When Failure is the Key to Success: Lessons from Famous Flops (Infographic)
College dropouts, fired employees, bankrupt businesses. Even those people we perceive as the embodiment of success have experienced extreme lows—and used those experiences to fuel their future achievements. This infographic highlights 6 famous figures whose failures turned out to be temporary setbacks on the way to grand accomplishments, as well as tips to turn your own defeats into greater victories. Source: OnlineMBAToday.com Keep Your Team on the Path to Success One key to turning losses into even bigger wins is taking stock of what went wrong and applying those lessons to future efforts. Wrike can help your team use lessons learned to improve processes and keep everyone aligned on top goals. Start a free trial to see how Wrike can help your team succeed. Related Reads: “Failing Forward”: How to Turn Mistakes Into Success Product Development Lessons from Infamous Product Flops 10 Reasons the Death Star Failed (Infographic)
The Ultimate Return-to-Work Checklist for IT (Infographic)
Your organization’s IT department has a key role to play in the return to work following the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only do they have to ensure that the office is properly equipped for returning workers, but they also need to provide support for employees adopting a flexible working model. There’s a lot to consider — so what are the most important tasks to be addressed before going back to the office? We’ve created a handy checklist for IT teams to consult in the run-up to reopening.
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How to Stay Motivated at Work: The Science of Productive Breaks [INFOGRAPHIC]
When you are feeling overloaded, instead of pushing harder, a wise thing to do might be to take a short break. As we discussed in one of our previous posts, short breaks can revive your productivity and decrease tension. We looked deeper into the matter and put together some interesting facts, as well as practical advice on how to stay fresh and productive throughout the day. Here’s a guide to productive breaks in our new infographic! What kind of break works best for your productivity? Do you have your own motivational song? Are short breaks supported in your organization?
A-Z Glossary of Online Marketing Terms (Infographic)
SEO, SEM, CMS, PPC, CPM…. Many industries have their own language, but the marketing world takes the acronyms and buzzwords to a new level. For the uninitiated, the marketing terms glossary can be confusing, to say the least. To help you out, we put together this infographic with a list of common online marketing terms, from anchor text to vanity metrics. Check out the full infographic below to unscramble the online marketing code and never feel lost in the middle of important work conversations again. Share this infographic with fellow marketers with this embed code:
6 Trends Shaping the Future of Work (Infographic)
Fax machines, rolodexes, and PDAs seem like ancient history, yet just 10 years ago they were ubiquitous office tools. What surprises does the next decade hold for today’s workers? As the old adage says, the only constant is change. Set yourself up for success by keeping an eye on these 6 big trends that are defining how we’ll work in the years to come. Share this infographic with your forward-thinking friends and colleagues on social media, or by posting it on your site with this embed code: Infographic brought to you by Wrike Get ready for the future of work Thousands of you expressed your opinions on how we'll work in the coming years in our recent surveys. Download the work management and mobile productivity survey reports to find out what your peers believe are the most important changes coming to the workplace, from telework to advances in tech. Why wait for tomorrow? Boost your productivity and work results today by starting a free trial of Wrike.
8 Biggest Challenges for Leading Virtual Teams (Infographic)
Imagine you’re managing a team of remote workers. You’ve created a strategic work breakdown, devised the optimal workflow, and developed an airtight project plan. At the project kickoff your team is energized and motivated to succeed. Now it’s halfway through the project and your colleagues are disengaged and listless. They're not collaborating, team productivity has tanked, and you’re barely making deadlines. Your project looks like it’s dead in the water. What do you do? Top 8 Challenges Facing Remote Teams Virtual teams face some daunting challenges, but knowing what you're up against means you'll be ready to handle any bumps in the road. The following infographic shines a spotlight on the top 8 roadblocks to remote team success: Poor communication: 33% of respondents cite communication as their greatest challenge. Access to expertise: 14% report a difficulty in accessing the knowledge they need to succeed. Technical management: 14% say technical management is their biggest hurdle. Planning overhead: 12% have a difficult time planning. Lack of training: 10% claim their team is not adequately trained. Cultural differences: 9% say overcoming cultural diversity is their team’s biggest challenge. Team morale: 4% have trouble keeping their spirits high. Lack of support: 4% don’t feel encouraged in their work. Check out the infographic below for more statistics and insights into remote work trends. Infographic Source: Projects At Work Does your team have what it needs to succeed? What have you learned from managing distributed teams? How can you manage your virtual team meeting to make sure every member feels heard and included? Check out our post on remote work trends or share your wisdom in the comments below.
