Write better business memos by breaking rigid grammar rules

 JUNE 18, 2013 Tuesday

Go Ahead and Break Some Grammar Rules

When it comes to business writing, some people feel paralyzed by grammar. But it's important to distinguish between the rules that help writing and those that hinder it. There are some outdated "rules" that grammarians have long dismissed as ill-founded and unnecessary. For example, you may have been told in school never to begin a sentence with a conjunction. But look at how many times "and" and "but" begin sentences in high-quality prose. As sentence-starters, these words keep readers following a train of thought and are more colloquial than "additionally" or "however." It's also acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition. A sentence with a terminal preposition may sound far more natural than the same sentence forced into avoiding one. "What will the new product be used for?" sounds much better than "For what purpose will the new product be used?"

Those Grammar Gaffes Will Get You" by Bryan A. Garner.

Incentive system, simplicity of structure & transparency works

 June 18, 2013 Tuesday

New York Incentive Program for Teachers Falls Flat

A recent teacher-incentive program aimed at boosting student performance in New York City had no effect at all, according to a study of 200 public schools by Roland G. Fryer of Harvard. 

Experiments in Kenya and India have shown positive effects of incentives, but the New York program, under which schools were eligible to distribute up to $3,000 per teacher, may have been so complex (due in part to union influence) that teachers couldn't predict how their efforts would translate into rewards, Fryer says. 

The U.S. government has established a Teacher Incentive Fund to provide $1.2 billion in rewards to schools in 27 states.

SOURCE: Teacher Incentives and Student Achievement: Evidence from New York City Public Schools

"Getting that First Promotion"

 JUNE 19, 2013 Wednesday

3 Ways to Get a Promotion

If you've been at your company for a few years and hope to move up to the next level, here are three things you can do to increase your chances:

(1) Take initiative. 

Producing results in your job is just table stakes. Go beyond the confines of your current role and find ways to improve your group's performance. Take on problems that no one else is solving.

(2) Choose your battles wisely. 

Display a sense of professional maturity by choosing battles that can be won. Not every inefficiency is worth tackling. Only take on problems that increase customer satisfaction, revenue, or productivity.

(3) Show you can manage people. 

This can be hard if it's not one of your official responsibilities. If so, try to showcase your interpersonal and people management skills when working with groups.

 from "Getting that First Promotion" by John Beeson.

4 steps to writing an effective business memo

  JUNE 20, 2013 Thu

Write a Better Business Memo ! 

It may feel like all work is done via quick email these days but there is still a need for longer memos and reports to get people up to speed on an issue, to induce action, or both. With longer writing it's critical to be well organized and structured, and to respect your reader's time. 

This means making it immediately clear what you want readers to learn about or do. 

(1) Start by choosing a concise title or subject line that tells them the topic and why they should care. 

(2) Begin your document by summarizing your main points and outlining the issue, your solution, and the reasoning behind it.

 (3) Refer to this summary when drafting the body of the message.

(4) When you're done, check the summary one more time to make sure it reflects how the rest of the memo has evolved.

 HBR Guide to Better Business Writing.

Consumer behavior & maths anxiety !!

 June 20, 2013

Math Anxiety Affects Consumer Preferences for Discounts

( Consumer behavior )

People who suffer from math anxiety prefer easier-to-process dollar discounts ("$10 off the regular price of $50") over percentage discounts ("20% off") and sometimes make suboptimal decisions because of that preference, says a team led by Rajneesh Suri of Drexel University. 

The math-anxiety effect gets worse when consumers are more highly motivated to process information, such as when a reward is offered.

 Math anxiety is a condition in which people fear situations requiring the use of math skills and harbor worrisome thoughts about math.

SOURCE: Math anxiety and its effects on consumers’ preference for price promotion formats

Foreign cultures , what appeals to you ?

 

JUNE 21, 2013 Fridday 

Lessen the Damage from the Inevitable Cultural Faux Pas ! 

When working in a foreign setting with different norms and rules, you're likely to make cultural mistakes. But you can lessen their impact by engendering people's trust in the first place.

(1)  Make sure your foreign counterparts believe you care enough to try to learn about their culture, even if you haven't fully mastered the rules.

(2)  Work hard to show genuine interest, curiosity, and respect. But, you also need to be authentic. Don't fake an interest in Indian food, for example, if you could care less about culinary arts.

(3)  Find a pursuit that genuinely appeals to you and explore that. Otherwise, it will be clear to your colleagues that you're trying to ingratiate yourself, not learn about the ins and outs of their culture.

adapted from "Preparing for Inevitable Cultural Faux Pas" by Andy Molinsky.

"Join the Global Elite" by Gregory C. Unruh and Ángel Cabrera.

 

JUNE 24, 2013 Monday 

Teach Yourself to Think Globally ! 

Managers with cross-cultural expertise are in high demand these days. Fortunately, you don't need to have extensive international experience or speak multiple languages to acquire a global outlook. Here are three ways to broaden your perspective:

(1) Observe.

 Cultivate a curiosity about how places operate. Ask foreign colleagues lots of questions, and don't assume you know the answers.

(2) Study.

 Formal education—in world history, economics, politics, and international business—helps you broaden your perspective. But informal study is important, too: Read international literature, take in foreign films, and so on.

(3) Open your mind. 

Understand the importance of bringing out the best in people, regardless of where they hail from or what languages they (4) speak. Respect and explore other cultures, welcome new experiences, and seize opportunities to work with people of other nationalities.

Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Join the Global Elite" by Gregory C. Unruh and Ángel Cabrera.

The Art of Almost Homemade

June 26, 2013, Wednesday

Consumers Don't Want to Cook, But Want to Feel as If They're Cooking

Prepared-food products that require a few preparatory steps appeal to customers who want to feel as though they're actually cooking dinner, rather than just opening a package, says the Wall Street Journal.

