Stop! Don’t Cut That Training Budget
By Margaret Heffernan | August 31, 2010
from www.bnet.com
What’s the first thing to get cut when companies are economizing? It’s always training. In the last three years, training budgets have fallen by nearly a quarter. It’s stupid. Everyone knows it’s stupid. Because when you’re battling for customers and trying to do more with less, your most valuable asset is your staff. And they can do more and better if you train them more.
A classic example of great training is Norm Brodsky’s company CitiStorage. Brodsky’s wife, Elaine, argued that it wasn’t just customer service reps who should be trained; everyone should. This wasn’t a trivial suggestion. Taking every employee out for three days is expensive -– never mind the cost of the trainer. But, argued Elaine, isn’t customer service everyone’s business?
What the company found was that the investment more than paid off. The training gave each employee a better understanding of their own work, and how it dovetailed with everyone else’s. With greater insight into the dependencies of their organization, they could anticipate problems better -– and forestall them. Employees started giving each other more feedback and, if there were customer complaints, they were more creative about fixing them.
The acid test was this: CitiStorage’s customers got the impression that the company had taken on more staff. But of course they hadn’t. They were just getting more involvement, commitment and creativity from the staff they already had.
One customer, visiting the company, commented that everyone who worked there was smiling. That’s one reason he gave for closing the sale on the spot. So the training didn’t just make everyone smarter and better coordinated; it made them happier, too. And as we already know, happier workers are more productive.
So think twice the next time that tiny training budget is about to be chopped again. It could prove to be a very expensive savings
.
MY THOUGHTS
I could be biased. Training is not only my profession. It's also my passion. I agree wholeheartedly with the author. When companies cut their training budgets, I also believe that their decision making is flawed. But when they take out training budgets completely, dissolving training departments, I think their decision making is absolutely damaging.
Training may not be a solution to all problems. However, proper training has been proven to prevent problems from occurring. I may not call these companies, who do away with training, stupid. But their ignorance, when it comes to the importance of training, comes with very high costs. Lack of training contributes to weak organizational results, performance problems, high recruitment costs.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
WHAT GREAT BOSSES NEVER DO
5 Things Great Bosses Never Do
By Jeff Haden | August 8, 2011
from bnet.com
What you don’t do can make as much or sometimes more impact than what you actually do — and can also say a lot about your leadership style and abilities as a manager.
Here are five things great leaders never do:
Deliver annual performance reviews. Annual or semi-annual appraisals waste everyone’s time. Years ago my review was late, so I mentioned it to my boss. He said, “I’ll get to it… but you realize you won’t learn a thing. You’ve already heard everything I will say, good or bad. If anything on your review comes as a surprise to you I haven’t done my job.” He was right. The best feedback isn’t scheduled; the best feedback happens on the spot when it makes the most impact, either as praise and encouragement or as training and suggestions for improvement. Waiting for a scheduled review is the lazy way out. Your job is to coach and mentor and develop — every day.
Say, “Look… I’ve been meaning to apologize…” Apologies should be made on the spot, every time. You should never need to apologize for not having apologized sooner. When you mess up, ‘fess up. Right away. Don’t you want employees to immediately tell you when they make a mistake? Model the same behavior.
Hold meetings to solicit ideas. Many companies hold brainstorming sessions to solicit ideas for improvement, especially when times get tough. Sounds great — after all, you’re “engaging employees” and “valuing their contributions,” right? But you don’t need a meeting to get input. When employees know you listen they often bring ideas to you. Plus, the better way to ask for ideas is to talk to people individually and to be more specific. Say, “I wish we could find a way to get orders through our system faster. What would you change if you were me?” Trust me: Employees picture themselves doing your job — and doing your job better — all the time. They have ideas. Be open, act on good ideas, explain why less than good ideas aren’t feasible… and you’ll get all the input you can handle.
Create development plans. Development plans are, like annual performance reviews, largely a corporate construct. (HR staffers love to monitor compliance and alert managers when supervisors are late turning in their employees’ development plans. Or maybe that’s just my experience.) You should know what each of your employees hopes to achieve: Skills and experience they want to gain, career paths they hope to take, etc. So talk about it — informally. Assign projects that fit. Provide training that fits. Create opportunities that fit. Then give feedback on the spot. “Develop” is a verb that requires action; “development” is a noun that sits in a file cabinet.
Call in favors. I know lots of bosses who play the guilt game, like saying, “John, I’ve been very flexible with your schedule the last few months while your wife was sick… now I really need you to come through for me and work this weekend…” Generosity should always be a one-way street. Be flexible when it’s the right thing to do. Be accommodating when it’s the right thing to do. Never lend money to friends unless you don’t care if you are repaid, and never do “favors” for employees in anticipation of return. As a leader, only give — never take.
MY THOUGHTS
I hope you got the point?
I don't think the article is saying there's no need for appraisals. There is. Except a successful bosses don't provide appraisals only when it is required by HR. Measuring performance is ongoing. So is giving feedback. One of the rules in conducting performance appraisals is that there should be no surprises. Meaning, your staff should know how you see his/her work with or without the formal appraisal. Coaching, training, mentoring should be provided so the staff is likely to get a better appraisal rating.
I also agree that there is no need for development plans. If the boss is doing his job. As a training practitioner, I require and monitor development plans because without them, no development will ever take place.
And meetings! Entirely correct. Exchange of ideas should be a regular ongoing thing.
What I liked most about this article are the thoughts presented about apologizing and giving favors. Absolutely true. Timing is very important when saying sorry. And helping should be done in the context of caring for your staff. Not because you want something in return.
By Jeff Haden | August 8, 2011
from bnet.com
What you don’t do can make as much or sometimes more impact than what you actually do — and can also say a lot about your leadership style and abilities as a manager.
Here are five things great leaders never do:
Deliver annual performance reviews. Annual or semi-annual appraisals waste everyone’s time. Years ago my review was late, so I mentioned it to my boss. He said, “I’ll get to it… but you realize you won’t learn a thing. You’ve already heard everything I will say, good or bad. If anything on your review comes as a surprise to you I haven’t done my job.” He was right. The best feedback isn’t scheduled; the best feedback happens on the spot when it makes the most impact, either as praise and encouragement or as training and suggestions for improvement. Waiting for a scheduled review is the lazy way out. Your job is to coach and mentor and develop — every day.
Say, “Look… I’ve been meaning to apologize…” Apologies should be made on the spot, every time. You should never need to apologize for not having apologized sooner. When you mess up, ‘fess up. Right away. Don’t you want employees to immediately tell you when they make a mistake? Model the same behavior.
Hold meetings to solicit ideas. Many companies hold brainstorming sessions to solicit ideas for improvement, especially when times get tough. Sounds great — after all, you’re “engaging employees” and “valuing their contributions,” right? But you don’t need a meeting to get input. When employees know you listen they often bring ideas to you. Plus, the better way to ask for ideas is to talk to people individually and to be more specific. Say, “I wish we could find a way to get orders through our system faster. What would you change if you were me?” Trust me: Employees picture themselves doing your job — and doing your job better — all the time. They have ideas. Be open, act on good ideas, explain why less than good ideas aren’t feasible… and you’ll get all the input you can handle.
Create development plans. Development plans are, like annual performance reviews, largely a corporate construct. (HR staffers love to monitor compliance and alert managers when supervisors are late turning in their employees’ development plans. Or maybe that’s just my experience.) You should know what each of your employees hopes to achieve: Skills and experience they want to gain, career paths they hope to take, etc. So talk about it — informally. Assign projects that fit. Provide training that fits. Create opportunities that fit. Then give feedback on the spot. “Develop” is a verb that requires action; “development” is a noun that sits in a file cabinet.
Call in favors. I know lots of bosses who play the guilt game, like saying, “John, I’ve been very flexible with your schedule the last few months while your wife was sick… now I really need you to come through for me and work this weekend…” Generosity should always be a one-way street. Be flexible when it’s the right thing to do. Be accommodating when it’s the right thing to do. Never lend money to friends unless you don’t care if you are repaid, and never do “favors” for employees in anticipation of return. As a leader, only give — never take.
MY THOUGHTS
I hope you got the point?
I don't think the article is saying there's no need for appraisals. There is. Except a successful bosses don't provide appraisals only when it is required by HR. Measuring performance is ongoing. So is giving feedback. One of the rules in conducting performance appraisals is that there should be no surprises. Meaning, your staff should know how you see his/her work with or without the formal appraisal. Coaching, training, mentoring should be provided so the staff is likely to get a better appraisal rating.
I also agree that there is no need for development plans. If the boss is doing his job. As a training practitioner, I require and monitor development plans because without them, no development will ever take place.
And meetings! Entirely correct. Exchange of ideas should be a regular ongoing thing.
What I liked most about this article are the thoughts presented about apologizing and giving favors. Absolutely true. Timing is very important when saying sorry. And helping should be done in the context of caring for your staff. Not because you want something in return.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
WHEN WORKERS JUST DON'T CARE
Survey: Half of Workers Just Don’t Care
By Kimberly Weisul | June 20, 2011
You know those people who sit on either side of you at the department meeting every week? Chances are one of the three of you is looking for another job, or at least seriously thinking about it. And another 21 percent of your co-workers probably show little interest in their jobs, even though they aren’t planning to leave. At least part of the blame can be placed at the feet of stingy compensation packages, which aren’t making employees as happy as they once did.
That’s the news from the latest installment of Mercer’s What’s Working survey, which shows that from an employee point of view, not much is. All the measures commonly used to get a bead on employee engagement have been declining over the past few years, and steadily increasing numbers of employees are looking to change jobs.
First, the folks who say they’re ’seriously considering leaving’ their jobs:
Overall, 32 percent of workers say they’re ready to go.
The malaise is most pronounced amongst the youngest workers–those aged 16-24. Some 44 percent of those folks have got one eye–if not two–on the door.
As employees get older, they’re more likely to stay put. Of those who are 25 to 34 years old, 40 percent say they’re seriously considering leaving. But even among the oldest age group (those 55 to 64 years old) 24 percent say they’re seriously considering leaving.
Not caring, but not leaving, either
It’s hard enough to be committed to your job when you’re ready to leave it. But for employers, the even worse news might be that an additional 21 percent of workers view their employers very unfavorably and have what Mercer calls “rock bottom” scores on engagement–measures of how much they care about their jobs, their work, and their employer. Among those:
Only half say they have been treated fairly by their company
Only 46 percent would recommend their organization as a good place to work.
Only 29 percent believe that the organization is well-managed
In most cases, the scores for this group are even worse than they are for the employees who are seriously considering leaving their jobs. In other words, employers are facing a core group of disaffected employees, and unless they can figure out exactly who they are and then either re-engage them or get rid of them, they’re stuck with them.
“The business consequences of this erosion in employee sentiment are significant, and clearly the issue goes far beyond retention,” said Mindy Fox, a senior partner at Mercer and the firm’s US Region Leader. “Diminished loyalty and widespread apathy can undermine business performance, particularly as companies increasingly look to their workforces to drive productivity gains and spur innovation.”
Part of employees’ dissatisfaction may stem from the long-lasting recession and the fact that employees don’t believe their jobs are necessarily providing them with the salary, benefits, and security they need.
Retirement worries loom large. Only 43 percent of employees say they’re doing enough to prepare for retirement. That’s down from 47 percent in 2005.
Benefits programs don’t get the raves they once did. Some 68 percent of employees say their base pay is good or very good, down from 76 percent in 2005.
Health care in particular is seen as less generous. Only 59 percent are satisfied with their health benefits, down from 66 percent.
Pay isn’t great either. Just 53 percent are satisfied with their base pay, down from 58 percent in 2005.
Do you have one eye on the door? Or does the person sitting next to you?
Read more: http://www.bnet.com/blog/business-research/survey-half-of-workers-just-don-8217t-care/1729#ixzz1Pzc6QWwL
MY THOUGHTS
Such a sad, sad state of affairs - uncaring but staying. If the organization is really poorly managed, it wouldn't care, too. But if the organization is being wrongly accused of mismanagement, these uncaring employees should better start caring before they get the axe.
By Kimberly Weisul | June 20, 2011
You know those people who sit on either side of you at the department meeting every week? Chances are one of the three of you is looking for another job, or at least seriously thinking about it. And another 21 percent of your co-workers probably show little interest in their jobs, even though they aren’t planning to leave. At least part of the blame can be placed at the feet of stingy compensation packages, which aren’t making employees as happy as they once did.
That’s the news from the latest installment of Mercer’s What’s Working survey, which shows that from an employee point of view, not much is. All the measures commonly used to get a bead on employee engagement have been declining over the past few years, and steadily increasing numbers of employees are looking to change jobs.
First, the folks who say they’re ’seriously considering leaving’ their jobs:
Overall, 32 percent of workers say they’re ready to go.
The malaise is most pronounced amongst the youngest workers–those aged 16-24. Some 44 percent of those folks have got one eye–if not two–on the door.
As employees get older, they’re more likely to stay put. Of those who are 25 to 34 years old, 40 percent say they’re seriously considering leaving. But even among the oldest age group (those 55 to 64 years old) 24 percent say they’re seriously considering leaving.
Not caring, but not leaving, either
It’s hard enough to be committed to your job when you’re ready to leave it. But for employers, the even worse news might be that an additional 21 percent of workers view their employers very unfavorably and have what Mercer calls “rock bottom” scores on engagement–measures of how much they care about their jobs, their work, and their employer. Among those:
Only half say they have been treated fairly by their company
Only 46 percent would recommend their organization as a good place to work.
Only 29 percent believe that the organization is well-managed
In most cases, the scores for this group are even worse than they are for the employees who are seriously considering leaving their jobs. In other words, employers are facing a core group of disaffected employees, and unless they can figure out exactly who they are and then either re-engage them or get rid of them, they’re stuck with them.
“The business consequences of this erosion in employee sentiment are significant, and clearly the issue goes far beyond retention,” said Mindy Fox, a senior partner at Mercer and the firm’s US Region Leader. “Diminished loyalty and widespread apathy can undermine business performance, particularly as companies increasingly look to their workforces to drive productivity gains and spur innovation.”
Part of employees’ dissatisfaction may stem from the long-lasting recession and the fact that employees don’t believe their jobs are necessarily providing them with the salary, benefits, and security they need.
Retirement worries loom large. Only 43 percent of employees say they’re doing enough to prepare for retirement. That’s down from 47 percent in 2005.
Benefits programs don’t get the raves they once did. Some 68 percent of employees say their base pay is good or very good, down from 76 percent in 2005.
Health care in particular is seen as less generous. Only 59 percent are satisfied with their health benefits, down from 66 percent.
Pay isn’t great either. Just 53 percent are satisfied with their base pay, down from 58 percent in 2005.
Do you have one eye on the door? Or does the person sitting next to you?
Read more: http://www.bnet.com/blog/business-research/survey-half-of-workers-just-don-8217t-care/1729#ixzz1Pzc6QWwL
MY THOUGHTS
Such a sad, sad state of affairs - uncaring but staying. If the organization is really poorly managed, it wouldn't care, too. But if the organization is being wrongly accused of mismanagement, these uncaring employees should better start caring before they get the axe.
Monday, May 30, 2011
CAN YOU MAKE CRACK DECISIONS?
The Secret to Making Crack Decisions
Should she take a shower? Go to the concert? Stare at the dog? How one woman learned how to make up her mind.
By Bonnie Friedman
O, The Oprah Magazine | From the May 2003 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine
I used to be unable to decide anything. I brooded and agonized, terrified of making a mistake. Should I meet my parents at three o'clock to go clothes shopping, or should I stay home and work? If I stay home, I'll probably be tired by afternoon and won't get much work done anyway. Still, isn't that better than accomplishing no work? But do I see my mother and father enough? I won't have them forever, and it's always sweet to see them.
And so it went.
Then one morning, I was sitting at my kitchen table in Salem, Massachusetts. I was 32 years old, and I couldn't decide whether or not to eat a slice of whole wheat toast. I was hungry, but I'd already eaten two slices. I'd feel disgusted with myself if I ate a third. Yet if I didn't, I'd continue to feel hungry and light-headed, unable to focus on my work. I stared at some sharp, glinting crumbs on the peach cotton tablecloth. And then it occurred to me: two ways wrong! Either course I took, I'd make a mistake—the verdict preexisted the action. I laughed.
I was so used to self-recrimination that I infused my environment with it. Apology poured from my lips. I often walked hunched over with regret. As a child, I believed I cost my parents too much—nursery school was exorbitant, a winter coat represented several days of my father's labor. (He was the plant manager for a factory.) I gnawed my thumb as my mother counted out the dollars in Alexander's department store, and some obscure worry worked away in me the next day as I sat in my oak seat at P.S. 24. The anxiety was a tapeworm that coiled inside me and that somehow connected me to my mother. As long as I worried, we were linked.
My mother used to sit in our Bronx kitchen listlessly turning the pages of McCall's. She looked abstracted, lost in memory and unable to find the door out. She was, in fact, depressed.
I'd sit at her feet with my alphabet blocks. I wasn't interacting with her—she was troubled and remote—and I feared that if I played so intently that I forgot about my mother, she might vanish. I yearned to hold on to her bony ankle. I inhaled as hard as I could her scent of stale Arpège and wool. Together, she and I floated in an irresolute space between lunch and dinner, talk and no talk, connection and separation. Since we'd begun nothing, nothing could end. How hopeless yet comforting it was.
I carried this mood with me into my adult life, with the result that I couldn't ever decide if I wanted to go one way or the other, and the aura of remorse seemed to be the truest thing about me.
Two ways wrong!
I asked everyone for advice—an assertive cabbie, an acquaintance from college who happened to phone, all sorts of experts who declared, "This Is What to Do." I always nodded, but as soon as I heard their counsel, the opposite point of view formulated itself in my mind.
Whatever direction I took ended in regret, I now saw. So, of course, I mostly stayed in place.
And surely I wasn't the only person tangled up in Two Ways Wrong. I considered my friend George. The night before, he told me he'd been invited to participate in a panel of writers in San Francisco. The airfare was $400, which he would have to cover. He decided to go—it would make him feel like a real writer, he said. Yet he felt belittled by having to pay his own way, as if he were a desperate person who needed to scramble for professional recognition.