The Ultimate Return-to-Work Checklist for Managers (Infographic)
As teams worldwide begin to prepare for the mass Return-to-Office movement, as a manager, there are probably a thousand things on your mind. Bringing your team back to the workplace, whether that’s through hybrid working or a traditional office model, brings a variety of potential challenges, and it’s up to you to make the transition as smooth as possible for your team members. Moving back to the office is not as simple as stocking up on hand sanitizers and face coverings. From technology to team building, your employees will need support in lots of areas when transitioning away from working from home. Here to help you streamline your return-to-work management, our ultimate checklist lists everything you need to get the process started. From PPE to new hires, exposure strategies to hybrid technology, our return-to-work checklist for managers is one you’ll want to bookmark.
Why Work Emails Cause Anger & Confusion (Infographic)
Have you ever received a work email that got you so hot under the collar, you were minutes away from transforming into the Incredible Hulk? Or an email that was so confusing, you had to clarify what you were being asked to do in the first place? Well, you are NOT alone. In a survey conducted by CPP and Sendmail, 64% of respondents reported having either sent or received an email that resulted in unintentional anger or confusion. There are many reasons why work emails frustrate us: no one replied to the email; too many people hit "reply all"; the email content was too long and detailed; or it was too vague; you were being reprimanded by the grammar police; or you were simply drowning in too much email. This just proves what we've been saying all along: email is not the best tool for managing teams, deadlines, and complex projects. It's great for short notes, but not project management. The time is ripe for clearer communication tools that don't add to a worker's already clogged email inbox, and allow for more efficient collaboration between team members. If you're tired of the anger and confusion from emails and spreadsheets, download our eBook to learn what you can change: It's Not You, It's Me: Why Managers Need to Break Up with Emails and Spreadsheets (free eBook) Source: Sendmail, Inc. Read next: 5 Mistakes Marketing Teams Make with Collaboration The Past, Present and Future of Remote Collaboration: Where Does Your Team Stand? (infographic) 5 New Year’s Resolutions for Project Managers
Startup Launch Checklist: 22 Steps to Success (Infographic)
Starting a business is an exciting idea, but pretty daunting when it comes down to logistics. If you're stumped on where to start when it comes to launching your startup, check out our latest infographic for a step-by-step roadmap on how to go from concept to thriving business. Share this infographic with fellow founders with this embed code: Infographic brought to you by Wrike Read next: 30 Startup Founders Share Their Entrepreneurship Advice 2015’s Hottest Industries for Tech Startups Dos and Don’ts of the Startup Pitch: Expert Advice from 5 Famous Investors
Why You Should Care that Marketing & IT Leaders are Collaborating More (Infographic)
Collaboration is the new way to work. We no longer make progress in the silos of our own departments, we synchronize the efforts of multiple teams to get projects out the door faster and with better results. 55% of marketing leaders say they're now collaborating more closely with IT leaders than ever before. But there are still many kinks to work out in the collaborative process. It is not easy to collaborate with new teams for the first time — especially other departments who are used to different lingo, processes, and mindsets. If you want to prevent your collaborative efforts from devolving into a war between right-brained and left-brained colleagues, check out this infographic to see the common challenges facing Marketing & IT collaboration, and then think about how your team can overcome those barriers. Sources: The Creative Group (TCG) and Robert Half Technology (RHT) How to improve collaboration between Marketing and IT professionals TCG, RHT, and Wrike have published several articles to help you think about how to overcome the collaboration problems between these two power groups in your organization. They're worth reading, so take a look: Can We Please Get Along? 10 Tips for Collaborating with IT Professionals The Great Creative-IT Divide: Top 10 CIO Concerns 3 Collaboration Tips for Enhancing Teamwork Why Every Company Needs a Culture of Collaboration
31 Quotes About Launching a Startup (Infographic)
Launching a startup is no walk in the park. Once you decide to follow your dreams, it's a long marathon to success. Luckily, you're not the first person to take on the challenge. Read these inspirational quotes from well-known founders and CEOs for actionable startup launch advice. They cover everything from finding your niche to the most dreaded topic: money matters. Want to inspire other startup founders and hopefuls? Share this infographic on your blog using our embed code: Infographic brought to you by Wrike Let us know which quotes fired you up in the comments below. And if you have other inspirational quotes that you turn to when launching a startup seems like a race you'll never win, share those too! Related Reads: 30 Startup Founders Share Their Entrepreneurship Advice Launch Your Startup in 22 Steps (Checklist + Resources) Dos and Don'ts of the Startup Pitch: Expert Advice from 5 Famous Investors 3 Ways Bootstrapping Strengthens Your Startup: Advice from GoPro
3 Notorious Productivity Killers and How to Fight Them (Infographic)
Do any of these situations sound familiar? You're completely focused, getting work done, and then your coworker taps you on the shoulder just to chat... and now you can't get back in the zone. Your manager assigns you a new project, but it's such a large effort that you know you won't be able to make any real progress today... so you start working on something else instead. The deadline for your collaborative project is two days from now, and suddenly your team member lets you know that they still have four days worth of work to do... the last-minute scramble ensues. These three examples highlight some of the most notorious productivity killers around: interruptions, procrastination, and inaccurate plans. Fortunately, there are ways to fight back. Check out this infographic to learn what you need to do to put these notorious killers behind bars for good: Want to share this productivity killers infographic with your readers? Embed it on your site with this code: Infographic brought to you by Wrike Related Reads: 50 Productivity Tips to Boost Your Brainpower (infographic) 8 Mental Weapons to Vanquish Procrastination (infographic) Free eBook download: Get Things Done with Wrike Free eBook download: What Doesn't Kill You Makes You More Productive
The Past, Present, and Future of Remote Collaboration: Where Does Your Team Stand?
