Own Up to Your Mistake When You’ve Dropped the Ball

Own Up to Your Mistake When You’ve Dropped the Ball

No matter how hard you try, you’re likely to disappoint a colleague at some point. But what should you do if you’ve let something really important slip? Instead of hiding, address the problem right away, face to face, and preferably while the other person can still make a Plan B. If you’re supposed to deliver a report that you can’t get done, say something like, “I think I’m in over my head. Do you want me to keep plugging along? Are there other people who can help? Is there any flexibility with the deadline?” Don’t wait until your counterpart has no other options. Take ownership by admitting you made a mistake. Then provide an explanation, but don’t belabor it; a heartfelt “I’m sorry” can go a long way. Lay out a plan for how you’re going to make the situation right, and in the future be up front about what you can and can’t do.

When You Discover a Coworker Makes More Money than You

When You Discover a Coworker Makes More Money than You

Most of us don’t know how much money our coworkers make. But what happens when you do stumble upon this sort of information — and discover that a peer makes more money than you? Your first impulse might be to storm into your boss’s office and demand a raise, but it’s important to remain calm and consider the situation from your manager’s perspective. Perhaps your colleague has more seniority, more experience, or better qualifications. Think about your own performance and contributions, and research the salary range for positions equivalent to yours. When you do talk to your boss, say something like, “It has come to my attention that others make much more for doing the same job. I’ve been working hard and I love working here. What can I do to improve my chances of getting a significant raise at my next review?” If a big raise isn’t likely, ask for a one-time performance bonus or extra vacation time. If all else fails, it may be time to look for a new job.

Stop Saying “Don’t Take It Personally” at Work

Stop Saying “Don’t Take It Personally” at Work

It’s a sentiment we hear at work all the time: “Don’t take it personally” or “Hey, it’s not personal, it’s business.” People say it during feedback sessions, reorgs, negotiations, and in plenty of other daily work interactions. But it’s an absurd idea. We spend the bulk of our waking hours at work — indeed, the bulk of our lives — and we’re not supposed to take an offense personally? We need to drop this phrase from our lexicon. Instead, say something like, “Don’t beat yourself up about it” or “Don’t think of this as a failure that represents your value and worth as a person.”

 It’s not just about nuanced language and psychology; it’s about real business results. Engaged employees perform better. And what is engagement if not “taking it personally”? The best leaders take things deeply personally and encourage others to do the same.

How to Stop a Conversation Meltdown

Conflict Management / Difficult conversations 
How to Stop a Conversation Meltdown

Conversational disasters are more reversible than they feel. Here are s6 things that can halt, and sometimes reverse, a conversation meltdown:

(1) Own your part. 
Take responsibility for your actions, as in, 
“I’m getting loud and aggressive. I’m sorry. I don’t want this to be a competition.”

(2)Offer safety. 
Say something like, “I am committed to making this work for both of us.”

(3)Point out the default future. 
Say, “I don’t like where this is going. I’m guessing you don’t either. Can we try a different tack?”

(4)Talk about rules. 
Say, “Can we take a timeout? Perhaps we could discuss some ground rules for this negotiation?”

(5)Change the pace. 
A fast-moving conversation reinforces feelings of panic or threat. Slow it down.

(6)Refocus on agreement.
 Say, “Can I pause for a moment and point out what we both agree on?” 
Then enumerate common interests, beliefs, or histories.

5 Ways Agile Sprints Can Help Your Team

5 Ways Agile Sprints Can Help Your Team

A popular feature of agile project management is the sprint, a five-day process that helps teams focus on and execute one big goal. You move from idea to prototype to customer research in a short span of time. The idea is to fast-forward a project so you can see what the end result might look like and how the market will react. But it’s not just about speed; it’s also about momentum, focus, and confidence. The companies who use sprints (in oncology, robotics, coffee, and other fields) see five consistent benefits from the process:

• Sprints help you start.
• Sprints move you from abstract to concrete.
• Sprints keep you focused on what’s important.
• Sprints force crisp decision making.
• Sprints encourage fast follow-up.

