How to respond to negative client feedback

 If a client criticizes your IT consulting work, your first reaction might be to get defensive. Brad Egeland offers suggestions on how to handle the situation.

When a client commends your work, you should accept the compliment, acknowledge the efforts of others who helped make success possible, and ask for a reference.

Unfortunately, you might also have to deal with negative feedback from clients. When you get an unfavorable performance review of your IT consulting work, you definitely don’t want to be defensive, get angry, or lie. As difficult as it may be, you should try to think of the criticism as a learning experience and possibly a way to resolve any lingering issues about the project. You want to end the consulting engagement feeling that you handled the situation as professionally and tactfully as possible.

These are my tips for responding to criticisms from clients. Please share your recommended techniques for dealing with these usually unpleasant situations.

Take a deep breath

Rather than pop off the first thing that comes to your mind, you should take a deep breath and count to 10. This is often easier to do if you receive the complaint via email then if you’re caught off-guard face-to-face with the client.

Resolve to investigate their complaintsYou should ask the client to give you some time to look into the issues they’ve raised so you can formulate a well-informed response.

Ask for clarificationIf you receive feedback that is inaccurate, be tactful in how you respond — it will never serve you well to try to make the client feel stupid. If you don’t understand the criticism, you shouldn’t let the dialogue stop there. After gathering all of the necessary information, you should ask detailed questions about the client’s criticisms. You might be able to shed new light on the issue at hand and change the client’s perception. If that doesn’t help, you should at least consider it a learning experience.

Admit any wrongdoing

You should be upfront about any mistakes that were made on the project. If you’re caught in a lie, it can ruin your reputation and will likely end the current consulting engagement. You must remain above reproach.

Accept the blameIf the complaint is about an action or a decision that was definitely your fault, that’s a no-brainer — own up to it. But if the criticism pertains to something you were leading and not directly attributable to you, it’s still best to accept responsibility. Go down with the ship — your team will respect you for it.

A Couple Quick Active Directory One-Liners

Here is a few one-liner commands to help get info on your Active Directory environment.  I don’t think there is any mind blowing commands here but they’ve helped me out.  There are literally hundreds of these around the web as well as PowerShell ones but these are the ones that I’ve been using lately.
How to view the Domains you trust and see what those Domain SIDs are:

nltest /domain_trusts /v

A quick listing of your AD Sites:

dsquery * "CN=Sites,CN=Configuration,DC=forestRootDomain" -attr cn description location -filter (objectClass=site)

A quick listing of your AD sites and their Site Links and Costs (sure would be nice if you could spit this out to Visio or something):

dsquery * "CN=Sites,CN=Configuration,DC=forestRootDomain" -attr cn costdescription replInterval siteList -filter (objectClass=siteLink)

Compare time against your forest root PDCe:

w32tm /monitor /computers:ForestRootPDC

Find out which DC for a site is the ISTG:

dsquery * "CN=NTDS Site Settings,CN=siteName,CN=Sites,CN=Configuration,DC=forestRootDomain" -attr interSiteTopologyGenerator

Windows Server 2008 User Right Assignments - Defined

If you haven’t noticed yet, Windows Server 2008 has several more User Right Assignments in the Local Policy settings.  If you’re looking for a definition of one or all take a look below.  These are the same settings that are found in Group Policy located at this path – Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Local Policies\User Right Assignment.

Access Credential Manager as a trusted caller

This policy setting is used by Credential Manager during Backup and Restore. No accounts should have this user right, as it is only assigned to Winlogon. Users' saved credentials might be compromised if this user right is assigned to other entities.

By default, no accounts are assigned this right. However, to enforce the default setting, theAccess Credential Manager as a trusted caller setting is restricted to No One for the SSLF environment discussed in the security guide.

Act as part of the operating system

This policy setting allows a process to assume the identity of any user and thus gain access to the resources that the user is authorized to access. For this reason, the Act as part of the operating system setting is restricted to No one for both of the environments that are discussed in this guide.

Add workstations to domain

This policy setting only takes effect when applied to domain controllers.

Adjust memory quotas for a process

This policy setting allows a user to adjust the maximum amount of memory that is available to a process. The ability to adjust memory quotas is useful for system tuning, but it can be abused. In the wrong hands, this setting could be used to launch a denial of service (DoS) attack.

