One liners -- Hidden meanings in Company talk...

1."We will do it" means "You will do it"

2."You have done a great job" means "More work to be given to you"

3."We are working on it" means "We have not yet started working on the same"

4."Tomorrow first thing in the morning" means "Its not getting done "At least not tomorrow!"

5."After discussion we will decide-I am very open to views" means "I have already decided, I will tell you what to do"

6."There was a slight miscommunication" means "We had actually lied"

7."Lets call a meeting and discuss" means "I have no time now, will talk later"

8."We can always do it" means "We actually cannot do the same on time"

9."We are on the right track but there needs to be a slight extension of the deadline" means "The project is screwed up, we cannot deliver on time."

10."We had slight differences of opinion "means "We had actually fought"

11."Make a list of the work that you do and let's see how I can help you" means "Anyway you have to find a way out no help from me"

12."You should have told me earlier" means "Well even if you told me earlier that would have made hardly any difference!"

13."We need to find out the real reason" means "Well I will tell you where your fault is"

14."Well Family is important; your leave is always granted. Just ensure that the work is not affected," means, "Well you know..."

15."We are a team," means, "I am not the only one to be blamed"

16."That's actually a good question" means "I do not know anything about it"

17."All the Best" means "You are in trouble"

Business Time Management Skills You Need To Succeed

Do you have plenty to do, but don't have enough time to do it all in? These days it appears there is a mad scramble to accomplish more in a shorter amount of time. There will be times that you feel overwhelmed with tasks you want to accomplish, but seem to never have enough time to complete everything. Here you will find 9 time management suggestions which will in turn help you accomplish tasks more efficiently and give you a chance to open up more opportunities to do the things you'd rather be doing.
1) Create A To Do List - Having a well plotted "To Do List" will keep you focused on the tasks that need attention and will help you from straying away from the things you want or need to accomplish.
2) Prioritize Your To Do List - If you have a "To Do" list that contains several tasks, it is wise to separate the items that must be done now from the ones that hold lesser importance. Tasks with a deadline should be first on your priority list.
3) Spend Time Planning - Using your time to plan and think ahead is time spent wisely. Having a clear direction where you want your business to be in a few years down the road will allow you to spend your precious time and money more effectively and efficiently. It has been said, that if you do not plan, then you are planning to fail.
4) Create Goals For Yourself - Without goals your life would have no direction. When setting goals be sure to create ones that are specific, achievable, realistic and at the same time cause you to reach beyond your comfort zone so that you gain the ability to reach those goals that are more difficult to obtain than others.
5) Overcome Procrastination - Many people put off things that they don't want to do until the very last minute. One way to overcome procrastination is to work on tasks just a little bit at a time or for only a set time period rather than for long time periods all at once. This way you are still getting your important tasks done, but just at a slower rate.
6) Eliminate Important Tasks First - Check off on your "To Do" list as to which tasks out rank others as far as importance is concerned. By doing this you will not get side tracked or find yourself in a deadline rush to get the items with greater rewards finished on time. Once the important tasks are completed then you should move onto the less important items on your list.
7) Nobody's Perfect - Doing a job well to the best of your abilities is a practice of honorable measures. By spending the time to try and be perfect at everything you do is not time well spent because the time you do spend could be used at accomplishing other important tasks. Although, some things do need to be close to perfect, but not all.
8) Be Flexible - Plan your time so that if there are distractions or emergencies to attend to, you won't find yourself in a situation where you must delay the completion of important tasks, but can attend to the distraction and still keep on schedule.
9) Treat Yourself - To make life happier and healthier for oneself, it is important that you take time away from your work to just have some fun. If all you do is work, work, work, then accomplishing the goals you have set for yourself will have little meaning and you risk mental burnout. Taking time out to have fun is also necessary to relieve yourself from the many stresses that life has to offer.

Making a Great First Impression!

