Business Strategy / Team Management
November 24, 2014
Encourage Your Team to Take More Risks
Innovation requires a tolerance for risk-taking and learning from failure.
Yet many companies still have risk-averse cultures.
Break out of this and create an environment that is more conducive to innovation by being more explicit about what risk-taking really means:
(1) Define smart risk.
Distinguish the areas where risk is encouraged, and where it is not. For example, you want minimal “execution risk” regarding customer commitments, but more “discovery risk” in developing new solutions to customer problems.
(2)Use the right words.
Terms like “experiment” or “scouting mission,” as opposed to “successful vs. unsuccessful project,” signal a more open attitude toward risk.
(3) Establish clear phases for funding projects.
Stop providing blank checks. Fund each project in clearly defined phases. If it passes one phase, give it additional funding.
Adapted from " The Reason Your Team Won’t Take Risks" by Ron Ashkenas and Lisa Bodell.
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Turn Stress into an Advantage
December 23, 2014
Turn Stress into an Advantage
While many of us look forward to the holiday season, it can be a stressful time of year. And when that stress seeps into the workplace, you have to know how to overcome it and regain control. Recognize your physiological signs of stress:
Does your neck stiffen?
Maybe your stomach clenches, your palms sweat, and your pulse races?
Don’t think about why the task is stressful – think of it as an opportunity.
Use the adrenaline and heightened attention to really APPLY yourself.
If the voice in your head is saying, “I'll never be able to do this,” talk yourself down.
Respond in a logical, calm tone, and be positive.
(1) Take three deep breaths, lower your shoulders, and rotate your neck – try to relax.
(2) Find someone you trust who can listen and provide counsel.
(3) And make a to-do list prioritizing your most important tasks - to combat feeling overwhelmed.
Adapted from “How to Handle Stress in the Moment” by Rebecca Knight.
Make Everyone on Your Team Feel Included
Leadership / Team Building
December 8, 2014
Make Everyone on Your Team Feel Included
Feeling left out or ignored at work can have tremendously negative effects on workers' well-being.
If you want to create a more inclusive environment for your team, set an example.
Inclusive attitudes start at the top.
Examine your own biases and behaviors.
Helping people feel that they belong doesn't mean downplaying their differences. Make sure you recognize each team member’s uniqueness by acknowledging the distinct talents and perspectives he or she brings to the table.
Supporting your employees' development will also help foster a sense of inclusion.
Examples :
(1) For a more introverted worker, assign some management responsibilities to help him build his leadership skills.
(2) And seek input: a simple way to make employees feel included is to ASK for their opinions IN FRONT OF others !
Courtesy : Harvard Business Review
December 8, 2014
Make Everyone on Your Team Feel Included
Feeling left out or ignored at work can have tremendously negative effects on workers' well-being.
If you want to create a more inclusive environment for your team, set an example.
Inclusive attitudes start at the top.
Examine your own biases and behaviors.
Helping people feel that they belong doesn't mean downplaying their differences. Make sure you recognize each team member’s uniqueness by acknowledging the distinct talents and perspectives he or she brings to the table.
Supporting your employees' development will also help foster a sense of inclusion.
Examples :
(1) For a more introverted worker, assign some management responsibilities to help him build his leadership skills.
(2) And seek input: a simple way to make employees feel included is to ASK for their opinions IN FRONT OF others !
Courtesy : Harvard Business Review
Saturday, September 3, 2016
Make Exercise Part of Your Work Routine
Self Management / Time Management
December 5, 2014
Make Exercise Part of Your Work Routine
Regular exercise can produce countless benefits—from improved concentration and sharper memory to enhanced creativity and lower stress—all of which boost workplace performance.
Yet many of us believe we don’t have the time.
So instead of viewing exercise as something you do for yourself, consider physical activity as part of the work itself. Here are a few ways to incorporate more exercise into your routine:
(1)Identify a physical activity you like.
You’re more likely to stick with an activity if you enjoy doing it. If you’re not into treadmills, try tennis or swimming or dancing.
(2) Invest in improving your performance.
Don’t think of it as “getting some exercise.” Focus on mastering an activity.
Hire a coach, enroll in a class, and buy the right clothing and equipment.
(3) Become part of a group.
Find an exercise regimen that involves other people. It can be more fun and keep you committed.
December 5, 2014
Make Exercise Part of Your Work Routine
Regular exercise can produce countless benefits—from improved concentration and sharper memory to enhanced creativity and lower stress—all of which boost workplace performance.
Yet many of us believe we don’t have the time.
So instead of viewing exercise as something you do for yourself, consider physical activity as part of the work itself. Here are a few ways to incorporate more exercise into your routine:
(1)Identify a physical activity you like.
