Sunday, March 15, 2020
Stuck in a Mid-Career Rut? Get Help from a Mentor
Wed, 16 Oct 2019
Stuck in a Mid-Career Rut? Get Help from a Mentor
Why do people get trapped in a mid-career rut?
In some cases it’s because, after succeeding early on, they play it safe rather than continuing to take the risks that would help them advance. As a result, they feel stuck in the status quo.
If this situation sounds familiar, don’t just hope things will change — get help.
Find a trustworthy mentor who has navigated the same challenges and come out the other side. During your meetings together, discuss the tough work situations you’re facing, and ask about their experiences and how they push themselves to keep growing.
You could also find an executive coach to meet with regularly. A good coach will help you understand what’s holding you back and explore options for your future.
And do some reflecting on your own, too. Think about whether you still get satisfaction from your job, whether you’re playing it safe at work, and where you want your career to go next.
This tip is adapted from “Are You at Risk of a Mid-Career Rut?” by Laurence Minsky and Julia Tang Peters
Don’t Let Envy Be Part of Your Team’s Culture
Mon, 21 Oct 2019
Don’t Let Envy Be Part of Your Team’s Culture
Nothing good comes of envy. If employees are resentful about what they feel they deserve or what others have, morale and well-being will suffer. Leaders can combat envy by building a culture of goodwill (“I’m grateful for what I have, and happy about your success”) rather than one of comparison (“I deserve what you have”). Start by setting an example. Let your team see you supporting your peers and cheering their accomplishments. Show employees that you value genuine camaraderie, and encourage them to measure themselves by their own achievements rather than by others’. It’s also useful to discuss how people can combat feelings of envy (and even how you’ve managed envy in the past). For example, employees may benefit from talking with a friend or mentor to dissect what they’re feeling and regain perspective. They should also try to avoid unhealthy comparisons and the distorted perspectives that come with them. A culture in which people want each other to succeed is one that can bring out the best in everyone.
This tip is adapted from “How to Keep Envy from Poisoning Your Team’s Culture,” by Ron Carucci
Don’t Let Envy Be Part of Your Team’s Culture
Nothing good comes of envy. If employees are resentful about what they feel they deserve or what others have, morale and well-being will suffer. Leaders can combat envy by building a culture of goodwill (“I’m grateful for what I have, and happy about your success”) rather than one of comparison (“I deserve what you have”). Start by setting an example. Let your team see you supporting your peers and cheering their accomplishments. Show employees that you value genuine camaraderie, and encourage them to measure themselves by their own achievements rather than by others’. It’s also useful to discuss how people can combat feelings of envy (and even how you’ve managed envy in the past). For example, employees may benefit from talking with a friend or mentor to dissect what they’re feeling and regain perspective. They should also try to avoid unhealthy comparisons and the distorted perspectives that come with them. A culture in which people want each other to succeed is one that can bring out the best in everyone.
This tip is adapted from “How to Keep Envy from Poisoning Your Team’s Culture,” by Ron Carucci
Saturday, March 14, 2020
How to Stop Constantly Checking Your Phone
Mon 13 Jan 2020
How to Stop Constantly Checking Your Phone
It can be hard to focus with all that beeping and buzzing from your phone. Fortunately, there are simple ways to reduce distractions. Start by turning off push notifications. If that doesn’t help, use airplane mode to limit interruptions when you’re trying to focus. If the idea of being out of touch gives you anxiety, you can always make exceptions for specific numbers, such as those of loved ones or important business colleagues. Try to check email, instant messages, social media, and text messages in batches, rather than sporadically throughout the day. “Just quickly checking” anything, even for one-tenth of a second, can add up to major productivity losses — it can take an average of 23 minutes to get back in the zone after task switching. It’s OK to not respond immediately to a message. Aside from the benefit of giving you more uninterrupted focus time, delaying can lead to better decision-making by giving you more time to think about your response.