Two ways wrong! He hadn't even bought his ticket, and already he'd taken the recognition away from himself. It was the opposite of the Wizard of Oz, with his magical diploma. Some of us have an anti-Wizard inside us declaring that our very real diplomas and certificates are all humbug. "Either way is wrong!" declares the anti-Wizard.
The solution, I realized, is to choose success. Fly off to sit on a dais, or stay at home $400 richer—both are success. Enjoy the toast, or skip it and feel skinny. Success isn't objectively verifiable like the height of the Empire State Building or the location of Missouri. It's a matter of attitude, of interpretation.
Some people tend to notice what's right in what they do. The rest of us must cultivate this trait.
The sense of being correct or incorrect resides in each of us. We project our verdict onto the world. I am essentially right, I told myself. A big mistake wasn't made when I was placed here on this planet. I am filled with more kindness than greed, more good thinking than stupidity.
That morning in my kitchen, I got up from the table and slung another slice of bread into the toaster, and when it popped up, I buttered it and munched away. I licked my lips. I decided to feel satisfied. And I was.
Bonnie Friedman is the author of The Thief of Happiness: The Story of an Extraordinary Psychotherapy (Beacon Press).
MY THOUGHTS
The issue is not about indecision.It's about being afraid to make a wrong decision. I think the best decision makers are those who made lots of mistakes. They became good decision makers because they took note, they were mindful and they use the lessons the next time a choice or a 'fork down the road' comes along.
Should she take a shower? Go to the concert? Stare at the dog? How one woman learned how to make up her mind.
By Bonnie Friedman
O, The Oprah Magazine | From the May 2003 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine
I used to be unable to decide anything. I brooded and agonized, terrified of making a mistake. Should I meet my parents at three o'clock to go clothes shopping, or should I stay home and work? If I stay home, I'll probably be tired by afternoon and won't get much work done anyway. Still, isn't that better than accomplishing no work? But do I see my mother and father enough? I won't have them forever, and it's always sweet to see them.
And so it went.
Then one morning, I was sitting at my kitchen table in Salem, Massachusetts. I was 32 years old, and I couldn't decide whether or not to eat a slice of whole wheat toast. I was hungry, but I'd already eaten two slices. I'd feel disgusted with myself if I ate a third. Yet if I didn't, I'd continue to feel hungry and light-headed, unable to focus on my work. I stared at some sharp, glinting crumbs on the peach cotton tablecloth. And then it occurred to me: two ways wrong! Either course I took, I'd make a mistake—the verdict preexisted the action. I laughed.
I was so used to self-recrimination that I infused my environment with it. Apology poured from my lips. I often walked hunched over with regret. As a child, I believed I cost my parents too much—nursery school was exorbitant, a winter coat represented several days of my father's labor. (He was the plant manager for a factory.) I gnawed my thumb as my mother counted out the dollars in Alexander's department store, and some obscure worry worked away in me the next day as I sat in my oak seat at P.S. 24. The anxiety was a tapeworm that coiled inside me and that somehow connected me to my mother. As long as I worried, we were linked.
My mother used to sit in our Bronx kitchen listlessly turning the pages of McCall's. She looked abstracted, lost in memory and unable to find the door out. She was, in fact, depressed.
I'd sit at her feet with my alphabet blocks. I wasn't interacting with her—she was troubled and remote—and I feared that if I played so intently that I forgot about my mother, she might vanish. I yearned to hold on to her bony ankle. I inhaled as hard as I could her scent of stale Arpège and wool. Together, she and I floated in an irresolute space between lunch and dinner, talk and no talk, connection and separation. Since we'd begun nothing, nothing could end. How hopeless yet comforting it was.
I carried this mood with me into my adult life, with the result that I couldn't ever decide if I wanted to go one way or the other, and the aura of remorse seemed to be the truest thing about me.
Two ways wrong!
I asked everyone for advice—an assertive cabbie, an acquaintance from college who happened to phone, all sorts of experts who declared, "This Is What to Do." I always nodded, but as soon as I heard their counsel, the opposite point of view formulated itself in my mind.
Whatever direction I took ended in regret, I now saw. So, of course, I mostly stayed in place.
And surely I wasn't the only person tangled up in Two Ways Wrong. I considered my friend George. The night before, he told me he'd been invited to participate in a panel of writers in San Francisco. The airfare was $400, which he would have to cover. He decided to go—it would make him feel like a real writer, he said. Yet he felt belittled by having to pay his own way, as if he were a desperate person who needed to scramble for professional recognition.
Two ways wrong! He hadn't even bought his ticket, and already he'd taken the recognition away from himself. It was the opposite of the Wizard of Oz, with his magical diploma. Some of us have an anti-Wizard inside us declaring that our very real diplomas and certificates are all humbug. "Either way is wrong!" declares the anti-Wizard.
The solution, I realized, is to choose success. Fly off to sit on a dais, or stay at home $400 richer—both are success. Enjoy the toast, or skip it and feel skinny. Success isn't objectively verifiable like the height of the Empire State Building or the location of Missouri. It's a matter of attitude, of interpretation.
Some people tend to notice what's right in what they do. The rest of us must cultivate this trait.
The sense of being correct or incorrect resides in each of us. We project our verdict onto the world. I am essentially right, I told myself. A big mistake wasn't made when I was placed here on this planet. I am filled with more kindness than greed, more good thinking than stupidity.
That morning in my kitchen, I got up from the table and slung another slice of bread into the toaster, and when it popped up, I buttered it and munched away. I licked my lips. I decided to feel satisfied. And I was.
Bonnie Friedman is the author of The Thief of Happiness: The Story of an Extraordinary Psychotherapy (Beacon Press).
MY THOUGHTS
The issue is not about indecision.It's about being afraid to make a wrong decision. I think the best decision makers are those who made lots of mistakes. They became good decision makers because they took note, they were mindful and they use the lessons the next time a choice or a 'fork down the road' comes along.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
ARE YOUR "REWARDS" APPRECIATED BY YOUR EMPLOYEES?
Your “Rewards” Aren’t Appreciated By Your Employees
By Suzanne Lucas | May 20, 2011
This post is for managers. Individual contributors already know this information, but for some reason, as soon as people are promoted (or laterally transfer) into a management job, they forget this information. So, here is a reminder:
A pen with the company name on it is not a bonus. It does not make your employee feel fondly about your company or your management skills. It is a pen. You are supposed to provide pens as part of the standard office supplies. Put the company logo on them if you want. Give pens away to customers so they’ll have your phone number handy. But, your employees already know the phone number and just want to be able to write with a reliable instrument.
A supply of coffee mugs in the break room is handy, but they are not a reward. Your employees will drink coffee or water or Diet Coke regardless of whether the mugs have your company name scrawled across the front. They might think the mugs are cute, but they will not consider them a reward.
The reason why that clothing store offered you $50 gift certificates for $25 each is that they know that almost none of your employees will redeem them. This should be a hint that it is a bad reward. Rewards should be, well, rewarding. And trying to convince your employees that they are being rewarded with the ability to get a new pair of pants from a store they don’t like is not a real reward.
Rewards for “everyone” that only benefit a few. Lunch is a great thing to provide from time to time, unless you always do it when you’re in the office even though a good portion of your employees work other shifts. This causes resentment amongst the unblessed masses.
Mandatory Celebratory Dinners are not appreciated. When everyone has been working nights and weekends to get that big account, don’t make the celebration something that requires everyone to spend yet another evening with people from the office.
I feel so much better now. I could come up with a longer list of rewards that aren’t appreciated, but I’m afraid some managers would just tune me out. In fact, I’m sure that right now, there is someone sitting in a corner office going, “She’s wrong. My employees loved the Christmas bonus mugs! They told me so themselves.”
Well, duh. You’re the boss, so they aren’t going to say, “Boy, this is what you got us? Mugs with the dumb logo that you had your 3rd ex-wife design? Seriously? Jerk.” No, they talk about that amongst themselves. Keep in mind what employees really want.
Verbal and written praise. This is even cheaper than the pens. Tell your employees that they are doing a good job, and give specific examples. A 2007 employee survey said that this was the top non-monetary reward desired by employees. Taking the time to pull someone aside and say, “Thanks for your work on the Jones account. You really blew me out of the water,” is a reward that is appreciated. Publicly saying that at staff meeting is even better. However, a patronizing, “good job” on everything your employee does is not a reward.
Money. I’m talking real money here, not the gift certificate kind. Employees want raises and bonuses. If the business honestly cannot afford either one (and before you nod your head to that, check your own bonus check) then see above or below. Otherwise, get out the checkbook. Remember it would cost you more to replace good people than it would to give them raises and bonuses.
Time off. If everyone busted their buns to get a big project done, hand out an extra vacation day to be used at their leisure–and then make sure you don’t pressure your employees not to use the time off. Or close shop on a Friday afternoon. This shows that you recognize they put in extra hours to get the work done. Your employees want the company to succeed. Show them that you recognize that their work does just that. (And if you close shop Friday afternoon, make sure this is considered paid vacation time, not just go home early time. Your non-exempt employees who get a smaller paycheck will not consider this a reward.)
Flex time and telecommuting. If your employees are good performers, let them have control over when and where they do their work. Yes, some jobs must be done in the office, and some jobs must be done on a specific schedule. Some, but not all. If your employees express interest in these types of schedules, give it some serious consideration and grant it where possible. Independence is a great reward.
Employee rewards should be something they actually want. Don’t let the so called “employee rewards” catalogs convince you that your employees will be happy with a clock. Give them what they really want.
MY THOUGHTS
Come to think of it, since rewards should be what employees want, why not ask them? Of course, there's an issue of budget and other limitations. If we spell these out before we ask them,I doubt there will be a real problem.
Personally, I like the time-off idea and the flex time and telecommuting. I've used time-off before for my staff and I can say they loved it. And yes, I don't hate those shirts and pens and mugs. But they are give always, tokens-not rewards.
By Suzanne Lucas | May 20, 2011
This post is for managers. Individual contributors already know this information, but for some reason, as soon as people are promoted (or laterally transfer) into a management job, they forget this information. So, here is a reminder:
A pen with the company name on it is not a bonus. It does not make your employee feel fondly about your company or your management skills. It is a pen. You are supposed to provide pens as part of the standard office supplies. Put the company logo on them if you want. Give pens away to customers so they’ll have your phone number handy. But, your employees already know the phone number and just want to be able to write with a reliable instrument.
A supply of coffee mugs in the break room is handy, but they are not a reward. Your employees will drink coffee or water or Diet Coke regardless of whether the mugs have your company name scrawled across the front. They might think the mugs are cute, but they will not consider them a reward.
The reason why that clothing store offered you $50 gift certificates for $25 each is that they know that almost none of your employees will redeem them. This should be a hint that it is a bad reward. Rewards should be, well, rewarding. And trying to convince your employees that they are being rewarded with the ability to get a new pair of pants from a store they don’t like is not a real reward.
Rewards for “everyone” that only benefit a few. Lunch is a great thing to provide from time to time, unless you always do it when you’re in the office even though a good portion of your employees work other shifts. This causes resentment amongst the unblessed masses.
Mandatory Celebratory Dinners are not appreciated. When everyone has been working nights and weekends to get that big account, don’t make the celebration something that requires everyone to spend yet another evening with people from the office.
I feel so much better now. I could come up with a longer list of rewards that aren’t appreciated, but I’m afraid some managers would just tune me out. In fact, I’m sure that right now, there is someone sitting in a corner office going, “She’s wrong. My employees loved the Christmas bonus mugs! They told me so themselves.”
Well, duh. You’re the boss, so they aren’t going to say, “Boy, this is what you got us? Mugs with the dumb logo that you had your 3rd ex-wife design? Seriously? Jerk.” No, they talk about that amongst themselves. Keep in mind what employees really want.
Verbal and written praise. This is even cheaper than the pens. Tell your employees that they are doing a good job, and give specific examples. A 2007 employee survey said that this was the top non-monetary reward desired by employees. Taking the time to pull someone aside and say, “Thanks for your work on the Jones account. You really blew me out of the water,” is a reward that is appreciated. Publicly saying that at staff meeting is even better. However, a patronizing, “good job” on everything your employee does is not a reward.
Money. I’m talking real money here, not the gift certificate kind. Employees want raises and bonuses. If the business honestly cannot afford either one (and before you nod your head to that, check your own bonus check) then see above or below. Otherwise, get out the checkbook. Remember it would cost you more to replace good people than it would to give them raises and bonuses.
Time off. If everyone busted their buns to get a big project done, hand out an extra vacation day to be used at their leisure–and then make sure you don’t pressure your employees not to use the time off. Or close shop on a Friday afternoon. This shows that you recognize they put in extra hours to get the work done. Your employees want the company to succeed. Show them that you recognize that their work does just that. (And if you close shop Friday afternoon, make sure this is considered paid vacation time, not just go home early time. Your non-exempt employees who get a smaller paycheck will not consider this a reward.)
Flex time and telecommuting. If your employees are good performers, let them have control over when and where they do their work. Yes, some jobs must be done in the office, and some jobs must be done on a specific schedule. Some, but not all. If your employees express interest in these types of schedules, give it some serious consideration and grant it where possible. Independence is a great reward.
Employee rewards should be something they actually want. Don’t let the so called “employee rewards” catalogs convince you that your employees will be happy with a clock. Give them what they really want.
MY THOUGHTS
Come to think of it, since rewards should be what employees want, why not ask them? Of course, there's an issue of budget and other limitations. If we spell these out before we ask them,I doubt there will be a real problem.
Personally, I like the time-off idea and the flex time and telecommuting. I've used time-off before for my staff and I can say they loved it. And yes, I don't hate those shirts and pens and mugs. But they are give always, tokens-not rewards.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
THE #1 LEADERSHIP PROBLEM
The #1 Leadership Problem
By Margaret Heffernan | January 27, 2011
When I meet with CEOs, I like to find out what keeps them awake at night, what intractable issues or opportunities disturb their sense of confidence. Of course, each one has industry-specific or company-specific challenges and they’re fascinating.
But there’s one problem common to each one of them. They all know it. Only a brave few will talk about it openly: Ignorance.
It doesn’t matter whether the company is large or small, old or young, high tech or blue collar manufacturing. The reality is that no leader is fully informed of what is happening on his or her watch.
Ignorance Isn’t Bliss
Of course in theory, this shouldn’t happen. The chain of command should ensure that information reaches the top. Daily reports should flag critical issues. Balance sheets should indicate significant trends. And they all do - up to a point. The problem is that none of them works quite well enough.
That’s why BP can run unsafe plants and still be taken by surprise when they blow up.
It’s why music labels could be blind-sided by the rise of digital downloads.
It’s why soft drink companies were surprised by the popularity of vitamin drinks.
It’s why Lehman Brothers and Enron and Citibank and Merrill Lynch had no idea actually how much money they had.
It’s why companies are so anxious about what Wikileaks will publish next.
It Can Happen to You
The most tempting thing in the world is to look at that string of business disasters and argue: that was them, not me. It couldn’t happen here. They were just bad leaders, a few bad apples. But the minute you say you don’t have this problem is the minute you know you do.
The problem is willful blindness: the human propensity to ignore the obvious. It isn’t just a business problem, of course. We do it in our private lives when we leave those credit card bills unopened or take on a mortgage we can’t afford or insist that tanning salons really won’t cause us any harm.
There are numerous social, structural, organizational and neurological reasons for willful blindness and I’ll be blogging about them over the next few weeks. But in the meantime I’d like to hear from you:in your company or department or industry, where are your blindspots?
MY THOUGHTS
Willful blindness! A perfect way to run away, right? Sometimes, ignorance can be bliss. Or playing ignorant. It can keep you out of trouble. At least for a while.
By Margaret Heffernan | January 27, 2011
When I meet with CEOs, I like to find out what keeps them awake at night, what intractable issues or opportunities disturb their sense of confidence. Of course, each one has industry-specific or company-specific challenges and they’re fascinating.
But there’s one problem common to each one of them. They all know it. Only a brave few will talk about it openly: Ignorance.
It doesn’t matter whether the company is large or small, old or young, high tech or blue collar manufacturing. The reality is that no leader is fully informed of what is happening on his or her watch.
Ignorance Isn’t Bliss
Of course in theory, this shouldn’t happen. The chain of command should ensure that information reaches the top. Daily reports should flag critical issues. Balance sheets should indicate significant trends. And they all do - up to a point. The problem is that none of them works quite well enough.
That’s why BP can run unsafe plants and still be taken by surprise when they blow up.
It’s why music labels could be blind-sided by the rise of digital downloads.
It’s why soft drink companies were surprised by the popularity of vitamin drinks.
It’s why Lehman Brothers and Enron and Citibank and Merrill Lynch had no idea actually how much money they had.
It’s why companies are so anxious about what Wikileaks will publish next.
It Can Happen to You
The most tempting thing in the world is to look at that string of business disasters and argue: that was them, not me. It couldn’t happen here. They were just bad leaders, a few bad apples. But the minute you say you don’t have this problem is the minute you know you do.
The problem is willful blindness: the human propensity to ignore the obvious. It isn’t just a business problem, of course. We do it in our private lives when we leave those credit card bills unopened or take on a mortgage we can’t afford or insist that tanning salons really won’t cause us any harm.
There are numerous social, structural, organizational and neurological reasons for willful blindness and I’ll be blogging about them over the next few weeks. But in the meantime I’d like to hear from you:in your company or department or industry, where are your blindspots?
MY THOUGHTS
Willful blindness! A perfect way to run away, right? Sometimes, ignorance can be bliss. Or playing ignorant. It can keep you out of trouble. At least for a while.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
EXCUSES FOR NOT COACHING
“I Don’t Have Time” and Other Excuses Managers Give for Not Coaching
By John Baldoni | May 12, 2011
These days you would be hard pressed to find a leader who does not know that a large part of his job is to coach his employees. Nor is it hard to find evidence that the companies with the strongest leadership cultures are those that develop people at every level.
And yet you don’t have to look too far to find managers who ignore this vital part of their job description. Why? The culture in which they work may not insist on it, and many managers also find the idea uncomfortable. The idea of talking one on one to an employee about how she is doing and what she could be doing better makes them uneasy. So they develop rationales for not coaching.
Here are the most common excuses I’ve heard, and my rebuttal to them.
1. “I don’t like getting personal with my employees.”
