$10 bucks says mine has more syllables...

I'm giving $10 to whoever can tell the longest @Starbucks coffee name people can order. I will be posting the winner right here on this very POST.

Web Designers use Social Media to help Small Biz take off

Small businesses should consider social media to be one of the greatest gifts from the Internet Gods. Social media platforms can reduce multiple small business expenses such as printing costs, newspaper and/or magazine advertisement expenditures, not to mention funds spent on envelopes, stamps and ink required to run a snail mail advertising campaign. While a paid employee will have to spend time – which results in labor costs – managing social media campaigns, those costs are still less than traditional marketing strategies. Social media platforms help small businesses in three ways:

• Savings on advertising expenses
• Creating previously impossible business connections/clients via telecommunications
• Finding savings via social media platforms that cut business expenditures

What does this mean for Web Designers? It means the more you know about helping your clients build their business utilizing social media platforms, the more marketable you are in your field.

Great Web Designers Understand How Social Media Can Help Small Business

While there are web designers that land permanent salaried jobs, many are working freelance and building their own business via – hopefully – social media, word of mouth, and their own version of “hitting the pavement”. It’s important for web designers to hone their skills in specific niche areas. Social media should definitely be one of these. Social media for small businesses could be an even more specific niche. There are several steps web designers can take to learn about social media and translate their knowledge into actual dollars earned.

• Learn Everything. Obviously it’s impossible to learn everything about social media but you certainly need to know more than the basics and then remain in the informational update loop. While you can’t earn a degree in Extraordinary Social Media, you can earn a degree or certification from a college with a strong Web Design or Graphic Design program. Not only will you learn fundamental theory around art and advertising, a strong program will also teach you – and then keep you abreast – of the rising trends in social media. Potential employers are going to want to see a resume, and while your artistic talents are important, they will think a solid educational background is too. Plus, when you leave a professional program, you’ll have an impressive portfolio to demo your work.


• Do Your Research. While you may have an innate understanding of how social media works: your “likes” save you money at favorite restaurants, you’re thankfully reminded of special events by a last minute Tweet, or you find exactly what you’re looking for on the first page of your Google or Bing search...there are plenty of those out there who don’t understand its importance. Make sure you have anin depth understanding of Social Media statistics so you can use that as a part of your approach when looking for work. Examples include:
  • The 4th most popular online activities include social media and blogs! They even trump personal email time.
  • Almost 1 million blog posts are created within a 24-hour period.
  • It took the internet 4 years to reach 50 million people; it took Facebook 9 months to reach more than 100  million.
• Find Small Businesses Who Need You. One way to land some part-time, or potentially full-time work, is to start doing your homework and research local small businesses. Many small business owners are still lagging on building and updating their website, let alone taking advantage of social media strategies. Find a dozen or more who you know could benefit from your work. Then, create a plan-of-action and sample work to gently educate them about how much websites and social media matter in the current market. Set up appointments with managers, HR, or whomever you can. You might just be the solution they were looking for. Of course, you need to be prepared for some cold shoulders but as long as you remain humble, avoid pushy or defensive engagements, and have a well prepared presentation, you may end up getting a return call months later. Don’t forget to follow up with all of your small business contacts. People get busy so a gentle reminder may do the trick.

While it’s true that social media helps small business, it’s equally true that professional web designers have the ability to help small businesses understand, and implement, social media strategies. Web and Graphic design is a rapidly growing industry. While this is great news, it also means more and more designers are entering the employment pool. Why not let your Small Business Social Media Expertise help you to create that extra special niche that will get your foot in the door first? How often do you use social media platforms to enhance your own life via connecting, saving money, or building business contacts? Do you emphasize social media tactics with your small business clients? 

8 Things Productive People Do During the Workday

Written by Ilya Pozin, Founder of Ciplex. Columnist for Inc, Forbes & LinkedIn

Forget about your job title or profession – everyone is looking for ways to be more productive at work. It’s time to set down your gallon-sized container of coffee, toss out your three-page to-do list, and put an end to those ridiculously long emails you’ve been sending.

Experiencing a highly productive workday can feel euphoric. But contrary to popular belief, simply checking tasks off your to-do list isn’t really an indication of productivity. Truly productive people aren’t focused on doing more things; this is actually the opposite of productivity. If you really want to be productive, you’ve got to make a point to do fewer things.

