JK really knew what she was doing.

Don’t worry, I am not talking about turning my home office into Hogwarts or anything, but there are a few tricks up my freelance sleeve that I can attribute to my four-eyed friend.

Modesty is underrated. Think about it. When Harry was a small, insecure orphan and he found out his powers were indeed, magic, he did not go around lifting up his bangs, Bieber-style, pointing out his lighting scar. Everybody else talked him up, gushing about his legacy and foreshadowing his importance. Even when he first demonstrated telltale acts of bravery, he did not inflate his accomplishments. Only when he gets cocky for a chapter or two does it backfire on him. Moral: Let your actions speak for themselves. Don’t just tell a prospective client what you will do for them – do it. Give them an example of two of the types of ideas you can bring to the table.

It’s okay to acknowledge and say the name of your “evil enemy.”
Initially, everyone in the Wizarding World would gasp in horror if they heard the name “Voldemort” escape someone’s lips. Harry learned to defy this concept later on in the series, realizing that just saying the name wouldn’t bring destruction. It would, however, let your enemy know you are still a formidable opponent, and force their hand, putting the proverbial Quiddich ball in their court.

Of course, there are many cases when it’s looked down upon to mention your competitor in advertisements or articles. A start-up company needs to prove themselves first. But look at companies like Apple versus Google, or the most recent example of New Egg calling out Best Buy. Sometimes it only brings to light certain company weaknesses or perceptions that give you a chance to respond accurately and in some cases, spin the story the complete other way. In  this instance, either ignore a parody and either poke fun right back or comment intelligently. (Responding by going overboard with defensive corporate legalese is almost like Malfoy bullying Ron repeatedly just because Ron mutters a joke under his breath.)

If your mentor told you to trust somebody – and you trust your mentor – follow their footsteps and don’t over think it.
The friend of your friend is your friend. (I won’t go into too much detail here in case of spoiling the last movie for those who didn’t read all the books). But let’s just say an old mentor or professor constantly talks fondly about another professional contact, but you keep hearing rumors that the person is not the greatest person to associate with. If you trust your mentor, you should also trust their judgment and not burn any unnecessary bridges. You will need them later!

Don’t open a 50-year-old book without knowing the reason it was shut to begin with.
Remember when Ginny Weasley became possessed by Tom Riddle by confiscating the book and then getting sucked into its magical – yet evil – vortex of communication? Similar to the old adage “don’t take down a fence without knowing the reason it was put up,” this tip is especially important when it comes to the business world. Before making any huge process changes at work, make sure to research the history and purpose behind the current methods. Somebody before you just might have known what they were doing, so take some time before judging books by their covers.

Discover your inner Patronus
A Patronus Charm is an insubstantial animal protector created by the advanced Patronus Charm spell, and one way to defend against Dementors and certain other dark creatures.

Patronus shapes been said to reflect the personality or feelings of the witch or wizard. For example, Harry creates a stag, Hermoine creates an otter and Ron creates a Jack Russell terrier. When faced with risky decisions in the business world, do you avoid the situation, or face it head on with your own strategies and tactics? Many people reach a certain level of success, but very few can maintain on top for a long period of time. Providing great service, listening to client feedback and constantly improving without getting too comfortable are just a few ways to protect your business.

Awards are not the most important thing.
The Goblet of Fire was thought of to be the most honorable award bestowed upon a wizard. Contestants were forced to sweat blood and tears to participate in dangerous, exhausting tasks to receive…a Goblet. A Goblet that sucked you into another location where your enemy has you right where they want you. I am not saying that submitting to awards makes you more vulnerable – a little friendly competition is always healthy. And who doesn’t want a shiny trophy or two, telling the world of an accomplishment of glories past? The trick is to not let it consume you. Don’t let the idea of an award dangle in front of you, making you lose sleep when those are precious hours you could be using to dedicate to your client or office. If your clients are happy and feel you are their priority, then you all win in the end.

In the real world, nobody cares what your Ordinary Wizarding Level (OWL) score was, or about your Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test (NEWT) courses.
Sure, a diploma is impressive and shows dedication. But how often do you check a new hire’s GPA or their exam scores? It really doesn’t matter what how high your grades are as long as the internships, the connections, the leadership roles and the portfolio can show off what makes you unique and proves you can excel at the desired position you want when you graduate. I wish I could go back in time and tell my studious self to not let school define me. It’s how you apply that knowledge outside the classroom that matters most.

