Enkahnz Shared: Top 10 Tips for Healthy Confrontation

Enkahnz: Confront the person on the side: A sure way to make your team members feel unvalued and embarrassed is by confronting them in front of the rest of your team. In doing this you are now building a culture that cuts people down, and you won't have any creativity. Rather take the person to the side and confront them privately. You will gain respect and trust by doing this.(Enkahnz)

2) Confront immediately: Once a team member has done something that needs to be confronted, confront them! There is nothing more damaging than a leader who does not confront because of fears, or because they think the problem will go away. What you are conveying to your team when you do not confront them is that you actually don't care enough about them to see them improve. People want to know how they can improve, even if the process is a bit awkward.

3) Don't overload them with a list of issues: Make sure you address one issue at a time. It can feel like the team member is being attacked when you list all of the things that they did wrong. You want to be respected, so address an issue, find the solution that will work for both or you, and then address the next one.(Enkahnz)

4) Make a point and don't repeat it: This happens especially when leaders want the person they are confronting to know the severity of the issue at hand. I know this might be hard to do (because you want them to realise the stupidity of the choice they made!), but don't do it. You can make the team member feel like a small child and they can grow to resent you in this way.

5) Work with changeable actions: Sometimes you will have to know that a team member is unable to change certain things. You need to mindful of this as a leader. By asking a team member to change something they are unable to actually do, they will become annoyed within your relationship.

6) Stay away from sarcasm: Many leaders use sarcasm on their team members. This could be a defence mechanism they have learnt through experiences in their life, but it is so damaging to team bonding. When you are sarcastic, you are showing the team member that you are angry with them and not what they did. Your team members can become bitter towards you because of this.

7) Stay away from definitives such as "always" and "never": When you say statements such as "This always happens with you. You never do this" etc. you are creating problems for yourself. When you do this, it takes away from the accuracy of your statements and can cause your team members to become defensive.(Enkahnz)

8) Turn your criticisms into suggestions or questions: Let's say your staff is at a teambuilding afternoon and one team member has a massive verbal fight with someone else in front of the rest of your staff team. How do you deal with that? Why not ask them some questions? Ask them how they feel they could have expressed what they were feeling at the time in a different way, or ask them how the rest of the team felt when this was going on.

9) Don't be apologetic for the confrontation: Make sure you are assertive and firm. This looks very different to being aggressive, which doesn't produce great results. On the flip side, being too passive and apologizing all of the time for the confrontation will not help you either. When you do this, the confrontation loses all of it's effectiveness. It also portrays to the team member that you are not sure you had the right to confront them.

10) Sandwich your confrontation with compliments: A good idea is whenever you confront someone, first compliment them on something that they have done well. Try not to make this up, but be truthful about the compliment. Then confront them about the issue, and close the meeting with another compliment. It is important to do this because, statistically, people have to be told 10 positive things about themselves for every negative thing that has been spoken over them.(Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: 10 Benefits of Blogging

Enkahnz: It has been a very long time since I last blogged. Too long. There are over 160,000,000 blogs online at this moment in time. That is 160 MILLION blogs vying for attention in the great web of the t'internet! So why have I let mine slip? I can only answer that I have been too busy but is that enough of an excuse? Given the benefits of blogging, no, it's not.(Enkahnz)

So what are the benefits of blogging? Here's my top ten:

1) Boosts your search engine ranking.

Want to get high up in Google results? Then blog. Google and other search engines love nothing more than dynamic, changing content and a blog provides just does that. Ensure your blog talks about topics and themes relevant to your business, place strategic keywords in the content and if this is what your ideal customer will be searching for; hey presto, you're there in their search results.

2) Attract new visitors and keep existing ones

In line with number 1, changing content will keep current visitors coming back for more as well as attracting new visitors. This in turn will lead to new client/customers if you play your cards right.

3) Establish yourself as an expert

Writing blog posts that provide answers to common questions and problems establishes you as an expert in that field and the "go to" person in that industry. SO find out what problems your potential customers are having, solve that problem in a detailed post and let them find you.(Enkahnz)

4) Gather a community of loyal ambassadors

Once people start to realise that you provide a timely and useful blog you will create an army of fans that wait for each edition and are willing to recommend you to their friends/network.

5) Spotlight a product/service

Use a blog post to detail your new product and service, share it with your network and get them to spread the word.(Enkahnz)

6) Get immediate feedback

Every blog should have a comments section. This allows your readers to tell you what they think of you, your writing, your business and/or your service/product. This helps you make changes quickly and appropriately.

7) Collect emails

The comments section is also a great way of collating emails (just warn people if you are going to use them in this way). You can then add these to your mailing list and offer further products/services to them.

8) Learn lots

Researching topics for blog posts is a great way of learning more. To write, you must read and to read is to learn.(Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: Modding Your Car - Rules to Follow

Enkahnz: Adding mods is a great great way to show your love and appreciation for cars. Even if its something simple that only takes you a few hours to and little effort to do, it shows you want your car to look its best. Many people think that your style and taste for your car reflects the image of you and your personality. This is true when you look at people who buy expensive and flashy cars, they can do this because they have had success in their life. People who add creative touches to their car, are often creative and unique themselves.(Enkahnz)

While adding mods to your car shows that you car about what car you drive, this does not mean you should follow trends that everyone does. Many trends from Asia have been seen to move over to North America. On some cars the mods do actually look great, but many times they do not go well with the car at all, often times making it worse. To stay true to your style and to your car you should follow these rules:(Enkahnz)