It takes just a quick glance, maybe three seconds, for someone to evaluate you when you meet for the first time. In this short time, the other person forms an opinion about you based on your appearance, your body language, your demeanor, your mannerisms, and how you are dressed.
With every new encounter, you are evaluated and yet another person's impression of you is formed. These first impressions can be nearly impossible to reverse or undo, making those first encounters extremely important, for they set the tone for all relationships that follow.
So, whether they are in your career or social life, it's important to know how to create a good first impression. This article provides some useful tips to help you do this.
Be on Time The person you are meeting for the first time is not interested in your "good excuse" for running late. Plan to arrive a few minutes early. And allow flexibility for possible delays in traffic or taking a wrong turn. Arriving early is much better that arriving late, hands down, and is the first step in creating a great first impression.
Be Yourself, Be at Ease If you are feeling uncomfortable and on edge, this can make the other person ill at ease and that's a sure way to create the wrong impression. If you are calm and confident, so the other person will feel more at ease, and so have a solid foundation for making that first impression a good one.
Present Yourself Appropriately Of course physical appearance matters. The person you are meeting for the first time does not know you and your appearance is usually the first clue he or she has to go on.
But it certainly does not mean you need to look like a model to create a strong and positive first impression. (Unless you are interviewing with your local model agency, of course!)
No. The key to a good impression is to present yourself appropriately.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and so the "picture" you first present says much about you to the person you are meeting. Is your appearance saying the right things to help create the right first impression?
Start with the way you dress. What is the appropriate dress for the meeting or occasion? In a business setting, what is the appropriate business attire? Suit, blazer, casual? And ask yourself what the person you'll be meeting is likely to wear - if your contact is in advertising or the music industry, a pinstripe business suit may not strike the right note!
For business and social meetings, appropriate dress also varies between countries and cultures, so it's something that you should pay particular attention to when in an unfamiliar setting or country. Make sure you know the traditions and norms.
And what about your personal grooming? Clean and tidy appearance is appropriate for most business and social occasions. A good haircut or shave. Clean and tidy clothes. Neat and tidy make up. Make sure your grooming is appropriate and helps make you feel "the part".
Appropriate dressing and grooming help make a good first impression and also help you feel "the part", and so feel more calm and confident. Add all of this up and you are well on your way to creating a good first impression.
A Word about Individuality The good news is you can usually create a good impression without total conformity or losing your individuality. Yes, to make a good first impression you do need to "fit in" to some degree. But it all goes back to being appropriate for the situation. If in a business setting, wear appropriate business attire. If at a formal evening social event, wear appropriate evening attire. And express your individuality appropriately within that context.
A Winning Smile! "Smile and the world smiles too." So there's nothing like a smile to create a good first impression. A warm and confident smile will put both you and the other person at ease. So smiling is a winner when it comes to great first impressions. But don't go overboard with this - people who take this too far can seem insincere and smarmy, or can be seen to be "lightweights".
Be Open and Confident When it comes to making the first impression, body language as well as appearances speaks much louder than words.
Use your body language to project appropriate confidence and self-assurance. Stand tall, smile (of course), make eye contact, greet with a firm handshake. All of this will help you project confidence and helps both you and the other person will feel better at ease.
Almost everyone gets a little nervous when meeting someone for the first time. Which can lead to nervous habits or sweaty palms. By being aware of your nervous habit, you can try to keep them in check. And controlling a nervous jitter or a nervous laugh will give you confidence and help the other person feel at ease.
Small Talk Goes A Long Way... Conversations are based on verbal give and take. It may help you to prepare questions you have for the person you are meeting for the first time beforehand. Or, take a few minutes to learn something about the person you meet for the first time before you get together. For instance, does he play golf? Does she work with a local charitable foundation?
Is there anything that you know of that you have in common with the person you are meeting? If so, this can be a great way to open the conversation and to keep it flowing.
Be Positive Your attitude shows through in everything you do. Project a positive attitude, even in the face of criticism or in the case of nervousness. Strive to learn from your meeting and to contribute appropriately, maintaining an upbeat manner and a smile.
Be Courteous And Attentive It goes without saying that good manners and polite, attentive and courteous behavior help make a good first impression. In fact, anything less can ruin the one chance you have at making that first impression. So be on your best behavior!
One modern manner worth mentioning is "turn off your mobile phone". What first impression will you create if you are already speaking to someone other than the person you are meeting for the first time? Your new acquaintance deserves 100% of your attention. Anything less and you'll create a less than good first impression.
Key Points You have just a few seconds to make a good first impression and it's almost impossible ever to change it. So it's worth giving each new encounter your best shot. Much of what you need to do to make a good impression is common sense. But with a little extra thought and preparation, you can hone your intuitive style and make every first impression not just good but great.

Instructions for life

Instructions for life - Some guiding pointers and tips that may work!
(Source: An email circulating in a poetry email group )

1. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

2. Memorise your favourite poem.

3. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

4. When you say, "I love you," mean it.

5. When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.

6. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

7. Believe in love at first sight.

8. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have
dreams don't have much.

9. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

10. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

11. Don't judge people by their relatives.

12. Talk slowly but think quickly.

13. When someone asks you a question you don't want
to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"

14. Remember that great love and great achievements
involve great risk.

16. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.

17. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

18. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for
others; Responsibility for all your actions.

19. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

20. When you realise you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

21. Smile when picking up the telephone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

22. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

23. Spend some time alone.

24. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

25. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

26. Read more books and watch less TV.

27. Live a good, honourable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll get to enjoy it a second time.

28. Trust in God but lock your car.

29. A loving atmosphere in your home is so important. Do all you can to create a tranquil harmonious home.

30. In disagreements with loved ones, deal with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

31. Read between the lines.

32. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

33. Be gentle with the earth.

34. Pray. There's immeasurable power in it.

35. Never interrupt when you are being flattered.

36. Mind your own business.

37. Don't trust a man/woman who doesn't close his/her eyes when you kiss.

38. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

39. If you make a lot of money, put it to use helping others while you are living. That is wealth's greatest satisfaction.

40. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a stroke of luck.

41. Learn the rules then break some.

42. Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for each other is greater than your need for each other.

43. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

44. Remember that your character is your destiny.

45. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

Email guidelines

Purpose

Email is the most popular and formal communication method used by our business. However, email communication must be managed properly to be effective. The document contains some guidelines (not absolute rules) that may help us communicate effectively vai emails. A good utilization of these guidelines can help us towards creating better relationships with clients and co-workers.

Email communication is about communicating thoughts and ideas. If we are not getting your message across then it defeats the purpose of email. Proper email conveys a professional image. Clear and concise emails are much more effective than poorly worded emails.

1. New Messages

Below guidelines can be used while writing new email message.

1. While starting a new message, make effective and appropriate use of the subject. It is important that recipients of your messages have a good indication as to which messages to read first and which ones can be read at a later date. Subject line is a very important part of an email message, make sure to use it well.

2. Think before writing. Also, try to analyze readers and make sure that the message is clear and useful.

3. Try to restrict to one topic in an email message. Several short emails are usually preferable over one long message covering many separate subjects.

4. While sending a message to someone that requires an action, make it very clear within the first few lines of the e-mail what is expected. For example, let your recipient know what you need in order to complete a task. If possible, provide a due date.

5. Avoid the use of capital letters. Capital letters should be carefully used only to emphasize a word or a phrase.

6. Ensure to email the correct email address. Always avoid guessing email addresses.

7. Use Proper spellings, grammar and punctuation help to convey the message clearly.

8. Write briefly and keep the messages short and to the point.

9. Busy people will only open messages with appealing subject lines. Don't make unnecessary use of the words such as URGENT or IMPORTANT in the subject line. If your message really is extremely urgent or important email is not the correct communication method.

10. Keep signatures short and relevant.

11. Take another look before sending the message. Do not send anything that you should not be sending. Sometimes email communication can turn out sensitive.

12. Communicate dissatisfaction directly to the individual. Avoid putting grievance about an individual to everybody. This works well in promoting 2-way communication.

13. Highly complex information should be communicated through other means such as a telephone call, or face-to-face conversation. This avoids confusion.

14. Avoid requesting a read-receipt, it annoy recipient before they have even read your message.

15. Avoid sending big attachments. Think carefully about the size of the attachments.

2. Replying

Below guidelines can be used while replying to an email message.

1. While replying to an e-mail message which has been sent to a number of recipients, use the reply-all option cautiously. Please check whether all of the people on the recipient list really need to see your reply.

2. Reading through your reply couple of times helps. Sending an un-thoughtful quick response rarely helps and might leads to an unwanted exchange of messages.

3. When you receive a message from a group email list, be very careful to direct your reply to the appropriate address and not to the whole group.

4. Based on importance of an email message, immediately reply briefly to an e-mail message to let the sender know you got it, you can send a detailed reply later.

3. Forwarding

Below guidelines can be used while forwarding an email message.

1. While forwarding an email, consider including a summary at the beginning of the email. The new recipient should be able to determine what has already been discussed.

2. Always adhere to Tech Mahindra security and email policy.

4. Common Courtesy

We should always try practice the basic courtesies listed below.

1. Use "please" if you are asking for something. Similarly, if someone does something for you, write "thank you". Please and thank you carries the same value in verbal and written communication.

2. Not getting an immediate answer should not be related to Ignoring.

3. Make sure you include enough information to make the response possible.

5. Conclusion

Email is an effective communication tool. When we compose an email message, we should read it over before sending. Time spent on making email clearer is time saved in future correspondence.

