Jay's Business & Worklife Perspective

Self-Management Tips & Ideas

2014-08-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

Self-Management Tips & Ideas for Getting Yourself Together.

Self-Management Strategies

Source: Richardson, Cheryl (1999). Take Time for Your Life. New York: Broadway Books

Put yourself at the top of list.
Get your priorities straight.
What’s draining you?
Invest in your financial health.
What’s fueling you?
Build a “soulful” community.
Honor your spiritual well-being.

Stress Out? – Things to Consider

Source: Pollar, Odette (1999). Take Back Your Life – Smart Ways to Simplify Daily Living. Berkeley: ConairPress

I have to do things perfectly.
I should be able to do more in each day.
I function best under pressure.
It is important to please others by doing what they ask of me.
I am invaluable at work; no one can do as good a job as I can.
I can do it all and have it all.
Once I have it all, I’ll be happy and life will be wonderful.
Relaxation is my reward, but only after I get everything else done.

Tips for Self-Management at Work

Focus on the positive.
When you are feeling isolated, talk with coworkers.
Do not bother to use your time to learn something you don’t intend to use.
Focus on the praise when you receive it.
Never take the work personally or let your self-esteem suffer.
Don’t take problems home.
Use the stairs.
Beware of micromanaging issues and frittering away energy on little things.
Celebrate your accomplishments

Time Management Tips

Source: Cook, Marshall (1999). Streetwise Time Management – Get More Done with Less Stress by Efficiently Managing Your Time. Holbrook, Massachusetts: Adams Media Corporation.

Don’t neglect the three Rs: Rest, Recreation, and Relationships.
Avoid task overload.
Allow time for the unplanned in your plan.
Be realistic about how much you can accomplish.
Create a healthy To-Do List (or not to do).

Why We Procrastinate

Source: Culp, Stephanie (1994). You Can Find More Time for Yourself Every Day. Cincinnati: Betterway Books.

We manage to constantly over commit ourselves.
If we postpone something long enough, someone else will do it.
By not having enough time we can excuse the poor job we do.
We would rather be doing something else.
The task at hand is too difficult or complex.
We fear either failure or success.
We don’t know where to begin.
There is safety in routine, so why do something new?
The task is to time-consuming or overwhelming.
We insist on results that meet our perfectionist standards, and there’s never enough time to achieve those unrealistic results.
Procrastination has become a bad but regular habit.
We won’t be able to see immediate results.
The task is tedious and boring.
We fear change or new situations.
We fear being judged on our efforts and work.
We don’t know how to do the task.
There is no deadline, so there’s no rush to get started.
Everything has snowballed to an unmanageable and overwhelming degree.
We can’t buckle down and make necessary decisions.
We are hooked on the adrenalin flow of doing things at the last minute.

What is the number 1 reason why people are dissatisfied with their job?

2014-04-03T09:37:00.002-07:00

Back on February 12, 2010 I published an on-line article, How to keep a positive attitude when you're dissatisfied with your job. Since then over 6,600 persons have read it.

The article includes a poll that asks: What is your number 1 reason for being dissatisfied with your job? 506 persons have taken the poll and the number 2 reason people are dissatisfied with their job? 25% said "I'm burned out."

What was the number 1 reason? Guess then check out the article (and take the poll!) at: Article and poll to why people are dissatisfied with their job.

Dissatisfied with your job? Tell us why!

Wanted: Emotionally Intelligent Bosses

2013-06-16T19:26:00.003-07:00

Good bosses, that is emotionally intelligent bosses, are not the norm in large or small businesses. Bad bosses make bad business.

My article: The Making of an Emotionally Intelligent Boss: What's Your Like? Looks at the characteristics of what makes a good and bad boss. Based on Daniel Goleman's book Primal Leadership (2004), insight is provided on how to develop bosses that are emotionally intelligent that are, consequently, good for business.

Excerpt from The Making of an Emotionally Intelligent Boss: What's Yours Like?:

Can Bad Bosses Be Made Better? The good news is yes! According to Goleman:
“Although people may differ in the initial level of their natural abilities, everyone can learn to improve, no matter where he or she starts out.”
This mean that any emotionally unintelligent bosses can learn to develop or improve the competencies needed to become emotionally intelligent. How is this possible?
Goleman explains, “Skills based in the limbic areas, research shows, are best learned through motivation, extended practice, and feedback.” In other words, through extensive training, an emotionally unintelligent boss can implement an action plan to develop the skills to become emotionally intelligent.