Know your car. Make sure you understand its heritage, origins and its style, if you have an Asian built car adding on mod for muscle cars would not make sense, now would it?
Don't go into excess modification. Keep it simple, more does not look always look better.
Most true car enthusiasts respect performance over looks any day. If you really want to make a statement, don't give up performance for looks.
Find mods that are from the cars heritage. If you buy an American car, find mods based in America and so on.
No your limits. Some cars already look amazing without mods. Only adding 1 or 2 new things to the car and still make it look really nice.(Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: Multiple Revenue Streams Keep A Solopreneur Solvent

Enkahnz:  To build a successful career as a Solopreneur consultant requires courage, resilience, possession of marketable skills and relationships with people who are willing and able to refer or endorse you for paid project assignments. Solopreneur consultants must have a talent for selling, the discipline to create and pursue business goals, a knack for big picture thinking and implementing strategies and an understanding of human nature and motivation. The ability to attract good luck and dodge bad luck helps, too.(Enkahnz)

Precious few Solopreneurs are able to just "go to the office" everyday and delve into the usual work. In order to generate the preferred amount of business revenue, we understand that creating multiple revenue streams may be necessary and to make that possible, we must recognize the marketability of our skill sets, in aggregate and in segments. As well, we must learn to package, promote and sell our skills and value to prospective clients.

Consider my revenue streams, for example. When asked, in my short form elevator pitch I say that I'm a self-employed external consultant who provides business strategy and marketing solutions to mid-size for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. What that means in reality is that I've facilitated strategic planning meetings at not-for-profit organizations; edited a 100 page nonfiction book and also served as its photo editor and project manager; developed curriculum for a series of 90 minute sales skills training workshops; and periodically I teach business plan writing.(Enkahnz)

I've been fortunate enough to regularly win business strategy development or marketing campaign assignments, but the fact is that there are often gaps and in response, I've learned to branch out and offer segments of my skill set to clients or employers as a way to maintain my required cash-flow and, whenever possible, also enhance my brand. In my experience, it's the ability to leverage one's perhaps infrequently promoted competencies that help Solopreneurs to create and sustain a profitable business venture.(Enkahnz)

My friend Adela is a busy educational consultant who works with college bound high school juniors and their parents to identify suitable colleges for the student and navigate the application process. Adela's business appears to be thriving, yet she nevertheless teaches Spanish at a local university (she was born and raised in Mexico and came to the U.S. to attend Notre Dame University).

Jackie, a friend of many years, is the founder and manager of a small, full-service fitness center that became very successful in that highly competitive market, yet she teaches a fitness class at another gym a few miles away. Why? Because she gets to observe another style of fitness center management from the inside, she receives training in new fitness techniques that she can evaluate for inclusion in her own gym and she earns a few extra dollars each week, something that a mother of four can always use. Sometimes you can get paid to research the competition!(Enkahnz)

My friend Carole toggles between freelance marketing gigs at technology companies and corporate positions in that sector. She's a Lotus alumna who's also worked for tech giant EMC, distinctions that command respect and open doors in the tech industry. In between corporate gigs, Carole goes out on her own to develop marketing strategies for tech start-ups. A couple of years ago, she was offered a position as director of marketing at one of those start-ups, but when the inevitable reorganization occurs, she'll re-enter Solopreneur life.

So, Solopreneur friend, I invite you to put on your thinking cap and brainstorm how you can create additional revenue streams by exploring how certain segments of your skill set can be packaged and promoted to current and prospective clients! (Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: Demise of Classic Investing

Enkahnz: If investment reports were written like beer commercials, perhaps we'd all be better off.

That's my theory, anyway. What's the last piece of really useful financial advice you can recall hearing? Listen to a clever beer commercial just once, however, and you can't get it out of your head. So, for instance...

"Head for the mountains" equals: Buy gold.

"Tastes great, less filling" equals: Avoid high-priced tech stocks.

Or, if you want to know how to make big investing profits in the future, just remember something really important about the past and present day: "It doesn't get any better than this."(Enkahnz)


In my mind, that former Old Milwaukee slogan was the ultimate point of a recent McKinsey Global Institute study.

The report itself is pretty dry (it was titled "Diminishing Returns: Why Investors May Need to Lower Their Sights"), but McKinsey - as mainstream as the investing establishment can be - meant it as a wake-up call to institutional pension-fund managers.

ETF Index Idiocy

The past three decades (1985 to 2014), according to McKinsey analysts, "have been a golden age for companies, and for large North American and Western European companies in particular."

For stock investors, the message has been to buy the S&P 500 - and hang on at all costs. The reward? Watching one's wealth double every nine years, with real total returns of nearly 8%. And, as the report points out, that's three full percentage points above the 100-year long-term average.

That's not news to us, of course. We know the reasons already: cheap borrowing rates and a Federal Reserve that is more than happy to keep spiking the punch bowl whenever the party seems to be winding down.(Enkahnz)


On a more ominous note, the McKinsey analysts say "that era is now ending," with "total returns from both stocks and bonds in the United States and Western Europe likely to be substantially lower over the next 20 years."

Again, we've been warning about that for some time. But if the folks at McKinsey are willing to acknowledge it, then that's a broad hint that Wall Street's plain vanilla advice, not to mention the whole cult of passive ETF index-based investing, won't work nearly as well in the future as it did in the past.

So, where does that leave you?

It means we all need to be a lot more selective - special situations, small companies and under-the-radar ideas - when it comes to the stocks we buy as a path to wealth.

