Remote work Archives - Page 2 of 38

Top benefits of remote help desk | 8 Reasons to set up a remote help desk

Modern technology is awesome-until it doesn’t. As a routine, tech tools make our lives so much easier. If systems fail, users quickly become disorientated, leaving them scrambling for a solution. To assist in these situations, the help desk is available. Our constant friend, the help desk, is a subset of the technical support role.

It serves as an everyday tech superhero. Help desk technicians are on hand when things go wrong or don’t work properly. When all of your end-users begin working remotely instead of onsite, there is much to do from a help desk perspective. Now, let’s look at its incredible benefits in the current technological era.

Let’s explore them in more detail.

What is a remote help desk?

The term remote help desk refers to accessing a computer/device through the Internet or a network from another computer. The device can be accessed remotely via a remote device, providing access to its files, applications, and network resources. It is possible to use remote desktop support to diagnose and resolve hardware and software issues with a remote computer/device. You probably think of the following when you hear the word “why do we use it?” Or how would it be beneficial to us? To assist, this article explains the benefits of remote help desks.

Also read: How to find the best remote help desk jobs in 2022?

Remote help desk benefits

Among the many benefits of having a remote help desk, here are a few key ones:

1. Save more money

Affordability is very important. Remote help desk companies save a lot of money in the long run. Remote sessions with IT providers are cheap to provide technical support. Your desktop support technician will fix the problem in minutes, so you don’t have to worry about hourly service. There are no surprise charges to hold your head. Everything is offered at a very flexible price. You don’t have to worry about making exorbitant payments for diagnostics and repairs. It makes managing budget spending much easier.

2. Securing the network

Safety is always our top priority. Remote desktop support software keeps your network safe. The software is equipped with a firewall, antivirus protection, and 24/7 monitoring support. It ensures the safety of all network stations. If additional protection is required, technicians can install additional software upon command.

3. Quick response

Some IT problems have simple solutions such as fixing, updating or changing the configuration. Although these issues do not require the expertise of in-house technicians, they are often required to be resolved. Businesses can quickly and easily resolve these fundamental issues with remote technical support services. One of the key benefits of IT remote support is that help desk agents can monitor your system, identify issues, and apply support solutions 100% remotely as needed.

Also read: 7 Tips for Hiring the Best Customer Service Professional for your Company

4. Education continuously

Remote technical support can be an easy way to teach your employees the basics of fixing computer errors. With remote support and screen sharing, employees can watch their IT staff browse folders and programs to solve IT problems. Although these workflows are limited, they can be a great way to educate your team members on basic IT fixes and reduce the likelihood of asking for help in the future. This aspect can be especially useful when working with new remote workers. Many remote workers will face major problems with simple tasks such as configuring a laptop that requires modifications.

5. Connectivity on a wide scale

High-performance remote connections are one of the key benefits of remote desktop support. Help desk professionals can use remote access software almost anywhere. If the Wi-Fi signal is strong around you, a technician can handle it wherever they want. It gives users and IT service provider’s peace of mind.

6. Monitoring at all levels

It can be difficult to gather internal data about internal IT issues unless specifically tracked. A professional IT support provider with the right tools can help. These providers maintain a comprehensive record of the company’s service needs, including the number of tickets issued per hour, how often first contact is resolved, the most common technical issues, and which employees have the most service requests. This data can be useful for the internal evaluation of employee performance and IT effectiveness. Please use this data where possible and utilize your service provider’s data collection capabilities.

Also read: 22 Best Remote Working Tools That Make Life Easy [Updated 2022]

7. Experts at your fingertips

With remote access support, organizations can get to the abilities of a whole group of IT experts. Should one professional not determine a client issue, that help ticket will be raised through the help group until it contacts somebody who can answer. Also, these help professionals might be held to higher assistance levels still up in the air in the seller arrangement, which can affirm the value and extra security to entrepreneurs.

8. Enhance overall productivity

Remote desktop software provides users with high-quality service from start to finish. This software has a huge impact on your network. It improves the effectiveness of the employee’s work habits. This way, you won’t have to wait for a technician to assist you. Remote desktop support helps people effectively keep their work at its best.

Summary

In short, using a help desk solution facilitates customer service both internally and externally. Customers are more likely to remain loyal when they are satisfied.

admin

Benefits of remote IT support | 7 Reasons why you need IT support for your business

Remote work

In today’s modern world, as technology advances, IT also develops rapidly. IT has made unbelievable changes in life and has become an important part of our daily lives. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of remote IT support.

A key reason for IT’s prominence is the advancement of technology and the expectation of the customers, and the need to provide excellent service. The help desk software market share is projected to reach $11 billion by 2023.