Best Practices: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

2013-06-02T19:34:00.001-07:00

The principles outlined in Stephen R. Covey's bestselling book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989) are even more relevant in the 21st century than they were in the 20th. Why? Because the work and life pressures we all face require that we have a firm foundation about who we are, how we handle relationships, and what we are doing to grow as a person.

Take a few minutes to review the principles and ask yourself, "How can I apply these principles in my life?"

Be Proactive - means we are responsible for our own lives; proactive people focus on things they can control and not about things over which we have little or no control.
Begin with the End in Mind - means to begin each day or task with a clear understanding of your desired direction and destination.
Put First Things First - means the first things are those you find most worth doing; prioritizing what's important in your life.
Think Win/Win - means to see life as a cooperative arena, not a competitive one; win-win means agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial and satisfying.
Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood - means that we, as communicators, will seek first to understand another's views before seeking to be understood; remember: most people do not listen with the intent to understand but rather with the intent of replying.
Synergize - Synergy is the crowing achievement of all the previous habits; it is effectiveness in an interdependent reality.
Sharpen the Saw - means to to preserve and enhance the greatest asset you have, YOU! It means having a balanced, systematic program for self-renewal in all aspects of your life.

The 7 Habits are worth taking a closer look.

Best Practices for Effective Teamwork

2013-04-25T19:19:00.000-07:00

Working in teams can be very productive for a business. Working in teams can also be very challenging. Perhaps you've been a member of a challenged team and experienced issues like unclear purpose or goals, not clear what is your role, too many chiefs, team politics getting in the way, personal biases, and other similar problems.

To help create an effective team for your organization, I've listed below the best practices from the Teams in Action workshop by Interaction Associates. These are the "Attributes of a Star Team:"

Shared and Meaningful Purpose - The team's task or reason for existing that is shared by all team members and, in some way, motivates and inspires.
Specific and Challenging Goals - The measurable results the team agrees to produce that will satisfy an important organizational need and demand extraordinary performance.
Clear Roles - A shared understanding by team members of how the responsibilities for specific team functions and tasks will be distributed.
Common and Collaborative Approach - Commonly understood plans and methods for accomplishing the team's goals in ways that facilitate participation, cooperation, and mutual support.
Complementary Skills - The right combination of knowledge, ability, and experience required to perform effectively.

When organizing your team, consider these attributes for effective teamwork.

How productive is your work team?

Is Telecommuting a Viable Business Option?

2013-02-27T13:19:00.000-08:00

Does working from home make good business sense?

Telecommuting or “working-from-home” has evolved into a viable option for many employees as an alternative to wasting time sitting in traffic and as a way to enhance their quality of life. Additionally, the advancement of technology and related tools has made working-from-home reasonable. So why don’t more businesses make this option available to their employees?

Today, Caleb Garling, a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer, wrote an article, “Why is telecommuting still controversial?” Garling reports some key points as to possible reasons why some companies do not promote telecommuting or, in perhaps a new trend, are scaling back on the work-at-home option.

Consider the following points:

“The truly critical details of a job are the in-between moments where casual conversation spurs projects and initiatives that end up delivering real value for the business.”
“…while an occasional day at home is fine, being in the office is usually more productive.”
“…handling sensitive data – health care, banking, law, government – may not want it transferred over public Wi-Fi networks.”
“Increasing gas prices and crowed highways may make commuting more painful, but in the end, most managers will default to the bottom line, he [Pace’s Pastore] says. ‘The mere fact you’re saving a little money and time (by employees staying home) won’t supplant the fact you’re not getting the job done.”

What are your thoughts on the topic? What has been your experience with telecommuting, positive or negative? What can be done to make telecommuting more attractive to both employees and businesses?

Does working from home work for you?

Customer Service: An Emotional Hot Button

2013-01-17T16:55:00.002-08:00

Customer Service...just mentioning those two words often generates strong emotional feelings from many of us who have had negative experiences. In fairness, some of us, well very few of us, have experienced excellent or "Wow! I can't believe that great service." But for the most part we hear about bad, crappy, worst ever customer service. Why? Because it's personal!