To explain the power of those opportunities, I'll use the investing environment of the 1970s as an historical example.(Enkahnz)


As that decade started, "conglomerates" were all the rage on Wall Street. Investors couldn't buy enough of the "Nifty Fifty" large-cap stocks that dominated the headlines and the economy. But high valuations, rising inflation and rising interest rates put an end to the mania. The post-World War II "golden era" of investing was over.

But for the really smart investors, a new "golden era" was just beginning.

For instance, in 1972, three of today's biggest, most successful companies went public as tiny pip-squeaks. All three, I might add, fell sharply in the severe recession and bear market of 1974-1975. And yet...

Intel rose more than eightfold by 1980.
Wal-Mart more than doubled.
Southwest Airlines rose more than 2,000%.
By 1977-1978, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was in yet another grinding bear market. Few on Wall Street had even heard of the term "overnight package delivery." But that didn't stop FedEx - known then as Federal Express - from going public and watching its stock triple in value in 18 months' time.(Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: Character Counts, But It Can Lead You Astray

Enkahnz: Let me start by saying I place a high value on a person's character. However, unlike like many coaches and executives I have worked with, I also understand that it is not as determinative as it is often portrayed to be in the media or as much as most people think it is.

Coaches often brag about a player being of high character. Teams and businesses often proudly state that they only hire people who possess fine character. Yet we are inundated with news stories about workers who commit malfeasance against their employer, and players who run afoul of the law from these same companies and teams that only hire people with great character.(Enkahnz)

The assumption we tend to make when things like I just described happen, is that the business or team was wrong about those individuals' level of character. While that certainly is a valid possibility and perhaps accurate in some cases, chances are much higher that the reason for this is what is known as the Fundamental Attribution Error. This is where we take a perceived trait in someone and assume that since they possess it in one area, it applies to all areas. When it is a positive trait, like high character, it is often referred to as the "Halo Effect."(Enkahnz)

We forget that good people sometimes do bad things; like the clergyman who cheats on his taxes, or the man who volunteers to help underprivileged children and then goes home and abuses his wife. Not long ago, several professional athletes were taken for millions of dollars by a financial advisor and when one of the bigger victims (QB Mark Sanchez) was asked about it, he said he trusted him because he was a Christian, thereby assuming he was honest and trustworthy. That is an excellent example of an attribution error in action.

New leaders often start by saying they are only going to bring in high character people. This is a great and noble idea, but if you start bringing high character people into a corrupt environment, they are more likely to become corrupt as well, rather than be able to convert the corrupt people into people of high character.(Enkahnz)

Sometimes it is better to clean house and build back up. When trying to salvage what was good, you may end up making an attribution error or two when deciding on what or who to keep, and be back where you started before you have a chance to succeed.

So, my advice to businesses and teams is to evaluate the character of all of your prospects, but do not use that evaluation as a heavily weighted factor in your hiring decision.(Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: Multiple Areas to Choose From in Data Science

Enkahnz: Today data science is being used by industries, so prolifically that the demand of data scientists has risen too. Data analysts are those professionals who collect and analyze unstructured data and find insights which will help in strategic decision making.

Data analytics business is increasing its revenue every year, not just domestically but also getting involved in analytics export to countries like USA, UK, and Australia. And it's always seen that when an industry spreads exponentially, so is their need for human resources and in this case data scientist.

Data science as a career option has many other subgroups. It has many activities in its data cycle and usually has different experts working on them.(Enkahnz)

BRANCHING OF DATA SCIENCE

Data science as a field is divided into different areas and handled by respective experts.

Data engineering: it involves formatting the raw data into an accessible form, includes managing the storage, source of data, quality and structure maintenance. This makes analyzing easy and one can easily find the details related to it. Jobs in this area are data engineer, database developer.
Cloud computing and architecture: it involves maintaining and developing the infrastructure needed for cloud management. Also, it makes sure that the analytics are integrated with business applications and uses. Related jobs to this area are platform and cloud engineer, cloud architect.
Database management: this area involves maintaining and developing databases according to their need in data transactions during different uses. Jobs related to this area are data specialist, database engineer, and architect.(Enkahnz)
Data mining: this involves exploring the data using different statistical analysis. This helps in building predictive models for various business problems and their future trends. Jobs related to this area are a business analyst, statistician.
Business intelligence: this involves managing the data sources, finding analytical solutions, communicating with shareholders, test designing and documentation. Jobs related to this area are data strategist, BI analyst, BI engineer and developer.
Machine learning: this involves getting inputs for algorithms and designing data cycles, testing hypothesis, and data infrastructure. This area usually makes use of standard data tools and different statistical models. Jobs related to this area are a cognitive developer, machine learning specialist, and AI specialist.(Enkahnz)
Data visualization: this involves presenting insights in a visually appealing way. Designing graphics interfaces and customer appealing designs is the main agenda here. Job related to this area is a software developer and data engineer and developer.
Data analytics: this involves problem-solving and finding patterns and opportunities in the data scenario. Analytics can be a market or sector or internal operations based. Jobs related to this area are communications, planning, decisions, web, market, product, sales analysts.(Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: Benefits of Using a Waste Management Business

Enkahnz: Waste is being generated everywhere we look from household to industrial, medical to hazardous and chemical; our planet is becoming consumed by waste and there is no hiding from it. It is all too easy to ignore this growing problem of increasing waste plaguing our world and taking thousands of years to decompose - if at all.