It’s not uncommon for people to hire technicians physically if something goes wrong with their device. However, this is a time-consuming process. If the issue is software-related rather than hardware-related, in-person assistance is not required. Through the cloud gateway, a technician can use remote IT support software to examine a client’s computer remotely.

Also read: How to find the best remote help desk jobs in 2022?

What is remote IT support?

It is software that allows IT technicians to remotely access and control a client’s computer, almost as if they were sitting next to it themselves. Remote IT support assists end-users in troubleshooting computer problems and other issues. By troubleshooting, diagnosing, and fixing problems quickly and effectively you will be able to achieve better customer satisfaction.

So now discuss its few top benefits.

Remote IT support benefits

It offers several advantages, such as convenience, effectiveness, and affordability. Below are some of the most notable benefits.

1. Innovative tools

Many state-of-the-art tools enable IT support. A support team can use screen share to access and control other computers. You can see the cursor movement, access to various applications, and see the invisible hand problem solve. Note that no one needs to be on the other side. In addition, allow IT professionals to access their business smartphones if needed.

2. Concentrate on business

Your goal as an entrepreneur is to grow your business. But if you worry about IT issues or IT security, you might not be as productive as you could be. With a remote help desk, you can focus on what you do best assured that all concerns will be removed, and any issue you encounter will be resolved.

Also read: How to start a business with no money & make it successful?

3. Safe remote working

One of the drawbacks of working remotely is that home networks and devices are not always as secure as professional hardware in an office environment. Leverage remote IT support to update and patch, properly configure antivirus, and allow employees to move to one location in the event of suspicious email or other potential threats. If you are looking for additional security and risk management, invest in a vulnerability assessment service. It allows you to scan networks and other vulnerable things.

4. Quick working

Call IT professionals or create tickets in a help desk app and say bye-bye to the passing days when you struggled to solve your IT problems. Simple issues can be solved extremely quickly without escalating them to developers. User satisfaction increases 20-40% due to quick issue resolution.

5. Suitable and low cost

There are extra expenses associated with on-site visits, such as vans, equipment, business hours, etc. Extra time your IT department spends on resolving simple issues means extra costs for your business. Remote IT support can reduce costs while providing the same quality of service and connectivity as on-site support. Since the company doesn’t cost much, these savings extend to the customer, resulting in cost savings.

6. Maintaining the system regularly

Use preventive measures and monitoring to avoid bigger problems in the future. Remote help desk specialists usually offer such services helping to keep your IT infrastructure stable and safe. They can make sure all components of your app and infrastructure run smoothly.

7. Higher level of satisfaction

By getting faster, more accurate, and more efficient resolution, users in your organization can gain greater satisfaction and confidence in the tools they use in their environment. Therefore, remote support helps streamline your workflow and delivers better results for your organization.

Also read: 22 Best Remote Working Tools That Make Life Easy [Updated 2022]

Verdicts

Finally, I want to add that, a few tasks cannot be handled remotely. Remote support is still an option when it is possible since it simplifies work on many levels. It is beneficial for everyone.

admin

Influencer leadership – Definition, Traits & Examples

Leadership

Influencer leadership is a style where the leader or executive inspires or motivates people or subordinates through their techniques, strategies, knowledge, innovations and thoughts. They encourage people to be responsible and are empathetic towards them, guiding and assisting them in their activities.

In this article, we will extensively discuss influencer leadership and how to become influencer leaders or thought leaders with some illustrating examples.

What is influencer leadership?

While talking of influencer leadership, the focus point is on leading by value and commitments. Leadership influencers have well-defined strategies and goals in their mind with clear vision and objectives. They motivate, inspire, guide and aid people in pursuing the mission with vigility and agilance.

The particular leadership style is all about promoting innovative and inclusive ideas that will help in achieving the objectives seamlessly. The leaders bring a sense of responsibility in fulfilling the goals with better productivity, focused on creativities and ingenious ideas. Besides they ensure the latest industry trends, best practices and standards are being followed.

Read: 21 irrefutable laws of leadership | With examples

Key traits of leadership influencers

The key traits of leadership influencers are illustrated below:

The professionals align their self-interests with the goals and objectives of the company. They ensure both are balanced to bring in a win-win situation.
Influencer leadership is a style where the leaders seek in investing in new innovations, and trends in technologies to be competitive in the market. They understand the importance of staying ahead in the race.
Influencer leaders stress on strategic visions for future growth that will churn in more revenue and market presence. They love to work on big visions and goals to place the company best in the sector.
Stress on collaboration with fellow influencers for aiding and assisting each other. They create communities for resolving each others problems and issues.
Influencer leaders love to experiment and take on risks. They strive to overcome barriers while pursuing their objectives.
They are good listeners and good communicators. Understanding others by careful listening and focused attention is a very important trait of them. Besides they love conveying clear and concise messages.
Influencers focus on continual learning and development for upgrading their competencies and enhancing their knowledge. This helps in awareness of the latest trends and applying them well in the tasks and activities

Also read: How to inculcate inclusive leadership in your organization

What makes you an influencer leader?