 One group of women studied by Kraft Foods Group made it clear they wanted to spend at least 15 to 30 minutes peeling or chopping, "to have it count," says Risa Schwartz, the food company's associate director of consumer insights and strategy. 

ConAgra says the most popular day for use of some of its frozen-meal brands is Wednesday, a day of the week that the Journal describes as the "cooking-from-scratch low point for most households."

SOURCE: The Art of Almost Homemade

“Four Ways to Market Like a Startup”

 June 27, 2013 , Thursday 

Make Your Marketing Fast

In an age when consumers decide within seconds whether or not to abandon a website, marketers need to maneuver and adapt in real-time. Here are three ways to pick up the pace:

(1) Test and learn. 

Set up experiments that help you learn about your customers and constantly adjust your approach as you get new insights.

 (2) Start assessing the campaign even before it ends.

 If it’s clear you’re not influencing 18 to 25 year olds the way you wanted, alter it in real time.

(3) Know when to stop.

 Some marketers spend weeks chasing the "perfect" solution when "good enough" will do. Prioritize speed over quality.

(4) Simplify your results.

 Don’t get bogged down by reviewing outcomes for weeks. Rather than reporting dozens of metrics, focus on the handful that tell you whether your campaign is working and what you might do differently next time.

Adapted from “Four Ways to Market Like a Startup” by Brian Gregg and Vivian Weng.

Gist Memory in the Unconscious-Thought Effect

 July 01, 2013, Monday 

Why You Might Make a Better Decision After a Quick Game of Solitaire

Research participants were nearly twice as likely to give the correct response to a complex decision-making problem if they were distracted by a simple three-minute number-matching task before being asked for their answers, says a team led by Marlène Abadie of the University of Toulouse in France. 

A more-demanding distraction had no such effect: Participants had a 75% chance of giving the right answer after the easy task, but just a 40% chance after a tougher task or if there was no distractor at all.

Reason ? 

 During an easy distraction, the brain seems to unconsciously enhance the memory of a problem's essence, the researchers say.

SOURCE: Gist Memory in the Unconscious-Thought Effect

Leaving a Flat Taste in Your Mouth: Task Load Reduces Taste Perception

 June 28, 2013, Friday

Do You Work While You Eat?

People who were making and tasting lemonade while memorizing a seven-digit number ended up with a 50% higher sugar concentration in the drink than people who were memorizing just one number, say Reine C. van der Wal of Radboud University Nijmegen and Lotte F. van Dillen of Leiden University, both in the Netherlands. 

This and other experiments suggest that dealing with a cognitive load dulls the experience of taste (not just sweet but also salty and sour), leading people to drink or eat more in order to obtain a pleasurable experience. 

Abstaining from cognitive activities during meals may enhance taste perception and limit overconsumption, the researchers say.

SOURCE: Leaving a Flat Taste in Your Mouth: Task Load Reduces Taste Perception

“How to Write the Dreaded Self-Appraisal” by Amy Gallo.

 July 02, 2013, Tuesday

Strike the Right Tone in Your Self-Appraisal

No one likes writing a self-appraisal. It’s awkward to write about yourself and difficult to strike the right balance between boasting and being humble. When review time rolls around try doing these things:

(1) Emphasize your accomplishments.

 Don't be arrogant but don't downplay your successes either. Be clear about what contributions you've made to the business.

(2) Acknowledge mistakes — carefully. 

Put the best possible spin on problem areas, noting them as faults you want to work on and signposts for what you should do going forward.

(3) Keep the focus on you.

 It can be tempting to talk about others — especially if they're hindering your progress — but remember this is about you. Don't be defensive or criticize your colleagues.

Adapted from “How to Write the Dreaded Self-Appraisal” by Amy Gallo.

Upper-Body Strength Regulates Men's Assertion of Self-Interest

 July 04, 2013 , Thursday 

Men's Arm Strength Affects Their Political Views

Among men of high economic status, the greater the self-reported circumference of the flexed bicep, the greater the opposition (on average) to measures that would redistribute wealth to the poor.

 But among men with low economic status, bicep circumference is associated with greater support for such measures, says a team led by Michael Bang Petersen of Aarhus University in Denmark. 

Women's bicep size had no impact on their views. 

Possible Reason ? : 

Men with greater upper-body strength tend to feel more entitled, reflecting a pattern in nature in which stronger males are more willing to assert their self-interest. 

The researchers studied more than a thousand people in three countries, disqualifying several males for reporting unrealistic bicep circumferences of 250 centimeters or more.

SOURCE: The Ancestral Logic of Politics: Upper-Body Strength Regulates Men's Assertion of Self-Interest Over Economic Redistribution

Females Scan More Than Males : A Potential Mechanism for Sex Differences in Recognition Memory

 July 02, 2013, Tuesday 

Research Fact : 

 Women Are Better than Men at Recognizing Faces

Experiment : 

When women were shown images of unfamiliar people, eye-tracking technology showed that they fixed upon the faces 10% to 40% more times than men did, suggesting that women's ability to gather more visual information is what gives them a better memory for faces, says a team from McMaster University in Canada led by Jennifer J. Heisz.

Reason ? 

 In learning new faces, females seem more likely to direct their gaze to highly informative regions, such as the eyes. Past studies have shown that women typically perform better than men in facial-recognition tests.

SOURCE: Females Scan More Than Males : A Potential Mechanism for Sex Differences in Recognition Memory

“The Delicate Art of Giving Feedback” by Robert C. Pozen.

 Friday 05 July 2013

July 05, 2013

Deliver Negative Feedback with Care

It’s a manager’s job to occasionally make an employee aware of his faults or failures. But if you’re not careful, it can do more harm than good. People generally respond more strongly to criticism than praise, so before you tell someone what she did wrong, take these precautions:

(1) Weigh the tradeoffs. 