For this reason, the Adjust memory quotas for a process setting is restricted toAdministrators, Local Service, and Network Service groups for the SSLF environment. The setting is configured to Not Defined for the EC environment.

Allow log on locally

This policy setting determines which users can interactively log on to computers in your environment. Logons that are initiated by pressing the CTRL+ALT+DEL key sequence on the computer keyboard require this user right.

Microsoft recommends that you enable this setting through Group Policy and restrict this right to members of the Administrators group. Assign this user right to the other Operator level administrative security groups, such as Backup Operators or Server Operators, if your organization requires that they have this capability.

Allow log on through Terminal Services

This policy setting determines which users or groups have the right to log on as a Terminal Services client. Remote desktop users require this user right. Microsoft recommends that you restrict this user right to the Administrators group to prevent unwanted users from gaining access to computers on your network by means of the Remote Assistance feature. Dedicated Terminal Servers will require additional configuration.

Back up files and directories

This policy setting allows users to circumvent file and directory permissions to back up the system. This user right is enabled only when an application (such as NTBACKUP) attempts to access a file or directory through the NTFS file system backup application programming interface (API). Otherwise, the assigned file and directory permissions apply.

Bypass traverse checking

This policy setting allows users who do not have the special "Traverse Folder" access permission to "pass through" folders when they browse an object path in the NTFS file system or in the registry. This user right does not allow users to list the contents of a folder, but only allows them to traverse directories.

Change the system time

This policy setting determines which users and groups can change the time and date of the internal clock of the computers in your environment. Users who are assigned this user right can affect the appearance of event logs. When a computer’s time setting is changed, logged events reflect the new time, which may not be the actual time that the events occurred.

Change the time zone

This setting determines which users can change the time zone of the computer. This setting capability poses no great risk for the computer. However, modifications to this setting affect all users and applications on the computer, which could cause confusion in shared terminal server environments.

Create a pagefile

This policy setting allows users to change the size of the pagefile. By making the pagefile extremely large or extremely small, an attacker could easily affect the performance of a compromised computer.

Create a token object

This policy setting allows a process to create an access token, which may provide elevated rights to access sensitive data. In environments in which security is a high priority, this user right should not be assigned to any users. Any processes that require this capability should use the Local System account, which is assigned this user right by default.

Create global objects

This policy setting determines whether users can create global objects that are available to all sessions. Users can still create objects that are specific to their own session if they do not have this user right.

Users who can create global objects could affect processes that run under other users' sessions. This capability could lead to a variety of problems, such as application failure or data corruption.

Create permanent shared objects

This policy setting allows users to create directory objects in the object manager. This user right is useful to kernel-mode components that extend the object namespace. However, components that run in kernel mode have this user right inherently. Therefore, it is typically not necessary to specifically assign this user right.

Create symbolic links

This policy setting determines which users can create symbolic links. In Windows Server 2008, existing NTFS file system objects, such as files and folders, can be accessed by referring to a new kind of file system object called a symbolic link. A symbolic link is a pointer (much like a shortcut or .lnk file) to another file system object, which can be a file, folder, shortcut or another symbolic link. The difference between a shortcut and a symbolic link is that a shortcut only works from within the Windows shell. To other programs and applications, shortcuts are just another file, whereas with symbolic links, the concept of a shortcut is implemented as a feature of the NTFS file system.

Symbolic links can potentially expose security vulnerabilities in applications that are not designed to use them. For this reason, the privilege for creating symbolic links should only be assigned to trusted users. By default, only members of the Administrators group can create symbolic links.

Debug programs

This policy setting determines which user accounts will have the right to attach a debugger to any process or to the kernel, which provides complete access to sensitive and critical operating system components. Developers who are debugging their own applications do not need to be assigned this user right. However, developers who are debugging new system components need it.

Deny access to this computer from the network

This security setting determines which users are prevented from accessing a computer over the network. This policy setting supersedes the Access this computer from the network policy setting if a user account is subject to both policies.

Deny log on as a batch job

This policy setting prohibits users from logging on to a computer through a batch-queue facility, which is a feature in Windows Server 2008 that you can use to schedule jobs to run automatically one or more times in the future.

Deny log on as a service

This policy setting determines whether users can log on as a service. Accounts that can log on as a service could be used to configure and launch new unauthorized services, such as a keylogger or other malware.

