Angie Morgan is a Marine veteran who is a coauthor, along with Courtney Lynch and Sean Lynch, of the new book "Spark: How to Lead Yourself and Others to Greater Success." In this video, Angie Morgan explains how well the people in our lives observe us every day. Asking for their honest feedback can show us where we need improvement. Following is a transcript of the video.

A lot of people we work with, and around, hold the key to how we can be more successful in either relationships or at work.

And just thinking: wow, people observe me every single day and they may have tips or ideas on how I can be better. So as a leader, you have to inspire candor so you actually get that information and that can be really tough.

One of the things I like to advise professionals on is just have an ongoing conversation, whether it's with their direct reports, or whether with their peers, and just being able to ask simple questions such as, “Can you please share with me two things I'm doing really well in the circumstance and two areas where you think I can improve?”

Now, whenever you ask that question from the first time, out the gate, people might be a little, “I don't know. I don't know where you can improve,” or, “I don't want to give you criticism.” But if you keep asking eventually over time you show a willingness to receive that information and ultimately you help establish trust so people can give you that information.

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I've had some great bosses — the kinds of leaders who made me look forward to going to work, and whose examples I try to follow as a leader myself.

(Of course, I've also had some not-so-great bosses. You probably have too.)

There are certain things almost anyone can adopt to become a better boss. It all starts with a series of daily habits — none of which is especially difficult to practice, if you put your mind to it.

Here are 27 simple but crucial things the best bosses do every day.

1. They display their sense of humor.

No, they don't have to tell jokes, but great bosses display their appreciation of humor. It's important, because it enables them to maintain their bearing in tough situations. H.G. Wells put it best: "The crisis of today is the joke of tomorrow."

2. They share their vision.

Of course, this presupposes that they actually have a vision (see No. 20). Sharing the vision means making it accessible, relatable, and clear to the members of their teams. Otherwise, how do employees know what they're working toward?

3. They demonstrate that the organization is bigger than one person.

Nobody wants to work for someone who thinks the organization is all about the boss. Great bosses demonstrate that they value other people and the organization as much as themselves. Related: Someday the boss will move on. He needs a succession plan.

4. They understand people have outside lives.

Good bosses today empathize when employees have legitimate outside commitments: child care, dentist appointments, vacations, etc. They expect dedication to work, but they also understand and expect dedication to other important aspects of life.

5. They create more leaders.

Good leaders can gather lots of followers, but truly great leaders demonstrate their eagerness to help other people become even better leaders. On any given day, this can mean showing trust, faith, and excitement in others' development.

6. They think hard about hiring decisions.

Great leaders and bosses learn to delegate. Doing that comfortably means recruiting true superstars whom you feel great about delegating to. As a high-ranking government official once told me, "Personnel is even more important than policy."

7. They share credit.

Great bosses understand that everyone needs to hear that his or her contributions are valued and appreciated, and they seek out opportunities to give credit.

8. They end bad employment decisions cleanly.

A bad hiring decision is at least partly the boss's fault. So, great bosses remedy their mistakes, by terminating bad employment decisions fairly, ethically, and legally.

9. They accept blame.

Failure isn't necessarily a bad thing, as long as people learn from it and try other things in its wake. Still, it's important for a leader to accept that the failure itself usually has to fall on his or her shoulders.

10. They celebrate when things go well.

Nobody wants to work at a place where the only reward for good work is more work. Good bosses avoid being like this guy (and not just because he's dead).

11. They make decisions.

Hard decisions are often the best decisions; they're the things people need decided most desperately. (My colleague Justin Bariso recently spotted an excellent implementation of decision making that he notes in an article of his about Jeff Bezos: "disagree and commit.")

12. They know what they're talking about.

Ideally, a boss should have subject matter experts and subordinate leaders who are more knowledgeable about their fields than he or she is. But the boss has to have enough familiarity and knowledge to lead.

13. They demonstrate confidence.

Confidence without competence is a recipe for disaster, but bosses who want to lead have to demonstrate to their team that they believe in themselves, their team, and their mission.

14. They respect other people's time.

Largely, this means being on time. If you can't track time yourself, set the time on your smartphone. But also: speeches and meetings. Schedule them, yes — but only as necessary.

15. They know when to push harder.

Sometimes the most motivating words a boss can say to an employee are a bit critical: "I know you can do better."

16. They know when to back off.

That said, while asking for people to rise to the occasion can be effective, great bosses have the emotional intelligence to understand when they've pushed too far and to adjust.

17. They set priorities, and they share them.

If everything is a priority, nothing is. So great bosses make clear what they think is most important. Ideally, they adhere to the rule of three — three being the optimal number of things most people can devote attention to at any one time.

18. They share information.

Insecure bosses hold onto information like a commodity, parceling it out carefully to make them feel powerful. True, there are times when it's necessary to hold information closely for strategic reasons — but great bosses make transparency their default setting.

19. They're polite — or at least personable.

Being polite costs nothing, generates good feelings, and increases comity. Don't confuse politeness with a lack of toughness, however; they can go hand in hand. The opposite of politeness is rudeness (not weakness).

20. They think big enough.

Great bosses recognize that they're asking people to spend at least a third of their waking hours working on their vision. So they make sure it's a big and worthy enough vision.

21. They act ethically and set high standards.

Employees often take the boss's lead. So while ethics means different things to different people, know that whatever example you set, those working for you will likely follow it.

22. They ask intelligent questions.

Interestingly, the smartest question is sometimes the basic one that people are afraid to ask because they think it will reveal a lack of knowledge or understanding. (Related: They admit when they don't know.)

23. They hear people out.

A great boss recognizes that even though he or she needs to project confidence, that doesn't mean he or she has to know everything. Boss, you hired your team for a reason. You make the final call, but you owe it to yourself to listen to them.

24. They lead by example.

Great bosses work hard and demonstrate that they value their team's work. They also lead by example in other ways: for example, treating customers well, and making efficiency a priority. Whatever the boss does, he or she is asking everyone else to act the same way.

25. They care for themselves.

Speaking of leading by example: Great bosses make it clear that they value their health, their families, their faith (whatever that faith is), and their other priorities. It's harder for anyone else to act that way if the boss doesn't model it.

26. Think before they speak.

Great bosses realize that there's no such thing as an innocuous remark when you're in charge. There is power in being casual and informal, and you should be friendly and approachable — but don't blunder into saying things you don't mean by not thinking about your words.

