In one of my recent updates, I talked about how pleased I was with how 2015 was going so far. Sales for my courses have been great and I’m very proud of the positive results people have been getting from my training. This video is a little different. I go through three things that I’m struggling with […] The post What I’m Struggling with Right Now appeared first on Teaching ESL Online.

A few months back, I interviewed Teacher Diane. It turned out to be one of the most popular interviews that I have done on this blog. We have kept in touch since and a few weeks ago, she sent me information about a new platform she is using called Two Sigmas. Diane connected me with […] The post Two Sigmas: a Platform for Online Teachers appeared first on Teaching ESL Online.

The following is a guest post by Elena Mutonono. You can find out more about Elena at the bottom of the post. Take it away Elena… This weekend my almost-three-year-old son had his first language lesson … online. My son is growing up bilingual in a largely monolingual country. He goes to an American pre-school, […] The post The Advantages and Challenges of Teaching Online appeared first on Teaching ESL Online.

When I first started teaching online, I made a lot of mistakes. Luckily, I have learned from them. And I want you to learn from them too. So, watch the video below and learn which mistakes you should avoid and what to do instead. Watch in HD! Not Connecting with other Teachers I was a […] The post Three Mistakes I Made When I Started Teaching Online appeared first on Teaching ESL Online.

The following is a guest post from Rob Howard. Take it away, Rob… How many of you have ever been introduced as an English teacher at a party and the first response is "Can you help me?" This is nothing new. Doctors are always asked to look at a strange lump. Lawyers are always asked […] The post How to Deal with Learners who Want Everything for Free appeared first on Teaching ESL Online.

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published on Fortune and explores the most important lesson a former Navy SEAL has learned in his career.As a leadership development company, we constantly get asked what the secret formula to great leadership is. If a simple answer actually existed, there is no telling what we could accomplish. We might even find the solution for lasting world peace. But the truth is there aren’t any shortcuts.Great leaders spend years developing their business acumen and interpersonal skills. Above all else, they are extremely self-aware. In The One Quality a Leader Should Never Lack, a former Navy Seal states it perfectly: "Leadership is about continuously assessing how you are performing and always striving to create the most value for both your clients and your team."So I ask: Are you removing chaos from your team or adding to it?"Knowing who you are as a person and as a leader enables you to extract the best performance out of yourself. Your negative behaviors are almost certainly impacting your team. If you’re not aware of them or have no plan to address them, you’re holding back your team and limiting its potential — a big cost to your bottom line in today’s increasingly competitive business world."Read the article.The post Fierce Resource: The One Quality A Leader Should Never Lack appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

