4 Unwritten Rules You Should Follow at the Office

4 Unwritten Rules You Should Follow at the Office4 Unwritten Rules You Should Follow at the Office An employee and an employer have both an official and unofficial relationship. Your official employment agreement may lay out work hours, acceptable behaviors, break policies and the other rules that govern the office and your position in it.The unofficial side is kind of like the unwritten rules in a professional sport. For example, Major League Baseball teams generally will retaliate if a star player gets hit by a pitch by doing the same to one of the other teams top hitters.Offices have these sorts of rules, too, and it can be a challenge to know what they are. These arent the things that get you in trouble with human resources or the boss . These are the mistakes you can make that will turn off your coworkers and leave you as an isolated island.Some people take a job and languish in it for a long time. They may bring little to the table or they may be decent at what they do. Either way, this type of person is often an office fixture. Even if youre senior in responsibility, show respect for people who have a longer tenure at the company than you do.Those whove been around for the longest periods often have deep connections. They may notlage be ambitious when it comes to seeking promotions or leaving for a better opportunity, but they know their place in the organization, and sometimes, they know things that can help you avoid making big and unnecessary mistakes.People often dont have a rational view of their contribution to a project. You may think they barely did anything, while they may think theyve been a major contributor.No matter how much you feel like you led the way, be gracious and share credit liberally. Doing that makes you a leader and enhances what your co-workers think of you - and the boss will figure out whats happening over time.Everyone has an occasional workplace complaint . As long as its innocent and infrequent, thats fine and wont raise any concern. What you dont want to be is one of those negative people who leads the complaints.You dont have to be relentlessly upbeat, but you should generally be in good spirits. If someone complains too much, others might go along with it, but some of them might be thinking, If its so awful, why dont you just leave?Thats a valid question, and chronic complainers can quickly get a reputation as malcontents. You dont want you co-workers to see you that way.Many years ago, I worked for an internet company that welches not close to my house. I had a brutal commute, had just gotten married and frankly, did not like the job very much. Because of that, while I had a few friends on staff, I mostly did my job then went home. I turned down lunch invites to get more work done faster, never went out for dinner or drinks, and generally was not part of the social fabric of the office.It made it seem like I was already one foot out the door (I was), and isolating myself pr obably hastened my departure. Even if you dont like your job or plan to leave, you still need to connect with your co-workers, even if only to have it not be obvious youre less-than-engaged.Basically, the unwritten rulebook boils down to be a good person who respects other people. Simple gestures like being more inclusive in your lunch invites or saying hello to everyone the first time you see them goes a long way. Think of how you would expect a child to behave after theyve learned proper manners (or how you wish they would) thats a pretty good behavioral guideline.This article was originally published on The Motley Fool . It is reprinted with permission.

Lie on Your Resume Dont Be Stupid!