Recently I spoke with project management and productivity genius Tony Wong to find out the secret to a more productive workday. He provided me with some excellent insight into what he and other like-minded productive individuals do during their work week.

Harness your productivity by taking note of these eight things:

1. Create a smaller to-do list. Getting things accomplished during your workday shouldn’t be about doing as much as possible in the sanctioned eight hours. It may be hard to swallow, but there’s nothing productive about piling together a slew of tasks in the form of a checklist. Take a less-is-more approach to your to-do list by only focusing on accomplishing things that matter.

2. Take breaks. You know that ache that fills your brain when you’ve been powering through tasks for several hours? This is due to your brain using up glucose. Too many people mistake this for a good feeling, rather than a signal to take a break. Go take a walk, grab something to eat, workout, or meditate – give your brain some resting time. Achieve more productivity during your workday by making a point to regularly clear your head. You’ll come back recharged and ready to achieve greater efficiency.

3. Follow the 80/20 rule. Did you know that only 20 percent of what you do each day produces 80 percent of your results? Eliminate the things that don’t matter during your workday: they have a minimal effect on your overall productivity. For example, on a project, systematically remove tasks until you end up with the 20 percent that gets the 80 percent of results.

4. Start your day by focusing on yourself. If you begin your morning by checking your email, it allows others to dictate what you accomplish. Set yourself in the right direction by ignoring your emails and taking the morning to focus on yourself, eat a good breakfast, meditate, or read the news.

5. Take on harder tasks earlier in the day. Knock out your most challenging work when your brain is most fresh. Save your busy work – if you have any – for when your afternoon slump rolls in.

6. Pick up the phone. The digital world has created poor communication habits. Email is a productivity killer and usually a distraction from tasks that actually matter. For example, people often copy multiple people on emails to get it off their plate – don't be a victim of this action. This distracts everyone else by creating noise against the tasks they’re trying to accomplish and is a sign of laziness. If you receive an email where many people are CC'd, do everyone a favor by BCCing them on your reply. If your email chain goes beyond two replies, it’s time to pick up the phone. Increase your productivity by scheduling a call.

7. Create a system. If you know certain things are ruining your daily productivity, create a system for managing them. Do you check your emails throughout the day? Plan a morning, afternoon, and evening time slot for managing your email. Otherwise, you’ll get distracted from accomplishing more important goals throughout the day.

8. Don’t confuse productivity with laziness. While no one likes admitting it, sheer laziness is the No. 1 contributor to lost productivity. In fact, a number of time-saving methods – take meetings and emails for example – are actually just ways to get out of doing real work. Place your focus on doing the things that matter most as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Remember, less is more when it comes to being productive during the workday.

What’s your secret to productive workdays?

About Ilya Pozin:

Founder of Ciplex. Columnist for Inc, Forbes & LinkedIn. Gadget lover, investor, mentor, husband, father, and '30 Under 30' entrepreneur. Follow Ilya below to stay up-to-date with his articles and updates!

The 7 Types of Digital Marketer

Article by:
Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai
News Editorial Intern at Mashable's New York headquarters
Original Link: http://mashable.com/2013/05/01/7-types-of-digital-marketer/

Social media has disrupted quite a few fields, becoming an integral part of many of them, such as journalism or marketing. And professionals in these fields have had to adapt, or, perhaps, perish. But everybody has a different way of using social media in the digital marketing world — and his or her unique own style.

Or do they? According to Optify, a Seattle-based marketing software provider for digital marketing agencies, there are just seven types of digital marketers depending on how they use social media. And they've laid out these seven categories in an infographic, which can be seen below.

But don't take it too literally.

"The infographic is just supposed to be a fun way for the digital marketers among us to see how we're illustrated compared to others," said Danie Pote, content marketing manager at Optify. "Most modern marketers likely align with not just one, but several of these."

Check out these seven types of digital marketers in this funny infographic below. If you're a digital marketer, do you see yourself reflected in any of these characters?

Infographic by Optify

WHAT’S NEXT? Four predictions for Web Design in 2013

There is no denying that we live in a connected world. Each day more and more consumers turn to the Internet for their information; seeking out businesses to frequent, answers to questions, and inspiration for their life. With the online world continually evolving there is also an increasing need for high quality web design. Designers have the dual challenge of meeting the needs of their clients while continuing to set trends and advance the concept of web design. As we look forward to 2013 we wonder what’s next. How can designers take the current state of web design and adapt it to make it even better?

