With Thanksgiving two days away it seems everyone is expressing their gratitude for something. While friends and family probably come to mind first, we can't overlook our coworkers. In the spirit of giving, this Huffington Post article offers five ways to show your appreciation at work this Thanksgiving season. Because the more you give, the better off you'll be... and we can all certainly use a happier and more productive workplace.





Happy Thanksgiving from everyone here at Experience!

Call it mid-to-late November: You’re either looking forward to a relaxing (and filling) Thanksgiving “break” next week… or panicking about the fact that Starbucks already had their red, Holiday cups out weeks ago! (Yikes, this must mean that I’d better get a move-on, checking off my gift list). But more importantly, this means that we need to talk Holiday Vacation Requests.

Thankfully, my current company is very organized and requires that we request all of our Holiday vacation days-off, early (by a specific date) – so, I’m not speaking from a horror-story here.

Although, at one of my previous employers I did request a day off around the Holidays ahead of time, but once one of my higher-up colleagues did the same thing, it trumped my request (leaving me to drive back into work on the day after Christmas, everybody say “aww”). But instead of getting overly upset about the situation, I realized that I wasn’t in college anymore (no more full-weeks off), and I simply worked it out with my boss to come in later that day, so that I could still enjoy the morning off!

However, whether or not your current (or future) employer asks that you give them a “head’s-up” of your vacation-day wishes far in advance, it is a very wise idea to do so anyway. This will allow for your team, manager, and company to plan for the rest of the calendar-year, possibly even quarter (depending on how your co. works) – and will usually ensure the fact that you will be allotted those exact days off… unless of course you are asking for something unreasonable.

Long-blog-short, requesting your Holiday vacation days ahead of time, will bring cheer all around!

“'Tis the season for those last-minute requests for time off—complete with pleading, tears, and sometimes anger from the petitioning employees. One more thing to add to a manager's holiday stress list," writes Amy Joyce, of The Washington Post – in her article, Oh, Those Last-Minute Time Off Requests.

Joyce even gives employers the advice to: “Make rules, be flexible and hang on for the bumpy ride. Everyone sets up holiday vacation schedules to avoid conflicts at this time of year, but inevitably, they go awry as the last-minute requests (or, in some cases, demands) pop up.”
(Read full-article here)

Some other great advice, provided by Susan M. Heathfield and written by Thomas F. O'Leary, of About.com: “No one should feel guilty about taking vacation time, and yet, sometimes, people feel as though their holiday time is an imposition to their company. It is important for people to get away and re-charge their batteries, and managers should be encouraged to show support for their team members' plans. With team support and encouragement, people will look forward to returning to the office after some time off.” (Read full article here)

And, when you do successfully request your Holiday vacation days off… here are a few more things to do, before heading out the door. (Read more tips in: You Should Really Take a Vacation (No, Really))

* Update your voicemail and email messages
* Take care of all/any tasks that cannot wait until your return
* Stay focused on the job at hand, until your vacation actually starts

Stick to these guidelines, and your dream vacation OR staycation should go off without a hitch. Talk to your Supervisor today!

Photo by: Zesmerelda

I don't mean to toot my own horn, but since I've returned from China I've had a number of speaking opportunities. I've discussed the individual freedoms of China vs. the U.S. at a panel discussion, gave an overview of my time in Beijing to Emerson's Board of Trustees, and most recently I gave a presentation to my graduate program about my perspective on marketing in Beijing. And these are all in addition to the dozens of presentations I've given in various classes over the course of my graduate and undergraduate careers. Just because I'm now somewhat of a veteran when it comes to speaking in front of audiences, it doesn't mean it comes easy for me.

In fact, public speaking can be extremely frightening even to the most experienced speakers. By no means am I an expert, but here are some useful tips for feeling more at ease before and during a presentation:

1. Practice. Remember that old saying, "practice makes perfect." Well it may not make your speech run perfectly, but it will certainly help you feel more comfortable with your topic and how you present it. This will also enable you to work out any unforeseen kinks.
   
2. Rehearse in front of an audience. I always find it helpful to practice my presentation in front of an audience. Whether your audience is your friends or family, it's great for feedback and getting you comfortable talking in front of others.
   
3. Get familiar with the presentation facilities. Knowing the venue-- classroom, conference room, auditorium, etc.-- helps you present more smoothly. You can work out any audio-visual needs and it gives you a better insight into the overall environment (will you be sitting? standing? behind a podium? will there be an echo? etc.)
4. Don't feel like you need to memorize. I prefer not to rely on note cards during a presentation, but I still have them with me just in case I need to reference them. It makes me feel at ease knowing I have them there as a cushion in case I draw a complete blank.
5. Adapt based on your anxiety. If you find your hands shake every time you present, keep them clasped together or at your sides. Maybe you tend to sweat or experience hot flashes before a presentation, the simple solution here is to wear lighter clothing.
   