Deny log on locally

This policy setting prohibits users from logging on locally to the computer console. If unauthorized users can log on locally to a computer, they can download malicious code or elevate their privileges on the computer. In addition, if attackers have physical access to the console, there are other risks to consider. This user right should not be assigned to those users who need physical access to the computer console.

Deny log on through Terminal Services

This policy setting prohibits users from logging on to computers in your environment throughRemote Desktop connections. If you assign this user right to the Everyone group, you also prevent members of the default Administrators group from using Terminal Services to log on to computers in your environment.

Enable computer and user accounts to be trusted for delegation

This policy setting allows users to change the Trusted for Delegation setting on a computer object in Active Directory®. Abuse of this privilege could allow unauthorized users to impersonate other users on the network.

Force shutdown from a remote system

This policy setting allows users to shut down Windows–based computers from remote locations on the network. An unauthorized shut down of a server is a type of denial of service (DoS) condition that makes the computer unavailable to service user requests. Microsoft recommends to only assign this user right to highly trusted administrators.

Generate security audits

This policy setting determines which users or processes can generate audit records in the Security log. An attacker could use this capability to create a large number of audited events, which would make it more difficult for a system administrator to locate any illicit activity. Also, if the event log is configured to overwrite events as needed, any evidence of unauthorized activities could be overwritten by a large number of unrelated events.

Impersonate a client after authentication

This policy setting allows programs to impersonate a user so that the program can act on behalf of the user. Requiring authentication first helps prevent elevation of privilege attacks.

Services that the Service Control Manager starts have the built-in group "Service" added by default to their access tokens. COM servers that the COM infrastructure starts and configures to run under a specific account also have the Service group added to their access tokens. As a result, these processes are assigned this user right when they are started.

In addition, a user can impersonate an access token if any of the following conditions exist:

• The access token that is being impersonated is for the same user that is making the request.
• The user, in this logon session, logged on to the network with explicit credentials to create the access token.
• The requested level is less than Impersonate, such as Anonymous or Identify.

An attacker with the Impersonate a client after authentication user right could create a service that impersonates any logged on user in order to elevate the attacker's level of access to that of the logged on user or to the level of the client computer's system account.

Increase a process working set

This policy setting determines which user accounts can increase or decrease the size of a process working set. The working set of a process is the set of memory pages currently visible to the process in physical RAM memory. These pages are resident and available for an application to use without triggering a page fault. The minimum and maximum working set sizes affect the virtual memory paging behavior of a process.

This right is granted to all users by default. However, increasing the working set size for a process decreases the amount of physical memory available to the rest of the system. It would be possible for malicious code to increase the process working set to a level that could severely degrade system performance and potentially cause a denial of service. Certain environments can help mitigate this risk by limiting which users can increase the process working set.

Increase scheduling priority

This policy setting allows users to change the amount of processor time that a process uses. An attacker could use this capability to increase the priority of a process to real-time and create a denial of service (DoS) condition for a computer.

Load and unload device drivers

This policy setting allows users to dynamically load a new device driver on a system. An attacker could potentially use this capability to install malicious code that appears to be a device driver. This user right is required to add local printers or printer drivers in Windows Server 2008.

Lock pages in memory

This policy setting allows a process to keep data in physical memory, which prevents the system from paging the data to virtual memory on disk. If this user right is assigned and abused, significant degradation of system performance can occur.

Log on as a batch job

This policy setting allows accounts to log on using the Task Scheduler service. Because the Task Scheduler is often used for administrative purposes, you may need this right in the EC environment. However, Microsoft recommends restricting its use in the SSLF environment to prevent misuse of system resources or to prevent attackers from using the right to launch malicious code after gaining user level access to a computer.

Log on as a service

This policy setting allows accounts to launch network services or to register a process as a service running on the system. This user right should be restricted on all computers in an SSLF environment, but because many applications may require this right, you should carefully evaluate and test this setting before configuring it in an EC environment. On servers running Windows Server 2008, no users or groups have this right by default.

Manage auditing and security log

This policy setting determines which users can change the auditing options for files and directories and clear the Security log. Because this capability represents a relatively small threat, this setting enforces the default value of the Administrators group for both the EC and SSLF environments.

