Microcoaching: the next generation of personal development...getty
As the modern workplace evolves, its associated practices must too. An office used to mean a fixed location, now it’s anywhere with an internet connection or something to write with. A multi-million dollar business used to require heaps of staff and complicated infrastructure, now it could be a teenager with a Shopify site. Meetings used to always be face-to-face. Emails used to be faxes. Instant payments used to be cheques. You get the idea.
Ambitious entrepreneurs are maximising their time; fitting in more of what matters and doing less of what doesn’t. More is automated, delegated and eliminated than ever before. It makes sense that coaching is up for discussion.
What is microcoaching?
Microcoaching is an alternative to traditional coaching, consisting of smaller and more frequent questions, guidance and assistance. Rather than scheduling hour-long calls or face-to-face meetings, microcoaching might involve a five-minute chat every few days, and the exchange of voice notes or text-based questions and prompts between coach and client. The principle is that frequent doses of guidance might help keep someone on track better than an in-depth discussion every two weeks, for example.
Microcoaching is used by coaches looking to adapt their practices to a changing workplace, as well as the evolving demands of a modern entrepreneur. It’s used within larger organisations, to enable senior team members to offer support to junior ones, or to enable peer-to-peer development. It might be used within entrepreneur networks or between friendship groups. Whenever you’re spending time with someone who is helping you find solutions or holding you accountable, you might be on the receiving end of microcoaching.
Formal, structured coaching has its place, but for some clients of coaches it’s surplus to requirements and shorter, more frequent bursts of motivation, inspiration and nudging may prove more beneficial.
What makes microcoaching so effective?
Microcoaching, by its very nature, enables more frequent catch ups and a real-time method of keeping in touch. This means challenges can be assessed and dissected and a plan of action made without waiting for the next scheduled session, which may be weeks or even months in the future. This is particularly useful if the microcoaching recipient feels they may have made a mistake, could have handled a situation better, or they have a big decision they’d like to discuss.
The faster implementation of microcoaching can make the recipient more effective in their work. Whether self-employed or an employee, they are less likely to waste time pursuing practices that are ineffective or go too far down a rabbit hole before they’re caught. Feedback loops are far shorter meaning actions can be redirected accordingly. Furthermore, the microcoaching receiver can access frequent doses of motivation, keeping their levels topped up rather than allowing for boom and bust.
One of the key benefits of microcoaching is its flexible nature, especially when communication is delivered asynchronously. This means the coach and their client can exchange thoughts and questions in their own time, whenever is convenient. This removes the need to find time in two busy schedules and block out an afternoon for a call and review period. Long coaching calls can be draining for both parties and they’re not always effective. Furthermore, long coaching calls might require an initial phase of catching up, which microcoaching negates the need for.
How can entrepreneurs benefit from microcoaching?
Ambitious entrepreneurs are hungry for knowledge, including feedback and pointers of how they can improve. They can open themselves up for microcoaching by letting key individuals around them know that regular feedback is welcome.
Within a formal coaching relationship, where an entrepreneur has commissioned a coach, they might adapt the schedule so they communicate in smaller bursts and incorporate ad hoc phone calls, shorter catch ups or voice notes, saving the longer sessions for when deep dives are necessary or when there’s something significant to discuss. This adaptation may be welcomed by their coach and make the arrangement more effective.
Outside of a formal coaching relationship, for example in mastermind groups or between friendship groups consisting of entrepreneurs, each member can administer and receive microcoaching according to the boundaries of those involved. If a friend is explaining a business problem, for example, I might ask them if I can offer feedback, ask some questions, or suggest a new way to frame the problem. In turn, they may hear of a business challenge I’m facing and ask if it’s okay that they probe, in order to help me reach a solution.
When microcoaching is met with an open demeanour and willingness to learn, it can be effective. When it’s unsolicited, defensiveness may ensue, and no solutions reached, hence why it’s crucial to check before offering input.
Entrepreneurs who question every aspect of their career and work will inevitably find better ways of conducting business. Modern businesses have reimagined what’s possible; applying the same to personal development could unlock the progress ambitious business owners are seeking.
Entrepreneur psychology and how to run a business without it running you. Post-exit entrepreneur, author of Ten Year Career and Forbes’ 30 under 30 social entrepreneurs in Europe 2017.
“The Difference Between Coaching And Mentoring”. Forbes. Retrieved 4 July 2015.coach, Online Etymology Dictionary, retrieved 4 July 2015.Lines, David; Evans, Christina, eds. (2020). “A Meta-Analysis of Coaching: Re-tracing the Roots and Re-analysing the Coaching Story”.
“26 Benefits of Adult ADHD Coaching”. Psychology Today blogs. Retrieved 4 July 2015.Knouse, Laura E.; Bagwell, Catherine L.; Barkley, Russell A.; Murphy, Kevin R. (May 2005). “Accuracy of Self-Evaluation in Adults with ADHD: Evidence from a Driving Study”.
Coaching in Education: Getting Better Results for Students, Educators, and Parents. Professional Coaching Series. London: Karnac Books.Neenan, Michael (2018). Neenan, Michael (ed.). Cognitive Behavioural Coaching:Grant, Anthony M. (2005). “Grant, Anthony M.; Cavanagh, Michael J. (2018). “Life Coaching”. In Cox, Elaine; Bachkirova, Tatiana; Clutterbuck, David (eds.).
There are more and more remote workers in the modern age. Companies are realizing how effective it can be to have their staff based at home and opening up the possibilities of employing people without having to worry too much about where they are based. Generally, most of the consequences that happen after your identity is stolen have some sort of financial gain for the criminal.
As a remote worker, it could be that someone is looking to steal your data to gain access to the company you work for. Organizations need to be especially careful. As an employee, this doesn’t fall solely on you, but it is important that you consider the best practices for keeping data safe.
How to Prevent Identity Theft
If you’ve found this article in advance of having to deal with the consequences of identity theft then there is still a lot you can do to hopefully ensure you never have to deal with it happening to you. If you are working for a large company or your data is particularly sensitive, it makes sense to outsource all of your online security. There are organizations that know exactly how to keep your ID safe and secure and can help both individuals and organizations, even large organizations might find that they are lacking in precautions.
The best thing to do for peace of mind is to work with the professionals and make sure that identity theft doesn’t become a big hassle for you in the future. Now, this might be a different story for business owners who work remotely. Many remote business owners get targeted for online identity theft. This can prove deadly for the business; many businesses fail right after they get their online security breaches.
It is essential for every company on the internet to implement security measures for it to succeed. This could be achieved either by outsourcing your identity security or, you can do it yourself. Even though it is advised to leave it to the professionals, you can still tackle this problem and be safe on the internet:The most important thing you should do is doing your research thoroughly regarding this issue.
It is essential because it not only involves buying software or implementing new technology. It also requires education and hours of reading and watching videos. Hence, it is more complicated than you think. You may find more information here.
There are some basic things you can do: Change passwords regularly and generate them rather than just use your cat’s name! People will find a way to get through basic and simple passwords so they should use a lot of different characters. Never automatically trust a link that is sent to you. Check if the website is secure and don’t put any details in on a site that you have even one doubt about. Things like online banking are prime examples.
Always visit their sites through your browser rather than just clicking on a link in an email. This is prime for someone to take advantage of phishing. Have a high-quality anti-virus on your computer. If you are running a big company then you should definitely ensure you have access to this for all of your staff. Don’t mix work and personal life. A working computer should be for work and your personal devices should be for your own accounts on things. If you log into work emails on a laptop that is yours, and you don’t take the right precautions, you could be accountable if anything happens.
How to Tackle Identity Theft When it Happens
If the worst does happen and you find yourself a victim of identity theft, don’t panic. There are steps you can take to try and minimize the damage. If you want to, you can contact the specialists. Again, there are specific companies who can deal with identity theft and help you to ensure that you deal with everything in the correct manner, rather than making mistakes along the way. You should look to get a fraud alert put on your credit report, this can limit the damage of any credit taken out fraudulently in your name.
