Co-workers that rock
Bad bosses, horrible peers... we hear plenty of those stories, but how about those awesome people you have worked with? The Decent Human Being, hard worker, someone who led a well-balanced life or had some other positive trait that made working with them a joy. Someone who bailed you out of a bind. A mentor or a guide.
Have you ever worked with someone who had a major positive impact on your life, your job, and/or your outlook?
Share your story in the comments!
Stepping Up
John Izzo: Stepping Up: How Taking Responsibility Changes Everything.
My definition of stepping up is simple: Stepping up is seeing a need and deciding YOU are the right person to do something about it. It is about not looking to anyone else to create change but to do what you can in your sphere of influence. The responsibility I speak of is not a wagging finger telling you to step up, but an empowering message of what happens when we stop worrying about what anyone else is doing and choose to do what we can do. Whether trying to change our family, our company or the world, we are only powerful when we focus on what WE can do.
You have the power to make a REAL difference within your sphere of influence:
- Encourage tolerance and kindness: In a world shaken by financial chaos and instability, with more and more people needing a piece of the communal pie to survive, it's easy to fall into an "every man for himself" kind of survival mentality. Frequently, this will start to manifest itself by resenting those who are different or who have it "easier."
Whenever you or someone else is being intolerant or unkind—no matter how subtle or socially acceptable it might be—decide that you'll step up and show up differently, and encourage others to do the same. - Lose attitudes that make you miserable and less successful: When you've really committed yourself to change you'll feel how unappealing your old way is, especially if you fall back into it, and you'll be far less likely to repeat the old habit the next time. Izzo focuses on two of the most troubling attitudes: "It's not my job!" and "It's not my fault!" The more a person or organization focuses on the external environment rather than how they respond to it, the less happy and successful they will be. "There are two kinds of people in the world, those who make things happen and those who complain about what's happening." Which one are you?
- The Responsibility Ripple: Many of us feel disempowered in our work and our lives, because we don't think that we do matters. It does.
Photo by RG
via Is It Time for You to Finally Step Up? | Psychology Today.
8 Things Employees Need Most
Pay raises are great, but...
To truly care about your business, your employees need these things—and they need them from you:
1. Freedom. Best practices can create excellence, but every task doesn't deserve a best practice or a micro-managed approach. Autonomy and latitude breed engagement and satisfaction. Latitude also breeds innovation. Even manufacturing and heavily process-oriented positions have room for different approaches. Whenever possible, give your employees the freedom to work they way they work best.
2. Targets. Goals are fun. Everyone is at least a little competitive, if only with themselves. Targets create a sense of purpose and add a little meaning to even the most repetitive tasks. Without a goal to shoot for, work is just work.
3. Mission. We all like to feel a part of something bigger. Striving to be worthy of words like "best" or "largest" or "fastest" or "highest quality" provides a sense of purpose. Let employees know what you want to achieve, for your business, for customers, and even your community. And if you can, let them create a few missions of their own. Caring starts with knowing what to care about—and why.
4. Expectations. While every job should include some degree of latitude, every job needs basic expectations regarding the way specific situations should be handled. Criticize an employee for expediting shipping today, even though last week that was the standard procedure if on-time delivery was in jeopardy, and you lose that employee. Few things are more stressful than not knowing what your boss expects from one minute to the next. When standards change make sure you communicate those changes first. When you can't, explain why this particular situation is different, and why you made the decision you made.
5. Input. Everyone wants to offer suggestions and ideas. Deny employees the opportunity to make suggestions, or shoot their ideas down without consideration, and you create robots. Robots don't care. Make it easy for employees to offer suggestions. When an idea doesn't have merit, take the time to explain why. You can't implement every idea, but you can always make employees feel valued for their ideas.
6. Connection. Employees don’t want to work for a paycheck; they want to work with and for people. A kind word, a short discussion about family, a brief check-in to see if they need anything... those individual moments are much more important than meetings or formal evaluations.