If you’re trying to tackle a big opportunity, problem, or idea, sprints can help your team get it done.

use deadlines to reduce stress

Use Deadlines to Boost Your Productivity and Reduce Stress

Deadlines can be a struggle, but they don’t have to be. Think of it this way: Deadlines are a prioritization tool that tell you a given project is important to focus on. They make it easier to honestly assess your workload — if you have something due on Friday and you know it’ll take all your time, it’s easier to decline extra commitments. And when you know you have a chance of meeting the deadline, you get the thrill of completing a piece of work and finishing it on time. Just be sure that you assign deadlines to the work that matters most, allow a little buffer time to plan for any contingencies, and keep stakeholders informed if you hit an issue that could prevent you from meeting a milestone. With the right strategies in place, you can get a productivity boost out of deadlines without taking on the stress.

HR : Career Conversations help employee retention

HR 
Career Conversations: Cornerstone of a Self-Managed Career

One of the top reasons employees leave an organization prematurely is because of lack of engagement. And, more often than not, employees are really leaving their manager, not their company ! 

Employee retention does not always have to mean more money, benefits, or promotions ! 
 Career conversations lay the foundation for engaged, happy employees that want to stay with their organization for a career, not just a job.
Career conversations help your employees to see their careers in bite-sized pieces. Help them to think,
 “What do I get from this opportunity that will help prepare me for my next project or challenge?”
 Employee engagement occurs when the employee feels connected to the work he or she does, connected to the manager, and connected to the organization.

By participating in regular conversations outside of just compensation and promotions, managers can help employees see their connection to the organization and understand the importance of their work in driving business outcomes.
3 Essentials for Fostering a Career Conversations Environment

(1) Career conversations must be supported at three essential levels: the employee, the manager, and the organization.

 By being engaged in a process that values ongoing, high-touch feedback, employees can gradually take ownership of their career development.

(2) Managers must think about their role in guiding—not conducting or directing—the career conversation. Help create a transformational process, not a “one-shot” event, and allow the opportunity to share experiences and to support each other through peer-to-peer coaching.

(3) Top management should ensure that the performance and career development initiatives are aligned with business goals and should provide executive sponsorship and resources to put weight behind the importance of the process.

Sum Up 
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The single most important step in building a culture of career is developing a robust career conversations process. Organizations benefit when their employees are equipped to take on new challenges and opportunities and are engaged in their work. At the end of the day, an organization succeeds when its employees succeed.
How can you foster a culture of career at your organization?

Courtesy : HR Training Advisor 

Don’t Let Today’s Goals Get in the Way of Your Future Goals

May 26, 2016 Don’t Let Today’s Goals Get in the Way of Your Future Goals Most of us want to keep moving forward at work and in life. When you ask yourself, “Who do I want to be?” and “Where do I want to go?” chances are that the answers involve growth in some direction. But although you can’t spend all your time pursuing those objectives, you definitely won’t achieve your goals if you don’t spend any time thinking about them. If you want to start a new company, launch a new product, or lead a new group, you have to spend time planning and building the skills and experience you’ll need. Here’s the key: You need to spend time on these things even when there are more pressing things to do, and even when there is no apparent return on your efforts. Sometimes you need to be irresponsible with your current tasks in order to make real progress on your future self.

Responding to 3 Hardball Negotiation Tactics

Responding to 3 Hardball Negotiation Tactics

When you’re in a tough negotiation, people often try to play hardball. Here’s how to respond to three common tactics your counterparts might use:

• The Ultimatum. Ignore any ultimatum. Many are not dealbreakers — they’re just people trying to assert control. You can also try reframing it as a nonultimatum: “I can understand, given where we are today, this would be very difficult for you to do…”
• New Conditions. If people keep adding new conditions when you think a deal has been struck, explain that you will work to resolve legitimate concerns but you’re unwilling to negotiate other issues at this late stage. If adjustments are needed, ask what concessions they’re willing to make in exchange.
• Deferred Decision Making. Before getting too deep into deal terms, decide up front on the timeline for a decision, who the key decision makers are, and what might speed up or slow down the process.