No longer can we turn a blind eye to the suffering of our land, sea and air as well as global warming - say hello to the birth of the waste management industry, here to save the day.(Enkahnz)

Whilst waste matter isn't the nicest of discussion points, it is a vitally important topic which needs to be addressed in order to protect our environment from further hazardous and chemical substances. A world without frequent and proper waste disposal would be a world that horror movies are made from; deadly mountains of toxic trash slowly killing all life forms and destroying our environment once and for all.

I'm sure that if you are reading this, you feel confident in your own life that you 'do your part' by recycling when possible and taking your bins out on rubbish day. Small and large businesses are producing a significantly higher amount of waste but may still feel satisfied that they are disposing of waste correctly by passing it on to an outside waste management provider and wiping their hands clean.(Enkahnz)

It is essential that you - as a business - not only hire a professional waste service to dispose of your waste but that you trust your waste management company and know with utmost certainty that your waste is being transported and destroyed legally and safely. By choosing a quality waste transport and disposal company, you can rest assured knowing that you are getting more for your money, first-class customer service and peace of mind that your waste is being disposed of correctly.

Whether you are a small or large business, hiring a specialised waste collection company will make your life easier and provide a tonne of advantages. Here we look at some of the central benefits of expert waste collection and waste removal.

• Get your waste management service to do the dirty work; you save time and money!

Time is of the essence and when you're trying to run a successful business, dealing with waste matters can eat up a lot of time, resources and money. By hiring a professional waste management team, you can save your time, resources (and often money) by focussing on your business and letting the expert waste staff deal with your waste discreetly and efficiently.(Enkahnz)

• Health & safety is paramount in the workplace; safeguard your employees and yourself.

It is your responsibility to make sure your staff have a safe environment to work in. You can maintain the health and safety of your workforce by employing a dedicated waste management service who will ensure that your hazardous or chemical waste is professionally removed regularly to reduce the risk of health issues.

• You are reducing your carbon footprint and making huge difference to the future of our planet.

By selecting an environmentally friendly waste management company you can be confident that any waste which can be recycled or reused will be. When your business starts working together with a reputable waste management service, you can expect your profits and productivity to increase significantly as sustainability is highly regarded and you can be proud to be environmentally conscious.(Enkahnz)

• Managing your waste professionally is win-win in the public eye.

Once you establish a solid relationship with your waste management company, you can advertise the fact that you are actively recycling, reusing and disposing of your waste in an environmentally mindful way. This will do wonders for your company's image as well as promoting proper waste management to your clients and customers.

• Greener, cleaner living; it's a way of life.

Maintaining your waste free work environment will become easy once your waste management team regularly visit. A clean work place is far more inviting to potential clients and your employees will quickly reap the benefits of a greener workplace. By having a dedicated waste management company on hand to help you eliminate waste from your business, you and your employees will soon realise the health benefits as well as the time and money savings it delivers.(Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: How A Life Mentor Can Change Your Life

Enkahnz: You would always want to have a special person in your life who carves it so efficiently that you gradually realize the importance and beauty of having a life mentor in your life. A life mentor changes your life for good and gives you all the right principles to mend your lives and help you in achieving the best of your abilities.

These mentors have certain responsibilities that they need to fulfill and certain expectations they need to meet and when they do that to perfection, they grow up to be a role model for the respective person because of all the guidance and knowledge that have been imparted.(Enkahnz)

Here are a few benefits of having a life mentor like that:

• GIVES YOU ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU MIGHT NEED

It is very usual and common to feel dejected and low after a failure or defeat, it is during this time that a life mentor provides you with the much needed support that will make you jump back in your feet right away. This life mentor will console you and guide you and make you see the brighter side. They will patiently listen to you and remind you of the times when you were successful which will also remind you of the potential you have, this kind of motivation is very much required to get back on the saddle.(Enkahnz)

• THEY ARE THE STRONGER VERSION OF YOU

There will be times when you yourself will not believe in your capabilities and strength and potential, it is during this time that your life mentor will never give up on you and believe in you much more than you can ever believe in yourself. Your life mentor knows you the best and knows exactly what is possible for you and thus never gives up on you so easily, they are always there for you no matter what and that is how a life mentor should be.(Enkahnz)

• THEY ARE ALWAYS HONEST WITH YOU

You can be totally confident of receiving the correct and honest feedback on your work from your work mentors. They want the best for you and hence they will never lie about how good or bad your work is so that there is enough scope for improvement. Your life mentor will do the job of showing you the correct path and discover your own self very effectively because of this honesty.(Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: Ways to Generate Leads to Upscale Your Sales Target

Enkahnz: You can identify among a crowd those prospective business partners by indulging them into discussions for your business proposals. This is technically called as "Lead Generation". It is about finding unique methods to gain the attention of people towards your business. You can provide an ample amount of perks to create that interest in them so that they would want to look for more information towards your brand.(Enkahnz)

This typically works out well and that what exactly called. It is nothing but a way of preparing your potential customers to your business and steer them to the extent of making them buy your products.

However, the question arises that when your product is already in good shape, then buyers will automatically be buying it. Then what is the need for this? Well, the answer lies in the kind of relationship you build with your potential customers.

It can be those strangers and potential customers that may show an organic interest in your business and might want to initiate a business proposal with you versus you as an owner of the business initiating a discussion with them. The former approach makes it easier for the future customers to buy from you over the given point of time.(Enkahnz)

In the concept of inbound marketing methodology, it comes with the level 2 stage of learning. Its role becomes significant when you have already attracted your targeted audience and are almost on the brink of actually converting those set of the audience into leads for your sales team.