We asked you and other people representing companies of all sizes, from solopreneurs to Fortune 500 corporations, how you feel about virtual collaboration and where you see it going. Your input helped us get a bird’s-eye view on the current state of this prominent trend. Click the preview on in the top-right corner to see our infographic visualizing the results of the survey. Today, we’re sharing the prominent findings of the survey so you can see and compare where your team stands in the area of remote collaboration. Check out the major trends: 1. Remote work is on the rise Apparently, virtual collaboration has expanded at an impressive pace, as 43% of surveyed workers report that today they spend much more time working remotely than 2-3 years ago. See what the stats look like if we slice the respondents by organization level as we take a look at this question: 2. The big future of distributed teams Less than 17% of respondents say they get all things done in the office only. And it seems that those who already leverage the opportunity of working remotely are craving for more! One in four respondents expects their office to go fully virtual within just a year or two. The remote work expectations are especially high among the business owners who took part in the survey. It’s almost 44% of them predicting such a rapid shift to virtual teams in their companies. 3. Pros and cons of a virtual workplace Of course, it’s not that easy to work just as efficiently across distances as when you sit in the same office and can discuss all issues face to face as soon as they arise. Here are the main hindrances for collaboration within distributed teams that our survey revealed: By the way, we saw a consensus among workers of all organizational levels when they shared their thoughts about the disadvantages of remote work. Lack of direct communication is something that team members, managers, executives, and business owners equally suffer from. But when you know how to overcome this and other apparent disadvantages of remote work, you can yield some great benefits. Once you master some key challenges, i.e how to make virtual meetings fun or how to give direct feedback across dispersed teams, you can begin to see your remote team flourish. Here are the absolute favorites of our respondents: A curious thing to notice: while time savings turned out to be the No. 1 benefit for team members, managers, and executives, what business owners value the most about remote collaboration is boosted productivity. 4. Sacrifices for the benefit of remote working Getting more things done in less time is a treat, isn’t it? It looks like the vast majority of surveyed workers would agree with this statement since 89% of them responded that the opportunity to work remotely is an important fringe benefit in a job. In fact, 25% of respondents value this perk so much that they’d accept a reduction in their salary in order to continue working remotely! Here are some more sacrifices workers are ready to make: 5. Software matters When we asked the respondents about social communication tools (social networks, microblogs, IM’s, etc.) and the role they play in people’s day-to-day work, here’s what we discovered: over a half (to be precise, 56%) said they use these tools no more than 1 hour every day. The survey revealed that to a significant extent, the success of remote teams leans on the shoulders of helpful online collaboration software. A full 87% of respondents think that collaboration software from remote workers is important or even mission critical for efficient work of their teams. Once again, we thank all the respondents for the input to our survey that has brought such interesting findings. Want to find out more about how Wrike can help your team to embrace remote working? Take a look at some of our features here.