Reality: Coaching is a conversation. It focuses on how an employee is performing in the workplace. It need not get into an employee’s personal life. The focus should be on what is happening on the workplace.
2. “I am a manager, not a therapist.”
Reality: Coaching is not therapy. Behavioral issues that affect performance are a manager’s concern but it is not your role to solve them. You should coordinate with human resources to find a licensed therapist or executive coach to provide assistance. But if the behavior is affecting other employees, you have an obligation to intervene and ensure the safety and welfare of direct reports.
3. “I don’t have time for it.”
Reality: Your job is to make sure the right things get done on time and on budget. How will that occur if don’t make the time to find and develop the right people for the jobs?
4. “I don’t like to dwell on the negatives.“
Reality: Whenever I hear this excuse, I ask, “How long can you afford to carry a person who is not doing the job? ” Subpar performers are a drain on time as well as resources–and the entire team.
5. “I don’t want my people feeling too secure about their jobs.”
Reality: Exit interview surveys reveal that employees often leave their jobs because they have the impression–often mistaken–that they are undervalued. As long as compensation needs are met, your staff is working for recognition. Coaching is one way to show it.
It’s important for organizations to address the reasons people give for not coaching. Only when the company treats coaching as a priority will it create a culture in which coaching is not something managers ought to do–but something they do.
What reasons have you given–or heard others give–for not coaching at your company?
MY THOUGHTS
I'd such a lot of supervisors and managers do not know how to coach. That's why they are making all these excuses. And it requires extra effort.
By John Baldoni | May 12, 2011
These days you would be hard pressed to find a leader who does not know that a large part of his job is to coach his employees. Nor is it hard to find evidence that the companies with the strongest leadership cultures are those that develop people at every level.
And yet you don’t have to look too far to find managers who ignore this vital part of their job description. Why? The culture in which they work may not insist on it, and many managers also find the idea uncomfortable. The idea of talking one on one to an employee about how she is doing and what she could be doing better makes them uneasy. So they develop rationales for not coaching.
Here are the most common excuses I’ve heard, and my rebuttal to them.
1. “I don’t like getting personal with my employees.”
Reality: Coaching is a conversation. It focuses on how an employee is performing in the workplace. It need not get into an employee’s personal life. The focus should be on what is happening on the workplace.
2. “I am a manager, not a therapist.”
Reality: Coaching is not therapy. Behavioral issues that affect performance are a manager’s concern but it is not your role to solve them. You should coordinate with human resources to find a licensed therapist or executive coach to provide assistance. But if the behavior is affecting other employees, you have an obligation to intervene and ensure the safety and welfare of direct reports.
3. “I don’t have time for it.”
Reality: Your job is to make sure the right things get done on time and on budget. How will that occur if don’t make the time to find and develop the right people for the jobs?
4. “I don’t like to dwell on the negatives.“
Reality: Whenever I hear this excuse, I ask, “How long can you afford to carry a person who is not doing the job? ” Subpar performers are a drain on time as well as resources–and the entire team.
5. “I don’t want my people feeling too secure about their jobs.”
Reality: Exit interview surveys reveal that employees often leave their jobs because they have the impression–often mistaken–that they are undervalued. As long as compensation needs are met, your staff is working for recognition. Coaching is one way to show it.
It’s important for organizations to address the reasons people give for not coaching. Only when the company treats coaching as a priority will it create a culture in which coaching is not something managers ought to do–but something they do.
What reasons have you given–or heard others give–for not coaching at your company?
MY THOUGHTS
I'd such a lot of supervisors and managers do not know how to coach. That's why they are making all these excuses. And it requires extra effort.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
HOW NOT TO MANAGE YOUR BOSS
How to Manage Your Boss
By Steve Tobak | May 10, 2011
Every business site has articles about managing up or managing your boss, but they’re usually a bunch of lightweight tricks for manipulating weak-minded people. And while there are plenty of dysfunctional managers who might fall for that stuff, the vast majority are at least moderately savvy and capable.
In other words, not only do they not need to be managed, tricked, or manipulated, they’ll likely see right through your transparent games. More importantly, they won’t be very pleased with you.
So, if you want to screw up your chances of getting somewhere, by all means, play all the games and tricks you like. Come to think of it, you may get somewhere. Canned.
If, on the other hand, you want to learn how to really manage up, keep reading. You see, where I come from - the real management world - managing up means two things, as we discussed in 10 Things That Good Bosses Do:
Keep management off employee’s backs. Most people don’t get this, but the most important aspect of that is giving management what they need to do their jobs. That’s what keeps management happy … and away from you.
Take the heat and share the praise. It takes courage to take the heat and humility to share the praise. That comes naturally to great bosses; the rest of us have to pick it up as we go.
Now, if you want to avoid pissing off your boss and being perceived as a complete waste of cubicle space, benefits, and headcount, you’d better pay attention to these …
10 Ways Not to Manage Up
Try to manage his expectations. As an executive, nothing annoyed me more than knowing that an employee was trying to manage my expectations. All your manager wants is your genuine assessment of the situation: how much it’ll cost, how long it’ll take, the probability of success. He’ll take it from there.
BS or sugarcoat the truth. Same as the above.
Promise the impossible. Opposite problem as above, same result. If you make promises your management knows you can’t deliver on, it’ll destroy your credibility and that’ll be the end of your potential.
Tell him what you think he wants to hear. That may work for a time, but in the end, you’ll fail to deliver, the truth will come out, and the game will be over. Managing an organization or leading a company is a long-term deal; Band Aids and quick fixes don’t work.
Make everything about you. Business is about beating the competition, winning customers, and keeping them happy. Business is about business. If you take the drama queen route and try to make it about you, management will write you off as a PITA.
Make excuses. Nobody cares. Nobody wants to hear it. Whining is annoying and doesn’t age well. Don’t do it.
Try to get chummy. Sure, sharing a personal anecdote or two is fine; most managers enjoy getting to know their people. Just don’t overdo it by trying to “get in bed” with the boss. Nobody likes being manipulated.
Kiss her you-know-what. I don’t care what anybody says; good managers and executives do not want their butts kissed. They want people to do their jobs and help them do theirs. That’s pretty much it.
Waste her time. These days, everybody’s overloaded, everybody’s on 24×7, everybody gets too much information. Time is everybody’s most precious commodity. Don’t waste hers.
Say, “trust me.” “Trust me,” “believe me,” “listen to me,” here’s the problem with that. If your boss really does trust you, he’ll wonder why you keep saying that and probably stop trusting you. If he doesn’t trust you yet, you can’t compel him to. You have to build credibility over time. Either way, it’s bad.
Look, you might be able to manipulate a really dysfunctional boss with a giant-sized ego that’ll lap up any BS you shovel his way. But the vast majority of managers and executives are just trying to run a business or an organization; they’re not interested in playing games or being managed. Not even a little. So don’t do it.
MY THOUGHTS
What's sad is most people hate bosses who they don't need to manage because they are the bosses who know what they're doing. People don't like the 'real' managers because they can't mess up with them. They can't walk around bosses who mean business. And they can't hide behind office politics from bosses who can differentiate (without batting an eyelash) between lousy and excellent.
By Steve Tobak | May 10, 2011
Every business site has articles about managing up or managing your boss, but they’re usually a bunch of lightweight tricks for manipulating weak-minded people. And while there are plenty of dysfunctional managers who might fall for that stuff, the vast majority are at least moderately savvy and capable.
In other words, not only do they not need to be managed, tricked, or manipulated, they’ll likely see right through your transparent games. More importantly, they won’t be very pleased with you.
So, if you want to screw up your chances of getting somewhere, by all means, play all the games and tricks you like. Come to think of it, you may get somewhere. Canned.
If, on the other hand, you want to learn how to really manage up, keep reading. You see, where I come from - the real management world - managing up means two things, as we discussed in 10 Things That Good Bosses Do:
Keep management off employee’s backs. Most people don’t get this, but the most important aspect of that is giving management what they need to do their jobs. That’s what keeps management happy … and away from you.
Take the heat and share the praise. It takes courage to take the heat and humility to share the praise. That comes naturally to great bosses; the rest of us have to pick it up as we go.
Now, if you want to avoid pissing off your boss and being perceived as a complete waste of cubicle space, benefits, and headcount, you’d better pay attention to these …
10 Ways Not to Manage Up
Try to manage his expectations. As an executive, nothing annoyed me more than knowing that an employee was trying to manage my expectations. All your manager wants is your genuine assessment of the situation: how much it’ll cost, how long it’ll take, the probability of success. He’ll take it from there.
BS or sugarcoat the truth. Same as the above.
Promise the impossible. Opposite problem as above, same result. If you make promises your management knows you can’t deliver on, it’ll destroy your credibility and that’ll be the end of your potential.
Tell him what you think he wants to hear. That may work for a time, but in the end, you’ll fail to deliver, the truth will come out, and the game will be over. Managing an organization or leading a company is a long-term deal; Band Aids and quick fixes don’t work.
Make everything about you. Business is about beating the competition, winning customers, and keeping them happy. Business is about business. If you take the drama queen route and try to make it about you, management will write you off as a PITA.
Make excuses. Nobody cares. Nobody wants to hear it. Whining is annoying and doesn’t age well. Don’t do it.
Try to get chummy. Sure, sharing a personal anecdote or two is fine; most managers enjoy getting to know their people. Just don’t overdo it by trying to “get in bed” with the boss. Nobody likes being manipulated.
Kiss her you-know-what. I don’t care what anybody says; good managers and executives do not want their butts kissed. They want people to do their jobs and help them do theirs. That’s pretty much it.
Waste her time. These days, everybody’s overloaded, everybody’s on 24×7, everybody gets too much information. Time is everybody’s most precious commodity. Don’t waste hers.
Say, “trust me.” “Trust me,” “believe me,” “listen to me,” here’s the problem with that. If your boss really does trust you, he’ll wonder why you keep saying that and probably stop trusting you. If he doesn’t trust you yet, you can’t compel him to. You have to build credibility over time. Either way, it’s bad.
Look, you might be able to manipulate a really dysfunctional boss with a giant-sized ego that’ll lap up any BS you shovel his way. But the vast majority of managers and executives are just trying to run a business or an organization; they’re not interested in playing games or being managed. Not even a little. So don’t do it.
MY THOUGHTS
What's sad is most people hate bosses who they don't need to manage because they are the bosses who know what they're doing. People don't like the 'real' managers because they can't mess up with them. They can't walk around bosses who mean business. And they can't hide behind office politics from bosses who can differentiate (without batting an eyelash) between lousy and excellent.
Monday, April 25, 2011
EXPERIENCE AND DECISION MAKING
Monday Motivating Moment
April 25, 2011
Your Weekly Attitude Booster
Decisions and Experience
Have you ever put off making a decision about even the smallest matter? Why is it so hard for us to make decisions at times? Is it because we are afraid of making the wrong decision?
A reporter once asked a bank president...
"Sir, what is the secret of your success?"
The banker replied... "Two words."
"And, sir, what are they?" the reporter asked.
"Right decisions," the banker answered.
"And how do you make the right decisions?"
"One word."
"And, sir, what is it?"
"Experience."
"And how do you get experience?"
"Two words."
"And, sir, what are they?"
"Wrong decisions," the banker answered.
The ability to move beyond the fear of making the wrong decision is key to living a full and successful life. As his Uncle Donald advised my husband years ago, "Do something, even if it's wrong!"
When faced with a tough decision, it is always helpful to ask, "What is the worst thing that could happen?" We may find that the worst thing that could happen is not as bad as that which could result from not making a decision.
Affirmation for the Week:
"I move forward with confidence in my decision making abilities. When any decision does not yield the desired effect, I rest comfortably in the knowledge that I can reassess my approach and make yet another decision. I am a powerful and successful decision maker."
Have a decisive week!
Mary Rau-Foster, E-mail Mary
Copyright 2011 by Mary Rau-Foster. All rights reserved.
However, if you find this information helpful, we grant you permission, and strongly encourage you, to print this page and put it on your bulletin board, or download an Adobe PDF file with a printable version. Thank you.
Sign up to receive your personal copy of the Monday Motivating Moment each week.
Read other Monday Motivating Moments
MY THOUGHTS
Did you learn from the things that you did right? Or did you learn more from the things that you did wrong? Most likely, your answer is the latter. Decision making is truly very experiential. There are theoretical steps and principles to guide us. But do you ever notice how decision making gets easier and easier after you've made a lot of wrong ones-and learned from them?
April 25, 2011
Your Weekly Attitude Booster
Decisions and Experience
Have you ever put off making a decision about even the smallest matter? Why is it so hard for us to make decisions at times? Is it because we are afraid of making the wrong decision?
A reporter once asked a bank president...
"Sir, what is the secret of your success?"
The banker replied... "Two words."
"And, sir, what are they?" the reporter asked.
"Right decisions," the banker answered.
"And how do you make the right decisions?"
"One word."
"And, sir, what is it?"
"Experience."
"And how do you get experience?"
"Two words."
"And, sir, what are they?"
"Wrong decisions," the banker answered.
The ability to move beyond the fear of making the wrong decision is key to living a full and successful life. As his Uncle Donald advised my husband years ago, "Do something, even if it's wrong!"
When faced with a tough decision, it is always helpful to ask, "What is the worst thing that could happen?" We may find that the worst thing that could happen is not as bad as that which could result from not making a decision.
Affirmation for the Week:
"I move forward with confidence in my decision making abilities. When any decision does not yield the desired effect, I rest comfortably in the knowledge that I can reassess my approach and make yet another decision. I am a powerful and successful decision maker."
Have a decisive week!
Mary Rau-Foster, E-mail Mary
Copyright 2011 by Mary Rau-Foster. All rights reserved.
However, if you find this information helpful, we grant you permission, and strongly encourage you, to print this page and put it on your bulletin board, or download an Adobe PDF file with a printable version. Thank you.
Sign up to receive your personal copy of the Monday Motivating Moment each week.
Read other Monday Motivating Moments
MY THOUGHTS
Did you learn from the things that you did right? Or did you learn more from the things that you did wrong? Most likely, your answer is the latter. Decision making is truly very experiential. There are theoretical steps and principles to guide us. But do you ever notice how decision making gets easier and easier after you've made a lot of wrong ones-and learned from them?
Saturday, April 23, 2011
DECIDING ON LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
DECIDING ON LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
from the article 'Are You A Great Leader? Does It Even Matter?'
By Mark Henricks | April 18, 2011
Consider these guidelines when it comes to promoting others into positions of leadership, and to exercising your own:
Promote people to managers only when you need managers. Don’t do it only to justify a pay raise.
On the other hand, if your best technicians need more pay, pay them more.
But never put them into leadership jobs that don’t make use of their best talents.
Especially if you’re in a small company, follow Palmgren’s advice and don’t keep leadership entirely to yourself. “Proprietors should enable their personnel to voice their concerns about the company matters, take initiative, and participate in solving the problems experienced in small companies,” Palmgren writes, “instead of retaining power to their own hands only.” It turns out that you can sometimes best lead others by letting them lead themselves.
Mark Henricks has reported on business, technology and other topics for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, and other leading publications long enough to lay somewhat legitimate claim to being The Article Authority. Follow him on Twitter @bizmyths.
MY THOUGHTS
Which brings me to another question-is leadership for everyone? If you were not a 'born leader', can training and preparation make you a leader, even if you do not have the potential?
from the article 'Are You A Great Leader? Does It Even Matter?'
By Mark Henricks | April 18, 2011
Consider these guidelines when it comes to promoting others into positions of leadership, and to exercising your own:
Promote people to managers only when you need managers. Don’t do it only to justify a pay raise.
On the other hand, if your best technicians need more pay, pay them more.
But never put them into leadership jobs that don’t make use of their best talents.
Especially if you’re in a small company, follow Palmgren’s advice and don’t keep leadership entirely to yourself. “Proprietors should enable their personnel to voice their concerns about the company matters, take initiative, and participate in solving the problems experienced in small companies,” Palmgren writes, “instead of retaining power to their own hands only.” It turns out that you can sometimes best lead others by letting them lead themselves.
Mark Henricks has reported on business, technology and other topics for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, and other leading publications long enough to lay somewhat legitimate claim to being The Article Authority. Follow him on Twitter @bizmyths.
MY THOUGHTS
Which brings me to another question-is leadership for everyone? If you were not a 'born leader', can training and preparation make you a leader, even if you do not have the potential?
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
ARE YOU TRAINING SUCKERS?
Are You Training People to Suck Up to You?
By Kelly Goldsmith and Marshall Goldsmith
http://www.bnet.com/blog/marshall-goldsmith/are-you-training-people-to-suck-up-to-you/145?tag=footer
Almost every company — and every leader — claims to want employees to honestly express their opinions. Almost everyone claims to hate “suck-ups” who just provide hollow praise to their bosses.
It’s a puzzling situation. If everyone hates suck-ups so much, why does so much sucking-up go on? The simple answer is that people tend to create an environment where others learn to suck up to them.
You’re probably thinking, “The Goldsmiths are making a good point. I see other leaders encouraging suck-ups all the time. Of course I find this to be disgusting!” It’s incredibly easy to see other leaders encouraging suck-ups. And it’s incredibly difficult to realize that you (without meaning to) may be doing the same thing.
In teaching classes, we’ve often ask leaders, “How many of you own a dog that you love?” Invariably these leaders smile, wave their hands in the air, and share the names of their ever-faithful mutts. Next we ask, “What family member gets the most unqualified positive recognition at home?” The possible answers are: A.) my husband, wife or partner; B.) my kids; or C.) my dog. More than 80 percent of the time the clear winner is … the dog!
We then ask these same leaders if they actually love their dogs more than the other members of their families. The invariably say no (although some appear to be lying). The next question is, “Then why is the dog the family member who gets the most unqualified positive recognition?” The answers always sound the same: “The dog never talks back!” “The dog never criticizes me!” “The dog is always happy to see me!” “The dog gives me unconditional love!”
In other words, the dog is a suck-up.
Here is a simple test that may help you avoid encouraging suck-ups in your own work environment. Rank-order your direct reports (or, if you don’t have direct reports, use co-workers) in three ways:
1.How much does this person like me? (You may not know the real answer, but it doesn’t matter. How much do you think this person likes you?)
2.What is this person’s contribution to our company and our customers?
3.How much positive personal recognition do I give to this person?
