Smart Use of LinkedIn Can Lead to Your Next Hire ( 4 steps )

 November 07, 2013

Smart Use of LinkedIn Can Lead to Your Next Hire

Thoughtful use of LinkedIn can help you make your next brilliant hire. To find exactly what you’re looking for, clarify your thinking:

(1) Search for LinkedIn profiles that come closest to your ideal candidate, without regard to geography, availability, or other such factors. Exploring the work and experience of real people in the field will give you a better mental picture of whom you’d like to hire.

(2)  Then reverse-engineer your posting to clearly specify your ideal qualifications. With a very targeted LinkedIn search for what you want (for example, M&A specialists based in Chicago), you can identify who in your LinkedIn network might know the kind of person you’re looking for.
(3) Investigate the connections you have in common with potential candidates, or if they’ve been recommended by someone you know and trust.
(4) Once you find your preferred candidate, you can use LinkedIn to get third-party verification of her talents.

Adapted from “Work Smarter with LinkedIn,” by Alexandra Samuel.

" Cherish Your Ever-so-Slight Dissatisfaction ! "

 Wed, November 20, 2013

" Cherish Your Ever-so-Slight Dissatisfaction ! " 

People who are just slightly dissatisfied at baseline might have an advantage over others in getting themselves out of negative situations such as unemployment, suggests Annabelle Krause of the Institute for the Study of Labor, in Germany. 

For example, she found that highly happy and unhappy people were about 40% and 17% (respectively) less likely than their average-happiness peers to have found new positions one year after losing their jobs, . 

Underlying Reason : 

Possibly because these personality extremes can lead to loss of resilience and motivation in adversity. A slight dissatisfaction, by contrast, can serve as a motivator to achieve more and earn more money.

SOURCE: Don’t Worry, Be Happy? Happiness and Reemployment

The Ripple Effects You Create as a Manager,” by Monique Valcour.

 

September 10, 2013 Be a Work-Life Role Model Everyone struggles to find the right balance between work and life. As a manager, how you personally handle this challenge influences your team members. They are looking to you for signs of what they can and should do. Here is how you can set a good example: (1) Be open. Talk candidly about your own challenges and strategies for fitting together your work, family, and personal life. Let your employees see you as more than just a person who works. (2) Appreciate others as whole people. Respect the fact that everyone you work with has a life beyond work. Encourage people to talk about their non-work activities with colleagues. (3) Be willing to experiment. Ask people about what would help improve their ability to achieve work results while also increasing their well-being beyond work. When employees are involved in designing and implementing solutions, they’re more committed to making them work. Adapted from “The Ripple Effects You Create as a Manager,” by Monique Valcour.

Do people avoid opportunities to donate? A natural field experiment on recycling and charitable causes.

 September 02, Monday , 2013

Why Giving People an Option to Be Charitable May Hurt Your Business .

Experiment :

After a store chain introduced new recycling machines that allowed consumers to donate their returned bottle-and-can deposits to charity, people started avoiding the machines !!

Results :

Whereas the amount of deposits returned by the old machines had been up to 3,026 Swedish krona higher per month than in the previous year, indicating a rising level of recycling, the amount returned by the new machines was up to 12,303 krona LOWER PER MONTH , year-over-year.

WHY ? Experiment results show that in the absence of pressure to donate, many people are reluctant to give to charity.

Research Courtesy : a team led by Mikael Knutsson of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. Whereas the amount of deposits returned by the old machine.

SOURCE: Do people avoid opportunities to donate? A natural field experiment on recycling and charitable causes.

“How to Get Others to See Your Potential,” by Dorie Clark.bb

 September 12, Thju, 2013

Get People to See Your Potential

Overcoming people's perceptions of you isn't easy. But getting bosses, peers, or potential clients to realize, and remember, what you're doing now—and grasp what you're truly capable of—is important if you want them to think of you when new opportunities arise. Here’s how:

(1 ) Create content.

Blog posts, podcasts, videos, or even a savvy and professional Twitter feed demonstrates your expertise and enables people to judge you based on the quality of the material you produce, not your history or credentials.

(2) Find a wingman.

Team up with someone and take turns promoting each other. At cocktail parties or conferences, you both can make a point of mentioning each other's accomplishments or bringing up topics where your partner excels.