7. Consistency. Most people can deal with a boss who is demanding and quick to criticize... as long as he or she treats every employee the same. While you should treat each employee differently, you must treat each employee fairly. There's a big difference. The key to maintaining consistency is to communicate. The more employees understand why a decision was made the less likely they are to assume favoritism or unfair treatment.
8. Future. Every job should have the potential to lead to something more, either within or outside your company. Take the time to develop employees for jobs they someday hope to fill—even if those positions are outside your company. How will you know what they hope to do? Try asking.
Employees will care about your business when you care about them first
via 8 Things Your Employees Need Most | Inc.com.
Working With a Type A Personality
Understanding someones personality provides insight into the best way to approach and work with him or her.
Type A personalities operate at a maximum speed and aspire to achieve large goals; as a result, they display the following traits and behaviors:
- Competitiveness - Everyone and everything is a challenge to a Type A, and he or she will do everything to break down any barrier that stands in his or her way.
- An Unrealistic Sense of Urgency - Completing a task or goal is done as if the world ends tomorrow. Type As dont like to waste time and they race to complete the goals theyve set in their minds.
- Multitasking - Type As can handle many unrelated tasks or goals and perform well at all of them.
- Constant Stress - Type As are subject to a tremendous amounts of stress because they are constantly racing against time or have too many things to do.
Below is a list of actions to keep in mind when working with a Type A personality:
- Dont Waste Time - Type As are sensitive to time and the quickest way to get on their nerves is to take your time. If you want to get on their good side, work at the same speed as they do.
- Get To The Point - Type As tend to process information quickly and when you hear him or her say "Got It", its a signal for you to get to your point. They appreciate individuals that can communicate in a clear, concise, and succinct manner.
- Never Show Up Late - Doing so, may result in him or her seeing you as not worthy of their time. Making a Type A wait means that you are preventing him or her from doing something else.
- Have A Timeline - Type As hate uncertainties because he or she wont know how much time it will take to complete the task. Make sure you have some sort of timeline around what you need him or her to complete.
via Working With a Type A Personality | Psychology Today.
Appreciation Matters. We’re all more vulnerable and needy than we like to imagine
what are the practical steps you can take, especially as a manager, to use appreciation in the service of building a higher-performing (and more sustainable) team?
1. As the Hippocratic oath prescribes to physicians, "Above all else, do no harm." Or perhaps more accurately, do less harm, since it's unrealistic to do none. The costs of devaluing others are so great that we need to spend far more time thinking than we do now about how to hold people's value, even in situations where they've fallen short and our goal is get them to change their behavior for the better.
2. Practice appreciation by starting with yourself. If you have difficulty openly appreciating others, it's likely you also find it difficult to appreciate yourself. Take a few moments at the end of the day to ask yourself this simple question: "What can I rightly feel proud of today?" If you are committed to constant self-improvement, you can also ask yourself, "What could I do better tomorrow?" Both questions hold your value.
3. Make it a priority to notice what others are doing right. The more you work at it, the better you'll get at it, and the more natural it will become for you. For example, start by thinking about what positive qualities, behaviors and contributions you currently take for granted among the members of your team. Then ask yourself, what is it that each of them uniquely brings to the table?
4. Be appreciative. The more specific you can be about what you value — and the more you notice what's most meaningful to that person — the more positive your impact on that person is likely to be. A handwritten note makes a bigger impression than an email or a passing comment, but better any one of them than nothing at all.
We're all more vulnerable and needy than we like to imagine. Authentically appreciating others will make you feel better about yourself, and it will also increase the likelihood they'll invest more in their work, and in you. The human instinct for reciprocity runs deep.
Photo by RG
via Why Appreciation Matters So Much - Tony Schwartz - Harvard Business Review.
5 Most Common Ways People Ruin Their Careers
Even the most successful executives and leaders can suddenly "go off the track" and ruin their careers. Research on executive derailment has clearly identified the factors that cause previously successful executives and professionals to fail. Watch out for these in your own work career.