If you’re honest with yourself, in some cases you may find that your recognition is more highly correlated with No. 1 (liking) than No. 2 (contribution). You may be falling into a trap that you despise in others: creating an environment where people learn to suck up to you.
Think of your own experience in observing suck-ups. The ones that we all hate are obvious or embarrassing about it. These people’s problem is not that they suck up — it’s that they’re bad at it. Subtle suck-ups who don’t obviously look like they are sucking up do much better. They’re much more skilled in their tactics.
Challenge yourself as a leader or co-worker. Make sure that when you give recognition, you’re giving it for the right reason. Don’t assume that you’re too enlightened to fall into the “encouraging suck-ups” trap. Anyone can make this mistake.
What’s your experience in observing employees who suck-up and leaders who encourage this behavior?
MY THOUGHTS
It depends on why you and your staff (or co-worker) like each other. It's really no different from 'birds of the same feather'. If you're competent,an excellent producer, your staff probably likes you because he/she is competent and provides you with excellent support. So, you give personal recognition that's due. Most excellent performers do not suck-up. They don't need to. No need for worry.
But if you're an imbecile (sorry!)...well do your math.
By Kelly Goldsmith and Marshall Goldsmith
http://www.bnet.com/blog/marshall-goldsmith/are-you-training-people-to-suck-up-to-you/145?tag=footer
Almost every company — and every leader — claims to want employees to honestly express their opinions. Almost everyone claims to hate “suck-ups” who just provide hollow praise to their bosses.
It’s a puzzling situation. If everyone hates suck-ups so much, why does so much sucking-up go on? The simple answer is that people tend to create an environment where others learn to suck up to them.
You’re probably thinking, “The Goldsmiths are making a good point. I see other leaders encouraging suck-ups all the time. Of course I find this to be disgusting!” It’s incredibly easy to see other leaders encouraging suck-ups. And it’s incredibly difficult to realize that you (without meaning to) may be doing the same thing.
In teaching classes, we’ve often ask leaders, “How many of you own a dog that you love?” Invariably these leaders smile, wave their hands in the air, and share the names of their ever-faithful mutts. Next we ask, “What family member gets the most unqualified positive recognition at home?” The possible answers are: A.) my husband, wife or partner; B.) my kids; or C.) my dog. More than 80 percent of the time the clear winner is … the dog!
We then ask these same leaders if they actually love their dogs more than the other members of their families. The invariably say no (although some appear to be lying). The next question is, “Then why is the dog the family member who gets the most unqualified positive recognition?” The answers always sound the same: “The dog never talks back!” “The dog never criticizes me!” “The dog is always happy to see me!” “The dog gives me unconditional love!”
In other words, the dog is a suck-up.
Here is a simple test that may help you avoid encouraging suck-ups in your own work environment. Rank-order your direct reports (or, if you don’t have direct reports, use co-workers) in three ways:
1.How much does this person like me? (You may not know the real answer, but it doesn’t matter. How much do you think this person likes you?)
2.What is this person’s contribution to our company and our customers?
3.How much positive personal recognition do I give to this person?
If you’re honest with yourself, in some cases you may find that your recognition is more highly correlated with No. 1 (liking) than No. 2 (contribution). You may be falling into a trap that you despise in others: creating an environment where people learn to suck up to you.
Think of your own experience in observing suck-ups. The ones that we all hate are obvious or embarrassing about it. These people’s problem is not that they suck up — it’s that they’re bad at it. Subtle suck-ups who don’t obviously look like they are sucking up do much better. They’re much more skilled in their tactics.
Challenge yourself as a leader or co-worker. Make sure that when you give recognition, you’re giving it for the right reason. Don’t assume that you’re too enlightened to fall into the “encouraging suck-ups” trap. Anyone can make this mistake.
What’s your experience in observing employees who suck-up and leaders who encourage this behavior?
MY THOUGHTS
It depends on why you and your staff (or co-worker) like each other. It's really no different from 'birds of the same feather'. If you're competent,an excellent producer, your staff probably likes you because he/she is competent and provides you with excellent support. So, you give personal recognition that's due. Most excellent performers do not suck-up. They don't need to. No need for worry.
But if you're an imbecile (sorry!)...well do your math.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
FIRING A RELATIVE?
What If You Could Never Fire Another Employee?
By Margaret Heffernan | April 6, 2010
http://www.bnet.com/blog/business-strategy/what-if-you-could-never-fire-another-employee/154?tag=content;drawer-container
Until 2007, the oldest continuously operating business in the world was Kongo Gumi in Japan. A construction firm founded in 578 A.D., it began building Buddhist temples, and that’s what it was still doing when it was absorbed by Takamatsu. The last president was a member of the founding Kongo family, members of which still work as carpenters today. It shouldn’t surprise us that this is a family firm.
Two-thirds of all businesses are family owned: think Samsung, Fiat, Nieman-Marcus, Bacardi, Seagram and Ikea. We tend to think of family businesses as the stuff of soap opera — Dynasty, Dallas, even the Sopranos — and there’s no doubt that they are highly emotional. But that could be the secret of their success.
Why? Because the salient characteristic of family firms is that you can’t fire your family. The fight may be between siblings, between parents and kids — but they have to work it out. Neither party wants to walk away from a successful company that they own a big stake in, and it can be hard to avoid the family dinner where grievances leak out. Which means that the best of these firms become quite expert at resolving conflict.
Often these companies have one person — usually female — who is the chief diplomat and bridge mender. Some consultants even call this person the Chief Emotion Officer. She does all the interstitial work to repair hurt feelings and communicate detail, often fixing problems before they blow up. She’s in touch with the emotions inherent in every business, and her chief aim is to keep the peace.
I think there’s a great lesson here. As a CEO, it can be highly tempting to imagine that the solution to most problems is to fire one person and hire another. Sales director not delivering? Off with his head. Engineering team behind schedule? Find a new project manager. Employment conditions in the U.S. in particular give managers exceptional latitude in picking people up and throwing them out. Most managers love that because it means they don’t get stuck with their bad choices.
But I have to wonder how much better we’d all be at hiring if, like family firms, we couldn’t fire our failures. For all that we make our hiring practices lengthy and laborious, we still apply plenty of bias, instinct and wishful thinking — in part because we know we can get away with it. What if you couldn’t? What if you were stuck with that employee for life? How would that change your decisions? Here are five hiring practices we can learn from family firms:
1.Choose carefully at the start. Knowing this is a lifetime relationship, not a one-night stand should make you very thoughtful about your own biases.
2.When there are signs of failure, intervene early. Don’t let things fester, and don’t leave a struggling employee to fail.
3.Stop hoping they’ll be so unhappy that they quit. Your employee may meanwhile be hanging on in the hopes that you’ll pay them to leave. And that’s the worst of all possible worlds for everyone.
4.Ask whether the employee is in the right spot. Many companies hire great people but don’t put them in positions where they flourish.
5.Check that the problem doesn’t lie with the line manager. Employees often fail because they’re being mismanaged.
I’m not proud of the times I’ve had to fire employees. It’s a ghastly experience, and it ought to be. If the day ever comes that you don’t mind it, quit: you’ve lost the plot. But before you take this easy exit next time, imagine you’re running a family firm. You’ll see that errant employee for Sunday supper. How does that feel? Isn’t there an alternative to termination?
MY THOUGHTS
Firing is not a decision that is done at the first sign of incompetence or breach of discipline (unless it's serious and explicitly stated in the HR manual). Firing is a last resort. I've worked (or came across) family businesses. Those who opt not to fire family members (without doing anything about that son or daughter or cousin) are in deep s_ _t. It's clear from this article, that something has to be done. Or else, that cancer cell stays in the family business and eats the whole structure up.
I have a friend who was fired by his own dad. He was earth-shaken. But he got the message. And the rest of the employees did, too. The business has grown immensely. So has my friend. He's now running the business. His dad gave him the reins after seeing that he has learned his lesson and has become a better businessman. A much better man,actually.
By Margaret Heffernan | April 6, 2010
http://www.bnet.com/blog/business-strategy/what-if-you-could-never-fire-another-employee/154?tag=content;drawer-container
Until 2007, the oldest continuously operating business in the world was Kongo Gumi in Japan. A construction firm founded in 578 A.D., it began building Buddhist temples, and that’s what it was still doing when it was absorbed by Takamatsu. The last president was a member of the founding Kongo family, members of which still work as carpenters today. It shouldn’t surprise us that this is a family firm.
Two-thirds of all businesses are family owned: think Samsung, Fiat, Nieman-Marcus, Bacardi, Seagram and Ikea. We tend to think of family businesses as the stuff of soap opera — Dynasty, Dallas, even the Sopranos — and there’s no doubt that they are highly emotional. But that could be the secret of their success.
Why? Because the salient characteristic of family firms is that you can’t fire your family. The fight may be between siblings, between parents and kids — but they have to work it out. Neither party wants to walk away from a successful company that they own a big stake in, and it can be hard to avoid the family dinner where grievances leak out. Which means that the best of these firms become quite expert at resolving conflict.
Often these companies have one person — usually female — who is the chief diplomat and bridge mender. Some consultants even call this person the Chief Emotion Officer. She does all the interstitial work to repair hurt feelings and communicate detail, often fixing problems before they blow up. She’s in touch with the emotions inherent in every business, and her chief aim is to keep the peace.
I think there’s a great lesson here. As a CEO, it can be highly tempting to imagine that the solution to most problems is to fire one person and hire another. Sales director not delivering? Off with his head. Engineering team behind schedule? Find a new project manager. Employment conditions in the U.S. in particular give managers exceptional latitude in picking people up and throwing them out. Most managers love that because it means they don’t get stuck with their bad choices.
But I have to wonder how much better we’d all be at hiring if, like family firms, we couldn’t fire our failures. For all that we make our hiring practices lengthy and laborious, we still apply plenty of bias, instinct and wishful thinking — in part because we know we can get away with it. What if you couldn’t? What if you were stuck with that employee for life? How would that change your decisions? Here are five hiring practices we can learn from family firms:
1.Choose carefully at the start. Knowing this is a lifetime relationship, not a one-night stand should make you very thoughtful about your own biases.
2.When there are signs of failure, intervene early. Don’t let things fester, and don’t leave a struggling employee to fail.
3.Stop hoping they’ll be so unhappy that they quit. Your employee may meanwhile be hanging on in the hopes that you’ll pay them to leave. And that’s the worst of all possible worlds for everyone.
4.Ask whether the employee is in the right spot. Many companies hire great people but don’t put them in positions where they flourish.
5.Check that the problem doesn’t lie with the line manager. Employees often fail because they’re being mismanaged.
I’m not proud of the times I’ve had to fire employees. It’s a ghastly experience, and it ought to be. If the day ever comes that you don’t mind it, quit: you’ve lost the plot. But before you take this easy exit next time, imagine you’re running a family firm. You’ll see that errant employee for Sunday supper. How does that feel? Isn’t there an alternative to termination?
MY THOUGHTS
Firing is not a decision that is done at the first sign of incompetence or breach of discipline (unless it's serious and explicitly stated in the HR manual). Firing is a last resort. I've worked (or came across) family businesses. Those who opt not to fire family members (without doing anything about that son or daughter or cousin) are in deep s_ _t. It's clear from this article, that something has to be done. Or else, that cancer cell stays in the family business and eats the whole structure up.
I have a friend who was fired by his own dad. He was earth-shaken. But he got the message. And the rest of the employees did, too. The business has grown immensely. So has my friend. He's now running the business. His dad gave him the reins after seeing that he has learned his lesson and has become a better businessman. A much better man,actually.
Monday, April 11, 2011
DECISION-MAKING IN CRISIS
The Value in Crisis
Daily Inspiration
By John H. Sklare, Ed.D, Lifescript Personal Coach
Published September 01, 2010
I was watching a tennis match on TV, and the announcer was discussing the “mental” problem the tennis player was having lately. He commented that the player had to “work her way out of it mentally." The announcer also said that such problems can’t be practiced because "it doesn’t happen on the practice court. It only happens in matches like this.” There is an important lesson to be learned for those of you who find yourself in crisis today. Let me explain.
Crisis and turmoil provide a great opportunity for meaningful change. For example, take dieting: When life is good, it’s easy to make the right choices and avoid emotional eating. But the real test of healthy eating arises when you're faced with crisis. This is when you find out if you've really changed. If you haven't, you'll return to emotional eating as a coping mechanism. Just like the tennis player's mental issue during match play, improvement for you can only happen when you're in the heat of battle!
Here's the lesson: If you find yourself in a pickle, don’t just experience this situation; use it to move yourself closer to the person you want to be. Life’s firestorms are the perfect opportunity to change your life.
Wishing You Great Health,
Dr. John H. Sklare
MY THOUGHTS
If you think making decisions on a daily basis is hard, think of how you will decide in a crisis situation. Our decision-making style will most certainly be more defined when we are in a crisis. Some people will freeze-up, allowing others (maybe unknowingly to take the rein). Others will get an adrenalin rush allowing them to think on their feet.
The best decision makers are those who can adjust their styles - depending on the situation. You don't want to list and weigh the pros and cons when you're in a crisis. And you don't want to deal with everyday, normal problems as if a 9.0 earthquake just hit you.
www.innerdiet.com
Stressed? Angry? Not over your ex? Email your question to Dr. Sklare to get expert advice! Ask Dr. Sklare
Daily Inspiration
By John H. Sklare, Ed.D, Lifescript Personal Coach
Published September 01, 2010
I was watching a tennis match on TV, and the announcer was discussing the “mental” problem the tennis player was having lately. He commented that the player had to “work her way out of it mentally." The announcer also said that such problems can’t be practiced because "it doesn’t happen on the practice court. It only happens in matches like this.” There is an important lesson to be learned for those of you who find yourself in crisis today. Let me explain.
Crisis and turmoil provide a great opportunity for meaningful change. For example, take dieting: When life is good, it’s easy to make the right choices and avoid emotional eating. But the real test of healthy eating arises when you're faced with crisis. This is when you find out if you've really changed. If you haven't, you'll return to emotional eating as a coping mechanism. Just like the tennis player's mental issue during match play, improvement for you can only happen when you're in the heat of battle!
Here's the lesson: If you find yourself in a pickle, don’t just experience this situation; use it to move yourself closer to the person you want to be. Life’s firestorms are the perfect opportunity to change your life.
Wishing You Great Health,
Dr. John H. Sklare
MY THOUGHTS
If you think making decisions on a daily basis is hard, think of how you will decide in a crisis situation. Our decision-making style will most certainly be more defined when we are in a crisis. Some people will freeze-up, allowing others (maybe unknowingly to take the rein). Others will get an adrenalin rush allowing them to think on their feet.
The best decision makers are those who can adjust their styles - depending on the situation. You don't want to list and weigh the pros and cons when you're in a crisis. And you don't want to deal with everyday, normal problems as if a 9.0 earthquake just hit you.
www.innerdiet.com
Stressed? Angry? Not over your ex? Email your question to Dr. Sklare to get expert advice! Ask Dr. Sklare
WHY GOALS CAN'T BE ACHIEVED
Not Achieving Your Goals? 5 Common Mistakes
By Kelly Goldsmith and Marshall Goldsmith | March 8, 2011
http://www.bnet.com
If you’re like most professionals, you’re probably very skilled at setting goals–but not quite so adept at achieving them.
With the best of intentions, we make New Year’s resolutions, vowing to lose weight, exercise more, or get organized. And by February, our resolve usually evaporates, along with our goals, according to a poll by the time management firm Franklin Covey. The company polled more than 15,000 customers about their New Year’s resolutions and found 4 out of 5 eventually break them. About one in three didn’t even make it to the end of January.
At work, you’ve probably seen the same phenomenon. Companies establish all kinds of goals–from lofty missions statements to specific growth targets–then often fail to meet most of them.
Why? And what stands in the way of achieving goals? Here are five common mistakes:
1. You underestimate how hard it is to achieve the goal.
Those flabby abs? They can’t be turned into a sexy six pack in six days. Those diet books that promise full body make overs in 30 days? Not going to happen.
In reality, most meaningful goals take a lot of work to realize. If you don’t recognize from the out start that losing ten pounds, or increasing sales 10%, will take considerable time and effort, you will find it all too easy to give up once you get caught up in the day-to-day. You have to forecast the difficulties so that you are mentally prepared to meet the challenges when they inevitably arise.
2. You didn’t “own” your goal.
“I’m just doing this because my boss wants me to” is a goal that is destined for failure. If you’re just implementing a new sales strategy to please the new vice president, not because you believe in its necessity, you’re going to find it impossible to stay on course when you encounter obstacles–or just the daily interruptions.
We’re living in a perfect storm of distractions–email, cell phones, texting, IM, on demand media. It’s way too tempting to tell yourself, “I’m incredibly busy, I’ll get to this tomorrow.” In one survey, people admitted to wasting nearly two hours a day of an 8-hour work day on socializing or goofing off on the internet. Waiting for a “tomorrow” usually means never.
If you want to meet that 10% target, you need to be self-motivated and be committed to achieving it.
3. Your goal wasn’t clear, or measurable.
“Increasing customer satisfaction” is too general. You need to identify the specific, quantifiable goal (ie: improving customer retention by 5 percent), so that you can measure your progress on a regular basis. The on-going monitoring–seeing that retention inched up, or down–will reinforce your strategy and help you stay on track.
Yes, we know that there are people who argue that dieters should never get on a scale–that you can tell if you’re losing weight by how your clothes fit. But how many people actually lose weight that way? And is it really possible to keep focused on that difficult-to-achieve goal, without periodically checking in to see how you’re progressing?
4. You didn’t realize the rewards would be modest.
If you set a goal to increase sales 10%, and so far you’ve inched up sales 2%, you’re probably not going to see the confetti sprinkling down over your head. The sense of satisfaction may be limited. Progress frequently is incremental, and slower than we hope. The key is to remember that fact, so you keep plugging on.
5. You tried to do it alone.
There is a very good reason why so many diet plans encourage dieters to join to support groups. Most of us need a community of supporters who will cheer us on when the going gets tough–and, most importantly, hold us accountable. Just the sheer act of publicly acknowledging your goal can help make you accountable to achieve it.
It takes courage–and humility–to publicly admit that you need to do better. But once you do, having that band of supporters will help you stay disciplined to reach your goal.