The Best Leaders Question Everything

The Best Leaders Question Everything

It can be difficult for leaders (especially senior ones new to their roles) to pause before acting. But when was the last time you stopped to ask, “Why are we doing it that way?” Leaders must constantly explore new ideas and seek out new thinking from those around them. You need to regularly ask uncomfortable questions and think about whether to change or abandon an existing strategy. The best leaders step back and look at the big picture every so often. They surround themselves with diverse teams and capitalize on opportunities to hear and experiment with new ideas. They give themselves time to surface divergent opinions that ultimately lead to smarter business decisions.

When Taking a Risk Is Safer Than the Status Quo

May 11, 2016

When Taking a Risk Is Safer Than the Status Quo

Most of us consider ourselves to be risk averse, but what we consider “safe” behavior often contains much more uncertainty than we suspect. That’s because safety generally involves consistency of a condition — whether that’s job security, a stable marriage, or the value of a currency. The challenge is that there are very few environments that remain static. “Safe” investments like gold can lose value. You could be fired from your “safe” job. And yet we behave as if the current state will persist in perpetuity. While no one can predict the future, there are a few tactics you can use to get better at evaluating risk. Before you make a decision, do your research on all of the potential avenues of action. Ask credible experts to weigh in. And don’t forget to evaluate the inherent risk of doing nothing. Sometimes the status quo is actually riskier than taking a leap into the unknown.

At Your Next Meeting, Use a Shot Clock

May 12, 2016

At Your Next Meeting, Use a Shot Clock

Tired of being in meetings that drag on and on? It may sound unusual, but the answer is a shot clock, much like the ones used in professional basketball. Here’s how it works: Before a meeting, explain that you want to devote a certain amount of time to each agenda item. If you’re leading an annual budget review and have 40 investment proposals on the table, say, “We’re going to spend exactly10 minutes discussing each topic. Speakers will have three minutes to present, followed by seven minutes of discussion.” If different topics warrant different amounts of time, try to determine that in advance. Then set up the shot clock — a smartphone timer works nicely. It should buzz (loudly) when time runs out and keep buzzing until people stop talking. While it’s impersonal, even obnoxious, it’s highly effective and fair, helping each person and issue get the time and attention they need

Disagreeing with Someone More Powerful than You

May 16, 2016

Disagreeing with Someone More Powerful than You

What should you do when you disagree with someone more powerful than you? It may be tempting to say nothing, but consider the risks (say, a project could be derailed, or you could lose the team’s trust) and then realistically weigh them against the potential consequences of taking action. Before you share your thoughts, think about what the powerful person cares about — it may be the credibility of their team or getting a project done on time. When you do speak up, connect your disagreement to a higher, shared purpose. It’s smart to give the powerful person “psychological safety” by asking permission, as in, “I know we seem to be moving toward a first-quarter commitment here. I have reasons to think that won’t work. I’d like to lay out my reasoning. Would that be OK?” Watch your language carefully. Avoid any “judgment words,” such as “short-sighted,” “foolish,” or “hasty” — stick to the facts. Show respect while maintaining your own self-respect.

