Of course, there is always time for a business conference call or a “quick” meeting with your boss. Even if you have important work to do, what they need always takes precedence. I once had a boss who would come to my desk about 10 minutes before I was expecting to leave and give me daily assignments. Why he couldn’t do it in the morning I’ll never know, but it was one of the most frustrating experiences I’ve ever had to deal with!

For me, I just combine bathroom and talking breaks. Even just 5 minutes of talking to someone, making plans, talking about your day or whatever else you want to get off your mind can help rejuvenate you. If you do this twice a day, you can split your day up into 4 two-hour segments, which definitely helps make the time go by faster.

For those that don’t get blocked from certain websites and those that have their own offices, using Google’s chat or phone calling feature or free conference call tools can be really great. Remember the days when every long-distance call cost like 10 cents per minute? No more! Now you can get teleconferencing from a number of sites and never pay a penny to write, call, or see the people you love.

How do you handle business calls at work?

So I chose this particular book because the author, John Maxwell, is known as the leadership guru. As such, I’m interested to hear what he has to say about connecting with others. Here’s what I’ve learned.

Why Should We Connect?

Simply put, people can’t succeed in life without communicating effectively. And good communication is all about connecting. To connect, we must identify and relate to people in a way that increases our influence with them.

How Do We Connect Better?

Here are five actions we can take.

Find Common Ground

All great relationships are built on common values. This common ground must be discovered, and that takes time. So be available to others. Move into their world and search for something in their background that relates to yours.

Keep It Simple

I used to think that using big words would make me sound smarter and more sophisticated. But if people need a dictionary to understand you, then you’re not connecting!

Educators take the simple and make it complicated, while communicators take the complicated and make it simple.

Create An Enjoyable Experience For Everyone

To hold people’s interest, you should seek to be the kind of communicator you would like to hear. Some of the qualities found in good communicators are warmness, honesty, creativity, and a sense of humor.

Inspire People

Believe the best about people. People usually respond to the expectations set by others.

But don’t just help them feel good. Understanding will change your mind. Action will change your life. Call people to action and give them a game plan.

Live What You Communicate

Over time, the way you live outweighs the words you use. Know who you are, and who you’re not. We all have strengths and weaknesses. Perfection is a mask.

And deliver on your promises. Making commitments creates hope. Keeping commitments creates trust.

How Can You Tell When You’ve Connected With Others?

Here are some signs:

• People give extra effort,
• People express unsolicited appreciation,
• People demonstrate unguarded openness, and
• Positive energy is created when they’re together.

My Thoughts

Reading this, I realize that it’s my responsibility to make sure I’m connecting with others. I’m far from an expert, so I need to be the kind of person others would like to spend time with.

The good thing about Everyone Communicates, Few Connect is that there are questions at the end of each chapter to help you reflect on your current ability to connect. And of course, there are also tips to help you get better at it.

Have you read this book? How would you describe your ability to connect?

But how many of us are actually that confident?

Having applied and interviewed for numerous jobs in my career, I know there’s a lot for me to learn to become a good interviewer. Why? Because I didn’t get most of those jobs!

If you’re anything like me, the interview can be a nerve-wracking experience. Nonetheless, if you want the job, you need to go through it.

So while I’m far from an expert at interviewing, here are some things I’ve learned that can help you get the job.

Pick The Right Day And Time

If you’re allowed to choose the day, avoid Monday mornings and Friday afternoons. On Monday, people are still talking about their weekends and getting ready for the new week. On Friday, they’re thinking about the weekend and getting ready to leave the office.

As for time, choose a morning appointment between 9 am and 11 am. Before 9 am, the interviewers may not have let the coffee sink in yet. After 11 am, they might be hungry and be thinking about lunch.

If this time frame doesn’t work, the next best is between 2 pm and 4pm. Before 2 pm, they might still be full from lunch and have yet to settle back into their work. After 4 pm, interviewers may rush through the interview so they can leave on time.

So Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday before 11 am is ideal.