You’re providing helpful information, but you also run the risk of putting your employee in a bad mood. If a mistake is so inconsequential that the corrective value is low, it might make sense for you to keep the feedback to yourself.

(2) Keep your tone collaborative. 

Make it clear that your employee still has your support and respect.

(3) Help her get in the right mindset.

 Start by saying, "Let me provide you with some feedback." Preparing the employee emotionally for what you're about to say may help her not get defensive.

Adapted from “The Delicate Art of Giving Feedback” by Robert C. Pozen.

“Conversations Can Save Companies” by Boris Groysberg and Michael Slind.

July 23, 2013, Tuesday

Get Through a Turnaround by Talking

When a company is in crisis— facing bankruptcy or a disruptive competitor— it needs to act fast. But it’s also important to stop and speak with the people who are doing the day-to-day work of moving the organization in a new direction. Here’s how to use conversation to help orchestrate a successful turnaround:

(1) Talk straight. 

Be honest and authentic, especially when it comes to sharing bad news or addressing difficult topics.

(2)Make talk happen.

 Stressful times can cause people to keep to themselves. Promote interactivity and encourage debate. Forego one-way communication channels (like memos) and choose mediums that allow for back-and-forth discussion instead.

(3) Let everyone talk.

 Include people at all levels in the conversation. This will increase engagement among those who must carry out the turnaround work.

Adapted from “Conversations Can Save Companies” by Boris Groysberg and Michael Slind.

“Foster a Culture of Gratitude,” by Christine M. Riordan.

 Friday 09 Aug 2013

Encourage Gratitude on Your Team

When employees feel valued, they are more satisfied, willing to work longer, and motivated to do their best. As a manager, it’s your job to make them feel appreciated. In addition to saying “thank you,” you can foster gratitude by:

(1) Developing them.

 People want to grow. If promotion opportunities are limited you can invest in professional development through training, assigning team members to new and interesting projects, and exposing them to different parts of the company.

(2) Involving them.

 Give employees the opportunity to play key roles in decision making and problem solving so they know their skills benefit the organization.

(3) Supporting collegiality.

 Encourage camaraderie, help to eliminate toxic and dysfunctional team behaviors, and create opportunities for team members to interact with each other outside work.

 “Foster a Culture of Gratitude,” by Christine M. Riordan.

“4 Ways to Combat Imposter Syndrome on Your Team,” by Richard Gardner and Jeff Bednar

28 Oct 2022 Friday

Root Out Imposter Syndrome on Your Team ! 

Chances are, more than a few of your employees feel underqualified and out of place—regardless of how competent they are. As a manager, how can you spot imposter syndrome on your team and root it out?

(1) Watch for red flags.

 Unsustainable work habits, such as constantly working long hours, can be a telltale sign. So can disengaged work habits, such as withdrawal from a social group, hesitancy to ask questions or speak up, or persistent excuses for falling behind on deadlines. In either case, start an honest dialogue with your employee early. Proactively ask if a sense of self-doubt might be underlying their behavior.

(2) Focus on performance and growth.

 Acknowledge high-quality work and signs of development. Positive feedback can dispel an employee's uncertainty about their standing in the organization. If they make mistakes, emphasize that this is an integral part of learning.

(3)Be vulnerable.

 Share some of your own professional insecurities and failures, particularly those failures that you overcame in a meaningful way. This will remind your employee that what they're feeling is normal—and that they can overcome it.

This tip is adapted from “4 Ways to Combat Imposter Syndrome on Your Team,” by Richard Gardner and Jeff Bednar

“How to Intervene When Your Team Has Too Much Work,” by Elizabeth Grace Saunders

 27 October 2022 Thu 

Managing an Under-Resourced Team

Your team is understaffed and overworked. How can you intervene and support your employees—while continuing to deliver results to your organization? 

(1) Start by being honest with yourself about what you can (and can't) get done. With this realistic outlook in mind, evaluate and reprioritize your team's responsibilities based on what’s most valuable to the organization. Which projects can you cut, which require more resources, and which can be delegated externally or to other teams?

(2)  Ask your team for their input. Before you make any changes, make sure to also communicate with all your team's stakeholders to reset expectations around your new strategy. 

(3) Finally, consider requesting more staff. Even if it’s not in the cards right now, making the case early could put you at the top of the list when budget allows.

This tip is adapted from “How to Intervene When Your Team Has Too Much Work,” by Elizabeth Grace Saunders

office politics and competitive guys

July 08, 2013 Monday . 

Avoid Unfriendly Office Competition

There’s one in every office: a hypercompetitive colleague who stops at nothing to get every advantage over his peers. It’s tempting to try to one-up him and put him in his place, but that’s only likely to fuel his ambition further. Instead, don’t participate in the rivalry. Continue to do your best work and expect to be recognized for it. 

React coolly to any criticism he hurls your way. If he says your report was subpar, for example, don’t take the bait. Ask dispassionately, “What makes you say so?” Invite others to offer their opinion, especially if you know they’ll back you up. If you don’t engage with the competition, it will soon become clear to others that he has some kind of agenda.

Adapted from the HBR Guide to Office Politics.

“Prepare Your Brain for Change” by Margaret Moore.

July 09, 2013, Tuesday 

Train Your Tired Brain ! 

If you're stressed out and tired, it's hard to learn new things. Exercise, sleep, and a good diet are all essential for keeping your brain in peak condition, but you can also do the following to perform at your cognitive and creative best:

(1) Change perspectives.

 Improve mental flexibility by rapidly trying on new points of view. This exercises your mind. For example, what would a potential customer think about this idea? Your boss? Your competitors?

(2) Reboot. 

Take a break from work every hour, or more often if you’re already frazzled. Get out of your chair, water a plant, or just let your mind wander. These breaks recharge your brain.