How have you achieved a difficult goal? How did you do it?
MY THOUGHTS
Goals should push you enough to acommplish more than you think you can but should still be realistic. When you have millions of losses, trying to have a profit may not be reachable. I would go for cutting losses until it's small enough to aim for growth.
By Kelly Goldsmith and Marshall Goldsmith | March 8, 2011
http://www.bnet.com
If you’re like most professionals, you’re probably very skilled at setting goals–but not quite so adept at achieving them.
With the best of intentions, we make New Year’s resolutions, vowing to lose weight, exercise more, or get organized. And by February, our resolve usually evaporates, along with our goals, according to a poll by the time management firm Franklin Covey. The company polled more than 15,000 customers about their New Year’s resolutions and found 4 out of 5 eventually break them. About one in three didn’t even make it to the end of January.
At work, you’ve probably seen the same phenomenon. Companies establish all kinds of goals–from lofty missions statements to specific growth targets–then often fail to meet most of them.
Why? And what stands in the way of achieving goals? Here are five common mistakes:
1. You underestimate how hard it is to achieve the goal.
Those flabby abs? They can’t be turned into a sexy six pack in six days. Those diet books that promise full body make overs in 30 days? Not going to happen.
In reality, most meaningful goals take a lot of work to realize. If you don’t recognize from the out start that losing ten pounds, or increasing sales 10%, will take considerable time and effort, you will find it all too easy to give up once you get caught up in the day-to-day. You have to forecast the difficulties so that you are mentally prepared to meet the challenges when they inevitably arise.
2. You didn’t “own” your goal.
“I’m just doing this because my boss wants me to” is a goal that is destined for failure. If you’re just implementing a new sales strategy to please the new vice president, not because you believe in its necessity, you’re going to find it impossible to stay on course when you encounter obstacles–or just the daily interruptions.
We’re living in a perfect storm of distractions–email, cell phones, texting, IM, on demand media. It’s way too tempting to tell yourself, “I’m incredibly busy, I’ll get to this tomorrow.” In one survey, people admitted to wasting nearly two hours a day of an 8-hour work day on socializing or goofing off on the internet. Waiting for a “tomorrow” usually means never.
If you want to meet that 10% target, you need to be self-motivated and be committed to achieving it.
3. Your goal wasn’t clear, or measurable.
“Increasing customer satisfaction” is too general. You need to identify the specific, quantifiable goal (ie: improving customer retention by 5 percent), so that you can measure your progress on a regular basis. The on-going monitoring–seeing that retention inched up, or down–will reinforce your strategy and help you stay on track.
Yes, we know that there are people who argue that dieters should never get on a scale–that you can tell if you’re losing weight by how your clothes fit. But how many people actually lose weight that way? And is it really possible to keep focused on that difficult-to-achieve goal, without periodically checking in to see how you’re progressing?
4. You didn’t realize the rewards would be modest.
If you set a goal to increase sales 10%, and so far you’ve inched up sales 2%, you’re probably not going to see the confetti sprinkling down over your head. The sense of satisfaction may be limited. Progress frequently is incremental, and slower than we hope. The key is to remember that fact, so you keep plugging on.
5. You tried to do it alone.
There is a very good reason why so many diet plans encourage dieters to join to support groups. Most of us need a community of supporters who will cheer us on when the going gets tough–and, most importantly, hold us accountable. Just the sheer act of publicly acknowledging your goal can help make you accountable to achieve it.
It takes courage–and humility–to publicly admit that you need to do better. But once you do, having that band of supporters will help you stay disciplined to reach your goal.
How have you achieved a difficult goal? How did you do it?
MY THOUGHTS
Goals should push you enough to acommplish more than you think you can but should still be realistic. When you have millions of losses, trying to have a profit may not be reachable. I would go for cutting losses until it's small enough to aim for growth.
Friday, April 8, 2011
LEADER'S TIME
The One Priority Leaders Need to Spend Time On (But Don't)
By Sean Silverthorne | October 19, 2010
When Robert Pozen counsels CEOs on how to spend their time, he shares one piece of advice that they almost had never considered. We’ll get to that advice in a minute.
Pozen is an ideal person to provide counsel on this subject because, for much of his career, he has flown at high executive levels where time is at a premium. Now a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School, Pozen was chairman of MFS Investment Management, ran the Fidelity Management & Research Co., served as associate general counsel at the SEC, and held variety of appointments at high-powered law firms. In other words, his experience is worth considering when it comes to time management.
Top execs usually plan their time by figuring out the top priorities of the organization, then determining who is best equipped to implement them, Pozen tells HBR.org. Too often the answer is, “Me.” The answer might be right, but the question is the wrong one to ask.
“The question is not who’s best at performing high-priority functions, but which things can you and only you as the CEO get done? If you don’t ask yourself that question, your time allocations are bound to be wrong. Lots of CEOs who have been great number twos flounder as number one because they are implicitly asking the wrong question. That happens because they usually rose to CEO by being very good at getting things done themselves.”
In other words, delegate implementation to the next-best person, and spend your time doing only what the CEO can do. This could be meeting with high-level stakeholders, recruiting top talent, hearing concerns of key customers, or giving talks to important audiences.
“You really have to hold yourself back from taking on other functions or tasks even if you might excel at performing them,” cautions Pozen
This is great advice for many top executives, not just CEOs. Figure out the unique tasks or roles that only someone in your position in the organization can do, and farm out the less important things–even if you do them better than anyone else in the business.
You can read the entire interview with Pozen at What Not to Spend Your Time On, at HBR.org.
MY THOUGHTS
In other words, don't micro-manage. And give your people the chance to show that they deserve your trust.
By Sean Silverthorne | October 19, 2010
When Robert Pozen counsels CEOs on how to spend their time, he shares one piece of advice that they almost had never considered. We’ll get to that advice in a minute.
Pozen is an ideal person to provide counsel on this subject because, for much of his career, he has flown at high executive levels where time is at a premium. Now a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School, Pozen was chairman of MFS Investment Management, ran the Fidelity Management & Research Co., served as associate general counsel at the SEC, and held variety of appointments at high-powered law firms. In other words, his experience is worth considering when it comes to time management.
Top execs usually plan their time by figuring out the top priorities of the organization, then determining who is best equipped to implement them, Pozen tells HBR.org. Too often the answer is, “Me.” The answer might be right, but the question is the wrong one to ask.
“The question is not who’s best at performing high-priority functions, but which things can you and only you as the CEO get done? If you don’t ask yourself that question, your time allocations are bound to be wrong. Lots of CEOs who have been great number twos flounder as number one because they are implicitly asking the wrong question. That happens because they usually rose to CEO by being very good at getting things done themselves.”
In other words, delegate implementation to the next-best person, and spend your time doing only what the CEO can do. This could be meeting with high-level stakeholders, recruiting top talent, hearing concerns of key customers, or giving talks to important audiences.
“You really have to hold yourself back from taking on other functions or tasks even if you might excel at performing them,” cautions Pozen
This is great advice for many top executives, not just CEOs. Figure out the unique tasks or roles that only someone in your position in the organization can do, and farm out the less important things–even if you do them better than anyone else in the business.
You can read the entire interview with Pozen at What Not to Spend Your Time On, at HBR.org.
MY THOUGHTS
In other words, don't micro-manage. And give your people the chance to show that they deserve your trust.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
COMBAT WORKPALCE STRESS
March 18, 2011
Top 10 Strategies for Combating Employee Stress
http://safety.blr.com/workplace-safety-news/employee-health/employee-health/Top-10-Strategies-for-Combating-Employee-Stress/
Workplace stress is a bigger problem than it used to be, and employers have good reason to be more concerned about it than in the past, says Barry Hall, principal at Buck Consultants.
In a recent survey, 82% of participants reported that their company’s healthcare costs are significantly or moderately impacted by worker stress. In addition, respondents said they have seen a significant or moderate impact on absenteeism (79%) and on workplace safety (77%), according to the survey by Buck Consultants (www.buckconsultants.com).
Proactive Approach
Worker stress levels have increased within the past few years as a result of economy-related factors, such as layoffs, greater workloads, the need for some employees to work second jobs to make ends meet, and lower household incomes due to family members’ lost wages, Hall explains.
In response, many employers are taking steps to help their employees manage stress. In fact, Buck Consultants found that 66% of participants in its “Stress in the Workplace” survey have implemented four or more programs aimed at reducing stress, and 22% have at least eight programs in place.
According to the survey, the top 10 strategies being used by employers to address stress are:
An employee assistance program (78%)
Flexible work schedules (63%)
Work/life balance support programs (46%)
Leadership training on worker stress (45%)
Online healthy lifestyle programs (45%)
On-site fitness centers (43%)
Physical activity programs (38%)
Stress awareness campaigns (35%)
Financial management classes (30%)
Personal health/lifestyle management coaching (29%)
Significant ROI
Implementing stress management programs makes good business sense because the return on investment (ROI) is high. “It is a business issue for employers,” Hall says. “Employers increasingly realize they must address the rising tide of employee stress and not just to improve employees’ well-being,” says Hall. “Those who ignore stress will take a hit to their bottom line in higher costs and lower productivity.”
Employers that help employees manage stress tend to experience greater employee productivity, higher morale, lower absenteeism, reduced healthcare costs, lower turnover, fewer accidents, and lower workers’ compensation costs, reports Hall.
Acknowledge Stress
He says employers should not be “afraid” to acknowledge and address workplace stress. “I think there is still a lot of hesitancy to address it or to bring it up [with employees]. A lot of employers realize that they are a key contributor to it.”
Although there is no “magic” number of stress management programs to implement, Hall encourages employers to use as many effective programs as possible, because a program or resource “that works for one employee might not work for another.”
MY THOUGHTS
There's no doubt about it - workplace stress is a reality that needs to be addressed. I don't think this is something that should be left for the employee to manage. As the article suggests, employers have much to gain by investing on stress management programs. I just wish the programs are not the superficial attempts that scratches the surface. These programs should be part of a culture that enables and empowers employees to pick up on whatever the employer initiates.
Top 10 Strategies for Combating Employee Stress
http://safety.blr.com/workplace-safety-news/employee-health/employee-health/Top-10-Strategies-for-Combating-Employee-Stress/
Workplace stress is a bigger problem than it used to be, and employers have good reason to be more concerned about it than in the past, says Barry Hall, principal at Buck Consultants.
In a recent survey, 82% of participants reported that their company’s healthcare costs are significantly or moderately impacted by worker stress. In addition, respondents said they have seen a significant or moderate impact on absenteeism (79%) and on workplace safety (77%), according to the survey by Buck Consultants (www.buckconsultants.com).
Proactive Approach
Worker stress levels have increased within the past few years as a result of economy-related factors, such as layoffs, greater workloads, the need for some employees to work second jobs to make ends meet, and lower household incomes due to family members’ lost wages, Hall explains.
In response, many employers are taking steps to help their employees manage stress. In fact, Buck Consultants found that 66% of participants in its “Stress in the Workplace” survey have implemented four or more programs aimed at reducing stress, and 22% have at least eight programs in place.
According to the survey, the top 10 strategies being used by employers to address stress are:
An employee assistance program (78%)
Flexible work schedules (63%)
Work/life balance support programs (46%)
Leadership training on worker stress (45%)
Online healthy lifestyle programs (45%)
On-site fitness centers (43%)
Physical activity programs (38%)
Stress awareness campaigns (35%)
Financial management classes (30%)
Personal health/lifestyle management coaching (29%)
Significant ROI
Implementing stress management programs makes good business sense because the return on investment (ROI) is high. “It is a business issue for employers,” Hall says. “Employers increasingly realize they must address the rising tide of employee stress and not just to improve employees’ well-being,” says Hall. “Those who ignore stress will take a hit to their bottom line in higher costs and lower productivity.”
Employers that help employees manage stress tend to experience greater employee productivity, higher morale, lower absenteeism, reduced healthcare costs, lower turnover, fewer accidents, and lower workers’ compensation costs, reports Hall.
Acknowledge Stress
He says employers should not be “afraid” to acknowledge and address workplace stress. “I think there is still a lot of hesitancy to address it or to bring it up [with employees]. A lot of employers realize that they are a key contributor to it.”
Although there is no “magic” number of stress management programs to implement, Hall encourages employers to use as many effective programs as possible, because a program or resource “that works for one employee might not work for another.”
MY THOUGHTS
There's no doubt about it - workplace stress is a reality that needs to be addressed. I don't think this is something that should be left for the employee to manage. As the article suggests, employers have much to gain by investing on stress management programs. I just wish the programs are not the superficial attempts that scratches the surface. These programs should be part of a culture that enables and empowers employees to pick up on whatever the employer initiates.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
WHAT IT MEANS WHEN EMPLOYEES STAY 'TIL RETIREMENT
WHAT IT MEANS WHEN EMPLOYEES STAY 'TIL RETIREMENT
Hire, Inspire, Admire, Retire
A condensed Employee Life Cycle
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
Retire
This is when you know you have been successful. When employees see your company as the employer of choice, they will join you. When they recognize you as a good boss and a real leader, they will stay around. As long as you continue to inspire, motivate, and challenge them, they will continue to contribute at the high levels you need in order to beat your competition. They will be long-term employees; even staying with you and your company until they retire. They will refer other quality employees to your company, including their relatives. You will attract and retain second and even third generation employees.
Along the way, you will have had some of the most creative employees, some of the most productive employees, and the lowest employee costs in your market. You will be able to spend the money you save in this way on other key competitive elements, including raises and bonuses for all employees – even yourself.
MY THOUGHTS
When you have a creative, productive employee who needs to retire, you're sorry to have to let them go. You'll probably extend their employment period. I hope we all belong to this group.
Hire, Inspire, Admire, Retire
A condensed Employee Life Cycle
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
Retire
This is when you know you have been successful. When employees see your company as the employer of choice, they will join you. When they recognize you as a good boss and a real leader, they will stay around. As long as you continue to inspire, motivate, and challenge them, they will continue to contribute at the high levels you need in order to beat your competition. They will be long-term employees; even staying with you and your company until they retire. They will refer other quality employees to your company, including their relatives. You will attract and retain second and even third generation employees.
Along the way, you will have had some of the most creative employees, some of the most productive employees, and the lowest employee costs in your market. You will be able to spend the money you save in this way on other key competitive elements, including raises and bonuses for all employees – even yourself.
MY THOUGHTS
When you have a creative, productive employee who needs to retire, you're sorry to have to let them go. You'll probably extend their employment period. I hope we all belong to this group.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
ADMIRE YOUR EMPLOYEES
ADMIRE YOUR EMPLOYEES
From the article 'Hire, Inspire, Admire, Retire'
A condensed Employee Life Cycle
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
Admire
Once you have hired the best employees and have challenged and motivated them, you can not relax. The biggest mistake a manager can make is to ignore employees. The same attention you paid to their work assignments, to their satisfaction levels, to their sense of being part of a great team needs to continue for as long as they are in your group. As soon as you start to slack off, their satisfaction and motivation decreases. If you don't do something, they will become disenchanted and will leave. They will become part of the "employee turnover" statistic you were trying to avoid.
* You want TGIM (thank goodness it's Monday) employees not TGIF (thank goodness it's Friday) ones.
* Give them positive feedback as much as you can, even if it's just a good word.
* Provide appropriate rewards and recognition for jobs done well.
* Create referral programs and reward your employees for referring other employee candidates "who are just as great as you".
MY THOUGHTS
Having TGIM poses a real challenge. Especially if you are a TGIF manager. I really don't mind TGIFs. I think a good weekend helps people go through Mondays.
From the article 'Hire, Inspire, Admire, Retire'
A condensed Employee Life Cycle
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
Admire
Once you have hired the best employees and have challenged and motivated them, you can not relax. The biggest mistake a manager can make is to ignore employees. The same attention you paid to their work assignments, to their satisfaction levels, to their sense of being part of a great team needs to continue for as long as they are in your group. As soon as you start to slack off, their satisfaction and motivation decreases. If you don't do something, they will become disenchanted and will leave. They will become part of the "employee turnover" statistic you were trying to avoid.
* You want TGIM (thank goodness it's Monday) employees not TGIF (thank goodness it's Friday) ones.
* Give them positive feedback as much as you can, even if it's just a good word.
* Provide appropriate rewards and recognition for jobs done well.
* Create referral programs and reward your employees for referring other employee candidates "who are just as great as you".
MY THOUGHTS
Having TGIM poses a real challenge. Especially if you are a TGIF manager. I really don't mind TGIFs. I think a good weekend helps people go through Mondays.
Monday, March 28, 2011
INSPIRE YOUR EMPLOYEES
Inspire your Employees
from the article 'A condensed Employee Life Cycle'
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
Inspire
Once you have recruited the best employees to come to work on your team, the hard part begins. You have to inspire them to perform to their capabilities. You have to challenge and motivate them. That is where you will get their best effort and their creativity that will help your organization excel.
* Make them welcome. Make them feel like part of the team from the first day.
* Set goals for them that are hard, but can be achieved. Set S.M.A.R.T. goals.
* Be a leader, not just a manager.
MY THOUGHTS
I would have to go back to hiring. None of these challenges and inspiration will work if you have the wrong person on board.
from the article 'A condensed Employee Life Cycle'
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
Inspire
Once you have recruited the best employees to come to work on your team, the hard part begins. You have to inspire them to perform to their capabilities. You have to challenge and motivate them. That is where you will get their best effort and their creativity that will help your organization excel.
* Make them welcome. Make them feel like part of the team from the first day.
* Set goals for them that are hard, but can be achieved. Set S.M.A.R.T. goals.
* Be a leader, not just a manager.
MY THOUGHTS
I would have to go back to hiring. None of these challenges and inspiration will work if you have the wrong person on board.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
THE IMPORTANCE OF HIRING WELL
THE IMPORTANCE OF HIRING WELL
Fromthe article 'A condensed Employee Life Cycle'
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
Hire
This first step is probably the most important. It is important to hire the best people you can find. This is not a time to be cheap. The cost of replacing a bad hire far exceeds the marginal additional cost of hiring the best person in the first place.
* Hire talent, not just trainable skills. Skills can be taught to a talented employee. A skilled employee can not just be given talent.
* Improve your interviewing skills. Often this can be as simple as knowing what questions to ask during the hiring process.
