relationships

Me Time...

Me Time...

Have you ever experienced 7 day work weeks? Ever used weekends to get a jump start on preparing for the upcoming excitements of the work week ahead? Ever felt like a slacker upon receiving an email, phone call or work text on a weekend? At 6am? At 9pm? “Eeeek! Someone is working and the implied imperative to respond is too great to ignore? A colleague is busy and requires an answer right now!

Yeah, us too.

The Evolution of Relationships

The Evolution of Relationships

What seems like 100 years ago, FIG wrote a white paper: Book of Business: What Is It and How Do I Build One? It was an article outlining strategic networking, marketing efforts, name recognition, expertise and referrals. In short: business relationships. We thought we’d take a deeper dive into this proposition and discuss the maturation cycle of professional alliances: what are some of the actual mechanics of maintaining, nurturing and sustaining these relationships and how exactly do we execute our desired goals without being transactional or mercenary?

The Core of FIG: Relationships

The Core of FIG: Relationships

As we alluded to last week, the word “relationships” is another amorphous piece of language we throw around a lot, in both business and in our personal lives. But what exactly are they?

For the purposes of this piece, Dictionary.com defines the word as: “a connection, association, or involvement; an emotional or other connection between people.”

OK, a good start, but how do we initiate, develop, nurture and sustain them is what interests FIG. Why do they matter? Why are they important? What do they mean? And why should we care?

Millennials: 5 Steps to Make Now to Advance Your Career Faster

Millennials: 5 Steps to Make Now to Advance Your Career Faster

Today’s professional world is rife with opportunities for entrepreneurs and self-starters to create the life they want if they work hard and leverage their connections. Between the gig economy and the large force of young professionals in the traditional workplace (a combination of Gen X, Gen Y [Millennials], and Gen Z), the way people perceive and achieve professional advancement is changing. However, with the millions of young people entering the workforce today, competition is fierce. Here are 5 steps young professionals can take to differentiate themselves from the competition and move toward quicker advancement, whether climbing a more traditional corporate ladder or pursuing the creation of their own business.

Spring Cleaning: 5 Negative Social Habits to Throw Out Now

Spring Cleaning: 5 Negative Social Habits to Throw Out Now

We all have our bad habits. We’re human, after all! However, another great part about being human is the fact that we can decide to work on our bad habits and grow out of them. One of the areas in which people have the most bad habits is in social interaction. Here are five of them you can start working on today.

FIG Book Club: June Recommended Reading

FIG Book Club: June Recommended Reading

Welcome to Future Image Group’s Book Club! Every month, we’ll recommend a book, abstract, or research paper related to personal and professional development in the workplace (which, in turn, is also related to the development of social skills and more meaningful personal relationships).  We hope you enjoy – and we’d love to hear your recommendations for books that have helped you or given you some insight on your own journey of professional or personal social development.

5 Ways to Overcome Social Anxiety

5 Ways to Overcome Social Anxiety

Do you become overwhelmed or anxious in social situations? You’re not alone. According to The National Institute of Mental Health, 12.1% of U.S. adults experience some kind of social anxiety at some point in their life. Of those who are affected, an estimated 29.9% had serious impairment, 38.8% had moderate impairment, and 31.3% had mild impairment.

FIG Book Club: February Recommended Reading

FIG Book Club: February Recommended Reading

Welcome to Future Image Group’s Book Club! Every month, we’ll recommend a book, abstract, or research paper related to personal and professional development in the workplace (which, in turn, is also related to the development of social skills and more meaningful personal relationships).  We hope you enjoy – and we’d love to hear your recommendations for books that have helped you or given you some insight on your own journey of professional or personal social development.

5 Generations in the Workplace: Who Are They?

5 Generations in the Workplace: Who Are They?

For the first time ever, there are now 5 unique generations in the workplace. This comes with a vast array of challenges, especially when it comes to communication. These 5 generations are:

Future Image Group: The Gift That Truly Keeps Giving

Future Image Group: The Gift That Truly Keeps Giving

The holidays are here again – and whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali, or another special day, the spirit of giving is in full swing. This season, while you’re out shopping for your nearest and dearest, don’t forget to pick something up for your employees. Not sure what to get them? We’ve got you covered.