This tip is adapted from “10 Quick Tips for Avoiding Distractions at Work,” by Steve Glaveski
How to Stop Constantly Checking Your Phone
It can be hard to focus with all that beeping and buzzing from your phone. Fortunately, there are simple ways to reduce distractions. Start by turning off push notifications. If that doesn’t help, use airplane mode to limit interruptions when you’re trying to focus. If the idea of being out of touch gives you anxiety, you can always make exceptions for specific numbers, such as those of loved ones or important business colleagues. Try to check email, instant messages, social media, and text messages in batches, rather than sporadically throughout the day. “Just quickly checking” anything, even for one-tenth of a second, can add up to major productivity losses — it can take an average of 23 minutes to get back in the zone after task switching. It’s OK to not respond immediately to a message. Aside from the benefit of giving you more uninterrupted focus time, delaying can lead to better decision-making by giving you more time to think about your response.
This tip is adapted from “10 Quick Tips for Avoiding Distractions at Work,” by Steve Glaveski
Leadership : 6 steps in managing a crisis situation at workplace .
Tue 14 Jan 2020
Leadership : 6 steps in managing a crisis situation at workplace .
Inspire Your Team During a Crisis / Crunch Time !
" Sometimes work gets intense. Whether it’s a seasonal rush or a project with a tight deadline, it can be hard to keep people focused and motivated when they’re overloaded.
What’s the best way to rally the troops?
(1) For starters, check your own EMOTIONAL ENERGY . You’ll be hard pressed to lead your team if you’re feeling beleaguered or stressed yourself.
(2) Take the time to reflect on WHY the work matters. Why is it relevant to your organization’s goals or mission?
And WHO WILL BENEFIT from the hard work of you and your team?
(3) Then, CONVEY that message to your staff to inspire excitement and enthusiasm.
(4) Acknowledge that success will require hard work and perhaps some SACRIFICES , but express confidence that the team will prevail, and assure everyone that you’re all in it together.
(5) Finally, remember that INCENTIVES are your friend, and they should be deployed THROUGHOUT the project, not just at the end. (6) Identify MILESTONES and find ways to reward your team’s hard work: a Friday afternoon off, perhaps, or an office ice cream party. Moments of celebration foster camaraderie and create sustained engagementT
This tip is adapted from “How to Motivate Your Team During Crunch Time,” by Rebecca Knight
Leadership : 6 steps in managing a crisis situation at workplace .
Inspire Your Team During a Crisis / Crunch Time !
" Sometimes work gets intense. Whether it’s a seasonal rush or a project with a tight deadline, it can be hard to keep people focused and motivated when they’re overloaded.
What’s the best way to rally the troops?
(1) For starters, check your own EMOTIONAL ENERGY . You’ll be hard pressed to lead your team if you’re feeling beleaguered or stressed yourself.
(2) Take the time to reflect on WHY the work matters. Why is it relevant to your organization’s goals or mission?
And WHO WILL BENEFIT from the hard work of you and your team?
(3) Then, CONVEY that message to your staff to inspire excitement and enthusiasm.
(4) Acknowledge that success will require hard work and perhaps some SACRIFICES , but express confidence that the team will prevail, and assure everyone that you’re all in it together.
(5) Finally, remember that INCENTIVES are your friend, and they should be deployed THROUGHOUT the project, not just at the end. (6) Identify MILESTONES and find ways to reward your team’s hard work: a Friday afternoon off, perhaps, or an office ice cream party. Moments of celebration foster camaraderie and create sustained engagementT
This tip is adapted from “How to Motivate Your Team During Crunch Time,” by Rebecca Knight
Monday, March 2, 2020
Encourage Your Employees to Share What They Know
Mon 02 Dec 2019
Encourage Your Employees to Share What They Know
Many of us hide what we know at work because we don’t want to lose the power or status that we think the piece of knowledge gives us. But recent research shows that hoarding information often backfires and can negatively impact the withholder’s growth and development. As a manager, it’s your job to create a culture in which your employees feel comfortable sharing information and speaking openly about their concerns. One way to figure out why your staff is holding back information is to use third-party, anonymous surveys. Then act on this feedback to gain back their trust. And make sure the people you manage understand the consequences of knowledge-hiding. Those who are keeping information in order to protect themselves may not understand that they are actually doing the opposite. Use trainings, newsletters, bulletin boards, and other communication channels to help employees understand why sharing knowledge with your teammates is important.