Show Up On Time

It’s said that 80% of success is just showing up. If that’s true, maybe 80% of failure is NOT showing up. Once you’ve setup the interview time, they’ll give you the address of the company. Put it into your GPS -  if you have one – or find it using Google Maps and get a printout. You won’t nail the interview if you don’t show up!

But being on time actually means being there 10 to 15 minutes before the interview. Arrive at the location early, but go to the interview on time. This will give you time to check your appearance in the restroom, and to relax and mentally prepare.

Don’t Discuss Salary Or Benefits Yet

They’re probably aware that what you really want to know about is pay, benefits, and vacation time. But don’t bring up these questions at the outset. First, show them what you can do for the company – convince them that you’re the right person for the job.

Once you do get an offer, then you can begin negotiating salary and talking about extra perks. After all, you can’t negotiate more vacation time if you haven’t even been offered the job.

Ask Questions

Translated literally, the word “interview” comes from a Latin word that means to “consider between.” This implies that the interview is a two-way conversation.

It’s not enough to just answer their questions. To really stand out, ask the interviewer a few questions when you have the opportunity.

People who ask questions appear brighter and more interested. Here are some examples:

• What qualities are you looking for in the right person for this position?
• What is the most important issue for the new hire to tackle?
• What criteria are used to evaluate and promote employees?
• What kind of professional development programs are available to help me grow?

What are some other tips you have for performing well during the job interview?

Compare this with Amish businesses, which have a remarkable 95% success rate. In other words, their history of success is almost double the rate of the rest of the country.

I’m just fascinated by that statistic!

What’s their secret? What are they doing that the rest of America isn’t? Here are things about them that we can learn from, which I learned from Amish Enterprise: From Plows to Profits.

Work Hard

Yeah, we’ve all heard this before. But Amish business owners regularly work 50-60 hour workweeks. One furniture maker noted, “If I worked from nine to four and then watched TV the rest of the evening, I wouldn’t make it.”

But work ethic alone doesn’t create their success. They derive a deep sense of meaning from their work that is distinct from most of America. To them, work is a spiritual activity, and essentially a way of life. Work defines the use of their time, not vice versa.

At the same time, they don’t overdo it. Work is kept in its proper perspective by observing a sacred day of rest. Sundays are spent attending church and visiting friends.

Get Lots Of Experience

Growing up on a farm has been a great resource for the Amish to develop business skills. There, they manage inventories of animals, equipment, and engage in the commodity markets of milk and seed.

Through these responsibilities, they develop self-reliance and problem-solving skills. As one farmer put it, “On a farm you have to be a mechanic, an accountant, and a vet. You’ve got to do it all.”

Though the Amish stop formal schooling after the eighth grade, this hasn’t hindered their business success. Ironically, it’s been a strength. After schooling, the Amish learn on the job and work gradually into business. In this way, they have a head start on the rest of the country. Early apprenticeship is the optimal form of business training.

Keep Costs Down

Amish businesses have remarkably low overhead. Since they value modesty and frugality, business offices are unadorned and store signs are hand-lettered to cut costs.

Owners don’t have enormous expense accounts to attend costly conventions, nor do they sport high-priced clothing. Offices don’t have posh chairs and ornate furniture to drain their profits.

And few businesses hire full-time clerical help. Most Amish owners multitask by managing their own books part-time.

With schooling ending after the eighth grade, they can subtract the costs of college. And by living the simple life, expensive vacations and other modern “necessities” also aren’t a part of their budget. Instead, they focus on a family-centered, slower-paced life that costs less.

Look For Help, And Be Of Help

Amish business owners both give help and get help. With the few businesses that do struggle, assistance from the community is available to guide the struggling business back to profitability. Families spring into action to provide capital, mentoring, and labor.

Successful business owners are happy to give back by extending low-interest loans to beginning entrepreneurs. “I’ve had enough help in my years getting started that I like helping other people with what they’re doing,” said one manufacturer.

This spirit of mutual aid increases the likelihood of success and lessens the chances of failure.