Let us now try to answer the question, “What makes you an influencer leader?”

Trust is a very important factor in determining what makes you an influencer. You need to have faith in your team and provide them opportunities to assume responsibilities
Connect with people for seamless collaboration and effective communication. To aid and assist people in resolving problems and issues
Encourage people in achieving the vision and mission with focused and dedicated attention. Influencer leadership is all about instilling confidence in the team to achieve the goals faster.
Curating situations that help the team to gain success in their activities and tasks. They encourage in leveraging innovations and ideas that help in achieving their objectives with better productivity
Do not be authoritative only but motivate and inspire your team to move forward. Provide them requisite guidance and advice to focus on their goals and seek growth opportunities.
Be generous, kind and attentive towards the team. Empathize and listen to them so that they shower trust and confidence in you. When you question what makes someone an influencer, believing in you is one of the important factors for judging your behavioural characteristics and attitude.

Also read: How to learn from animals & become effective leaders [with examples]

Influencer leadership examples

Here are some of the influencer leadership examples, that you can follow. Noticeably this section will focus on the leaders or dignitaries who have been known for their influential leadership.

Alexander the Great – The great Greek king was an influential leader, who commanded a huge army towards victory.
Charles Darwin – Prominent geologist, who influenced people by his evolutionary theory
Plato – A renowned philosopher and mathematician, Plato was phenomenal in leading by example. He laid the foundation of Western philosophy and science, thus influencing people by his phenomenal discovery
William Shakespeare – Prominent Engish poet and author, whose contribution to literature has influenced the minds of many poetry and story lovers. His creativity had been significant in driving the essence of literature.
Mahatma Gandhi – Father of the Nation of India. His values and virtues of life, and struggle for Independence by being at the forefront had influenced many Indians. He taught people to be honest, truthful, and good human beings.
Abraham Lincoln – A man of stature and dignity. He influenced the people of America by his moral values of life. His contribution to uniting the nation and its people are stupendous.
George Washington – An influential leader who is significant in heading over the convention that drafted the constitution of the United States. He led the country and its people from the forefront
Gautama Buddha – He enlightened the world with his preachings to love human beings and help them to get rid of their sufferings. Buddha inculcated a spirit of humanity among the people, urging them to understand reality and act accordingly.
Karl Marx – A German socialist, economist and philosopher, who has been phenomenal in the world of economics. He was influential in establishing the meaning of labour and its relation to capital.
Martin Luther King Jr – He was a voracious spokesperson who was significant in influencing people to fight for their social, civil and legal rights.

Also read: 15 frequently seen leadership weaknesses and ways to fix them

How do you influence others as a leader?

Influencer leadership is not only leading from the front but also encouraging people to be responsible and confident with the tasks at hand. A leader must appreciate the activities of the team and energize them to move forward in achieving the goals. The talent and skills of the team must be appreciated along with proper guidance and assistance.

Besides, they promote the team for recognition in the company; awarding or complimenting them for their achievements. They collaborate and communicate elaborately and clearly as and when needed, leaving no ambiguities.

Anticipating risks and assisting the team to overcome and mitigate them, are some of the greatest traits of an influential and expert leader. This helps in gaining trust and faith in the leader. In the end, proper planning and organizing skills govern the capability of a leader.

Thought leaders and influencer leaders

Thought leaders and influencer leaders to follow are:

Andrew Ng – Entrepreneur and scientist focusing on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Kirk Borne – Phenomenal for NextGen Analytics and Data Science, currently at Booz Allen Hamilton
Tamara McCleary – CEO of Thulium, branding expert and an influencer
Bernard Marr – Bestselling author, business and technology advisor and keynote speaker
Evan Kirstel – A tech influencer and key opinion leader
Ronald van Loon – He is on the advisory board of Simplilearn and is considered a key influencer
Mike Quindazzi – managing director, Business Development Leader and the U.S. digital alliances leader for PwC

How can I be a good influencer as a leader?

So, how can you be a good influence as a leader?

Well, you need to trust people and listen to people to be a good influencer. He or she must be able to connect with the people and influence them to achieve the goals and objectives of the program or the company as a whole. You need to possess a strong and confident character with poise and integrity for influencing others. Lastly you need to be generous and attentive with the team, listening to their thoughts and ideas while appreciating their work.