- Poor Interpersonal Style
Although technical competence and successes may initially pay off, as one moves up in an organization or profession, interpersonal skills become more important. In our study of firefighters, technical competence was the key to getting promoted to captain, but lack of social skills prevented captains from going higher in the chain of command. Having an abrasive or arrogant style, being insensitive to those around you, or coming off cold and aloof can lead to derailment of managers and supervisors. - Over-Controlling and Inability to Delegate
In today's team-centered work world, it is critical to be able to work successfully with others to get the job done. Managers who try to do it all themselves, who micromanage, or who are unable to build a team, are likely doomed to failure. - Inability to Adapt
Change is the only constant in organizations. Workers who fail to adapt will become obsolete and fail. In one engineering department, the manager was unable to master, or even understand, the new design technology. Due to his own insecurity, he refused to let the new technology be used in his department. The result: they fell further and further behind on projects and produced inferior results. - Lack of Transparency
Dealing openly and honestly with those you work with is the key to success. Even if you are justified and fair in the decisions that you make, you need to let people know why and how important decisions (such as promotions) are made. It goes without saying that unethical behavior is a key derailer for anyone's work career, so the best way to avoid temptation is to be transparent in the decisions you make and strive to be virtuous in your behavior. - Inability to Think Strategically
All too often, we get bogged down in the day-to-day work that is in front of us, and focus too much on short-term goals. However, career success requires constantly looking at the big picture, and thinking strategically about where we are headed. Strategic thinking helps us anticipate problems, recognize new opportunities, and build a track record of accomplishments.
Photo by RG
via 5 Most Common Ways People Ruin Their Work Careers | Psychology Today.
Focus on making small, continuous improvements.
Henry Ford once said, “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small pieces.” The same concept configured as a question: How do you eat an elephant? Answer: One bite at a time. This philosophy holds true for achieving your biggest goals. Making small, positive changes is an amazing way to get excited about life and slowly reach the level of success you aspire to.
And if you start small, you don’t need a lot of motivation to get started. The simple act of getting started and doing something will give you the momentum you need, and soon you’ll find yourself in a positive spiral of changes – one building on the other.
Start with just one activity, and make a plan for how you will deal with troubles when they arise. It will be hard in the beginning, but it will get easier. And that’s the whole point. As your strength grows, you can take on bigger challenges.
Photo by RG
via 12 Things Successful People Do Differently.
Short Introduction to & Best Practices for Mentoring
There is a general acceptance that most people achieve better levels of professional success if they have the guidance and help of a mentor; someone with whom they can discuss their career plans, evaluate options and achievements, and work through issues.
A mentor is as 'a suitably experienced person, who is willing and able to act as a confidential helper and guide to another, to stimulate professional development and make it more effective'.
Many organizations have successfully adopted mentoring in order to help selected employees to develop more effectively.
MAKING MENTORING WORK
Mentoring programs can help new employees acclimate to your company or propel high-potential managers to the next level. But effective programs require careful planning as well as a good amount of time and resources to manage.
- Have a clear goal. Most companies are reactive rather than proactive about mentoring - they may be trying to reduce turnover in a certain part of their organization or improve their diversity strategy, for example. It’s important to treat mentoring as one of many tools for developing employees. And it’s critical to know what the program's goal is. If the goal is to reduce turnover, that’s relatively easy to measure. But how do you know if your supervisors are more effective after getting advice from mentors for a year? What skill sets are they expecting those supervisors to have? What would success look like?
- Decide who will be mentored. You don’t need to choose participants early on, but you do need to know what kind of people you want to have mentored. The goals of the program define the mentee pool, and the mentee pool defines the mentor pool.Is the target new employees? If so, what’s the definition of “new”: someone who has been with the company for six months to two years? If the plan is to provide mentors to frontline managers, how will mentees be chosen, or will everyone at that level get a mentor? As tempting is it may be to simply offer mentors to everyone, it may not be practical
- Develop a pool of mentors. Once you know the type of people who will need mentors, you can identify potential mentors. Mentors should generally be two levels above the mentees, so they can give their mentees a more strategic view of the organization while still understanding the mentees’ jobs. This also ensures that the mentor and mentee would not be vying for the same job. Once you have a group of possible mentors, it’s important to assess the skills of the individuals in that group. They need good communication skills — and the ability to keep conversations confidential. They also need to have a solid reputation within the company. Most importantly, mentors have to want to take on this challenge.