How does all of this tie into the workplace? Well, you'd be surprised how many employers value public speaking skills and how many positions rely on public speaking of some sort. If you haven't already, I'm willing to bet in the near future you will find yourself conducting a meeting, giving a presentation, or just speaking in front of a large audience as part of your job. And when you do, maybe you'll feel a little more at ease using these tips.

Volunteerism: The willingness of people to work on behalf of others without being motivated by financial or material gain. -Wikipedia

It may be difficult to think about carrying out the definition/role above (especially when it literally includes the words “without financial gain”); however, even during our current time of great economic distress, it’s still as important as ever (if not more) to do our part as a community. This includes volunteering. And, this means you.

“Those who choose to volunteer are given unique opportunities to develop leadership, communication, interpersonal, organizational skills, etc.” - writes Penny Loretto, of About.com. “Volunteering creates a sense of personal fulfillment and accomplishment not usually achieved in a typical work environment as well as offering the many personal rewards that occur when one decides to make a positive contribution in the lives of others.” (Read full article here). Can we say resume-builder, anyone? (Bueller?)

Gen Y’ers (the most popular target group among employers, within recent years) are especially interested and/or already active within the volunteer “world” – recognizing the demand for contribution and change.

What Gen Y Really Wants, states that “Gen Y's search for meaning makes support for volunteering among the benefits it values most. More than half of workers in their 20s prefer employment at companies that provide volunteer opportunities.” (See what else writer, Penelope Trunk has to say here).

So, it’s a win-win situation for you:

1. Find a local organization that you wish to volunteer at. (Examples: a pet shelter, domestic violence shelter, art museum, children’s camp and/or food bank).
2. Contact them online, by phone, or stop-by. (You will probably need to fill-out a volunteer application first, before you start working).
3. Gather some friends, family, or co-workers to join you for this worth-while experience. (Don’t forget to plan ahead & let the organization know how many people will be coming). Also, find out if your current employer or school offers any volunteer programs already?
4. Enjoy your time volunteering, wherever you choose! (Remember volunteers are needed at all times throughout the year, at various organizations - not just during the Holidays).
5. Give your time or $$. Even if you don’t have a few extra hours a week to donate, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to give a lot of money either. (Every bit counts!)
6. Document your volunteer-experience on your resume, even if you are not actively searching for a job. (This will show current & future employers your dedication to volunteerism & community – a BIG gold-star for you!)

By Allison Jones

A week after Obama’s win and I have to admit that I am still ambivalent. Yes, I voted for Obama but I couldn’t participate in the wild excitement that swept over the country. The excitement, while legitimate, focused way too much on the promise of racial reconciliation as if by his very existence racism is dead. However, anyone following the vitriol spewing from LGBT leaders in response to the news that 70% of black American voters in California supported Prop 8 will tell you that racism is far from dead.

Even looking beyond the wide-eyed dreams of race being a thing of the past, it has been difficult to muster up a conversation on what policies he will implement to address the economic crisis. The optimism is encouraging but it seems devastatingly blind as though Obama, once again by his very existence will change the world. In fact I would be very happy to never hear the words “change” or “hope” again.

Perhaps there is silence because the day-to-day issues affecting us are so pressing: Prop 8 in California, banning of affirmative action in Nebraska, and budget cuts in social services in New York to come into effect by the end of this month. We want to come together but for every bit of outrage we may exhibit towards a change in law or finance, there is someone else rejoicing.

Can people really come together in spite of their differences? Is that even necessary? The diversity conversation too often denigrates to the importance of friendships as if by being friends with someone different from me I suddenly have greater rights. It ignores one basic principal of diversity: we all don’t see things the same way. As a result we look to the government not only as the securer of inclusion but also as a supporter of exclusion.

So when Obama talks about bringing people together, he needs to emphasize the sacrifices that will need to be made and acknowledge that people view the world through various lenses that make coming together difficult. He alone can’t do much if people aren’t willing to stop passing the blame or being hateful when things aren’t going their way.

Obama has set a remarkable tone for what we can accomplish. Voting for him—an intellectual, a black man, a community organizer, an urbanite—while symbolic and I’m sure challenge for many was merely one step in a long journey toward economic and social recovery. It’s critical that we get more involved. We shouldn’t just be reading about his promises for the economy; rather we should be reading critical texts about economics in general. We shouldn’t just be looking to him for frank discussions about race; rather we should come face to face with our own prejudices and what fuels them.