Also read: 5 levels of leadership | John Maxwell’s 5 levels of leadership explained

Are social influencers leaders?

In today’s world, the use of social media platforms is significantly high. Almost 45 to 50% of the world population uses social media. Hence influencing them through these platforms is highly beneficial.

Well, yes social influencers are leaders. These professionals are experts in their domain, sector or technology. They share their knowledge among the people to help and assist. They deal with the trends, thus attracting lot more followers. Many times, they help in sorting out the problems and issues of the people in general. They do promote products and services by sharing their experience, reviews and feedback.

What is an influencer leadership style?

An influencer leadership style is a leadership style that is more focused on the vision, mission, and strategic objectives of a company and even the programs executed in a company. They spread the message of targeting the mission with the purpose of benefiting the organization and in turn the employees. Influenced leadership stresses on sharing of knowledge through the collaboration for success.

The leaders communicate the messages in simple terms for easy consumption and application in work and the tasks in hand. They are also compassionate and encourage the team to pursue growth. They bring in innovations and long term strategies into the programs, introducing new techniques and methodologies in the company.

Kuntala Banerjee

Kuntala is a versatile writer with a focus on diverse areas around work, productivity, collaboration at work, hiring, management, HR, and training. Her background of past experience in technology and consulting helps in molding razor-sharp insights into the research and user-focused content she creates. Professionally she is an IT consultant in a sales role and also a writer of short stories and poems, travel blogger, and fashion influencer.

8 Best free Video Conferencing Software 2022 | Connect & Collaborate!

Remote work

Video conferencing is a great way for distributed teams to stay connected. So be it for remote teams or any other online business, if you are looking for the best free video conferencing software, in this post, you’ll find eight of the most reliable free remote conferencing tools!

Face-to-face communication through video conferencing software works wonders to keep the team connected. Apart from being useful in business activities, it is a blessing for many who are pursuing education through technology.

Best video conferencing software list

Skype
Unremot
Google Hangouts
Zoom
Slack
GoToMeeting
Lifesize
Facebook live

What Is Video Conferencing?

Video conferencing is a technology that enables users from different geographical locations to hold live face-to-face meetings from their respective places. Two or more people can participate in the visual call. This technology is more prevalent these days because of the ease of accessibility to internet connectivity. Business users are the more benefitted one because of this technology as this enables users from different locations to attend meetings, interview job candidates, etc.

Also read: Video conferencing etiquette: Best practices for video conferencing

A video conferencing differs from teleconferencing as it allows the users to see each other(s). In this technologically advanced world, there are plenty of software applications available for free video conferencing. Here are the top 8 free video conferencing software.

Best Free Video Conferencing Software

There is a lot of free video conferencing software in the market/play store. Tools to conduct one-to-one conversations, for teams, for live broadcasts where one can address a lot of people. But broadcast is not a platform for interaction. One can listen to the other when she/he is speaking.

‘Lifesize 2019 Impact of Video Conferencing Report’ says:

48% of business professionals use video conferencing more frequently than they did two years ago.
47% have reduced business travel due to video conferencing
69% expect video communication will be equally or more important to their work than voice assistants, while 63% expect video‘s impact on their work will meet or exceed that of augmented reality and virtual reality.

Also read: Best Remote Working Tools That Make Life Easy

1. Skype

The free video meeting platform of Skype perfectly suits a medium-sized team with a team of 50 members. Skype, one of the oldest software for video conferencing, was initially released in the year 2003. The application can be used to make a video call from the phone, tablet, desktop, Alexa, web, and Xbox. The application is prevalent for interviews and one-to-one sessions. Skype also enables screen sharing and HD video calling. Files up to 300 MB can be easily dragged and dropped into the conversation window. The call can be recorded and as soon as the recording starts, everyone in the meeting will be notified about it. The recording then will be posted in the Skype chat and will be available for 30 days.

Skype also allows us to reach our contacts who do not use Skype. Now you can call anyone in your contact the mobile devices and landlines at low rates using Skype Credit. Live caption and subtitles are the new features of the application that allows the users to break the language barriers.

Also read: Guide to conducting & attending Remote Interviews

Skype Features

Private messaging
Allows up to 50 people
Enables location sharing
HD video calling
Call recording

Do you know? The software allows reaching our contacts who do not use Skype.

2. Unremot

Yet another great free video conferencing software, unremot is the most easy-to-use tools available online. The platform is basically built for remote teams to collaborate & communicate, hence most suited for those who communicate on a regular basis.