Adapted from “How to Get Others to See Your Potential,” by Dorie Clark.b

Create Advocates for Your Brand

 

September 09, Monday  2013 Create Advocates for Your Brand Often the most important people selling your product are not your sales and marketing teams, but your customers. Here’s how to turn them into company advocates: Let them interact. Connect your customers to their peers — other people like themselves who deal with similar issues. Bring them together through live events, in teleconferences, forums, and other networks so that they can exchange ideas and learn from each other. Market their triumphs. Prospects care about what they can accomplish with your products. Tout your customers' achievements in any white papers or case studies you publish as much, if not more, than your own. Have them do the talking. When you need someone to speak about your products or services in public forums or with the media, ask your PR person to take a back seat and give your customers the opportunity to speak on your behalf. Adapted from “How to Create True Customer Advocates,” by Bill Lee.

Why Young People Are Miffed About Being Considered Junior

 Social Experiment - Chronological Age . Sat 23 Nov 2013

Research Finding :

Why Young People Are Miffed About Being Considered Junior

Experiment 1 :

Young people tend to feel older than they really are. For example, in a series of experiments by Matthew L. Hughes and two colleagues at Texas A&M, participants with an average age of about 24 felt about 5 years older than their true ages, a finding that confirms the results of previous research. They felt they were 29 !!

Experiment 2 :

Older people have the opposite feeling: Participants in a group with average age about 60 said they felt 8 to 9 years younger than their true ages ( 51-52) , and a group with average age 75 felt 16 years younger ( !!! 60 ) which may help explain why many older people don’t feel ready to retire at retirement age !

SOURCE: Aging 5 Years in 5 Minutes: The Effect of Taking a Memory Test on Older Adults’ SUBJECTIVE AGE !

Sometimes We Crave Attractive Leaders, Because They Look Healthy

 November 25, 2013

Sometimes We Crave Attractive Leaders, Because They Look Healthy

In U.S. Congressional districts where life expectancy was 1 standard deviation below the mean, 2010 vote totals for physically attractive candidates were 3 percentage points higher than for unattractive candidates, on average, whereas in districts with high life expectancy, attractive candidates had no advantage, says a team led by Andrew Edward White of Arizona State University. A low life expectancy indicates a relatively high “disease threat” in a district, and an evolutionary perspective suggests that people facing disease threats show a greater preference for attractive, and thus healthy-looking, leaders.

SOURCE: Beauty at the Ballot Box: Disease Threats Predict Preferences for Physically Attractive Leadersb

“The Bonus Employees Really Want, Even If They Don’t Know It Yet,” by Lalin Anik and Jordi Quoidbach.

 

November 25, Mon , 2013

The Bonus Employees Really Want

Does giving employees extra money to spend on whatever they choose make for a happy workplace?

Surprisingly, individual financial rewards can be detrimental to morale .

Jealousy and competition can arise, damaging team dynamics.

Consider switching to a more altruistic program, in which you provide employees the same bonuses with one caveat: A portion must be spent on "prosocial" contributions that benefit others, like charities.

Experiment :

At a company which gave employees charity vouchers, and encouraged them to contribute to a cause of their choice, people reported being more satisfied with their jobs and happier overall.

Another organization asked employees to spend on each other: Some teams indulged in chocolate or wine; one team bought a piñata, which they gladly bashed together. Prosocial bonuses resulted in gifts that increased shared experiences—and teams that received them performed better than teams that received money to spend only on themselves.

Adapted from “The Bonus Employees Really Want, Even If They Don’t Know It Yet,” by Lalin Anik and Jordi Quoidbach.

Helping with all your heart: the effect of cardioid dishes on tipping behavior

 September 18, Wed, 2013

Consumer Behavior . 

A Heart-Shaped Bowl Makes You More Altruistic

The experiment : 

46.3% of restaurant customers left tips when they were given heart-shaped dishes for their money, compared with just 31.2% and 26.2% when the tip dishes were round or square, respectively.

Pleace of Experimetn : The experiment was conducted in France, where tipping is not expected because a service charge is included in the bill . 

 The findings suggest that a simple physical cue such as a heart-shaped bowl can induce thoughts of love, which activate altruism and helping behavior.

Research Courtesy :   Nicolas Guéguen of the Université de Bretagne Sud in France 

SOURCE: Helping with all your heart: the effect of cardioid dishes on tipping behavior

“How to Dispel Distrust at Work,” by Judith E. Glaser.

 September 23,Monday ,  2013

Build a Climate of Trust

Humans “read” body language and facial expressions to discern if others are trustworthy, but some situations – like change or confusion – prime us for distrust.

 In the absence of information, the brain works overtime. After all, we’re programmed to anticipate harm and protect ourselves from it. But even when your team lacks clarity on a situation, you can still build a trusting environment.