* Make your company a place people want to come to and work for. Company culture can be a powerful recruiting tool. Make sure yours reflects the goals the company wants to achieve.
MY THOUGHTS
It is unfortunate that a lot of companies do not realize this. They go about hiring without much thought, often treating applicants without much care. And then they wonder why they have a very high turnover rate and why they have very few excellent performers on board.
Fromthe article 'A condensed Employee Life Cycle'
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
Hire
This first step is probably the most important. It is important to hire the best people you can find. This is not a time to be cheap. The cost of replacing a bad hire far exceeds the marginal additional cost of hiring the best person in the first place.
* Hire talent, not just trainable skills. Skills can be taught to a talented employee. A skilled employee can not just be given talent.
* Improve your interviewing skills. Often this can be as simple as knowing what questions to ask during the hiring process.
* Make your company a place people want to come to and work for. Company culture can be a powerful recruiting tool. Make sure yours reflects the goals the company wants to achieve.
MY THOUGHTS
It is unfortunate that a lot of companies do not realize this. They go about hiring without much thought, often treating applicants without much care. And then they wonder why they have a very high turnover rate and why they have very few excellent performers on board.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
THE EMPLOYEE LIFE CYCLE
Hire, Inspire, Admire, Retire (Intro)
from the article "Hire, Inspire, Admire, Retire"
A condensed Employee Life Cycle
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
Today I saw a chart of a 12-step Employee Life Cycle. Maybe Human Resources professionals need that much detail, but functional managers don't. Here is a four-step, condensed employee life cycle plan that tells you everything you need to know.
Hire, Inspire, Admire, Retire
An employee life cycle is the steps the employees go through from the time they enter a company until they leave. Often Human Resources professionals focus their attention on the steps in this process in hopes of making an impact on the company's bottom line. That is a good thing for them to do. Their goal is to reduce the company's cost per employee hired.
Unfortunately, they aren't the ones who really make a difference – managers are. People don't really work for companies; they work for a boss. To the extent that you can be a good boss, you can keep employees, keep them happy, and reduce the costs associated with employee turnover. In the process, you will make your own job easier and increase your value to the company.
Employees are one of a company's largest expenses these days Unlike other major capital costs (buildings, machinery, technology, etc.) human capital is highly volatile. You, as a manager, are in a key position to reduce that volatility using the condensed employee life cycle of HIAR (pronounced hire) - Hire, Inspire, Admire, Retire.
MY THOUGHTS
it can't be put more simply. first, we lure people to join our company. then we encourage them to prove that we made the right decision by getting them. then we reward them for proving that we are right so they will stay with us until they retire.
from the article "Hire, Inspire, Admire, Retire"
A condensed Employee Life Cycle
By F. John Reh, About.com Guide
Today I saw a chart of a 12-step Employee Life Cycle. Maybe Human Resources professionals need that much detail, but functional managers don't. Here is a four-step, condensed employee life cycle plan that tells you everything you need to know.
Hire, Inspire, Admire, Retire
An employee life cycle is the steps the employees go through from the time they enter a company until they leave. Often Human Resources professionals focus their attention on the steps in this process in hopes of making an impact on the company's bottom line. That is a good thing for them to do. Their goal is to reduce the company's cost per employee hired.
Unfortunately, they aren't the ones who really make a difference – managers are. People don't really work for companies; they work for a boss. To the extent that you can be a good boss, you can keep employees, keep them happy, and reduce the costs associated with employee turnover. In the process, you will make your own job easier and increase your value to the company.
Employees are one of a company's largest expenses these days Unlike other major capital costs (buildings, machinery, technology, etc.) human capital is highly volatile. You, as a manager, are in a key position to reduce that volatility using the condensed employee life cycle of HIAR (pronounced hire) - Hire, Inspire, Admire, Retire.
MY THOUGHTS
it can't be put more simply. first, we lure people to join our company. then we encourage them to prove that we made the right decision by getting them. then we reward them for proving that we are right so they will stay with us until they retire.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
QUIT WHINING
Quit Whining and Motivate Your Team
By Steve Tobak | February 9, 2011
Who knew you could turn “suck it up and quit complaining” into a franchise. Well, Jon Gordon, author of Soup: A Recipe to Nourish Your Team and Culture, The No Complaining Rule, and others, has done just that.
In a recent post, he offers a dozen dos and don’ts to help managers and employees improve productivity by avoiding workplace negativity.
According to Gordon, negativity, complaining, and pessimism are “now the norm in a lot of workplaces” and I generally agree. You folks know how much The Corner Office despises whining and complaining.
That said, I’m more than a little concerned that folks might get the wrong idea and think that avoiding negativity and complaining means be nice, be PC, and avoid constructive confrontation. That’s certainly not the case and I’ve added some comments to Gordon’s 12 Dos and Don’ts to drive that home:
1. DON’T: Let negativity be your go-to response. DO: Respond constructively when someone offers up an idea. That doesn’t mean you should sugar-coat what you really think or passive-aggressively say you agree with something you disagree with. Just try to be constructive about it.
2. DON’T: Give in to the temptation to whine. DO: Push for solutions. Amen, brother. Not only does whining annoy the hell out of everybody, it takes the place of what you should be doing, and that’s solving workplace problems.
3. DON’T: Leave vicious voicemails or send critical emails. DO: Suck it up and have tough talks in person. Way too many managers and execs send flame mail without ever thinking about how intimidating and frustrating it is to be on the receiving end.
4. DON’T: Overload your team with Monday morning emails. DO: Consolidate your communication. Hatred of Monday mornings is universal. If you really want to demotivate your team, send them a stack of emails over the weekend.
5. DON’T: Confuse activity with progress. DO: Set goals and hold yourself and your employees accountable for results. All managers set goals; few truly hold themselves and their teams accountable. Which is sad because that’s the most effective way to improve performance.
6. DON’T: Let sub-par work slide. DO: Institute a zero-tolerance policy for low performers. When you let poor performance go unchecked, you risk that becoming the new normal for your group. Folks will think, why bother?
7. DON’T: Assume others have all the information they need. DO: Make sure the right people are in the know. When I’m under pressure, my communications skills notoriously deteriorate. Nothing frustrates and demoralizes good employees more than when being expected to know what to do while lacking critical data.
8. DON’T: Allow disorganization to impede productivity. DO: Make an effort to keep up with stuff. Chronic disorganization will drain your team’s energy. Don’t let everything fall apart when you’re on the road. Put somebody else in charge.
9. DON’T: Sacrifice quality for expediency. DO: Take the time to do the job right. Quality 101: Do it right the first time! It takes longer to do it over.
10. DON’T: Let unmet deadlines throw everything off track. DO: Set reasonable deadlines and hold people accountable. When your team is chronically missing deadlines, it means something’s wrong: you’re either setting unreasonable goals, you’re overloading them, or they’re not motivated. In any case, it’s a management problem.
11. DON’T: Move onto what’s next before acknowledging what’s happening now. DO: Express appreciation and admiration as appropriate and in real time. Manage in the present. When employees achieve tough milestones, reward them with praise and give them a break.
12. DON’T: Point fingers to take the heat off yourself. DO: Take responsibility for your actions. When a leader plays the blame game, it sets a terrible example for employees. Take your lumps with dignity and humility and they’ll do the same.
Got any tips to add to Gordon’s?
MY THOUGHTS
the whiners are usually the non-performers. the ones who are disorganized and have nothing better to do. that's the reason they have time to whine and complain and point fingers. if you're a performer, you're always focused on what needs to be done. there's really no time to whine.
By Steve Tobak | February 9, 2011
Who knew you could turn “suck it up and quit complaining” into a franchise. Well, Jon Gordon, author of Soup: A Recipe to Nourish Your Team and Culture, The No Complaining Rule, and others, has done just that.
In a recent post, he offers a dozen dos and don’ts to help managers and employees improve productivity by avoiding workplace negativity.
According to Gordon, negativity, complaining, and pessimism are “now the norm in a lot of workplaces” and I generally agree. You folks know how much The Corner Office despises whining and complaining.
That said, I’m more than a little concerned that folks might get the wrong idea and think that avoiding negativity and complaining means be nice, be PC, and avoid constructive confrontation. That’s certainly not the case and I’ve added some comments to Gordon’s 12 Dos and Don’ts to drive that home:
1. DON’T: Let negativity be your go-to response. DO: Respond constructively when someone offers up an idea. That doesn’t mean you should sugar-coat what you really think or passive-aggressively say you agree with something you disagree with. Just try to be constructive about it.
2. DON’T: Give in to the temptation to whine. DO: Push for solutions. Amen, brother. Not only does whining annoy the hell out of everybody, it takes the place of what you should be doing, and that’s solving workplace problems.
3. DON’T: Leave vicious voicemails or send critical emails. DO: Suck it up and have tough talks in person. Way too many managers and execs send flame mail without ever thinking about how intimidating and frustrating it is to be on the receiving end.
4. DON’T: Overload your team with Monday morning emails. DO: Consolidate your communication. Hatred of Monday mornings is universal. If you really want to demotivate your team, send them a stack of emails over the weekend.
5. DON’T: Confuse activity with progress. DO: Set goals and hold yourself and your employees accountable for results. All managers set goals; few truly hold themselves and their teams accountable. Which is sad because that’s the most effective way to improve performance.
6. DON’T: Let sub-par work slide. DO: Institute a zero-tolerance policy for low performers. When you let poor performance go unchecked, you risk that becoming the new normal for your group. Folks will think, why bother?
7. DON’T: Assume others have all the information they need. DO: Make sure the right people are in the know. When I’m under pressure, my communications skills notoriously deteriorate. Nothing frustrates and demoralizes good employees more than when being expected to know what to do while lacking critical data.
8. DON’T: Allow disorganization to impede productivity. DO: Make an effort to keep up with stuff. Chronic disorganization will drain your team’s energy. Don’t let everything fall apart when you’re on the road. Put somebody else in charge.
9. DON’T: Sacrifice quality for expediency. DO: Take the time to do the job right. Quality 101: Do it right the first time! It takes longer to do it over.
10. DON’T: Let unmet deadlines throw everything off track. DO: Set reasonable deadlines and hold people accountable. When your team is chronically missing deadlines, it means something’s wrong: you’re either setting unreasonable goals, you’re overloading them, or they’re not motivated. In any case, it’s a management problem.
11. DON’T: Move onto what’s next before acknowledging what’s happening now. DO: Express appreciation and admiration as appropriate and in real time. Manage in the present. When employees achieve tough milestones, reward them with praise and give them a break.
12. DON’T: Point fingers to take the heat off yourself. DO: Take responsibility for your actions. When a leader plays the blame game, it sets a terrible example for employees. Take your lumps with dignity and humility and they’ll do the same.
Got any tips to add to Gordon’s?
MY THOUGHTS
the whiners are usually the non-performers. the ones who are disorganized and have nothing better to do. that's the reason they have time to whine and complain and point fingers. if you're a performer, you're always focused on what needs to be done. there's really no time to whine.
Monday, March 7, 2011
QUIT DELEGATING
Buck Up and Quit Delegating
By Donna Fenn | October 27, 2010
Growing up, anytime my brother or I had a task that we were dreading, my Dad would tell us that it was time to “buck up.” About six months ago, I had a “buck-up” moment with my business, ScanDigital, a photo scanning company in El Segundo, CA. But instead of bucking up, I delegated that task (the full story is below). As it turns out I should have handled it myself and since that time, I have done a lot of thinking about delegation.
Take a look at any business book and you’ll find numerous examples of an overly controlling and micro-managing entrepreneurs causing their companies to crash and burn by handling too many things for too long. As a company grows, the need to delegate tasks becomes critical; however, simply delegating is not good enough. Mastering the art of delegation requires business owners to not only share responsibilities with their team, but also to pick the RIGHT tasks to delegate. Often, entrepreneurs are focused on who they’re delegating to and they lose sight of what they’re delegating - a potentially more important part of the equation. As I’ve shared my story with other entrepreneurs, I’ve found that many struggle with delegation. What I’ve learned from my experience and from other successful entrepreneurs is that there are times when you need to “buck up” and handle certain tasks yourself. Here are four examples of tasks you should think twice before you delegate:
* Hiring the right people. Hiring is something that many business owners simply dread. It’s time consuming and you end up interviewing a lot of people who are not right for the job to find one who is. In this job market, employers are inundated with hundreds of resumes for one position, making the task even more burdensome. But this may be a burden worth carrying. Adam Gilbert is the founder of MyBodyTutor.com, a fitness website that provides diet and exercise coaching. When he first started the company, he let one of his tutors higher a few new tutors. “It turned out to be a big waste of time for everyone involved,” he says. “Although they were extremely qualified, they weren’t the right fit, and it wound up costing me a lot more time in the long run.” Now he handles all of the hiring because his tutors are central to creating an amazing experience for their clients. And he understands that skills are often secondary to temperament and how a new employee will fit into the corporate culture.
* Landing your first customers. Many entrepreneurs are inclined to delegate sales efforts too quickly. But during launch of a new website, service or product, it is absolutely critical to be intimately involved with the customer support and feedback from your early users. Levi Matkins, a co-founder of Plundr.com, a shopping-meets-gaming website, narrowly avoided making this mistake. From the moment they launched Plundr.com , the entire team worked to answer customer questions, absorb feedback, address bugs, and find out what features were most important to users. “We had considered focusing on other tasks, but quickly realized that delegating this down would have caused a huge disconnect between the development of Plundr.com and the wants and needs of our users,” says Matkins. Samer Hamadeh, co-founder and former CEO of Vault.com, and entrepreneur-in-residence at Lightspeed Venture Partners, lives by a strict rule: always convert the first customers yourself. “Whether it is the first five, 10, or 20 customers, be involved in those sales from start to finish,” he says. “There will be no better way to hone your product and revenue model. Early on at Vault.com, I was busy raising money, renting space and hiring the team, so I left sales up to someone else. After the dot.com bubble and 9/11, I really dove into sales because we needed to build revenue and I gained a much better understanding of our customers than I ever had before.”
* Your social media presence. Social media is, easy for entrepreneurs to off-load because the tools are free, and the cost of delegation seems minimal. But the true cost is the lost opportunity to build real relationships. David Siteman Garland, founder of The Rise to the Top, a company that helps entrepreneurs build their companies, was recently speaking at an event on social media. During the Q&A session, a young woman mentioned that she was frustrated because she had been “tweeting” for her well-known boss (a speaker) and updating his Facebook profile as if she was him. The problem was that people kept coming up to him and referring to tweets and messages. All he could do was stare blankly because he had no idea what the person was talking about. “This can massively hurt a brand/person/entrepreneur because nobody likes deception,” says Siteman Garland. If someone else is participating on your behalf (which might not be as effective) make sure to disclose this, but better yet stay involved.
* Firing an employee. Back to my story. We had a problem employee who really needed to be fired. I had just left for my first vacation since founding the company three years prior and was looking forward to a week on the beach in Hawaii. But shortly after I landed in Maui, I received a phone call from the office letting me know that the problem employee was back to her usual behavior. We had reached a breaking point and I made the tough decision to let her go, but instead of “bucking up,” I delegated the task. I figured I was out of town and it needed to be dealt with immediately. In hindsight, I should have handled this unpleasant task myself. The employee had serious questions about the exit process and, more importantly, she did not take the news well at all. I realized that if there was a message I was anxious about conveying - whether it be firing someone, going with a different partner, using a different service provider - then those were conversations for me to handle. Time to “buck up.”
Have you ever delegated a task and then wish you had handled it yourself? What’s on your “don’t delegate” list?
MY THOUGHTs
there are some high level tasks that just shouldn't be delegated. people are supposed to do diffrent things at different levels. but this is not the real problem that i've seen. the real problem is that some business owners (and sometimes executives) find it very hard to delegate. it's either they don't know how to. or they don't trust their people enough. or they just super, super scared to let go of control.
By Donna Fenn | October 27, 2010
Growing up, anytime my brother or I had a task that we were dreading, my Dad would tell us that it was time to “buck up.” About six months ago, I had a “buck-up” moment with my business, ScanDigital, a photo scanning company in El Segundo, CA. But instead of bucking up, I delegated that task (the full story is below). As it turns out I should have handled it myself and since that time, I have done a lot of thinking about delegation.
Take a look at any business book and you’ll find numerous examples of an overly controlling and micro-managing entrepreneurs causing their companies to crash and burn by handling too many things for too long. As a company grows, the need to delegate tasks becomes critical; however, simply delegating is not good enough. Mastering the art of delegation requires business owners to not only share responsibilities with their team, but also to pick the RIGHT tasks to delegate. Often, entrepreneurs are focused on who they’re delegating to and they lose sight of what they’re delegating - a potentially more important part of the equation. As I’ve shared my story with other entrepreneurs, I’ve found that many struggle with delegation. What I’ve learned from my experience and from other successful entrepreneurs is that there are times when you need to “buck up” and handle certain tasks yourself. Here are four examples of tasks you should think twice before you delegate:
* Hiring the right people. Hiring is something that many business owners simply dread. It’s time consuming and you end up interviewing a lot of people who are not right for the job to find one who is. In this job market, employers are inundated with hundreds of resumes for one position, making the task even more burdensome. But this may be a burden worth carrying. Adam Gilbert is the founder of MyBodyTutor.com, a fitness website that provides diet and exercise coaching. When he first started the company, he let one of his tutors higher a few new tutors. “It turned out to be a big waste of time for everyone involved,” he says. “Although they were extremely qualified, they weren’t the right fit, and it wound up costing me a lot more time in the long run.” Now he handles all of the hiring because his tutors are central to creating an amazing experience for their clients. And he understands that skills are often secondary to temperament and how a new employee will fit into the corporate culture.
* Landing your first customers. Many entrepreneurs are inclined to delegate sales efforts too quickly. But during launch of a new website, service or product, it is absolutely critical to be intimately involved with the customer support and feedback from your early users. Levi Matkins, a co-founder of Plundr.com, a shopping-meets-gaming website, narrowly avoided making this mistake. From the moment they launched Plundr.com , the entire team worked to answer customer questions, absorb feedback, address bugs, and find out what features were most important to users. “We had considered focusing on other tasks, but quickly realized that delegating this down would have caused a huge disconnect between the development of Plundr.com and the wants and needs of our users,” says Matkins. Samer Hamadeh, co-founder and former CEO of Vault.com, and entrepreneur-in-residence at Lightspeed Venture Partners, lives by a strict rule: always convert the first customers yourself. “Whether it is the first five, 10, or 20 customers, be involved in those sales from start to finish,” he says. “There will be no better way to hone your product and revenue model. Early on at Vault.com, I was busy raising money, renting space and hiring the team, so I left sales up to someone else. After the dot.com bubble and 9/11, I really dove into sales because we needed to build revenue and I gained a much better understanding of our customers than I ever had before.”