This video-based product also has features like screen sharing, chat, task management, calendar and file sharing, among others. Currently (in light of the coronavirus outbreak) it’s available to its users for free! The participants can create virtual rooms where they can add up to 50 users.

Unremot Features

HD video conferencing
single-click video calls,
Up to 200 users
screen sharing
One to one & group chats
Calendar integration
Free

Also read: Best Practices For Remote Onboarding

3. Google Hangouts

Google Hangouts, a free video conferencing software product developed by Google, is a part of the G-Suite office. The free version is offered only as a trial for 14 days.

Business email through Gmail, shared google calendars, spreadsheets, presentation builder, keeping shared notes are some of the commonly shared features of Google Hangouts. The cloud storage depends on the plan we opt whereas it stands to be 30 GB cloud storage for Rs 210 version and unlimited cloud storage (or 1 TB per user if fewer than 5 users) for Rs 714 and Rs 1650 version. Smart search across G-suite, managing the mobile fleet remotely, audit reports to track user activity, eDiscovery for emails, chats & files, retain, archive & search data are the other few additional options that could be availed paying Rs 210 and Rs 714.

Hangouts Features

Allows up to 250 participants
video meeting recordings
screen sharing
Price range: Free, Rs 210 per month to Rs 1650 per month (250 Participants)

Also read: How to work from home successfully?

4. Zoom

Zoom Video Communications Inc, founded in the year 2011, helps schools and to improve students’ outcomes with secure video communication services for hybrid classrooms, office meetings, etc. 100 participants can be hosted at a time. Zoom meetings sync with the calendar system for video conferencing from desktop and mobile.

Individuals can join by telephone call-in. This free video conferencing software allows simultaneous screen sharing. The host can control the audio, video and screen sharing options of the participants. These are the basic features that are free of cost. Meetings can be recorded (MP4 video, M4A Audi and chat are the available formats) in the Zoom cloud for 1 GB which can be downloaded and streamed from a browser.

Owners and admins can manage their users such as add, delete assigned roles, etc. Cloud recording and user management are the additions to the basic features, exclusively a paid version costing USD 14.99 per month for a user. There is a limit of 40 minutes in group meetings for unpaid version but no such limits exist for paid users. Paid versions extend to USD 19.99 with participants number extending to 300 and 500 with other additional features.

Zoom Features

Video conferencing and web conferencing
Free video conferencing is up to 100 with 40 minutes limit in group meetings. Limit to the number of participants exceeds till 300 and 500 in paid service plans with cloud recording and screen sharing.A

Also read: 14 Best Remote Job Sites: Start your job hunt at the right place!

5. Slack

Slack is a 6-year-old company suitable for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux. The software allows for both voice and video calls. The screen can also be shared to show your work. PDFs, videos and other files can be dragged and dropped into Slack. The Slack app directory has over 2000 apps you can integrate into Slack which reduces the time spent on juggling between tabs. Slack can also be configured for the team’s needs with the Slack API (Application Program Interface).

Only two persons can engage in a video or audio call at the time for unpaid version whereas 15 persons can engage in face-to-face communication paying USD 2.67 per month for a user. File storage is available for 5 GB in total for the free version and extended to 10 GB, 20 GB and 1 TB per team member for the subsequent paid versions. The other feature varies with different plans based on different pricing policies. Though the number of participants stands to be the same for all the paid versions that are up to 15.

Slack Features

Only 2 persons can engage in a free video-conferencing call.
The paid service is charged USD 2.67 per month for a user and 15 can be hosted together for a call.

Also read: 18 Best remote companies to work for in 2022

6. GoToMeeting

GoToMeeting is an online free video conferencing software launched in the year 2004. A web-hosted service created by LogMeIn. GoToMeeting works as a type of Online chat room and group discussions, whereas, GoToWebinar provides speaker/audience platform. GoToWebinar’s licence is included with GoToMeeting.

The free version of the software is allowed to host up to 3 participants and the duration of the meeting is only 40 minutes. The paid version begins from USD 12 and USD 16 per month. USD 12 is charged to host 150 participants and USD 16 is charged to host 250 participants. Most of the other features remain the same for these two packages like HD video, screen sharing, unlimited number of meetings, voice command with Siri, google calendar plugin, Salesforce integration, admin center, 24/7 call support, meeting diagnostic report, etc.

Unlimited cloud recording, mobile recording, note-taking, drawing tools, keyboard & mouse sharing, etc. are the other features offered only USD 16 per month’s package. Custom package is also available for big companies where the maximum limit for participants can extend up to 3000 participants. The administration or customer care support should be contacted to know the pricing details of the custom package.