Sacrifice for the greater good of the company or client.
Don’t literally sacrifice yourself or stop eating or anything! But as we all know, valiant Harry and the Order of the Phoenix risked their lives to help save the world from evil (on several occasions). Be not a burden, but a blessing, to your business. Don’t get in your own way. Instead of wondering why somebody else in the office is getting promoted and you are not, stop feeling sorry for yourself and try harder. If you own your company, don’t get discouraged with small failures or feel defeated when you lose out on a project. It can become a vicious cycle of failure, insecurity and then defeat. Instead, remember why you are here in the first place and try to become more selfless. If you work for a company, try to see the end goal from your boss’s perspective and do your best to help the business grow. If you work for yourself, then remember that clients always come first. If you remain selfless in the workplace and keep pushing forward the battles that lie ahead, you just may come out victorious.

I can think of a million more, but I must be off now. My clients need me! =)

Cheers to the final Harry Potter movie!

bachelorette should use her work skills when weeding through the candidates!

The social media-savvy Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky should follow her brain as well as her heart when weeding through the potential husband candidates. The way I look at it, it’s a similar process as finding the perfect new employee or client.

You have to force yourself be keenly judgmental, observant, and analytical, but above all, be true to yourself and your instincts.

1. How do they speak about previous relationships? You wouldn’t hire someone who spoke harshly about their previous employer without taking any blame; why would you want to be around someone who talks negatively about previous love interests? It shows immaturity, lack of responsibility or a love of gossip. Either way, move on, Ali!

2. Enthusiasm and passion. You have FIFTY guys in the house. It’s time to go big or go home. To prove they are here for you, they need to be assertive and not afraid to politely ask to speak with you in private to get one-on-one time. The ones who get kicked off and complain like whiny babies because they “didn’t get enough time” are just using their time unwisely or being a pushover to more eager-to-meet-Ali guys.

3. Just because someone looks great on paper doesn’t mean they will work in the long-term. If there is something about them that irks you, don’t wait to second-guess yourself, get them outta there! (It could be something as telling as their career choice, or as trivial as their lack of eye contact or annoying laugh.)

4. On the same note, have you ever met someone, thought you knew them, but then met their friends and were completely shocked at how much you must have misjudged them? Friends and contacts of a person can explain a lot about a person’s lifestyle and interests. Ali is a social butterfly in real life and needs a man who can keep up and get along great with other guys. She should steer clear of drama-causers and attention-getters who care more about TV appearances than quality time. And when she hits hometowns, she should specifically ask to meet their group of friends to see if she can envision a life in that circle of friends.

5. Communication skills are a must! While they may be a good match on dates in exotic faraway lands, Ali needs to evaluate whether each potential husband shares her values and holds her interest on a boring night at home. I know the show would drop ratings if they had do more “normal people” things like grocery shopping, cooking at home or working out, but these are situations that tell a lot about a person’s compatibility and character. If it’s raining, does he drop you off and then park the car? Does he like to cook or order take-out every night? Is he a remote control hog and/or a weekends-dedicated-to-sports-only kind of guy? And if so, does that bother her? What does he REALLY like to do in his free time? (Or is he a workaholic like her?)

These are just a few quick things off the top of my head. I was rooting for Ali last season, but I think she played her cards right for a [strategic] second chance at love. It’s always more fun to be in the driver’s seat.

At a risk of sounding like a straight-to-DVD Nancy Drew movie title, I often wonder what the deal is with the famous sub shop and its fickle apostrophe.

The teensy little punctuation mark is small in size, but immensely powerful in its ability to completely alter a word’s meaning. Rumor has it the yummy sandwich used to be officially called “Quizno’s,” so perhaps some of them still have old signs they have yet to replace.

Not sure about the rest of the country, but in Florida, I have seen large shop signs for “Quiznos Sub,” “Quizno’s Sub,” and even a “Quiznos Subs.”

Does the company offer franchises the freedom to choose, or do the owners just not get the memo passed down from corporate?

What do you think – is Quiznos an extremely flexible company, or negligent (perhaps apathetic) when it comes to brand consistency?

Everyone has a ‘final straw’ moment: mine was when I rushed to check my bombarded e-mail, spilled coffee on my desk, and nearly drenched a pile of papers that had been eagerly anticipating some highlighter and red pen action all week. Poor papers – they weren’t getting action that day, either.

Strong organizational skills take time, practice, and unfortunately do not come easily for many right-brainers. Even though they tend to need it the most, with certain traits (supposedly) linked to Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). 

Everyone tackles daily tasks in their own unique way; however, there may be some tactics to help channel your creativity and organize your workflow. 

The Action Method is an intuitive approach to productivity, designed to help creative thinkers push their ideas into action. Based on the power of capturing and managing “Action Steps” (tasks you need to complete), Action Method ensures nothing falls through the cracks, and ideas are accomplished.

