Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Learn to Hear the Coaching in Criticism
January 13, 2014
Learn to Hear the Coaching in Criticism
Criticism can be hard to hear, but pulling value from it is essential to your development and success. Luckily, it’s possible to strengthen your capacity to receive feedback.
To get more from criticism, recognize that some feedback is evaluative (“Your rating is a 4”) and some is coaching (“Here’s how you can improve”).
Work to hear the coaching in feedback; don’t get stuck on the evaluation. Next, don’t wait for a formal review: ask for bite-size pieces of coaching from a variety of people throughout the year.
Instead of asking an unfocused question like “Do you have any feedback for me?” make the process more manageable by asking, “What’s one thing you see me doing (or not doing) that holds me back?” This way, you’ll get more concrete information.
Adapted from “Find the Coaching in Criticism” by Sheila Heen and Douglas Stone.
Virtual Work Isn’t for Everyone
January 10, 2014
Virtual Work Isn’t for Everyone
When putting together virtual teams, remember that not everybody is suited to virtual work. Entrepreneurial spirit, initiative, and technical skills are necessary for a remote worker to thrive, as are:
(1) Self-sufficiency:
Remote workers are not able to turn to others as easily as their co-located counterparts. They must be able to tolerate ambiguity — which could include everything from a terse email that might be taken negatively to not knowing project details as quickly as on-site workers.
(2) Communication skills:
Remote workers have to express themselves well and update project documents quickly and consistently. Distance and time lags are an inevitable downside of working remotely. There’s no room for personality conflicts or information hoarding.
(3) Connection:
All employees, remote or on-site, need to feel connected to others within the organization. For effective virtual teams, choose self-directed people who can engage with each other easily.
Understand Meeting Dynamics
December 02, 2013
Understand Meeting Dynamics
As much as we’d like them to be, meetings aren’t purely logical business mechanisms; like any human interaction, they’re embedded with non-rational dynamics.
Consider underlying motivations and personal agendas: For some people, being part of a meeting is a status symbol, so they may continue to attend even when they have little to contribute. Others view meetings as social gatherings, or opportunities to score political points. No matter how clear the agenda, everyone will arrive with a different perspective. Some attendees will consider it high priority, while others will show up late. Some participants are comfortable letting someone else take the lead, while others will sabotage the leader or become passive aggressive. These unconscious aspects can undermine effectiveness, but understanding them improves your chance of actually accomplishing something.
Adapted from “The Hidden Side of Meetings,” by Ron Ashkenas.
Research Finding . Hawthrone Effect on Productivity
Beautiful OB Research .
December 02, 2013
Research Finding . Hawthrone Effect on Productivity
Factory Workers Are More Productive When Managers Can’t See Them !
The Experiment
The Setting : In a factory where mobile data cards were being made, hanging a curtain to conceal workers from managers’ view increased production by 10% to 15% !
The curtain prevented distractions and allowed workers to test productivity-boosting ideas before explaining them to managers.
What Mangers should do :
Managers need to consider not only their individual workers’ privacy on the job but also , GROUP PRIVACY !
Research Conducted by : Ethan S. Bernstein of Harvard Business School.
SOURCE: Hiding From Managers Can Increase Your Productivity
December 02, 2013
Research Finding . Hawthrone Effect on Productivity
Factory Workers Are More Productive When Managers Can’t See Them !
The Experiment
The Setting : In a factory where mobile data cards were being made, hanging a curtain to conceal workers from managers’ view increased production by 10% to 15% !
The curtain prevented distractions and allowed workers to test productivity-boosting ideas before explaining them to managers.
What Mangers should do :
Managers need to consider not only their individual workers’ privacy on the job but also , GROUP PRIVACY !
Research Conducted by : Ethan S. Bernstein of Harvard Business School.