Let's talk about creating the best fit for the idea of lead generation into the inbound marketing methodology domain. For this, we first need to understand the concept of this in detail.

Suppose a visitor has come across your business, it could be through any means such as your company's website, or a blog promoting your venture or even through a social media platform. Once he identifies if it interests him, he will try to look for a CTA button which is a Call-To-Action button. This CTA button actually will prompt him to take some more actions if he wants to get the information in detail.(Enkahnz)

Another form of generating leads us through a landing page through which you can understand the specific need of the guest who clicked to access that landing page.

Attaching a form with multiple fields is also a good way to generate leads. If this form is embedded in the website then you can capture the needs and requirements of the customer through his response in the given form.

How to Validate a Lead

There can be an odd number of visitors to your website, but how can you identify that which one of them can be converted into leads? So let's try to figure out that way to ensure that which visitor is actually interested in your product or can be a potential lead.(Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: YOU Can and Should Make a Difference

Enkahnz: If you know me, then you realize I often say that there's a disaster happening in someone's life every day, and you might not even know it. As a nation, we've recently watched the heartbreaking images as Hurricane Harvey battered Texas relentlessly. People lost their lives, and many lost all of their worldly possessions. The images were heartbreaking.

Did you watch the screen and wonder what you could do?

I've told this story often, but it bears repeating because years ago, I wondered what I could do. During that time, I was watching the television screen as the aftermath, and complete devastation of the Indian Ocean was unfolding during the holiday season.(Enkahnz)

At the time, I was the president of an international footwear manufacturing company. When I saw the image of a shoe wash ashore on a beach clear across the world, the footage captured my attention. Shoes have played a large part in my life, both professionally and personally.

Here's the deal. It's easy to be detached. It's easy to stay at a safe distance and not get involved.

So many people do that, but I couldn't live myself.

By that, I mean not just the tsunami. When I see someone in need or suspect something is going on, I ask. Just saying to someone who may be experiencing a tough time can be immense and lets that person know that someone cares. Saying, "How are you doing today? Are you doing okay?" is simple.(Enkahnz)

We worry that people are going to unload their problems on us and we're carrying our concerns. That's the main reason so many don't take a moment to help someone else.

But, aren't in all of this together?

What can one person do, what can YOU do?

My answer to you is simply this: YOU can do a lot.

When I saw the situation unfolding after the tsunami in the Pacific, I had no idea initially what I could do. But I knew that I couldn't live myself and simply not doing anything would not be acceptable.

I was in the shoe business, and so I put two and two together. If people had lost everything, that meant they lost their clothes and shoes, among so much else. I set on a course to get shoes to families and individuals affected.

Candidly, when I told my team we were going to ship shoes to Asia from America, no one questioned me. They just knew it was something we would do, whatever it took. I worked the phones and called on senior executives in the business asking for shoe donations. I expected a couple of thousand shoes. I ended up leading an effort that shopped over a quarter million shoes to the Pacific Ocean countries.

That event changed the trajectory of my life.(Enkahnz)

I'm not saying that you have to leave your world and become a humanitarian like I did.

That's not what I'm saying at all.

What I am saying, however, is that if you think that YOU can't make a difference in the lives of other people, you're mistaken. Your smile, your heartfelt prayers, your shoulder to lean on if you know someone who is close to you and needs your help can go far.

I have a friend who has a close friend who has been struggling with depression for a very long time. The two friends live in different states, but for more than a year, not a day goes by that my friend doesn't send a note, picture or message of encouragement each morning before the sun rises on the West Coast.

I'm telling you, it doesn't take much to help.

As I said at the outset, we recently saw the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. Someday soon those stories and lives will recede into the background of our collective consciousness. However, the people who lived through it and lost everything will need help for weeks, months and even years to come.

YOU can make a difference. There are thousands of religious organizations, nonprofits, schools and civic groups that have started to mobilize in Texas to help bring normalcy back to people who have lost so much. They need your money. They need your financial assistance, and I've said in the past, if you can only give $1, that's just as important as someone who can give more.

More broadly, I have a message that bears repeating. If you think one life--your life--can't possibly make a difference, you're wrong. YOU can make a difference and YOU matter. We need many more humanitarians out there! (Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: Test Your Wits And Composure Using An Escape Room

Enkahnz: Games that are based on the real life adventures make some of the best when you want to test yourself at different levels. Such games also promote team work when you take part as a group and they can be real learning adventures to help you tackle life better. Escape rooms are a must try for those who wish to try their wits in puzzle solving within very short periods of time failure to which there are repercussions. An escape room is generally a real life adventure game that is not online. This means that you actually get locked in a room and are expected to use elements within that given game to solve puzzles and escape the room within the time given.(Enkahnz)

The rooms come in different themes and you can choose the challenge, according to how much you feel you can take and the kind of fun you want to enjoy. Most come with added lighting and sounds to make the experience as real as possible so you can work fast in finding the clues and solving the puzzles to gain your freedom before the time elapses.