RESPONSIVE WEB DESIGN

New desktop and mobile devices are hitting the market at a record pace, each having a slightly different size screen and varying technical dimensions. Designing for each individual device is time consuming, costly, and unnecessary with the evolution of responsive web design. A website that utilizes this design strategy adapts to the device it is being viewed on.  Responsive web design responds to the size of the viewing device and produces a small (mobile phone), medium (tablet), or large (desktop computer) layout design. All of the design sizes share the same content and characteristics just arranged differently to maximize the screen size. Eliminating design elements to make a website more responsive also benefits the content by becoming clearer, more concise, and easier to read.

TARGETED TYPOGRAPHY

With the advent of font design services such as Webtype, Typekit, and Fontdeck there are endless possibilities for the font selection of a website’s design.  But typography is a much bigger consideration than just which font you choose.  2013 will likely see more emphasis placed on the design of the typography as the most integral component of a website’s design. Images and design elements can certainly enhance a beautiful typography, but relying on them to sustain a website’s design is overlooking the importance of both the text and negative space. Instead of focusing so much on whether a design “pops” designers will return to the core of the design to make sure the foundation is strong.

ATTENTION TO BRANDING

Businesses want their brand to be instantly recognizable to customers who can attribute past experiences with the branding. Consider the red bulls-eye for Target or the apple logo for Apple. Once you see either of these you immediately know what the brand is and you can associate it with previous knowledge, experiences, and opinions. Branding of a business should move well past the logo into its web presence by conveying the brand clearly on its website. In 2013 designers will refocus on the core of the brand in web design instead of creating sites that follow current trends.

In a return to an emphasis on branding, designers will carefully choose page elements to maximize the brand. One of the easiest ways to brand a business is via color. Consider what tones and hues would best match a logo or already established design work. You should also find ways for the logo to be prominent without becoming overwhelming by utilizing an attractive size and position on the site. Finding clever ways to infuse the character of the business into the website is also beneficial to branding. Take a look at your design from the customer’s perspective; have you effectively translated who the business is as well as what the business does?

INCREASED USE OF PARALLAX SCROLLING EFFECTS

This design effect has been around for years in video games but was recently introduced to the web design world when it was integrated into the website for the Silverback app. In short, parallax scrolling effects control the depth of design objects on a website. Layering multiple objects and backgrounds and then varying the individual speed at which they move creates dimension and depth in a website. Designers are beginning to use this effect more frequently and there are excellent examples of parallax scrolling that you can view as inspiration to provide a different browsing experience to customers.

These predictions are just a “best guess” at what experts think will be upcoming in web design.  Do you agree with the speculation? Do you have your own ideas of what will be coming in 2013 for web design?

Smart Job Search tips for the "Directors of Whatever Needs to Be Done".

I got this in an email and i thought it would be a nice piece to share. Enjoy!

From Marc's Monday's Newsletter:

"Oh, I'm looking for anything," you might tell well-meaning friends who ask.

It's a problem.

Because in today's economy, no employer is looking for a "VP, Anything", or a "Director of Whatever Needs to Be Done." They're looking for an experienced professional who can solve specific problems.

When you're thinking about moving jobs, you need to have a brief, pithy assertion of who you are and what you're qualified to do. It's important that you be able to explain to an old colleague, or a new connection, in 30 seconds or less, what it is that you're looking for.

That's called an "elevator pitch" - a concise statement of your abilities and goals that can be shared in the time it takes an elevator to go to the top floor. (it gets better).

Vague and general aren't helpful:
"I'm a saleswoman", or...
"I'm in logistics", or...
"I'm a finance guy", don't work because they don't explain succinctly what you need and how your audience can help.

No, in the 21st century you need to be more precise and more concrete. You need to describe what you've done and what you're looking to do... specifically.

So it's not "I'm a saleswoman" but rather...

"I'm a sales management professional looking to lead a 100+ person sales organization, and am particularly interested in opportunities leading sales teams going through the transactional-to-relationship-selling transition."

It's not "I'm in logistics" but rather...

"I'm a logistics team leader who specializes in driving efficiency improvements in established groups, bringing down the cost of production year after year."