Also read: Synchronous & Asynchronous Communication For Remote Work

Slack Features

Allows to record calls
Screen sharing
This free video conferencing software can host only 3 participants
Meeting with 150 participants – USD 12 and 250 participants at USD 16 per month.

7. Lifesize

Lifesize, a video and audio telecommunications company, was founded in the year 2003. The unpaid feature can hold up to 25 participants. The paid versions can host up to 100, 300 participants and lifestream 1000 viewer events costing USD 16.95, USD 14.95 and USD 12.95 respectively. There is no limit in scheduling the number of meetings for both paid and unpaid versions. There is no limit on time for meeting recording in USD 12.95 paid version and 1-hour recording storage per host in USD 14.95 paid version with Microsoft integrations. Media and presentations can be shared effortlessly with wireless screen sharing. An audio dial-in option can be added to access local toll-free dial-in numbers in more than 60 countries.

Lifesize Features

This free video conferencing software allows only 25 participants.
100 and 300 participants can be hosted in a meeting that costs USD 16.95 and USD 14.95 and with other additional features.

Also read: 8 Simple ways you can combat remote work loneliness

8. Facebook live

The free video conferencing software of Facebook live is perfectly suitable for one to address a lot of people, to broadcast demos, showcase the company culture, etc. These apps are common social networking sites mostly used by everyone and allow the users to hold online video conferences where one person would be ideally addressing everyone and for demonstration. Anyhow, these applications allow to comment the followers but they can’t participate in the video directly. ‘Live video’ is the option by which anyone can post videos from anyplace. The video then gets saved in the Facebook profile. A custom audience can also be selected.

Facebook live Features

No restriction on the number of people.
It allows only one-way communication
The video can be broadcasted for up to 4 hours.
Selection of custom audience.

FAQs

1. What is video conferencing?

A: Video conferencing is a visual conversation between 2 or more people located in different geographical locations.

2. What are the benefits of video conferencing?

A: Video conferencing saves a lot of travelling time and cost for the sake of meetings. Also, many software enables the users to record the call which can be used for future for reference.

3. What are the best free video conferencing tools?

A: Skype, Zoom, Google Hangouts, GoToMeeting are the best free video conferencing tools.

4. What are the Hangouts alternatives?

A: WhatsApp, Telegram and Messenger are considered as the few Hangouts alternatives.

Avanti

Avanti is a voracious reader of books in psychology and physics while being an experienced digital marketeer and ukelele artist. She writes on remote work, technology, space, quantum physics, and productivity.

What Essays and Books I Read – Tips for a Freelance Writer

Productivity, Remote work

Writers can greatly improve the quality of their work by reading. And there are a lot of amazing books out there that will help you boost your career and become a better writer. Whether you are a copywriter, blogger, or essay writer you need to read every day. Courses and podcasts are amazing. But they are not as amazing as books.

If you like reading, here are some of the best books for freelance writers. The best part is you can read them regardless of your experience in the world of writing. You need to read for free or buy these books to find high-paying clients, operate your business smoothly and have an edge over your competition.

1. The 4-Hour Workweek –Timothy Ferriss

This is one of the best books that you should read as a freelancer. I can clearly remember how it impacted my decision to leave my day job and start working independently as a full-time freelance writer. I read this book every day to stay on track and keep on keeping on.

It has nurtured my entrepreneurial soul and enabled me to become the best version of myself. It focuses on the importance of becoming free of the 9-5 lifestyle. This is the book that you should read if you want to start your business but you feel stuck in your 9 to 5 job.

2. The Content Code – Mark Schaefer

Mark Schaefer is a popular business writer with extensive experience in sales and marketing. The Content Code is one of the best books to read if you are concerned with content creation. In his book, he shares some effective tips on how to create unique content that will shock your competitors. He thoroughly explains the concepts of brand development, content production, and distribution. He outlines the process of creating content that will help you get recognized as a brand.

As a college student and freelance writer, you have to master the art of writing good essays instead of following the standards that have been set by others who came before you. You need to access the free materials for a computer science essay to come up with topic ideas, write informative, interesting, and important content. This is what sets apart a high achiever from the average writer.

3. Starting a Career as a Freelance Writer – Moira Allen

Before deciding to become freelance writers, most of us asked a lot of what-if questions. What if this doesn’t work out? What if I cannot pay my bills? What if I don’t have it in me? The freelancer’s doubt can make it difficult for you to achieve your goals. The author encourages readers to read free essays and start by outlining the process of becoming a writer.

When you start following the process, things become easier. The book provides all the tools and strategies that are needed to become a great freelance writer. She also discusses the importance of online writers setting up their freelance websites and being active on social media platforms. These are amazing tools for both beginners and experts.