Report to the FTC. This is one of the first steps you can take. There is a simple form that you can fill in on an FTC site, IdentityTheft.gov or you can call to speak to a member of staff. Try to gain as much evidence as you can when you are talking to them, ready to show exactly what is happening to your accounts. Go to your local police. Different police forces deal with the issues in different ways and the location where the offense happened might play a part, but authorities should be alerted straight away. Freeze credit cards and bank accounts. Stop anything negative from happening while you wait to establish what steps you are going to take.
Freezing lines of credit can allow you to ensure that you do not run up further debts without spending anything! Your credit card might be being used on the other side of the world. Change all of your passwords. One breach is enough to ensure that you should get new passwords for every account you have including social media. Alert your work if using a work laptop or if the ID theft is in any way linked. If you fear that these details could lead to issues for your workplace then there is no way you should keep it from them. If you need to, you can still contact specialists in identity theft who can walk you through all of the steps required to try to get your life back on track.
Conclusion
There is no denying that identity theft can have a huge negative impact on your life, and even on those close to you. If it isn’t properly dealt with then it could keep having an effect decades into the future. If you haven’t suffered from ID theft yet then you can take steps to ensure your security. If you are working with a company and are worried about their data then this is another reason to take security seriously.
Just a few simple precautions can make all the difference, and you need to know what techniques and tactics current fraudsters are using to try and steal your information.
“Over The Shoulder” techniques. Someone can watch your input data. It’s as simple as that. If you are in a co-working space, for instance, you might be targeted by someone looking to steal your data.
“Over The Shoulder” techniques. Someone can watch your input data. It’s as simple as that. If you are in a co-working space, for instance, you might be targeted by someone looking to steal your data.
You need to have your guard up. Identity theft is becoming more sophisticated and people will always look for new ways to get your personal information. For a criminal, it can be very lucrative.
What Happens When Your Identity is Stolen?
Identity theft can lead to your data being sold. People sell it on the dark web, and this means that people all over the world could be using your data to borrow money, make applications, and even commit other crimes. Generally, most of the consequences that happen after your identity is stolen have some sort of financial gain for the criminal.
As a remote worker, it could be that someone is looking to steal your data to gain access to the company you work for. Organizations need to be especially careful. As an employee, this doesn’t fall solely on you, but it is important that you consider the best practices for keeping data safe.
How to Prevent Identity Theft
If you’ve found this article in advance of having to deal with the consequences of identity theft then there is still a lot you can do to hopefully ensure you never have to deal with it happening to you. If you are working for a large company or your data is particularly sensitive, it makes sense to outsource all of your online security. There are organizations that know exactly how to keep your ID safe and secure and can help both individuals and organizations, even large organizations might find that they are lacking in precautions.
The best thing to do for peace of mind is to work with the professionals and make sure that identity theft doesn’t become a big hassle for you in the future. Now, this might be a different story for business owners who work remotely. Many remote business owners get targeted for online identity theft. This can prove deadly for the business; many businesses fail right after they get their online security breaches.
It is essential for every company on the internet to implement security measures for it to succeed. This could be achieved either by outsourcing your identity security or, you can do it yourself. Even though it is advised to leave it to the professionals, you can still tackle this problem and be safe on the internet:The most important thing you should do is doing your research thoroughly regarding this issue.
It is essential because it not only involves buying software or implementing new technology. It also requires education and hours of reading and watching videos. Hence, it is more complicated than you think. You may find more information here.
There are some basic things you can do: Change passwords regularly and generate them rather than just use your cat’s name! People will find a way to get through basic and simple passwords so they should use a lot of different characters. Never automatically trust a link that is sent to you. Check if the website is secure and don’t put any details in on a site that you have even one doubt about. Things like online banking are prime examples.
Always visit their sites through your browser rather than just clicking on a link in an email. This is prime for someone to take advantage of phishing. Have a high-quality anti-virus on your computer. If you are running a big company then you should definitely ensure you have access to this for all of your staff. Don’t mix work and personal life. A working computer should be for work and your personal devices should be for your own accounts on things. If you log into work emails on a laptop that is yours, and you don’t take the right precautions, you could be accountable if anything happens.
How to Tackle Identity Theft When it Happens
If the worst does happen and you find yourself a victim of identity theft, don’t panic. There are steps you can take to try and minimize the damage. If you want to, you can contact the specialists. Again, there are specific companies who can deal with identity theft and help you to ensure that you deal with everything in the correct manner, rather than making mistakes along the way. You should look to get a fraud alert put on your credit report, this can limit the damage of any credit taken out fraudulently in your name.
Report to the FTC. This is one of the first steps you can take. There is a simple form that you can fill in on an FTC site, IdentityTheft.gov or you can call to speak to a member of staff. Try to gain as much evidence as you can when you are talking to them, ready to show exactly what is happening to your accounts. Go to your local police. Different police forces deal with the issues in different ways and the location where the offense happened might play a part, but authorities should be alerted straight away. Freeze credit cards and bank accounts. Stop anything negative from happening while you wait to establish what steps you are going to take.
Freezing lines of credit can allow you to ensure that you do not run up further debts without spending anything! Your credit card might be being used on the other side of the world. Change all of your passwords. One breach is enough to ensure that you should get new passwords for every account you have including social media. Alert your work if using a work laptop or if the ID theft is in any way linked. If you fear that these details could lead to issues for your workplace then there is no way you should keep it from them. If you need to, you can still contact specialists in identity theft who can walk you through all of the steps required to try to get your life back on track.
Conclusion
There is no denying that identity theft can have a huge negative impact on your life, and even on those close to you. If it isn’t properly dealt with then it could keep having an effect decades into the future. If you haven’t suffered from ID theft yet then you can take steps to ensure your security. If you are working with a company and are worried about their data then this is another reason to take security seriously.
Just a few simple precautions can make all the difference, and you need to know what techniques and tactics current fraudsters are using to try and steal your information.
“Over The Shoulder” techniques. Someone can watch your input data. It’s as simple as that. If you are in a co-working space, for instance, you might be targeted by someone looking to steal your data.
How Does Identity Theft Happen?
It is easy to assume that you have done the right things and won’t be a victim. Just changing your password from time to time isn’t necessarily enough. There are lots of ways in which people can steal your ID details online.
“Over The Shoulder” techniques. Someone can watch your input data. It’s as simple as that. If you are in a co-working space, for instance, you might be targeted by someone looking to steal your data.
You need to have your guard up. Identity theft is becoming more sophisticated and people will always look for new ways to get your personal information. For a criminal, it can be very lucrative.
What Happens When Your Identity is Stolen?
Identity theft can lead to your data being sold. People sell it on the dark web, and this means that people all over the world could be using your data to borrow money, make applications, and even commit other crimes. Generally, most of the consequences that happen after your identity is stolen have some sort of financial gain for the criminal.
As a remote worker, it could be that someone is looking to steal your data to gain access to the company you work for. Organizations need to be especially careful. As an employee, this doesn’t fall solely on you, but it is important that you consider the best practices for keeping data safe.
How to Prevent Identity Theft
If you’ve found this article in advance of having to deal with the consequences of identity theft then there is still a lot you can do to hopefully ensure you never have to deal with it happening to you. If you are working for a large company or your data is particularly sensitive, it makes sense to outsource all of your online security. There are organizations that know exactly how to keep your ID safe and secure and can help both individuals and organizations, even large organizations might find that they are lacking in precautions.
The best thing to do for peace of mind is to work with the professionals and make sure that identity theft doesn’t become a big hassle for you in the future. Now, this might be a different story for business owners who work remotely. Many remote business owners get targeted for online identity theft. This can prove deadly for the business; many businesses fail right after they get their online security breaches.
It is essential for every company on the internet to implement security measures for it to succeed. This could be achieved either by outsourcing your identity security or, you can do it yourself. Even though it is advised to leave it to the professionals, you can still tackle this problem and be safe on the internet:The most important thing you should do is doing your research thoroughly regarding this issue.