Lie on Your Resume Dont Be StupidLying on Your ResumeLie on Your Resume Dont Be StupidTzu siches a scene in the 1994 movie Forrest Gump in which the title character, played by Tom Hanks, admits to telling a little white lie, which his mother (played by Sally Field) said was OK to do as long as it didnt hurt anyone.Forrest, though limited in IQ, clearly knew the difference between a little white lie and a whopper. But when it comes to your resume, either one can disqualify you from getting the job. Even if you do get the job, chances are good the lie will eventually be uncovered, and youll be shown the door, hurting both your career and your reputation.Here are three notable examples of resume truth-stretchingAs MITs former dean of admissions discovered last year, a lie can come back to bite you many years later. She resigned after admitting she had misrepresented her academic degrees on her resume when MIT hired her - in 1979.More recently, Robert Irvine, host of the Food Network sho w Dinner Impossible, did not have his contract renewed by the networkafter he sauted his professional background a bit, specifically with previous claims that hecooked for the British royal family and at the White House (The network said it might revisit its decision at the end of the season).In 2006, the CEO of retailer Radio Shack resigned after he admitted that his claim ofholding two college degrees was two more than he really had.If youre compelled to lie about, embellish, exaggerate, or misrepresent anything in your work history or educational background, heres one word of advice Dont. Theres just no substitute for telling the truth. And technology is more likely to uncover a lie today, since so much personal data is available on the Internet, and many employers are using Internet searches to help verify data applicants submit on their resumes.And if the lie is uncovered before the employer makes an offer, the employer will likely not tell you they just wont hire you, which le aves you open to repeating the lie the next time you send your resume.Interviewing expertMichael Neece, who has reviewed thousands of resumes in his 20+ years in the staffing and hiring world, says there are legitimate reasonsjob candidates might lie One is to protect themselves and theirformer employers. For instance, if a candidate told the truth about being fired and subsequently filing a sexual harassment lawsuit, he says, it might disqualify the candidate while implicating the former employer. Painting an ex-employer in a negative light is one of those red flags that can go up in the job-search process. Still, its better to find a neutral way to tell the truth.Ifthe truth hurts (or could hurt your chances at landing a job), the best strategy is to stick to the facts in as unbiased a way as you can. If, for instance, you were let go because of a personality clash, or if you and your boss had a difference of opinion over the reasons for your exit, explain the situation matter-of- factly in the interview, keeping your emotions in check. Instead of saying, My boss was a micro-managing control freak who wouldnt let me tie my shoes without asking first, try something like, I was released because my independent, get-it-done style - which I and my other employers have always considered to be a strength - just didnt mesh with the new supervisors hands-on management style.A lie or exaggeration on a resume is just plain stupid. And, as Forrest Gump liked to say Stupid is as stupid does.

Definition and Examples of Open-Source Software

Definition and Examples of Open-Source SoftwareDefinition and Examples of Open-Source SoftwareOpen-source software (OSS) is any computer software thats distributed with its source code available for modification. That means it usually includes a license for programmers to change the software in any way they choose They can fix bugs, improve functions, or adapt the software to suit their own needs. Open-Source Software Criteria The Open Source Initiative (OSI), a global nonprofit founded in 1998, acts as a leading authority on OSS. Its definition of open-source software includes ten criteria, relating to matters such as Software redistributionSource code availability and integrityDistribution and properties of licensesDerived worksAnti-discrimination Licenses Different licenses allow programmers to modify the software with various conditions attached. According to the Black Duck KnowledgeBase, a database of some two 1000000 open source projects, five of themost popular license s are MIT LicenseGNU General Public License (GPL) 2.0Apache License 2.0GNU General Public License (GPL) 3.0BSD License 2.0 (3-clause, New or Revised) When you change the source code, OSS requires the inclusion of what you altered as well as your methods. The software created after code modifications may or may not be made available for free. Commercial Software Commercially available software, aka commercial or proprietary software, doesnt give access to its source code because the software is someone elses intellectual property. As a result, users often pay for it. OSS, on the other hand, is a collaborative effort The software is shared intellectual property among all who have helped develop or alter it. Free Software Although the terms are often used interchangeably, OSS is slightly different from free software. Both deal with the ability to download and modify softwarewithout restriction or charge. However, free software- a concept developed in the 1980s by an MIT compute r science researcher, Richard Stallman- is defined by four conditions, as outlined by the nonprofit Free Software Foundation. behauptung four freedoms emphasize the ability of users to use and enjoy software as they see fit. In contrast, the OSS criteria, which the Open Source Initiative developed a decade later, place mora emphasis on the modification of software, and the consequences of altering source code, licensing, and distribution. The two overlap some would say the differences between OSS and free software are more philosophical than practical. However, neither should be confused with freeware. Freeware usually refers to proprietary software that users can download at no cost, but whose source code cannot be changed. Advantages While its lack of cost is a key advantage, OSS has several additional benefits Its quality can be easily and greatly improved when its source code is passed around, tested, and fixed.It offers a valuable learning opportunity for programmers. They can apply skills to the most popular programs available today.It can be more secure than proprietary software because bugs are identified and fixed quickly.Since it is in the public domain, and constantly subject to updates, there is little chance it can become unavailable or quickly outmoded- an important plus for long-term projects. Popular Types Open-source technologies helped establish much of the internet. Furthermore, many of the programs in use every day are based on open-source technologies. Cases in point Android OS and Apples OS X are based on the kernel and Unix/BSD open-source technologies, respectively. Other popular open-source software is Mozillas Firefox web browserThunderbird email clientPHP scripting languagePython programming languageApache HTTP web server Developers OSS projects are collaboration opportunities that improve skills and build connections in the field. Areas that developers can work on include Communication tools. Email, real-time messaging, forums, and wikis help developers to find solutions or bounce ideas off each other.Distributed revision control systems. When multiple developers in different geographical locations modify data and files, these systems manage the different versions and updates.Bug trackers and task lists. These features allow large-scale projects to monitor issues and keep track of their fixes.Testing and debugging tools. These features automate testing during system integration and debug other programs. The Bottom Line Open-source software is an alternative to proprietary software. Participating in an OSS project can be a pathway to building a career in software development, allowing programmers to hone their skills by working on the biggest software programs in the world. Facebook, Google, and LinkedIn all release OSS, so developers can share knowledge, innovate solutions, and contribute to stable, functional products.

