Share the Pain of Global Conference Calls

December 21, 2016

Share the Pain of Global Conference Calls

Setting up a call with a virtual team can be tough to do fairly. It’s especially hard when people are spread across countries and time zones and speak different languages — who has to do the call in their pajamas at 2 A.M.? Rather than favoring one location or group, aim to level the playing field and inconvenience everybody equally. For example, you might consider rotating the meeting time so that at some point, everyone — whether they’re in Shanghai, Berlin, New Delhi, or New York — is up late at night or in the middle of their workday. It can also unfairly change the dynamic of a meeting if some people are together in one room, since they can read each other’s facial expressions and talk to one another easily. So you might try asking the people who are all at the same location to call in separately from the others. This forces everyone to put their expression into their voice. To handle language differences, send an agenda out ahead of time to give people the chance to get familiar with the topics before the meeting starts.

Adapted from HBR Guide to Making Every Meeting Matter Ebook + Tools

Don’t Make Your Stressed-Out Colleague More Stressed Out

January 11, 2017

Don’t Make Your Stressed-Out Colleague More Stressed Out

When we see a coworker at their limit, we want to help. But even when our intentions are good, we can make things worse. This is a time when it pays to be careful with your words and know what not to say. Avoid talking about yourself and past situations when you dealt with stress. When someone is at their wit’s end, they don’t want to hear about your trials; they’re too focused on their own. Be careful not to minimize their situation. Don’t say things like: “Don’t worry about it,” “That’s nothing,” “You’re exaggerating,” or “Get over it.” Instead, say, “You can handle this,” and offer an example of a time they were able to bounce back from a tough situation. Then ask them, “What would help?” If the reply is “nothing” or “I don’t know,” sit quietly for 15 seconds (the length of time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” in your head.) This quiet time could help them come up with their own solutions. The goal isn’t to cure someone’s stress, but to help them lessen it in the moment.

Adapted from “What Not to Say to a Stressed-Out Colleague,” by Holly Weeks

January 23, 2017

Beware the Overfit Trap in Data Analysis

It can be exciting when your data analysis suggests a surprising or counterintuitive prediction. But the result might be due to overfitting, which occurs when a statistical model describes random noise rather than the underlying relationship you need to capture. You can guard against this trap by keeping your analysis simple. Be on guard against spurious correlations, and look for relationships that measure important effects related to clear, logical hypotheses. Test for overfitting by randomly dividing the data into a training set, with which you’ll estimate the model, and a validation set, with which you’ll test the accuracy of the model’s predictions. An overfit model might be great at making predictions within the training set but raise warning flags by performing poorly in the validation set. You might also consider alternative narratives: Is there another story you could tell with the same data? If so, you cannot be confident that the relationship you have uncovered is the right — or only — one.

Adapted from the HBR Guide to Data Analytics Basics for Managers

You Don’t Have to Be Helpful All the Time

January 20, 2017

You Don’t Have to Be Helpful All the Time

Most research shows that helping others makes us feel happy and energized. But the reality is that lending a hand to coworkers can often be exhausting, draining our cognitive and emotional resources and leaving us too tired and depleted to perform subsequent tasks. So how can you help colleagues while protecting your productivity? First, it’s important to recognize that, in addition to its positive effects, helping has negative effects that may persist for hours or days. Second, if you are feeling depleted, take actions to restore your energy: Take a break, go for a walk, or sneak in a nap. Lastly, give yourself permission to put off the request for help. You may not want to refuse outright (though that’s an option too) but you can agree to assist at a future and more opportune time for you, such as the end of your workday or workweek, after you’ve accomplished your own goals.
Adapted from “Research: Yes, Being Helpful Is Tiring,” by Klodiana Lanaj

After Your Company Suffers a Scandal, Know How to Find a New Job

January 19, 2017

After Your Company Suffers a Scandal, Know How to Find a New Job

When your company has gone through a public scandal, you may be worried about your career prospects. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to ensure that your reputation stays intact, especially as you look for other opportunities. Start by searching on LinkedIn to see where your peers have gone. Firms that have hired alumni of a stigmatized firm may have developed a positive stereotype of these workers as an undervalued source of talent. When applying to jobs, don’t try to hide your association with the company on your resume. If your work history includes other high-profile, well-respected schools or companies, list those up top. And always pay close attention to the ethics of companies you’re applying to. You may not have been able to predict the scandal you lived through, but you can do your due diligence now so that you end up at a company that values the same things you do.

Adapted from “How to Survive a Company Scandal You Had Nothing to Do With,” by Boris Groysberg, Eric Lin, George Serafeim, and Robin Abrahams

January 24, 2017

4 Steps to Improving Your Writing

You probably write on the job all the time: proposals to clients, memos to senior executives, a constant flow of emails to colleagues. How can you ensure that your writing is as clear and effective as possible?

(1) Challenge yourself to be more concise. 
If you chopped out a sentence or two — or eight — would the reader even notice?

(2)Identify your bad habits. 
Recognize jargon, passive constructions (“Something must be done!”), and imprecise language as bad habits that make it harder for others to get the meaning of what you’re saying.