Choosing your games

One of the most important considerations when it comes to escape room games is the length of each session. Usually, you will have about 60 minutes to solve the puzzle and escape from your room. It is important to remember that the games can get quite intense, giving you adrenaline rushes that can leave you shaken somehow. Ensure that you can handle the length of the game without going into a serious panic attack.(Enkahnz)

Since it can get pretty intense inside the room, consider how possible it is for you to get out as soon as you feel you cannot take it to the end. You do not need to be forced into going all the way to the end of your minutes if you do not want to. A game that gives you the comfort of a panic button so you can be let out as soon as you feel the need to is therefore important. You may want to push yourself to the edge, but you also should have the liberty to leave the room as soon as you start feeling uncomfortable. Not everyone can handle the same levels of endurance so do not be ashamed to walk away.(Enkahnz)

To help you manage and enjoy your session to the end, it is best that you choose game providers who give you a valuable briefing before the start of the experience. Ensuring that you know exactly what is expected of you during the lock-in will give you the energy to hold it together until the end without necessarily getting too worked up. The briefing is very important also because it gets you familiar with the rules of the game, hence adding to the fun of the game and ensuring you achieve your freedom out of using your own brain power.(Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: Giving Feedback Well

Enkahnz: When you're giving feedback that is negative, however small it seems to you, you need to do it face to face, not by phone or message. And definitely not via social media.

Two examples cropped up recently:

The world's number 8 golfer, Bryson DeChambeau accepts he sometimes takes more than his allotted 40 seconds to play. After a tournament recently, he was slammed on Twitter and elsewhere for it, and responded by saying, "When you start personally attacking people on Twitter, it's like, come on, dude. Speak to me to my face about that."(Enkahnz)

A businessperson in my local area was lambasted on a local Facebook page for his behaviour whilst on a night out; links were made to his lack of professionalism and inability to do his job in a customer-friendly way. The author was verbally torn apart by other local residents, who also gave vociferous support for the injured party. The original post was subsequently taken down.

If you have to give feedback then the simple rule I read from Craig Chappelow of the Center for Creative Leadership is 'Situation-Behaviour-Impact'.

1. Start with the time and place where you observed the behaviour, to put things in context. And make it as quick after the event as possible.(Enkahnz)

2. Talk about the actual behaviour you noticed and the facts of what took place. Facts can't be debated and argued with, simply accepted, however grudgingly.

3. Explain the impact that the behaviour resulted in.

Not judgements, just clarification and explanation.

It's easy for people to become defensive and reject the feedback at the best of times. And one of the worst-case outcomes is for the team to become polarised as people take sides for or against the person fed back to.(Enkahnz)

It's definitely worth doing everything in your power to make sure that the feedback and constructive comments you give are presented in the best way for the recipient to hear them, and therefore take them on board.

Ultimately our aim in feedback is for change to result, but for that it needs to be properly heard. If you just want to get something off your chest then write a journal instead.(Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: 10 Tips To Boost The Effectiveness Of Your Social Media Marketing

Enkahnz: We all know that Social Media is a powerful marketing tool, and when used in the right way it is very effective. If used in the wrong way, however, it can just waste your time.

The tips in this article are designed to help you use your time wisely and effectively when working with social media marketing.(Enkahnz)

It is important that you blog high quality content every day if possible. Statistically you will get up to five times as much traffic as if you blog only once a week or less. High quality content that is relevant to your site is essential to your success.

It is a really good move to incorporate customer service into your social networking. It is likewise important that your social media pages are organized well so as to allow your customers to navigate easily and find what they need quickly.

Another helpful tactic is the use of check-in deals. Offering rewards to users that respond quickly to your specials is also a great way to keep users coming back.(Enkahnz)

Customer appreciation goes a long way. When a customer posts frequently on your pages, recognize their value. Communicating directly with them is usually worth the time that you put into it. Every now and then give them a great deal or offer that will leave them happy and keep them coming back.

Whatever it is that you sell it is a good idea to dedicate a section that offers solutions and ideas, especially to people who are new to the product. This helps differentiate you from other sites that are out there just to sell. It gives your site more legitimacy and authority.

Do not fall into the temptation of bragging about yourself through your tweets. An authority on the subject states that tweets about personal accomplishments should be left to friends and family. On the business side of things such tweets are usually counter productive.

If you want your customers to "like" you, give them a reason to. For example offer them a bonus or a special price on their first order. Do something to make them happy to choose you over another site.

It is important to incorporate "share" icons and social following to your site and all of your communications.(Enkahnz)

Most are surprised to learn that it is better for you to follow few people. The search engines give more importance to those who have a lot of followers, but do not personally follow a lot of people. So be very selective with who you choose to follow.

Social skills are obviously at the heart of social media. For someone who is using a social network just for fun it comes natural to be social, however, for most of us that are in it to make money it can be a challenge to keep things social. A good way to keep yourself in check is to regularly read other sites and look for tactics in them that will help you. There are also a lot of good sites and books out there on social relations that might be worth looking into.(Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: Top Tips For Business Travel Safety

Enkahnz:

Do Your Research

If you're going abroad, do some research on the country before you go. Make sure you have any vaccinations you may need and all the correct documents, and are familiar with the laws of the country. It's also a good idea to keep up to date with any political disturbances to avoid dangerous situations.(Enkahnz)

Electronics

You can never be too careful when using electronics. If you're working whilst travelling, ensure you have arranged a data plan before you leave so you don't have to use open Wi-Fi connections - these are not always secure and could result in data loss for your company. It's also not a great idea to use public computers as again these are usually pretty simple to hack.