How not to feel left out and alone at work

How not to feel left out and alone at workHow not to feel left out and alone at workWhen you start a new job, its natural to feel left out of the workplace camaraderie, especially as you try to break intothe office tribes.While its natural for you and your new colleagues to need some time to develop relationships, its easy to get impatient if you feel some degree of FOMO, or fear of missing out, as you self-consciously watch your peers sharing water-cooler chat and trading inside jokes.But youre not alone.Comparing your social circle to that of your peers is a fundamental philanthropisch tendency,according to a new studyinPersonality and Social Psychology Bulletin, in which researchers surveyed newly arrived college students and found that nearly half thought their peers had made mora friends than they did since coming to campus. In addition, the researchers found that feeling less popular or connected than your peers can have a significant negative impact on your happiness.Here are a few of the findings that stood out, plus tips for forging professional relationships when youre just starting out.What you think about your peers can impact how you feelMost people assume that other people have more friends than they do.Thats the conclusion of researchers from The University of British Columbia, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Business School,who found that nearly half of the 1,099 first-year college students they spoke to perceived those around them as having made more new friendships than they had.Students were asked to guess how many social acquaintances and close friends they thought their peers had created since school started in September, and were also asked to share how many acquaintances and friends theyd made.Nearly half - or 48% - of students thought other freshmen had made more close friends than themselves, compared to the 31% who thought they had made more than those around them.Two studies revealed that students consistently thought their peers had more friends and spent more time socializing than they themselves did. This misperception emerged regardless of whether students were thinking of an average peer or a specific individual friend or acquaintance, researchers found.The sense of feeling left out was even more acute when students thought about friends they hadnt seen in a week, leading researchers to conclude that subjects had a harder time determining their relative social status when they couldnt see their peers in action.The FOMO had a real effect on mental health, as students who believed that their peers were more socially connected reported lower well-being and belonging, researchersfound.We know the size of your social networks has a significant effect on happiness and wellbeingBut our research shows that even mere beliefs you have about your peers social networks has an impact on your happiness, said Ashley Whillans, researcher and assistant professor at Harvard Business School,.Frances Chen, the studys seni or author and assistant professor in the University of British Columbias department of psychology, added, ansicht feelings and perceptions are probably the strongest when people first enter a new social environment, but most of us probably experience them at some point in our lives.But even though being the new hire can be a lonely experience at first, there are ways to start fitting in.Make an effort to get to know your colleaguesStarting a new job often means navigating a maze of coworker cliques (real or imagined), while trying not to feel left outThe first thing to do is to introduce yourself to your new colleagues and make an effort to learn about them. Strive to do great work and figure out how your manager - and colleagues - operate as soon as possible and make yourself an asset to the team.Career planning expert Dawn Rosenberg McKay suggests spending your downtime at work striking up new friendships with new colleagues.Use your lunch hours to get together with your current co-workers. It may be tempting to meet up with your former work mates if you are nearby, but establishing relationships with your current ones is much more important, she wrotein an article for The Balance.In addition, take heart from the study findings. Researchers who tracked students sense of belonging and social connection found that within a few months of arrival, the same students who thought others had moderately more connections had made a greater amount of close friends and social acquaintances over the course of the year than those who thought others had many more connections than themselves.But try not to lose yourself while trying to make friends with others. Theres a line between being accommodating and turning into a people pleaser. Dont get so bogged down in what others think of you that it paralyzes you. Also, dont be a pushover- be friendly and open, but have a backbone.New managers, really listen to your reportsLets say youre trying to earn the respect of your ne w colleagues as a manager, rather than a peer. That can make for different kind of challenges, since the dynamic of power is more uneven.One way to develop ties to your new reports while adhering to healthy supervisor-employee boundaries is to think about what you can do to make their lives easier.How to find that out? Start bybeing a good listener.Ask them about their average work day, or what challenges theyre facing in getting their jobs done. Ask how you can help streamline their tasks. Hearing them out is a great way to earn trust and pave the way for you to move into a positive working relationship.Whether youre new or not, definitely slow down so you can connect with others in conversation.And when youve finally worked your way into being a member of the tribe dont forget to pay it forward to the next hire who might be in your shoes.

