Heres why you should always give world class effort

Heres why you should always give world class effortHeres why you should always give world class effortAnn Miura-Kogrew up as a first-generation American. Like millions before them, zu sich parents immigrated to the U.S. in search of a better life and more opportunity.Her parents also had high expectations of their children. Her father, a rocket scientist at NASA, was passionate about the concept of excellence.One of the principles her father regularly repeated and instilled in her was the importance of giving a world-class effort in everything she did, no matter how trivial. From a very young age, he would always ask if her effort in virtually anything was the best she could do.After struggling with extreme shyness, the introverted Miura-Ko eventually developed into an elite high school debater. She went on to attend college at Yale and, while there, secured a job as an administrative assistant in the office of the Dean of Engineering as part of her financial aid.On the first day of work, she happened to call her parents to say hello and her father reminded her to think about how she could be world-class in her new job. She explained to him that she would just be making copies and filing, but he responded with, I think you should think about it.Respecting his advice, she decided to re-think how she approached her tasks. She focused on crisp copies that people could leid discern from the original she chose to use a label maker for filing, rather than hand write them she even made sure to pick the freshest donuts when she was asked to bring them into the office.Her stated goal was to make everything a delight moment for the people she worked with.One day, a few years into her job, the Dean popped his head out of office and told her that he needed someone to tour his friend, Lewis, around the engineering school. The person who typically did this was out and he was asking her to do it as hed heard good things about her work.She gave a great tour and developed a goo d rapport with the gentleman but had no idea who he was. At the end of the tour, he asked if she would like to come to California for a tour of her own during spring break, shadowing him at his company. It was then that she learned that Lewis was Lewis Lew Platt, CEO of Hewlett Packard (HP).Ann jumped at the opportunity and had a great experience. When she returned to campus, Lew sent her two pictures. The first one was of herself sitting next to Lew, talking to him. The second picture was of Bill Gates, who had also recently visited. He was sitting exactly where she had sat. This image left a lasting impression on her and Platt became a key figure in her professional development.Ann Miura-Ko has gone on to become one of the most respected venture capitalists in the country, playing a significant role in helping to shatter the glass ceiling for women in her industry. Shes been referred to as the most powerful woman in startups by Forbes.While often incredibly challenging, the wisdom imparted over and over by Miura-Kos father was astute. When wecommit to being excellentor world-class in all that we do, we are choosing to own our circumstances, no matter how insignificant they might seem at the time.This can give us a tremendous sense of ownership over our lives and career rather than a belief that we are at the whim of fate, circumstance, other people or external events a commitment to excellence puts us in the drivers seat.Is there sometimes justplain ol luck involved? Sure. But if one of the top investors in the world got her break making copies, labeling, selecting fresh donuts and demonstrating accountability, where might you be able to do better?To hear Ann Miura-Kos full story, I highly recommend listening to herdetailed interview with Tim Ferris.Robert Glazeris the founder and CEO ofAcceleration Partnersand the author of the international bestselling bookPerformance Partnerships. Join 40,000 global leaders who follow his inspirational weeklyFriday Forwar d,invite him to speak, or follow him onTwitter.This article was originally published on Quora.com.