In a world governed by consumerism, businesses' customer service departments should be delivering superior service to keep and grow their business. Some businesses are successful but many are not.

Here is one true-life experience when a new computer was ordered for my small business (the name has been omitted to give them a second chance at redemption). The discussion went like this:

November 2, 2012: Dear Customer Service, I have now received three notices of delays for my [name omitted] order. This is causing a significant delay on an important project, and jeopardizing a future project. As compensation for this continued delay, I respectfully request that Microsoft Office Home & Business be added to my computer at no extra charge.

Response from Customer Service: With regards to your concern below, we apologize for any inconvenience caused. We do not have an option to make any changes on the order once the order is placed however we can offer a $25 concession on the order. We will be happy to further assist you. Thank you for choosing...

November 5, 2012: Dear Customer Service, I appreciate you quick reply and your offer of a $25 concession on this order. However, considering that the product has yet to be shipped despite have been ordered on October 15, 2012, I believe a 10% concession on the total cost would be more fitting. While I have a great respect for the reliability of your products, the unreliable order fulfillment has been disappointing.

Response for Customer Service: With regards to your query, we see that already a concession of $25 is offered on the order so unfortunately we would not be able to offer any more concession on this order. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused.

November 6, 2012: Dear Customer Service Manager, After noting that the shipping date on order xxx has been delayed yet again, your offer of a $25 concession is no longer sufficient, and neither is a concession of 10% off the total price. As I have explained before, this continued delay is jeopardizing.... Without a $150 reduction of my purchase price, I will have no reason to continue to wait and watch you change my shipping date yet again. I will be forced to cancel my order...

Response from Customer Service: With regards to your query, we regret to inform you that we would not be able to give you a concession of $150. However as per our records we see that the estimated shipping date for your order is 17th November 2012. We do understand that you are unhappy with the estimated shipping date so to expedite the shipment we have sent request to our supply team to prioritize your order. So our team would do their best to make sure that your order ships out as soon as possible...

November 18, 2012: The shipping date has been changed again and I can no longer wait for this product. I am hereby canceling this order, xxxxxx, as of 3:15 pm PST on November 17, 2012. I am extremely disappointed with the lack of explanation regarding the constant delaying of the shipping date, the unwillingness of your sales/customer support team to provide any reasonable incentive to continue waiting for my computer to ship, and the inability to cancel an order online or with the 24 hour chat line. I had been looking forward to using your product, but as a result of this experience, doubt I will even do business with your company.

Response from Customer Service: As we understand, you want to check the status of the order. The order is due to ship on 11/25/12. It may ship sooner as the given date is an estimated ship date. Once the order ships you will receive a confirmation e-mail and within 3 to 5 business days the order will be delivered. The delay has happened due to unavailability of parts due to a very high demand. However we will definitely ensure that the machine is assembled at the earliest and shipped to you at the earliest. We sincerely apologize...

True story. Order cancelled, bought new computer from a different company and received it within 2 days of order.

Customer Service is personal!

How to Provide Superior Customer Service

Here are my four simple steps to provide superior customer service:

Listen to me...really listen to what I'm saying or asking.
Ask me questions for clarity...and so I know you heard me.
Ask me how I want the problem or issue to be resolved.
Make it happen!

Is that asking too much?

Which experience would you prefer?

Or this...

Tips for Managing Procrastination

2012-08-08T13:58:00.000-07:00

While rummaging though some old files, I came across a list of tips for managing procrastination that I would like to share with you. I'm not sure if all the tips came from one source or if it is an accumulation of tips I gathered over time (That's how old it is!). I believe these tips are still relevant in the 21st century as they were in the 80s.

Can't seem to motivate yourself to get things done?

Tips for Managing Procrastination:

Create a daily "To Do" list and prioritize it
Slice up large tasks into smaller manageable pieces
Anticipate and plan for interruptions
Do unpleasant tasks first
Make a difficult task enjoyable by making it a game and competing with yourself
Use self-discipline - Just do it!
Give yourself deadlines or incentives
Keep your work areas organized based on your personality
Use unexpected free moments of time productively
Delegate the task
Analyze why you procrastinate - get to the root cause
Make a commitment to yourself
Visualize completion

Are things piling up because you're procrastinating?