* Your social media presence. Social media is, easy for entrepreneurs to off-load because the tools are free, and the cost of delegation seems minimal. But the true cost is the lost opportunity to build real relationships. David Siteman Garland, founder of The Rise to the Top, a company that helps entrepreneurs build their companies, was recently speaking at an event on social media. During the Q&A session, a young woman mentioned that she was frustrated because she had been “tweeting” for her well-known boss (a speaker) and updating his Facebook profile as if she was him. The problem was that people kept coming up to him and referring to tweets and messages. All he could do was stare blankly because he had no idea what the person was talking about. “This can massively hurt a brand/person/entrepreneur because nobody likes deception,” says Siteman Garland. If someone else is participating on your behalf (which might not be as effective) make sure to disclose this, but better yet stay involved.
* Firing an employee. Back to my story. We had a problem employee who really needed to be fired. I had just left for my first vacation since founding the company three years prior and was looking forward to a week on the beach in Hawaii. But shortly after I landed in Maui, I received a phone call from the office letting me know that the problem employee was back to her usual behavior. We had reached a breaking point and I made the tough decision to let her go, but instead of “bucking up,” I delegated the task. I figured I was out of town and it needed to be dealt with immediately. In hindsight, I should have handled this unpleasant task myself. The employee had serious questions about the exit process and, more importantly, she did not take the news well at all. I realized that if there was a message I was anxious about conveying - whether it be firing someone, going with a different partner, using a different service provider - then those were conversations for me to handle. Time to “buck up.”
Have you ever delegated a task and then wish you had handled it yourself? What’s on your “don’t delegate” list?
MY THOUGHTs
there are some high level tasks that just shouldn't be delegated. people are supposed to do diffrent things at different levels. but this is not the real problem that i've seen. the real problem is that some business owners (and sometimes executives) find it very hard to delegate. it's either they don't know how to. or they don't trust their people enough. or they just super, super scared to let go of control.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
WHAT NOT TO DELEGATE
Buck Up and Quit Delegating
By Donna Fenn | October 27, 2010
Growing up, anytime my brother or I had a task that we were dreading, my Dad would tell us that it was time to “buck up.” About six months ago, I had a “buck-up” moment with my business, ScanDigital, a photo scanning company in El Segundo, CA. But instead of bucking up, I delegated that task (the full story is below). As it turns out I should have handled it myself and since that time, I have done a lot of thinking about delegation.
Take a look at any business book and you’ll find numerous examples of an overly controlling and micro-managing entrepreneurs causing their companies to crash and burn by handling too many things for too long. As a company grows, the need to delegate tasks becomes critical; however, simply delegating is not good enough. Mastering the art of delegation requires business owners to not only share responsibilities with their team, but also to pick the RIGHT tasks to delegate. Often, entrepreneurs are focused on who they’re delegating to and they lose sight of what they’re delegating - a potentially more important part of the equation. As I’ve shared my story with other entrepreneurs, I’ve found that many struggle with delegation. What I’ve learned from my experience and from other successful entrepreneurs is that there are times when you need to “buck up” and handle certain tasks yourself. Here are four examples of tasks you should think twice before you delegate:
* Hiring the right
* Landing your first customers
* Your social media presence
* Firing an employee
Have you ever delegated a task and then wish you had handled it yourself? What’s on your “don’t delegate” list?
MY THOUGHTS
i totally agree with the author. will post his explanation on why these 4 things should not be delegated.
By Donna Fenn | October 27, 2010
Growing up, anytime my brother or I had a task that we were dreading, my Dad would tell us that it was time to “buck up.” About six months ago, I had a “buck-up” moment with my business, ScanDigital, a photo scanning company in El Segundo, CA. But instead of bucking up, I delegated that task (the full story is below). As it turns out I should have handled it myself and since that time, I have done a lot of thinking about delegation.
Take a look at any business book and you’ll find numerous examples of an overly controlling and micro-managing entrepreneurs causing their companies to crash and burn by handling too many things for too long. As a company grows, the need to delegate tasks becomes critical; however, simply delegating is not good enough. Mastering the art of delegation requires business owners to not only share responsibilities with their team, but also to pick the RIGHT tasks to delegate. Often, entrepreneurs are focused on who they’re delegating to and they lose sight of what they’re delegating - a potentially more important part of the equation. As I’ve shared my story with other entrepreneurs, I’ve found that many struggle with delegation. What I’ve learned from my experience and from other successful entrepreneurs is that there are times when you need to “buck up” and handle certain tasks yourself. Here are four examples of tasks you should think twice before you delegate:
* Hiring the right
* Landing your first customers
* Your social media presence
* Firing an employee
Have you ever delegated a task and then wish you had handled it yourself? What’s on your “don’t delegate” list?
MY THOUGHTS
i totally agree with the author. will post his explanation on why these 4 things should not be delegated.
Monday, February 28, 2011
HOW TO MOTIVATE PEOPLE
How to Seriously Motivate People
By Steve Tobak | September 15, 2010
In the early 80s, corporate America got tired of Japan Inc. kicking its butt all over the place and decided to get quality. My company, Texas Instruments, made a big commitment to quality by sending every engineer to a week-long Juran training class.
The most important thing I learned and the only thing I still remember to this day, which shows how impactful it was, is that the vast majority of workplace problems are actually management problems. While that statement was meant to be about improving quality, to me, it’s always had a broader meaning.
I’ve always thought of it as an axiom for improving all kinds of management and organizational systems … including how to motivate employees.
Now, some people just aren’t cut out for the work they do. They hate their jobs, their coworkers, even themselves. Others act like children dressed up as men and women. There will always be some percentage of any population, including your group, that’s difficult or impossible to motivate.
If you’ve done your best and they still don’t get it, get rid of them. If for some reason you’re prevented from doing that, what can I tell you; you’re screwed. Barring that torturous situation, most people want to work and will work hard if they feel that …
* their work is appreciated, recognized, and challenging;
* they’re compensated appropriately;
* their management is competent, hard working, and doesn’t have its hand in the cookie jar, more or less.
And guess what? It’s entirely up to you, the manager, to provide an environment that will meet those conditions. It isn’t easy, but then, you’ve got to ask yourself what kind of manager you want to be? If the answer’s a great one, you’ll need these 10 techniques for seriously motivating your people:
1. Exhibit flawless work ethic. Lead by example. If you screw around, they’ll emulate you. Likewise, if you’re seriously hard-working, they’ll seek your approval by doing the same.
2. Indoctrinate them with the big picture. Everybody wants to be a part of something useful. Make the work important to them by telling them why it’s important to others.
3. Set goals and hold them accountable. Goal setting in most companies is ineffective. It’s either too top down, too bottom up, or there’s little or no follow-up. Strike a balance somewhere in the middle. Where is different for each situation.
4. Provide genuine, real-time feedback, good and bad, no BS. Ask for the same from them. This is one of the hardest things for any manager to do, especially the negative stuff.
5. Promote their accomplishments and take the heat for their failures. They need to know you’ve got their back.
6. Provide the tools they need to be effective; keep management off their backs; otherwise, get out of the way.
7. Give them as much responsibility as they can handle, no more, no less. That’s sort of tricky if you have a big group because it’s really an individual thing.
8. Communicate what’s going on as openly as you can within reason and without unduly burdening them with confidential information they don’t need to know.
9. Give them personal time to get important things done. We’re not talking about running errands, but important stuff that’s got to be done 9 to 5 like doctor’s appointments.
10. Have some empathy, humility, and a sense of humor. It’ll go a long way. Mostly, be yourself. No jokes about sociopaths; they probably don’t read management blogs anyway.
That’s it; now go out and motivate somebody!
MY THOUGHTS
while i agree that no matter what you do there are just some people who cannot be motivated, there is that issue of top management support. if you have the right people, motivating them is a breeze. you just need to make sure they always have something to work for. (take note that i said 'for' and not 'on') when you have the wrong people, nothing you do will seem to work. but that's not the real problem.
the real problem when you have problem employees is when you do not have top management support to make things work. it's like banging yourself on a wall. and you end up the bad guy, your problem staff your victim.
beware the 'victims'. you won't believe the things they would do to 'axe' the 'bad guy'. and when they have the management support then Steve Tobak is right - you are so screwed.
By Steve Tobak | September 15, 2010
In the early 80s, corporate America got tired of Japan Inc. kicking its butt all over the place and decided to get quality. My company, Texas Instruments, made a big commitment to quality by sending every engineer to a week-long Juran training class.
The most important thing I learned and the only thing I still remember to this day, which shows how impactful it was, is that the vast majority of workplace problems are actually management problems. While that statement was meant to be about improving quality, to me, it’s always had a broader meaning.
I’ve always thought of it as an axiom for improving all kinds of management and organizational systems … including how to motivate employees.
Now, some people just aren’t cut out for the work they do. They hate their jobs, their coworkers, even themselves. Others act like children dressed up as men and women. There will always be some percentage of any population, including your group, that’s difficult or impossible to motivate.
If you’ve done your best and they still don’t get it, get rid of them. If for some reason you’re prevented from doing that, what can I tell you; you’re screwed. Barring that torturous situation, most people want to work and will work hard if they feel that …
* their work is appreciated, recognized, and challenging;
* they’re compensated appropriately;
* their management is competent, hard working, and doesn’t have its hand in the cookie jar, more or less.
And guess what? It’s entirely up to you, the manager, to provide an environment that will meet those conditions. It isn’t easy, but then, you’ve got to ask yourself what kind of manager you want to be? If the answer’s a great one, you’ll need these 10 techniques for seriously motivating your people:
1. Exhibit flawless work ethic. Lead by example. If you screw around, they’ll emulate you. Likewise, if you’re seriously hard-working, they’ll seek your approval by doing the same.
2. Indoctrinate them with the big picture. Everybody wants to be a part of something useful. Make the work important to them by telling them why it’s important to others.
3. Set goals and hold them accountable. Goal setting in most companies is ineffective. It’s either too top down, too bottom up, or there’s little or no follow-up. Strike a balance somewhere in the middle. Where is different for each situation.
4. Provide genuine, real-time feedback, good and bad, no BS. Ask for the same from them. This is one of the hardest things for any manager to do, especially the negative stuff.
5. Promote their accomplishments and take the heat for their failures. They need to know you’ve got their back.
6. Provide the tools they need to be effective; keep management off their backs; otherwise, get out of the way.
7. Give them as much responsibility as they can handle, no more, no less. That’s sort of tricky if you have a big group because it’s really an individual thing.
8. Communicate what’s going on as openly as you can within reason and without unduly burdening them with confidential information they don’t need to know.
9. Give them personal time to get important things done. We’re not talking about running errands, but important stuff that’s got to be done 9 to 5 like doctor’s appointments.
10. Have some empathy, humility, and a sense of humor. It’ll go a long way. Mostly, be yourself. No jokes about sociopaths; they probably don’t read management blogs anyway.
That’s it; now go out and motivate somebody!
MY THOUGHTS
while i agree that no matter what you do there are just some people who cannot be motivated, there is that issue of top management support. if you have the right people, motivating them is a breeze. you just need to make sure they always have something to work for. (take note that i said 'for' and not 'on') when you have the wrong people, nothing you do will seem to work. but that's not the real problem.
the real problem when you have problem employees is when you do not have top management support to make things work. it's like banging yourself on a wall. and you end up the bad guy, your problem staff your victim.
beware the 'victims'. you won't believe the things they would do to 'axe' the 'bad guy'. and when they have the management support then Steve Tobak is right - you are so screwed.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Can you be a Leader and a Manager?
Are You a Leader or a Manager? Marcus Buckingham Says You Can't Be Both
By Donna Fenn | November 1, 2010
Last week, I had the pleasure of hearing Marcus Buckingham speak at the Inc. Magazine and Winning Workplaces Leadership Conference and I learned two things: everything sounds smarter when spoken in a British accent; leadership is the opposite of management. “Very few of you will be very, very good at both,” Buckingham told the audience of CEOs. All companies need both managers and leaders, of course, and Buckingham insists that there’s no hierarchy involved in the distinction. Both the roles are fundamentally different. Which one are you?
A manager’s role, he explained, is to get people to work harder for you than they would for someone else by identifying individual strengths and weaknesses and turning that into performance. A leader, on the other hand, must rally people to a better future by tapping into universal characteristics that transcend differences such as sex, race, and personality type. And Buckingham says the most powerful trait that we all have in common is our fear of the unknown; it’s why we ritualize death, after all. “Modern day leaders traffic in the unknown,” says Buckingham. Their challenge is to “take people’s legitimate anxiety about the unknown and turn it into confidence, into spiritedness.” That, he says, ultimately drives a company’s performance.
But how do you accomplish that? The best way, says Buckingham is to be “vivid” - a word I heard a lot at the conference, so I’m thinking that perhaps “vivid” is the new “authentic.” In other words, leaders need to be very clear about what they are asking their followers (aka employees) to do. Buckingham insists that all effective leaders need to clear about four key points:
Who do we serve? At Lexus, for instance, dealers are king and the company is aligned around serving their needs so that they can better serve customers and ultimately sell more cars. At the retail giant Tesco, everything revolves around serving harried housewives, and getting them in and out of the store quickly. Companies that try to serve too many audiences serve none well, cautions Buckingham, so pick just one.
What is our core strength? Maybe you think your company excels in many areas. But according to Buckingham, a truly effective leader aligns the company to capitalize on one key strength and then works every day to make that strength even stronger to give the company a competitive edge. At Facebook, the company’s core strength is its engineers. “The whole company is built around making engineers think that this is the best place for them to work,” says Buckingham.
What is our core score? Pick a number or metric by which you define success. It doesn’t even have to be the right number because according to Buckingham, being clear is even more important than being right. For instance, in order to change the culture of Her Majesty’s prison system, Buckingham notes that several years ago Sir David Ramsbotham, who was then in charge the prisons, changed the way the system measured success. Rather than simply measuring the number of escapees, he shifted the focus to number of repeat offenders. The main purpose of a prison, he reasoned, should be to serve the prisoner in such a way that he or she would be less likely to commit another crime upon release. That shift resulted in the transformation of the British prison system.
What actions can we take today? Early on in his tenure, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was fixated on enforcing “quality of life” initiatives that New Yorkers either loved or hated. He vowed to crack down on the squeegee men who forcibly cleaned car windshields at red lights then demanded payment; he worked to get rid of all graffiti in the subway system; and he compelled every cab driver to wear a collared shirt. Whether or not you think these were appropriate actions to take, they were unambiguous and their success helped establish Giuliani as an effective leader.
What do you think about Marcus Buckingham’s definition of leaders and managers? Do you think you can be good at both? Do you think his four points of clarity can make you a better leader?
MY THOUGHTS
i think you can be both. actually, you should be both. the key is in knowing when to use which.
managing (since yourjob is to make people work) involves the nitty gritty. that means looking at details, zeroing in on a problem and actually dipping your finger into finding the solutions. in other words, managers are the ones involved in the process of making things work.
leaders on the other hand hate 'process'. leadership is all about vision. and leaders cannot wait but see the vision being materialized. Buckingham is right - a leader must be vividly clear about the vision. but they will not get into the 'behind the scenes' of getting things done.
as a leader, you cannot do away with managing. after all, you have these managers reporting to you. which means that as a leader, you should also know how to manage. this is the only way for you to gauge if your managers can do and are doing their jobs.
if you do not have the right managers, you will end up micro-managing. that will cloud your vision. so, as a leader, you want to surround yourself with the best managers you can find - managers who can translate the vision into workable strategies. but you want managers who also know how to lead, who knows how to inspire, motivate, rally his people behind him. this is the type of manager who will give you enough time to create visions - because they only need leaders to provide the clear, vivid, motherhood directions. as managers though, they should be able to create their own visions in their own turfs - visions that go hand in hand with your vision. otherwise, you will have a brewing conflict at hand.
Leaders create the path. Managers clear the path. Why can't you be both?
By Donna Fenn | November 1, 2010
Last week, I had the pleasure of hearing Marcus Buckingham speak at the Inc. Magazine and Winning Workplaces Leadership Conference and I learned two things: everything sounds smarter when spoken in a British accent; leadership is the opposite of management. “Very few of you will be very, very good at both,” Buckingham told the audience of CEOs. All companies need both managers and leaders, of course, and Buckingham insists that there’s no hierarchy involved in the distinction. Both the roles are fundamentally different. Which one are you?
A manager’s role, he explained, is to get people to work harder for you than they would for someone else by identifying individual strengths and weaknesses and turning that into performance. A leader, on the other hand, must rally people to a better future by tapping into universal characteristics that transcend differences such as sex, race, and personality type. And Buckingham says the most powerful trait that we all have in common is our fear of the unknown; it’s why we ritualize death, after all. “Modern day leaders traffic in the unknown,” says Buckingham. Their challenge is to “take people’s legitimate anxiety about the unknown and turn it into confidence, into spiritedness.” That, he says, ultimately drives a company’s performance.
But how do you accomplish that? The best way, says Buckingham is to be “vivid” - a word I heard a lot at the conference, so I’m thinking that perhaps “vivid” is the new “authentic.” In other words, leaders need to be very clear about what they are asking their followers (aka employees) to do. Buckingham insists that all effective leaders need to clear about four key points:
Who do we serve? At Lexus, for instance, dealers are king and the company is aligned around serving their needs so that they can better serve customers and ultimately sell more cars. At the retail giant Tesco, everything revolves around serving harried housewives, and getting them in and out of the store quickly. Companies that try to serve too many audiences serve none well, cautions Buckingham, so pick just one.
What is our core strength? Maybe you think your company excels in many areas. But according to Buckingham, a truly effective leader aligns the company to capitalize on one key strength and then works every day to make that strength even stronger to give the company a competitive edge. At Facebook, the company’s core strength is its engineers. “The whole company is built around making engineers think that this is the best place for them to work,” says Buckingham.
