Boosting Communication as a Leader | Matthew Littlemore

 

Successful leaders understand that continued success means continually striving for self-improvement and ways to be better communicators, regardless of their industry. The three primary forms of communication in this day and age include verbal, written, and visual. Becoming the best leader starts by having a good communication plan in place.

Verbal Communication

Verbal communication includes any form of oral speaking in front of another person or a group of people. The most important tip is to plan every speech ahead of time. Some people are good at improvising when public speaking, but it helps to provide an outline of every main point that needs to be covered. This comes in very handy if you lose your place or find yourself getting distracted.

Written Communication

Leaders need to master all communication forms, which include articulating their messages in typed or printed format. Written communication consists of the use of emails, letters, memos, text messages, and direct mail materials. Some leaders communicate more through writing emails than by meeting people in person, so knowing how to compose and respond to emails is especially important. Being prompt when responding to emails is just as important as writing in a professional and considerate tone.

Virtual Communication

Due to the ongoing pandemic, more professionals are working on virtual platforms, such as videoconferences, live chats, and email messages. Because of this, the new trend nowadays is to improve virtual communication skills at all levels. Modern-day leaders have to know how to use essential video conferencing software tools and provide stable Internet connections. This is an entirely different method of communicating online, so new etiquette guidelines must be followed. When hosting a virtual meeting, the host should prepare ahead of time. Since time lags may occur with several software programs running simultaneously, patience is required. In addition, it’s harder to control a group of people when each person is in a different location and being distracted by his or her surroundings, so enforce the rules set in place to make sure that every person is paying attention.

Communication is the foundation of all forms of effective leadership. Without it, a leader cannot get his or her message across to help people understand, admire and follow.                                                     

 This article was originally published at https://matthewlittlemore.com/

How to Keep Your Money Safe in the Digital Age | Matthew Littlemore

 

Cyberspace is real, and so are the risks that come with it. A few years ago, it was possible to store a lot of money in a bank account and have nothing to worry about. But in an era where almost everything is done online, the damages resulting from cybercrime have increased, and the risks have gotten increasingly higher. The surest way of ensuring the safety of personal finances is by keeping passwords secure and confidential. This includes keeping them away from those who shouldn’t have them. Below are some of the tips on how someone can keep their money safe in the digital age.

Avoid Clicking Unknown Links

With the advancement of technology, most attackers have pushed their game to a higher level. For instance, by clicking on an unknown or suspicious link online, a person may unknowingly have spy software installed on their devices. It’s through such apps that hackers steal bank details and passwords and use them to steal cash. The first tip is to never click on any suspicious links through texts or email.

The other trick for keeping passwords safe is using very long and strong passwords. Simple passwords aren’t a great idea because they’re easy to steal and use. So the passwords should be long and have a mixture of numbers and letters, both upper and lower case, as well as special characters. Some people prefer to store passwords on a local file that is then kept secure. There are also a variety of free downloadable storage apps for passwords for Android and iPhone devices.  

Properly Dispose of Personal Files, Damaged Devices, or Hardware

Contrary to popular belief, the act of throwing away damaged hardware does not keep your personal information safe. The truth is that hackers can still retrieve the data and use it to steal money from accounts. Make arrangements with an e-waste management company that will appropriately destroy and dispose of the materials.

Check Your Credit Reports Regularly

Regularly checking credit reports may sound a bit awkward, but it could pay off significantly in keeping money safe. By law, reports from all three major credit agencies are allowed once a year. The scores should be up-to-date and accurate. Any abnormality needs to be reported to the relevant authorities immediately.

The safety of one’s money in the digital age lies in their hands. Keeping personal account details safe and proper disposal of files are among the best ways of survival.

This article was originally published at https://matthewlittlemore.net/