4 Steps to Figure Out Workplace Culture Before Applying

4 Steps to Figure Out Workplace Culture Before Applying4 Steps to Figure Out Workplace Culture Before ApplyingTo get started, try these strategies for figuring out companys workplace culture before applying1. Make use of social media.Getting to know a company is like getting to know a person. What would you do before a blind date? Probably search on social media to see what you can find. Same applies here, says Majja Dennis, executive vice president of talent and development at Allen Gerritsen. She suggests checking out the company on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and the like to see how it talks about itself. While its certainly a public face, its not going to be wildly different than the private one.The content of posts can provide interesting information, such as company involvement in local literacy efforts or that it now offers employees standing desks. But dont neglect subtle insight. Tone can convey the type of image the employer wishes to project, and pictures can offer clues about everything from staff diversity to office dress code.2. Dig around for information.Continue yur online detective work with thoughtful consideration of the companys website. Mission statements, employee profiles, the our culture section, and blog entries can be helpful. Then, do a Google search on its name to find items such as press releases, customer complaints and kudos, and news events. Repeat the search with the word culture after the name.3. Seek firsthand information about the workplace culture.If you know someone who works at the place of interest, ask as many questions as possible. Explore your LinkedIn network for potential connections. (Past employees can be particularly helpful as they may feel freer to respond truthfully.)Several websites specialize in company reviews by current and former employees, and workplace culture is often a popular topic. See what you can find on Glassdoor, Vault, or CareerLeak.4. Reflect on the potential match.Finally, ponder how what youve discovered fits with your personality and needs.In order to know what youre looking for, you first have to know what YOU value, Dennis says. If steady hours are your thing, then a comment like Work hard, play hard to describe a culture should be a watch-out. If you are looking for a place that celebrates individuality and unique contributions, a social presence that highlights individual contributors over constant company-focused content sends you a great signal.If you have qualms based on what youve discovered, it might be worth pursuing more information before applying (or shifting efforts elsewhere). But if you catch yourself saying this place sounds like me, chances are youve found a place where you could thriveReaders, what steps do you take to figure out a companys workplace culture before applying or interviewing? Share your tips with us belowCheck Out the Top 100 Companies with Remote Jobs

Jump Out of the No-Pile and Onto the Call-Back List

Jump Out of the No-Pile and Onto the Call-Back ListJump Out of the No-Pile and Onto the Call-Back ListWhen youre competing against so many other talented job landseekers, its hard to have the confidence that helps you get the job. And while plenty of other candidates will spend as much time as you carefully crafting their application letters and rsums, others will sloppily send them out to every job that interests them. With a little extra attention to detail, you can better position yourself to move to the call-back list.1. Use words from the job description. When you write your application letter, carefully reread the job description and pull out points you can make in your letter that relate to what the company is looking for. Do the same for your rsum. Hiring managers may not even notice if you use similar verbiage as the job description, but theyll like your application better if the language is familiar. For example, if the description asks for someone with extensive experience managing teams, mention that and highlight your experience to show this off on your rsum.2. Keep your ear to the ground. Dont let the job description from a company be your only knowledge of the brand. See what the company is saying on social media and search for news online. This will give you a bigger picture of whats happening at a company where you want to apply to work. That knowledge can help you look sharp in an interview.3. Tweak your online brand. Since you know employers will Google you to see what youve got going on online, its in your best interest to make sure whats out there puts you in a positive light. Keep a steady stream of content on your personal/professional blog to show youre tapped into your industry, and keep your social updates professional enough to not turn off a hiring manager.4. Get out there. Meeting people at networking events can work wonders. Start by connecting with people on LinkedIn, then see what types of events they attend. Find a way to introd uce yourself, then start building the relationship.5. Volunteer. Not every company is hiring much this year, so one way to get your foot in the door is to volunteer or intern with the company or an organization with which its associated. For example, if you know a company has strong ties to the local Humane Society, helping out there might be a way to meet people you need to know.6. Stay on top of job listings. Yes, looking at job boards every day makes your eyes cross. But you never know when the one will pop up. Keep up with which jobs youve already applied for so you can easily see which ones are new and worth exploring. Use the email subscription features to be alerted for new posts in your area of interest.7. Make friends with recruiters. Recruiters often know about jobs you wont see online, so keep your information updated with those that work in your industry. Let them know youre actively looking so they can keep you on their short list.8. Be patient in the follow-up. Whether youre anxious to find out if the human resources manager has reviewed your rsum, or youre waiting to hear if you got the job post-interview, its tempting to call too soon to follow up. Follow up to thank everyone for their time and reiterate your interest and then let the company come back to you. If you got the job, theyll let you know. Its very important to show your interest, but bugging them every day for a decision wont make anything speed up.9. Ask around. You never know who might know who is connected to a great opportunity, so put the word out with your friends and social circles that youre looking. It might end up being a friend of a friend of a friend who helps you find your job.10. Give it time. Finding a job takes longer these days, so prepare to put in enough effort to make it happen. Dont give up. Also dont wait until you quit your current job to start looking. Plan as far out as possible to give yourself plenty of time to find the right job.Lindsay Olson is a foundin g partner and public relations recruiter with Paradigm Staffing and Hoojobs.com, a niche job board for public relations, communications, and social media jobs. She blogs at LindsayOlson.com, where she discusses recruiting and job search issues.