7 Ways to Break Out of a Creative Rut

7 Ways to Break Out of a Creative Rut7 Ways to Break Out of a Creative RutFeeling uninspired? It happens to the best of us. But heres the good news there are some proven ways to boost your brainpower (and your brainstorming ability) and break out of that creative rut.Check out this infographic for seven common roadblocks to creativity, and how to blast right through them.Home page photo of light bulb courtesy of Shutterstock. Infographic courtes of visual.ly.

What the In-Crowd Wont Tell You About Windows Resume Loader

What the In-Crowd Wont Tell You About Windows Resume Loader Application object is easily the most common kind of BCD object. To make sure that the safety it will check the user identifier to be sure it is indeed you. This generator can be found in all prominent languages used all around the world. Brief and clean as it might be, it has almost everything a video downloader requirements. Or youve just locate an ideal remedy to save YouTube videos in an effortless way. It is possible to always resume download at any moment. Your download isnt going to be restart anymore. NeoDownloader will let you download thousands of your favourite photos, audio and video files efficiently. The dialog enable you to get an extra control over the download. More than 190 standard websites are offered by this program. In fact, its not a program, its a Firefox plugin. The Meaning of Windows Resume Loader Windows 10 activator has been containing a good deal of exciting capabilities. If youre running Windows 8. If youre using Winlogon and include the settings in the UI Core component youre going to be in a position to hibernate via the beginning menu. That means you can see stahlkammer Mode is extremely practical characteristic of Windows OS. The new boot loader architecture is a superb instance of this methodology since it presents an entirely new means of booting up the Windows operating system which is both quicker and more secure. Additionally, the difficult drive partitions have to be formatted with the NTFS file system. The MBR is a part of code that resides in the very first sectors of the difficult drive and starts the boot loader. Top Choices of Windows Resume Loader When youre writing a warehouse resume, here are a few important guidelines that you must follow. Within this format, make certain you include an obvious history of chronological work. Functional format should only be used whenever you are changing the fields, and youre quite certain about t he skills-oriented format will display your skills to your benefit. Dont forget to stay informed about your professional improvement Obviously, there are occasions where you might want to do an entire shutdown for instance, if youre opening the system to add or change some hardware. Both refer to exactly the same error thats causing your PC to fail to begin. This is advised to stop future errors such as this. As an example, be sure to concentrate on your achievements. Whatever They Told You About Windows Resume Loader Is Dead Wrong...And Heres Why Totally free YouTube Download is among the most popular and well known YouTube downloader applications on the online today. In general, half of all users shut down their machines in distribution policy of putting them to sleep. As everyone probably knows, theres a whole lot of sites with lots of of pictures, music and movies. Ideas, Formulas and Shortcuts for Windows Resume Loader Briefly, encryption is essentially the procedure f or making any data unreadable by anyone without proper authorization. On way you are able to safeguard your data is by employing encryption. You may get rid of a password only once you configure a new system of authentication. As stated by the message youve posted I suspect this may be because of the recent changes made if any. In this is your case, it is possible to still utilize encryption, but you will have to use the Local Group Policy Editor to enable extra authentication at startup. Press Enter and watch for the procedure to complete. To allow a column, you need to check the corresponding check box for the essential column. See our disclosure policy for additional information. Windows Resume Loader Fundamentals Explained So it is going to give you the ideal enjoyment and enjoyable atmosphere. This table lists the conventional application types, together with their associated numerical price. After a couple of seconds, it will reveal to you several choices to choose d epending upon your needs on the file size and video quality. Click Next to begin the color calibration. XDM is extremely easy to install and simple to use with many capabilities. A number of other features will improve the total functioning of your computer system. This loader provides you with the resized expanded display with full-screen.