You’re more likely to stick with an activity if you enjoy doing it. If you’re not into treadmills, try tennis or swimming or dancing.
(2) Invest in improving your performance.
Don’t think of it as “getting some exercise.” Focus on mastering an activity.
Hire a coach, enroll in a class, and buy the right clothing and equipment.
(3) Become part of a group.
Find an exercise regimen that involves other people. It can be more fun and keep you committed.
Don’t Share Office Gossip with Your New Coworker
Career / Self Management
August 31, 2016
Don’t Share Office Gossip with Your New Coworker
It might be tempting to bend your new coworker’s ear and let him in on all of the office dirt.
You may even think you’re helping him out by giving him the inside scoop.
But sharing the ins and outs of office politics with the newcomer isn’t always advisable.
Doing so could reflect badly on you and bias him against his new coworkers.
Of course you can help your new colleague get acclimated to the office, but check your motives first.
Are you trying to make life easier for him, or get him on your side?
Even if your intentions are positive, carefully choose the information you share. After all, you don’t know what your new colleague might tell others, exposing you and possibly damaging your reputation.
Follow this simple rule: Only share what you would be comfortable sharing with everyone. Act as if everybody’s listening.
August 31, 2016
Don’t Share Office Gossip with Your New Coworker
It might be tempting to bend your new coworker’s ear and let him in on all of the office dirt.
You may even think you’re helping him out by giving him the inside scoop.
But sharing the ins and outs of office politics with the newcomer isn’t always advisable.
Doing so could reflect badly on you and bias him against his new coworkers.
Of course you can help your new colleague get acclimated to the office, but check your motives first.
Are you trying to make life easier for him, or get him on your side?
Even if your intentions are positive, carefully choose the information you share. After all, you don’t know what your new colleague might tell others, exposing you and possibly damaging your reputation.
Follow this simple rule: Only share what you would be comfortable sharing with everyone. Act as if everybody’s listening.
3 Ways to Counteract a Negative Relationship with Your Boss
Career / Self Management
September 02, 2016
3 Ways to Counteract a Negative Relationship with Your Boss
Everyone wants to feel respected by their manager, but over half of employees say they don’t !
What do you do if you’re in that unfortunate majority?
Try these 3 things:
(1) Manage your energy.
Sleep, exercise, good nutrition, and stress management can help to ward off the negative effects of being disrespected by your boss.
(2)Seek positive relationships.
Negative, draining relationships have an effect on your sense of thriving that is 4 to 7 times the effect of energizing, positive ones. To offset the drain of people who pull you down, surround yourself with a small group of energizers — the people in your life who make you smile and laugh and lift your spirit.
(3) Thrive outside work.
If you’re happy in your non-work life, you’re more likely to thrive at the office, no matter what your boss thinks of you. This is because enjoying yourself outside work increases your emotional reserves and gives you a sense of growth and learning. Think about what will make you happier outside the office, and start doing it.
September 02, 2016
3 Ways to Counteract a Negative Relationship with Your Boss
Everyone wants to feel respected by their manager, but over half of employees say they don’t !
What do you do if you’re in that unfortunate majority?
Try these 3 things:
(1) Manage your energy.
Sleep, exercise, good nutrition, and stress management can help to ward off the negative effects of being disrespected by your boss.
(2)Seek positive relationships.
Negative, draining relationships have an effect on your sense of thriving that is 4 to 7 times the effect of energizing, positive ones. To offset the drain of people who pull you down, surround yourself with a small group of energizers — the people in your life who make you smile and laugh and lift your spirit.
(3) Thrive outside work.
If you’re happy in your non-work life, you’re more likely to thrive at the office, no matter what your boss thinks of you. This is because enjoying yourself outside work increases your emotional reserves and gives you a sense of growth and learning. Think about what will make you happier outside the office, and start doing it.
Thursday, September 1, 2016
Get to the Root Cause of Your Burnout
September 01, 2016
Get to the Root Cause of Your Burnout
If you’re feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and even depressed at work, you may be burned out. The first step to remedying the situation is to understand what’s causing it. Try tracking how you spend your time for a week, either on paper, in a spreadsheet, or in one of the many apps now available for tracking your time. For each block of time, write down what you’re doing, whom you’re with, and how you feel on a scale of 1–10, where 1 means angry or depressed and 10 means joyful or energized. This will give you a sense of which activities and people are diminishing your energy, so that you can start limiting your exposure to them. The goal is to decrease time spent on tasks, people, and situations that drain you and to increase time on those that replenish you. As much as possible, try to jettison low-value and high-frustration activities. If you find that there are certain relationships that are especially draining, interact with those people as little as possible.
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