27. They encourage others' development.

Great bosses encourage education, training, exploration, and networking. Fearful bosses worry instead that their best employees will outshine them (or move elsewhere). If you hold up your end of the deal as a boss, chances are you'll get a better and more committed employee.

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For the millennial generation, it can feel almost impossible to to stay fit and healthy, maintain a social life, and have your career sorted by the time you hit your 20s.

It's easy to look at the most successful people in the world and wonder how on earth they got there.

However, while some famous icons knew what they wanted to do and achieved success early on, others took a longer, more twisted journey to get to that point.

They may be rich, famous, or powerful now, but at the age of 20, things — for most — looked a little different.

Scroll down to see how 15 highly successful people got to where they are now, and what life looked for them in their late teenage years and early 20s. You might find you relate to some of their journeys.

J. K. Rowling went to Elephant Fayre festival.

JK Rowling is best known as the genius behind the "Harry Potter" series, but she didn't come up with the idea for Harry, Ron, and Hermione until she was 25. She struggled to get the book published at first, and couldn't focus at work, which led to her being fired from Amnesty International.

According the The Daily Mail, Rowling spent her teenage years going to festivals and hitch-hiking around the UK.

Bill Gates was busy writing computer code.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates discovered his love of computers at age 13 while at a prep school in Seattle. There, he wrote computer code for a version of tic-tac-toe, and then met and went into business with Paul Allen, his Microsoft cofounder, according to Biography.com.

Gates attended Harvard University, but then dropped out at age 20 in 1975 to focus on Microsoft, which then made him the world's richest self-made billionaire.

Jeff Bezos was flipping burgers.

Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon, started his professional career in McDonald's when he was a teenager. According to Cody Teets, author of "Golden Opportunity: Remarkable Careers That Began at McDonald's," he wasn't very good at it.

Bezos told Teets: "My first week on the job, a five-gallon, wall-mounted ketchup dispenser got stuck open in the kitchen and dumped a prodigious quantity of ketchup into every hard-to-reach kitchen crevice."

"Since I was the new guy, they handed me the cleaning solution and said, 'Get going!' I was a grill man and never worked the cash registers. The most challenging thing was keeping everything going at the right pace during a rush."

Spearheading the sustainable energy movement. Attempting to solve rush hour traffic. Exploring the unknown regions of outer space. Responding to fans (and critics) on social media.

To say billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk is keeping busy would surely be an understatement.

Nevertheless, Musk took some time out of his monster schedule to share updates on his latest projects at the most recent TED conference— and in the process he shared some brilliant career advice.

Speaking on the subject of space exploration, and why he's invested so much time and money in SpaceX (his space transport company), despite the fact that so many view it as a distraction, Musk traced back the recent steps of the U.S. space program, which he essentially described as heading in the wrong direction.

He then said the following:

"People are mistaken when they think that technology just automatically improves. It does not automatically improve. It only improves if a lot of people work very hard to make it better, and actually it will, I think, by itself degrade, actually.

You look at great civilizations like Ancient Egypt, and they were able to make the pyramids, and they forgot how to do that. And then the Romans, they built these incredible aqueducts. They forgot how to do it."

We could sum up Musk's point in a single sentence:

If you're not progressing, you're regressing; so, keep moving forward.

Why this is great advice.

It doesn't really matter what your personal goals are. The key to success in any field or endeavor is to keep moving forward.

A progressive mentality doesn't mean that you'll never experience major setbacks, or even utter failure — which can deliver vital lessons and invaluable experience. (Just ask Musk, or any successful entrepreneur, how many times he's gotten it wrong before getting it right.) Additionally, reflecting on how far you've come can provide necessary motivation.

But there's danger in keeping focused on the rear-view mirror, so to speak.

It eventually leads to a crash.

To maintain a mentality of moving forward, you must:

• resist needlessly dwelling on mistakes and instead identify lessons learned and move on;
• continue to set challenging yet reachable goals — especially after scoring big;
• aspire, not to be a know-it-all, but rather to be a learn-it-all; and
• never give up. Ever.

When it comes to continually moving forward, Musk walks the walk.

Like when he recently marked a major achievement by SpaceX — not by sitting back and basking in the glory, but instead by making sure the next challenge was clear.

Or, when a customer complained about Tesla's breakneck pace for innovation, and Musk tweeted this.

Remember, there are no shortcuts. True success is about hard work and resilience — the ability to keep getting up when you're tempted to throw in the towel.

Because if you're not moving forward, you're headed in the wrong direction.

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Balancing motherhood and a career is quite a tightrope act.

But, according to a recent survey from personal finance site WalletHub, it's easier done in some states than others.

To find the best states for moms who work outside the home, WalletHub assigned each US state and Washington DC a score based on numerous factors, including women's median annual salary adjusted for the cost of living, daycare quality, the gender pay gap, childcare costs adjusted for the median women's salary, and the female unemployment rate. The rankings also assigned each state a parental leave policy score, based on this 2016 study from the National Partnership for Women and Families.

To read more about the study's methodology, check out the full report here.

Here are the top 15 states for working mothers:

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15. District of Columbia

Median women's salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $37,292

Childcare costs (adjusted for the median women's salary): 26.70%

Average length of a woman's work week: 38.7 hours

Parental leave ranking: 2

The capital of the US has the second lowest gender pay gap in the rankings and the second best parental leave policies.

14. Indiana

Median women's salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $40,642

Childcare costs (adjusted for the median women's salary): 17.36%

Average length of a woman's work week: 35.4 hours

Parental leave ranking: 34

Indiana has the fourth highest women's median salary out of all 50 states and Washington DC.

13. Wisconsin

Median women's salary (adjusted for the cost of living): $37,940

Childcare costs (adjusted for the median women's salary): 23.85%

Average length of a woman's work week: 35.1 hours

Parental leave ranking: 16

Wisconsin's high quality day cares and schools launch the Badger State to the 13th spot on the list.

Every office has one person who has enough confidence to get other people to do their work for them.

And it's usually not because they're lazy. These people often have a lot of drive and are used to getting their own way, especially if they're surrounded by people who let them get away with it.

Sometimes they might be completely oblivious to what they're doing, but other times they might be trying to assert their dominance and walk all over you.