How do I get over my fear of public speaking

How do I get over my fear of public speaking How Do I Get Over My Fear Of Public Speaking?Posted September 10, 2013, by Career FAQs team I have a fear of public speaking and feel like its holding me back in my career. How can I get over it? Pat, 35, Account Manager This is one of the most common fears around and its great that you want to do something about it. There are many ways to improve your ability to speak in public and the first step is to confront your fear. The important thing is to use any opportunity to speak that arises rather than avoid it, and start with small steps, such as offering a trinkspruch at dinner or asking a question at a meeting. Here are some strategies to help you get started Join a public speaking group Enrolling in a public speaking group like Toastmasters can really help get the ball rolling. Check out the Toastmasters website to learn more and find your nearest location. The best thing about groups like this is that youll meet people who are in the same boat as you, who will understand and support you, as well as inspire you. Most importantly, there will be experienced public speakers on hand to guide and encourage you and give you constructive feedback. Prepare When it comes to public speaking, preparation is key. The more prepared you are, the more confident you will be. You need to know your material inside out, but avoid falling into the trap of trying to remember everything youre going to say word-for-word. Visual aids such as PowerPoint slides can be useful and help to divert the audiences focus away from you. Im all for using visual aids but be careful not to lose your connection with the audience the focus should still be on you. The ultimate goal of your preparation should be greater engagement with your audience. Practise Practise delivering your presentation in front of a mirror, practice with a friend who will give you honest feedback, and even go as far as recording yourself. You might be surprised to find that even though you feel incredibly nervous on the inside, your nerves are not nearly as visible as you think they are. You actually need to practice acting confident stick out your chest, put your shoulders back and stand tall. Just this small adjustment to your posture can make a world of difference to how you feel. The more you practice, the more you will improve and then the more confident you will feel. Chart your progress Your fear of public speaking will not disappear overnight. It will take time but its important to set yourself small goals and celebrate your achievements and progress along the way. Every time you make a presentation, reflect on what you could have done better, but also recognise what you did well and what you improved upon. Overcoming your fear of public speaking will help you in your career, enabling you to develop a vital employability skill that will help you on the road to professional success while also giving your confidence a massive boost so its worth the effort. Public speaking is a skill that can be learned, and like any new skill it just takes practice and perseverance. Jo Messer is a Career Development Specialist who has many years of experience in supporting and guiding students and graduates of some of Australias most respected universities, as well as mature-aged clients, across all facets of their career. She is a Professional Member of CDAA and an active member of NAGCAS. Whether you have a specific question about how to achieve your career goal or something more general, Jo is available to provide you with up-to-date advice. ResourcesMy first resumeCover letter for my first jobCareer Insider StoriesShelley Lask - Body Positive Health & FitnessInterested in becoming a?Human Resources OfficerGeneral ManagerBusiness ManagerAccountantOffice AdministratorPopular Career Searcheseffective oral and written communication skillsattention to detail skillsdefine communication skills11 top tips for effective time managementhow to demonstrate high literacy and numeracy skills CoursesBachelor of Social WorkEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Health AdministrationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Criminal JusticeEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Allied Health AssistanceEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCareer FAQs teamRelated ArticlesBrowse moreStimulate your career juices at the Good Food & Wine ShowIf you are fascinated by all things gastronomic, then you cant miss this weekends Good Food & Wine Show at Sydneys Convention & Exhibition Centre.EducationHealthAustralias healthiest career pathWe break down the top-employing categories of health care and social assistance so you know where the jobs are.AU Labour LawsGraduatesAre You Being Conned? The Truth About InternshipsUnpaid internships are fast becoming commonplace, but should we really be so willing to offer our labour for free? Molly finds out how to identify if your internship has crossed the line from experience to exploitati on.

