Teamwork results improve when roles clearly defined

TEAMWORK

Turning conventional wisdom on its head

It's usually assumed that collaboration occurs best when managers provide a clearly defined approach toward achieving a goal, while leaving the roles of individuals within the team open and flexible so they can share ideas and contribute in different ways. But consultant Tammy Erickson says research shows it's the reverse: Collaboration improves when the roles of individual team members are clearly defined and well understood – reducing the chance that energy will be wasted on negotiating roles or protecting turf – and when the goals are somewhat ambiguous, allowing for creativity. – Harvard Business Review Blogs

GOAL-SETTING

Not up to the job today? Then ease off

Entrepreneur James Altucher says it's okay to be unproductive today, if you're feeling tired, a kid is sick, or the pressures are immense. Goals are achieved over decades, not days. – JamesAltucher.com

ENTREPRENEURS

Plan for yourself, not just your business

Entrepreneurial baby boomers should start preparing two exit plans, according to Belmont University business professor Jeff Cornwall. They need to develop a plan for selling their busin ess, but also make a plan for what they will do when the business is gone from their life – and a vague thought of spending more time with family or golfing does not qualify as a plan. – Drjeffcornwall.com

ONLINE

Big it up: How to enlarge thumbnail images

If you want the thumbnail images you encounter while browsing Facebook, Google and other areas of the Web to be larger, try the Thumbnail Zoom Plus extension in Mozilla Firefox or the Hover Zoom extension in Google Chrome. When you hover over the thumbnail, it will grow into a larger image. – Online-tech-tips.com