According to Juliet Hailstone, product marketing manager at talent management and HR company MHR, relationships about power are inevitable at work. However, you do have some control about how you deal with the situation.

Here, she offers five tips on how to stop these strong personalities from taking advantage of you.

1. Set expectations — and enforce them.

The key, Hailstone says, is knowing your own boundaries. Sometimes work pushes us out of our comfort zone, which is a good thing because it forces us to grow and learn. However, if we are asked to pick up work that other people are responsible for, this can get tiring, fast.

To avoid being seen as "negative," Hailstone recommends you identify what you define as your own work, and suggest a solution to the cause of the problem.

"Perhaps the person responsible is struggling with time management or needs more training," she told Business Insider. "Be firm, but show you care and would like to help find a solution."

2. Make sure you're being heard.

Of course, this is easier said than done. This is especially true, Hailstone says, if you're not used to being assertive and hate confrontation. She says you should remember that this is okay, and many people feel this way.

"Have some phrases in mind to use when you are asked to do something you feel is not yours to do, and be direct," she said. "Try not to make excuses and, again, be firm and factual."

For example, you could say: "I agree that needs to be done. However, I am responsible for [this] and am not best placed to complete this task."

If you can, suggest an alternative so it doesn't look like you're simply ignoring the problem.

3. Remember that 'no' is your friend.

People won't necessarily realise they're walking all over you — sometimes they might just be used to getting away with shifting responsibilities and don't realise they're even doing it.

Hailstone says that although "no" is a scary word, it's actually a powerful business tool.

"It can certainly take practice to deliver confidently, but if you have good reason for unleashing its power, it can be the key to rebalancing an unbalanced relationship in the world of work," she said.

4. Practise sticking up for yourself.

Like with everything, the more you stand up for yourself, the easier it will get. Hailstone says she often gives herself a pep-talk in the mirror if she knows she will be challenged in a meeting or presentation.

"We can all practise making eye contact, communicating with people, and saying no — with reasonable explanation — in our personal and work lives, which makes the process of asserting ourselves, delivering clear messages, and saying no a much more natural process," she said.

5. Keep your own objectives in mind.

Refusing someone might make you feel guilty at first, but remember that your needs are just as important as your colleague's.

"Taking this approach means that your 'no' response is objective, well thought out, and difficult to reason against," Hailstone said. "It will help to rebalance the power in your relationship with the person doing the requesting and, ultimately, should lead to more rational and more reasonable requests being made in the future."

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Georgette Blau hired a friend to help her growing business. It was easy. A few years into her building On Location Tours, a sightseeing business with brands including the Sopranos Tour, it was still a relatively small operation in New York City, with four full-time employees and about 16 part-time guides.

As the company expanded, Blau decided to bring on someone to help with operations. "She had a great personality and a lot of energy and worked in tourism, and she understood a lot about operations," she says.

Blau soon realized she'd made the wrong decision. The friend began making unauthorized charges on the company credit card--not for herself, but not budgeted either. There was dissension in the staff. But Blau delayed firing her. "Because I was a new business owner, the actual firing not only took me longer, but I was also second-guessing myself that I hadn't seen the signs," she says. "I was angry at myself." The friendship terminated immediately too.

She shouldn't be so hard on herself. It's perfectly natural and common, especially in launch phase, to hire buddies for crucial roles. After all, these are people you know and trust; they've seen your passion. But if they aren't measuring up as employees, they can also take a professional and emotional toll, not to mention damage your business.

Having to fire a friend is a critical test, according to Robert Bruner of the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. "It is often remembered as one of the pivotal events in the development of a leader," he says, "because it crystallizes the question: For whom or what do you lead?" Prepare to step up to this leadership challenge, just in case.

It happens to owners, too.

Kathryn Minshew and Alexandra Cavoulacos, co-founders of career site the Muse and former McKinsey consultants, got ousted from a previous startup they'd co-founded with two friends.

Can a close friendship survive a professional breakup? "It's very hard to predict how someone will react when they get fired," says Minshew, who was devastated when the partnership disintegrated. "It depends on so many aspects--that person's personality, and whether they were expecting it or it was a surprise, and how they feel about you or the company's role."

Communication before and after the fact will largely determine how things work out. (She and Cavoulacos are co-authors of The New Rules of Work.) When there are performance issues, "you should give them clear and specific feedback, and then give them a legitimate chance to improve things before you terminate the relationship," says Minshew. But assuming you've already had that conver­sation, you need to articulate the decision. Isolate your role as employer from your role as a friend, but be willing to talk about things later, either as adviser or friend. The more you can be the boss and not the friend, the more likely you will be able to save the friendship.

There are some other critical steps to consider when you need to let a friend go.

Get there before you get here.

Entrepreneurs are inherently optimistic but not always realistic. Be prepared for this situation by planning for a variety of outcomes when you hire a friend. "It's not out of place to use marriage as a metaphor," says Ashley Kelly, a partner in the law firm Arnall Golden Gregory, who specializes in employment law.

Consider it a professional prenup; it can be critical for both partnerships and subordinate relationships. "Particularly when you're dealing with small businesses and entrepreneurial folks who have gone into business together," says Kelly, "promises are often made about equity stakes and future shares, promises that you fully expect to deliver on." In short, be very detailed in the organizational documents on how to measure success; on who gets what and why and when they get it; and on any situations that would change these terms in a significant way, such as a job termination.

Despite having controlling interest in their previous venture, Minshew and Cavoulacos lost the fight but learned much from the experience, which informed how they set up the Muse. They went through every worst-case scenario they could imagine and talked about what might happen, and what the outcomes could be. "We made sure we worked with a lawyer to protect ourselves and the company," says Minshew.

That requires having some of the difficult conversations up front, she admits, but it's easier to have those conversations when your company is just beginning and you're excited about working with someone than it is when you're up and running--and running into trouble.

Don't ignore early warning signs; don't drag it out.

The longer you sidestep the situation, the worse it may become once you get to the point of action. The stress Blau's friend was causing made it feel as though the woman had been working there for years. "But it was only five months," Blau says. And it should have been less.

You've made the decision. Now get ready to take the action.
Make sure you have documented the reason for your decision, says Kelly, "whether it's examples of situations where the skill set wasn't adequate or the performance was subpar."

The hardest part: Be prepared to lose a friend.