(3) Summon a positive thought.

 Negative emotions impair thinking, memory, creativity, and strategic thinking. Try to crowd out unconstructive thoughts with positive ones, which improve these capabilities.

Adapted from “Prepare Your Brain for Change” by Margaret Moore.

tendency to over earn and under spend

 July 10, 2013, Wednesday 

Do You Work Until You've Earned Enough, or Until You're Just Too Tired to Work More?

The Experiment : 

In an experiment, people who were paid in chocolates for choosing to listen to unpleasant noises "overearned" by 6.48 chocolates, on average !

 They earned 10.74 but ate just 4.26 they weren't allowed to take any home) , revealing a persistent tendency to mindlessly accumulate unneeded rewards,  The researchers compare overearning to overeating ! 

Underlying reason ? 

 In the past, centuries ago , in pre-industrial revolution, people earned so little that they were driven to earn as much as possible, but today, productivity advancements enable many to over-earn & under-spend. 

The fall out ? 

Negatives of this behavior  include , forgoing the pleasures of leisure and family time.

Research courtesy :  a team led by Christopher K. Hsee of the University of Chicago.

SOURCE: Overearning

“How to Deal with a Toxic Client” by Mark Goulston.

July 10, 2013 Wednesday

How to Handle an Abusive Client

Some clients are demanding; others are downright rude. If you’re not in a position to stop working with a difficult person, prepare yourself instead. Expect your greedy, selfish, or angry client to act poorly so you won’t be caught off guard. When you sense that he is about to say something hurtful, say to yourself: "Here it comes." After he delivers the blow, take a deep breath and pause until he realizes he hasn’t provoked you into losing your cool. Then say something like, "Say that again?" or "Do you really mean what you just said?" This is often enough to cause him to reflect on his behavior and change his approach. If not, at least you didn’t get flustered. The conversation may still be stressful, but preparing keeps you from being blindsided.

Adapted from “How to Deal with a Toxic Client” by Mark Goulston.

" The First 90 Days, Updated and Expanded " ( new job basics )

 July 11, 2013 Thu 

" 3 People to Talk to When You’re New on the Job " 

When you start at a new company, there is so much new information that it’s difficult to know where to focus ! 

 Here are three important sources you don’t want to overlook:

(1) Frontline employees. 

People who develop and manufacture products or deliver services or those who sell the goods , frontline sales people -  can familiarize you with the organization’s basic processes and relationships with key customers.

(2) Integrators. 

Colleagues who coordinate interaction across functions (think project or plant managers) can tell you how different areas mesh—or don’t !  They can shed light on the true political hierarchies.

(3) Natural historians. 

Keep an eye out for “old-timers” who have been with the firm for a long time. They’ll be able to teach you about the company’s mythology and the roots of its culture & unwritten rules. 

Excerpted form  " The First 90 Days, Updated and Expanded " 

get a 360 degree view of your professional self

July 12, 2013 Friday 

Know How Others Really See You

You may think you already know how others view you—as a skilled facilitator or a manager who always brings out the best in her team—but you might be surprised. To find out what people really think, try these three things:

(1) Seek out patterns in your paper trail. 

Look at past performance reviews or recommendations letters. What do people consistently say about you?

(2) Examine your online presence. 

Google yourself. If there are any damaging or erroneous links, it's better to find out now (so you can take action), rather than having a potential client or employer discover them.

(3)Conduct your own 360 review.

 Individually invite trusted colleagues, your boss, and your employees out for coffee. Tell them you're working to raise the bar professionally, and ask for their honest feedback: What do you do well? Where could you grow?

Adapted from “You're Probably Wrong About How Others Really See You” by Dorie Clark.

Vividness of the Future Self Predicts Delinquency

 July 12, 2013

What Would You Do Differently If You Could See Yourself 20 Years Older?

Undergraduates who had gazed at their 40-year-old selves in virtual "mirrors" were 74% less likely to cheat for extra cash on a subsequent trivia test, says a team led by Jean-Louis van Gelder of the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement and Hal E. Hershfield of NYU. This and another experiment suggest that one reason people make self-defeating choices such as engaging in unethical behavior is that their ability to imagine their future selves is limited. They're less inclined to indulge in illegal acts if they can see vivid images of themselves such as the computer simulations presented by the researchers. See Hershfield's "Defend Your Research" interview in the June 2013 HBR.

SOURCE: Vividness of the Future Self Predicts Delinquency

“Project Managers Should Share Their Stress” by Joe Knight, Roger Thomas, and Brad Angus.

 July 15, 2013 , Monday 

Share the Burden of Your Project

If you’re in a role where you’re responsible for a project’s success—such as project manager or team lead—it’s tempting to bear the whole burden alone. 

Sure, you may share regular progress updates with teammates or hint at possible roadblocks, but you might prefer to keep the telling, nitty-gritty details (especially if they’re not pretty) to yourself. This is incredibly stressful and unnecessary. 

Try an open-book system: Every week, put key numbers for your project on a whiteboard to discuss at a regular team meeting. This will reveal difficulties lurking in the shadows, especially ones that could be easily addressed if people knew they existed. Consistently sharing results will involve others in solving these critical problems, as well as reduce your own stress.

Adapted from “Project Managers Should Share Their Stress” by Joe Knight, Roger Thomas, and Brad Angus.

“Keep Up with Your Quants” by Thomas H. Davenport.

 July 16, 2013 , Tuesday 

The Right Questions to Ask Your Data Analysts ! 

In today’s business world, you’ve got to be data literate to succeed. If you aren’t trained in analytics, don’t fret. As a non-expert, you can play a critical role by asking your “quants” the tough questions. Here are a few that almost always lead to more rigorous, defensible analyses: 

(1) Where did the data come from? 