Cotton Candy Inspires New Nanofiber Process

Cotton Candy Inspires New Nanofiber Process Cotton Candy Inspires New Nanofiber Process Most nanofibers are manufactured using a process called electrospinning, where a high-voltage charge of electricity blasts into a droplet of polymer liquid, resulting in the formation of long polymer strands. Although this process works fairly well, drawbacks include low production rates, the need to use high-voltage electricity, and limited control over fiber orientation, which makes it hard to produce consistent, three-dimensional structures.Kit Parker, a mechanical engineer and biomedical engineer at Harvard Universitys School of Engineering and Applied Science, wanted to find a better way to produce nanofibers for one of his fields of interestconstructing miniaturized scaffolds for tissue growth.His review of manufacturing methods led him to rotary jet spinninga simpler and more effective solution than electrospinning. Rotary jet spinning uses a rotating drum and nozzlejust like a cotton candy machine. Parker discovered that by feeding polymer material into a repositorium attached to a motor and then spinning it, the material is stretched out into 100-nanometer-diameter nanofibers. The fibers are extruded through the nozzle by a combination of hydrostatic and centrifugal pressure.This is the first step, says Parker. Our initial testing suggests this technique is quite versatile for both research and everyday applications. Because rotary jet spinning does elend require high voltage, it really makes nanofiber fabrication available to everyone.Polylactic acid (PLA) fibers formed by rotary jet spinning. Image Harvard.eduExperimental DesignParkers goal was to develop a reliable method for generating well-characterized and well-aligned polymeric fibers at the microscale and the nanoscale. He theorized these fibers could be produced using a high-speed rotating nozzle to create a polymer jet that undergoes extensive stretching, before it solidifies. The rotary jet spinning (RJS) system consisted of a reservoir with two sidewall openings that was attached to the shaft of a motor with controllable rotation speed. To facilitate fiber collection, a flexible air foil was placed on the shaft above the reservoir.The fiber production process consisted of three stepsJet initiation to induce flow of the polymer solution through the opening.Jet extension to increase surface area of the propelled polymer stream.Solvent evaporation to solidify and shrink the polymer jet.A Harvard research team led by Kit Parker (left) is developing a new technology for fabricating nanofibers.Image Harvard.eduParkers team fed both naturally occurring and synthetic polymers (in solvents) into the reservoir at a rate that maintained a constant hydrostatic pressure and continuous flow. Some of the nanofibers produced included polylactic acid in chloroform, polyethylene oxide in water, polyacrylic acid in water at different conductivities, and gelatin in mild acetic acid.The fibers were col lected on a cylindrical collector or on cover slips that were held against the collector wall. Data showed that fiber morphology, diameter, and web porosity could be controlled by varying nozzle geometry, rotation speed, and polymer solution properties. These fibers were also used to successfully form tissue engineering scaffoldsartificial structures designed to support living tissue. In fact, heart tissue from rats was integrated with these nanofiber structures and formed beating muscle.The data suggest that RJS is an effective, rapid technique for nanofiber fabrication that doesnt require electrical propulsion and is capable of fabricating 3D-aligned nanofiber structures, from a variety of polymers, says Parker.Moving ForwardCompared to other methods, rotary jet spinning provides more flexibility in making nanofibers. Characteristics of the polymer nanofibers can be controlled by web porosity, hierarchical and spatial organization of fibrous scaffold, and three-dimensional assembl iesall of which expand product design possibilities.Potential industrial applications include artificial organs, tissue regeneration, filter systems, and textiles.This is a vastly superior method for making nanofibers as compared to typical methods, with production output many times greater, says Parker. Our technique will be highly desirable to industry because these simple machines can easily bring nanofiber production into any laboratory. This will, in effect, mainstream nanotextiles. We are already making wound dressings, heart valves, and high-performance athletic clothing. I think well also be able to make the softest bed sheets and lingerie known to man.Mark Crawford is an independent writer. For Further Discussion Rotary jet spinning will be highly desirable to industry because these simple machines can easily bring nanofiber production into any laboratory.Kit Parker, Harvard University