 Think about a time when your boss and a colleague starting meeting regularly and you didn’t know why. You probably started wondering if you’d been left out of an important project. Leaders can shift people’s thoughts away from threats by fostering an open, transparent environment in which everyone shares and discusses as much as they can about what’s really going on. This sends a strong signal to everyone’s lower brain that “trust is in the air.”

Adapted from “How to Dispel Distrust at Work,” by Judith E. Glaser.d from “How to Dispel Distrust at Work,” by Judith E. Glaser.

E: Do consumers prefer round prices? Evidence from pay-what-you-want decisions and self-pumped gasoline purchases

 

September 19, 2013  Consumer Behavior  Consumers Go Out of Their Way to Pay in Round Numbers   56% of purchases at a self-service gasoline pump in upstate New York ended in .00, well above what would be expected by chance, and an additional 7% ended in .01, likely reflecting failed attempts to stop the pump at whole-dollar amounts, says a team led by Michael Lynn of Cornell. The findings, along with data on tipping and a pay-what-you-want online scheme, show a pronounced consumer preference for round-number payment amounts, the researchers say. SOURCE: Do consumers prefer round prices? Evidence from pay-what-you-want decisions and self-pumped gasoline purchases

 

Men’s Self-Esteem Drops When Their Female Partners Succeed

 

October 02, 2013 Men’s Self-Esteem Drops When Their Female Partners Succeed Men who were told their romantic partners had scored in the bottom 12% on a test felt better about themselves, unconsciously, than those whose partners were said to have scored in the top 12% (0.47 versus 0.25 on a zero-to-0.7 “implicit self-esteem” scale), according to Kate A. Ratliff of the University of Florida and Shigehiro Oishi of the University of Virginia. The female participants in the researchers’ series of experiments showed no such decline in implicit self-esteem when their partners failed. Because men are generally more competitive than women, they may be more likely to interpret a partner’ success as indicating that they are somehow deficient, the researchers suggest.b

“Good Leaders Get Emotional,” by Doug Sundheim.

 October 28 Mon  2013

Good Leaders Get to Know Their Emotions

Being too emotional can create problems, but it can be far less of a problem than holding back all of your feelings. You may hide emotions in an attempt to stay in control and look strong, but doing so diminishes your control and weakens your capacity to connect and communicate with others. If you struggle with sharing your true feelings, it might help to know that people often don’t show emotion because they’re not aware of what they’re feeling. 

You might suppress your anger or temper your excitement without even realizing it. So pay attention to your emotions. At least a couple of times a week, ask yourself, “What am I feeling right now?”
 Write it down if you can; keeping a regular journal can help you understand your moods and what changes them. Then let loose a little: Let your emotions out, and let people in. Both are critical to effective leadership.

Adapted from “Good Leaders Get Emotional,” by Doug Sundheim.

Give Feedback Like a Sports Coach

 Wed 30 Oct 2013

Give Feedback Like a Sports Coach

As a manager, you play different roles at different times – but the job of a manager, just like that of a coach or teacher, is to inspire people to be better. Most people respond better to encouragement than to criticism, so give praise when you can. 

According to Sir Alex Ferguson, one of the most successful coaches in sports history, nothing is better than hearing: “Well done.” He says, “Those are the two best words ever invented. You don’t need to use superlatives.” 

At the same time, giving clear criticism is important when your team members don’t meet expectations. If you are too soft in your approach, you won’t be effective – but showing your anger all the time doesn’t work, either.

 There’s no point in harping on criticism; pick your moment, do it right away, and consider it done. Your timing and tone matter.

Adapted from “Ferguson’s Formula,” by Anita Elberse with Sir Alex Ferguson.

“Leaders, Stop Rewarding Toxic Rock Stars,” by Deepa Purushothaman and Lisen Stromberg

 Wed 27  April 2022 

Don’t Allow High Performers to Get Away with Toxic Behavior

If one of your highest performing employees is also one of your most toxic, what should you do? As productive as they might seem, these so-called toxic rock stars are a major problem and can drive away your other valued employees. Here’s what to do if you have a toxic employee on your team. Take an honest look at your culture. If you suspect the person is not an outlier, or the only one participating in toxic behaviors, conduct a culture survey, focus groups, and one-on-one conversations with your employees to learn more. It’s important to know how you might be contributing to the problem, or allowing it to persist. Don’t be defensive about what you find — respond with humility, curiosity, and empathy. Establish a reliable feedback process. Provide anonymous reporting opportunities so employees can feel confident they won’t be penalized for speaking up about a toxic colleague — especially if that person has a lot of organizational power and influence. Establish a no-tolerance policy. Decisive action is critical. Otherwise you risk sending the message that bad behavior is OK as long as people are delivering results.

