Welcome to “The Toolbox”

Welcome to The Toolbox
presented by DELTA Resources, Inc.

The Toolbox has been established as a means for DELTA to share its many experiences and knowledge with the rest of the Federal Contracting Industry. As you explore the advice and knowledge we share with the rest of the community, please feel free to ask questions or share your experiences.

“The only source of knowledge is experience.” — Albert Einstein

“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.” — Margaret Fuller

Please feel free to browse through the different articles by selecting one of the subject categories to the left. 

To learn more about DELTA Resources, please visit http://www.deltaresources.com

The Benefits of Using Slide Notes

In Toby Lux’s article here on The Toolbox, “Captivate Your Audience During Presentations – Checklist,” he discusses many things to keep in mind while presenting. This includes using large and simple talking points, trying not to speak for too long, not reading from the presentation, and thinking of questions that might be asked ahead of time. Using slide notes within PowerPoint can actually help with some of these things. This is a feature that is sometimes underused, but can be a great help when creating a presentation.

We have all taken a public speaking class at one time or another. Maybe even more than once. It is taught to first write out the speech or outline and then create note cards with your talking points that you use while giving your speech. This same idea should be kept in mind when creating a PowerPoint presentation.

Reducing File Sizes on PowerPoint Presentations – Part 3 of 3

In the final article of this series, I will briefly go over three additional options that could help keep your file sizes down on your PowerPoint Presentations.

• Turning off the Auto Save feature
• Embedding only the characters used in the presentation
• Compressing images

Although having the Auto Save feature turned on can definitely be a very large help, it unfortunately can eat up a lot of disk space. By turning this feature off you can see the size of your file reduce drastically. To turn off this feature you will need to open the Options dialog which can be found under the Tools menu. Select the Save tab and uncheck the box “Allow fast saves”.

Being Professional and Overcoming Office Politics

Today’s work place is very competitive. You will need to have a variety of skills that will give you the competitive edge needed to succeed. You don’t have to work in an office to be familiar with the term “office politics.” Anyone who has ever had any job, anywhere, knows that the dynamics among those who are part of the work environment play an important part in how a business is run. “Office politics” seems to be an increasing problem. It’s a persistent issue at the workplace. In its simplest form, “office politics” is simply about the differences between people at work, differences in opinions and the different paths that employees choose from in reacting to specific situations and tasks. It all comes down to human communications and relationships. Some call it “office politics”; I don’t. I call it office professionalism and overcoming the daily chaos and challenges that we face daily in pursuing job accomplishment.

Studies have shown that nearly 18% percent of people’s time at work is spent resolving conflicts amongst employees. That is more than 9 weeks out of a year. That is a tremendous amount of time. On top of that, employees, supervisors and managers spend almost 65% of their time communicating with their staff in some fashion. What is happening is that employees and managers who have to concentrate on the aspects of office politics, unprofessional behavior, and personnel conflicts are spending less time paying attention to the technical aspects of their jobs. This can lead to financial loss and into job loss.

As a professional, you are on the front lines. You will be interacting with customers, clients, co-workers, and managers on all levels. If you want to shine, and rise above the unnecessary aspects of “office politics”, there are some things you can do. Remember – managers are spending nearly 18% of their time dealing with employee conflicts and unprofessional behavior. Being a professional, delivering products, pleasing customers, rising above challenges is what you need to be known as. Being one of the employees who take up your management’s critical time due to behavior and conflict issues is not.

Below is an excerpt from an article by The National Institute of Business Management (NIBM) that discusses rising above the crowd and overcoming the negative aspects of office politics. It makes great points and reminds us of the things we tend to forget in the midst of the daily grinds our jobs bring.

Why Do We Procrastinate?

For an individual, procrastination may result in stress, a sense of guilt, the loss of personal productivity, the creation of crisis and the disapproval of others for not fulfilling one’s responsibilities or commitments. While it is normal for people to procrastinate to some degree, it becomes a problem when it impedes normal functioning. Procrastinators sabotage themselves because they put obstacles in their own path…meaning – they actually choose paths that hurt their performance. Twenty percent of people identify themselves as chronic procrastinators. They actively look for distractions, particularly ones that don’t take a lot of commitment on their part. Checking e-mail is almost perfect for this purpose. They distract themselves as a way of regulating their emotions.