Report America less happy than ever, a nation of mass addictions

Report America less happy than ever, a nation of mass addictionsReport America less happy than ever, a nation of mass addictionsOver the last 10 years, the amount of time teens spend in front of a screen because of video games, social media, texting, or being verbunden has gone up, especially after 2012, when smartphones reached saturation, wrote Jean M. Twenge, author of IGen, in a chapter of the World Happiness Report.American adolescents are less happy, especially in the last decade, because of the change in the way they spend their free time, says Twenge.The annual study, sponsored by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network and published since 2012, shows the changes in happiness around the world by ranking 156 nations based on global data from Gallup.By 2017, the average 12th grader spent more than 6 hours a day on the internet, social media, and texting.In general, the research has found that this increase in time spent online has not been good for teenag e happiness. Research has also found that teens and young adult who spend more time on digital media are worse off in well-being. Girls who spent 5 or more hours a day on social media are three times more likely to be depressed than people who dont use social media. Heavy internet users are twice as likely to be unhappy than light ones.Overall, activities related to smartphones and digital media are linked to less happiness, and those not involving technology are linked to more happiness, Twenge wrote.The more time teens spend in the analog world, the happier they are. And the more time they spend immersed in the digital world, the less happy they are.Digital media also has an adverse effect on teens well-being because of the comparative effect of their lives versus others often carefully curated lives, the report said. Because of this, social media has been linked to depression. Another risk that comes with living in an online world for hours every day is cyberbullying.This data is correlational, so right now it cant be proved that digital media causes unhappiness. Still, the evidence is compelling.If skyrocketing internet use some might say dependence or addiction has seemingly so markedly harmed adolescents and teenagers, then what effect must it have on adults? In another chapterof the report, Jeffrey D. Sachs, professor and Director for the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, links the rest of Americas unhappiness to its state as a mass-addiction society.America at an all-time low on the indexAmerica which dropped in ranking to 18 on the list (its lowest ranking ever) of happiest countries this year is dealing with an epidemic of addictions, Sachs says, which leaves many unhappy and some clinically depressed.The addictions are not just the traditional ones like drugs, alcohol, and gambling, but also digital and social media use, video games, shopping, unhealthy eating, risky sexual behaviors, compulsive exercising the list of modern addictions goes on. Sachs expects these addictions to continue to rise.Sachs doesnt have much good news to deliver, but urges government action A public policy response built around well-being rather than corporate profits would distributions-mix the rising addiction rates under intensive and urgent scrutiny, and would design policy to respond to these rising challenges.

Philosopher David Hume Balanced skepticism

Philosopher David Hume Balanced skepticismPhilosopher David Hume Balanced skepticismIf you judged David Hume the man by his philosophy, you may judge him as disagreeable.

What You Dont Know About Cute Resume Templates Could Be Costing to More Than You Think