SOURCE: Hiding From Managers Can Increase Your Productivity
Dealing with a Boss Who Betrays You
17 Sept 2019 tue
Dealing with a Boss Who Betrays You
Being betrayed by your boss is painful, to say the least. Whether they publicly shamed you for their mistake or gave someone else the promotion they promised you, it can make you want to quit. If your boss habitually undermines you, leaving may in fact be your best bet. But if quitting isn’t an option, or isn’t an option right now, there are steps you can take to protect yourself. Continue to show respect to others, share ideas, and give credit. When your manager fails to keep promises, document it to help you remember what happened. When they take credit for your work, make sure important stakeholders know about your efforts. And find an outlet for your feelings. You’re going to need to vent, so write in a journal or talk with someone outside of work. Above all, don’t retaliate or compromise your values. Don’t let your boss’s actions turn you into someone you don’t want to be.
This tip is adapted from “What to Do When Your Boss Betrays You,” by Ron Carucci
Dealing with a Boss Who Betrays You
Being betrayed by your boss is painful, to say the least. Whether they publicly shamed you for their mistake or gave someone else the promotion they promised you, it can make you want to quit. If your boss habitually undermines you, leaving may in fact be your best bet. But if quitting isn’t an option, or isn’t an option right now, there are steps you can take to protect yourself. Continue to show respect to others, share ideas, and give credit. When your manager fails to keep promises, document it to help you remember what happened. When they take credit for your work, make sure important stakeholders know about your efforts. And find an outlet for your feelings. You’re going to need to vent, so write in a journal or talk with someone outside of work. Above all, don’t retaliate or compromise your values. Don’t let your boss’s actions turn you into someone you don’t want to be.
This tip is adapted from “What to Do When Your Boss Betrays You,” by Ron Carucci
Make the Most of Your Next Conference With Social Media
December 05, 2013
Business Networking Tip
Make the Most of Your Next Conference With Social Media
Dealing with logistics and meeting a new horde of people can make out-of-town conferences stressful, but using social tools can help you make them as productive (and fun) as possible.
(1) With LinkedIn’s advanced search, find new or established connections in your destination city.
If you want to meet with any of them while you’re in town, reach out ahead of time.
(2) Dress Code ? To minimize dress-code anxieties and packing hassles, use a Google image search to find photos of past years’ events and check out what people wore !
(3) Networking duing the event : Use OpenTable to book 8-to-12-person tables at restaurants near the conference venue for each evening of the conference, and invite people to join you for dinner.
(Saying you’re “convening a gang” avoids the implication that you’re paying for the whole table ! Tell clearly, you are all going to split the bill ! ) Enlist a few co-conspirators to invite two or three people each.
Adapted from Work Smarter with LinkedIn, by Alexandra Samuel.
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Get More From Your Review Session
December 03, 2013
Get More From Your Review Session
When giving critical feedback, often even the most well-intentioned managers convey little more than their impressions—but you need to hear specific observations to understand your skill deficiencies and take constructive actions to improve. Before your review, assess your own skill-based strengths and weaknesses to give you context for asking questions. In the session, don’t be bashful about asking for more information: “Could you be more specific? What skills should I work on to address this?”
Recognize, however, that a year-end review is rarely the best forum for getting coaching. If you’re confused by what you hear, suggest a follow-up meeting for further discussion. Also consider that your current boss may not be skilled at giving constructive feedback; you may need to seek out others’ opinions, even if you don’t have a formal reporting relationship.
Adapted from What You're Really Meant to Do, by Robert Steven Kaplan.
Get More From Your Review Session
When giving critical feedback, often even the most well-intentioned managers convey little more than their impressions—but you need to hear specific observations to understand your skill deficiencies and take constructive actions to improve. Before your review, assess your own skill-based strengths and weaknesses to give you context for asking questions. In the session, don’t be bashful about asking for more information: “Could you be more specific? What skills should I work on to address this?”
Recognize, however, that a year-end review is rarely the best forum for getting coaching. If you’re confused by what you hear, suggest a follow-up meeting for further discussion. Also consider that your current boss may not be skilled at giving constructive feedback; you may need to seek out others’ opinions, even if you don’t have a formal reporting relationship.
Adapted from What You're Really Meant to Do, by Robert Steven Kaplan.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