Below is an excerpt from “How to Get Twice As Much Done in Half As Much Time”, a book published by the National Institute of Business Management. Within the excerpt you will find some background information on procrastination, as well as a quiz to see if you struggle with it. Read on and you will find simple cures to procrastination. Understanding it and how it can limit it your productivity is a step in the right direction. But recognizing it is only step one, overcoming it is the challenge you must conquer so you may be more productive.

Building a Partnership With Your Boss

Here are some quick tips on how to break out of old, narrow roles and enjoy working with a boss instead of for a boss. These changes lead to creativity and self-confidence, and will ultimately help you be more valuable and promotable to the boss and company. Don’t forget…you aren’t being paid “by the hour”, but for the amount of “value you add” during that hour.

Protecting Intellectual Property

It is very common to see an image and want to use it in your own publication. But did you know that you could possibly be violating copyright law without even knowing it? Copyright law can be a very confusing matter, but it is something we should all be aware of, even if only in the most basic terms.

Captivate Your Audience During Presentations – Checklist

Public speaking can be very traumatic for some. I know that whenever I get up in front of a very large crowd, I go through a brief panic moment. It takes a lot of discipline, practice and preparation to get through those moments of uncertainty and provide a good presentation. In business, ineffective presentations can result in customers who don’t get the point, risking the ability for them to retain what you’ve said. When you are giving a presentation, there are many things that are in your control that can make your presentation go well or go terribly wrong. Here is a quick checklist of items to help ensure you maximize your ability to get it right!

To Successfully Meet The Challenges Of Your Calling, You Must Never Give Up

Have you ever pursued a dream/goal you had in mind, but after one failure…gave up?  Has anyone ever told you to give up on “that”, because you are not cut out for it?  Do you have things in mind that you want to accomplish, but are afraid to take that step?

Whatever your skills or talents, use them…and don’t give up on them. If you fall, get up again and keep pressing on. Only through perseverance can you stay on the right path and achieve all of your goals and the goals of your team. As a manager, remember that just because one of your folks failed in a specific area, doesn’t mean that they can’t regroup and face the future challenges ahead. Don’t give up on them. Below are some great examples of very famous people who failed, but didn’t give up. In those examples are managers who gave up on their people, after one failure. Where would we be today if these people gave up on their dreams, their goals? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said “The measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and adversity.” Remember that the greater the journey, and the bigger the challenge, the more you have to be committed, and ready to take them on. The potential for long term greatness is living within you; the key is finding it, and sticking with it so you can achieve the dreams you have in mind.

Do You Have An Elevator Speech?

In today’s competitive business world, an elevator speech is a great way to make your mark and demand attention.  It is an important networking tool that can be used to market you, meet people, or connect with future business opportunities. It briefly and memorably introduces you, spotlights your distinctiveness, and focuses on the benefits you or your business provide. Whether its 30 seconds or 2 minutes, an elevator speech is concise, clear, informative, and engaging. The goal is not to say as much as you can in a few seconds, but to start a conversation and generate interest in what you have to offer. First impressions can make or break you. It can give you the edge you need to succeed.  Here are just a few do’s and don’ts:

Success Is In The Details

“Success is found in much smaller portions than most people realize. A hundredth of a second here or sometimes a tenth of a second there can determine the fastest man in the world. At times we live our lives on a paper-thin edge that barely separates greatness from mediocrity and success from failure.”-Michael Johnson, Olympic Gold Medalist ~ “Slaying the Dragon: How to Turn Your Small Steps to Great Feats”

The message here is, a lot of the time success is in the details. The smallest of fractions of effort can make or break an opportunity. Persistence is the key to continual movement and there is no such thing as instant success, but you will be surprised on what you can do with your life and career if you have the courage to take the first steps toward your goals, dreams, and aspirations. Thomas Edison once said “many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Just as you read in Michael Johnson’s quote above – a tenth of a second can separate the gold from the crowd.

Set your goals, reach for them, stick with them, and don’t let the obstacles get in your way, because it may be your own personal efforts that may make the difference, even if it is by the slightest of margins. Courage will test your talent, passion will help you persevere, and success can be measured by the details. Let us all pay close attention to each detail as we perform our tasks now, to ensure we outclass the rest tomorrow, and to make sure we continuously strive to be the best everyday.  Our race isnt to determine if we can do the work the fastest, but if we can deliver the highest quality of products in the most efficient manner possible, while ensuring our customers receive the best service available.  Sometimes all of that is determined by paying attention to the smallest details that our mission involves.