Do you have any tips to add to the list? Please do so!

Social Media at the London Olympics: Good, Bad, & Ugly

2012-08-01T19:05:00.003-07:00

There is no doubt that social media, especially Twitter, is having an enormous impact at the London Olympics. Athletes and fans alike are tweeting like never before at an Olympics. Yet for all the good social media brings to the games, there are some who have made it bad and even ugly.

Two Olympians, Michel Morganella of Switzerland and Voula Papachristou of Greece, have been expelled from the games for making racist tweets. A zealot British diving fan has been arrested to harassing British diver Tom Daley. A high price to pay for vending on social media when it didn't need to happen at all.

However, the trend for posting negative, ugly, and mean-spirited comments on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites in on the increase.

Here are some common-sense guidelines I published in an article called: Developing Your Social Networking Skills: Guidelines for Posting Comments (like on the title to read the full article) that are worth reviewing:

Focus on the issue and not the individual person
Keep your emotions in check
Be respectful – no matter how disrespectful others may be
Don’t make any assumptions
Be aware of fallacious reasoning
Describe your reactions or feelings
Choose your words carefully
Keep in mind your unknown or anonymous readers (minors)
Review what you’ve written before posting

Everyone has the right to express one's thoughts or feelings about a topic but we don't need to be mean or threatening about it. We can say whatever we feel with respect by following a few simple guidelines.

Remember: You can't swim away from a mean comment once you've posted it!
Photo source: Microsoft Clipart

Business Writing Tips & Best Practices

2012-07-22T14:33:00.000-07:00

Many years ago I attended the Writing Advantage workshop by Franklin/Covey and I eventually became a certified instructor of this business writing class.

The following tips and best practices are guidelines for producing clear written business communication:

Effective written communication begins with the purpose stated upfront and clearly.
Write clear subject lines that tell your readers what you want them to do, know, or feel.
Focus on your reader; identify their priorities, interest, and needs. Remember: today's readers often skim through articles or correspondence rarely reading every word.
Include a summary at the end of your document.
Use bullet points or lists to help your readers focus and remember main points.
Use boldface, underlining, font style and size to emphasis key points.
Write informative headings.
Write short paragraphs (one major idea per paragraph) and sentences.

Use a simple but effective writing process:

Plan
Design
Draft
Revise

The above tips and best practices are useful for blogging, webpage design, email communications, and social networking business pages.

Use writing guidelines for communicating effectively on your blogs, webpage, or social networking pages.

Use a writing process for clear communication to your readers.

What tips or best practices would you add?

Lessons Learned: Basic Time Management Principles

2012-07-03T22:36:00.002-07:00

The Key to Your Success: The 10 Basic Principles
of Time Management

Way back in 1986, I attended a Franklin Time Management seminar delivered by the Franklin Institute, today known as Franklin-Covey. This seminar changed my life because I did something I'd never done at a seminar before, I listened and I applied what I learned. The time management principles taught worked for me and about seven years later I became a certified Franklin Time Management instructor.

Following are 10 basic principles or "natural laws" taught in the program. These 10 "natural laws" are still worthy of reflection and application today:

You control your life by controlling your time.
Your governing values are the foundation of personal fulfillment.
When your daily activities reflect your governing values, you experience inner peace.
To reach any significant goal, you must leave your comfort zone.
Daily planning leverages time through increased focus.
Your behavior is a reflection of what you truly believe.
You satisfy needs when your beliefs are in line with reality.
Negative behaviors are overcome by changing incorrect beliefs.
Your self-esteem must ultimately come from within.
Give more and you'll have more.

The first five laws focus on managing our time, while the latter five focus on managing our life.

What do you think?

Reference: The 10 Natural Law of Successful Time and Life Management by Hyrum W. Smith (1994)

Best Practices for Giving & Receiving Feedback

2012-06-27T11:40:00.001-07:00

“We can not, not communicate!”

Source: Microsoft Clip Art

Why is it hard to give feedback?
Why is it beneficial to give feedback?