Rock the body. The body language, that is! Ladders

Rock the body. The body language, that is LaddersRock the body. The body language, that is LaddersSelf-Assessment Quiz - TRUE or FALSEThe only thing I need to do at work to succeed is to show up on time, work hard, and do what my boss tells me.Im already confident, and I have no problems walking around at work being the confident rolle I am.If I need extra tips to advance my career, Im more interested in taking a class or going to workshops.Whether youre the new kid on the block or the long-standing executive, there may be one tool in your career-building kit that youre not using to its full potential, and thats body language. On the flip side, you could be using it unconsciously, and this bad boy could really be holding you back. It could be keeping you from advancing to the next level or just making you look like a big tool. To that end, if you answered TRUE to all of the Self-Assessment questions above, read onfruchtwein people are aware of the body language basics like handshakes and eye contact. A sister-friend of mine told me her father taught her two things when she was a young woman coming out of college 1) you always offer a firm handshake, and 2) you always look a person in the eye when doing so. My colleague says that information was incredibly invaluable as she was coming up in her career (especially as a woman).If youre NOT doing this, think about it. What doyouthink when youre meeting someone for the first time and their handshake is like holding onto a wet fish? leid enticing. Not interesting. Not trustworthy, right? And you might feel a little like,EwwwHow about eye contact? If youre fishing around to catch someones eye so that you can connect with them to flash your dazzling smile or try to share a new strategic idea, what thoughts run through your head when theyre looking down or away or past you? Uhhh, not trustworthy. Not confident. Not someone you want to be around or do business with.Body language goes way beyond the handshake and eye cont act. There are several tools you can use to not only make you appear confident, but to also help you fake it til you make it during an important presentation or in your final interview for the job of your dreams.Posture Grandmas are for nothing else but to tell us to sit up straight. DO IT Slouching is sloppy. Sloppy aint nowhere near where you want to be when making a good impression or trying to sell a new client.Arms folded Want to tell someone youre bored, not interested, or think their ideas are nutso? Cross your arms while theyre talking. Better yet, keep em crossed the entire meeting. Want to appear open, interested, and available? Rest your arms on the table or in your lap. If youre at a networking event, stand with your hands clasped behind your back or low in front of you. People will instinctively feel welcomed and will be at ease.Body positioning When seated around the sides of a boardroom table, watch where your chest is pointed. Meaning, if you want to shut out the per son seated next to you and those behind you, turn your shoulders and chest away from them. If you dont want to block them and their ideas in this way- which is more indicative of you being a team player- turn your shoulders and chest parallel towards the table or push your seat back a bit so that theres sort of a flowing current that can pass from one end of the table to the other. To listen and interact, turn your head, or if you do turn your shoulders and chest, be quick about it and get back to an open position.These are just a few tactics and tools that you can start using today. As you incorporate this fun stuff into your work world, watch how you turn into a dynamic team player out to winCheryl Grace is the sassy aunt, best friend, and mentor youve always needed in your life. The successful jet-setting, global corporate executive founded the aspirational lifestyle brand Powerful Penny LLC. zu sich products, workshops and speeches probe, inspire and empower to ensure those who really want to can get to their next level of best. Her blogs on careers, prosperity, relationships, family, looking and living fabulously, and living a five-star life can be found atwww.powerfulpenny.com.

Duties of Air Force Imagery Analysis (1N1X1) Positions

Duties of Air Force Imagery Analysis (1N1X1) PositionsDuties of Air Force Imagery Analysis (1N1X1) PositionsSpecialty Summary Duties and Responsibilities Exploits and analyzes multisensor imagery in conjunction with all-surce intelligence information. Determines type, function, location, and significance of military facilities and activities, industrial installations and surface transportation networks. Determines type, function, and location of military equipment including ground, air, naval, missile, and electronic orders of battle. Uses multisensor imagery to conduct comparative analysis. Analyzes terrain to determine trafficability, and identify landing zones and defensive fortifications. Analyzes structures of military and industrial installations to determine construction type and functionality. Determines present and future imagery collection requirements. Prepares damage assessment reports detailing structural damage and weapons effects. Operates imagery exploiting equipment including computer-assisted exploiting and automated data base systems. Constructs queries and retrieves historical files to conduct comparative analysis. Uses automated exploiting equipment to prepare, review, and transmit intelligence reports. Uses softcopy imagery systems to exploit, perform mensuration, annotate, and disseminate imagery products. Performs precise mensuration of multisensor imagery to determine geographic location, and vertical and horizontal measurements of objects. Uses maps, charts, geodetic products, and