(2) How well does the sample represent the population?

(3)  Does the data distribution include outliers? How did they affect the results?

(4)  What ASSUMPTIONS  are behind your analysis?

(5)  Might certain CONDITIONS  render your assumptions and your model invalid? 

(6) Why did you decide on that particular analytical APPROACH ? 

(7)  What alternatives did you consider? 

If you don’t understand a reply to any of these, ask for one that uses simpler language.

Adapted from “Keep Up with Your Quants” by Thomas H. Davenport.

CEO Narcissism, Audience Engagement, and Organizational Adoption of Technological Discontinuities

 

July 17, 2013, Wednesday

Narcissistic CEOs Take Bold Action When There's an Appreciative Audience

Highly narcissistic CEOs were nearly 3 times more likely than very un-narcissistic leaders to take bold steps to embrace potentially disruptive technologies when media interest in the disruption was high. But when interest was low, the narcissistic CEOs showed no such heightened propensity to act, says a team led by Wolf-Christian Gerstner of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany.

 The research, which analyzed the U.S. pharmaceutical industry when biotech was disrupting it, measured such actions as acquisition of biotech firms as a function of CEO narcissism (calculated by factors including the leaders' prominence in annual reports). Narcissistic CEOs, who crave admiration, tend to take bold action when there's an audience that is likely to see their actions as daring, the researchers suggest.

SOURCE: CEO Narcissism, Audience Engagement, and Organizational Adoption of Technological Discontinuities

“Why You Need a Bedtime,” by Laura Vanderkam

 Wed 26 Oct 2022

Adults Need a Bedtime, Too

Have you felt tired this week? If so, the problem might not be that you're getting too little sleep—it could be that you're getting the wrong kind of sleep. Disorderly sleep (not enough some nights, too much others) is a recipe for exhaustion, volatile moods, and unproductive workdays. How can you establish a more consistent sleep schedule? The answer is painfully simple—and for many of us, painfully difficult to implement: You need a bedtime. The good news? Choosing the right bedtime only requires some quick math. Start by deciding when you need to wake up most days. Subtract seven or eight hours, depending on how much sleep you think you need. If you want to get up at 7 am, your bedtime should be 11 pm or 12 am. To hold yourself accountable, set a "wind-down" alarm for 30 minutes or an hour before your bedtime. Stick to it for a week. This week's fatigue will be last week's problem.

This tip is adapted from “Why You Need a Bedtime,” by Laura Vanderkam

“How to Recover from a Toxic Job,” by Melody Wilding

 Tuesday 25 October 2022

 How to Detox After Leaving a Toxic Job

You made the brave decision to say goodbye to a toxic workplace. The next step is to leave that negativity behind and reclaim your confidence. Here are some strategies to help you heal, forge ahead, and be successful in your new role.

(1) Find closure. 

Give yourself space to grieve. Consider a releasing ritual, such as writing a goodbye letter that you don’t send, archiving or deleting old files, or setting up a fresh calendar.

(2) Control what you can.

 If you find yourself preoccupied by what-ifs (What if I had spoken up sooner?) or feel shame about the treatment you suffered, practice self-compassion. Instead of beating yourself up, channel your energy into building skills that will help you be successful and set boundaries in your new role.

(3) Plan for triggers.

 Pay attention to situations in your new job that remind you of past stress. (Common triggers include feeling excluded, helpless, or disrespected.) Once you recognize when and where you feel vulnerable, you can better judge the situation on its own merits—without projecting the past.

(4) Savor positive moments. 

Try spending 10 minutes each day reflecting on thoughts and emotions related to enjoyable moments at work—perhaps even writing them down. You might even share these positive experiences with a colleague, partner, or friend.

This tip is adapted from “How to Recover from a Toxic Job,” by Melody Wilding

HBR Guide to Office Politics. ( Difficult bosses )

 July 18, 2013, Thursday

Difficult Boss? Talk to Her Former Employees

If your boss isn’t a good guide and doesn’t support you, it’s up to you to get what you need. If you can easily get in touch with someone who used to work for your boss, invite him out for coffee. Explain that you’re eager to develop in your role, and that you’d like to pick his brain about working with and learning from your boss. Pitch it as a tutorial, not as a gripe session:

 See if he can share insights about her mentoring style, for example, and tips on how to earn her trust.

 Even if you feel safe confiding in this person, assume that anything you say could make its way back to your boss and edit yourself accordingly.

Adapted from the HBR Guide to Office Politics.

Appeasing Equals: Lateral Deference in Organizational Communication

 July 19, 2013, Friday 

Why You're More Deferential to Peers than the Boss (in Your Emails)

In emails, employees tend to show much more deference — using hedges and disclaimers such as "This may be a bad idea, but..." — to people at their own level than to higher-ranking employees, according to a study that included an analysis of hundreds of corporate emails. Employees load their messages to peers with deferential and polite language in order to avoid suggesting that they're trying to inflate their own status, say the researchers, who were led by Alison R. Fragale of the University of North Carolina. By contrast, employees' emails to bosses contain relatively few deferential phrases.

SOURCE: Appeasing Equals: Lateral Deference in Organizational Communication

“To Strengthen Your Confidence, Look to Your Past” by Amy Jen Su and Muriel Maignan Wilkins.

 July 19, 2013, Friday 

Strengthen Your Confidence

Confidence isn’t something you either have or you don’t. It’s a dynamic emotion that, like a physical muscle, needs exercise to grow stronger. Here are two ways to build and maintain it:

(1) Take inventory of your past.

 It’s easy to doubt yourself and your abilities. But if you look at your track record, chances are that your successes outweigh your failures. And, more importantly, you likely survived your missteps and gleaned lessons along the way.

(2) Focus on strengths. 