You've made a rational business decision, but ultimately it's not just business. Let your friend take the lead on deciding whether the relationship is salvageable, in what form, and after what period of time, says Minshew. Don't try to pretend nothing has happened or insist on continuing the friendship. Something did happen: You made a decision that will improve your business.

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It's Mental Health Awareness week and as such, it is pertinent that adopting a zero tolerance approach to bullying is at the top of the agenda for all employers.

Evidence shows that bullying in all its forms can be devastating to mental health. It can lead to a range of afflictions from anxiety to depression, and in severe cases, even suicide.

Bullying is a perennial problem for employers that internal grievance procedures are not often adept at resolving.

Many bullied people keep quiet for fear of reprisals or career damage. Many bullies go unchecked for years, unaware of the devastation their behaviour may cause. It seems to be a particularly British problem, perhaps with its beginnings in the school playground. But it never seems to go away. Much more teaching needs to be done around this. Employers have a key role here.

The new kid on the block

But what about the relatively new kid on the block, cyber bullying? Do employers need to worry about it? And are they doing anything about it? It’s a new concern, but a big one that needs to be addressed, especially given that employers may be liable for any act of discrimination during the course of employment.

Employers need to show that they have taken reasonable steps to prevent it.

Blurred lines

Social media blurs the already blurred line around what “in the course of employment” means. If you go to the pub with colleagues after work and sexually harass a co-worker, is your employer liable?

Potentially, if they are work drinks.

Are Facebook posts about work colleagues an employer’s responsibility?

Potentially again; many co-workers will be Facebook friends outside of work, even if they are not really friends in the traditional sense. This gives greater access to personal information and opportunities for unfortunate and inappropriate remarks to be made. Relationships in work can then get a little complicated.

We know that social media is used for bullying, trolling, and expressing opinions in the public domain that might not necessarily be aired face to face.

It’s a problem. Freedom of speech is pushed to its limits, and on social media, unlike reality, this is seemingly OK. It isn’t always. At a time when casual racism and hysteria around immigration policy is on the rise, employers need to be on guard to islamophobia, xenophobia and racism.

Sexism too. Employers need an awareness that this can easily spill over into the office and become their responsibility if the link between the people involved is work.

Reasonable steps

So what should employers be doing to combat cyber bullying, and bullying more widely? The first and most critical thing is to have a policy around bullying and unacceptable conduct at work. An equal opportunities, bullying, or dignity at work policy (or a combination of all three) coupled with a social media policy are the starting point. Sanctions must follow for anyone falling foul of the workplace rules.

Communicate

But merely having a policy isn’t enough. All policies need to be communicated and brought to life. Most importantly, staff must be aware that the consequences of cyber bullying could be severe: disciplinary action, and in serious cases misconduct dismissal.

Employers must stamp down on banter that some may think is harmless, but which is offensive to others.

Most banter isn’t harmless, and just because it’s on social media doesn’t make it any less dangerous. Employers must tell their people what they expect from them, and what they will not tolerate. After all, comments can come back to bite, not just because of possible legal claims, but also the reputational issues at stake.

Karen Jackson is managing director at Didlaw.

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Four years ago, while at York University, Charlie Taylor realised that something was missing from the apps on his phone.

In the millennial age, we do everything from shopping to emailing to booking holidays on our phones, but planning out careers is something that seems to have missed out on going mobile.

Taylor put a pin in the idea when he joined the Ernst & Young graduate scheme, until after about a year he asked the company's head of recruitment: "How are you reaching the most mobile audience in the world through their mobiles?"

In short, they weren't.

Taylor then went to 40 other heads of recruitment at FTSE 100 companies and found that nobody was filling this niche. That's when he decided to quit his job and build the world's first careers app for students, Debut, which launched in 2015.

The app launched with about 40 companies on board, and by the end of this year there will be about 80 multinationals using it including Tesla, Deutsche Bank, Microsoft, Deloitte, L'Oréal, Siemens, Rolls Royce, and the NHS.

So how does it work?

You simply register with the app, then you see some of the world's biggest employers coming to you, rather than having to chase them.

According to Taylor, many big companies are struggling to attract graduates from certain parts of the country with specific skills. For example, Vodafone might already have 30,000 applications for a role, but they want to target graduates of a particular nationality or who speak a certain language.

If someone with those specific skills is on the Debut app, they will get a notification straight to their phone asking them to come in for an interview. Simple as that.

Companies now chase candidates, not the other way around

"It's really empowering for the students," Taylor told Business Insider. "It kind of reverses that communication — employers coming to you, and you not having to go through stages and stages of selection, because actually, you are somebody who they find really difficult to attract in the first place."

You wouldn't expect to be asked into an interview by walking down the road and knocking on the doors of companies, but Taylor says Debut is practically allowing that to happen.

In June, the app is taking personalisation one step further by introducing eight mobile assessments. These will be tests that show how good applicants are at things like numerical reasoning, spacial reasoning, and multitasking.

"The talent spot for the new season in September will allow employers not just to target on education and social background, but also on things like your ability to reason, which will be particularly good for people who haven't got the practical academic labels that employers always look for," Taylor said. "Or they might say, 'To be honest, we don't mind if someone's got a 2:2, what we want is someone who's great at reasoning, verbal and numerical,' and now Debut can provide that."

Another way in for graduates and students is by playing games on the app. Debut has games built for Deutsche Bank and L'Oréal, and in September the team is launching one for EY and Microsoft. The idea is if a candidate gets a high enough score, they win an internship at the company.

'Students love status'

Another reason the platform is tackling the traditional job hunt market is by making it accessible. If a student is lying in bed at 1 a.m. and has a brainwave about their career path, they might not be that inclined to fire up their laptop and create a profile on a job site or re-write their CV and send off an application.

Having access to employers and recruiters from an app on your phone is a more realistic expectation.

"Students love status," Taylor said. "You can imagine that butterfly feeling in your stomach, imagine your mum or dad being like, 'Get off your phone,' and you say actually, 'I've just been talent spotted by Rolls Royce, and I'm going straight into an interview.'"

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The San Fransisco-based hedge fund Numerai is currently advertising for a full stack engineer.

You would be paid pretty well — $130,000 to $160,000 (or about £100,000 to £124,000) — to develop the numer.ai stock market app, and work with the team of mathematicians and machine learning experts.