Video Printing a High Performance Fuel Nozzle

Video Printing a High Performance Fuel Nozzle Video Printing a High Performance Fuel Nozzle Video Printing a High Performance Fuel NozzleDesign engineers at GE Aviation say they plan on using 3D printing for the manufacture of high performance parts on a new jet engine. In this video report, a lead engineer, Joshua Mook, explains how he took on the challenge of designing an improved fuel nozzle for the LEAP engine. Mooks design optimizes fuel and air mixing with tiny, complex channels that cannot be made with conventional machine tools. Engineering manager fruchtmark Shaw, who has responsibility for developing a manufacturing pipeline for the nozzle, describes how his team realized they could print in one piece what would have been 20 parts in a conventional nozzle. Additive Manufacturing pioneer Greg Morris, whose company was recently bought by GE Aviation, is also featured in this report. Morris describes a key advance in the 3D printing of metal parts. The LEAP engine is a joint venture between GE Aviation and Frances Snecma.Produced, directed and written by Roger Torda, ASME Public Information. The copyright of this program is owned by ASME.

This is the fashion item youll be seeing all over your office this summer

This is the fashion item youll be seeing all over your office this summerThis is the fashion item youll be seeing all over your office this summerFashion month is over, and a curious garment was all over the runways, as ManRepeller has noted shawls. They were on the catwalks of Vivienne Westwood, Sies Marjan, Louis Vuitton, and more draped and tossed around the neck and shoulders in a variety of glamorous ways.If you think about it, shawls are just the extension of the now-grubby giant blanket scarves weve been wearing all winter. (Its time to dry-clean those things)Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWhich has us thinking its almost time to shed coats, and after that, endure air-conditioner season in cold offices. Shawls suddenly look like the chic and effortless alternative to the frumpy office cardigan or sweater draped over the back of the chair. Remember pashminas?The new crop of shawls are so much cooler, designed in a variety of prints or sherbert-colored styles.Whether your vibe is Stevie Nicks (who says she has a temperature-controlled shawl vault), Martha Stewart, or straight-up Paris fashion, know that youre more fashionable than a sweater when casually drape yourself in a shawl this summer, which will let you go from swanning into meetings to braving the A.C.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