Time Savers...

Never Check E-mail in the Morning…and Other Surprising Time-savers

It's advice from Julie Morgenstern, a leading time management and efficiency expert. She's helped companies like American Express, Microsoft, and FedEx revamp the way they work, and is a regular guest on Oprah. Her strategies stress among other things, the importance of deleting. In her words, "It could be catalogs when they come in, it could be tasks that come across your desk, or even ideas that pop into your mind that are not your focus right now. Just edit them immediately so you don't have them cluttering your life, your mind, your schedule." This article offers a sample of her sometimes counter-intuitive advice for organizing and saving time at work.
You work hard but can’t seem to get everything done. There are just too many responsibilities, interruptions and demands. Rather than working longer, you need to learn to use your time better -- and sometimes that means doing things that seem counterintuitive...
Shorten your workday: If 10 hours isn’t enough, try nine-and-a-half. Losing 30 minutes of work time each day makes you organize your time better. No longer will you tolerate interruptions... make personal phone calls from the office... or chat around the water cooler. Your pace will pick up, your focus will sharpen, and you’ll soon find that you’re getting more done despite the shorter workday.
Bonus: You have freed up two-and-a-half hours for yourself each week. This works just as well outside the workplace. Allot fewer hours for chores and projects, and you’re more likely to buckle down and get them done.
Take a break: Hard workers often feel that they don’t have time to take a break. Recharging your batteries isn’t wasted time -- it keeps you running. Escape from your workday life for at least 30 minutes each day or a few hours each week. Use this escape time to do whatever it is that most effectively transports you away mentally from your daily responsibilities. That might be reading a novel, exercising at the gym or listening to classical music. These escapes keep your mind sharp and your energy level high. If you just can’t find the time, add the escape more formally to your schedule. If your escape is exercise, plan a game of tennis or golf with a friend -- the friend will be counting on you, so it will be tough for you to back out. If your escape is music, buy season tickets to the local symphony -- you’re more likely to attend if you already have purchased the tickets.
Don’t look at E-mail first thing: Instead, use the morning to focus on your most important tasks. Most people’s minds are sharpest in the morning, and completing important responsibilities before lunch creates a sense of relief and accomplishment that can carry you through the afternoon.
Helpful: When you reply to an E-mail, try to fit your entire response in the subject line. Some people waste hours each day crafting long responses when short ones are all that’s needed.
Avoid the urge to multitask: When many things need to get done, it’s tempting to try to do them all at once. But multitasking isn’t the secret to productivity -- it’s a sure way to be inefficient.
According to a study published in Journal of Experimental Psychology, it takes the brain four times longer to recognize and process each item it is working on when multitasking than when it is focused on a single job. Other studies have found that work quality suffers when we try to multitask.
To get many things done, either in the office or at home, do just one thing at a time. If another obligation crops up or an unrelated idea pops into your head, pause from your current task only long enough to jot it down in your planner (not on a scrap of paper, which could get lost).
Be your own boss: Even if you are an employee with a company, think of yourself as an independent entrepreneur working with your company, not as a hired hand working for it. We all are self-employed, in a manner of speaking. We work for the sole proprietorships that are our careers. There’s a productivity advantage to be had by keeping this in mind -- independent contractors know that they must continue to deliver results every day to retain their clients, while employees sometimes allow themselves more slack and act as if their employers owe them something.
Cut people off: Learn to put off interrupters without causing offense. When someone needs you, say, “How much time do you need? If it’s more than a few seconds, let’s schedule it for later so I can give you my full attention.” The time will be more convenient for you, and the person may solve his/her own problem in the meantime.
Greet callers with, “What can I do for you?” rather than “How are you?” -- the latter might be taken as an invitation to chat.
Don’t do chores when big deadlines loom: Faced with a big, important task and several small, easy, but less vital chores, many people start by tackling the chores. Knocking these off provides a sense that progress has been made, and it clears the tables to focus on the big responsibility -- but it’s still a poor strategy.
Always tackle the most important job first, though it might be the most difficult and time consuming. In the corporate world, the most important task usually is the one that will generate or save the most money for the company. If you put off this crucial task, unforeseen complications or new assignments might prevent you from getting the important tasks done at all.
I hope this article all I can't help quoting Stephen Covey on a concluding note - "You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage--pleasantly, smilingly, nonapologetically--to say 'no' to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger 'yes' burning inside".
compiled by Shilpa Kapadia