Most leaders are very strong in a few competencies, average in the majority, and weak in a few. Concentrate on leveraging what you’re best at. Then, manage your average and weak areas so they don’t detract from your effectiveness.

Adapted from “To Strengthen Your Confidence, Look to Your Past” by Amy Jen Su and Muriel Maignan Wilkins.

Is poor fitness contagious? Evidence from randomly assigned friends

 July 22, 2013, Monday . 

Poor Fitness Spreads Through Peer Groups

A study in which college students were assigned to spend most of their time with 30 other randomly chosen undergraduates shows that people may adopt the diet and exercise patterns of the least fit within a peer group, says a team led by Scott E. Carrell of the University of California-Davis. 

The data suggests that if half of your friends were to become among the least fit (for reasons unrelated to you), your own fitness level would drop by nearly 20% of a standard deviation.

 The people most susceptible to being influenced by the least fit are those who are already struggling to maintain their fitness, the researchers say.

aSOURCE: Is poor fitness contagious? Evidence from randomly assigned friends

“Leadership Lessons from the Chilean Mine Rescue,” by Faaiza Rashid, Amy C. Edmondson, and Herman B. Leonard.

 

August 08, 2013 Thursday

Learn How to Lead in a Crisis

When you are leading in a time-pressured, make-or-break situation, you might wonder if you should take charge and command action or take the time to enable the innovation of others. You can do both. Here are three things to do in a crisis that are both directive and empowering:

(1) Set a vision that instills both realism and hope. 

Assess the current situation and how it’s likely to evolve. At the same time, articulate the possibility of succeeding against all odds.

(2) Bring people in.

 Set clear boundaries for who is on and off the core team, but invite in helpful collaborators as well. People may have to work in fluid, shifting arrangements, rotating in and out of teams as the demands of the situation evolve.

(3) Engage. 

Dive in and start doing the work. Lead a disciplined, coordinated execution while also encouraging innovation through experimentation and learning along the way.

**Adapted from “Leadership Lessons from the Chilean Mine Rescue,” by Faaiza Rashid, Amy C. Edmondson, and Herman B. Leonard.

Why Startups Are Sporting Increasingly Quirky Names

 August 08, 2013 Thursday

How Quirky Startup Names Became an Internet Aesthetic

There are 102 startups whose names end in "ify," many of them probably in imitation of Spotify, says the Wall Street Journal, quoting branding consultant Christopher Johnson. Newcomer businesses include notifications system Xtify, as well as Stackify, an information-technology service provider. Quirky names for startups surfaced about 20 years ago in Silicon Valley, with the birth of search engines such as Yahoo, —which originally stood for Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle. The mania for odd names was fueled by a lack of available short, punchy URLs, but it soon developed into an internet aesthetic.

SOURCE: Why Startups Are Sporting Increasingly Quirky Names

From "Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success"

 " There are 2 types of people in the workplace, and Life in general. Let us call them ' Givers' and ' Takers' ( of credit for the work done). '

No one is a total Giver and no one is an 100% Taker. We all have our desired mix of Giving and Taking !
Some give more and take less and some, take more and give less.

Takers have a distinctive signature: they
like to get more than they give... to prove their competence, they
self-promote and make sure they get plenty of credit for their efforts.


In the workplace, givers are a rare breed. They tilt reciprocity in the
other direction, preferring to give more than they get...

Research
suggests that the worst and the best performers tend to be Givers;
takers and matchers are more likely to land in the middle...
Givers
dominate the bottom and the top of the success ladder.

"

Questions for contemplation :
1. When you hear the word, ' Giver', who do you think of - from your workplace ?
2. When you hear the word ' Taker' , who do you think of ?
3. What do you think of yourself and in what mix ?


From "Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success"

Is the Sun Setting on the Public Corporation?

 August 09, 2013 , Friday

Don't Blame Corporations; Blame Their Disappearance

The Occupy protesters blamed corporations for income inequality, decreased upward mobility, and increased economic insecurity, but in fact it's the collapse of the traditional public corporation that's largely to blame for those ills, says Jerry Davis of the University of Michigan. The number of companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges dropped from nearly 9,000 in 1997 to about 4,100 in 2012. Under pressure from shareholders and low-cost competitors, many of those remaining find it's too expensive to provide long-term employment, health benefits, or retirement security.

SOURCE: Is the Sun Setting on the Public Corporation?

“How to Explain Your Career Transition,” by Dorie Clark.

 August 13, 2013 Tuesday

Explain Why You’re Making a Career Move

Your decision to shift careers is often hard to translate to others. People may question whether it’s too risky to leave your current company or if you’re really qualified to enter a new field. But you can address the skepticism of potential employers, colleagues, and others by doing these three things:

   (1)  Connect the dots.
Make it clear you’re not starting from scratch. Link the skills you used in your previous roles to what you’ll be doing in the future.
  (2)   Tell a story.
 Create a coherent narrative of your career trajectory. People will understand more easily if they see the move as a logical extension of the past, rather than a rupture.
  (3)  Focus on the value you bring to others.
People sometimes view career transitions as a sign of narcissism or a midlife crisis. Don’t reinforce that by making it all about you. Instead, focus on the value you bring to the new position.

Adapted from “How to Explain Your Career Transition,” by Dorie Clark.

“Preventing Rejection at Work,” by Judith E. Glaser

 August 14, 2013

Keep People From Feeling Left Out

Social rejection is hard in any setting, including at the office. When people feel excluded, they can't be productive, innovative, or collaborative. As a manager you need to create a work environment that discourages rejection. Here’s how:

  (1)   Prime the room for trust.
 To downplay hierarchies, start meetings by stating that all viewpoints are welcomed and valued. This will ease fear of rejection and put people into a more collaborative state of mind.
(2)    Start with a shared reality.
 Send agenda items out before a meeting or give team members an article to read – and ask them for input. This signals that you care about what they think.
 (3)   Encourage candor and caring.
 Use open, non-judgmental language and listen with respect in all conversations. Thank people for sharing, and make sure that there are no negative repercussions for doing so.