Ikea and Office Max have tons of trendy items to spruce up your workspace. For those who don’t feel like getting up from their computer, the possibilities are endless.

Fun ways to organize your desk:

http://www.jarsofcute.com/2009/03/modern-desk-organizers/

http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=965

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=22368294

http://www.organizedliving.com/category/office/desk+accessories.do

When organizing your desk, you may come across old ideas that never lifted off the ground. Don’t be too hard on yourself. As my friend and colleague Steve Spalding noted in his recent book, All the Little Things, “There isn’t just one good idea or five or ten, there are an infinite number of good implementations and it is up to us to recognize that our job is not to find the diamond in the rough, but to find the perfect fit for us. The idea that lines up with our strengths and uses our talents to their best advantage.”

There are also many other gems in the above book – please check it out and let me know if these ideas help harness your thoughts and take action. Get back creative control from your own worst enemy…yourself.

Our attention is completely and utterly divided these days.

thanks ikea, for awesome pic

If you are married or in a relationship, face it.

Some days you spend more time with your laptop/phone/twitter whale/TV remote/ [insert other technological device] then you do with your significant other.

We read while we eat, we write while we listen to music, and we even talk while we drive (unfortunately). In fact, right at this very moment while I am writing this, I am also paying my bills online and chatting away online.

A.D.D.? Maybe. Isn’t there another word for it, though? Hmm…What was it…?

It actually used to be a “plus” on resumés and proudly announced in interviews along with its other buzz word pals, “team player” and “fast learner.” A glorious, responsible-sounding four-syllable word.

Ah yes, now I remember. Multitasker.

Now when I hear it, it reminds me of sharp, overly long nails pounding on a keyboard, or a silver spoon clanking against a cereal bowl. Not appealing at all.

Multitasking is absolutely necessary to keep up with the news and information that snowballs every day. From actual breaking news like the Hudson River incident to trivial virals that make people giggle like “Thumb Boy,” there is complete information overload –should you choose to accept it.

Multitasking is so completely engrained in our daily routines. With the unstable economy, employers have been asking employees to wear more hats than usual. Ten job descriptions now cram into a single position. Priorities shift and stuff slides, sometimes off the desk and into the trash can.

My point being: pretty much everyone should be able to call themselves a full-fledged, law abiding citizen of multitasking county. It’s a no-brainer; it’s a given. Some say part of a survival tactic few years ago in which you either swam or sunk into the hole with the other ten people who don’t know what Twitter is or how one can survive without a landline phone.

What employers should start asking, or start looking for is not the ability for prospective employees to multitask, but the ability for employees to actually Focus. On. One. Single. Task. At. Hand.

Can they get the job done, exceed expectations with a great attitude AND maybe complete the assignment before the initial project due date? Can they bring more pros/cons and insight to the table, leaving plenty of time for revisions and edits? Do they hit every possible story or design angle, uncover every stone or financial obstacle and communicate potential problems and prepare backup plans? Do they exhaust all resources to confirm the assignment is “the best they can do,” each and every single time? These wonderful qualities are all side effects of the person’s stellar ability to purely focus.

(P.S. It’s amazing how many times someone will hesitate, then go back to their desk to redo an assignment when you innocently ask, “so, this is the best you can do, right?” My old boss used to do it to me all the time – trained me well!)

So, as you can clearly see, I have come to think of multitasking as the nemesis of focus. Multitasking whispers evily in focus’s ear, “psst-have you checked facebook today? Maybe someone commented on your status.”

It can’t hurt to make a to-do list in the morning, whether you enjoy scratching through items on good old fashioned paper or prefer Google tasks and dashboard stickies. Turning your IM message to away, letting the office manager know you are busy and shutting your door also helps give the hint that you are busy and just may help reduce distractions.

Helpful sites:

http://www.davecheong.com/2006/08/14/18-ways-to-stay-focused-at-work/

http://www.dumblittleman.com/2007/09/how-to-focus-your-mind-on-project.html

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-tips-to-focus-your-mind-how-to.html

http://www.myprivatecoach.com/myPrivateCoach/articles/Tips_Focus_Coach_free.php

http://blogs.bnet.com/teamwork/?p=265

http://www.bizzia.com/slackermanager/5-practices-to-sharpen-your-focus-at-work/

No matter how many lists I throw at you, it may not help. Everyone has their own unique way of getting into their focus zone. Try out a few things and once you find what works, stick with it.

I have worked on it a lot and now I am almost too focused at work. Unfortunately, I get so into my work that I almost forget to eat or use the restroom! I am super competitive though, and like to get things done fast – see my previous post for more info on prepping your brain for quick thinking.

I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments on the subject. How do you focus at work and resist the urge to do a million other things at the same time?