multisensor imagery to determine distance, azimuth, and location of targets. Compiles imagery derived data into detailed target assessments. Uses collateral information from other intelligence disciplines to analyze imagery. Prepares multisensor imagery for reproduction and dissemination. Prepares and conducts multisensor imagery derived intelligence briefings. Constructs and prepares imagery mosaics for reproduction. Compiles and maintains imagery target fo lders.Specialty Qualifications Knowledge. Knowledge is mandatory of basic and advanced imagery interpretation principles, techniques, and procedures for imagery exploitation, reports, and presentations Air Force, DOD, and national imagery intelligence collection systems and procedures techniques of collating, analyzing, and evaluating imagery intelligence use of maps, charts, grid systems, and interpreting equipment to solve imagery intelligence problems mosaic construction intelligence reference materials fundamental mensuration techniques distribution of imagery intelligence requirements for, and sources and uses of target and imagery intelligence data production of imagery related target materials and security controls, classifications, markings, and handling restrictions. Education. Completion of high school with courses in mathematics, advanced English, and computer applications is desirable for entry into this specialty. Training. The following training is mandatory for award of the AFSC indicated AFSC 1N131. Completion of a basic imagery analysis course. AFSC 1N171. Completion of the advanced imagery analysis course. Experience. The following experience is mandatory for award of the AFSC indicated (Note See Explanation of Air Force Specialty Codes). 1N151. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 1N131. Also, experience performing functions such as imagery exploitation, mensuration, map and chart reading, reporting, and mosaic construction. 1N171. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 1N151. Also, experience performing or supervising functions such as imagery exploitation. 1N191. Qualification in and possession of AFSC 1N171. Also, experience managing, collecting, interpreting, analyzing, and distributing imagery and imagery related intelligence. Other. The following is mandatory as indicated For entry into this specialty, normal color vision as defined in AFI 48-123, Medical Examination and Standards. For entry, award, and retention of these AFSCs, st ereoscopic acuity equivalent to depth perception standards for flying Class I or Class IA with or without correction according to AFI 48-123. For award and retention of AFSC 1N131/51/71/91/00, eligibility for a Top Secret security clearance, according to AFI 31-501, Personnel Security Program Management, and for sensitive compartmented information access. NOTE Award of the 3-skill level without a final Top Secret clearance is authorized provided an interim TS has been granted according to AFI 31-501. For award of AFSC 1N131 ability to type at a rate of 20 words per minute. Note This job requires a Sensitive Job Code- (SJC) of F. Strength Req G Physical Profile 333231 Citizenship Yes Required Appitude Score G-64 (Changed to G-66, effective 1 Jul 04). Technical Training Course X3ABR1N131 006 Location G Length (Days) 120 Possible Assignment Locations The following information welches extracted from posts in our Message Forum, posted there by a member, RDKIRK, who spent 26 years in t he 1N1X1 Career Field As for being an intelligence specialist, I was a 1n1 (reconnaissance imagery analyst). Basically imagery analysts are the people who study reconnaissance imagery such as from what we used to call national technical intelligence systems and can now call reconnaissance satellites. Thats known as IMINT Imagery Intelligence. One-En-Ones also drive Predator drones. Contrary to popular opinion, its not just a matter of looking down on people (although thats a hoot, too), or a matter of how good the imagery is. You see, the other guys know were watching, so the most important stuff is kept hidden. The real challenge of the job is not what you can see, but figuring out what you *cant* see. Nowadays, were doing so much with remote sensing that it cant really be called imagery analysis any more. Think about the kinds of things astronomers using the Hubble telescope figure out about distant galaxies and stars from spectrograhic and other methods, then turn that capabil ity 180 degrees. That makes it very much like being one of the guys on CSI, tracking down tiny clues and determining whats happening from things most people wouldnt even notice, or from temperature variations, wind patterns, tonal variations of the ground or grass, and other things we dont talk about. It can be very, very detailed. Sometimes you might spend monthseven yearsgetting the proof for your hypotheses. The best thing is when you can be *predictive*when you figure out how to tell what is *going* to happen in the future from the clues you see today. Some people are so good, they can even trace the movements of guerrilla forces through African jungles or tell you what day a certain bomber at a certain airbase will return to depot maintenance. Okay, those guys are pretty ate up, but theyre awesome. There is a kind of community competition at work. USAF analysts are always in competition with the folk at the National Imagery and Mapping AgencyNIMA (they dont call their peopl e imagery analysts, they call them geospacial intelligence analystswoo hoo). The competition is to find something new first, or if you dont find it first, do a better job of figuring exactly what it is and what it means. Its pretty good when you can outdo the NIMA guys in DC. There was a time when the imagery analysts at CIA made a prediction that a female SSgt who