There's also the employee perk of having the opportunity to be "cryonically preserved" after your death.

Yes, the company is offering its employees the chance to be shipped off to Alcor when they die, so their bodies can be drained of fluids and preserved in the hope they can one day be revived if medicine advances enough.

According to the ad, this is because "Numerai cares about its employees beyond their legal deaths."

The practice involves dropping the body temperature to -196 degrees Celsius and replacing all bodily fluids with a mixture of organ preservation and antifreeze chemicals called a cryoprotectant. That's so your blood doesn't freeze and puncture your cells. The process usually costs about £100,000, but it's cheaper if you just want to get your brain frozen.

In an interview with Motherboard, Numerai founder Richard Craib said he was inspired by his own membership to Alcor.

"If you want to have a chance of living much, much longer, then whether cryonics gives a five percent chance or a ten percent chance, it's still very good value for money,"he said. "When I realized you could do it through a life insurance policy, then you're only paying a few hundred dollars a month for the chance of eternal life."

There are various technological skills the ideal candidate should have, including coding languages and a "keen interest in cryptocurrencies." They should also be proactive, optimistic, passionate, contrarian, honest, and should "seek truth above what is easy or makes you look good."

If this sounds like the ideal job for you, you can apply here.

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When it comes to running a successful company, Richard Branson is a seasoned pro.

He started his first business aged just 17 and has been in the game for 50 years, making billions of pounds along the way. Currently, the Virgin Group owns over 200 companies in more than 30 countries worldwide.

On the Virgin website, Branson has just revealed some of his top tips on making good business decisions. He said it is not that different to sitting on a jury, as you should tackle all reasonable doubt before making a judgement.

Here are five rules which he believes have got him to where he is today:

1. Don't judge a book by its cover

Branson said although he's big on first impressions, he doesn't let them influence his decision making. If you have a good feeling about an idea, you may well be right, but it's important to be objective.

2. Do your homework

You should go digging around for any red flags, said Branson, because discovering the drawbacks of a new venture after you've done the deal doesn't do you any favours. It's especially important to do some investigating when everyone is unanimously in favour of going ahead with the idea, he added.

"Nothing is perfect, so work hard at uncovering whatever hidden warts the thing might have and by removing them you’ll only make it better still," Branson said.

3. Avoid making decisions in isolation

Branson refers to something called "the decision stream," which is basically how every decision has an impact on your ability to take on future opportunities.

While one idea might seem too exciting to pass on, you have to consider how it will affect your existing projects or priorities. Weigh up the risks of putting something on hold, or prioritising it over your other ideas.

4. Do everything you can reduce risk

According to Branson, all wise investors find inventive ways to mitigate losses if things go wrong.

"For example, when we started Virgin Atlantic, the only way I got my business partners in Virgin Records to begrudgingly accept the risks involved was by getting Boeing to agree to take back our one 747 after a year if things weren’t working out as we hoped," he said.

"To this day, with giant, capital-intensive ventures like Virgin Galactic and Virgin Voyages, we always spend a lot of time in finding inventive ways to mitigate the downside."

5. Give it time

Branson says the "orchestrated procrastination" approach is worth trying because doing more research than less is very rarely a bad thing. Giving yourself more time might mean you find better alternatives, or the market could change and you'll find yourself glad you didn't take the chance.

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NOW WATCH: 3 things that could be making you unhappy

I recently came across an article by a fellow Inc. contributor that claimed waking up at 5 AM increases productivity. It sounds like solid advice. After all, Benjamin Franklin said, "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a person healthy, wealthy, and wise."

As a behavioral scientist, I had to ask: Is this true? Will you actually be better off waking up at 5 AM? After examining the research, I have to disagree. We're not all early risers. Unless you are biologically wired to wake early, you shouldn't force yourself. Here are three reasons why:

1. It could reduce happiness

A lot of successful people wake up early to get a head start on their work. According to circadian neuroscientist Russell Foster, there is no research that says waking up early makes you more productive. It also doesn't mean you'll be richer — there's no difference in socioeconomic status between late and early risers.

In fact, in a survey on what makes people happiest, the number one factor was getting enough sleep. Far below that was social interaction.

2. It goes against your biological nature

Dr. Michael Breus, also known as "The Sleep Doctor", stresses that our bodies are programmed to function best at certain times of the day. This time preference varies from person to person because we each have different biological clocks. In "The Power of When", Dr. Breus separates these preferences into four Chronotypes or categories — Dolphin, Lion, Bear, and Wolf.

• Lions are morning people that tend to rise with the sun.
• Bears are the most common or normal sleep pattern, in which you sleep at night and are up during the day.
• Dolphins never sleep well at all. In nature, dolphins only let half of their brain sleep at a time.
• Wolves stay up late at night working and are most productive during those hours.

Our biology influences what times of the day we are most productive. The overwhelming majority of all people are not built to consistently wake up at 5 AM.

Unless you are a Lion, built for waking up early, don't force yourself. You may be able to do it for a short time, but it is not sustainable. Eventually, you are going to crash.

3. You lose productivity

Waking up at an unnatural time for you can cause sleep deprivation. When you are tired, you lose productivity. You become more irritable and are less functional.

Studies estimate that the effects of sleep loss can mirror those of intoxication. In fact, one study found that after 17 to 19 hours without rest, people performed the same as or worse than someone who had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of 0.05 percent. Reaction times were 50 percent slower in people that were sleep deprived in comparison to those that had been drinking.

For those few people that are biologically predetermined early risers, waking up at 5 AM may be natural and helpful. However, the majority of us are built to sleep on a different cycle and trying to change it is like trying to fight gravity. No matter how high you jump you will always be pulled back down. Never feel bad because you aren't waking up at the crack of dawn. You wouldn't benefit from forcing yourself to do it anyway. In the long-term, it could negatively disrupt your biological sleep cycle and decrease happiness — without making you more efficient or giving anything truly valuable in return.

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Women want to be seen as less career-driven when men are watching.

That appears to be the finding of a Harvard study (first spotted by Quartz), which asked MBA students to answer questions about their ideal jobs, in terms of salary, hours worked, and travel.

Titled 'Acting Wife,' the researchers divided single women questioned into two groups: One was told their responses would be discussed by their peers. The other was told that their answers would be anonymous.

They found that those who were having their answers shared in front of men displayed less ambition than those answering questions on an anonymous basis.