What You Dont Know About Cute Resume Templates Could Be Costing to More Than You Think The Debate Over Cute Resume Templates When applying for employment in a factory, you have to show more of your physical abilities and abilities that fit the job. For making positive effect on the recruiter, its important to get a unique resume portraying your job particular specifics. If you would like to get a nice job, you require a good resume. Nearly every job, company, or firm where you prefer to apply would request a CV or resume. Google Docs exports documents in several formats, making it simple to submit the right file schrift to a hiring manager. Getting your resume done properly is extremely important to drawing the interest of any possible employer. Even when you switched agencies between assignments, be sure that your timeline is reasonable. Depending on the sort of application process youre addressing, it could be appropriate to include samples of your work inside your CV. Focu s on their demands, and help it become clear the special ways it is possible to address them. Based on the business or position youre applying for, it may ask you to bring some personality. When youre asking for a job which relies on the strengths of the person, you will need a resume template that you may inject a little more personality into to make it pop. The Basic Facts of Cute Resume Templates If youre writing the CV by yourself, you can konzeption it based on your need but you ought to be careful if youre using the on-line design resume templates. There are a lot of such on-line sites which help you produce a customized resume according to your liking. If you believe an internet or video resume can help you stick out from the competition, go for itjust make sure that you have a paper version handy. There are lots of free resume templates readily available on the web but sometimes it can be very tricky to pick the best one that is most suited to you. As a result of the use of the 2 columns, all entries are scannable and extremely very clear. Its just as important to be honest and present the appropriate details. Revision History The Google Docs Revision History feature is helpful for job seekers because it enables you to observe any preceding changes which have been made to your Google Docs resume. More frequently than not, customizing your resume does not signify a major rewrite, but instead just a couple of tweaks. The upcoming free resume template was made in the shape of a brochure. Visual resume is about visuals, utilizing visual facets of graphic design to permit visual imagery and total visual appearance to speak for itself. Several sites exist specifically to aid you make an attractive visual resume. Developing your resume is important. You havent any idea what type of connections you will make during recruitment. Regardless of what youre searching for or where youre in the planet, our worldwide marketplace of sellers can assist y ou in finding distinctive and affordable choices. Quite often, people creating resumes make the error of documenting their whole history which could lead to issues. You wish to opt for a resume template which will help you make an excellent first impression, even before people start reading. Business cards are also included to finish the look. You ought to make sure youre including all appropriate info and developing a document that actually shows what you are capable of. In order to produce the perfect resume for yourself, its very important to experience various resume templates word and after that decide which fits your requirements. Utilizing a resume template is getting an acceptable and smart practice for several reasons.

Writing a resume for an executive position

Writing a resume for an executive position Writing a resume for an executive positionPosted October 13, 2011, by Elizabeth Fenech Not all jobs are created equal. An executive position demands great responsibility so an executive resume must demonstrate that youve got the gumption to deliver the skills and savvy required to carry a company. Job seeking requires you to get a grip on the competition. Your resume needs to be of the highest calibre because you can guarantee that that of your competitors will be. Getting started Executive resumes need to be clear and focused. Think about which skills and attributes your prospective employer would value the most, then tailor the details you include to demonstrate that you are uniquely qualified to meet those needs. The information should be thorough and use a professional tone. Use a layout that is easy to read most executive resumes use Times New epos font and a balanced amount of white space. The executive profile The executive profile should be short and hard-hitting, a sort of advertisement to set the tone for the rest of your resume and encourage the reader to read on. Include your strongest attributes and most valuable achievements here. For example, a finance executives profile might say, An accomplished tax executive with a strong grounding in international taxation and global finance. Has had extensive experience with three of the largest international accounting firms and is a long-term board member of Australian Taxation Office. Frequent speaker on tax issues in the media and at universities. Experience Put your experience immediately after your executive profile in reverse chronological order so that the reader can easily reconstruct your most recent career moves. Focus on the results that you achieved rather than your responsibilities. The results, as they say, will speak for themselves. Emphasise the transferable skills you possess to tell your prospective employer that they could get the results youv e

Fellowships Available for Female Scientists in Africa

Fellowships Available for Female Scientists in Africa Fellowships Available for Female Scientists in Africa Fellowships Available for Female Scientists in AfricaThe LOral Foundation is now accepting applications through April 29 for the seventh LOralUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for Women in Science Fellowships program for female scientists in Sub-Saharan Africa. The foundation will award fellowships of 5,000 Euros apiece (approximately $5,700 U.S.) to 12 African Ph.D. students enrolled in a university in Sub-Saharan Africa and also fellowships of 10,000 Euros each (approximately $11,400 U.S.) to two postdoctoral researchers working in a laboratory or research institute registered in the region.The program is open to women who a currently pursuing a Ph.D. degree or have obtained a Ph.D. degree in life or physical sciences. Applicants must be citizens of a Sub-Saharan African country. In addition, Ph.D. students applying for a fellowship sho uld be no more than 40 years old by the programs April 29 closing date, while post-doctoral applicants should be no more than 45 years old on that date. For more information on the LOralUNESCO for Women in Science Fellowships for Sub-Saharan Africa or to apply, visit www.fwis.fr/en/fellowships/563718998.