10 Best U.S. States for Launching Your Software Startup (Infographic)
If you’re ready to found a software startup, you might think a move to Silicon Valley is inevitable for your organization's success. But soaring rental rates and a high cost of living may make you and your team wary of picking up and moving to the Bay Area. Luckily, San Francisco isn’t the only place you can find venture capital, an entrepreneurial culture, and opportunities to grow. This infographic shows hubs of innovation sprouting up all over the nation. Take a look at where software startups and other fledgling businesses are thriving: Top 10 U.S. States for Entrepreneurs (and VC dollars raised) California ($3.27 billion) Massachusetts ($798 million) New York ($648 million) Washington ($279 million) Texas ($213 million) New Jersey ($174 million) Arizona ($145 million) Illinois ($144 million) Colorado ($142 million) Pennsylvania ($105 million) Take a look at the full infographic to find out which industries are claiming the most VC dollars in these top 10 states, the major players in cities across the US, and the average age and working hours for entrepreneurs in four big cities. Source: Intuit Read next: 7 Ways to Fund Your Startup The Ultimate List of Legal Resources for Startups Top 10 Reasons Startups Fail
Working for a Workaholic: 10 Tips to Reclaim Your Work-Life Balance (Infographic)
It’s not a bad thing to be dedicated to your work. If you love your job, seeing the results of your efforts successfully move the needle is hugely satisfying. But spending every waking hour focused on work simply isn’t for everybody, and if you’re one of those people who needs a clear separation between their professional and personal lives, working for a workaholic can be stressful. It’s easy to feel like you have to mirror their habits and constantly be available. How often do you find yourself feeling pressured to check work emails at all hours, or respond to requests on Sunday afternoons? Use these 10 strategies for impressing your workaholic boss — without becoming one yourself. Help your friends reclaim their work-life balance! Share this infographic on social media, or on your own site with this embed code: Infographic brought to you by Wrike Get More Done from 9 to 5 Browse our collection of productivity tips to power through your to-do list and enjoy your well-earned personal time.
How Professional Services Teams Are Breaking the Customer Churn Cycle (Infographic)
We surveyed over 1,000 professional services teams to learn about the top challenges they face around client retention, resource management, collaboration, technology, project processes, and more.
Creative Problem Solving for Product Developers (Infographic)
Innovation isn't extraordinary anymore — it's expected. Product managers are facing saturated markets where every competitor is releasing new products and features at a quicker pace, each scrambling to beat the others to launch. Creativity is more essential than ever for product developers to capture consumers' attention, outpace the competition, and find ingenious solutions to customer needs. Many people view creativity as a gift: either you have it, or you don't. But as this infographic shows, creative problem solving is a skill you can learn — and master. The 9-Step Process for Creative Problem Solving 1. Identify your users' pain points. 2. Gather as much information as possible about the problem. 3. Examine the data to look for patterns. 4. Walk away. Let your subconscious form connections and find solutions. 5. Capture ideas as soon as they hit you. Once you have a handful, evaluate to choose the best one. 6. Set your solution apart from the competition. Write a value proposition that clarifies how your idea captures customers' attention more effectively. 7. Create a plan for executing your chosen idea. 8. Get to work! Time to make that idea a reality. 9. Track your results for continuous improvement. Take a peek at the full infographic for tips on writing a Strategic Positioning Statement, the best ways to let an idea incubate, and why the best problem solvers have "T-shaped minds." Source: Mashable Ready to connect the dots? Find out how Wrike helps product development teams deliver amazing results, faster than ever. Read Next: 3 Lessons on High Performing Teams from TED Talks 5 Lessons in Lean Product Development from the Wright Brothers (Infographic)
10 Encouraging Productivity Proverbs for Your Office Wall (Part 2)
If you read our first batch of productivity proverbs, you may remember that a picture is worth 1,000 words. So, without further delay, here are 5 more proverbs to get your productivity juices flowing on those days when all you want to do is crawl back into bed. 6. “An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening.” Wrike recently conducted a survey to determine work how different lifestyle habits play a role in workplace productivity. We found that the proverb exists for a reason; only 10.2% of early birds feel overworked versus 26.7% of night owls. It might be difficult to wake up in the morning, but at the end of the day you'll appreciate the stress-free evening. 7. “Any time means no time.” We all work with or know someone who constantly says, "I'll do it tomorrow." Or maybe their cousin, the person who flippantly thinks, "It doesn't matter if I procrastinate now, I can get it done any time." Don't take a lesson from them. According to Wrike's productivity survey, more than 50% of employees feel that deadlines mobilize their best skills. If your boss claims that a project has no deadline, set one for yourself and stick to it. Working without deadlines increases chances you will never start the project at all, so do yourself a favor and make "any time" today. 8. “Think of many things, do one.” Think you are good at multi-tasking? Research shows that only 2% of people are good at juggling tasks without letting the balls drop. The rest of us may think we're keeping everything in the air, but more research suggests that we are actually knocking down our IQ by 10 points when we try to multitask, and our productivity is decreasing by as much as 40%. It's not your fault; the brains of "supertaskers" simply process information differently. So if you have a lot of ideas, write them all down (after all, a dull pencil is greater than the sharpest memory!) and then focus on one task at a time for the best results. 9. “Tell me and I’ll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I’ll understand.” This proverb goes one step farther than the classic, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime," proverb. It is better to teach someone the answer rather than giving it away, but even more than that, you must involve them in the teaching. We retain 50-90% of what we learn by participatory teaching methods, compared to just 5% when listening. No more lectures! 10. “Better an ounce of happiness than a pound of gold.” Do you remember the old Mastercard commercials? The products bought in the commercial were expensive, but they happiness received was priceless. And according to Wrike's productivity survey, over 56% of surveyed participants feel motivated by a good mood, while the possibility of reward encourages efficiency in just 42.1% of those same employees. So don't overvalue money while undervaluing happiness; happiness is enough of a reward to boost your productivity. Did you like these amusing productivity lessons? Share them with your friends! We hope our 10 pieces of wisdom will help rejuvenate you at work. Save them in your phone, print them out as office decor, and read them over again when you're in a slump. And don't forget to spread the wealth to your friends and colleagues - we all have off-days.