Types of situations appropriate for giving and receiving formal feedback

Complaints
Gratitude
Concerns
Performance improvement
Other?

Feedback Guidelines

Giving feedback:

Focus on the behavior of the individual, not the personality or character.
Make it specific (what, when, where, etc.)
Describe the behavior; do not judge it.
Direct feedback at behavior(s) that can be changed, not permanent characteristics of an individual.
Make the feedback timely, either at the moment the behavior is occurring or as soon afterward as possible.
Remember that people are uncomfortable receiving feedback, even if you are handling it the best way possible.
Whether the person agrees with the feedback, express your appreciation for listening.

Receiving feedback:

Actively listen to the person’s description of your behavior and recommendations. (This is hard!)
Do not get defensive; trust the intent of the feedback is to help, not hurt.
Paraphrase or summarize the feedback to make sure you have heard it correctly.
Give the feedback serious consideration. Do not dismiss it as irrelevant or unimportant.
Communicate to the person changes in his or her behavior that may be needed to help you change.
Whether or not you use the feedback, express appreciation to the person giving the feedback.

Using Personality Type

S: specifics N: implications T: logical impact F: human impact

Lessons Learned in Business Management & Leadership

2012-04-30T15:39:00.000-07:00

Over the course of my career I've participated in numerous training programs that provided valuable tools for enhancing my business, management, and leadership skills. I have selected some of these tools to share with my readers because of they work.

This post reviews lessons learned when I participated in the Zenger-Miller Frontline Leadership program back in the mid-90s. Enjoy and your feedback is welcomed!

Lessons Learned: The Basic Principles

Focus on the situation, issue, or behavior, not the person.
Maintain the self-confidence and self-esteem of others.
Maintain constructive relationships with your employees, peers, and managers.
Take the initiative to make things better.
Lead by example.

Guidelines for applying the Basic Principles

1. Focus on the situation, issue, behavior, and impact, not on the person or personality.

First Think…

§ Identify what you have observed or need to discuss.

§ Focus on the facts of the situation and not on the person’s personality traits.

§ Be clear in your own mind what your expectations are of the person.

Then Act…

§ Describe factually what you have observed. Avoid generalizations and provide specific examples.

§ Explain the impact of the situation – why it needs to be addressed – describe your expectations.

§ Listen actively, ask clarifying questions, and listen to understand their viewpoint.

2. Maintain the self-confidence and self-esteem of others.

First Think…

§ How can I provide honest feedback and still have the person feel respected and supported?

§ Have I expressed that their contribution is valued and that I believe in their abilities?

§ How can I avoid a defensive reaction and build trust with the person?

Then Act…

§ Engage the person. Ask for their viewpoint. Use questions instead of telling.

§ Choose your words thoughtfully, stay factual – do not accuse, attack or blame.

§ Recognize good performance. Notice. Reinforce.

3. Build and maintain constructive relationships with employees, peers and managers.

First Think…

§ What attitude am I bringing to this relationship? How can I encourage honest feedback?

§ How can I demonstrate respect for the person?

§ Am I treating others as I would like to be treated? Am I demonstrating fair treatment ?

Then Act…

§ Follow through on commitments to the person.

§ Engage in two-way conversation. Show a desire to gain knowledge from others.

§ Ask what type of information or support you could provide to them.

4. Take the initiative to make things better.

First Think…

§ What tasks, issues, problems or challenges are we avoiding that need to be addressed?

§ Am I watching for ways to improve products, services, process, coordination or communication?

§ How will the organization benefit from taking the initiative?

Then Act…

§ Address issues sooner rather than later. Stay focused on the goal or objective. Be positive.

§ Encourage others to be proactive problem solvers vs. reactive employees.

§ Trust your instincts. Don’t ignore early warning signals. Step out and take responsibility.

5. Lead by example.

First Think…

§ How am I perceived as a role model or leader?

§ Am I consistently modeling the basic principles?

§ What type of leader am I trying to be? How would others describe my strengths as a leader?

Then Act…

§ Walk the talk. Be aware of behaviors you are modeling.

§ Choose the right priorities; Make fair decisions on business goals.

§ Say what you mean. Be timely, direct, genuine and honest.

Does Your Business Have A Performance Management Process?