worked for me was able to refute because she had done her homework bettereven the admiral we worked for (Admiral Jacoby, whos now director of the Defense Intelligence Agency) enjoyed sticking that one to the CIA. Those guys are pretty good because they get more chance at long-term specialization. But USAF analysts usually know more about a greater variety of things. We all work closely with other intelligence disciplines, such as SIGINT and ELINT. We do verification of defector reports, search for peace treaty violations, track down drug operations, sometimes even search for missing ships or airplanes. Every other type of intel is considered more reliable if it can be verified from imagery. During wartime, the job of the 1n1 is to do targeting and BDA (bomb damage assessment). We find what should be bombed, then look at it afterward to determine if it was sufficiently destroyed. If it was missed, we look for what *did* get hit. We have the lists of every target, every missile launched, every bomb load dropped, and we do the scoring to figure out where every bomb struck. You often get advanced information about thiings that about to happen because they always want an imagery analysis first. Some things the rest of the world finds out about, some things they dont. At one point, I could tell you what was going on at hundreds of military airbases around the world on any given day. Did it for 26 years and loved all of it (and miss it terribly). When they talk about places in Iraq or islamische republik afghanistan (or anywhere else, just about), I can still see them in my mind. Intel as a whole is a great field. Id consider one-en-oh the next runner up, especially if youre attached to Special Forces (they like their intel to share the experience a little bit). Intel is always real world whether were at war or not. During the Cold War or during the last ten years watching Iraq, intel is always real world. *************************************** For your first duty assignment, youll more than likely end up in a Joint Intelligence Center because thats where most Imagery Analysts are, and they have the greatest ability to absorb and train new troops. was a USAF imagery analyst for 26 years and loved every minute of it. The early years were fun because different things were happeningespecially with the SR-71 and U-2 programs. The later years have been interesting because of the advanced technology of the sensors (notice, I said sensors and not just cameras). The science is way beyond the art at this point, and imagery analysts are just beginning to learn what can be learned from remote sensing. Something I didnt mention elsewhere were the types of job assignments. Most USAF imagery analysts will be in the big Joint Intelligence Centers. Most of the combat commands have one, usually at its command headquarters. The Joint Intelligence Center-Pacific (JICPAC) is in Pearl Harbor and obviously has a Naval flavor (this is also considered an overseas assignment). The Strategic Command Joint Intelligence Center (STRATJIC) is at Offutt AFB in Omaha, NE. The Transportation Command Joint Intelligence Center (TRANS-JIC) is at Scott AFB near St Louis. The Central Command Joint Intelligence Center (CENTJIC) is at Tampa Bay. The European Command Analysis Center (JACEUR) is at RAF Molesworth, England (the Brits were uncomfortable calling it an intelligence center). The National Military Joint Intelligence Center (NMJIC, pronounced nim-jic) is at the Pentagon, however most imagery analysts in DC are now in the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) that was organiz ed iin the late 90s. All those places do strategic analysis, which means most of the work is either supporting the main database or your commands immediate needs. Ive also done some stuff supporting special forces in the areas I was in. As you can see, these are not bad places to be stationed. Imagery analysts also drive Predator drones, so that is where you can do some tactical duty. There are probably some other slots in onesies and twosies scattered around (like a few guys at Hurlburt Field in Florida who support the Special Operations Command). However, its easy for a 1n1 to bounce from JIC to JIC his entire career. Even after tech school (which is considered one of the more learning intense), you will have a LOT to learn, and you will keep on learning. After basic techniques, you have to learn the details about whatever particular area youre working, how to use new technical devices and sensors, and youre always, always, always learning new ways to see through new attempts t o deceive you. For instance, in one of my jobs, I was working Worldwide Air Forces. That meant not just knowing what every military aircraft looked like no matter the viewpoint, but also knowing the characteristics of each military force *and* the individual activities ongoing at each military base. At any given time, I could tell you what was going on at several hundred different airfields, and at a glance I could tell if anything different was happening. I could tell you when a particular bomber was going to be returned to depot maintenance, or when a fighter squadron was about to deploy and where it was going to deploy to. Guys specialing in naval forces can often identify *individual* naval vessels of different countries because of some unique repair or fitment thats been made on that one ship. Guys who do ground forces know their areas so well they can tell when guerilla forces have moved into an area just from the number of goats that are (or suddenly arent) in a farmers p asture. Other guys can tell you within hours when a country is going to run a nuclear test *and* tell you what the size of the bomb will be. Everywhere you go, there will be an entire new set of things to learn and keep learning.