And it's not "I'm a finance guy" but rather...

"I'm a finance guy who enjoys rationalizing finance teams in multi-unit businesses and creating metrics and operating procedures that partner with the business to drive understanding of the underlying levers of growth."

You need to be specific and concise in your description of your ambitions, so that your network contacts, your future boss, or an HR recruiter can understand how and where you'll add value and improve the business.

So please, avoid the easy temptation to say that you're looking for anything, and be specific in your job search. It's the best way to let people know how to help you, and to let companies know how you'll help them.

I'm rooting for you,

Marc Cenedella, Founder

Follow me on Twitter: @cenedella

A #Career for the "Problem-Solving" super hero.

Network administration is a career field which offers a tremendous amount of versatility: where you work, who you work with and/or for, and the types of things your job will require you to do. You get to be somewhat physical, creative, and can use your superb problem solving skills to be a hero on a daily basis. Network administrators have skills and insider know-how that most people don’t: how to design, run, and repair computer networks. From helping companies decide what they need and/or how to optimize what they have, to training users and repairing system glitches, your skills will always be in high demand. As if that weren’t enough to entice you, career opportunities in the field of networking administration are projected to increase by 28% by the year 2020. But before you tie on your superhero cape and fly into the network matrix, here are some top 5 reasons to consider a career in networking administration.

Top 5 Reasons To Consider A Career In Networking Administration

1. Utilize Mind And Matter. A career in networking administration incorporates the best of both the intellectual and physical worlds. Network administrators are responsible for setting up company networks – including the actual mechanics of installing computers, servers, modems, and all of the physical aspects of small to large scale computer networking. Additionally, they may be called upon to navigate the more intellectual aspects of computer systems such as user training, maintaining system security, and analyzing and/or problem solving any issues that arise for the network users.
2. Versatile Work Environments. Because computers are everywhere, network administrators are in high demand. Many students have a tough time choosing what they want to do. Maybe you want to work with computers but you have also thought about a career in education. Or, maybe you like the idea of the health and retirement benefits that are associated with a government job, but can’t think of a position that interests you. Network administrators are needed for every branch of the professional arena, from schools to law firms and from municipalities to airports. You can take your networking administration degree and let it open doors for you in whatever niche appeals to you.
3. A Salary To Smile About. Another one of the top 5 reasons to consider a career in networking administration would have to be the salary.  While money should never be a primary motivating factor, its importance can’t be underestimated. If you are like most college graduates – especially those who returned to school later in life – you have loan debts, car payments, and mortgage payments to make. The median income for networking administrators in 2010 was $69,160, more than twice the median income total for all other occupations.
4. You Get To Play With Toys. If you are into technology, then you are into technological toys…er, we mean technological gadgets. Part of your job is to stay abreast of the latest and greatest that technology has to offer in order to keep your clients’ systems working efficiently and profitably. That means you have to learn about and test (play) with any new gadget (toy) which could potentially benefit your client(s). For example, mobile applications instantly changed how businesses operate. The network administrators with vision helped their clients make the transition as quickly as possible, giving them the business edge. If you don’t keep up, your job performance will suffer.
5. Perpetual Education. If you love to learn, this is a great field for you. You never get to stop learning when you work in the realm of IT. As mentioned in #4, technology is in perpetual motion and you have to stay on the train if you want to make it to the next station. Once you have completed a degree in networking administration, you will want to continue your education via seminars, online classes, and trade shows. Updating your IT certificationswill be key to keeping your resume updated, maintaining your competitive edge, and ensuring that up and coming graduates aren’t able to vie for your professional position.

These top 5 reasons to consider a career in networking administration can all be summed up in one idea; a career in networking administration delivers job satisfaction on every professional level – the personal, interpersonal, academic, intellectual, and physical. It provides the perfect opportunity for you to combine your people skills, as well as your tech-savvy side, to help others do their jobs better.

8 Tips to Help Achieve Your Career Goals

By Jayne Mattson is Senior Vice President at Keystone Associates, a leading career management and transition services consulting firm in Boston.

Professionals who are in careers today will change jobs much more frequently than in previous generations. Therefore, you need to be prepared and proactive in managing your career. But does this mean you have to sacrifice in other areas of your life that are important to you? Our lives are busy enough balancing work and family without having to find time for making major career changes as well. The tips below provide you some solid strategies to achieve your career goals.