It is essential because it not only involves buying software or implementing new technology. It also requires education and hours of reading and watching videos. Hence, it is more complicated than you think. You may find more information here.
There are some basic things you can do: Change passwords regularly and generate them rather than just use your cat’s name! People will find a way to get through basic and simple passwords so they should use a lot of different characters. Never automatically trust a link that is sent to you. Check if the website is secure and don’t put any details in on a site that you have even one doubt about. Things like online banking are prime examples.
Always visit their sites through your browser rather than just clicking on a link in an email. This is prime for someone to take advantage of phishing. Have a high-quality anti-virus on your computer. If you are running a big company then you should definitely ensure you have access to this for all of your staff. Don’t mix work and personal life. A working computer should be for work and your personal devices should be for your own accounts on things. If you log into work emails on a laptop that is yours, and you don’t take the right precautions, you could be accountable if anything happens.
How to Tackle Identity Theft When it Happens
If the worst does happen and you find yourself a victim of identity theft, don’t panic. There are steps you can take to try and minimize the damage. If you want to, you can contact the specialists. Again, there are specific companies who can deal with identity theft and help you to ensure that you deal with everything in the correct manner, rather than making mistakes along the way. You should look to get a fraud alert put on your credit report, this can limit the damage of any credit taken out fraudulently in your name.
Report to the FTC. This is one of the first steps you can take. There is a simple form that you can fill in on an FTC site, IdentityTheft.gov or you can call to speak to a member of staff. Try to gain as much evidence as you can when you are talking to them, ready to show exactly what is happening to your accounts. Go to your local police. Different police forces deal with the issues in different ways and the location where the offense happened might play a part, but authorities should be alerted straight away. Freeze credit cards and bank accounts. Stop anything negative from happening while you wait to establish what steps you are going to take.
Freezing lines of credit can allow you to ensure that you do not run up further debts without spending anything! Your credit card might be being used on the other side of the world. Change all of your passwords. One breach is enough to ensure that you should get new passwords for every account you have including social media. Alert your work if using a work laptop or if the ID theft is in any way linked. If you fear that these details could lead to issues for your workplace then there is no way you should keep it from them. If you need to, you can still contact specialists in identity theft who can walk you through all of the steps required to try to get your life back on track.
Conclusion
There is no denying that identity theft can have a huge negative impact on your life, and even on those close to you. If it isn’t properly dealt with then it could keep having an effect decades into the future. If you haven’t suffered from ID theft yet then you can take steps to ensure your security. If you are working with a company and are worried about their data then this is another reason to take security seriously.
Just a few simple precautions can make all the difference, and you need to know what techniques and tactics current fraudsters are using to try and steal your information.
“Over The Shoulder” techniques. Someone can watch your input data. It’s as simple as that. If you are in a co-working space, for instance, you might be targeted by someone looking to steal your data.
It’s easy to think that identity theft isn’t too much of a big deal or assume that nobody could impersonate you so there’s nothing to worry about. Actually, once they have your details people can take advantage in a lot of different ways. Identity theft crime statistics are scary. 16.7 million people in America suffered some form of identity theft in the year 2017. That figure is continuing to grow. Billions of dollars are stolen every year using identity theft methods.
If you find yourself the victim of identity theft it might be impossible to recover all of the assets you have lost or the damage to your reputation or the company you work for. This means that identity theft is a huge issue that can impact years of your life. Also, people can commit crimes and run up debts in your name. This can leave you facing a legal battle in the future, too. Make no mistake about it, identity theft is incredibly rife and can make an impact for a number of years in the future.
This is not something you will necessarily have out of the way in a matter of weeks. Even if you contact the authorities and explain that you have been the victim of identity theft, the onus might be on you to prove this. Cybercrime is on the rise. 3.2 million identity theft, cybercrime, and other forms of fraud were reported in 2019. As you can see from this article, almost half of the time when people stole someone’s identity, they applied for a credit card. This debt doesn’t automatically get written off. You will need to prove that you were a victim of fraud and take action if this happens to you. Until then the debts could be in your name.
How Does Identity Theft Happen?
It is easy to assume that you have done the right things and won’t be a victim. Just changing your password from time to time isn’t necessarily enough. There are lots of ways in which people can steal your ID details online.
“Over The Shoulder” techniques. Someone can watch your input data. It’s as simple as that. If you are in a co-working space, for instance, you might be targeted by someone looking to steal your data.
You need to have your guard up. Identity theft is becoming more sophisticated and people will always look for new ways to get your personal information. For a criminal, it can be very lucrative.
What Happens When Your Identity is Stolen?
Identity theft can lead to your data being sold. People sell it on the dark web, and this means that people all over the world could be using your data to borrow money, make applications, and even commit other crimes. Generally, most of the consequences that happen after your identity is stolen have some sort of financial gain for the criminal.
As a remote worker, it could be that someone is looking to steal your data to gain access to the company you work for. Organizations need to be especially careful. As an employee, this doesn’t fall solely on you, but it is important that you consider the best practices for keeping data safe.
How to Prevent Identity Theft
If you’ve found this article in advance of having to deal with the consequences of identity theft then there is still a lot you can do to hopefully ensure you never have to deal with it happening to you. If you are working for a large company or your data is particularly sensitive, it makes sense to outsource all of your online security. There are organizations that know exactly how to keep your ID safe and secure and can help both individuals and organizations, even large organizations might find that they are lacking in precautions.
The best thing to do for peace of mind is to work with the professionals and make sure that identity theft doesn’t become a big hassle for you in the future. Now, this might be a different story for business owners who work remotely. Many remote business owners get targeted for online identity theft. This can prove deadly for the business; many businesses fail right after they get their online security breaches.
It is essential for every company on the internet to implement security measures for it to succeed. This could be achieved either by outsourcing your identity security or, you can do it yourself. Even though it is advised to leave it to the professionals, you can still tackle this problem and be safe on the internet:The most important thing you should do is doing your research thoroughly regarding this issue.
It is essential because it not only involves buying software or implementing new technology. It also requires education and hours of reading and watching videos. Hence, it is more complicated than you think. You may find more information here.
There are some basic things you can do: Change passwords regularly and generate them rather than just use your cat’s name! People will find a way to get through basic and simple passwords so they should use a lot of different characters. Never automatically trust a link that is sent to you. Check if the website is secure and don’t put any details in on a site that you have even one doubt about. Things like online banking are prime examples.
Always visit their sites through your browser rather than just clicking on a link in an email. This is prime for someone to take advantage of phishing. Have a high-quality anti-virus on your computer. If you are running a big company then you should definitely ensure you have access to this for all of your staff. Don’t mix work and personal life. A working computer should be for work and your personal devices should be for your own accounts on things. If you log into work emails on a laptop that is yours, and you don’t take the right precautions, you could be accountable if anything happens.
How to Tackle Identity Theft When it Happens
If the worst does happen and you find yourself a victim of identity theft, don’t panic. There are steps you can take to try and minimize the damage. If you want to, you can contact the specialists. Again, there are specific companies who can deal with identity theft and help you to ensure that you deal with everything in the correct manner, rather than making mistakes along the way. You should look to get a fraud alert put on your credit report, this can limit the damage of any credit taken out fraudulently in your name.
Report to the FTC. This is one of the first steps you can take. There is a simple form that you can fill in on an FTC site, IdentityTheft.gov or you can call to speak to a member of staff. Try to gain as much evidence as you can when you are talking to them, ready to show exactly what is happening to your accounts. Go to your local police. Different police forces deal with the issues in different ways and the location where the offense happened might play a part, but authorities should be alerted straight away. Freeze credit cards and bank accounts. Stop anything negative from happening while you wait to establish what steps you are going to take.
Freezing lines of credit can allow you to ensure that you do not run up further debts without spending anything! Your credit card might be being used on the other side of the world. Change all of your passwords. One breach is enough to ensure that you should get new passwords for every account you have including social media. Alert your work if using a work laptop or if the ID theft is in any way linked. If you fear that these details could lead to issues for your workplace then there is no way you should keep it from them. If you need to, you can still contact specialists in identity theft who can walk you through all of the steps required to try to get your life back on track.