Adapted from “Preventing Rejection at Work,” by Judith E. Glaser.

Boosting Beauty in an Economic Decline: Mating, Spending, and the Lipstick Effect

 August 14, 2013 Wednesday

In Recessions, Women Seek to Become More Attractive

Women who had read a vivid article describing growing unemployment and increasing scarcity showed a stronger desire (6.19 on a 7-point scale) to purchase lipstick, form-fitting jeans, and form-fitting black dresses, in comparison with women who had read a neutral article (4.97 on the same scale), says a team led by Sarah E. Hill of Texas Christian University. 

Reason ? 

In tough economic times, women appear to increase their attractiveness as a way of finding mates with financial resources. Recession fears prompted no such desire among men to enhance their attractiveness, the researchers say.

SOURCE: Boosting Beauty in an Economic Decline: Mating, Spending, and the Lipstick Effect

“Is Agenda Theater Ruining Your Meetings?,” by Ashley Whillans et al.

 Mon 24 October 2022

Organize Meetings Around Outcomes—Not Agendas

While you might assume that detailed agendas will improve your meetings, they can lead to a false sense of accomplishment. Instead of spending a lot of time and effort on the process for your meeting, think about what outcomes you want to achieve. Start with the why. What’s the specific purpose of this meeting? What do you hope to accomplish? Move on to the what. What topics, themes, and information do you need to cover? What questions do you need answered? List them out. Consider the who. Once you know why you’re meeting and what you hope to talk about, you can determine who needs to be there—and who doesn’t. Don’t overthink the how. Some goals benefit from structured, facilitated conversations. Other times, free-form conversations are sufficient. Don’t be afraid to figure out a structure in real time based on how the conversation naturally flows. Beware the when. It’s tempting to put time limits on everything: 10 minutes for the first topic, five minutes for the second, and so on. But it can be difficult to stick to these schedules. Instead of sharing a rigid timeline with the group, estimate how long you think things will take and use that as your own personal guide to move things along.

This tip is adapted from “Is Agenda Theater Ruining Your Meetings?,” by Ashley Whillans et al.

“How to Help an Employee Figure Out Their Career Goals,” by Dorie Clark

 Fri 21 October 2022

Help Your Employee Figure Out Their Career Direction

The best leaders want to help their employees develop and reach their career goals. But what if your employee doesn’t actually know what they want? Here’s how to help them identify career goals that feel both meaningful and motivational. Look for patterns. Ask them what they enjoy most and least in their current role, and which new areas they’re curious about. It can also be useful to discuss where they naturally excel. It’s often harder for people to identify their strengths (which they take for granted) rather than their weaknesses (which feel abundantly clear). Expand their perspective. Look for opportunities to let your employee try new things, whether it’s presenting at an all-hands meeting, attending an industry conference they’ve never been to, or serving on a cross-departmental committee. These experiences could lead them to have fruitful insights about their future ambitions. Don’t steer too hard. You’re there to support your employee in achieving their career ambitions—not to dictate them. If they end up deviating from what you had hoped or imagined, adapt to meet them where they are.

This tip is adapted from “How to Help an Employee Figure Out Their Career Goals,” by Dorie Clark

“How to Get Your First Promotion,” by Michael Wenderoth

 

So You Want a Promotion?

Promotions aren’t just about hard work and hitting your targets. There’s an additional set of skills—being politically savvy, thinking strategically, and building social capital—that are critical to climbing the ladder. Here are three things you can do to boost your chances of leveling up. Look backward. Who were the last five people to get promoted at your level? Where did they come from, what were their responsibilities, and who did they spend their time with? Doing this assessment will give you some clues about what your organization rewards and who you might want to build relationships with. Get strategic. Figure out how promotion decisions are made by having an honest conversation with your manager or someone in HR. Clarity about the process will help you identify key decision makers and what they value. Take action. Work with your manager to steer your responsibilities toward what matters most, and network internally to build relationships with influential people who will sponsor you in the future.

This tip is adapted from “How to Get Your First Promotion,” by Michael Wenderoth

“Supporting Employees After Violence Against Their Community,” by Angelica Leigh and Shimul Melwani

 Thu 13 October 2022

How to Support Employees After Violence Against Their Community

When violent attacks targeting a specific race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or other community are highly publicized, it can cause psychological trauma for people who share an identity with the victim(s). How can you support your employees who feel unsafe in the world because of their social identities? Cultivate a culture of psychological safety. Foster an environment where conversations about race, religion, and other aspects of identity are commonplace and where employees feel comfortable sharing their experiences with identity-based trauma. Supporting your people starts with understanding what they’re going through. Encourage rest and recovery. Acknowledge the traumatic nature of current events for those who share an identity with the victim(s). Ask those employees what they need, and be prepared to give them time and space to heal. Create and empower employee affinity networks. These groups may allow people to develop a support system within the organization, which they can then turn to for solidarity in the wake of violent news.

This tip is adapted from “Supporting Employees After Violence Against Their Community,” by Angelica Leigh and Shimul Melwani

“Is Your Organization Inclusive of Deaf Employees?,” by Roberta J. Cordano

 Wed 19 Oct 2022 

How to Be Inclusive of Deaf Employees

Sensory and linguistic differences aren’t a loss—they’re an opportunity for exploration, innovation, and competitive advantage. Deaf employees bring a positive gain to companies through the innovation that comes from their lived experiences, as well as their abundance of innate skills. How can you build a team that’s inclusive of deaf employees? (1( Start by assessing your culture. Rigorously examine the impact of physical, sensory, and social barriers throughout your organization. For example, does your organization provide training and awareness of linguistic diversity, including visual languages? Are you actively recruiting candidates from schools, universities, and organizations serving the deaf community? Record your observations and make the necessary improvements—going beyond minimum compliance requirements. (2) Then, check in regularly with your deaf employees and ask them about their experience at work, for suggestions about how they can contribute to the team’s goals, and whether the team feels supportive. Be honest about what you don’t know and demonstrate a sincere willingness to learn.