May 25, 2016 What to Do When You’re the Bottleneck on Your Team When you have too much to do and not enough time to do it, putting in just a little work on each project can be tempting. But this type of incremental progress can be a disaster for your colleagues because you can hold things up and become a bottleneck. To keep moving things off your plate, ask your boss to help you set priorities, and then organize your to-do list accordingly. Break your work into clear stages,­ and delegate some tasks to others so you can focus on what you do best. Decide in advance on your deliverables for each day and stick to the plan. Learn to say no to requests that fall outside your core priorities. Say: “I’m flattered you thought of me for this. But the company/my boss/the client is counting on me to focus my attention on X.” Finally, create a report detailing what you accomplish each day to hold yourself accountable

Don’t Let Today’s Goals Get in the Way of Your Future Goals

May 26, 2016 Don’t Let Today’s Goals Get in the Way of Your Future Goals Most of us want to keep moving forward at work and in life. When you ask yourself, “Who do I want to be?” and “Where do I want to go?” chances are that the answers involve growth in some direction. But although you can’t spend all your time pursuing those objectives, you definitely won’t achieve your goals if you don’t spend any time thinking about them. If you want to start a new company, launch a new product, or lead a new group, you have to spend time planning and building the skills and experience you’ll need. Here’s the key: You need to spend time on these things even when there are more pressing things to do, and even when there is no apparent return on your efforts. Sometimes you need to be irresponsible with your current tasks in order to make real progress on your future self.

The Best Leaders Keep an Open Mind

April 13, 2016

The Best Leaders Keep an Open Mind

We often think of great leaders as having the conviction of their beliefs—they’re not pushovers. But the most successful leaders actually show a willingness to be persuaded. How can you do this, particularly on issues where you’re not objective?

• Keep your hand on the dial. When debating a decision, envision turning a dial: all the way to the right represents absolute certainty, and all the way to the left signifies none.
• Recall a moment of opacity, when you couldn’t see a situation clearly, or when something you were so sure was right turned out to be wrong. Whenever you’re feeling overly confident, remind yourself of that moment, and seek counsel.
• Kill your darlings. It can be tough to change your mind about long-held beliefs. But the quicker you acknowledge that an idea (even a beloved one) is unworkable, the sooner you’ll move on to the right course of action.

Gain Control Over Anxiety-Inducing Thoughts

April 14, 2016 Gain Control Over Anxiety-Inducing Thoughts You’re stuck in traffic. You’re going to miss your flight, and the game-changing meeting at the other end of it. Your presentation is poorly executed; you’re not going to win the new client. There goes the promotion, and maybe worse. If only these anxiety-inducing thoughts could be swatted away like so many pesky insects. The good news is that there is a way to gain control over them. Bring order to the chaos by making a list. Write down what you need to do and a plan to get it done. Tackle the distasteful tasks first to get them over with — procrastinating will only increase your anxiety. If your problem is not too much to do but too little (which can be even worse), seek out additional activities to stay busy and avoid brooding. Too much disorganized space, including mental space, can feel oddly oppressive.

Make Steady Progress on Your Goals

Make Steady Progress on Your Goals

It can be tempting to rely on deadline-induced adrenaline rushes to reach major work milestones. But how can you make productivity more habitual and sustainable? The first step is to understand that being productive means optimizing your entire life. A well-designed personal life supports your efforts at work, and vice versa. For example, instead of eating alone at your desk, meet a colleague for lunch. Eating together will benefit both of your professional and personal lives. Next, when planning your to-do list, try to match the task to the amount of focus needed. Schedule your most challenging work for when your energy levels are highest. Use short bursts of time well by having a list of “microgoals” you can accomplish in your spare minutes throughout the week, such as booking that flight or writing that recommendation letter. By leveraging even short amounts of time, you can make steady progress on your most important goals.

Don’t Get Fooled by a First Impression When Hiring

April 06, 2016 Don’t Get Fooled by a First Impression When Hiring Disastrous hires can happen when managers are fooled by first impressions. But how can you get beyond the superficial during a brief interview? The key is to focus on behaviors rather than traits. For example, if the interviewee describes themself as a “team player,” do they credit other people when discussing their work? Look beyond what the candidate is saying and focus on how they are they saying it. Watch for nonverbal cues that signal contempt, superiority, and disrespect: eye contact when speaking to another person but not when listening to them or invading another’s space. Another telling question: Ask them to describe their least preferred coworker. Listen for whether they reduce the person to a one-word label (e.g., “difficult” or “micromanager”) or reveal a more complex view of the situation (e.g., “we disagreed about how to get the job done because we were trained in different ways”).