4. The Renegade Writer – Linda Formichelle and Diana Burrell

This book was written to help you break the norms when you decide to become a freelance writer. This book is an amazing guide as it clearly states the unique ways that set you apart from competitors. You are going to love this book if you want to become a successful freelance writer but you want to start doing things differently.

5. The Freelancer’s Bible – Sara Horowitz

This book has lived up to its name for many years. Sara covers almost everything in the freelance writing world. It’s packed with lots of important information ranging from setting up an office to how to market yourself effectively as a writer. If you are interested in becoming a freelance writer but you have no idea where to start, this book is ideal for you.

While you can find a lot of guides that revolve around building your writing business, this is one of the most thorough and accessible tools available. You should pick up this book if you’ve been looking for a mentor.

6. Write and Grow Rich – Alinka Rutkowska

This book was written to help you become the best writer in the world. It shares some of the top secrets of reputable names in the freelance writing industry. They tell their own stories of how anyone can become an exceptional writer. Some of the themes that have been discussed in this book are important especially when they are put in the business perspective. You should read this book.

Conclusion

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced writer, learning about your work is one of the best ways to enhance your personal and professional growth. For those who don’t know where to start, the books that we’ve discussed here will help them understand the fundamentals and help other people in solving their problems.

A lot of books have been written about writing over the years because there is a huge demand. These are the gems that every writer should read if they want to succeed. Which book are you going to start reading today to transform your life?

Judy Nelson

Judy Nelson is an amazing editor and freelance writer. She is passionate about helping freelance writers and editors grow and thrive. She enjoys painting and socializing with new people.

Inspired leadership – How to become an inspired leader, defined with examples!

Leadership

If you are in the process of defining our leadership style, this is the post for you. Here, we will discuss the characteristics and examples of inspired leadership.

Inspired leadership

Inspired leadership is focused on motivating and encouraging the team to move forward. The inspirational leader is set on increasing the potential capacity of the people to achieve the set objective. The fundamental objective is to be self-aware and generate awareness among the team.

Who are inspirational people?

Inspirational people bring about an ever-lasting contribution in the minds of the people. Through their achievements, dedication and work, they create an impression among people; inspiring and motivating them to go ahead in their future growth. Their values are an example for others in performing their work through positivity, zeal and energy.

Inspirational leaders of today strive to bring harmony and trust among employees. They possess great empathy for others and try to extract the best out of them; thus instilling opportunities for enhancing their potential. Inspired leadership is focused on uplifting others to usher in a sense of responsibility in them.

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Who are inspirational leaders?

Inspirational leaders possess the courage to face the odds and overcome the challenges with zeal and positivity. Their motive is to create a difference in the world through their actions and values. They listen to the concerns and stories of people, trying to aid them in moving them forward through motivations and inspirations.

The way of communication in inspirational leadership is filled with empathy and consideration. They show compassion and care to people for achieving positive results. The growth strategies devised by them are innovative and unique. They are focused on their intentions and objectives.

Characteristics of an inspired leader

We have understood the concept of inspirational leadership. Now let us try to understand the characteristics of an inspired leader, which are essential and what makes someone inspirational. In the subsequent sections, you will learn about the different traits of a motivational leader and how they inspire people.

1. Inspiring people by radiating authenticity

One of the prominent characteristics of inspired leadership is to radiate authenticity. To be courageous and maintain dignity by stating unique ideas and thought leadership define motivational leaders. They help people to understand the intricacies of being different. A way to instil a sense of responsibility among people.

2. Encouraging unity among inspirational teams

Encouraging unity among inspirational teams is one of the key characteristics of inspired leadership. The team is encouraged to work in a collaborative mode to share their experiences, innovations and ideas. The employees gain confidence in their skills, capabilities and abilities for future opportunities or growth.

3. Admirable leaders with skilled communication abilities

Admirable leaders or inspiration leaders must possess strong communication abilities to build strength and honesty among the people. They try to foster strength, unity and bonding among the people through their oratory and written communication skills. They work closely with the team to assist them in reaching their goals.

4. Being approaching is an inspiring style of working

An inspiring style of working is to be approachable and accessible through motivational leadership. The team must be able to share their issues and problems with the inspirational leader. This will help to overcome risks and challenges in achieving the deadlines and objectives.

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5. Inspirational persons embrace risks

Embracing risks and mitigating the same through innovations and creations are some of the key characteristics of inspired leadership. Challenges will come in any program but overcoming with intelligence and intellect is guided by an inspirational leader. Every problem has a solution, it’s our inherent strength to tackle them with ease.

Pros and cons of inspirational leadership

Here are the pros and cons of inspirational leadership.