The 'public' group of single women said they wanted $18,000 (£14,000) less pay per year, to travel seven fewer days a month, and work four hours less per week than their anonymous counterparts. They also said they would take an 18% cut in pay for working 8% fewer hours, suggesting they would prioritise home life over a bigger salary.

In a separate experiment conducted by Harvard researchers, they divided participants into all-female and mixed groups. They asked the participants if they would prefer a job with long hours and a big salary or a low-paying job with shorter working hours.

Some 68% of single women in the all-female groups wanted the high salary, compared to just 42% when men were around. Furthermore, 79% of those in the all-female group would choose a career that had a fast-track to promotion, compared to just 37% in the group where men were listening.

This dramatic difference was only seen in single women, not women in relationships or men of any relationship status. Whether conscious or not, single women appeared to be making themselves come across as less ambitious.

The researchers couldn't say what the specific reason for this was. One explanation they offered was that women are constantly aware of whether they are attractive to the opposite sex, regardless of whether it is detrimental to their careers.

"Single women shy away from actions that could improve their careers to avoid signalling undesirable
personality traits to the marriage market," the study said.

The researchers said they hope that future studies explore the long-term consequences of this trade-off, to find ways of mitigating the effects on women's careers.

"Our results suggest that obscuring certain actions could affect gender gaps," the study added.

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NOW WATCH: A retired US Navy admiral explains what he learned from being fired early in his career

When applying for a new job, the first thing most people do is dust off their résumé. It's the go-to way of showcasing your work experience and skills.

But in the age of LinkedIn, the paper CV is dying, according to Charlie Taylor, the founder of careers app Debut. He believes there are more effective and reliable ways to show a company what you're made of.

"This conversation has been going on for 10 years, about how much value does a CV hold," he explained. "And my honest feeling is it's going. It's slow but it is going."

Debut matches recruiters with candidates and Taylor said the companies on the app that request a CV are in the minority. In fact, some firms joined Debut so they wouldn't have to look at a CV ever again. In as little as five years, Taylor said the CV could be completely obsolete.

"It's a bit of a cliche, but CVs are part of an analogue, restricted world," he said. "And the world we're living in is a digital, unlimited one. I think the CV is one part of that industry that is still left behind that we're trying to modernise."

Debut wants to be able to capture the skills you say you have on your CV and back them up with evidence from the hiring managers that meet you. Through Debut, candidates are being interviewed by its clients, including Deutsche Bank, Rolls Royce, and Deloitte, and their skills are being logged.

"If you sit in front of a recruiter and they see you practise that skill. They see that you're really intellectually curious for example, so for the 10 minutes they're talking to you they know you have that skill," Taylor said. "When a conversation finishes and they walk off and you walk off...that raw skill you've got is lost."

Debut wants to capture these skills by asking companies for feedback on all the interviews they have arranged and collecting that information on your profile. Because notable companies like Microsoft and Ernst & Young, for example, have noted that you are organised or a good leader, a potential employer is more likely to take that information at face value.

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NOW WATCH: Before starting her own company, this 26-year-old told Google she'll quit in 2 years before taking the job

The problem with emails is that your words can come back to haunt you.

There are certain faux-pas that make you look unprofessional, like accidentally hitting reply-all or spelling someone's name wrong.

Sometimes, you can be caught being plain rude about somebody.

This is what happened at British company Tecomak Environmental Services, which was looking to hire an office administrator, reports the BBC.

An employee forwarded on an application to a colleague with some comments about the candidate in question, Anna Jacobs.

These included disparaging remarks about her being a "biscuit short of a packet or a left-wing loon tree hugger" and a "home educated oddball." The Tecomak employee concluded that Jacobs was "worth an interview if only for a laugh."

The trouble is, Tecomak accidentally attached these comments to an email when it responded to Jacobs. The candidate, from Kent in England, was not impressed and shared her story with the BBC:

"This absolutely awful summary was attached," she said. "I thought: How dare somebody say that about my CV and myself."

Business Insider has attempted to contact Tecomak for comment. The company's website was down on Monday morning.

Ross Black of Tecomak apologised to Jacobs in an email, saying he understood it "must have been upsetting" to receive such comments.

"Clearly the comments were informal and not to the high professional standard you would expect from a company like ours," he said in the email. "We genuinely felt your application and CV was interesting and you were shortlisted from a long list of over 40 candidates."

He added: "We would be more than happy to interview you as one of the strongest candidates that have applied and, if you were to accept an interview, you can be assured that your application will be treated fairly and appropriately."

However, Jacobs told the BBC she would not be attending an interview with Tecomak.

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NOW WATCH: The 2 biggest job interview mistakes young people make

I'm a big fan of Microsoft's Satya Nadella. Since taking over as CEO just three years ago, he's used a combination of effective leadership and brilliant business moves to return the tech company to relevance.

In a recent interview with Business Insider, Nadella credits Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck's best-selling book, Mindset, as the inspiration for the culture he's trying to build at Microsoft.

Here's Satya:

"I was reading it not in the context of business or work culture, but in the context of my children's education. The author describes the simple metaphor of kids at school. One of them is a 'know-it-all' and the other is a 'learn-it-all,' and the 'learn-it-all' always will do better than the other one even if the 'know-it-all' kid starts with much more innate capability."

"Going back to business: If that applies to boys and girls at school, I think it also applies to CEOs like me, and entire organizations, like Microsoft."

We could summarize this brilliant strategy in one sentence:

"Don't be a know-it-all; be a learn-it-all."

Why this is great advice.

There's no shortage of self-proclaimed experts, authorities, and gurus out there. But self-proclaimed titles aren't only useless, they're dangerous.

My colleague Mandy Antoniacci explained why in a past column:

"For me, referring to yourself as an 'expert' in any field assumes the position that you have reached your fullest potential. It implies you have attained a thrilling pinnacle in your career and that your thirst for knowledge in a particular subject has been quenched."

In other words, experts consider themselves "know-it-alls."

But instead of considering yourself an expert, what if you think of yourself as a student?

Now, you've switched your focus. Instead of limiting yourself or becoming overly concerned with how you are viewed by others, your primary concern is one of growth. Mistakes are no longer "failures"; rather, they're learning opportunities.

And that influences your entire approach to work and life.