Conclusion
There is no denying that identity theft can have a huge negative impact on your life, and even on those close to you. If it isn’t properly dealt with then it could keep having an effect decades into the future. If you haven’t suffered from ID theft yet then you can take steps to ensure your security. If you are working with a company and are worried about their data then this is another reason to take security seriously.
Just a few simple precautions can make all the difference, and you need to know what techniques and tactics current fraudsters are using to try and steal your information.
“Over The Shoulder” techniques. Someone can watch your input data. It’s as simple as that. If you are in a co-working space, for instance, you might be targeted by someone looking to steal your data.
It’s easy to think that identity theft isn’t too much of a big deal or assume that nobody could impersonate you so there’s nothing to worry about. Actually, once they have your details people can take advantage in a lot of different ways. Identity theft crime statistics are scary. 16.7 million people in America suffered some form of identity theft in the year 2017. That figure is continuing to grow. Billions of dollars are stolen every year using identity theft methods.
If you find yourself the victim of identity theft it might be impossible to recover all of the assets you have lost or the damage to your reputation or the company you work for. This means that identity theft is a huge issue that can impact years of your life. Also, people can commit crimes and run up debts in your name. This can leave you facing a legal battle in the future, too. Make no mistake about it, identity theft is incredibly rife and can make an impact for a number of years in the future.
This is not something you will necessarily have out of the way in a matter of weeks. Even if you contact the authorities and explain that you have been the victim of identity theft, the onus might be on you to prove this. Cybercrime is on the rise. 3.2 million identity theft, cybercrime, and other forms of fraud were reported in 2019. As you can see from this article, almost half of the time when people stole someone’s identity, they applied for a credit card. This debt doesn’t automatically get written off. You will need to prove that you were a victim of fraud and take action if this happens to you. Until then the debts could be in your name.
How Does Identity Theft Happen?
It is easy to assume that you have done the right things and won’t be a victim. Just changing your password from time to time isn’t necessarily enough. There are lots of ways in which people can steal your ID details online.
“Over The Shoulder” techniques. Someone can watch your input data. It’s as simple as that. If you are in a co-working space, for instance, you might be targeted by someone looking to steal your data.
You need to have your guard up. Identity theft is becoming more sophisticated and people will always look for new ways to get your personal information. For a criminal, it can be very lucrative.
What Happens When Your Identity is Stolen?
Identity theft can lead to your data being sold. People sell it on the dark web, and this means that people all over the world could be using your data to borrow money, make applications, and even commit other crimes. Generally, most of the consequences that happen after your identity is stolen have some sort of financial gain for the criminal.
As a remote worker, it could be that someone is looking to steal your data to gain access to the company you work for. Organizations need to be especially careful. As an employee, this doesn’t fall solely on you, but it is important that you consider the best practices for keeping data safe.
How to Prevent Identity Theft
If you’ve found this article in advance of having to deal with the consequences of identity theft then there is still a lot you can do to hopefully ensure you never have to deal with it happening to you. If you are working for a large company or your data is particularly sensitive, it makes sense to outsource all of your online security. There are organizations that know exactly how to keep your ID safe and secure and can help both individuals and organizations, even large organizations might find that they are lacking in precautions.
The best thing to do for peace of mind is to work with the professionals and make sure that identity theft doesn’t become a big hassle for you in the future. Now, this might be a different story for business owners who work remotely. Many remote business owners get targeted for online identity theft. This can prove deadly for the business; many businesses fail right after they get their online security breaches.
It is essential for every company on the internet to implement security measures for it to succeed. This could be achieved either by outsourcing your identity security or, you can do it yourself. Even though it is advised to leave it to the professionals, you can still tackle this problem and be safe on the internet:The most important thing you should do is doing your research thoroughly regarding this issue.
It is essential because it not only involves buying software or implementing new technology. It also requires education and hours of reading and watching videos. Hence, it is more complicated than you think. You may find more information here.
There are some basic things you can do: Change passwords regularly and generate them rather than just use your cat’s name! People will find a way to get through basic and simple passwords so they should use a lot of different characters. Never automatically trust a link that is sent to you. Check if the website is secure and don’t put any details in on a site that you have even one doubt about. Things like online banking are prime examples.
Always visit their sites through your browser rather than just clicking on a link in an email. This is prime for someone to take advantage of phishing. Have a high-quality anti-virus on your computer. If you are running a big company then you should definitely ensure you have access to this for all of your staff. Don’t mix work and personal life. A working computer should be for work and your personal devices should be for your own accounts on things. If you log into work emails on a laptop that is yours, and you don’t take the right precautions, you could be accountable if anything happens.
How to Tackle Identity Theft When it Happens
If the worst does happen and you find yourself a victim of identity theft, don’t panic. There are steps you can take to try and minimize the damage. If you want to, you can contact the specialists. Again, there are specific companies who can deal with identity theft and help you to ensure that you deal with everything in the correct manner, rather than making mistakes along the way. You should look to get a fraud alert put on your credit report, this can limit the damage of any credit taken out fraudulently in your name.
Report to the FTC. This is one of the first steps you can take. There is a simple form that you can fill in on an FTC site, IdentityTheft.gov or you can call to speak to a member of staff. Try to gain as much evidence as you can when you are talking to them, ready to show exactly what is happening to your accounts. Go to your local police. Different police forces deal with the issues in different ways and the location where the offense happened might play a part, but authorities should be alerted straight away. Freeze credit cards and bank accounts. Stop anything negative from happening while you wait to establish what steps you are going to take.
Freezing lines of credit can allow you to ensure that you do not run up further debts without spending anything! Your credit card might be being used on the other side of the world. Change all of your passwords. One breach is enough to ensure that you should get new passwords for every account you have including social media. Alert your work if using a work laptop or if the ID theft is in any way linked. If you fear that these details could lead to issues for your workplace then there is no way you should keep it from them. If you need to, you can still contact specialists in identity theft who can walk you through all of the steps required to try to get your life back on track.
Conclusion
There is no denying that identity theft can have a huge negative impact on your life, and even on those close to you. If it isn’t properly dealt with then it could keep having an effect decades into the future. If you haven’t suffered from ID theft yet then you can take steps to ensure your security. If you are working with a company and are worried about their data then this is another reason to take security seriously.
Just a few simple precautions can make all the difference, and you need to know what techniques and tactics current fraudsters are using to try and steal your information.
“Over The Shoulder” techniques. Someone can watch your input data. It’s as simple as that. If you are in a co-working space, for instance, you might be targeted by someone looking to steal your data.
Identity theft used to require physical documents to commit this kind of fraud, but now, things have changed. Details can be stolen in a number of ways and networks and websites can be hacked to allow fraudsters to find PII.
How Serious is Identity Theft?
It’s easy to think that identity theft isn’t too much of a big deal or assume that nobody could impersonate you so there’s nothing to worry about. Actually, once they have your details people can take advantage in a lot of different ways. Identity theft crime statistics are scary. 16.7 million people in America suffered some form of identity theft in the year 2017. That figure is continuing to grow. Billions of dollars are stolen every year using identity theft methods.
If you find yourself the victim of identity theft it might be impossible to recover all of the assets you have lost or the damage to your reputation or the company you work for. This means that identity theft is a huge issue that can impact years of your life. Also, people can commit crimes and run up debts in your name. This can leave you facing a legal battle in the future, too. Make no mistake about it, identity theft is incredibly rife and can make an impact for a number of years in the future.
This is not something you will necessarily have out of the way in a matter of weeks. Even if you contact the authorities and explain that you have been the victim of identity theft, the onus might be on you to prove this. Cybercrime is on the rise. 3.2 million identity theft, cybercrime, and other forms of fraud were reported in 2019. As you can see from this article, almost half of the time when people stole someone’s identity, they applied for a credit card. This debt doesn’t automatically get written off. You will need to prove that you were a victim of fraud and take action if this happens to you. Until then the debts could be in your name.
