and truly over, and banks are becoming far more stringent in the analysis and supply of credi t for mortgages and interbank loans to make sure they dont throw money to people who wont be able to pay it back. The role of credit departments has assumed greater importance and the additional workload has boosted hiring activity. We anticipate this trend will continue over the short term which bodes well for credit analysts/managers, says Brad Shotland, of Michael Page Finance. Relationship management Relationship managers with strong business development skills will be needed as banks shift their focus away from debt-related business to increasing their client base. A strong sales focus and the ability to develop a healthy portfolio are desirable qualities in this market, so senior relationship managers and business development managers are consequently resilient roles. Banking experience and the knowledge of deal construction are critical to these jobs, says Jane McNeill, of Hays Banking. Risk management Ironically, but not surprisingly in these uncertain times, risk management is one of the safest sectors in the banking industry. There should be continued demand in this area, with certain pockets experiencing growth.Certificate IV in Finance and Mortgage BrokingStudy modeClassroomzugnglichPayment optionsPayment planUpfront paymentEnquire Online Enquire OnlineFinance ResourcesFinance manager resumeFinance manager cover letterCareer Insider StoriesJodie Matthews - Finance & Administration ManagerChris Bates - Financial Advisor & Founder of WealthfulSue Xue - Finance Analyst at The Wrigley CompanyKhalid Ahmed - Financial Controller at New BalanceShane Oliver - Head of Investment Strategy and Chief Economist at AMP CapitalInterested in becoming a?Human Resources OfficerBusiness ManagerOffice AdministratorManagement ConsultantOffice ManagerPopular Career Searchesdiploma in financemaster of applied finance rankinggovernment funded finance and broker courses for permanent residentcert 4 financefinance certifications in australiaFinance CoursesDiploma of Financi al PlanningEnquire Online Enquire OnlineAdvanced Diploma of Financial PlanningEnquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Commerce (Accounting)Enquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate IV Financial ServicesEnquire Online Enquire OnlineJosie ChunRelated ArticlesBrowse moreFinanceRisky businessYou crash your car. You have emergency heart surgery. Your suitcase is stolen. Of course, these are all less-than-ideal situations but theyre all linked by an urgent need for one simple thing insurance.AccountingCAREER ADVICEFinancial career survival guideThe global financial crisis has affected nearly every industry, but few areas have been hit as hard as the banking and financial sectors.Who wants to be a millionaireIf you thought mining was the road to riches, think again - financial services are now taking over as Australias main source of millionaires.

Eating a family-style meal may make you a better negotiator. Heres why

Eating a family-style meal may make you a better negotiator. Heres whyEating a family-style meal may make you a better negotiator. Heres whyI am not a sharer of food. Honestly, there is nothing scarier to me then when a friend says Lets get Tapas. I want a large big plate all to myself whether I am hangry or not. However, this lack of wanting to literally share a plate of food with people may be why I am not the best negotiator.According to new researchfrom the University of Chicago Booth School of Business our eating style can influence our collaboration and cooperation skills in a major way so if you are all about eating family-style, then you are probably a good negotiator.The study titled, Shared Plates, Shared Minds Consuming from a Shared Plate Promotes Cooperation forthcoming inPsychological Science, Chicago Booth Professor Ayelet Fishbach and Cornell Universitys Kaitlin Woolley, wrote, When people in a business negotiation share not just a meal but a plate, they collaborate b etter and reach deals faster.Negotiation chipsThe study welches conducted by asking participants who did not know each other to have chips and salsa with their partners. Half of the pairs received one bowl of chips and one bowl of salsa to share, while the others each had their own bowls.Then the teams were given a negotiation scenario in which one person in the pair was (randomly)assigned to act as management and the other as a union representative. They were asked to come to a wage agreement and were allotted 22 rounds of negotiations.An expensive union strike also came into play during the third round which was used to act as a catalyst for both sides to reach an agreement faster.Guess which teams did better? Those who shared chips and salsa averaged out at 9 days (the rounds represented days) to reach a deal while it was more like 13 days for the non-sharers on average. The researchers wrote the phenomenon of this was unrelated to how two people in a negotiating team felt about each other.Rather, what mattered was how well they coordinated their eating. They found similar results when they tried the experiment with teams of people that were friends as well.Even though technology allows for us to conduct meetings with teams spread out all over the world there is something about a team coming together for a meal that can really help them get to know each other and work more effectively.Basically, every meal that youre eating alone is a missed opportunity to connect to someone, says Fishbach. And every meal that involves food sharing fully utilizes the opportunity to create that social bond.