2012-03-29T18:55:00.000-07:00

Businesses that do not have an effective performance management process often deal with issues such as high employee turnover, harassment and other legal lawsuits, low morale, disengaged employees, unhappy customers, well you get the picture. Some businesses with performance management processes may be ineffective because the process is used primarily for providing a once-a-year (at best) performance review, which is usually a surprise to the recipient or used to facilitate a termination.

The article: How a Performance Management Process can Make or Break Your Business, is about four important elements that promotes successful performance management:

Clearly defined business vision, mission, goals, values, and core competencies.
Business processes mapped out and documented
Systems for on-going feedback
Employee engagement programs

Click on the link to the article and take the poll at the end of the article. Your comments are welcomed!

Regular Feedback is Key

Strategic Planning: Do You Do It?

2012-01-20T15:58:00.000-08:00

Engaging in a business during the Great Recession beginning in 2007 has been a challenge for us all. Many business owners and leaders have asked, "What could I have done differently or better?" One way to avoid having to ask yourself this question (or at least minimize how often you ask) is to plan strategically.

The article Strategic Planning: It's about Engaging in Business Warfare may help your efforts to engage in the strategic planning process. Within the article are links to other important topics such as core competencies and employee engagement, which play critical roles in strategic planning.

"You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins."

– Jim Stovall

Your Organization Completed a 360-Degree Leadership Survey...Now What?

2011-10-30T12:45:00.000-07:00

Don't Stop! Otherwise, if the purpose of administering in a 360-degree feedback program was just to put a check-mark on a long list of corporate things to-do by year-end then you have successfully conducted a "flavor-of-the-month" imitative.

Keep the feedback flowing! After all what is the purpose of giving and receiving feedback if not to better understand how we are seen by others and to make appropriate improvements or changes? Leadership feedback must be an on-going process (just like performance appraisals), which results in demonstrated improvements to both the leader and the organization.

Reasons to keep administering 360-degree leadership feedback:

Transition your culture to one where giving and receiving feedback is viewed as essential for the growth and success of the organization
Demonstrate accountability to your customers, employees, shareholders, etc. that you hold your leadership answerable for the decisions and methods used for running the organization
Keep it simple! that is the survey process. Don't make it a time consuming event where raters will just click random choices to quickly get-through the survey
Start off with an in-depth survey and follow up with shorter 10 questions or less follow-up surveys every 6 to 12 months.
Focus on your organization's core competencies that have made your organization successful
Facilitate the process of giving and receiving feedback as a normal part of organizational operations

360-degree leadership programs are a good thing. Don't weaken the giving and receiving of feedback by making it a one-time, "flavor-of-the-month" event. Instead, make it part of your organization's culture for giving and receiving 360-degree leadership feedback for the continued growth and success of your organization!

Myth About the "Long-Term" Unemployed

2011-09-05T12:24:00.000-07:00

My local newspaper, The Press Democrat, ran a front page story on the Sunday edition titled: Scorn for jobless on rise. The article by Tony Pugh of McClatchy Newspapers was published on Thursday, September 1, with the title: This Labor Day, Americans losing patience with the jobless.

The focus of today's blog post is about the comment made in the article that "Many companies now shun the long-term unemployed when filling positions, fearing their skills have eroded or their talents don't measure up."

My immediate reaction was, "How absurd!" To make such a blanket statement about the long-term unemployed only exasperates their plight and creates unfounded myths for uninformed employers to latch on to (or to informed employers who will use the myth as a means to discriminate against the older segment of the long-term unemployed).

Further into the article, there is a quote by Ahniva Williams, who counsels the jobless, "It enraged a lot of my members who were actively looking for work, volunteering, going to school, taking classes, and going to job fairs." Additionally, in my dealings with many of the long-term unemployed, I have encountered those who have started their own part-time (and in some instances full-time) business ventures to keep their skills sharp. Others are furthering their education or training in growth industries in technology or the medical field. Others have simplified their life-styles and are working part time, while engaging in volunteer work. These are not people "playing the system" or who don't want to work.

If you have been or were unemployed for six months or longer, I would like to hear what you are doing or did to keep your skills sharp and stay a viable candidate for employment.