8 great tricks for reading peoples body language

8 great tricks for reading peoples body language8 great tricks for reading peoples body languageBody language provides an amazing amount of information on what other people are thinkingifyou know what to look for. And who hasnt wanted to read peoples minds at some point?You already pick up on more body language cues than youre consciously aware of. UCLA research has shown that only 7% of communication is based on the actual words we say. As for the rest, 38% comes from tone of voice and the remaining 55% comes from body language. Learning how to become aware of and to interpret that 55% can give you a leg up with other people.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWhen youre working hard and doing all you can to achieve your goals, anything that can give you an edge is powerful and will streamline your path to success.TalentSmarthas tested more than a mio people and found that the uppe r echelons of top performance are filled with people who are high in emotional intelligence (90% of top performers, to be exact). These people know the power that unspoken signals have in communication, and they monitor body language accordingly.Next time youre in a meeting (or even on a date or playing with your kids), watch for these cuesCrossed arms and legs signal resistance to your ideasCrossed arms and legs are physical barriers that suggest the other person is not open to what youre saying. Even if theyre smiling and engaged in a pleasant conversation, their body language tells the story. Gerard I. Nierenberg and Henry H. Calero videotaped more than 2,000 negotiations for a book they wrote on reading body language, and not a single one ended in an agreement when one of the parties had their legs crossed while negotiating. Psychologically, crossed legs or arms signal that a person is mentally, emotionally, and physically blocked off from whats in front of them. Its not intenti onal, which is why its so revealing.Real smiles crinkle the eyesWhen it comes to smiling, the mouth can lie but the eyes cant. Genuine smiles reach the eyes, crinkling the skin to create crows feet around them. People often smile to hide what theyre really thinking and feeling, so the next time you want to know if someones smile is genuine, look for crinkles at the corners of their eyes. If they arent there, that smile is hiding something.Copying your body language is a good thingHave you ever been in a meeting with someone and noticed that every time you cross or uncross your legs, they do the same? Or perhaps they lean their head the same way as yours when youre talking? Thats actually a good sign. Mirroring body language is something we do unconsciously when we feel a schuldverschreibung with the other person. Its a sign that the conversation is going well and that the other party is receptive to your message. This knowledge can be especially useful when youre negotiating, becaus e it shows you what the other person is really thinking about the deal.Posture tells the storyHave you ever seen a person walk into a room, and immediately, you have known that they were the one in charge? That effect is largely about body language, and often includes an erect posture, gestures made with the palms facing down, and open and expansive gestures in general. The brain is hardwired to equate power with the amount of space people take up. Standing up straight with your shoulders back is a power position it appears to maximize the amount of space you fill. Slouching, on the other hand, is the result of collapsing your form it appears to take up less space and projects less power. Maintaining good posture commands respect and promotes engagement, whether youre a leader or not.Eyes that lieMost of us probably grew up hearing, Look me in the eye when you talk to me Our parents were operating under the assumption that its tough to hold someones gaze when youre lying to them, an d they were right to an extent. But thats such common knowledge that people will often deliberately hold eye contact in an attempt to cover up the fact that theyre lying. The problem is that most of them overcompensate and hold eye contact to the point that it feels uncomfortable. On average, Americans hold eye contact for seven to ten seconds, longer when were listening than when were talking. If youre talking with someone whose stare is making you squirm- especially if theyre very still and unblinking- something is up and they might be lying you.Raised eyebrows signal discomfortThere are three main emotions that make your eyebrows go up surprise, worry, and fear. Try raising your eyebrows when youre having a relaxed casual conversation with a friend. Its hard to do, isnt it? If somebody who is talking to you raises their eyebrows and the topic isnt one that would logically cause surprise, worry, or fear, there is something else going on.Exaggerated noddingsignals anxiety about app roval.When youre telling someone something and they nod excessively, this means that they are worried about what you think of them or that you doubt their ability to follow your instructions.A clenched jaw signals stressA clenched jaw, a tightened neck, or a furrowed brow are all signs of stress. Regardless of what the person is saying, these are signs of considerable discomfort. The conversation might be delving into something theyre anxious about, or their mind might be elsewhere and theyre focusing on the thing thats stressing them out. The key is to watch for that mismatch between what the person says and what their tense body language is telling you.This article first appeared on Linkedin.com.