Modify an object label

This policy setting determines which users can change the integrity level of objects, such as files, registry keys or processes owned by other users. Note that a user can change the integrity level of an object that is owned by that user to a lower level without holding this privilege.

Modify firmware environment values

This policy setting allows users to configure the system-wide environment variables that affect hardware configuration. This information is typically stored in the Last Known Good Configuration. Modification of these values could lead to a hardware failure that would result in a DoS condition.

Because this capability represents a relatively small threat, this setting enforces the default value of the Administrators group for both the EC and SSLF environments.

Perform volume maintenance tasks

This policy setting allows users to manage the system's volume or disk configuration, which could allow a user to delete a volume and cause data loss as well as a DoS condition.

Profile single process

This policy setting determines which users can use tools to monitor the performance of non-system processes. Typically, you do not need to configure this user right to use the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Performance snap-in. However, you do need this user right if System Monitor is configured to collect data using Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). Restricting the Profile single process user right prevents intruders from gaining additional information that they could use to mount an attack on the system.

Profile system performance

This policy setting allows users to use tools to view the performance of different system processes, which could be abused to allow attackers to determine a system's active processes and provide insight into the potential attack surface of the computer. This setting enforces the default of the Administrators group for both the EC and SSLF environments.

Remove computer from docking station

This policy setting allows the user of a portable computer to click Eject PC on the Start menu to undock the computer. This setting is not usually relevant in server scenarios.

Replace a process level token

This policy setting allows one process or service to start another service or process with a different security access token, which an intruder can use to modify the security access token of that sub-process to escalate privileges. This setting enforces the default values of Local Service and Network Service for both the EC and SSLF environments.

Restore files and directories

This policy setting determines which users can bypass file, directory, registry, and other persistent object permissions when restoring backed up files and directories on computers that run Windows Server 2008. This right also determines which users can set valid security principals as object owners; it is similar to the Back up files and directories user right.

Shut down the system

This policy setting determines which users who are logged on locally to the computers in your environment can shut down the operating system with the Shut Down command. Misuse of this user right can result in a DoS condition.

Synchronize directory service data

This policy setting determines which users have the authority to synchronize all directory service data.

Take ownership of files or other objects

This policy setting allows users to take ownership of files, folders, registry keys, processes, or threads. This user right bypasses any permissions that are in place to protect objects and give ownership to the specified user. This setting enforces the default value of theAdministrators group for both the EC and SSLF environments.

Five tips for faster Web browsing

Everyone wants faster Web browsing. After all, who has time to wait for Web pages to load these days? This is especially true if you’re a tab-junkie like me. When you live with an open browser containing 10 to 15 tabs running at any given time, you know how crucial it is to have as fast a browsing experience as possible. But how do you manage this? Are there tricks to getting more speed when your pipe is maxed out already? You bet your sweet bits and bytes there are.

Not every solution will work for every user, and not every solution should even be attempted by every user. However, if you like to eke out as much blood as you can from every turnip, let’s see how you can squeeze a bit more speed from your browsing experience.

1: Use a fast browser

Not all browsers are created equal. Some are simply faster than others. The top speed you will find, in the current crop of browsers, belongs to Google Chrome. If you’ve grown accustomed to Internet Explorer or Firefox, you’ll notice a dramatic increase in rendering time using Google Chrome. Of all the ways you can speed up your browsing experience, this is by far the best. Google Chrome also helps speed things up by allowing you to enter search strings in the URL address bar. With this feature, you don’t have to add yet another toolbar, thereby slowing down the browser even further.

2: Disable Flash

Flash pretty much saturates Web sites now. It’s almost impossible to get away from this technology. Problem is, Flash can be slow, so it directly affects the speed of your browsing experience. You can have Flash turned off by default and then re-enable it to view what you need to view. The biggest problem with this is that some browsers require an add-on to block Flash. For Chrome, you need the extension Flashblock. There’s also a Flashblock extension for Firefox. Internet Explorer has a built-in tool you can access by clicking Tools | Manage Add-ons. In the Manage Add-ons dialog box, double-click Shockwave Flash Object. Then, click the Remove All Sites button. This will disable Flash for all sites.