Pros

Inspirational leaders can quickly analyze the market and company’s position and quickly visualize the situation for improvement
Reduces turnover with employees being more involved in the organization with leadership encouragement
Inspirational leadership can accept and adopt the change and bring in further innovations and creativity
They are the leaders that inspire to pursue values and ethics with grace
With skilful communication, inspiring employees to be positive in achieving results
Grants freedom to employees to perform tasks with trust and confidence

Cons

The focus on tasks is less as employees need sometimes guidance for their activities
Employees may experience burnout by focusing strictly on the goals, visions and deadlines
Since inspiring leaders take risks, it may turn out to be disruptive
Demands a continuous feedback loop to assess the progress and continuation with the same dedication and focus

Also read: Inclusive leadership | How to inculcate inclusive leadership in your organization?

Inspire leadership examples

inspired leadership examples will help to understand how to inspire people, how to be an inspiring leader and how to inspire someone. You can be acquainted with the concept of inspirational leadership and inspirational leader definition.

1. Immense resistance of an inspirational leader

Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States, taught people to be self-sufficient and determined. He was persistent in his thoughts and proclaimed the vision for the future. Braving all the odds of immense resistance, he emerged victorious in his attempts as an inspirational leader; thus ended slavery in the US.

2. Courage is a part of inspiring leadership

Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman justice on the US Supreme Court, is a smart and intelligent leader. She served as a powerful source for handling charges which are not justified and was a deterrent in providing justice against all the odds and challenges. Thus courage is a part of inspiring leadership.

3. Creative innovation for team inspiration

Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States, taught the concept of team inspiration. She developed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UNICEF for the betterment of humanitarian rights. The capability of finding out innovations and moulding them into action was her strength.

4. Strong determination in an inspirational person

Rosa Parks, an active member of the civil rights movement, was strong in her determination and will power. She is an inspirational person and stood up front against unfair laws and practices. Her life is an example of how to stand firm even while pursuing your goals and objectives.

Also read: Team Building | What is team building and why is it important for companies?

How to inspire others and become a leader?

The great quality of inspirational leadership is to drive people in attaining success and achieving the objectives and goals. Let us try to understand what are the different techniques or best practices to be adopted on how to inspire others and become a leader.

1. Most inspiring people have passion

Most inspiring people have passion for their work. Inspiring leaders of today are focused on the goals to be attained. They motivate others to pursue their growth with passion and dedication. Great leaders inspire greatness in others to go ahead in their achievements and aspirations.

2. Leadership inspiration is in listening

Leadership inspiration depends mostly on listening to the employees and being empathetic to them. Understanding their problems and inspiring others to succeed are great traits of inspirational leadership. Resolving the problems of the team and help them to attain success are the things that inspire people.

3. Inspiring leader possess trust and integrity

If you want to know how to be an inspirational leader and how do you inspire someone, then you must possess integrity and generate a feeling of trust. Your team must be confident in working with you, trust you and follow you while pursuing growth in career or completing their assignments.

Also read: Trust Remote Teams | 10 best ways to build trust in remote teams

Famous inspirational leaders

Here are some of the famous inspirational leaders whose activities and work in life are motivating. The inspirational leadership videos of these personalities must be checked for more details

Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of India, who inspired millions through his non-violent civil disobedience movement
Winston Churchill, one of the greatest leaders and former Prime Minister of Britain, whose leadership skills have been an iconic example
Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa, motivated and inspired people for equality
Albert Einstein, the greatest scientist of the 20th century, was a focused and dedicated person
Abraham Lincoln, statesman and former President of the US, focusing on unity, liberty and democracy

Inspirational business leaders

Inspirational business leaders lead the employees in driving through the vision of the company. Here are some of the top business leaders whose inspirational motivation aids in creating a difference.

Mary Barra, the former chairman and CEO of General Motors, believed in demonstrating ownership
Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, is one of the inspiring leaders today
Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook, is an example of inspirational leadership
Jack Ma, co-founder and former executive chairman of Alibaba group, person with a mindset of encouraging leadership
Reshma Saujani, top businesswoman, politician and lawyer in the US, is an iconic inspirational leader

Also read: Charismatic leadership | How to become a charismatic leader [with examples]

Most inspiring personalities of all time

The most inspiring personalities of all time who inspire groups of people are:

Malala Yousafzai, a contemporary activist, who campaigned for girls’ education
Anne Frank, inspiring generations through her writings
Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, was focused and dedicated in his vision
Oprah Winfrey, a successful entrepreneur, who never looked back pursuing her ambitions
Sanna Marin, the youngest prime minister in the world, stood for equality.

Kuntala Banerjee