For those of you who want to optimize your self-development strategy, click on the link to my article on a four-phase process to help you stay sharp.

Is "Workplace Incivility" On The Increase At Your Business?

2011-08-22T12:55:00.000-07:00

While on vacation a couple of weeks ago, I read the complimentary copy of USA Today provided by the hotel. The article, "At work, no more Mr. Nice Guy" by Sharon Jayson got my attention. In a nutshell, researchers from the American Psychological Association state that "behaviors that violate respectful workplace norms" is on the increase. This means we are dealing with "rudeness, insults and plain old bad manners" at work, in fact 75% to 80% of us are being subjected to this type of behavior.

According to the research (Civility in America 2011) the blame for workplace incivility breaks down as follows:

65% - Leadership of the workplace
59% - Employees themselves
45% - The economy
44% - Competitiveness in the workplace
34% - Younger employees
6% - Older employees

This could be one of the reasons you are so stressed at work!

Following are links to possible ways to address the problems:

With a seemingly stagnant economy and stressed out employees, what do you recommend for a survival strategy?

Do Your Rewards & Recognition Programs Generate High Performance?

2011-05-30T17:07:00.000-07:00

If your organization rewards and recognizes your employees by the traditional "carrot & stick" form of motivation (a.k.a. Motivation 2.0) then your organization is at risk of generating short-term, temporary high performance, BUT long-term unmotivated, low-performing, disengaged employees.

Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive, The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, explains why the traditional "carrots & sticks" form of motivation do not work. Pink cites "The Seven Deadly Flaws" of carrots and sticks motivation in his book, which are:

They can extinguish intrinsic motivation
They can diminish performance
They can crush creativity
They can crowd out good behavior
They can encourage cheating, shortcuts, and unethical behavior
They can become addictive
They can foster short-term thinking

Quite frankly, these flaws are very prominent in numerous organizations today, just pick up any newspaper or check the news on-line for the most recent accounts of employees, at all levels, being outed for cheating and unethical behavior. Take a look at current business articles, many touch on themes linked to "The Seven Deadly Flaws."

It is time to take a serious look at your rewards & recognition programs, and related business practices, to determine if you are actually motivating employees to high performance or producing unmotivated employees that will eventually lead to a disastrous outcome.

Words Worthy of Reflection

2011-04-12T10:48:00.000-07:00

Thoughtful Words for the Business Soul

"One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is terribly important."

Bertrand Russell

"By working faithfully eight hours a day, you may eventually get to be a boss and work twelve hours a day."

Robert Frost

"A good rule of thumb is if you've made it to thirty-five and your job still requires you to wear a name tag, you've made a serious vocational error."

Dennis Miller

"The best time to start thinking about your retirement is before the boss does."

Anonymous

Please share your favorite business/work quotes...

Has Social Networking Changed The Way You Do Business?

2011-03-31T14:00:00.000-07:00

Within the last five years we've seen significant and rapid changes in the realm of social networking. Consider that Facebook now has over 500 million users with the expectation of reaching 1 billion in the next couple of years, that we can now connect with over 60 million Linked In business contacts around the world, that we can receive "breaking news" news via Twitter as it's happening and usually right from the source, that we can now tune in to You Tube instead of waiting for the 11 o'clock news, that our customers can choose to "Like" us or write a scathing "review" about our service or product, and so much more.

Additionally, social networking has shrunk our world even more than the Internet did at the close of the 20th century. In fact most of the readers of this blog are around the world with India in close second to American readers! This is amazing and presents many opportunities to grow our businesses!

Considering all these aspects of social networking, when it comes to doing business, are you riding it out as a fad or are you embracing it and incorporating social networking into your normal/regular business practices?

"Help Wanted - Jobless Need Not Apply" Really?!

2011-02-17T16:19:00.000-08:00

Researching trends in business today, I came across the article: "Help Wanted - Jobless Need Not Apply" by Zachary Roth. Is this a new trend taking root in the realm of human resources and recruitment? Are human resources professionals and recruiters just too overwhelmed to do their jobs adequately?

Here is an excerpt from the article:

"Some employers have said they're unwilling to hire unemployed workers because they believe that if a worker has once been let go, that's a sign that he or she is probably not a great hire. "People who are currently employed … are the kind of people you want as opposed to people who get cut," one recruiter told the Atlanta Journal Constitution in October.