Watch your Luggage

Throughout your journey, always keep an eye on your luggage. If you are taking a carry-on, choose a bag that fully zips up and if any of your luggage contains important documents be sure to use a coded padlock. When taking a laptop, avoid putting it in the overhead as it could be stolen or damaged; instead keep it on your lap or place it under the seat in front of you. As long as you're careful with your items you should be fine.(Enkahnz)

At the Hotel

One of the first things you should do when you get to the hotel, is check that there is security available 24/7 - available by phone and there should also be a patrol. You should also always leave the "do not disturb" sign on your door to stop anyone from coming in, and only answer the door if you are expecting someone. If you have booked the hotel independently, make sure your company know where you're staying.(Enkahnz)

Business Travel Security

Business travel security is available; this can be especially useful if you're going to a high-risk area or carrying out important work that you could be targeted for. They can provide risk assessment and management, travel training and close protection amongst other things. If you work for a company, you could suggest they look into this for all staff to reduce the risk of any issues and make staff more comfortable with travelling for work.

Avoiding any threats to yourself and your work should be your biggest concern when travelling. By taking small precautions you'll make your trip run smoothly and ensure your security, leaving you to focus on the work at hand and come home safely.(Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: LED Lights For Cars Have Come A Long Way

Enkahnz: LEDs or Light Emitting Diodes have been used in automobile applications widely since 2004. They have undergone considerable development over the previous few years. Car LED headlamps were first used in a Lexus car model as recently as 2008.

Previously, filament bulbs were generally used as the high beam headlights and the turn signal lights. The LEDs were used to make the low beam lights placed in the front and also the side marker functions. It was in 2009 that the Hella headlamps were used on a Cadillac car model, to be designated as the first USA car which has the unique characteristic of having all their headlamps being made from LEDs. With further advancement in technology, LED headlamps will evolve much more.(Enkahnz)

It is highly expected that at some point of time in the future, LEDs will become so popular that they will overcome conventional HID headlamps.

Today, the main drawback of car LED lamps is principally the high cost. Other negative factors in the establishment of car LED lamps are regulatory delays, as well as some technical niches related to the operating protocol of car LED system.

The LEDs, which are used generally in electronic control systems, are usually machines, which have a low output, meaning that they emit lesser heat energy. But LEDs emit considerably large amount of heat per light output unit. As opposed to filament bulbs, the heat of LEDs is produced near the back of the emitters.(Enkahnz)

The LEDs however get damaged when exposed to high temperature. When operation takes place for a longer time in higher temperature then the temperature at the junction car LEDs might get damaged permanently. Heat sinks should be installed so that the junction temperature is under control. As a result costs of installation will increase.

LED lamps pose a major problem in very cold temperatures, as heat needs to be given to thaw the snow accumulated on the lenses. And car LED lamps produce heat from the rear, not front.

LEDs are often used in signal functions including brake lights, turning signal lights and parking lights.

Nowadays, the trend is to have your own custom car, with your own alterations. It makes the car owner feel special. LED is one such modification, which helps to make a car stand out a mile from the rest. The lighting of a car itself can make a car look totally different.(Enkahnz)

ULX 330, a great lighting system attracts its viewer's attention through its entertaining that can also perform the functions of selectable scanning, strobing and breathing options. A remote outside the car can also operate these functions. Its features and look can catapult its crowd density.

The SL 210 is a successful modification with an assembling of four piece suspension lights. The suspension lights are available in major colors like blue, green, white, red and orange. The brightness can also be controlled. Your audio system also gets lively with its application.

The entire system is completely waterproof and built to last for a long time. It delivers an impressive effect with attractive rims. A very common use of the car LEDs is to attach a scanner to it to detect thieves.(Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: Do it Yourself Four Wheel Drive Modifications

Enkahnz: Those who are talented with their hands will know that there are a lot of Four Wheel Drive Accessories that you can fit to your car with a reasonable amount of ease. Whether or not you make the accessories yourself is a totally different ball game, but a lot of people will do both of these. Some of the 4wd modifications that people make and fit themselves include bull bars, sidesteps, rear bars, tyre carriers, rear drawer setups, overhead consoles, extra lighting in a vehicle, snorkels, exhaust systems, body lift blocks and a huge range of other bits and pieces(Enkahnz)

Of course, the level of skill that you have and the equipment that you own will largely decide on whether you can do this, but a lot of it isn't that difficult. If you want to have a crack give it a go; you will save a massive amount of money if you build something that is reasonable quality. The best thing about do it yourself modifications on your vehicle is that you can make them to suit your car in every possible way. A lot of the standard items that you purchase from the store are not exactly what you need, and on top of this they are incredibly expensive.(Enkahnz)

Bar work is quite easy to knock up if you have a grinder, safety gear and a welder. There are a huge number of designs available on the internet, and the same applies for rear drawer setups, tire carriers and various other modifications. Generally the finer modifications are left to proper manufacturers (roof racks, spotlights, extractors etc.(Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: What You Need To Know About Car Auctions

Enkahnz: There are allot of things you need to know about car auctions if you plan on using one. They are fairly easy to use but there are a few traps for new players. Some people don't know about the fees involved in car auction there are fees for both sides of they sale in most cases. The buyer will have to pay a fee, which is usually a percentage of the sale price and the buy most of the time will have to pay the same kind of thing. These fee are not usably too high but you will need to take them into account when you car bidding on a particular car.(Enkahnz)

When you are choosing a car auction it is often best to try and find one that will suit your needs. There are many different types of car auction some specialize in particular types of cars. There are car auctions that will sell nothing but used car some will sell nothing but second hand cars but most will sell a combination of both. If you are in the market for a second hand car then you are best to find and auction that will have more of that type of car. Some car auctions get very detailed in what types of cars they sell some will sell ex-government car and repossessed cars. The best thing you can do is finding out exactly what you want and then find a car auction that does nothing but that.(Enkahnz)