3: Save your temporary Web files on a RAM disk

I wrote an article awhile back on using a RAM disk to help speed up disk-intensive applications. Since the RAM disk will be much faster than your standard hard drive, using it to save all your browsers temporary files will create a faster environment for your browser. However, this solution is not for the newbie, and you will need to use a third-party to better achieve this task.

4: Get rid of all those toolbars

You’ve seen them in the wild: browsers so filled with toolbars they take up the majority of real estate in the browser window. Most users don’t realize those toolbars tend to slow down the browser in many ways. Some toolbars simply take up precious computer memory, while others eat away at bandwidth by sending and receiving data in the background. The math here is quite simple: The more toolbars you have, the slower your browser will run. Some of those toolbars might seem essential. But if speed is really your top priority, you will want to jettison that extra baggage for the speed you will gain.

5: Use tabs, not windows

Too many tabs can cause problems, but they’re still your best bet for browsing efficiency. How do tabs speed up your experience? A couple of ways. The first is all about organization. With multiple tabs in a single window, it becomes quite a bit faster to locate the page you need to work on. You don’t have to maximize a window, discover that it’s not the right one, minimize it, maximize a new window… until you find the correct one. A single window open with multiple tabs is far easier to search. This is not the only way tabs can help you. Browsers like Chrome treat each tab as an individual process (instead of a child process of a parent). So when a Web site causes a tab to crash, you can close that one tab and not lose all the other tabs. This behavior is not a standard at the moment, so you’ll need to switch over to the Chrome browser to take advantage of it.

Other tips?

There are hundreds of ways to make your browsing experience faster. But the above list should give you an immediate, noticeable boost in speed. Have you found other ways to speed up your browsing experience? Share your favorite tricks with your fellow readers.

2ND GENERATION INTEL® CORE™ VPRO™ PROCESSOR FAMILY

Business PCs powered by the 2nd generation Intel® Core™ vPro™ processor family take intelligent client computing to the next level—maximizing hardware-assisted security, simplifying PC management, and providing more responsive, adaptive performance.¹

Hardware-assisted security features bolster PC security.

• Data encryption can run up to four-times faster due to Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI).
• Optional Intel® Anti-Theft Technology (Intel® AT) enforces data encryption software authentication when PCs are brought out of sleep state, closing a known security gap.
• IT can unlock encrypted drives that require pre-boot authentication and manage data security settings, even when PCs are off.

Remote management capabilities make PC management easier, more efficient, and more cost-effective.

• Pre-OS KVM (keyboard, video mouse) without the added cost of a dedicated appliance
• Higher resolution: 1920 x 1200 lets you see what your user is seeing

Faster, more energy-efficient processors with built-in graphics capabilities offer smart performance.

• Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 accelerates performance to match user workloads.^◊
• Up to two-times faster multi-tasking performance comparing a 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i5 processor-based laptop versus a three-year-old Intel® Core™2 Duo processor-based laptop.^Ψ
• Stunning visual performance without the added cost and power requirements of dedicated graphics cards.^φ

Second generation Intel® Core™ vPro™ processors also offer new, host-based provisioning capabilities for easier activation and firmware version management.

WHAT IS INTEL® VPRO™ TECHNOLOGY?

Take 90 seconds to learn how PCs powered by the 2nd generation Intel® Core™ vPro™ processor family use security and remote manageability features built into the processor, chipset, and network adapter.

Useful Tips to Ace a Phone Interview

In the search for employment, there are several hurdles that need to be cleared before the hiring manager extends an employment offer. Today, it’s becoming more frequent for applicants to be asked to overcome an additional obstacle: the phone interview. 

Given the fact that a single job opening can attract dozens or even hundreds of resumes, a phone interview can serve as an early screening process that allows the hiring manager to determine which candidates to bring in for a follow-up meeting.

It’s tempting to think that a phone interview would be easy to ace in comparison to a traditional interview, perhaps because of the lack of formality and the ability to meet with the hiring manager from the comfort of your own home. However, it’s these very differences that can make phone interviews more challenging than you realize. Here are some tips to help you make a positive impression:

Be prepared. Much like you would for a face-to-face interview, prepare for a phone conversation by learning as much as you can about the company ahead of time. Read trade journals, conduct online research and speak to colleagues who might be knowledgeable about the organization so you can get a better sense of the firm’s exact needs — and how you can help meet them. In addition, have an idea of how you’ll respond to common questions, such as those about your exact level of experience and what appeals to you about the job. It also would be wise to develop a few questions for the hiring manager. 