- Give the program a structure. Most formal mentoring programs last one year. Yours can be longer or shorter, but it should have an end. One reason for a defined time period is that it’s easier to get people to sign up for a limited commitment. Also, you'll want to be able to have another group of mentees start the program, perhaps using some of the same mentors. Some mentors and mentees will continue their relationship on a less formal basis after the official end of the program. Although each mentor-mentee team can determine exactly how often to meet, it’s helpful to give some guidelines. Monthly in-person meetings are common, but phone calls can work as well. More frequent meetings early on may help the relationship get off to a good start.
- Prepare mentors, mentees and their managers. The program will work best if everyone understands its goals and the ground rules. Make sure everyone knows how much time the program will take and who is responsible for setting the agenda for the conversations. Review what subjects mentors are prepared to discuss. If the program is focused on supervisory skills, then conversations may begin with a discussion of management techniques. But they can expand to include how to handle disagreements with colleagues, how to reduce stress and how your personal life can impact your career. Finally, make sure the mentees' managers understand the program and give their workers adequate time to meet with their mentors. Some managers may be nervous about their staff members having confidential discussions with higher-ranking supervisors. It’s not meant to replace the manager’s role in developing their employee - It’s just another tool.
- Follow up. Once the program has run its course, try to assess how well it worked. Since conversations between mentors and mentees are usually confidential, it may not always be easy to find out. But you can get general feedback from both mentors and mentees on whether the program was valuable and how it could be improved. Don’t ignore another source of feedback: the managers of the employees who participated.
Mentoring for professional development
Planned professional development is essential for all practicing professionals. The responsibility for development must always lie with the individual, but the active support of a wise colleague, in the role of a mentor, can be extremely helpful, for example in the early stages of a career or in times of change.
A mentor can help you to assess your needs and establish a development plan. Regular review meetings can then be arranged to consider progress and review learning. Knowing you have a forthcoming meeting helps you to focus on achieving targets. Your mentor will also give you the opportunity to try out, in confidence, a range of ideas and methods of working before having to make final decisions on the way ahead.
Many professionals wish to focus development on gaining professional recognition. Part of achieving this is satisfying a number of requirements laid down by your institution. Obtaining help and guidance from a senior colleague who is knowledgeable about the requirements and the level of achievement expected is very strongly recommended, and will prove to be a tremendous help.
Making mentoring work
Whatever your particular needs, the role of the mentor should be clearly defined by both parties at the start of the relationship. The boundaries of the mentor's involvement and influence should be agreed, and you will need to take into account the interests of everyone concerned, including your employer (particularly if confidentiality is an issue).
You may want to define a time-span for the relationship. Experience shows that effective mentoring partnerships usually last for a relatively short time and you may get help from different mentors at different times of your career.
If you are provided with a mentor through your employer then that is fine. However, sometimes you may find someone from outside more helpful. Your mentor does not have to be in the same profession as you, and at times you may have more than one mentor.
The relationship between mentor and ‘mentee’ should be personal and confidential. Your mentor should challenge and support you, but should not tell you what to do. A good mentor will want to ensure that you gain confidence and independence as a result of mentoring, and that you are enabled to take full and effective responsibility for your own development over the next career stage. Long-term dependence on one influential person is not helpful, although some mentoring partnerships have led to lifelong friendships.
The structure and frequency of meetings can be decided between you. However, it is good practice always to arrange a subsequent date before the close of a meeting to make sure that a regular review of progress is maintained. It is also helpful if the mentor can be available for consultation earlier than planned if an unexpected need arises.
Both members of the partnership should find that they gain personal satisfaction and experience personal growth during the progress of a mentoring relationship. If mentors approach the undertaking with open minds they will find they learn from the other person and recognise development opportunities in their own careers.