This tip is adapted from “Leaders, Stop Rewarding Toxic Rock Stars,” by Deepa Purushothaman and Lisen Stromberg

“Leave the Door Open for Employees to Return to Your Organization,” by Rebecca Zucker

 " Leave the Door Open for Former Employees to Return ! " 

Your relationship with an employee doesn’t have to end when they leave your team ! 

 As a manager, it benefits you to end on good terms and leave the door open for them to return in the future. Here’s how to do that. First, destigmatize and normalize leaving. 

If you talk about employees who quit as traitors, you’ll cause those who remain to view them negatively, creating a culture that’s implicitly closed off to company alumni. 

(1) Instead, make it clear during onboarding that it’s perfectly normal — even expected — to move on at some point. Talk openly about company alumni and what they’re doing now.

(2)  Highlight any people who have left and returned to show that being a boomerang employee is possible. 

(3) Focus on creating an excellent off-boarding experience, too. This could mean providing access to career coaches who can help departing employees land on their feet (assuming that’s financially feasible for your organization), or connecting them with other company alumni who might be good contacts moving forward. 

( 3) Be explicit that the door is open. You might say something like, “While we don’t want you to leave, we understand why you need to go and we’re here to support you. If — and when — you want to return, there will be a home for you here.” 

(4) Finally, stay in touch. Check in with your alumni a few times a year, particularly if an opportunity arises that you think might be a good fit for them.

This tip is adapted from “Leave the Door Open for Employees to Return to Your Organization,” by Rebecca Zucker

“How to Set Healthy Boundaries When Starting a New Job,” by Melody Wilding

 

Set Boundaries Early When You Start a New Job

When you start a new job, it's tempting to say “yes” to every request and opportunity that comes your way. But doing so can lead to you continually trying to live up to high expectations, which can be demoralizing and unsustainable. How can you set healthy boundaries in the first days of a new gig? Start by reflecting on what's driving you to overextend yourself in the first place. Are you overly eager to prove your value? Are you afraid to say no? Is your passion for the work leading you to have unrealistic expectations of yourself? Once you identify what’s motivating you, consider the upside of setting healthy boundaries. While you might think expressing the limits of your capacity is a sign of weakness, it's in fact the opposite; setting boundaries proves you have self-awareness and possess strong time management, prioritization, and communication skills.  Next, articulate your personal preferences to your manager. That may include agreeing upon what time you will start and end work, when you’re able to respond to messages and attend meetings, when you take breaks during the day, and most importantly, the type of work you enjoy doing and what you have bandwidth for.  Your first few weeks and months on a job undoubtedly contribute to your reputation. It’s important to go above and beyond, but to do so selectively and strategically so that you set yourself up to do your best work over the long haul.

This tip is adapted from “How to Set Healthy Boundaries When Starting a New Job,” by Melody Wilding

Your first 90 days in a new Org . The Don't s

 Tue 17 Sept 2013 

( Career Management Tip when we change jobs & new to an organization's culture ) 

Identify the " Untouchables " ( or the Holy Cows! )   in Your New Job ! 

You have changed your job & joined a new company , in a new industry or in a new role ! 

Newly appointed leaders are often expected to come in and " shake things up " ! 

 But before you start proposing changes, be sure you know what your boss cares about most. 

For example, there may be certain parts of the organization—products, facilities, people—about which your new boss is proprietary , or very possessive about. Or protective about ! 

 You don’t want to find out that you’re pressing to shut down the product line your boss started up or replacing someone whom she considers a loyal ally ( irrespective of ability ) . 

 Talk with your manager to understand her history at the organization. Ask others what’s most important to her. 

When speaking with her about revamping processes or products, pay close attention to her facial expression, tone, and body language. If you’re still uncertain, float an idea gently as a trial balloon and watch her reactions closely.

Adapted from The First 90 Days, Updated and Expanded.

Two Strategies to Boost Your Team’s Digital Learning

 Wed 05 March 2014

Two Strategies to Boost Your Team’s Digital Learning

Digital competency can no longer be a single department’s specialty — so how can you develop those skills more broadly across your organization? Consider these two paths to bolster digital learning:

(1) On-the-job learning. 

In this method, people learn as they go with targeted, just-in-time training to advance the project. Types of new skills might include: shooting short-form video; mastering the basics of audio editing; or entering content into a CMS. Learning this way may lengthen the project timeline, but has the benefit of being assimilated “in the field.”