Don’t sabotage yourself. A cell phone allows you to field a phone interview from anywhere you have reception, but that doesn’t mean it’s advisable to speak with a prospective employer while in line at the coffee shop. Having a conversation outdoors or when you’re surrounded by other people increases the risk of being interrupted. Plus, there’s always the danger of losing the signal. That’s why it’s best to use a landline, if possible, and to schedule the interview when you know you’re able to sit somewhere relatively quiet. Have your application materials within reach in case you need to reference them. Also, remember to turn off call waiting or at least ignore any calls that come in during the conversation. Your focus needs to be on the hiring manager. 

Embrace the silence. Because phone conversations can lead to awkward pauses, especially with someone you haven’t spoken to before, you might be tempted to fill dead air. Prevent yourself from doing so; the interviewer might be taking notes or preparing his or her next question. Rather than overanswer a question, pause a beat or two and wait for the hiring manager to continue the conversation.    

Dress the part. It may sound silly, but dressing up as if you were heading to an in-person interview can put you in the right mindset to impress the hiring manager. That doesn’t necessarily mean you should wear a suit, but it might be helpful to put on something other than shorts and a T-shirt. 

Get energized. During a face-to-face interview, hiring managers respond positively to candidates who are excited about the position. Over the phone, the person won’t be able to see your facial expressions or body language to gauge your level of enthusiasm. As a result, you need to make sure he or she can hear your positive attitude in your voice. A good trick is to smile while you speak or get up and walk around a little during the course of the meeting. 

Consider your image. A trend that has become increasingly common is the use of Skype to conduct initial interviews. A webcam allows hiring managers to mimic an in-person meeting fairly closely. If you are asked to participate in this type of interview, make sure you present a professional image. Set up your computer in an area free of loud noises and distracting backgrounds and wear a suit. When conversing with the hiring manager, look at the camera so you maintain eye contact with him or her.

Participating in a phone interview can be just as nerve-wracking as a face-to-face meeting. But as nervous as you might feel, remember that making it this far means you’ve passed the first part of the hiring process. So go into the interview with confidence; you’ll improve your chances of landing the IT job you seek.

Getting Past a Poor Performance Review

You never want to hear that you’re doing a worse job than you thought you were, especially if the person delivering the bad news is your boss. If your IT career has consisted primarily of exemplary performance reviews, you may not know how to react when you receive a less-than-stellar assessment.

Keep in mind that how you respond to a subpar evaluation is of tremendous importance. In fact, your actions afterward can mean the difference between rebounding from this setback and repeating the mistakes that led to the poor appraisal. 

Here is some advice that can help you move past a bad review.

Take a deep breath. Upon receiving an underwhelming performance review, it’s easy to become defensive and focus on the reasons you think your manager’s assessment is wrong. Instead of trying to argue against what you consider to be invalid criticism, take a moment to think about what your boss has said and how valid his or her concern is. Viewed objectively, you may see that your manager’s criticism is warranted. For example, you may think missed deadlines related to a recent website refresh project were beyond your control. But could the issue have been avoided if you had been more proactive about following up with other team members or alerted your boss in advance to issues that jeopardized the due dates? 

Respond with facts. If you don’t think you deserve the feedback you received, it’s best to respond with facts instead of emotions. Get specific examples from your supervisor of how and when you failed to meet expectations. This information can help you counter the evaluation or better understand where you went wrong. Note which assessments you don’t agree with; then following your meeting, look through your files and determine if your records reflect your manager’s assessment. If you think they don’t, go back to him or her and compare notes. You’re both human, so it’s possible either or both of you made a mistake or misinterpreted a certain situation.

Collaborate on a plan. A few days after your review, once you’ve let the feedback sink in, take the opportunity to address the points your manager has made and work with him or her to develop a plan for moving forward. Together, the two of you should set performance goals — build your communication skills, for instance; establish action items — enroll in a professional development course, perhaps; and map out a timetable for completing them — say, within three months. Also, schedule follow-up meetings to track your progress.