1. Resume and LinkedIn Profile Maintenance

Write down your accomplishments from the past year. This will help you identify your market worth. Keeping track of these accomplishments will help you in review and bonus time. You probably already know this, but always keep your resume and LinkedIn profile up to date. This will keep you visible in the job market with recruiters or hiring managers.

2. Set up Lunchtime Conversations With Influencers

Connect with the shakers and movers within your organization to develop mutual relationships; if a special project or a higher position opens up, they will be more likely to think of you. Your internal company network is important to your career success. Create a list of people within the organization whom you know personally and professionally and ask to have lunch or a phone or Skype conversation for career advice, information sharing, or just to get to know them better. Remember, it is not what you know, but who you know, that will help you get ahead.

3. Remember to Network

Network face-to-face with one to three people each month outside the company to stay connected to your industry and to develop your networking skills. Identify 10 people whom you lost touch with and with whom you would like to reconnect. Reach out to them, perhaps indicating that one of your 2013 goals is to keep your network active. When you meet with the people in your network, bring something to the table and be sure you are offering value. Also, always be willing to ask them to connect you to others they know.

4. Attend Industry Events

Join your industry professional associations and attend monthly events. Meetup.com, Eventbrite and other online communities are great places to find industry groups that are relevant to you. Find out the dates and times, put them in your calendar and try not to schedule meetings too close to the event, so you will have enough travel time. Bring information to share with your colleagues.

5. Keep Your Image Professional

Update your look with accessories, clothes, hair and eyeglasses to reflect a polished professional image. Keeping an updated look is essential for initial impressions. One new piece of apparel can update your look, if you're not one to shop every single season. On the other end of the spectrum, be cognizant that dressing too trendy can be unappealing in a professional setting. Use the rule of thumb of looking in the mirror to see if you need to eliminate one accessory.

6. Schedule Quarterly Meetings

Set up quarterly meetings with your boss to stay on track with your professional development. Since you need to be the leader in managing your career, you need to take the initiative to set up routine times to conduct professional development meetings. In these meetings, ask your boss what his or her expectations are for your department and position over the next quarter, and if there are ways you could improve from the previous quarter — sometimes, it's necessary to take initiative to get the constructive criticism you need. If your boss is not in your office, recommend using Skype, which is a great way to build a more solid relationship.

7. Review Career Goals

You need to manage your own expectations for yourself, too. Mark your calendar six months out for a review of career goals and make adjustments if necessary. Staying on top of your career goals and periodically reviewing those helps you measure your progress, successes and evaluate the feasibility of accomplishing your remaining goals.

8. Read Industry Books

Read Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People or Keith Ferazzi's Never Eat Alone. Both books reinforce building relationships inside and outside your organization, which is the key to career success. They stand the test of time and capture human interaction and how to master it — the only thing that has changed is the vocabulary. Buy either of these relationship building books on tape, which can ease a public transit commute and help you to develop better skills.

Mountain View

Glatlinburg, TN

Graphic Design Resources For The Mad Men – And Women – Of The Future

One of the most fascinating aspects of the award-winning TV series, Mad Men is the relationship between artists and copywriters as they create catchy sales campaigns to win advertising accounts. While hand-drawn art copy is still used and valued, the world of advertising is now a combination of professional Graphic Designers and their copywriting counterparts. Graphic Design is a rising professional field in which several strengths must co-exist for an individual to stand out. The most successful graphic designers are usually:

• motivated
• well educated
• technically savvy
• talented
• adept at communicating with their clients

Disciplined Flexibility – A Graphic Design Oxymoron?
The life of a graphic designer can feel dichotomous at times – a constant pull between artistic license and remaining within the boundaries of a client’s wishes and their audience’s sensitivities. You must be able to think outside the box, but have the discipline to stay on top of your clients’ requests, regulations, and deadlines. You have to be sensitive enough to intuit your clients’ needs, yet thick-skinned enough to hear their criticism without taking offense. So what happens in the mind of great graphic designers when they have to design a new logo, create art to accompany a sales slogan, or re-design the 10th banner-sample for a client’s existing website? 

Best Resources for Professional Graphic Designers
Many people think that talent is enough; alas, it is not! As mentioned above, graphic designers have to excel in a variety of areas in order to be recognized and respected at the professional level.