How Does Identity Theft Happen?
It is easy to assume that you have done the right things and won’t be a victim. Just changing your password from time to time isn’t necessarily enough. There are lots of ways in which people can steal your ID details online.
“Over The Shoulder” techniques. Someone can watch your input data. It’s as simple as that. If you are in a co-working space, for instance, you might be targeted by someone looking to steal your data.
You need to have your guard up. Identity theft is becoming more sophisticated and people will always look for new ways to get your personal information. For a criminal, it can be very lucrative.
What Happens When Your Identity is Stolen?
Identity theft can lead to your data being sold. People sell it on the dark web, and this means that people all over the world could be using your data to borrow money, make applications, and even commit other crimes. Generally, most of the consequences that happen after your identity is stolen have some sort of financial gain for the criminal.
As a remote worker, it could be that someone is looking to steal your data to gain access to the company you work for. Organizations need to be especially careful. As an employee, this doesn’t fall solely on you, but it is important that you consider the best practices for keeping data safe.
How to Prevent Identity Theft
If you’ve found this article in advance of having to deal with the consequences of identity theft then there is still a lot you can do to hopefully ensure you never have to deal with it happening to you. If you are working for a large company or your data is particularly sensitive, it makes sense to outsource all of your online security. There are organizations that know exactly how to keep your ID safe and secure and can help both individuals and organizations, even large organizations might find that they are lacking in precautions.
The best thing to do for peace of mind is to work with the professionals and make sure that identity theft doesn’t become a big hassle for you in the future. Now, this might be a different story for business owners who work remotely. Many remote business owners get targeted for online identity theft. This can prove deadly for the business; many businesses fail right after they get their online security breaches.
It is essential for every company on the internet to implement security measures for it to succeed. This could be achieved either by outsourcing your identity security or, you can do it yourself. Even though it is advised to leave it to the professionals, you can still tackle this problem and be safe on the internet:The most important thing you should do is doing your research thoroughly regarding this issue.
It is essential because it not only involves buying software or implementing new technology. It also requires education and hours of reading and watching videos. Hence, it is more complicated than you think. You may find more information here.
There are some basic things you can do: Change passwords regularly and generate them rather than just use your cat’s name! People will find a way to get through basic and simple passwords so they should use a lot of different characters. Never automatically trust a link that is sent to you. Check if the website is secure and don’t put any details in on a site that you have even one doubt about. Things like online banking are prime examples.
Always visit their sites through your browser rather than just clicking on a link in an email. This is prime for someone to take advantage of phishing. Have a high-quality anti-virus on your computer. If you are running a big company then you should definitely ensure you have access to this for all of your staff. Don’t mix work and personal life. A working computer should be for work and your personal devices should be for your own accounts on things. If you log into work emails on a laptop that is yours, and you don’t take the right precautions, you could be accountable if anything happens.
How to Tackle Identity Theft When it Happens
If the worst does happen and you find yourself a victim of identity theft, don’t panic. There are steps you can take to try and minimize the damage. If you want to, you can contact the specialists. Again, there are specific companies who can deal with identity theft and help you to ensure that you deal with everything in the correct manner, rather than making mistakes along the way. You should look to get a fraud alert put on your credit report, this can limit the damage of any credit taken out fraudulently in your name.
Report to the FTC. This is one of the first steps you can take. There is a simple form that you can fill in on an FTC site, IdentityTheft.gov or you can call to speak to a member of staff. Try to gain as much evidence as you can when you are talking to them, ready to show exactly what is happening to your accounts. Go to your local police. Different police forces deal with the issues in different ways and the location where the offense happened might play a part, but authorities should be alerted straight away. Freeze credit cards and bank accounts. Stop anything negative from happening while you wait to establish what steps you are going to take.
Freezing lines of credit can allow you to ensure that you do not run up further debts without spending anything! Your credit card might be being used on the other side of the world. Change all of your passwords. One breach is enough to ensure that you should get new passwords for every account you have including social media. Alert your work if using a work laptop or if the ID theft is in any way linked. If you fear that these details could lead to issues for your workplace then there is no way you should keep it from them. If you need to, you can still contact specialists in identity theft who can walk you through all of the steps required to try to get your life back on track.
Conclusion
There is no denying that identity theft can have a huge negative impact on your life, and even on those close to you. If it isn’t properly dealt with then it could keep having an effect decades into the future. If you haven’t suffered from ID theft yet then you can take steps to ensure your security. If you are working with a company and are worried about their data then this is another reason to take security seriously.
Just a few simple precautions can make all the difference, and you need to know what techniques and tactics current fraudsters are using to try and steal your information.
“Over The Shoulder” techniques. Someone can watch your input data. It’s as simple as that. If you are in a co-working space, for instance, you might be targeted by someone looking to steal your data.
Identity theft is nothing new. People have been stealing identification via Social Security numbers and other details for a long time, usually by stealing wallets, but historically some people would go through mail to find details for identity theft. In the modern age of the internet, it is easier for people to find personally identifiable information. This is sometimes abbreviated to “PII”. This allows people to commit fraud and pretend to be you. They can sometimes steal money directly in this way, but they can also do things to impact upon your reputation or, in the case of employees they might be able to gain access to company servers or more.
Remote workers need to think about the impact of their identity being stolen, access to their online accounts, and more, but if you don’t take the right precautions you can even be responsible for issues regarding your work details.
Identity theft used to require physical documents to commit this kind of fraud, but now, things have changed. Details can be stolen in a number of ways and networks and websites can be hacked to allow fraudsters to find PII.
How Serious is Identity Theft?
It’s easy to think that identity theft isn’t too much of a big deal or assume that nobody could impersonate you so there’s nothing to worry about. Actually, once they have your details people can take advantage in a lot of different ways. Identity theft crime statistics are scary. 16.7 million people in America suffered some form of identity theft in the year 2017. That figure is continuing to grow. Billions of dollars are stolen every year using identity theft methods.
If you find yourself the victim of identity theft it might be impossible to recover all of the assets you have lost or the damage to your reputation or the company you work for. This means that identity theft is a huge issue that can impact years of your life. Also, people can commit crimes and run up debts in your name. This can leave you facing a legal battle in the future, too. Make no mistake about it, identity theft is incredibly rife and can make an impact for a number of years in the future.
This is not something you will necessarily have out of the way in a matter of weeks. Even if you contact the authorities and explain that you have been the victim of identity theft, the onus might be on you to prove this. Cybercrime is on the rise. 3.2 million identity theft, cybercrime, and other forms of fraud were reported in 2019. As you can see from this article, almost half of the time when people stole someone’s identity, they applied for a credit card. This debt doesn’t automatically get written off. You will need to prove that you were a victim of fraud and take action if this happens to you. Until then the debts could be in your name.
How Does Identity Theft Happen?
It is easy to assume that you have done the right things and won’t be a victim. Just changing your password from time to time isn’t necessarily enough. There are lots of ways in which people can steal your ID details online.
“Over The Shoulder” techniques. Someone can watch your input data. It’s as simple as that. If you are in a co-working space, for instance, you might be targeted by someone looking to steal your data.
You need to have your guard up. Identity theft is becoming more sophisticated and people will always look for new ways to get your personal information. For a criminal, it can be very lucrative.
What Happens When Your Identity is Stolen?
Identity theft can lead to your data being sold. People sell it on the dark web, and this means that people all over the world could be using your data to borrow money, make applications, and even commit other crimes. Generally, most of the consequences that happen after your identity is stolen have some sort of financial gain for the criminal.
As a remote worker, it could be that someone is looking to steal your data to gain access to the company you work for. Organizations need to be especially careful. As an employee, this doesn’t fall solely on you, but it is important that you consider the best practices for keeping data safe.
How to Prevent Identity Theft
If you’ve found this article in advance of having to deal with the consequences of identity theft then there is still a lot you can do to hopefully ensure you never have to deal with it happening to you. If you are working for a large company or your data is particularly sensitive, it makes sense to outsource all of your online security. There are organizations that know exactly how to keep your ID safe and secure and can help both individuals and organizations, even large organizations might find that they are lacking in precautions.