And as Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke has said, when people are out of work for a long time, their skills can erode, which may understandably make them less attractive to employers."

What are your thoughts on the topic? What do you believe will be the long-term impact of such reasoning? What's the solution?

The over 50 and more than 6 months unemployed need not apply!
Really?

"We have, in fact, two kinds of morality side by side: One which we preach but do not practice and another which we practice but seldom preach."

Bertrand Russell

Tom Peters "50 Survival Strategies" - Are They Relevant For Today?

2011-02-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

In 1992, management guru Tom Peters, published a 9-page brochure titled, "50 Survival Strategies" for dealing with a changing business environment. 19 years later, the business world is very different, are those strategies still relevant? Below are some of those strategies from 1992. What are your thoughts?

"Recognize training as a research and development expenditure; fund it with 3 percent of gross revenue."
"Make evaluation by subordinates a key component of all bosses' performance appraisals."
"Establish, for everyone, moderately low base pay with significant incentives, 50 percent based on direct measures of quality and service."
"Make sure all work teams are largely self-contained, encompassing almost all 'functional skills' within their confines."
"Aim for one-third employee ownership of the corporation within five years."

The above five strategies of fifty represented innovative business thinking for the time. What would the impact be today if applied in today's business environment?

The Key Strategic Element for a Successful 2011: Your People

2011-01-02T20:18:00.000-08:00

Think about this excerpt from an article by Costas Markides titled, Strategy in Turbulent Times (Business Essential 2009):

"In many industries, competing companies have the same suppliers, are structured in much the same way, receive their information from the same sources, use the same consultants, and so on. They receive much the same information. And yet some pursue genuinely different strategies."

What's the difference? The difference, and key to success, is how your people process the information within their respective organizations. Some businesses will develop a "growth mindset" and others will stick to a "fixed mindset."

Companies with "growth mindsets" tend to tap on the creativity and innovativeness of their people. They take creative ideas and turn that idea into an innovative new service or product. They take intelligent risks. Communicate frequently. And, most importantly, engage not only their employees but their customers as well.

"Growth mindset" companies adapt to ever changing industry and economic conditions with a strategy that keeps them on course while adjusting priorities.

On the other side are "fixed mindset" companies that opt for the status quo. They may advertise or market a "change" strategy but will basically do what they've always done. Their mantra is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." These companies tend to be followers, versus leaders, in their industry.

Will 2011 be a successful year for your company? It can be, especially if you incorporate the creativity and innovativeness of your greatest asset: your people!

Feedback & Leadership Development

2010-12-09T19:15:00.000-08:00

Does your organization use 360-degree feedback tools for leadership development? How successful is your program? Have your leaders improved or increased their effectiveness?

Based on findings presented in the article Leadership Is a Contact Sport by Marshall Goldsmith and Howard Morgan in the Autumn 2010 special issue of Strategy+Business, asserts a simple but essential key: Follow-up.

The article presents four major findings for leadership development:

"For most leaders, the great challenge is not understanding the practice of leadership: It is practicing their understanding of leadership."
"The follow-up factor correlates with improved leadership effectiveness among both U.S. and non-U.S. executives."
"Both internal and external coaches can make a positive difference."
"Feedback or coaching by telephone works about as well as feedback or coaching in person."

There is no one right or best leadership development program. The point is to have a leadership development program and follow-through is essential for producing effective leaders.

"Our studies show that leaders who regularly ask for input are seen as increasing in effectiveness. Leaders who don't follow up are not necessarily bad leaders, the are just not seen as getting better."

Have you ever notice how some leaders that participate in development programs are more successful than others? The reason is their mindset. Leaders with a "growth mindset" are continuously looking for ways to improve, while leaders with a "fixed Mindset" have an attitude of "if it ain't broke, why fix it?" (For more information on "mindset," check out the book: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck.)

The article concludes with:

"If the organization can teach the leader to reach out to co-workers, to listen and learn, and to focus on continuous development, both the leader and organization will benefit."

Bottom line: Effective leadership is desperately needed to improve the current economic predicament. Effective leadership comes from leaders serious about their development as a leader.