Do you want to know, “What can I do as a side job?” Today, I have a list of over 80 possible side hustle ideas for 2021. With these side jobs, you can make extra money in 2021. So, what is a side job? I say side job meaning something that you do on the […]
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Your minimum monthly payment is the lowest amount that you need to pay on your credit card balance. Any less could result in a derogatory mark, any more will clear more of the principal. Your monthly payment is one of the most important aspects of your credit card debt and failure to understand this could […]
Minimum Payments on a Credit Card is a post from Pocket Your Dollars.
A credit card is designed to help you in an emergency, to give you options when there are none. But what happens if you have a maxed-out credit card in one hand and an empty card in the other, can you use one credit card to pay off the other and, more importantly, should you? The short answer is yes and… probably not. […]
Can you Pay a Credit Card with a Credit Card? is a post from Pocket Your Dollars.
Around a third of active military service members in 2019 said they didn’t pay all their bills on time, and close to that number of military spouses said the same. Military service can require some serious financial planning. But many service members might not realize how joining the military impacts their creditâand how their credit… Read More
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Spouse Has Bad Credit? How It Affects You It wasnât until a few months after my husband and I got married that I decided to check both our credit scores. While my husbandâs credit score wasnât horrible, it certainly didnât…
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Spouse Has Bad Credit? How It Affects You It wasnât until a few months after my husband and I got married that I decided to check both our credit scores. While my husbandâs credit score wasnât horrible, it certainly didnât…
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Dating in the time of COVID-19 isnât easy. The pandemic has impacted Americans and the economy unevenly. And cities have shutdown and reopened at different rates. So depending on where you live, it can be complicated for a couple to … Continue reading →
The post Best Cities for Budget-Friendly Dating â 2021 Edition appeared first on SmartAsset Blog.
Jobs requiring a bachelorâs degree or higher level of education for entry are often more insulated from unemployment than others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, total unemployment for individuals 25 years and older spiked to 13.1% in April 2020. However, the … Continue reading →
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Though the COVID-19 crisis has resulted in widespread fitness center closures, many Americans still want to stay as healthy as possible. Depending on the level of services and equipment required, staying active can affect people’s budgets in a variety of … Continue reading →
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Fun fact about pandemic life: Zoom fatigue is real. And not just real, but “widely prevalent, intense, and completely new,” according to Psychiatric Times.
Although we might be avoiding Zoom these days when an email or even a phone call (is it 1986 again?) will suffice, there's one place where video conferencing still shines, and that's the good ol' brainstorm.
Old school brainstorming was creative and connective and interactive—all things difficult, but not impossible, to recreate virtually.
When I picture brainstorms of years past, I see images of big tables full of candy and fidget toys and pens and Post-Its galore. Old school brainstorming was creative and connective and interactive—all things difficult, but not impossible, to recreate virtually.
Today we’ll talk about some virtual brainstorming strategies I’ve seen work really well. And then hopefully, you’ll give one a try.
brainstorms shouldn’t be a catch-all for any group conversation.
Back when our biggest workplace woe was a vending machine out of Diet Coke, many of us took brainstorming sessions for granted. But in a virtual world, it's harder to organize, facilitate, and get people engaged.
That's why brainstorms shouldn’t be a catch-all for any group conversation. (Often what you’re looking for is just a meeting.) Brainstorms are a very specific brand of discussion in which a collective of creative voices, ideas, and opinions are necessary inputs to achieve a valuable output.
Because of challenges like Zoom fatigue and burnout, I urge you to be stingy with your brainstorming sessions. They're a fabulous enabler of ideas and solutions, so do use them. But do so strategically and with clear intention.
Because of challenges like Zoom fatigue and burnout, I urge you to be stingy with your brainstorming sessions.
What are some great occasions to host a brainstorming session? Use them when you need to:
These and many other scenarios call for a variety of perspectives in which there are no right or wrong answers, but only ideas.
In contrast, many other occasions don’t call for a brainstorm. Like when you need…
These are not brainstorm moments—they're meetings with a much more defined outcome. See the difference?
Okay, so you've figured out that your situation calls for a brainstorming session. Now, it's time to make sure everybody who comes to the brainstorm is on the same page before you begin by creating a statement that lays out the specific problem and how you need to tackle it.
Your problem statement might be something like:
We’re losing market share on X product, and we need to define new features to attract Millennial customers.
And here's another example:
This client wasn’t happy with our last deliverable and we need to redefine how we’re engaging with them.
One of your goals is to keep the session short (because fatigue) while maximizing what you take away from it. A clear problem statement allows you to invite your brainstorming participants to get the creative juices flowing ahead of the actual session.
Now that you've stated the problem or opportunity, it's time to let participants know you’re looking forward to a collaborative discussion and invite them to jot down some early ideas and send them your way.
You can then do some analysis ahead of the session. Did you spot any common themes? Any particular ideas you’re interested in having the group build upon?
Share your findings at the beginning of the brainstorming session. This will give you a strong foundation from which to build.
Love it or hate it, video conferencing technology is definitely your friend in a virtual brainstorm. It allows you to create a purposeful connection amongst participants. But you have to understand how to engage them.
When I used to run in-person meetings with leadership teams, I was always intentional about switching up the activities every 30 minutes or so. I’d facilitate a breakout, and then we’d do a quick poll, and then I’d have people plot Post-It notes around the room, and more.
Keeping things changing and moving is a great way to keep adults engaged. According to the Harvard Business Review: "If you don’t sustain a continual expectation of meaningful involvement, [people] will retreat into that alluring observer role."
So take the time to learn the features of whatever platform you’re using, and make the session engaging. Some tactics you might try?
Of course, talking is part of any brainstorm. But using technology can keep participants from slipping into the shadows without contributing.
A brainstorm isn’t successful because of how smart its participants are, but because of how much freedom and space their voices are given.
A client once told me this story about a packaging company that was struggling with productivity. Their products had to be wrapped in newspaper before being shipped. But often, as employees were packaging product, they’d accidentally start reading the newspaper, losing precious packing minutes. These minutes added up to lost productivity.
One day the leadership team was brainstorming solutions to this distraction problem and one executive said, “Well, what if we just poked their eyes out?”
Of course, he wasn't serious—the question was absurd and meant to add a little humor. But it triggered a new line of thinking. Eventually, the company established a partnership with a non-profit organization that finds jobs for blind people.
Is this story true? I’m honestly not sure. But it’s a great illustration of the importance of free-flowing ideas.
A brainstorm isn’t successful because of how smart its participants are, but because of how much freedom and space their voices are given.
As the facilitator, what norms can you put in place to ensure that all ideas get voiced without judgment and everyone has a chance to speak?
Here are a few you might consider:
What other norms will keep you on track?
Save a few minutes at the end of your scheduled session to check in on the process. How did it feel for everyone? What worked well and what might you skip next time? Do they have other tactics to recommend?
The best answer to “How do I host a great virtual brainstorm?” is the answer that your own participants give you.
When scheduled for the right occasion and with the right people, brainstorms are a fabulous tool. Don’t be intimidated by them. Just be open to learning as you go.