The best thing to do for peace of mind is to work with the professionals and make sure that identity theft doesn’t become a big hassle for you in the future. Now, this might be a different story for business owners who work remotely. Many remote business owners get targeted for online identity theft. This can prove deadly for the business; many businesses fail right after they get their online security breaches.
It is essential for every company on the internet to implement security measures for it to succeed. This could be achieved either by outsourcing your identity security or, you can do it yourself. Even though it is advised to leave it to the professionals, you can still tackle this problem and be safe on the internet:The most important thing you should do is doing your research thoroughly regarding this issue.
It is essential because it not only involves buying software or implementing new technology. It also requires education and hours of reading and watching videos. Hence, it is more complicated than you think. You may find more information here.
There are some basic things you can do: Change passwords regularly and generate them rather than just use your cat’s name! People will find a way to get through basic and simple passwords so they should use a lot of different characters. Never automatically trust a link that is sent to you. Check if the website is secure and don’t put any details in on a site that you have even one doubt about. Things like online banking are prime examples.
Always visit their sites through your browser rather than just clicking on a link in an email. This is prime for someone to take advantage of phishing. Have a high-quality anti-virus on your computer. If you are running a big company then you should definitely ensure you have access to this for all of your staff. Don’t mix work and personal life. A working computer should be for work and your personal devices should be for your own accounts on things. If you log into work emails on a laptop that is yours, and you don’t take the right precautions, you could be accountable if anything happens.
How to Tackle Identity Theft When it Happens
If the worst does happen and you find yourself a victim of identity theft, don’t panic. There are steps you can take to try and minimize the damage. If you want to, you can contact the specialists. Again, there are specific companies who can deal with identity theft and help you to ensure that you deal with everything in the correct manner, rather than making mistakes along the way. You should look to get a fraud alert put on your credit report, this can limit the damage of any credit taken out fraudulently in your name.
Report to the FTC. This is one of the first steps you can take. There is a simple form that you can fill in on an FTC site, IdentityTheft.gov or you can call to speak to a member of staff. Try to gain as much evidence as you can when you are talking to them, ready to show exactly what is happening to your accounts. Go to your local police. Different police forces deal with the issues in different ways and the location where the offense happened might play a part, but authorities should be alerted straight away. Freeze credit cards and bank accounts. Stop anything negative from happening while you wait to establish what steps you are going to take.
Freezing lines of credit can allow you to ensure that you do not run up further debts without spending anything! Your credit card might be being used on the other side of the world. Change all of your passwords. One breach is enough to ensure that you should get new passwords for every account you have including social media. Alert your work if using a work laptop or if the ID theft is in any way linked. If you fear that these details could lead to issues for your workplace then there is no way you should keep it from them. If you need to, you can still contact specialists in identity theft who can walk you through all of the steps required to try to get your life back on track.
Conclusion
There is no denying that identity theft can have a huge negative impact on your life, and even on those close to you. If it isn’t properly dealt with then it could keep having an effect decades into the future. If you haven’t suffered from ID theft yet then you can take steps to ensure your security. If you are working with a company and are worried about their data then this is another reason to take security seriously.
Just a few simple precautions can make all the difference, and you need to know what techniques and tactics current fraudsters are using to try and steal your information.
“Over The Shoulder” techniques. Someone can watch your input data. It’s as simple as that. If you are in a co-working space, for instance, you might be targeted by someone looking to steal your data.
One issue that a lot of people ignore, but one that is still utterly vital, is identity theft. A number of people simply don’t realize how much of a threat this can be to their life and the problems it can cause. As a remote worker, you might have to consider both your own personal information and that of the company you work for.
In this guide, we’re providing some of the information you need to ensure you are preventing and tackling ID theft. We also show you what steps you can take if you are unfortunate enough to fall foul of online fraudsters.
What is Online Identity Theft?
Identity theft is nothing new. People have been stealing identification via Social Security numbers and other details for a long time, usually by stealing wallets, but historically some people would go through mail to find details for identity theft. In the modern age of the internet, it is easier for people to find personally identifiable information. This is sometimes abbreviated to “PII”. This allows people to commit fraud and pretend to be you. They can sometimes steal money directly in this way, but they can also do things to impact upon your reputation or, in the case of employees they might be able to gain access to company servers or more.
Remote workers need to think about the impact of their identity being stolen, access to their online accounts, and more, but if you don’t take the right precautions you can even be responsible for issues regarding your work details.
Identity theft used to require physical documents to commit this kind of fraud, but now, things have changed. Details can be stolen in a number of ways and networks and websites can be hacked to allow fraudsters to find PII.
How Serious is Identity Theft?
It’s easy to think that identity theft isn’t too much of a big deal or assume that nobody could impersonate you so there’s nothing to worry about. Actually, once they have your details people can take advantage in a lot of different ways. Identity theft crime statistics are scary. 16.7 million people in America suffered some form of identity theft in the year 2017. That figure is continuing to grow. Billions of dollars are stolen every year using identity theft methods.
If you find yourself the victim of identity theft it might be impossible to recover all of the assets you have lost or the damage to your reputation or the company you work for. This means that identity theft is a huge issue that can impact years of your life. Also, people can commit crimes and run up debts in your name. This can leave you facing a legal battle in the future, too. Make no mistake about it, identity theft is incredibly rife and can make an impact for a number of years in the future.
This is not something you will necessarily have out of the way in a matter of weeks. Even if you contact the authorities and explain that you have been the victim of identity theft, the onus might be on you to prove this. Cybercrime is on the rise. 3.2 million identity theft, cybercrime, and other forms of fraud were reported in 2019. As you can see from this article, almost half of the time when people stole someone’s identity, they applied for a credit card. This debt doesn’t automatically get written off. You will need to prove that you were a victim of fraud and take action if this happens to you. Until then the debts could be in your name.
How Does Identity Theft Happen?
It is easy to assume that you have done the right things and won’t be a victim. Just changing your password from time to time isn’t necessarily enough. There are lots of ways in which people can steal your ID details online.
“Over The Shoulder” techniques. Someone can watch your input data. It’s as simple as that. If you are in a co-working space, for instance, you might be targeted by someone looking to steal your data.
You need to have your guard up. Identity theft is becoming more sophisticated and people will always look for new ways to get your personal information. For a criminal, it can be very lucrative.
What Happens When Your Identity is Stolen?
Identity theft can lead to your data being sold. People sell it on the dark web, and this means that people all over the world could be using your data to borrow money, make applications, and even commit other crimes. Generally, most of the consequences that happen after your identity is stolen have some sort of financial gain for the criminal.
As a remote worker, it could be that someone is looking to steal your data to gain access to the company you work for. Organizations need to be especially careful. As an employee, this doesn’t fall solely on you, but it is important that you consider the best practices for keeping data safe.
How to Prevent Identity Theft
If you’ve found this article in advance of having to deal with the consequences of identity theft then there is still a lot you can do to hopefully ensure you never have to deal with it happening to you. If you are working for a large company or your data is particularly sensitive, it makes sense to outsource all of your online security. There are organizations that know exactly how to keep your ID safe and secure and can help both individuals and organizations, even large organizations might find that they are lacking in precautions.
The best thing to do for peace of mind is to work with the professionals and make sure that identity theft doesn’t become a big hassle for you in the future. Now, this might be a different story for business owners who work remotely. Many remote business owners get targeted for online identity theft. This can prove deadly for the business; many businesses fail right after they get their online security breaches.
It is essential for every company on the internet to implement security measures for it to succeed. This could be achieved either by outsourcing your identity security or, you can do it yourself. Even though it is advised to leave it to the professionals, you can still tackle this problem and be safe on the internet:The most important thing you should do is doing your research thoroughly regarding this issue.
It is essential because it not only involves buying software or implementing new technology. It also requires education and hours of reading and watching videos. Hence, it is more complicated than you think. You may find more information here.