For example, notice how Nadella has implemented this mindset at Microsoft:

"Some people can call it rapid experimentation, but more importantly, we call it 'hypothesis testing.' Instead of saying 'I have an idea,' what if you said 'I have a new hypothesis, let's go test it, see if it's valid, ask how quickly can we validate it.' And if it's not valid, move on to the next one."

"There's no harm in claiming failure, if the hypothesis doesn't work. To me, being able to come up with the new ways of doing things, new ways of framing what is a failure and what is a success, how does one achieve success--it's through a series of failures, a series of hypothesis testing. That's in some sense the real pursuit."

Nadella certainly practices what he preaches. (For example, check out the extraordinary email he sent employees after what many considered an "epic fail.") And when the leader sets the example, it sets the tone for everyone else.

So, whether you're a CEO, an employee, a parent, a child, or all of the above, try it out today:

Test the hypothesis. If it works, figure out how to make it better. If it doesn't, move on to the next idea.

But no matter what, remember:

Don't be a know-it-all. Be a learn-it-all.

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NOW WATCH: How our universe will end: 'The black holes will eat up everything'

If you are unable to meet face to face, video interviews are the next best thing. But the convenience of performing an interview over a webcam can be a breeding ground for complacency. 

It's important to remember that, just because you're in the comfort of your own home, you need to approach the interview with the same professionalism you would if you were going into the recruiter's offices.

Business Insider spoke to two HR and hiring professionals to come up with a list of 12 of the worst mistakes you can make in a video interview. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Not dressing appropriately

One of the first decisions you have to make when attending an interview is what you're going to wear. This is also important for a video interview. If you think you're safe to wear something professional on top and leave your pyjama bottoms on, you're wrong.

Stephanie Murtagh, a product marketing manager at HR company MHR told Business Insider this plan worked fine for one of her friends, until the hiring manager asked her to stand up to present. Then it was revealed she was wearing bunny-print PJs, which was pretty embarrassing, and probably cost her the job.

2. Messy surroundings

Your home life is likely to be more unpredictable than an office. For this reason, you should make sure that any housemates, parents, children or pets are safely out of the way. You should also check behind you in case there's an embarrassing poster or immature selection of books on display.

"There is nothing worse than being interrupted mid-interview as this can affect the ebb and flow of the conversation," John Salt, group sales director at totaljobs.com told Business Insider.

"Also, avoid messy backgrounds as this will not necessarily provide the best first impression to employers. Make sure you are in a tidy space if you are at home."

3. Taking it to the coffee shop

You might think the coffee shop down the road would be a good place for an interview, but that's probably not true. They're relaxing if you're there to read a book, but not so much if someone next to you is talking loudly about the challenges they overcame in their previous role.

"Libraries often offer little booths for just such an occasion; headphones could also play a vital role if you are on location," said Murtagh.

4. Being an unintentional luddite

We can all have our moments grappling with technology, especially if you've never used the video programme before. However, in a job interview this is the one time you have to pretend you're an expert on all things techy, according to Murtagh.

"Have enough battery, check your mic is working, check your camera is working," she said. "Imagine trying to have an interview with someone who doesn’t realise their microphone is off or that they have muted their machines."

Not a good look.

5. Not checking your username

With technology in mind, you should probably also check what your username is on whatever video tool you're using. If you created the account while you were at school, you might have a username with a lot of x's or something else embarrassing like "badman83." It's best to double-check your profile photo too.

6. Keeping other windows open

It's easy to get distracted by other things going on, such as your social media or some work you were getting on with before the interview. However, avoid this happening by making sure everything is closed down while you're on the video call.

"Also, although it will be difficult, try to avoid looking at the mini version of you on the screen," Murtagh added. "The person on the other end can tell."

7. That goes for your phone too

Research has shown the typical cellphone user touches his or her phone 2,617 time every day. Murtagh recommends switching it off, and even putting it in another room.

8. Not checking 'mute' actually works

"I once had a colleague who was in a group interview, and tried to discreetly press mute in order to tell his friend to order him a meat feast pizza with extra pepperoni, extra peppers but hold the onions," Murtagh said.

"A little 'ahem' from the interviewer politely let him know that he hadn’t actually muted his mic, he apologised but could not fully get over the embarrassment."

9. Forgetting what job you're interviewing for

It's a lot less likely you'll forget which company you're interviewing at if you actually go to the office. However, if you're job hunting, you might have scheduled multiple video interview on the same day.

If this is the case, check, double-check and then check again who it is you're going to talk to, where they are from and what role you're applying for.

10. Failing to prepare

Salt says it is not advisable to set your alarm ten minutes before the interview and rush straight over to your computer.

"Technical glitches happen to all of us so it is best to check your webcam and microphone so that you know your technology is working properly ahead of time," he said.

So give yourself plenty of time to breathe beforehand and take a final look over your notes. You even have the advantage of setting up your desk so you can refer back to your notes discreetly, which you can't do face to face.

11. Talking too fast

Research from totaljobs.com found that 26% of jobseekers say they talk too quickly in interviews. Salt says on webcam, we can talk even more rapidly and words can easily be lost — so slow it down.

12. Forgetting there's a human at the other end

We can get so stressed out about making a good impression, we often forget we are being interviewed by a real person. If a video interview just won't work for you — if you have young children or just can't do the interview at home — let them know ahead of time. Any company worth working for won't have a problem with rescheduling the interview.

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NOW WATCH: A habit expert says people come in 4 types — and figuring out yours is the first step to being happier

When you're in the middle of exams, it can feel like they're taking over your whole life.

From the ages of 15 to 18, your summers seem packed full of revision and the existential dread that you won't get into the university you want to.

However, plenty of people who we now consider to be incredibly successful didn't actually do too well at school.

Everyone knows the stories about how Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of university to become two of the richest people in the world, but many other successful people didn't even get that far.

Scroll down to see how academie wasn't suited for 15 highly successful people — and how it didn't matter anyway.

Richard Branson left school at 16.

Branson never had much interest in school, dropping out at 16 to start his first business— a magazine called "Student."

His headmaster, Robert Drayson, told him he would either end up in prison or become a millionaire, according to The Telegraph.

He achieved the latter, and now the Virgin Group owns over 200 companies in 30 countries around the world.

Simon Cowell passed barely any exams.

In the music industry, very few opinions matter more than those of Simon Cowell. He wasn't always the top dog, though. Cowell left school with just one O level — the equivalent of GCSEs — and dropped out at just 16.