Start Small, But Take Action

Amish business owners usually start on small budgets, using personal savings and limited debt. Their keys to stable growth are slow expansion and demanding work. They dismiss get-rich-quick schemes and shortcuts to success.

History in farming taught them to invest time and energy upfront, and then to wait for the harvest.

After deciding to start, they enter the marketplace with little more than a willingness to learn. Rather than pursuing an MBA, they consult with experienced family, neighbors, and other Amish business owners.

In regards to starting a business, a grandfather counseled, “Don’t talk about it, just start right in and get to work.”

Be Resourceful

Restrictions on the use of technology may seem like another hindrance to success. But this has forced the Amish to develop ingenuity, turning this weakness into an opportunity.

One Amish farmer saw such an opportunity with a waterwheel that produced erratic power because of uneven speeds. He built an improved model using aluminum paddle blades and a driveshaft with universal joints. The new wheel uses less water and provides more power.

No Politics At Work

With small Amish businesses, there’s little hierarchy. Distinctions between labor and management are few.

A machinery manufacturer will spend his days painting finished pieces and doing quality control alongside his employees. Working together this way builds camaraderie and enhances communication. Negative vibes that often permeate labor-management relations are minimal in Amish businesses.

Why do you think the Amish are so successful in business? Are there any things you can take away from the Amish and incorporate into your business or life?

This post was included in the June 13, 2010 edition of the Corporate Vigilance blog carnival and the July 24, 2010 edition of the Christian Finance Blog Carnival at ChristianPF.

How do you decide if working overtime is worth it? It may not be an easy decision to make. Here are some factors to consider when arriving at a decision.

Pay

This is probably the most important factor. How do you know if you get paid to work overtime? Find out if you’re an exempt or non-exempt employee.

If you’re non-exempt, you’ll get paid for overtime. And not only do you get paid for those extra hours, but it’s at a rate of one and a half (1.5) times hour hourly wage. Not a bad deal at all.

If you’re exempt, then unfortunately you’re not entitled to overtime pay.

Purpose Of The Extra Money

If you do get paid for working overtime, do you need the extra money? What would you do with it?

Treat yourself to something nice? Pay off debt? Build up an emergency savings account? Invest for the future?

From reading Your Money Or Your Life, you know that you trade your time and energy for money. If you don’t need the money, maybe you could decline the overtime and put that extra time to better use. What about strengthening your relationships with family and friends? Getting more exercise? Working on a side-business?

Family

If you have a family, consider their input. How will they respond to your decision to work overtime?

Will they be okay with having less time to hang out with you, doing some of the things you usually do together after work? Things such as preparing dinner? Helping the kids with homework? Taking care of the parents?

If you can talk through these issues and come to a resolution that everyone feels good about, then working overtime won’t have a negative effect on your family life.

Health

Do you think the extra hours will have an adverse effect on your health? I did a Google search on working overtime, and some of the top results showed reports that working overtime may be harmful to your heart.

Personally, I can’t say I truly know how stressful working overtime could be, because I don’t like working any longer than 40 hours a week!!!

Could added stress lead to more doctor visits? Could this in turn lead to bigger doctor’s bills, and thus throw away the extra money you just earned?

Time

How much overtime are they asking you to work? How long is it expected to last? If you can get clear expectations from your boss, this may help you in reaching your decision.

Perhaps five extra hours a week for a month or two is okay for you. On the other hand, ten extra hours a week for three months may not be worth it to you.

Opportunity

Maybe this is a chance to build up your list of accomplishments. Could this lead to better opportunities in the future? When your review comes up, could you point to the extra work you completed as a reason to deserve a raise?

What other factors would affect your decision to work overtime? How would you respond if you were asked to work overtime?

This article was included in the Carnival of Personal Finance during the week of May 24, 2010. Check out Adam’s Money Relationship blog for a variety of great articles!

Fortunately, since then I’ve learned a few things about salary negotiation. And while I’m no expert at it, I was able to use some of the techniques in this book to get a higher salary in my current position than what was originally budgeted. So if you’re not an expert either, learning some of these techniques may help you too.