When you have decided on what it is your looking for all you need know is to find it. There are allot of lace you can look for a car auction some car auction will advertise in the mainstream media but most will only advertise in thing like car sale magazines and things of that type. In some areas car auctions are held on a very regular bases and are held at the same place a the same time. But some will move around from town to town and others will only hold them when there is enough stock to sell. Before you attend your first car auction you should first try any old place just to get a feel of how it all works and you will learn what to expect.(Enkahnz)

You will not be to surprise because most of them are pretty straightforward but there are some that get very intense and are often used by professional car buyers. That is when you will need to know you stuff to compete with the pros.(Enkahnz)

Enkahnz Shared: Car Modification - Modifying Your Car - A Global Trend

Enkahnz: Modifying your car has been a popular pastime for many years. By modifying your car you are able to put your own unique personal touches on the vehicle to make it stand out from the rest. There are many cosmetic modifications that don't make the car run any different, but then that's not the point 90 percent of the time! More often car modification is done just to make your car look better or give it a more aggressive race like appearance. These types of modification are simple and will make your car stand out from the rest with very little work. As for the cost of car modifications, that is an altogether different story. Parts are freely available off the shelf from companies such as Spareco, Koni and Spax. For example you can buy Spax suspension, Janspeed exhausts, Momo rims and steering wheels, body kits, light alloy pedals, leather or led lit gear knobs, Corbeau race seats and even race harnesses.(Enkahnz)

Getting a new set of wheels for your vehicle is a popular choice. There are many alloy wheel styles to choose from. Another popular modification is having your windows tinted. Tinted windows can help keep the glare from the sun out and also makes it harder for others to see into the car. I.C.E or In Car Entertainment is vital to any car modification project. Enhancing your cars audio is extremely popular and the range of products and options available provide DIY car modifiers with a world of choices. Products to choose from include the popular iPod Car Adapter kits, USB, CD & MP3 Stereos and, multi CD changers, front and rear parking sensors (some have video), plus the leads, tv screens and tools required to fit everything. Leading brands include: JVC, Dension, Panasonic, Connects2, Dashmount, Parrot, Alpine, Autoleads, Kenwood, Pioneer & Sony.(Enkahnz)

Today car navigation systems such as Motevo, TomTom, Garmin and Pioneer navigation systems are key ingredients when modifying a car. Even satellite or GPS Navigation systems come in hundreds of shapes and sizes. The main types of in-car navigation systems are in-dash mounted navigation systems, portable GPS systems, hand held systems, motorcycle and marine systems and finally the remote navigation systems where the GPS system is plugged in to your car radio for instance. When buying a new GPS system its often better to opt for higher resolution screens as they make the map information easier to see. Large memory and a decent control chip make for smooth and efficient operating, the last thing you need is slow loading and in accurate positioning. Most GPS systems have large touch screens, working with a stylus can be tricky so it does help and lastly pay particular attention to how visible and mobile you wish your model to be. If it's a permanent fixture in your car then bigger models are great, but if you need to take it in doors after use, a smaller model may be the answer. Car security is a factor not only when modifying your vehicle but also when insuring a car with lots of expensive audio equipment in it. Phone you current car insurance company and find out what you can do before your insurance starts costing you more. They will no doubt also require an upgrade to your car security system and there are simply so many companies out there the likes of Viper, Tracker and Clifford. They all sell various systems such as standard car alarms, remote car start systems and GPS tracking systems. GPS stands for Global Positioning Systems. Professional fitment is recommended and car security shoppers should always insist on a certificate of fitment from the dealer fitting the car security system.(Enkahnz)

If you want to give your car a sporty look without spending a fortune you can have racing mesh fitted for the front bumper of your car. This looks good and can also improve the airflow around the engine compartment. "Eyebrow extensions" is another way to customise your car. These extensions are usually plastic and are fitted to your car's head lamps. You can get these in a variety of colours and are relatively inexpensive. Car engine mapping is also relatively cheap to have done and performance gains can be substantial. It is recommended that you have engine mapping performed by competent, well known companies as they are best able to advise you of other crucial safety features you should improve when doing so. Up-rated brakes being one of them and more expensive tyres make for better high speed performance and traction to handle the additional engine power. Consider upgrading the oil you use in your engine when you have this done and use an high quality performance air filter, fuel filter and also replace all perished water and oil hoses frequently, if you haven't already done so. Engine mapping or chipping is basically re-programming your cars CPU and it is given new instructions on how to fuel your engine. The more power you ask for the more gas / petrol your mapping will request along with other parameters such as increasing the airflow to the engine by tricking the motor into thinking the air is colder, this produces more power. All this power comes at a cost though. Most cars that have upgraded their engine management systems do so for more power, not efficiency and in doing so use more fuel and rev higher too. Cam belts should be replaced more frequently and if you plan any engine modifications have a word with the manufacturers about what you plan to do.

There are many things that can be done to modify a car. An entire industry has been created by the need for body styling, engine tuning, lowered suspension and big bore exhausts. Any part of a car can be modified and making modifications is a statement of individuality and personal style. The most popular cars for modifying are usually small, low insurance group hatches. Always update your car insurance company with the latest modifications to ensure your cover is not withdrawn due to something you thought may be OK which they do not. Other insurances like car breakdown cover and gap insurance cover should not be affected by modifying your car, unlike your car warranty policy which will almost certainly be affected. Give your car warranty company a call and make sure your cover will still be provided before you make any changes.(Enkahnz)