If you want to become an influential thought leader, live by these 3 principles

If you want to become an influential thought leader, live by these 3 principlesIf you want to become an influential thought leader, live by these 3 principlesI live my life by a few very basic principlesIf you only focus on how much you can give, you never have to worry about who takes and doesnt give back.There is no sense in debating the strategy of something unless the ship is already moving (You cant steer a stationary ship).You arebothwhat you say you are and what you do on a daily basis.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreIn short I care far more about the process than I do the destination. Because Ive learned there is no destination to begin with unless a process is inmotion.When it comes to marketing and messaging, these basic principles dont adjustmuchIf you only focus on how much you can give, the less youll have to sell.There is no sense in debating the strategy of someth ing unless the ship is already moving (You cant steer a stationary ship).You arebothwhat you say you are and what you do on a daily basis.Ive built a career for myself explaining these principles to otherpeopleWhen I first started writing onQuorawhen I was 22 years old, fresh out of college, my only intention was to write things people wanted to read.My dream was to become a successful author.In the process, I learned the art of writing things people want to read is actually an extremely valuable and versatile skill set. Its the reason why, at 27 years old, Ive found myself with a seat at the table. I am constantly the youngest person in the room. I am never (not by alargemargin) the wealthiest person at the dinner. I spend more time talking to people whose net worths are north of $50 million than I do my own 20-something peers thats just the nature of working exclusively with C-suite executives and successful serial entrepreneurs.Principle 1 for me is to give 100x more than I ask i nreturnThis has stabbed me in the back a number of times.Ive had people steal my work word-for-word and put their name on it. Ive had people offer mutually-beneficial partnerships where they extracted as much value as possible without giving anything in return. Ive had people ask for my help with a handshake and a promise that theyd return the favor and then went MIA. Ive had people sign contracts with me, only to pretend like they never existed.But those wounds pale in comparison to the opportunities Ive gained as a result. By giving, and giving, and giving, for everytwoof those unfortunate circumstances there aretwo hundredother positive results.Someone stole my work. Sucks.Lots and lots and lots of other people saw my work, loved it, and paid me handsomely to do the same for them.Someone didnt return the favor. Sucks.This morning I woke up to 5 inbound consulting emails, 2 referral emails, and a new client.If you want to become a thought leader in yur industry, this is just part of the game. Its the people who spend (waste) more time counting their losses and chasing down old promises that lose sight of the next they need to take. And its the people who are so afraid to give, that probably dont have much worthwhile to give in the first place.Principle 2, You cant steer a stationary shipThe worst mistake a writer can make is to sit there brainstorming, tapping his or her pen on the desk, refusing to put down the first word.Because any good writer knows the moment that first word comes out, oh well then the second one goes there, and the third one comes next, and well what if we changed the second word so then we could use this fourth word and so on, and so forth.Thats because nobody brainstorms a novel. Just like nobody brainstorms a great product or service or company. Building anything requires doing, and then reflecting. Doing, then reflecting.As a mentor of mine used to say, Brainstorming is like mental masturbation. It feels good, but does it really get you anywhere?The vast majority of advertising and public relations firms like to position themselves as strategy experts. Everybody loves being the strategist. Its way more fun to sit at a table and brainstorm really great ideas, show up, wave your hands around and paint verbal pictures of a betterfuture, and then close out the presentation with, Now you just have to find someone to execute it.I find that entire charade to be an incredible waste of time.You know at the end ofThe Big Shortwhen Mark Baum asks, How much bigger is the market for ensuring mortgage bonds than actual mortgages?Thats pretty much advertising in a nutshell. People would much rather direct traffic than drive themselves (lots of wordplay in that sentence).Whenever a client asks me, Whats our strategy? my response is, Start with a few broad topics, and go from there.Some people dont trust this process. I honestly dont know any other way.Going back to 22-year-old Cole writing on Quora, I didnt sit down that firs t day and said, Heres how this is all going to play out.Not even close.I sat down. Wrote my first Answer. Scrunched my face because it wasnt my favorite. Forced me to hit Publish anyway. Went to sleep unsure of what I had written. And then woke up the next day and did it all over again.900+ Quora Answers,400+ Inc Magazine columns,a book, and hundreds of guest blogs later, and Im the 27-year-old they bring in when they want their companys message not to get lost in the noise. And the reason people trust me when I say, The strategy is to start