Five Rules Of Salary Negotiation

Rule #1 – When To Discuss It

The best moment to talk about salary with your employer is when they decide they want you. So postpone salary negotiations until you’ve been offered the job. When you’re asked what salary you’re looking for, say something like this:

I’m sure we can come to a good salary agreement if I’m the right person for the job, so let’s first agree on whether I am.

Or:

I understand that you want to be sure you can afford me, and I won’t require a salary out of line with the job. But it’s a principle of mine not to discuss salary yet, because it can throw us off track. What’s really important is whether I’m right for the job and what I can produce for you.

Rule #2 – Let Them Go First

Once you’ve been offered the job, let them state the salary first. Here’s why:

If you go first and your figure is too high and out of their budget, you’ll lose the job.

If your number is too low, you may also lose the job. Since salary is related to your level of responsibility, they may think you’re underqualified. Or if your number is within their budgeted range, you may get the job but lose out on a few thousand dollars. (If you state that you require $32,000 per year, and they budgeted $35,000, you’d lose $3,000 per year!)

To influence them to go first, say something like:

I’m sure you have something budgeted for this position. What range did you have in mind?

Or:

I have some idea of the market, but for a moment let’s start with your range.

Rule #3 – Your First Response

Once you hear their exact figure or range, repeat that figure or the top of the range, then be quiet. Have a contemplative tone in your voice when you speak, then count to 30 in your head and think. This forces them to reconsider your quality and the return you’d make on their investment.

While thinking, compare their number with your research of what the job should pay (which you do before the interview). Two websites that can help you determine your market value are jobstar.org and salary.com.

Rule #4 – Counter Their Offer With Your Researched Response

Your mindset should be to get your top figure in a way that the employer thinks is fair. If the offer is too low, say something like this:

Thirty thousand dollars. I appreciate your offer, Mr. Employer. And, I’d love to work here. And I’m sure you want to pay me a compensation that is fair and will keep me committed and productive, right? Well, from my research, I estimate that positions like this for someone with my qualifications are paying in the range of X to Y thousand dollars. What can you do in that range?

Now you’re ready to continue an honest discussion to reach a common ground. Even if negotiating leads nowhere, you still have the original job offer that you can take or turn down.

Rule #5 – Cinch The Deal, Then Deal Some More

After coming to an agreement on salary, you can now move on to negotiating benefits and other perks. The first thing to explore is a salary review. To do this, you should say something like:

While my starting salary is important, I’m also very interested in the future, since I expect to work here for quite some time. In six months, when we review my performance, will it be on my demonstrated worth, or just a mechanical procedure?

If you are in sales, an important item to consider is your commission rate. If your work involves new-account generation, you should negotiate a residual commission on those accounts. The rationale behind this is that the reward for selling the account belongs to you. If you leave the company and the account is maintained, part of the income should still be yours for awhile. Don’t get cheated out of your commissions when you leave. A common misfortune in negotiating sales commissions is not being clear about what happens when you leave the company.

Even if you’re not in sales, negotiating a performance bonus is a win-win way of earning more money. You can pose an open-ended question to your employer, such as:

Let’s consider setting up a special bonus to encourage excellent performance. Can you think of a workable one?

And last but not least, if you can’t increase your salary, try to reduce the time. Negotiate vacation, personal days, or hours worked per week. To do this, first ask what the company’s policies are. Then frame your request in a way to help you be more productive on the job. You can say:

I usually throw myself so entirely into my work that I need a few breaks during the year to recharge. I’d like X weeks of vacation.

Final Thoughts

To keep this post relatively short, I’ve only covered the basics of salary negotiation. But this is a great book that covers many other situations that come up when discussing salary, such as how to handle applications that require your salary history, and negotiating stock options. Not only does it describe some of those common situations we go through, but it also shows specific examples of how to respond in a way that is in your favor.

If you want more information, you can check out Jack’s website, which has some additional free resources. If you’d like to purchase a copy, you can get one here.

Did you negotiate salary in your current position? Are there other techniques not mentioned here that helped you get a higher salary? Share them below.