1. Education and Theory. The right graphic design education is important for two reasons; history/ design theory and a respectable resume. Being a graphic designer without a degree in the field is like becoming a professional chef without a culinary school certificate. Where there was a time when talent might have trumped a “book eduction,” these days you’ll find it difficult to land the best and highest paying jobs without a stamp-of-approval from an accredited school. Prospective employers and clients like to see a finite certificate or degree that signifies you’ve learned the core elements of your field and had the commitment and drive to finish a professional program. Plus, an education in graphic design will serve as a well-rounded foundation for your future career.
2. GAG Handbook. GAG stands for The Graphic Artists Guild. This organization is to graphic designers what the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is to the freelance TV and movie community. They regularly publicize a book called the Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines. Once you’re establishing yourself in the professional scene, GAG’s handbook will help you understand complex legal rights, copyright laws, and can help you learn how to negotiate the best wages and terms for future contracts. It even includes copies of sample contracts.
3. Keyword Trackers. Since the majority of your work will probably be done for websites, blogs, and other internet-based marketing, an in-depth knowledge of search engine optimization (SEO) can be vital in producing the best ideas and copy for your clients. This is especially true if you are cultivating small business clients who don’t have a clue how internet search engines work and/or why keywords matter. If you are just starting out, FREE is probably one of your very favorite words in which case Free Keywords will be one of your best resources for researching – and tracking – keyword trends.
4. Vandelay Web Design Blog. As long as you are beefing up your SEO skills, it’s a good idea to get social media friendly as well. In addition to a wealth of social media-friendly articles, Vandelay Design’s Blog offers additional resource lists, web design tips, as well as a wide array of stock resources for designers.
5. Computer Arts. To be successful in the world of design, you must remain on the cutting edge of design trends, technological advancements, and new programming tools. One of the best-selling international magazine resources for computer design is Computer Arts. This online resource includes tutorials on multiple topics, tips and tricks for Photoshop and Illustrator, and has enough images, stories, and everything-else-about-graphic-design that you won’t want to miss it. Computer Arts is inspirational from start to finish.

With a good education, a well rounded resource tool kit, and the right amount of motivation and talent, you will be able to cut through the ranks of average designers and make your mark. Hopefully, these resources will take you on your own journey to Mad Men – or Mad Women – success, where you will be a standard setter for future graphic designers. 

Where do you go for your artistic or technical inspiration? What resources do you pull from to create work amazing enough to keep your customers coming back for more? We’re interested in knowing what inspires your graphic design career.

Top network administration apps for android

Network administrators spend their days managing the hardware, software, security, and connectivity of their employer’s network. This is a big job and requires an incredible breadth of knowledge on how the network works, ways to improve productivity, methods of troubleshooting, and when to repair or replace components. As our global technology becomes more mobile every day there are a host of apps for network administrators that can make this complicated job a bit easier. These apps are designed to take your work to-go and will allow you the ability to access the network and its components no matter where you are. Each app has an intended purpose and helps make your work easier in specific ways. Researching your needs, and which apps would best fit your network, will allow you to choose the Android apps that will be the most beneficial.

Our favorite network administration apps for Android devices include:

1. ActivDir Manager (Free or $4.99) This app allows you to use your Andriod device for basic administration of a Windows Active Directory Domain to manage users, computers, and groups. You can complete specific network administration tasks such as reseting passwords, disabling or editing accounts, and adjusting group memberships. The free version has all the capabilities of the pay option except the ability to keep connection details to the server.
2. Find My Router’s Password (Free) When you find yourself needing a router’s password or to test the strength of the router’s signal this app is for you. If your router uses HTTP authentication you can choose from four different recovery functions; determining if a default password is being used, using manufacturers’ and routers’ credentials to test a password, accessing a user provided dictionary to test passwords, and testing letter string combinations.
3. Exchange by Touchdown ($19.99 after a 30 day free trial) Exchange by Touchdown is a third party Exchange task, contact, email, and calendar app that accesses your corporate Exchange server.  The 30 day trial can be extended to the paid version by simply downloading the TouchDown License Key for your mobile device.
4. Wi-Fi Analyzer (Free) This app provides you the ability to access details of a Wi-Fi connection and a detailed list of detached networks. You’ll find this app incredibly helpful when you are completing a site survey, network auditing, or wireless troubleshooting. There are additional tools that can make your work even more efficient including analyzing data over time, identifying AP location via a visual signal and sound, and rating channel usage.
5. Connectbot (Free) Connectbot is ideal for network administrators that work with Unix based servers and hardware that permit remote administration. Users are able to import and generate keys, copy and paste between apps, and operate multiple SSF sessions at one time.
6. AndFTPPro ($4.99) Having remote access to a network is crucial and the ANDFTPPro helps you do it! This app allows you to upload or download files, use email to share files, message, connect with Bluetooth, edit and delete permissions, and run custom commands.
7. PC Monitor (Free) PC Monitor supports three individual computers without a subscription or up to 100 different computers with a paid yearly subscription. It allows you to monitor in real-time the computer’s stats, CPU and memory, hardware, software, user access, and hard disks.
8. G-MoN for Android (Free) This WarDriving scanner searches for all Wi-Fi networks in a desired range and coordinates GPS data within a file on the sd card. You can access each Wi-Fi location with details such as signal strength, channel, encryption, and GPS coordinates.
9. Android VNC (Free) AndroidVNC desktop sharing software connects network administrators remotely to their computers’ desktops. You can also access the desktops of other users on the network regardless of your location.
10. Pocket IT Mobile Help Desk ($2.60) This app is designed both for the users you support and your role as a network administrator. It is installed on the user’s Android device and provides answers to basic IT questions. The user chooses which type of device needs troubleshooting and then can search for solutions by keywords or key phrases. It won’t solve every problem but will enable users to address some of their own network issues without you.

What are some of your other favorite network administration apps for android? Drop me a line!

The Six Deadly Sins of Leadership

Great article I’d like to share:

By Jack and Suzy Welch

Being a leader is perhaps the hardest challenge any of us will ever face. No matter how long we work at it, practicing the right behaviors is a never-ending task. Knowing – and avoiding – the wrong ones is too. Thus, we offer the following six common leadership pitfalls:

1. Not Giving Self-Confidence its Due.

Self-confidence is the lifeblood of success. When people have it, they’re bold. They try new things, offer ideas, exude positive energy, and cooperate with their colleagues instead of surreptitiously attempting to bring them down. When they lack self-confidence, it’s just the opposite. People cower. They plod. And they spread negativity with every word and gesture.

But all too often leaders ignore (or neglect) this very basic fact of the human condition. Why is anyone’s guess. Perhaps they just don’t understand that it is part of their job to instill self-confidence in their people. It may even be said that it’s their first job. You cannot unleash the creative power of individuals who doubt themselves.

Fortunately, some people seem to be born with self-confidence. Others gain it from life and work experience and come to a company fully loaded. Regardless, leaders can never stop pouring self-confidence into their teams. The ways to do so are myriad. Make sure goals are challenging – but achievable. Give effusive positive feedback. Remind your direct reports of what they do right.

We’re not saying that leaders should blindly extol and exalt. People know when they’re being gamed. But good leaders work relentlessly to find ways to instill self-confidence in those around them. They know it’s the gift that never stops giving.

2. Muzzling Voice.

Perhaps the most frustrating way that leaders underperform is by over-talking. That is, they act like know-it-alls. They can tell you how the world works, what corporate is thinking, how it will backfire if you try this or that, and why you can’t possibly change the product one iota. Sometimes such blowhards get their swagger from a few positive experiences, but usually they’re just victims of their own destructive personalities.

Ultimately, the company ends up being a victim too, because know-it-alls aren’t just insufferable, they’re dangerous. They don’t listen, and that deafness makes it very hard for new ideas to get debated, expanded upon, or improved. No single person, no matter how smart, can take a business to its apex. For that, you need every voice to be heard.

3. Acting Phony.

Can you spot a phony? Of course you can – and so can your people. Indeed, if there is one widespread human capability, it is sniffing out someone who is putting on airs, pretending to be who they’re not, or just keeping their real self hidden. Yet too many leaders spend way too much time creating personas that put a wall between them and their employees. What a waste.

Because authenticity is what makes people love you. Visibly grappling with tough problems, sweating the details, laughing, and caring – those are the activities that make people respond and feel engaged with what you’re saying. Sure, some people will tell you that being mysterious grants you power as a leader. In reality, all it generates is fear. And who wants to motivate that way?