How to Prepare for Your First Strategy Meeting

How to Prepare for Your First Strategy Meeting How to Prepare for Your First Strategy Meeting Strategic planning can be both exciting and intimidating for participants new to the process. The idea of “strategy” sounds exotic and important, and while much of this work is less than exotic, it is absolutely critical. Having a solid understanding of strategy will help you to prepare to engage with others in your company on assessing and refining your firm’s strategic goals. Understanding Strategy The essence of strategy is about choosing where to invest, whom to serve, and how to compete and win. From George Day’s classic definition: “Strategy is a series of integrated actions in pursuit of competitive action,” to Jack Welch’s overly simplistic: “You pick a direction and implement like heck,” strategy is about choosing where to apply your firm’s resources to successfully serve a particular audience. When considering competitors, some say that strategy is about using force against weakness. The concept of strategy can be confusing and oftentimes used incorrectly. For example, neither a prediction about a firms growth nor its planned budget are strategic: Strategy is not just a list of financial targets. Financial results are outcomes of actions taken to execute on a strategy.Growth is not a strategy. Firm leaders sometimes use strategy incorrectly when making general statements about their firm. For example, the statement “our strategy is expected to grow 10 percent per year” does not articulate a firms strategy.Strategy is not about the budget. It is used to define and prioritize the investments needed to carry out a plan. A budget is a detailed listing of the timing and total amount of planned expenditures and revenues. Strategy is not an event. It is a dynamic process demanding constant evaluation and regular refinement based on lessons learned in the marketplace. Many firms relegate strategy work to an occasional off-site or planning session.Strategy is not a tactical operations “To-Do” list. While a result of any strategy process is a series of coordinated actions, they must focus on serving customers, opening new markets and developing competitive strengths, not listing operational improvements. The Process of Strategy Too many firms fall into the trap of applying template-type approaches to strategy development. A common and ineffective template suggests that the firm review the mission, define a future vision, and then describe the actions necessary to realize that vision. While all of those topics have merit at the right time, the application of this template-type process yields little meaningful strategy content. Proper strategic planning involves research, exploration, and discussion that focuses on: Assessing the firm’s current situation regarding all key stakeholder audiences, including customers, suppliers, competitors, and key partnersAssessing the firm’s unique advantages and inherent disadvantages or weaknessesIdentifying and assessing new developments in the marketplace or in emerging technologies that offer opportunities or potential threats for your firmAssessing the changing needs and businesses of customers and exploring areas where the firm might strengthen, invest, or divestDistilling the above into a coherent analysis Based on this work, the team must assess which investments to make and what actions to take to realize the strategy. This includes evaluating investment options; initiating new projects; and identifying key requirements for talent, systems, and supporting resources. These actions are then distilled into a project plan that describes the firm’s strategy execution plan and process. The Difficult Work of Strategizing While defining an effective strategy appears to be fairly straightforward, identifying meaningful and accessible opportunities and determining how to realize those opportunities in a competitive or demanding marketplace is a difficult process. Strategic planning demands an objective evaluation of the firm’s capabilities and ample debate over the best way to realize the opportunities. Like most activities in life, the more thorough the planning, the better the outcome. In the case of strategy, planning is a messy process of ideas, opinions, and egos that must give way to a cogent and agreed-upon plan in pursuit of serving customers and outperforming competitors. Strategy Execution Implementing the actions described and establishing measures of progress and financial targets are key to what is described as the execution process. A healthy execution program recognizes the need for widespread, clear communication and coordination, and incorporates the tools of project management to support implementation and reporting. Additionally, an effective strategy execution process incorporates feedback loops to reflect and adjust for lessons learned in the marketplace. Challenges of Strategy The strategic planning can be a messy, somewhat organic and risk-filled process. Areas where organizations struggle with strategy include: Failing to engage at the right level of depth on assessing capabilities and opportunitiesConfusing operational planning with strategic planningFailing to define a detailed execution process with clear targets and progress measuresAllowing politics and ego to reduce the strategic planning to a debate over budgets and territoryNot investing in exploring potential disruptive events or emerging trigger events in other markets that might impact the firm’s customers or technologiesFailing to build-in feedback loops to reflect lessons learned in the marketplace Failing to treat strategy as a process that demands constant evaluation and refreshing The Bottom Line An invitation to participate in defining the future direction of your firm is a compliment and a testament to your supervisors belief in your knowledge and ability to contribute to the strategy process. With experience, you can develop into a critical thinker and great strategist.