Keep the lines clear. If receiving a negative performance review comes as a shock to you, it’s likely that you aren’t doing a good job of communicating with your manager. To rectify this, schedule a regular meeting with your supervisor so you can keep him or her apprised of your current projects, priorities and challenges. If you’re not meeting expectations, the meetings should help alert you to the situation well before your next performance review.

It’s important to note that a lack of consistent communication not only can set the stage for a rude awakening at review time, but also can be the source of the poor assessment. An evaluation of your firm’s privacy control policies that your supervisor considers critical, for instance, might not have made it past your back burner if the two of you were not on the same page. Regular communication can prevent these types of misunderstandings, especially as the economy begins to recover and focus areas change.

Give yourself a break. You may feel like you’re the only person who’s ever received a poor performance review, but most IT professionals can point to at least one subpar appraisal over the course of their career. Even top performers have areas in which they can improve. Instead of sulking, learn from the experience. Your manager’s feedback may highlight skill deficiencies you were unaware of or weaknesses that you considered strengths. Ultimately, the comments you receive could help you strengthen your skill set and enhance your performance.

Above all, don’t let a poor performance review affect your relationship with your manager. He or she has a significant impact on your career, and it’s important to remain on good terms. Be professional in all interactions, even if you disagree on certain points.

By Dave Willmer

Time Management in Today's Workplace

Because many organizations are operating with leaner staffs and smaller budgets, you may be managing heavier workloads with fewer resources. How can you get everything done without overloading yourself and burning out? Here are a few tips to help you manage your time.

Put together a plan. It might seem cliché, but one of the best tools at your disposal is a simple to-do list. At the beginning of the week, take a few minutes to note — in a PDA, day planner or just a sheet of paper — what you have to accomplish that week, highlighting whatever daily deadlines you may have. Review it at the beginning and end of each day, adjust it as and when necessary, and stay on top of your most pressing priorities.

Focus on just one thing. Contrary to popular belief, multitasking can kill your efficiency. It may seem like you can save time by tackling several projects at once, but if you jump on a conference call while answering e-mail and putting together the agenda for an upcoming meeting, your decreased attention on each task is likely to lead to mistakes or cause you to overlook important items.

If you find yourself being pulled in multiple directions, determine which task is most important and focus on it. Keep in mind the assignment with the closest deadline may not be your most pressing concern. An important production deadline may not hit until next week, but it will likely take precedence over a brainstorming session you have planned for the next day.

Evaluate where you spend your time. Keep track of your workload for a week, noting every time you switch projects and how long you spend on each task. Don’t worry about being overly detailed — this process should be informal.

At the end of the week, you should be able to identify where you can streamline or eliminate tasks. In addition, you’ll have a good idea of when you are most — and least — productive. Take advantage of your normal rhythm. For example, you might lose steam as the day progresses and realize it’s best to tackle your most complex assignments first thing in the morning.

Avoid interruptions. Whether it’s the co-worker who insists on swinging by to talk about the TV shows he watched the night before, an incoming text message or a constant stream of e-mails, distractions pop up all the time. To avoid them, schedule some time when you can unplug and concentrate exclusively on the project at hand.

For example, Friday afternoon may be an ideal time to forward calls to voice mail and shut down your e‑mail program, at least temporarily. If you’re finding it hard to set aside time, block out your calendar as you would for any meeting, so others know you’re unavailable during a certain period.

Clean up. Take a moment to step back and look at your work area. Do you know where all your most important documents are? If the answer is no, or even maybe, it’s time to clean up. File or discard old documents and e-mails and organize information you need to access frequently.

It may seem daunting at first, especially if you haven’t gone through things in a while, but you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish in a short amount of time. Set aside a few minutes at the end of each day to tidy up. A cleaner, more organized work area will help you locate items quicker and also makes it easier for people to find important files in your absence.

Ask for help. Don’t be afraid to request assistance. You may think it’s a sign of weakness to ask someone else for help, but it’s actually a sign of a smart worker. Top-notch employees know when they can accomplish a task alone and when they need some support to get the job done. Also offer to lend others a hand whenever you’re able to spare some time. It’s not only a nice thing to do; it also makes it more likely those people will return the favor when you’re overwhelmed.

As IT professionals see their workloads grow, the temptation often is to work longer hours to accomplish everything. But the longer your workdays are, the greater the risk of burning out. By managing your time more effectively, you can eventually get more done in less time.