This tip is adapted from “Is Your Organization Inclusive of Deaf Employees?,” by Roberta J. Cordano

“The Power of Work Friends,” by Jon Clifton

 

Foster Friendship on Your Team

Whether your team is fully in person, all remote, or hybrid, a workplace that encourages friendship is good for employee morale, productivity, and retention. How can you build a culture that fosters friendship? Establish a buddy system. Pair up each new hire with a veteran employee as a part of their onboarding—and make sure they meet regularly. Not only will an assigned buddy help new employees learn the ropes faster, it also gives them a connection through which they can meet other colleagues who can become friends down the road. Increase face time. The best way to develop a real connection with someone is to see and hear them—even if it’s on Zoom or FaceTime. Encourage your team to talk more and email less. Encourage jam sessions. When people share a common goal and make something together, they form a connection. Look for opportunities for your employees to collaborate and innovate freely. Don’t force it. You can’t make people be friends—but as long as the opportunity for friendship is there, you’ve done your job.

This tip is adapted from “The Power of Work Friends,” by Jon Clifton

“How to Effectively Build Pre-Work into Meetings,” by Rae Ringel

 Monday 17 October 2022 

Build Pre-Work into Your Meetings

It’s no secret that the term “pre-work” inspires groans, eye-rolls, and even—during that all-too-familiar moment of realization—a sense of impending doom. It doesn’t have to be this way. Instead of asking people to do work beforehand, embed pre-work into your meetings. Whether it’s a simple slide deck or short document, your goal is to quickly bring people up to speed on “how we got here,” preemptively address questions that are easy to anticipate, and clarify the purpose of your time together. If you’re meeting in person, you might even print out the document and pair people up to review it together. After a period of silent memo-reading, invite everyone to input their thoughts, questions, and observations into a shared document to help get the conversation going. Google Docs, word clouds, or Mentimeter polls are helpful tools for this. And be sure to explain your reasoning for the pre-work. People don’t like to jump through hoops unnecessarily. This exercise isn’t meant to create more work or elongate meetings, but rather to boost efficiency and reduce unnecessary meetings down the road.

This tip is adapted from “How to Effectively Build Pre-Work into Meetings,” by Rae Ringel

“What Is Proximity Bias and How Can Managers Prevent It?,” by Gleb Tsipursky

 

Beware of Proximity Bias

As a manager, you always need to check your biases. As a manager of a hybrid team, it’s particularly important to quash “proximity” bias—the tendency to prefer employees you see in person over those who are more frequently remote. (1) Start by instilling a culture of “excellence from anywhere.” Regularly show that you value high-quality deliverables, effective collaboration, and innovation over location. This signals to your team that you recognize and appreciate their work, even from afar. (2) Next, establish a more regular check-in cadence with your remote direct reports. Try weekly or bi-weekly to start. This will help you level the playing field by building in personalized, one-on-one face time with the employees you’d otherwise see less often. Frequent check-ins will also give you increased visibility into remote workers’ workloads and performance—as well as a clearer sense of when they need your support. (3) Finally, push for equity at a process level. Ensure that meetings and workflows don’t present obstacles that hamper remote employees’ ability to contribute, participate, and do great work.

This tip is adapted from “What Is Proximity Bias and How Can Managers Prevent It?,” by Gleb Tsipursky

“How to Build Your Personal Brand at Work,” by Nahia Orduña

 Monday 10 Oct 2022 

Build Your Personal Brand at Work

You don’t have to be a social media influencer to benefit from a personal brand. Regardless of what you do, developing day-to-day influence, a reputation of expertise, and a unique voice will help you advance in your career. To identify your brand, start by asking yourself three questions: (1) Which parts of my identity and perspective make me unique? (2) What are my values—the underlying purpose that motivates my work? (3) And what skills do I bring to the table? These three factors comprise how your colleagues and prospective employers perceive you. Next, find initiatives (especially high-exposure ones) and organizational goals that align with your identity, values, and skills and raise your hand to participate. This is a great way to increase your visibility and showcase your brand both internally and publicly.  Finally, to reinforce your brand, create and share content with your team to broadcast your passions and perspectives—and to find like-minded coworkers whom you can collaborate with and learn from in the future.

This tip is adapted from “How to Build Your Personal Brand at Work,” by Nahia Orduña

“Is Your Job Toxic? Or Is It Just a Job?,” by Rachel Montañez

 11 Oct 2022 

Are You on the Wrong Career Path, or Is Your Job Toxic?

No job is perfect. If you’re dissatisfied, demotivated, or demoralized at work, how can you tell whether you’re on the wrong career path—or whether this particular job is toxic? (1) First, discover your “career identity” by evaluating yourself. What are your values, goals, passions, and strengths? And what do you need from your employer to bring your best self to work? (2) Next, evaluate your employer to figure out where the misalignment is. If they’re meeting your needs—you feel appreciated, included, and respected—but the work itself isn’t lining up with your career identity, it’s likely that you’re in the wrong function. In this case, it might be time to redirect your career path. On the other hand, if you love your work but your employer isn’t meeting your needs, you’re probably in a toxic environment. If you feel comfortable, talk to your manager about your concerns and work together to find solutions. (3) If this conversation doesn’t improve your situation, you should feel empowered to find a new employer who will.

This tip is adapted from “Is Your Job Toxic? Or Is It Just a Job?,” by Rachel Montañez