You are starting a week that is historically full of high expectations. With Thanksgiving looming in the United States, many businesses are pushing hard for deliverables. This often creates overtime and extra hours. So if you look at your employees, I ask: Do you say you want them to take time off and then email them with expectations? Or do you withhold and create white space for them to produce and exceed expectations? Are you doing it for them, or do you do it for yourself as a leader?These are serious questions. We commonly hear from clients that there are never enough hours, never enough resources, and that there is definitely not enough recognition for what they do. This is a reality for many. So what do we do?I encourage everyone to keep this in mind. Just stay aware. This week’s tip is to squash the stress. Find ways to turn deliverables and expectations into a positive force. It means you are doing important work. It means you influence and matter.And for coping on an individual level, can you go to the gym or yoga? Have lunch with an old friend or colleague? This is the time to really schedule space to breathe, to reflect, and to visualize the finish line.And as a leader, how can you help to dissipate tension that is building? One no-brainer way is to take your team to lunch. Or perhaps have one-on-one conversations that focus on appreciation.You don’t have to have all the answers. You just have to ask. And then, yes, truly listen.The post Fierce Tip of the Week: Squash the Stress appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Black Friday is approaching us. For some, this day may create pure joy with visions of scoring the perfect holiday gift…for half the price. For others, the stress of angry, aggressive customers can overwhelm you.As a retailer, it is critical for you to take care of both your employees and customers on this significant shopping day. With the increased appeal to sit on couches (or at desks) and shop online, it is up to you to make the effort of driving or walking to your store worthwhile. Yes, more than ever you need to earn patronage. And for employees, make them proud to work for you and truly show up. There are many companies they can choose to work for.Here at Fierce, we work with many global retailers who intertwine the fierce principles and ideas to customer service and their store environment. Here are three tips to make Black Friday merrier for us all:Inspire your employees to be their authentic selves.Don’t mandate that your employees put on their "customer face" on Black Friday. It is artificial and people see right through it. Ask your employees to show up as themselves and truly connect. Talk about the products that they love. Your employees will appreciate it, and you will reap the benefits of more loyal customers.Empower your employees to take personal responsibility for the day.Troubleshoot scenarios as a team. This means preparing to go "off script" and responding to the real needs of the customer. At the end of the day, managers can’t be everywhere at all times, especially on days like Black Friday. Encourage your managers to delegate to high performing employees who can make critical decisions when time is of the essence. In the end, delegation is not just about giving tasks - it is about allowing employees to serve the customers.When employees know they are supported by management and the organization, they are more likely to go above and beyond for your customers. They also are more likely to take responsibility for mistakes made by the organization. (Extra bonus for you!)Stop generalizing your customers.In the age of big data, it really is unacceptable. And your customers are on top of it. Market research suggests that more than ever customers want their needs and desires understood. However, as Susan states in Fierce Leadership, "Many organizations view exchanges with their customers or stakeholders as merely transactional, to be completed as quickly as possible." On Black Friday are you creating a transaction or an experience?It is your job to give your customers and employees the opportunity to truly engage with your brand. Think this through. If your loyalty program only consists of customers getting the credit card with your company’s logo on it, you aren’t offering more than a series of transactions. Customers demand more. Use next week to ask questions and really learn. What other tips have you heard or used to help alleviate stress on Black Friday?The post A Note to Retailers: 3 Tips to Make Black Friday Better for Your Employees and Customers appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published on Fast Company and explores how leading companies combat workplace stress.Countless studies show that stress not only affects our mood and general outlook on life, it can also adversely affect our health. According to the Behavioral Science and Policy Association, overwhelming work-related demands up the odds of having an illness by 35% and long work hours have shown to increase mortality by nearly 20%.No one wants to live their life in a constant state of unhappiness. Yet, when we search for ways to eliminate our stress, we are typically offered the useless advice we have heard time and time again. "Focus on the positive." "Eliminate the stress in your life."Let’s be honest, these options are either impossible or are completely intangible. In How Google and Others Help Employees Burn Off Stress in Unique Ways, companies are adopting unconventional approaches to help employees better manage their stress.Are you working to remove stress from you team or are you adding to it?"While venting about the boss or job has long been reserved for hushed cubicle whispers or happy-hour rants outside the office, Appster, which has around 380 employees across offices in the U.S., Australia, and India, put in place what McDonald refers to as a "weekly vent report," an online board where employees can post complaints and concerns anonymously and publicly."Read the article.The post Fierce Resource: How Google and Others Help Employees Burn Off Stress in Unique Ways appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

During the Thanksgiving holidays in the United States, we often focus on giving thanks to family and friends. We eat and celebrate during our days off and have much needed relaxation time. Some of us travel to the other side of the country to reconnect. Others curl up at home.Before you leave the office (mentally or physically) to enjoy the holiday, this week’s tip is to show gratitude and encourage its expression in your workplace. Think about your colleagues and teammates. You most likely spend more time with them than your family and friends.What stands out to you? What will you do to show appreciation? How can you help your team show it?One idea is to supply cards for team members to write notes to one another expressing appreciation. The goal is to make each note very specific and share why it is significant to the team and/or organization. Encourage employees to focus on how colleagues make their lives easier and/or more enjoyable.What other ways are you going to show gratitude in your workplace this week? (And bonus, if you want a gratitude exercise for your Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends, here is my family’s.)The post Fierce Tip of the Week: Don’t Be Shy, Show Gratitude in Your Workplace appeared first on Fierce, Inc..