The History of the Word 'Hack' (Infographic)
Odds are, the word hack immediately brings to mind either cybercrime and stolen passwords or tech shortcuts and everyday timesavers. But did you know the word's history stretches far back into the middle ages, centuries before computers and the internet? It first appears as early as the year 1200, meaning "to cut roughly, with chopping blows." So how did a word that originated with hewing down trees become so entwined with modern tech? Discover the fascinating history in our latest infographic: Share this infographic on your own site by copying and pasting this embed code: Infographic brought to you by Wrike Read next: Origin of the Hashtag in Social Media (Infographic)
10 Encouraging Productivity Proverbs for Your Office Wall (Part 1)
"A proverb a day keeps distractions at bay" ... Okay, you caught us. That's not a real proverb. We just made it up, but it's true nonetheless. We collected 10 well-known proverbs about productivity and backed up their claims with insider business tips and facts to encourage you on those difficult work days. Today, we'll give your our first five insights. Post them on the wall by your desk for inspiration, or share them with your friends and colleagues when they feel like throwing in the towel. 1. "It is possible to move mountains by carrying small stones." Have you ever looked at a project and felt completely overwhelmed without a clue for how to start? If you have read The Progress Principle by Theresa Amabile and Steven Kramer, then you know about the power of "small wins." They say that small wins ignite our motivation to work and make further progress possible. By moving one stone at a time, eventually we will have moved so many that the entire project is complete. For the best productivity, one study says you should work in small chunks of time as opposed to straight through an 8-hour day. Split your progress into 90-minute work sessions followed by 15-minute breaks to increase your focus by 16%. 2. "A picture is worth a thousand words." Whether you consider yourself a visual learner or an auditory learner, that fact is that we process visual information faster than written information. Visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text. This is why marketers love infographics, why Instagram and Snapchat are so successful, and why you hire a photographer instead of a journalist for your wedding. Pictures just work. 3. "A dull pencil is greater than the sharpest memory." Do you have the memory of an elephant or of a goldfish? A study by the Dominican University of California shows that people who write down their goals (and share them with a friend) are 33% more likely to accomplish their goals than those who only rely on thought formulation to push progress. Next time you have a bright idea, grab a napkin and the closest writing utensil - be that a dull pencil or your child's favorite green marker - and write it down to keep you more accountable. Or better yet, jot down your idea in Wrike for safe keeping! If you're constantly jotting ideas down with nowhere to put them, consider researching how to set up an office at home, and ensure you've got plenty of storage around you to keep things organised. 4. "No living man all things can." If you find yourself mulling over work 25 hours a day, 8 days a week, it's time to re-prioritize your work life. The Harvard Business Review shared this fun fact: 41% of a knowledge worker's daily tasks could be handled more competently if they were delegated. Easier said than done, we know, but the benefits are worth it. Harvard Business Review said that knowledge workers who redistributed their tasks saved themselves about 6 hours of work and 2 hours of meetings per week. One man can't do everything, so learn to rely on others. 5. "A stitch in time saves nine." If you can fix it with one stitch now, you'll save yourself nine stitches in the future. The GTD method recommends that if the task will take less than two minutes then tackle it without delay. If you comply to this method, you won't have to waste future efforts on the small task AND any mistakes that have resulted from not fixing the issue early on. You'll thank yourself later. Feeling inspired? Share these with friends and colleagues, print them out for the office, and make everyone's productivity shine. And don't forget, this is only the beginning. If you liked these, we bet you'll love the next five proverbs, too. Stay tuned to re-examine more tips that can give you the extra boost you need.