What is our core score? Pick a number or metric by which you define success. It doesn’t even have to be the right number because according to Buckingham, being clear is even more important than being right. For instance, in order to change the culture of Her Majesty’s prison system, Buckingham notes that several years ago Sir David Ramsbotham, who was then in charge the prisons, changed the way the system measured success. Rather than simply measuring the number of escapees, he shifted the focus to number of repeat offenders. The main purpose of a prison, he reasoned, should be to serve the prisoner in such a way that he or she would be less likely to commit another crime upon release. That shift resulted in the transformation of the British prison system.
What actions can we take today? Early on in his tenure, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was fixated on enforcing “quality of life” initiatives that New Yorkers either loved or hated. He vowed to crack down on the squeegee men who forcibly cleaned car windshields at red lights then demanded payment; he worked to get rid of all graffiti in the subway system; and he compelled every cab driver to wear a collared shirt. Whether or not you think these were appropriate actions to take, they were unambiguous and their success helped establish Giuliani as an effective leader.
What do you think about Marcus Buckingham’s definition of leaders and managers? Do you think you can be good at both? Do you think his four points of clarity can make you a better leader?
MY THOUGHTS
i think you can be both. actually, you should be both. the key is in knowing when to use which.
managing (since yourjob is to make people work) involves the nitty gritty. that means looking at details, zeroing in on a problem and actually dipping your finger into finding the solutions. in other words, managers are the ones involved in the process of making things work.
leaders on the other hand hate 'process'. leadership is all about vision. and leaders cannot wait but see the vision being materialized. Buckingham is right - a leader must be vividly clear about the vision. but they will not get into the 'behind the scenes' of getting things done.
as a leader, you cannot do away with managing. after all, you have these managers reporting to you. which means that as a leader, you should also know how to manage. this is the only way for you to gauge if your managers can do and are doing their jobs.
if you do not have the right managers, you will end up micro-managing. that will cloud your vision. so, as a leader, you want to surround yourself with the best managers you can find - managers who can translate the vision into workable strategies. but you want managers who also know how to lead, who knows how to inspire, motivate, rally his people behind him. this is the type of manager who will give you enough time to create visions - because they only need leaders to provide the clear, vivid, motherhood directions. as managers though, they should be able to create their own visions in their own turfs - visions that go hand in hand with your vision. otherwise, you will have a brewing conflict at hand.
Leaders create the path. Managers clear the path. Why can't you be both?
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Keeping Your High Performers thru COACHING
KEEP YOUR HIGH PERFORMERS THRU COACHING
from "High-Impact Performers For Tough Times: 6 Ways to Keep Them Happy"
By Kelly Goldsmith and Marshall Goldsmith | January 28, 2011
Provide Coaching:
By working one-on-one with employees in a coaching relationship, leaders can discover and tap the talents of individuals and direct their development, align their behaviors and skills, thus becoming active as agents of change, enhancing the success of the organization.
MY THOUGHTS
i hope that's clear - you send your high performers to training that will make them even better - high performers appreciate that. the reason they are high performers is that they keep on learning.
but your job of making high performers stay with you should not stop with sending them to a seminar or a workshop. as a manager, your description will always include coaching - a one-on-one activity which kind of personalizes your attempts to develop an employee. sounds tough! but not really. coaching is as easy as answering questions, guiding your staff on something new, showing them how things are done. it means being there for them when they need your help. and learning when to back off.
from "High-Impact Performers For Tough Times: 6 Ways to Keep Them Happy"
By Kelly Goldsmith and Marshall Goldsmith | January 28, 2011
Provide Coaching:
By working one-on-one with employees in a coaching relationship, leaders can discover and tap the talents of individuals and direct their development, align their behaviors and skills, thus becoming active as agents of change, enhancing the success of the organization.
MY THOUGHTS
i hope that's clear - you send your high performers to training that will make them even better - high performers appreciate that. the reason they are high performers is that they keep on learning.
but your job of making high performers stay with you should not stop with sending them to a seminar or a workshop. as a manager, your description will always include coaching - a one-on-one activity which kind of personalizes your attempts to develop an employee. sounds tough! but not really. coaching is as easy as answering questions, guiding your staff on something new, showing them how things are done. it means being there for them when they need your help. and learning when to back off.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
KEEP YOUR HIGH PERFOMERS WITH TRAINING
OFFER ON-GOING TRAINING
from the article "High-Impact Performers For Tough Times: 6 Ways to Keep Them Happy"
By Kelly Goldsmith and Marshall Goldsmith | January 28, 2011
Offer On-Going Training:
High on the list for leaders who want to retain high-impact performers is training and on-going education, both of which ensure that people can
1) do their jobs properly, and
2) can improve on existing systems.
Cross training — giving people the opportunity to experience and train in different aspects of the company — is a great way to cross-fertilize between departments and across regions. This is a great competitive advantage when organizations are required to cut back on manpower. Cross-trained employees are equipped to handle different functions in the organization far more easily than those confined in silos.
MY THOUGHTS
sometimes you get lucky and find people who do not need training at all - they are excellent and they keep on getting better and better because they train themselves. that's rare. and these ideal employees will probably still look for an employer who will invest on him/her.
in this country,cross-training is also hardly ever used. except probably in multinationals and highly progressive local companies. in fact, training is not really a priority in a lot of our businesses. it is seen as an expense rather than as investment. no wonder high performers are hard to come by. and we wonder why this country is stuck somewhere between 'developed' and 'underdeveloped'.
from the article "High-Impact Performers For Tough Times: 6 Ways to Keep Them Happy"
By Kelly Goldsmith and Marshall Goldsmith | January 28, 2011
Offer On-Going Training:
High on the list for leaders who want to retain high-impact performers is training and on-going education, both of which ensure that people can
1) do their jobs properly, and
2) can improve on existing systems.
Cross training — giving people the opportunity to experience and train in different aspects of the company — is a great way to cross-fertilize between departments and across regions. This is a great competitive advantage when organizations are required to cut back on manpower. Cross-trained employees are equipped to handle different functions in the organization far more easily than those confined in silos.
MY THOUGHTS
sometimes you get lucky and find people who do not need training at all - they are excellent and they keep on getting better and better because they train themselves. that's rare. and these ideal employees will probably still look for an employer who will invest on him/her.
in this country,cross-training is also hardly ever used. except probably in multinationals and highly progressive local companies. in fact, training is not really a priority in a lot of our businesses. it is seen as an expense rather than as investment. no wonder high performers are hard to come by. and we wonder why this country is stuck somewhere between 'developed' and 'underdeveloped'.
Friday, February 18, 2011
CREATE A THRIVING ENVIRONMENT for high performers
FOCUS ON A THRIVING ENVIRONMENT
from the article "High-Impact Performers For Tough Times: 6 Ways to Keep Them Happy"
By Kelly Goldsmith and Marshall Goldsmith | January 28, 2011
Focus on a Thriving Environment:
You need more than the fad-of-the-month leadership development program to create an environment in which high-impact performers want to stay and will put their all into an organization. You need an environment where people are learning, getting training, and developing their skills-where through inquiry and dialogue, the leader creates an environment that allows each individual to thrive.
MY THOUGHTS
now, that's the kind of environment i will always thrive in. an environment i've always wanted to help create. the sad part, not everybody appreciates it. for some people, it's enough to coast along, sit idly, like nails that need hammers to be useful. they get the paycheck anyway. not my cup of tea.
from the article "High-Impact Performers For Tough Times: 6 Ways to Keep Them Happy"
By Kelly Goldsmith and Marshall Goldsmith | January 28, 2011
Focus on a Thriving Environment:
You need more than the fad-of-the-month leadership development program to create an environment in which high-impact performers want to stay and will put their all into an organization. You need an environment where people are learning, getting training, and developing their skills-where through inquiry and dialogue, the leader creates an environment that allows each individual to thrive.
MY THOUGHTS
now, that's the kind of environment i will always thrive in. an environment i've always wanted to help create. the sad part, not everybody appreciates it. for some people, it's enough to coast along, sit idly, like nails that need hammers to be useful. they get the paycheck anyway. not my cup of tea.
SHOW RESPECT
Keep High Performers: SHOW RESPECT
from the article: High-Impact Performers For Tough Times: 6 Ways to Keep Them Happy
By Kelly Goldsmith and Marshall Goldsmith | January 28, 2011
SHOW RESPECT
This may seem obvious, but it can’t be done by rote. Genuinely treating employees with kindness, respect, and dignity will elicit loyalty to both the leader and the organization. It is possible to lead people through fear and intimidation; however, the odds of retaining and developing people using this style are slim.
MY THOUGHTS
genuine kindness. genuine respect. if your feigning kindness and respect to build loyalty to you, you're in for some big surprises. you will get what you deserve.
from the article: High-Impact Performers For Tough Times: 6 Ways to Keep Them Happy
By Kelly Goldsmith and Marshall Goldsmith | January 28, 2011
SHOW RESPECT
This may seem obvious, but it can’t be done by rote. Genuinely treating employees with kindness, respect, and dignity will elicit loyalty to both the leader and the organization. It is possible to lead people through fear and intimidation; however, the odds of retaining and developing people using this style are slim.
MY THOUGHTS
genuine kindness. genuine respect. if your feigning kindness and respect to build loyalty to you, you're in for some big surprises. you will get what you deserve.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
WAYS TO KEEP HIGH PERFORMERS
WAYS TO KEEP HIGH PERFORMERS
from the article "High-Impact Performers For Tough Times: 6 Ways to Keep Them Happy"
By Kelly Goldsmith and Marshall Goldsmith | January 28, 2011
Talent is never out of fashion. But high-impact performers are in demand now more than ever. We’re speaking here of those indispensible workers who will do what it takes to help your company succeed even in the most difficult and fast-paced of times.
They’re the staffers who pick up the slack when the organization is forced to cut back, whose ideas save time, money, and effort, and whose positive outlook helps keep the organization moving forward.
How do you retain these people? This is a great question and the answer is simple. Leaders must manage their human assets (i.e., employees), and they must do so with the same vigor that they devote to financial assets. Tough economic times may put more talent on the market. But it also requires investing in people, no matter how difficult; it is critical for the success of the organization.
MY THOUGHTS
unfortunately, the high performers are the ones who would mostly likely 'fly the coop'. they are the ones who have places to go. the article suggests 6 ways leaders should do so they are not left with the mediocre, inefficient workforce who stay because no one else will hire them:
1) Show Respect
2) Focus on a Thriving Environment
3) Offer On-Going Training
4) Provide Coaching
5) Give Feedback
6) $$ and Decision-Making
from the article "High-Impact Performers For Tough Times: 6 Ways to Keep Them Happy"
By Kelly Goldsmith and Marshall Goldsmith | January 28, 2011
Talent is never out of fashion. But high-impact performers are in demand now more than ever. We’re speaking here of those indispensible workers who will do what it takes to help your company succeed even in the most difficult and fast-paced of times.
They’re the staffers who pick up the slack when the organization is forced to cut back, whose ideas save time, money, and effort, and whose positive outlook helps keep the organization moving forward.
How do you retain these people? This is a great question and the answer is simple. Leaders must manage their human assets (i.e., employees), and they must do so with the same vigor that they devote to financial assets. Tough economic times may put more talent on the market. But it also requires investing in people, no matter how difficult; it is critical for the success of the organization.
MY THOUGHTS
unfortunately, the high performers are the ones who would mostly likely 'fly the coop'. they are the ones who have places to go. the article suggests 6 ways leaders should do so they are not left with the mediocre, inefficient workforce who stay because no one else will hire them:
1) Show Respect
2) Focus on a Thriving Environment
3) Offer On-Going Training
4) Provide Coaching
5) Give Feedback
6) $$ and Decision-Making
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
A FORK-IN-THE-ROAD
A Fork-in-the-Road Question
Daily Inspiration
By John H. Sklare, Ed.D, LifeScript Personal Coach
Published May 13, 2009
We all have to make tough choices occasionally. As life teaches us constantly, each choice we make has consequences attached to it. It reminds me of that old physics equation by Sir Isaac Newton called the Third Law of Motion, which states: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. It’s that equal and opposite reaction that gets a lot of people into trouble regarding the choices they make. With that said, I suggest you consider this question before making any important decision.
Is the money you make worth the price that you pay? This question is actually from an old song by Graham Nash called “On the Line.” Asking myself this question always gives me perspective and helps me gain focus when confronted with a fork-in-the-road moment in life. In other words, is the consequence or result of my choice worth the benefit that I receive on the front end? It works for me every time!
Wishing You Great Health,
Dr. John H. Sklare
www.innerdiet.com
MY THOUGHTS
sometimes we wish we never have to come across those forks. and when we get to them, we avoid them. and the forks just keep on coming. i think the best decision makers are those who take a hold of those forks. sometimes they win. sometimes they miss. but they never avoid the fork.
Daily Inspiration
By John H. Sklare, Ed.D, LifeScript Personal Coach
Published May 13, 2009
We all have to make tough choices occasionally. As life teaches us constantly, each choice we make has consequences attached to it. It reminds me of that old physics equation by Sir Isaac Newton called the Third Law of Motion, which states: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. It’s that equal and opposite reaction that gets a lot of people into trouble regarding the choices they make. With that said, I suggest you consider this question before making any important decision.
Is the money you make worth the price that you pay? This question is actually from an old song by Graham Nash called “On the Line.” Asking myself this question always gives me perspective and helps me gain focus when confronted with a fork-in-the-road moment in life. In other words, is the consequence or result of my choice worth the benefit that I receive on the front end? It works for me every time!
Wishing You Great Health,
Dr. John H. Sklare
www.innerdiet.com
MY THOUGHTS
sometimes we wish we never have to come across those forks. and when we get to them, we avoid them. and the forks just keep on coming. i think the best decision makers are those who take a hold of those forks. sometimes they win. sometimes they miss. but they never avoid the fork.
WHEN NOT TO DELEGATE
When Not to Delegate
By Sean Silverthorne | February 7, 2011
One of the accepted rules of 21st century managers is that we must delegate. Empower your troops closest to the customer to make crucial decisions. Give them the chance to show what they’ve got.
But I wonder if we sometimes overdo this wise advice, expecting that redirecting a job is as easy as changing the channel with a remote. Are we setting up middle managers for failure when we hold them accountable for decisions they aren’t prepared to make? Are we handing off responsibilities that should stay with us? HBR blogger Whitey Johnson had similar thoughts recently, and developed three reasons you shouldn’t delegate.
I’ll summarize her three rules, and add one of my own.
Don’t delegate when:
1. The task has not been thought through. If you can’t explain the task and the goals in concrete terms, then you have more work to do before handing it off to someone else to accomplish.
2. You are the best person for the job. If it’s something you know well and can add real value to, do it yourself.
3. You could learn from making the decision yourself. The best learning comes from doing, so don’t shortchange your own development by letting others take your place.
I think there is a fourth reason not to delegate: You can’t find someone to reward. Delegating a responsibility should be considered an honor for the recipient, a time to practice what they have learned and create a real accomplishment. If no one on your team buys into the responsibility you are bestowing or has shown enough skill to deserve a chance, the job should remain on your plate.
Looking back on your own advancement, did you ever delegate a job that came back to bite you? On the flip side, did a boss give you a responsibility that became a real career-enhancer?
MY THOUGHTS
if i am not mistaken, management is defined as "achieving results through others". i take this definition to mean that, as a manager, you do not have to do things yourself. as a manager, you should know how to direct the work of "others" so you can achieve your results. this is what delegation is about.
theoretically, there is nothing wrong with delegation. it is a much needed management principle. the problem is in how we delegate.
when you're simply throwing around instructions without much thought, you are not delegating. you are treating your staff as if they are house help.
delegation is a developmental tool. of course it's supposed to give managers more time to do other tasks such as planning (which should be 80% of your time if you're part of management). but more than anything else, we delegate because we want to develop our staff and the organization.
we delegate because we want our staff to be able to do what you can do - so they can be promoted and/or allow you to do something new. we also delegate because we want to develop "the bench" within the organization. we want to develop people who can take over the reigns when the situation calls for it.
By Sean Silverthorne | February 7, 2011
One of the accepted rules of 21st century managers is that we must delegate. Empower your troops closest to the customer to make crucial decisions. Give them the chance to show what they’ve got.
But I wonder if we sometimes overdo this wise advice, expecting that redirecting a job is as easy as changing the channel with a remote. Are we setting up middle managers for failure when we hold them accountable for decisions they aren’t prepared to make? Are we handing off responsibilities that should stay with us? HBR blogger Whitey Johnson had similar thoughts recently, and developed three reasons you shouldn’t delegate.
I’ll summarize her three rules, and add one of my own.
Don’t delegate when:
1. The task has not been thought through. If you can’t explain the task and the goals in concrete terms, then you have more work to do before handing it off to someone else to accomplish.
2. You are the best person for the job. If it’s something you know well and can add real value to, do it yourself.
3. You could learn from making the decision yourself. The best learning comes from doing, so don’t shortchange your own development by letting others take your place.
I think there is a fourth reason not to delegate: You can’t find someone to reward. Delegating a responsibility should be considered an honor for the recipient, a time to practice what they have learned and create a real accomplishment. If no one on your team buys into the responsibility you are bestowing or has shown enough skill to deserve a chance, the job should remain on your plate.
Looking back on your own advancement, did you ever delegate a job that came back to bite you? On the flip side, did a boss give you a responsibility that became a real career-enhancer?
MY THOUGHTS
if i am not mistaken, management is defined as "achieving results through others". i take this definition to mean that, as a manager, you do not have to do things yourself. as a manager, you should know how to direct the work of "others" so you can achieve your results. this is what delegation is about.
theoretically, there is nothing wrong with delegation. it is a much needed management principle. the problem is in how we delegate.
when you're simply throwing around instructions without much thought, you are not delegating. you are treating your staff as if they are house help.
delegation is a developmental tool. of course it's supposed to give managers more time to do other tasks such as planning (which should be 80% of your time if you're part of management). but more than anything else, we delegate because we want to develop our staff and the organization.
we delegate because we want our staff to be able to do what you can do - so they can be promoted and/or allow you to do something new. we also delegate because we want to develop "the bench" within the organization. we want to develop people who can take over the reigns when the situation calls for it.
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