There are some basic things you can do: Change passwords regularly and generate them rather than just use your cat’s name! People will find a way to get through basic and simple passwords so they should use a lot of different characters. Never automatically trust a link that is sent to you. Check if the website is secure and don’t put any details in on a site that you have even one doubt about. Things like online banking are prime examples.
Always visit their sites through your browser rather than just clicking on a link in an email. This is prime for someone to take advantage of phishing. Have a high-quality anti-virus on your computer. If you are running a big company then you should definitely ensure you have access to this for all of your staff. Don’t mix work and personal life. A working computer should be for work and your personal devices should be for your own accounts on things. If you log into work emails on a laptop that is yours, and you don’t take the right precautions, you could be accountable if anything happens.
How to Tackle Identity Theft When it Happens
If the worst does happen and you find yourself a victim of identity theft, don’t panic. There are steps you can take to try and minimize the damage. If you want to, you can contact the specialists. Again, there are specific companies who can deal with identity theft and help you to ensure that you deal with everything in the correct manner, rather than making mistakes along the way. You should look to get a fraud alert put on your credit report, this can limit the damage of any credit taken out fraudulently in your name.
Report to the FTC. This is one of the first steps you can take. There is a simple form that you can fill in on an FTC site, IdentityTheft.gov or you can call to speak to a member of staff. Try to gain as much evidence as you can when you are talking to them, ready to show exactly what is happening to your accounts. Go to your local police. Different police forces deal with the issues in different ways and the location where the offense happened might play a part, but authorities should be alerted straight away. Freeze credit cards and bank accounts. Stop anything negative from happening while you wait to establish what steps you are going to take.
Freezing lines of credit can allow you to ensure that you do not run up further debts without spending anything! Your credit card might be being used on the other side of the world. Change all of your passwords. One breach is enough to ensure that you should get new passwords for every account you have including social media. Alert your work if using a work laptop or if the ID theft is in any way linked. If you fear that these details could lead to issues for your workplace then there is no way you should keep it from them. If you need to, you can still contact specialists in identity theft who can walk you through all of the steps required to try to get your life back on track.
Conclusion
There is no denying that identity theft can have a huge negative impact on your life, and even on those close to you. If it isn’t properly dealt with then it could keep having an effect decades into the future. If you haven’t suffered from ID theft yet then you can take steps to ensure your security. If you are working with a company and are worried about their data then this is another reason to take security seriously.
Just a few simple precautions can make all the difference, and you need to know what techniques and tactics current fraudsters are using to try and steal your information.
“Over The Shoulder” techniques. Someone can watch your input data. It’s as simple as that. If you are in a co-working space, for instance, you might be targeted by someone looking to steal your data.
With more and more teams being understaffed, chances are you’ve been asked to take on more work. Top performers are a prime target for additional requests. But you need to be careful about what you agree to take on. In this piece, the author outlines when it’s best…
Consider your average work week. What percentage of your daily tasks fit into your job description? If you’re like most high-achievers, chances are that over time you’ve assumed many responsibilities outside your main scope of work. But how much do these new obligations contribute to your professional advancement versus running you ragged?
In the wake of the Great Resignation, quiet quitting, and major layoffs, many professionals are being asked to do more with less. When organizations are understaffed, the workload is typically redistributed to remaining team members. While an increase in scope can temporarily boost individual commitment and performance, in the long-term it can lead to burnout and hurt the organization’s results as a whole.
Top performers are a prime target for additional requests. Not only do they enjoy a challenge and the opportunity for growth, but in my experience as an executive coach, I’ve found many high-achievers are motivated by a need to please and to earn the proverbial gold-star for going above and beyond.
Take Irene, a project manager whose team headcount was recently reduced by 15%. Kind, generous, and loyal (sometimes to a fault), Irene wanted to look like a team player and to ease her boss’s stress at this moment of crisis. She volunteered to assume three major initiatives within 48 hours of her colleagues’ departure, rendering her over capacity. Irene soon found herself living at work, moving through each day with a cloud of dread hovering over her head, unable to find time for herself, family, or friends.
While there’s typically nothing wrong with pitching in to help when the organization or your team is short-staffed, you need to make sure you’re saying yes for the right reasons. If you’re someone who, like Irene, tends to agree to every additional request that comes your way, here’s how to gauge when it’s appropriate to push back and how to do so with grace and professionalism.
Say no when … your primary job responsibilities will suffer.
Let’s say you work on the product team, but you’ve been asked to help with marketing. You may soon find yourself spending so much time reviewing promotional material that your primary job responsibilities — things like user research or strategy — suffer.
If an assignment would detract from your core responsibilities or would compromise your ability to consistently deliver high- quality work without any significant upside in terms of learning or skills acquisition, it’s best to decline and focus on what’s already on your plate.
Avoid saying, “Sorry, this isn’t in my job description.” A better approach is to use a strategy known as the relational account, or explaining why your refusal is in the best interest of everyone involved. Put simply, this means you say “If I helped you, I’d be letting others down.” Or more specifically “I would be unable to do a good job on your project, and my other work would suffer.”
Research shows that this strategy can help you be viewed as caring and conscientious. For example, you might share, “I have to say no, because if I devoted time to marketing activities, then we’d miss several key product launch dates and our revenue goals would suffer.”
Say no when … it’s someone else’s work.
In an age with matrixed teams and highly collaborative workflows, it’s easy to get sucked into doing work that isn’t your job, like the sales rep who finds themselves fielding customer service calls. Irene, the project manager whose story I shared earlier, found herself being dragged into solving issues their director of operations should have been overseeing.
She approached her boss to find a workable compromise and explained: “It’s not possible for me to continue executing these operational duties, nor is it within my purview. Continuing to do so only creates confusion. I’m happy to put together detailed documentation so that the operations team can take over.”
If you don’t mind doing the additional work or feel it contributes to your growth in a meaningful way, clearly outline what you expect the new responsibility will result in, such as better assignments in the future, a move toward a promotion, or a mention at the board meeting. Consider a compensation adjustment to reflect your added value. You could say, “For the last six months, I’ve assumed responsibilities A, B, and C. What’s the best way to ensure my compensation is commensurate with my increased scope?”
Say no when … there’s no clear exit strategy.
Only take on additional responsibilities when you understand the full scope of what’s involved. You want to avoid miscommunication down the road and you don’t want it to be an open-ended arrangement. Perhaps your boss asks you to participate in a new initiative. Get specifics. How long will you be needed on the project? What meetings will you be expected to attend?
If after receiving clarity, you determine it’s not a fit because the opportunity of saying yes is too great, you can lead with gratitude and say, “Thank you for the opportunity. It sounds like an interesting project, but it would be out of integrity for me to commit to it knowing I wouldn’t have the bandwidth or resources available to achieve the goal.”
You might also offer to help in some smaller way. Could you attend brainstorming meetings or agree to consult on drafts of the business plan? Pitching in where and how you can proves you’re a do-er and shows you’re a team player.
Say no when … the ask is unreasonable.
Maybe senior leadership has requested a business plan from scratch within two business days. You know that’s not possible, but what do you do? Try a positive no, which allows you to protect your time while still furthering the relationship. In response to senior leadership’s request, you could explain what you can get done in the time allotted. For instance: “It’s not possible to deliver the entire report by Friday afternoon.
What I could do is have a first draft of section one. How does that sound?” Or, you might offer to adjust the timeline, saying something like, “I hear this is important. Friday isn’t possible, but I can have everything for you by Monday afternoon.”
Perhaps you offer to introduce the person to a coworker who can help or a contractor they could hire. This may sound like, “This isn’t my zone of expertise, but I’ll email you the name of a colleague who I would suggest working with.”
You can’t say no to everything, but saying no for the right reasons can help you feel more confident and empowered.
Businesses in Australia and New Zealand that use data effectively can, on average, increase their annual revenue by 9.5%. This translates to an additional $38 million in annual revenue for large organisations in Australia with more than 200 employees.