and adjust from there, is because I writeevery single day. My body of work online is a testament to my unique approach.Which is why I tell people all the time, if they want to become an influential voice in their industry, you cant just sit there and think youre going to have it all figured out before you start. At best, pinpoint a 30,000-foot goal, work backward to come up with some general concepts, and then begin.Principle 3 You are both what you say you are and what you do on a dailybasisOver the past 5 years, I have turned well over 100 people into industry thought leaders.These are people who came to me everyone from peers and friends, up to C-level executives and wanted to know, How do I build a personal brand, similar to what youve built for yourself?Going back to Principle 1 here, Im going to give you the same Answer I tell anyone and everyone.Its a pretty simpleprocessWhat do you know? What are you an expert in?How do you know what you know? What taught you? Who taught you? What was a moment in time where you learned that lesson?Say those two things, over and over again.The people who really listen when I share this advice with them have gone on to see the exact sameresults.They started writing regularly on Quora and/or Medium.They changed their bio to say,This is who I am and this is exactly what I do.They started writing from a place of experience, sharing both what they know andhowthey learned it.Ive watched a nd helped people take this advice, put it into practice, and rack up millions of views on their content. Ive watched them get republished by major publications. Ive watched them become advisors on massively successful projects. Ive watched them make huge leaps in their careers, all because they claimed their land and trusted the process.I have more emails than I can count from people who have read something Ive written, applied it to their own messaging, and seen its impact.Now, heres what happened to the people who failed tolistenFor every one of these success stories is a whole handful of people that want the shortcut.They want their first article to go viral (it wont).They want every article to include the phrase,and thats why we created our amazing patent-pending product that is revolutionizing this 1000 milliarden dollar industry.(nobody cares that statement doesnt add value to the reader)They want to know how they can get more press (if you trust the process this happens on it s own).They dont want to share anything personal but they want to stand out(thats like saying you want people to see your light but dont want it to be dark outside).They want all the big, shiny results, but only want to put out a few pieces of content (even Richard Branson and Elon Musk have to stay active on social media to stay relevant).This is precisely why I sayYou are both what you say you are and what you do on a daily basis.Imitation thought leaders are really great at the first part of that sentenceThey pay a PR firm to make sure columnists are saying incredible things about them (Enter CEO Name, who has been amazing for over 20 years.)Their website is covered in self-promotional copy devoid of any substance as tohowthey actually do what they doWe build meaningful partnerships between like-minded consumers and synergistic partners.(Whatever that means)They pump out content rigorously sculpted by an internal communications team that doesabsolutely nothingfor a reader except push the companys agenda.But real thought leaders know their priority should always be on the second part of Principle 3- and what you do on a daily basis.You cant expect a press piece to move the needle very much if the columnist is talking about what a powerful voice you are in your industry, only for a reader toGoogleyour name and find a bunch of empty social profiles or worse, nothing at all.You cant expect people to be vertrauenswrdig to you and your words if you arent loyal to them and their desire to learn something from you on a regular basis.You cant expect an ad to make someone sit back in their chair and say to themselves, Wow, I really agree with that. I need to reach out to them. I need to work with this person.I dont run ads. I dont have a PR firm.And yet, the exact type of person I want to work with shows up in my inbox on a daily, or at least weekly basis. How they found themselves writing me an email wasnt because I tricked them into a funnel, or I had someone else talk about how great I am. They reached out to me because of pieces like this, where I shared 1) what I know, and 2) how I learned it and the message resonated with them.Ive been shouting these things from the rooftops since Day1If you only focus on how much you can give, you never have to worry about who takes and doesnt give back.There is no sense in debating the strategy of something unless the ship is already moving (You cant steer a stationary ship).You arebothwhat you say you are and what you do on a daily basis.Becoming a thought leader, working with the people you truly want to work with, attracting an audience, attracting the right kind of attention, even building a business around yourself isnt rocket science.Its just, in order to do it well, you have to be willing to do 3 things most human beings struggle to do in their everyday livesFocus on giving more than worrying about who is going to take and not give back.Trust the process and get to work before you fully understa nd the destination.Do it on a regular (daily) basis.Thats it.This article first appeared on Medium.