(2) Dedicated training. 

This may be formal training, whether in-person, conference sessions, or Lynda-style videos, but also the kind of focused peer-to-peer training that happens at brown bag lunches or on quiet afternoons. This kind of skill building is ideal when there is an entirely new methodology to be learned or an opportunity to take a skill to the next level.

“Write Your Brand’s Obituary”

 Fri 21 March 2014 

Try This Exercise to Clarify What Your Company Stands For aka "  “Write Your Brand’s Obituary” 

For your organization to be successful, you must be crystal clear about your brand ESSENCE  – i.e. your brand’s essential, enduring value ! 

 When , what you stand for -  is clearly expressed and delivered in everything you do, every day, you leave an indelible mark on people’s hearts and minds ! 

 If that’s not clear yet, ask yourself the following questions about your company's brand you represent in the market : 

(1) What was the brand’s biggest accomplishment? What will it be remembered for?

(2) What did the brand leave unaccomplished? Who would miss the brand if it was gone? Why?

(3) What lessons can be learned from the brand’s life?

(4) If the brand disappeared, what would take its place?

Adapted from “Write Your Brand’s Obituary” by Denise Lee Yohn.

Adapted from “Write Your Brand’s Obituary” by Denise Lee Yohn.

“Fear of Being Different Stifles Talent” by Kenji Yoshino and Christie Smith.

March 25,  Tue 2014 Don’t Let Fear of Being Different Stifle Talent Diversity is a near-universal value in corporate America, but the upper tiers of management remain stubbornly homogeneous. Consider Fortune 500 CEOs:  Only 23 are female, just six are black, and none are openly gay. One reason for this may be “covering,” which is when people downplay their differences from the mainstream. Someone with a disability might forgo her cane at work. A gay man might avoid using “he” or “him” if asked about his partner. This behavior can be driven by perceived pressure from management, which can also decrease employees’ confidence and engagement. Managers striving to assemble a truly talented team should be aware of how even unspoken demands to conform might affect morale. Eliminate these and find opportunities to model a more inclusive culture by “uncovering” yourself. Adapted from “Fear of Being Different Stifles Talent” by Kenji Yoshino and Christie Smith.

“If You've Just Taken Over a Team, Quickly Let Underperformers Go” by Ron Ashkenas.

 March 26, Wed  2014

Sometimes You Have to Be the “Bad Guy”

The best way for mangers to be successful is to build a top-notch team. 

But when taking on new positions, they often hesitate to replace poorly performing incumbents. New team leaders don’t want to seem harsh, and they’re weary of offending key stakeholders who may have relationships with individuals on their team. I

n these situations, remember why you were given the reins – to lead your department to a higher level of performance. Assembling the strongest team as quickly as possible is the way to do that. If you have doubts about employees, test them quickly with an assignment, or do a rapid performance assessment by talking with their subordinates, peers, and partners. If you’re still not convinced that you have the best team, it may be time to make some tough calls.

Adapted from “If You've Just Taken Over a Team, Quickly Let Underperformers Go” by Ron Ashkenas.

Don’t Underestimate the Power of Self-Reflection,” by James R. Bailey and Scheherazade Rehman

 

Build a Habit of Self-Reflection

Reflection — looking back on your day (without bias or regret) to contemplate your behavior and its consequences — helps develop your emotional intelligence.  (1) If you want to build a regular habit of reflecting, keep a journal. Whenever you are surprised or frustrated, pause and note the feeling. (2) Then, as soon as you are able — perhaps for fifteen minutes at the end of each workday — jot down what happened. (3) Try to identify the “why” behind the emotion. What about the event triggered these feelings in you? Did things not go your way? Did you make a mistake? (4) Next, set an hour aside each week to review your notes. Block out the time on your calendar and take an honest and rigorous look at where you’ve been mentally and emotionally. (5) Finally, don’t just re-read your journal entry; add to it. In retrospect, are there things about the situation that you’re able to see differently? Press yourself. What went wrong? Were your initial observations correct or do they reveal something else that may have been going on, something you couldn’t see in the heat of the moment? Try to think of yourself as a neutral observer. (6) And go easy on yourself. Reflection can be ego-bruising. Always remember that excellence is achieved by stumbling, standing up, dusting yourself off, then stumbling again. If you study those stumbles, you’re much less likely to stumble the same way again.

This tip is adapted from “Don’t Underestimate the Power of Self-Reflection,” by James R. Bailey and Scheherazade Rehman