This tip is adapted from “Why Withholding Information at Work Won’t Give You an Advantage,” by Zhou (Joe) Jiang
Encourage Your Employees to Share What They Know
Many of us hide what we know at work because we don’t want to lose the power or status that we think the piece of knowledge gives us. But recent research shows that hoarding information often backfires and can negatively impact the withholder’s growth and development. As a manager, it’s your job to create a culture in which your employees feel comfortable sharing information and speaking openly about their concerns. One way to figure out why your staff is holding back information is to use third-party, anonymous surveys. Then act on this feedback to gain back their trust. And make sure the people you manage understand the consequences of knowledge-hiding. Those who are keeping information in order to protect themselves may not understand that they are actually doing the opposite. Use trainings, newsletters, bulletin boards, and other communication channels to help employees understand why sharing knowledge with your teammates is important.
This tip is adapted from “Why Withholding Information at Work Won’t Give You an Advantage,” by Zhou (Joe) Jiang
Help Your Remote Team Members Feel More Connected
Wed 04 Dec 2019
Help Your Remote Team Members Feel More Connected
" If you manage a remote team, you know how isolating it can be — for you and your employees. Managers can help by setting the stage for everyone to get to know each other better. Start every call with something that helps team members learn about each other. For example, you might ask people to share a “song of the week” that they have enjoyed listening to. When hosting a team meeting via a conference line, open the line 10 minutes EARLY and leave it open for 10 minutes AFTER the call ends so that team members can chat. When remote workers travel to various sites, encourage them to hold “office hours” so teammates can stop in and say hello. It can be awkward to see people after a long break, so include a relationship-building opportunity in those early in-person meetings, and save the unstructured activities for later when people have gotten over their awkwardness. This may feel like a lot of work, but it will help your virtual workers feel more connected to their teammates and the organization."
This tip is adapted from “How Remote Workers Make Work Friends,” by Beth Schinoff, Blake E. Ashforth, and Kevin Corley
Help Your Remote Team Members Feel More Connected
" If you manage a remote team, you know how isolating it can be — for you and your employees. Managers can help by setting the stage for everyone to get to know each other better. Start every call with something that helps team members learn about each other. For example, you might ask people to share a “song of the week” that they have enjoyed listening to. When hosting a team meeting via a conference line, open the line 10 minutes EARLY and leave it open for 10 minutes AFTER the call ends so that team members can chat. When remote workers travel to various sites, encourage them to hold “office hours” so teammates can stop in and say hello. It can be awkward to see people after a long break, so include a relationship-building opportunity in those early in-person meetings, and save the unstructured activities for later when people have gotten over their awkwardness. This may feel like a lot of work, but it will help your virtual workers feel more connected to their teammates and the organization."
This tip is adapted from “How Remote Workers Make Work Friends,” by Beth Schinoff, Blake E. Ashforth, and Kevin Corley
Deflect Tricky Questions to Avoid a Response You Might Regret
Thu 05 Dec 2019
Deflect Tricky Questions to Avoid a Response You Might Regret
" Sometimes in a job interview, you might be asked questions you’d rather not answer. Responding honestly might compromise your privacy, but declining to answer might make you look bad. Instead, think about how you can DEFLECT these tricky questions. First, anticipate the difficult things you might be asked, such as inquiries about your relationship/marital status, age, or political affiliation. Then, think of responses that focus on the other person. For example, if you’re asked, “When do you plan on having children?” the deflection could be: “Do you have any children?” Or a humorous response might be: “At least nine months apart. Is there a different norm at this company?” Inventing responses on the spot can be difficult, so practice ahead of time, or consider rehearsing your answers with a colleague or friend. Our natural instinct is to answer a direct question, so thinking in advance about deflection can help you guide the conversation and protect your interests."
This tip is adapted from “How to Deflect Difficult Questions in an Interview or Negotiation,” by Brad Bitterly and Maurice E. Schweitzer
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