(3) Pair up with another writer.
 People tend to have complementary problems: Maybe you write too long and your colleague struggles to organize ideas. The job of an editor or a peer reviewer is to show you what you cannot see. That’s why two flawed writers can make each other better.

(4) Build disciplined feedback into the writing process. 
When good writers are whipsawed by contradictory reviews, it leads to bad results. With sufficient notice and carefully organized review cycles, you can fix problems and keep your writing coherent.

Adapted from “Your Writing Isn’t As Good As You Think It Is,” by Josh Bernoffa

Don’t Let One Bad Experience Stop You from Giving Feedback !

December 14, 2016

Don’t Let One Bad Experience Stop You from Giving Feedback ! 

It can be tough to get up the nerve to give a colleague — or your boss — constructive feedback, even if they’ve requested it. 
And if the person becomes DEFENSIVE , it’s easy to shut down and tell yourself that offering your thoughts is a bad idea in general. 

But overgeneralizing from one experience is never a good idea and your reactive thoughts in that moment — “I’m never good at having honest conversations” or “No one wants to hear about things they could do better” —work against you ! 

 Your brain is essentially prioritizing your short-term psychological safety over the long-term benefit of having discussions that allow you and your colleague to learn.

 Don’t give into this negative thinking. Instead focus on the positive experiences you’ve had giving feedback. You might think, “Wow, that didn’t go well, but my general track record is still very good.”

Adapted from “Don’t Let Your Brain’s Defense Mechanisms Thwart Effective Feedback,” by James R. Detert and Ethan R. Burris

Know How You’ll Sell a Decision Before You Make It

January 12, 2017

Know How You’ll Sell a Decision Before You Make It

When making a decision that affects many people, it’s best to go with an option that respects and reinforces the norms and values of your company. That’s how you get buy-in and commitment. 
But how do you know which option will do that best? 
Try this mental exercise to test how your options will be received: 
Imagine you’re making a presentation and your audience consists of those people who will be affected by your decision. 
Go through each of your options and imagine how you would justify choosing it. 
What specifically would you say about each option? What could you say with genuine conviction? 
What might be tougher to stand behind? 
What might ring hollow, raise eyebrows, or elicit resistance? 
Which options seem likely to get your audience smiling or nodding? 
In short, which option seems to be the right next paragraph in the ongoing story of your organization and what it stands for?

Adapted from “Before You Make a Tough Decision, Imagine How You’ll Have to Sell It,” by Joseph L. Badaracco

Stand Up to the Office Soapboxer

January 06, 2017

Stand Up to the Office Soapboxer

We’ve all worked with that person who is utterly convinced that their view is the only view — and isn’t afraid to vocalize it. This can be annoying, and even disruptive, but you don’t have to stand for it. When the person gets on their soapbox during a meeting, hear the opinion out and then refocus the group on the task of making a decision together. Don’t get wrapped up in your emotional response to the person’s behavior. Instead, stay focused on the work the team needs to get done, which will help you stay grounded and clear-minded. Present an example of decorum and mutual respect for the others to follow. If the soapboxer tries to reclaim the stage, you can say: “We heard about that point, and now we are considering others.” If this person claims to have the support of someone who isn’t in the room (a common tactic), don’t accept it. Explain that as a group you have to move forward with the opinions in the room.

Adapted from “How to Deal with an Office Soapboxer,” by Alicia Bassuk

January 09, 2017

Make Sure You Have the Right Equipment to Work Remotely for from Home ! 

Working from home or on the road can boost your productivity and engagement, but only if you have everything you need to get your work done. Your phone and laptop are essential, of course, but there is other equipment that will make your life easier:

(1) Your own hotspot. 
Sometimes Wi-Fi won’t be easily accessible, so make sure you have a backup. Look for tools that are portable, such as a USB stick from your wireless provider or your mobile phone.

(2)A headset. 
You need one for those lengthy, hands-free conversations. Consider a wired version that you won’t have to charge or pair wirelessly with your phone or computer.

(3)Extra chargers.
 Keep one in your bag and in your car. You can’t work if you don’t have power.

(4)A mini power strip ( spike ) 
It’s frustrating when you’re about to run out of juice in a crowded café or at a convention and all of the outlets are taken. With this, you can ask one claimant to plug into your strip instead. Look for a compact, cordless model.

What to Do When Everyone Else Is on Vacation

What to Do When Everyone Else Is on Vacation

It’s no fun when you’re alone in the office and every email you send gets an autoresponder, reminding you that you’re the only one who’s not on vacation. But there are benefits to working when everyone else isn’t. You can use the alone time for:

(1) Focused work. 
This is the perfect time to tackle important projects you’ve been putting off. Work on tasks that require the uninterrupted time you rarely get, like developing your go-to-market strategy or launching a new podcast.

(2)Tidying up.
 Devote a day or two to cleaning up those minor tasks that have been impeding your productivity throughout the year. Perhaps it’s cleaning off your desk so you can find your files when you need them, or finally getting all of your expense reports squared away, or writing a recommendation letter for your former intern.

(3)Networking. 
Chances are good that you aren’t the only person in the office this week. Connect with people who are also working and schedule a long lunch or coffee to reconnect.