Asking more questions makes us likable, study finds

Asking mora questions makes us likable, study findsAsking more questions makes us likable, study findsHow do we make a favorable first impression in a conversation? Sometimes, we think getting noticed at a networking event means getting the last word or talking up ur accomplishments.But new research has found that to be remembered as likable in a conversation, you need to make the conversation engaging.And that means not making it all about you. In fact, not at all.A recent Harvard study found that people who asked questions were seen as more likable than people who spent time hogging the conversation and holding forth in a monologue.Whereas prior data demonstrate that people tend to talk about themselves, our results suggest this may not be an optimal strategy, researchers in the study wrote. We identify follow-up questions as an important behavioral indicator of responsiveness, and we find that asking a higher rate of follow-up questions reliably predicts partner liking.We like peo ple who ask questionsOur self-defeating instincts tell us to keep talking about our opinions, but the research found that the people who stopped to listen and follow-up were the real winners of the conversation.In one of the studies, the Harvard researchers got 430 participants to talk to each other one-on-one in instant messaging conversations. In each of the pairs, one of the participants was instructed to ask at least nine questions or at most four questions under the guise of getting to know one another. At the end of the 15-minute conversation, the question-responders rated the people who asked more questions as more responsive, and therefore, more likable than the conversation partners who asker fewer questions.Asking more questions works because it forces us to pay attention to our conversation partners and remain present. It shows that were curious, empathetic, and interested in the lives of others. Follow-up questions are particularly likely to increase liking because they require responsiveness from the question-asker, and signal responsiveness to the question-askers partner, researchers wrote.Interestingly, though, these findings change when you add an observer. In a separate study, researchers got participants to read the transcripts of 169 one-on-one conversations, and these third-party observers rated the people who asked fewer questions higher than the people who asked more questions. Researchers suggested that this is because follow-up questions matter more to the person in the conversation than to someone reading a transcript. In other words, you had to be there.Because a third-party observer is not present in the conversation by definition, none of the questions being asked can follow up on anything they have said, researchers said. These results provide converging evidence that people like question-askers because they perceive question-askers as more responsive (to them personally).Too many of us have tunnel vision and dont realize that a co nversations a two-way street. The Harvard study was drawing upon prior research that found that we like doctors who ask follow-up questions about their patients experience more than ones who dont. And in our personal lives, research has found that we are drawn to people who ask us questions about ourselves on our dates more than people who monologue about their accomplishments and success.Although most people do not anticipate the benefits of question-asking and do not ask enough questions, people would do well to learn that it doesnt hurt to ask, researchers concluded.Next time youre in a conversation, dont just talk- ask.

No BS Engineering Elephant Dung to Help African Farmers

No BS Engineering Elephant Dung to Help African Farmers No BS Engineering Elephant Dung to Help African Farmers No BS Engineering Elephant Dung to Help African FarmersBotswana is home to more than 130,000 African elephants, more than all other African countriescombined. Unfortunately, those elephants have begun exploring beyond the national parks, encroaching into areas where Botswanans live. This is a problem for people, since elephants that encounter human platzsettlements fight with livestock for water and raid crops at night. Angry farmers will set traps or tip off poachers to the locations of elephants.My teammates in the International Development Design Summit were each from different villages in Botswana. After a brainstorming session to identify the problems, we proposed developing a device for farmers to manufacture their own elephant repellent. We started with information from a local non-governmental organization called Ecoexist and found that elephants are afraid of fire, smoke, bees, and electricity. We knew that electric fences are too expensive for most small farmers and bedrngnis culturally suitable to protect ranchers water points due to the practice of free range livestock in Botswana.The bulk of the briquettes is elephant dung found near villages. The paint can protects the burning briquettes from the rain. Photo Engineering for ChangeMy team, composed of three locals and myself, got to work testing recipes for what we call a chili briquette. When burned, the smoke from the briquettes can turn away unwanted elephants. The bulk of the briquette is elephant dung itself, which is easily found close to villages where people gather firewood. The second ingredient gives the smoke an extra elephant-repelling kick chili peppers. Cooked sorghum porridge, a common breakfast food, was used as a binding agent. After conducting anwender research, our team identified a need for the chili briquettes during the rainy season when farmers plow and the elephan ts come to eat the crops. Knowing this, we designed a mbaula (metal stove) out of a paint can with a lid for keeping the rain off the burning briquette.Read More Spray-On Antenna Could Signal the Future of WirelessAfter testing the burning bricks, we identified a recipe that makes strong, irritating chili smoke and burns slowly to last all night. The chili briquettes use a ratio of 21 elephant dung to chili and a ratio of 201 elephant dung to soft porridge. The overall recipe is 20101 dung to chili to porridge. This contains the right amount of chili to produce strong-smelling, irritating chili smoke, and the right amount of fuel and moisture in the chili bricks for them to dry quickly and to burn for a long time. According to the farmers who have tested bricks so far, five nights of continuous burning are enough for elephants to change their corridors and stay away from the fields.The chili briquettes are such a cheap and simple solution theyve generated a high demand for a busines s to make and sell them to farmers and ranchers. My team used sketch-modeling to design and iterate a press mechanism that could produce enough force to compress the briquettes on a commercial scale.Importantly, my team members were not experts in engineering or design. But one goal of the International Development Design Summit is for participants to learn through trial and error. Accordingly, the first prototype we built was a wooden box that was hard to clean, made briquettes that were too small, and lacked the force to compress the briquettes properly.A metal press raises and lowers a heavy concrete lager to form the dung mixture in a removable mold.Our team split into two after creating the first prototype. I worked on the stove and tested briquette recipes while others began building a second press. That press was larger, made from metal, and had a handle that raised and lowered a heavy concrete block into a removable mold. Upon testing, we found that this prototype was too ex pensive and mechanically inefficient to produce affordable and well-compressed chili bricks. After the summit, many participants reported that they felt empowered to continue applying the design process to solve everyday problems. Two team members even agreed to continue developing the technology in their home villages of Kaputura and Rakops.There are now two new businesses in my teammates home villages of Kaputura and Rakops making and selling chili briquettes. The two innovation centers, established as part of the summit, will help the entrepreneurs with tools, design help, and business support as they scale up and protect many more elephants and humans from each other.Listen to ASME TechCast How Engineers Close Communication Gaps with Non-engineersAnna Libey is an Engineering for Change Research Fellow and an environmental engineer, with a focus on water and sanitation for international development. For more articles on in aller welt development visit www.engineeringforchange.org .