Benefits of mentoring
People who have been mentored report that mentoring:
- enhanced their training and career development
- significantly influenced their attitudes and professional outlook
- guided them round major procedural obstacles and pitfalls
- improved their results by challenging their assumptions
Mentors report that mentoring has given them:
- satisfaction from helping others and seeing them progress
- deeper and broader knowledge of their own and other organisations
- opportunity to practice and develop management skills
- job enrichment and the chance to build wider networks
- increased self-confidence and higher visibility within the company
Organizations also benefit from mentorships:
- faster, more effective induction
- retention of quality staff
- enhanced transfer of skills
- gains in productivity and the performance of individuals
- increased on-job learning that reduces off-job training costs
- better communication, commitment and motivation
- a cost-effective method to enhance staff development
- a stabilising factor in times of change
The mentor
The successful mentor is someone who:
- volunteers their time to take a personal interest in others
- actively listens
- questions and finds out what is important to others, exploring their skills, aptitudes and aspirations
- challenges assumptions and acts as a sounding board
- creates an open and candid relationship, to encourage the growth of trust and confidence, which assists the learning process
- regards all that the person being mentored says as confidential
- helps someone less experienced to learn by allowing minor errors, but will endeavor to prevent them making major errors
- avoids mentoring those in a direct reporting line, and may influence, but does not 'step on the toes' of, other line managers
- brings a rigorously professional approach to the mentoring relationship
- uses imagination to overcome own limitations as well as those of the person being mentored
- recognizes when the person they are mentoring should be identifying a need for other sources of help (such as from an institution)
- has appropriate training and experience for the role
- gains significant personal and career development from mentoring
The person being mentored
The success of a mentoring relationship depends also on the attitude and commitment of the individual being mentored. He or she should:
- understand that the role of the mentor is to challenge and encourage but not to provide answers
- guard against becoming dependent on the mentor
- approach each meeting fully prepared
The mentoring relationship
- conflicts of interest must be avoided, so it is usually considered inappropriate for a mentoring relationship to exist between manager and subordinate, or close colleagues.
- it is important that ground-rules are established at the beginning of the relationship, to avoid misunderstanding later on. These may include the timings and format of meetings, the expected length of the commitment and methods of communications.
- responsibilities and expected outcomes may be discussed at an early stage. For instance, it is important to state any specific results the person being mentored hopes to gain from the relationship, and what the measures will be for these.
Company mentoring programs
Company mentoring programs are found to be more effective if they:
- have the support of top management
- use carefully selected volunteers, who are well-matched to the employees being mentored
- start within a limited pilot mentoring programme, which can be extended as it becomes established
- operate as part of a wider scheme, which is unobtrusively monitored
- are supported by an able co-ordinator, usually a manager or Human Resources professional, who maintains the program and ensures that its standard (and thus its reputation) remains high
- take care to distinguish between the roles of line managers and mentors, to avoid conflicts between concern for task completion and the training and development needs of the person being mentored
via Professional Development and Making Mentoring Work
Bad hiring decision? You aren’t alone
When it comes to regrets, the managerial ranks are a breeding ground. Managers in every organization at one time or another will do things they wish they hadn't done or fail to do things they wish they had done. Common examples of situations that may result in regret for managers include bad hiring decisions, failure to properly use the progressive discipline process, holding on to poor performers too long, not having enough promotable team members in the pipeline, and losing good people to the competition.
- Why do we keep hiring the wrong people?
- Why didn't we document the performance issues?
- Why do we hold on to C players when we should be upgrading our talent?
- Why don't we have a strong enough bench of candidates to fill the open positions?
- Why don't we do a better job of attracting and retaining top talent?
A few "regret elimination" tips for managers:
- Wait for the right person - it's better to be shorthanded in the near term than to hire the wrong person for the long term.
- Cut the cord - be decisive about moving under-performers out and bringing top performers in.
- Proactively build your bench - start developing and recruiting before the need arises so you are ready when it does.
via Managing Without Regrets: An HR Perspective | Psychology Today.