According to a new AWS report prepared by Deloitte Access Economics, organisations with more than 100 employees improved their data capabilities in the previous year, with 34 per cent achieving Advanced or Master levels of data maturity, compared to 16 per cent in 2021.
Almost half of the organisations polled (48 per cent ) stated that effectively capturing and analysing data can lead to increased productivity, followed by improved customer experience (45 per cent ) and lower operating costs (42 per cent).
Finance and insurance companies scored the highest on the data maturity scale, with 50 per cent achieving Advanced or Master status, followed by manufacturing (45 per cent ) and information, media, and telecommunications (33 per cent ).
On the other hand, construction, healthcare and social assistance, and retail trade organisations have the lowest data maturity levels, with less than 20 per cent of surveyed organisations in these industries achieving Advanced or Master levels of data maturity.
Unusual challenges
While improving data maturity benefits businesses, large organisations in Australia and New Zealand continue to face challenges in climbing the data maturity ladder, with 42% of organisations achieving Basic and Beginner data maturity.
The main barrier cited by organisations to use data and analytics was a lack of funding (44 per cent ), which has been exacerbated by COVID-19, with 49 per cent of respondents reporting that competing priorities have resulted in fewer resources for data and analytics since the pandemic’s onset. Furthermore, 37 per cent of organisations cited poor data quality as a barrier to businesses adopting more advanced data analytics.
“We are excited to see that more organisations have advanced their data capabilities, which will help them to drive productivity, and create a positive impact on the economy while delivering significant financial returns for their business,” said John O’Mahony, partner at Deloitte Access Economics.
“Investing in cloud solutions will help businesses further their data capabilities and leverage advanced analytics tools such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things to achieve data-driven insights.
In fact, businesses that already use the cloud are 71 per cent more likely to have invested in artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities versus organisations using on-premises data storage. To increase productivity and innovation, organisations should have a clear and practical roadmap for advancing on the data maturity ladder, invest in attracting and retaining talent, and leverage the right technology to reap the full benefits.”
According to the report, one-third of Australian and New Zealand organisations (35 per cent ) cited a lack of skilled resources as a barrier to developing their data and analytics capabilities. To improve data maturity, 33 per cent of surveyed organisations prefer to upskill their current employees, followed by outsourcing to other organisations (24 per cent ), and hiring skilled staff (24 per cent ).
“Data can be an invaluable source of growth for organisations in Australia and New Zealand. The key is recognising its inherent value, analysing it effectively, and building a data-driven culture.
“No matter what stage organisations are in their data journey, AWS is committed to helping customers leverage the scalability, cost efficiency, and security of the cloud to scale their data projects and unify their data to drive productivity and innovate on behalf of their customers,” said Rada Stanic, chief technologist at AWS in Australia and New Zealand.
“Organisations will also benefit from building data skills within their teams, which may involve upskilling current staff through on-the-job training and training courses or collaborating with organisations such as our extensive network of AWS Partners.
“As organisations increase their data maturity, it will transform how they solve problems and build customer experiences, leading to breakthroughs in all industries, including healthcare, finance, retail trade, and manufacturing operations.”
Ineffective meetings cost businesses $541 billion a year globally in lost productivity and employee time, according to Doodle’s 2019 State of the Meeting report. And according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report, as much as 85% of employee time may be wasted on inefficient collaboration.
But the real costs of such disconnection go even deeper than money.
In a disconnected organization, innovation grinds to a halt. Individuals’ and teams’ great insights get trapped in silos. Employees feel stifled—unheard and disengaged. And with record numbers of knowledge workers quitting their jobs in the “Great Resignation,” the risks of disconnection are more urgent than ever.
Simply put: your organization can’t afford to have a disconnected workforce.
Building a company culture in which everyone is connected to their teams and has a shared sense of purpose is fundamental for collaboration and innovation. Building such a culture requires adopting collaborative intelligence(CI), a new systematic approach that connects teams to unlock their genius—taking insights and ideas from possibility to reality.
The Five Principles of Collaborative Intelligence
In the spirit of making collaboration intentional and purposeful, CI is comprised of three main components. First, there are collaboration spaces, both physical and online, where teams can connect. Second, there is collaboration design, the practice of introducing intentionality and technology to help teams connect and innovate. And finally, collaboration insights let organizations measure and improve their collaboration and innovation. Together, these yield a culture of collaboration where everyone feels connected and confident in delivering great work.
Collaborative intelligence is based on five principles:
People are greater together than apart.
Working in teams magnifies individuals’ power and value by coordinating a wider range of experience and expertise to tackle challenges and break down barriers to innovation and progress.
For example, collaboration is core to innovation at GitLab, a development operations (DevOps) platform whose 1,500-employee workforce was global and fully remote long before the pandemic. With such a range of time zones, backgrounds, and specialties, developers and project managers (PMs) depend on free-form, cross-functional collaboration.
In order to ensure that working remotely doesn’t lead to acting remotely, GitLab uses collaborative intelligence to create a brainstorming space where peers can easily come together and share ideas in a comfortable, inclusive, and safe environment. One team leader describes this as turning order-takers into idea-makers.
The starting point for any discussion begins with creating categories or “issues.” Next, all the stakeholders—designers, PMs, researchers, developers, and engineering managers—come together to collaborate on solutions. Broadening the ideation processes and including more team members mean more contribution, easier organization, and faster progress at the beginning of each project.
Teams can’t exist without connection.
Creating an environment that provides employees psychological safety, group commitment, and a common purpose forges a strong, productive employee culture.
Take the Human Centered Design (HCD) Institute, an internal consultancy at enterprise automation company Emerson that facilitates and documents workshops for the company’s 88,000 global employees.
Whereas it once struggled with ensuring all workshop attendees felt seen and heard, HCD Institute now leverages collaborative intelligence to facilitate more effective and efficient workshops featuring a more engaging and inclusive range of expertise and ideas. CI also helped the group eliminate its laborious practice of digitizing sticky notes so it could deliver post-workshop documentation up to 80% faster.
Collaboration should not be left to chance.
Teamwork needs to be intentional. The acceleration of remote and hybrid work environments has eliminated the bygone passive strategy of depending on watercooler serendipity for innovation.
Effective collaboration relies on ways of working that encourage purposeful inclusion, safe communication, and playful group interaction. Since Autodesk implemented collaborative intelligence to forge stronger bonds among its executive teams, company leaders have found their decision making is not merely faster but better: CI helps these leaders establish a single source of truth and insight that transcends teams, practices, and locations.
Collaboration spaces power connected teams.
A physical, digital, or hybrid common space encourages dynamic communication, getting past the limitations of email, documents, and chats for seamless collaboration in real time or across time zones.
In an increasingly distributed, remote, or hybrid business environment, a culture that encourages asynchronous collaboration is critical. At SAP, distributed teams use collaborative intelligence to work together without the constraints of any region’s working hours. And they were making decisions twice as quickly and improving talent onboarding and retention while increasing efficiency across practices.
Measuring collaboration is possible and essential.
Does working together really mean working better? The proof, as always, is in the data. Insight into how teams are collaborating helps organizations pinpoint how they solve problems most effectively, where their best ideas are coming from, and how they can come up with more.
A Forrester report, “Total Economic Impact of IBM’s Design Thinking Practice,” concluded that adopting this proven collaboration method helped IBM better understand and optimize the way its teams work together, resulting in a 50% reduction in the number of bugs and defects, $3.2 million saved due to improving efficiency across agile development teams, and $9.2 million in cut costs from streamlining processes.
Transform Your Workspace with Collaborative Intelligence
When an organization inadvertently siloes and stifles its teams’ and individuals’ creativity and innovation, it loses the growth potential derived from its collective brainpower, innovation, and morale.
But collaborative intelligence can help your organization unlock the collective genius of individual employees and across teams and, in the process, fuse the full scope of their innovation and problem-solving capabilities so you can grow and lead
With the acceleration of remote and hybrid work, and a powerful and mobile talent market, collaborative intelligence has the potential to become your organization’s most essential and most effective resource.
Microcoaching: the next generation of personal development...getty