Now, obviously, authenticity is unattractive if it’s coupled with immaturity or an overdose of informality. And organizations generally don’t like people who are too emotionally unbounded – i.e. so real that all their feelings are exposed. They tend to tamp that kind of intensity down a bit. And that’s not a bad thing, as work is work and, more than at home, allows us to maintain some privacy.

But don’t let convention wring all the authenticity out of you, especially as you climb the ladder. In time, humanity always wins. Your team and bosses come to know who you are in your soul, what kind of people you attract and what kind of performance you want from everyone. Your realness will make you accessible; you will connect and you will inspire. You will lead.

4. Lacking the Guts to Differentiate.

You only have to be in business a few weeks to know that not all investment opportunities are created equal. But some leaders can’t face that reality, and so they sprinkle their resources like cheese on a pizza, a little bit everywhere.

As a result, promising growth opportunities too often don’t get the outsized infusions of cash and people they need. If they did, someone might get offended during the resource allocation process. Someone – as in the manager of a weak business or the sponsor of a dubious investment proposal.

But leaders who don’t differentiate do the most damage when it comes to people. Unwilling to deliver candid, rigorous performance reviews, they give every employee the same kind of bland, mushy, “nice job” sign-off. Then, when rewards are doled out, they give star performers little more than the laggards. Now, you can call this egalitarian approach kind, or fair – as these lousy leaders usually do – but it’s really just weakness. And when it comes to building a thriving organization where people have the chance to grow and succeed, weakness just doesn’t cut it.


5. Fixation on Results at the Expense of Values.

Everyone knows that leaders deliver. Oratory and inspiration without results equal…well, a whole lot of nothing. But leaders are committing a real dereliction of duties if all they care about are the numbers. They also have to care about how those numbers came to be. Were the right behaviors practiced? Was the company’s culture of integrity honored? Were people taken care of properly? Was the law obeyed, in both letter and spirit?

Values are a funny thing in business. Companies love to talk about them. They love to hang them up on plaques in the lobby and boast about them to potential hires and customers. But they’re meaningless if leaders don’t live and breathe them. Sometimes that can take courage. It can mean letting go of a top performer who’s a brute to his colleagues, or not promoting a star who doesn’t share her best ideas with the team. That’s hard.

And yet if you’re a leader, this is a sin you cannot squint away. When you nail your results, make sure you can also report back to a crowded room: We did this the right way, according to our values.

6. Skipping the Fun Part

What is it about celebrating that makes managers so nervous? Maybe throwing a party doesn’t seem professional or it makes people worry that they won’t look serious to the powers that be, or that, if things get too happy in the office, people will stop working their tails off.

Whatever the reason, too many leaders don’t celebrate enough. To be clear here, we do not define celebrating as conducting one of those stilted little company-orchestrated events that everyone hates, in which the whole team is marched out to a local restaurant for an evening of forced merriment when they’d rather be home. We’re talking about sending a team to Disney World with their families, or giving each team member tickets to a show or a movie, or handing each member of the team a new iPod.

What a lost opportunity. Celebrating makes people feel like winners and creates an atmosphere of recognition and positive energy. Imagine a team winning the World Series without champagne spraying everywhere. You can’t! And yet companies win all the time and let it go without so much as a high-five.

Work is too much a part of life not to recognize the moments of achievement. Grab as many as you can. Make a big deal out of them.

That’s part of a leader’s job too – the fun part.

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This content was originally presented as a lecture at the Jack Welch Management Institute.

Jack Welch is Founder and Distinguished Professor at the Jack Welch Management Institute at Strayer University. Through its executive education and Welch Way management training programs, the Jack Welch Management Institute provides students and organizations with the proven methodologies, immediately actionable practices, and respected credentials needed to win in the most demanding global business environments.

Suzy Welch is a best-selling author, popular television commentator, and noted business journalist. Her New York Times bestselling book, 10-10-10: A Life Transforming Idea, presents a powerful decision-making strategy for success at work and in parenting, love and friendship. Together with her husband Jack Welch, Suzy is also co-author of the #1 international bestseller Winning, and its companion volume, Winning: The Answers. Since 2005, they have written business columns for several publications, including Business Week magazine, Thomson Reuters digital platforms, Fortune magazine, and the New York Times syndicate.