Beyond Folders : business resources

Putting the “Business” Back in Business Casual

Community Manager — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 19:23:00 GMT

Business casual swept the work world during the heady Internet boom days. But the Recession's back-to-basics emphasis has some offices putting the "business" back into business casual.

When a suit is overkill and jeans are taboo, how does one walk the line? A good rule of thumb: if you wish to be taken seriously, you have to dress seriously.

Uniforms Aren't Just for Ball Players

For men, business dressing today might mean a "uniform" of khakis and a blue or black sport coat. In warm weather, pair the sport coat with collared polo shirts, in colder weather and for more formal occasions, pair with oxford button downs. If your work trends more casual, mix in bright colors or funky patterns; if the office look is more polished, stick to subtle stripes and mix in the occasional tie. Tired of khakis? Pick a few grey or black pants in lightweight wools or an understated herringbone.

Women's fashion provides more options and thus greater room for fun (and error). For women envying the ease of a man's uniform of sport coat and trousers, opt for creating your own standard look. Consider investing in a few pairs of black or grey trousers in a flattering cut and then mixing in a rotation of blouses topped with dressy cardigans or blazers. Take inspiration from high-end fashion designer Carolina Herrera who only ever wears a signature white blouse paired with neutral bottoms in black or taupe. Herrera makes the look her own with fabulous accessories, think chunky necklaces, or heels and belts in unusual materials such as alligator or leopard print.

Or consider the ease of dresses. It's far simpler to shrug on a dress than to coordinate separates. Find a great wrap dress that fits and flatters and buy it in as many colors or prints as you can afford. Again, team the dresses with simple accessories and a pair of knee high boots or flats and you've created another version of a uniform.

Keep in mind that grooming matters so take care to be in wrinkle-free, polished and put-together. Business casual never means shortchanging grooming so just say no to chipped nail polish or razor stubble.

Remember, at work, the key is to look polished and professional but to be comfortable enough to roll up your sleeves and get to work. At the end of the day, your work needs to speak louder than your look.

For more tips on navigating the new business casual, we've collected some resources for your review:

Business Casual Is Over: Back to Dress for Success
Business Casual: All Business, Never Casual
Dressing for Success

by Carly Fadako

Creating a Virtual Water Cooler

Community Manager — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:43:00 GMT

The office water cooler enjoys an iconic reputation in the American workplace. It's the hub of office chit chat about must-see TV and weekend plans while simultaneously being the front-line of critical office information.

Given the value of water cooler communications, remote employees and nomadic workers need to fill the void created by their alternative work environments. What's needed is a virtual water cooler.

Fortunately, the rise of social networking makes sipping from the virtual water cooler a real possibility. Social media allows users to build professional networks and exchange business ideas virtually. Social networking can also provide inspiration, boost morale and mitigate feelings of isolation.

Many different networks exist, under two broad categories:

Horizontal networks: Broad networks where anyone can belong. Examples include: Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, Twitter
Vertical networks: niche networks, often organized by profession (military.com, policelink, linkedin) or by area of interest (babycenter, dogster, ravelry, [a knitting network]).

Spend time thinking about what type of network best serves your needs. Perhaps it's a broad network such as Facebook used in combination with a niche community focused on your profession.

Looking to "tweet" and "friend" a virtual water cooler network? We've assembled a collection of articles on how social media can help.

Twitter as the Virtual Water cooler
Monitoring the Virtual Water Cooler: Facebook and Beyond
Four Tips for Businesses on Becoming a Savvy Social Networker

Commit yourself to building and managing a social network just as you would face-to-face office relationships. The Wall Street Journal recently declared that Facebook and Twitter have dethroned e-mail as the king of communication.

It's time to stop by that virtual water cooler and check in.

Do you make use of a virtual water cooler? Share your thoughts here and on the Beyond Folders Community's Facebook and Twitter pages.

by Bradley Eggers

How to Run a Successful Business Meeting

Community Manager — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:36:00 GMT

Conducted face-to-face or in a virtual space, as a two-person exchange or at an annual gathering of two thousand, meetings are essential to business life.

Running a successful business meeting is part art and part science. Even if you are a natural leader, you might find this a tough mix to master. Here are some resources to help you.

At Forbes.com, Dr. Nadine Katz shares the results of a study she conducted on making meetings more efficient. Her top finding? There is no substitute for preparation, which includes:

Sending participants a detailed meeting agenda in advance
Touching base with participants to highlight important talk points
Surveying the meeting space to assess factors like lighting and temperature
Establishing clear rules for dealing with lateness, rudeness or similar disruptions

A BusinessWeek article on How to Run a Meeting Like Google echoes Dr. Katz's insights and adds that assigning an official note taker and sticking to the clock helps curb meeting, and post-meeting, chaos. Rounding out the advice, a piece from WomenEntrepreneur encourages meeting leaders to:

Have an emotional goal going in
Live the tone you want to set
Facilitate, don't dominate
Read the room

If you are running your meeting via the Web, Mashable has 5 important tips for your success. Last, but not least, proving that even the biggest business meetings benefit from a healthy dose of lightness and humor, here is a Wall Street Journal post featuring a video clip from Southwest Airlines' 2009 annual meeting.

by Bradley Eggers