He began his career working in the mailroom at his father's company EMI Music Publishing, according to Biography.com. There, he was eventually promoted to a talent scout, then left during the early 80s to form E&S Music with his boss Ellis Rich.

After a few short-lived successes with several companies, Cowell made his name at BMG Records where he sold more than 150 million records and 70 top-of-the-chart singles in the UK and US.

Drew Barrymore quit school after rehab.

Drew Barrymore is now an incredibly successful actor, producer, and businesswoman. However, she had a turbulent childhood after being sucked into the acting industry at just three years old.

She was in rehab by her 13th birthday, according to The Guardian, and decided not to carry on with education when she came out.

Despite all this, she turned things around and founded production company Fower Films in 1995, which was responsible for "Charlie's Angels" and "Donnie Darko."

She is also now an Ambassador Against Hunger for the UN World Food Programme.

Probation periods are there for a reason. They're the only feasible way of working out whether a new employee is a good fit for the company, and vice versa.

Sometimes, a new employee can seem perfect on paper but something just doesn't click when they start work. It could be a clash of personalities or it could be down to work ethic.

Whatever the reason, there are a few things you can look out for which could mean that your new employee or coworker is either going to bolt or might be asked to leave.

Business Insider spoke to an HR expert and came with a list of six red flags. Here they are, in no particular order.

1. Too much tension

If people in a company get on and things are going smoothly, it's not easy to pinpoint why. It just works. However, if tensions start to rise, it can be pretty obvious.

John Crowley, the content and marketing manager at HR-software company People, told Business Insider that if someone is finding it consistently difficult to get on with their colleagues, then it could be an early sign the end is nigh.

"Of course, diversity of opinion is a good thing, and a little bit of lively debate can take you in all sorts of exciting directions," he said. "But keep an eye out for signs of personality clashes and excessive oneupmanship, as this kind of behaviour can damage your organisation."

2. Falling short of expectations

When you've been interviewed to start a new role, the assumption is you know what you're doing. But some people might talk the talk in the hiring process, but then not live up to expectations once they actually get the job.

"They may just be a slow starter, but the more they feel they are unable to do their job, the more likely they are to eventually fold under the pressure, and quit," Crowley said. "This could also lead to you, as an employer, losing patience with their lack of results, and eventually replacing them."

It's important to remember, however, that a lack of early results might not mean someone is bad at their job. They might just need to be managed or trained differently.

3. Starting turf wars

When someone starts a new role and is claiming to be able to do everything within the first few days, alarm bells should be ringing. The first few weeks in a company should be spent figuring out where they fit in and what they can add to a team, not taking over everyone else's responsibilities.

4. Staying in their shell

Starting a new job is nerve-wracking for everyone, and some reservation is to be expected. People need time to get comfortable with their environment and new people.

However, if they're still acting like a scared puppy after a few months, then it might be a sign they've failed to integrate, which might mean they're going to jump ship.

"Some people are quiet, and naturally avoid much social interaction," Crowley added. "But if somebody has described themselves on their CV as a social livewire and excellent team player, yet is still unable to strike up a conversation at the water cooler after three months, then there may be something wrong."

5. They are tactless opportunists

Beware of the person who only talks to people when they want something from them, or only pays attention to people they think have "influence" in the company.

If someone isn't showing any interest in getting to know the people below them in the company, or even the receptionist, they might be someone to steer clear of.

Usually, this kind of behaviour is noticed fairly quickly, and soon the opportunist won't have anyone to turn to if they need help.

6. Persistently breaking company rules

It's good to stick to your guns sometimes. However, some people rebel just for the sake of it. These people might not be a good fit for the company at all.

"If a new starter is continuing to do things their own way, after several attempts to explain the company's preferred position on a matter, it may be a sign that they do not agree with your visions or values, and they may not last much longer," Crowley said.

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Want to do something that will launch you into the new era of HR? Get rid of your exit interviews and replace it with "stay interviews."

If you're new to this concept, unlike the exit interview, managers are getting fresh insight into improving the work environment or their own leadership skills to retain those valued employees — today — not after they have emotionally disconnected and stopped caring.

Fair warning: Stay interviews are only as effective as people's willingness to demonstrate transparency. The whole premise is based on honest two-way conversations between manager and employee, where each side gets to listen, ask questions, and agree to follow-up on ideas and action plans.

Webroot Software, a 400-employee internet security company, implemented stay interviews right after a reduction in their workforce. Their HR Director, Melanie Williams, went on to say, "the information collected by stay interviews is more actionable than secondary source information because it's specific and forward-facing."

The stay interview builds trust with employees who feel valued because leaders are sending the message that they are important enough to get a feel for what's working and not working for them. And then doing something about it.

The 5 Questions

Here's what to do: Make stay interviews questions simple and informal when meeting with direct reports one-on-one. Here are five "must asks" to ensure winning back unhappy employees who are key to your operation's success.

1. "What do you like about your job?"

This question sets a positive tone to assess their work satisfaction and helps a manager clue in to what parts of the job employees like and want to experience more of.

2. "Describe a good day of work you had recently?"

Tap into their memory to extract clear and specific examples of positive experiences they've had. Leaders should be asking this question to learn everything they can about replicating the experience so that every day looks more like it.

3. "Do you feel your skills are being utilized to the fullest?"

Best-case scenario here is discovering that the employee has skills the company or leader never knew about, which is a win-win: The employee wins by using personal strengths that raises personal motivation and engagement; the leader wins by offering new opportunities to tap into those strengths, which releases discretionary effort that will benefit the company, project, or team.

4. "Do you feel you get properly recognized for doing good work?"

A leader will gauge frustration levels by courageously asking this question and openly accepting the response to brainstorm solutions together. As Gallup has observed in their extensive research, praise and recognition for accomplishments have been repeatedly linked to higher employee retention. How regular are we talking? Praise should be given once per week.

5. "Do you feel like you are treated with respect?"

Leaders should ask this question to determine the health of the team. Is there blame traveling in different directions, and are people pointing fingers at each other? Are there silos, heavy politics, stonewalling, or people being thrown under the bus? These toxic behaviors suggest a total lack of mutual respect as a cultural trait. Studies show respect is a key driver in overall employee engagement, and its absence as a contributor to employees leaving.

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