Build a Passionate Company

Build a Passionate Company

To build a great business, companies need a purpose — one that transcends the traditional bottom line. People want to be passionate about their work, and they want to be surrounded by others who feel the same. But how can managers actually foster passion? Here are five ways:

• Let people show their emotions. If you ask your people to check their emotions at the door, you can’t tap into their passion.
• Hire passionate people. One way to get passionate people into your organization is to incentivize current employees to refer people they want to work with.
• Fan the flames. Find plenty of ways to celebrate joint accomplishments.
• Don’t stifle your rock stars. Give your people the autonomy to do the work that interests them most.
• Share context. Connect job functions to the organization’s broader mission, and remind people why they do what they do.

Cool Down a Heated Negotiation

April 04, 2016

Cool Down a Heated Negotiation

Emotions can get heated during a high-stakes negotiation. But there are a few ways to defuse a tense conversation:

• Focus on your physical reaction. Breathe deeply to send a message to your brain to remain calm.
• Listen to what your counterpart is saying. Don’t always feel you need to respond to an outburst. If you can, let it go and move on.
• Show you’ve heard him. Calmly paraphrase your counterpart’s argument. Sometimes people just want to be heard.
• Show some empathy. Acknowledge that this is a tough situation.
• Find out more. If you’re the cause of the other person’s frustration, dig deeper to find out why.
• Take a break. If you’re the one getting angry or emotional, step out, go for a walk, and come back when you’re feeling more grounded.

Measuring values for recruitment and cultural fit

Measuring Values

We define values as those core beliefs that motivate us to get out of bed in the morning. We begin with a list of over 100 terms and ask employees to narrow their core values down to three. Articulating what drives you can help determine if you will be a good fit for a company.

If your core values are making a difference, kindness, and joy, and you see an employer whose core values are power, competition, and innovation, it is obvious it may not be the best fit. When values are misaligned, employees can feel alienated and unfulfilled. Our values give us purpose and carrying out our purpose leads to happiness.

Break Your Work Addiction

June 02, 2016 Break Your Work Addiction For many of us, working compulsively feels good. And there’s a line of recent research that theorizes that this is one of the reasons we’re addicted to work. But just because it feeds your ego or makes you feel important, doesn’t mean it’s good for you. How do you break the cycle of long hours at the office and the constant checking of email at home? Start by rethinking how you define success. Your self-worth should not revolve around your status, paycheck, and prestige; it should take into account the quality of your relationships, your engagement in your community, and your physical and emotional well-being. Enlist the help of colleagues, family, and friends by showing them how it’s in their best interest to help you disengage from work. And stop using your phone as a time-filler. Resist this impulse by doing something you enjoy or look forward to instead.

" Dissent is good for Team's Mental Health "

Team Management 
 " Dissent is good for Team's Mental Health " 

Most teams have at least one “opposer” — that person who always plays the devil’s advocate. 
The opposer may be brilliant and driven, but their pattern of critiquing and disagreeing can wear a team down. 
And yet opposition is essential for effective, productive teams ! 

 So what can a manager do to welcome a naysayer’s contributions without personalizing what feels like an attack?
 First, understand that these people almost NEVER have bad intentions — they are usually trying very hard to do something they see as valuable and crucial for the good of the team. 
Encourage everyone on the team to share an opposing view to normalize and operationalize dissenting opinions.
 Then really listen to, consider, and evaluate the ideas. 
And ask everyone to articulate when they are in agreement so their comments will be seen as balanced. 

Ultimately, you should try to see opposing views as a sign of team health.