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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55589393607322605292010-09-08T21:03:47.687-04:00Ask a ManagerAsk a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.comBlogger837125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-28138519322308810702010-09-08T18:56:00.000-04:002010-09-08T18:56:57.097-04:00I'll be on the HR Happy Hour Thursday nightGuess what? I'm going to be the guest on Thursday night's episode of the <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/steve-boese/2010/09/10/hr-happy-hour--episode-64--ask-a-manager">HR Happy Hour</a>!<div><br /></div><div>What is the HR Happy Hour? It's a call-in show on Blog Talk Radio, which you can listen to online or download as a podcast later.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'll be talking with Steve Boese and Shauna Moerke and taking questions from people who call or email. </div><div><br /></div><div>The show is from 8 - 9 p.m. EST tomorrow night (Thursday, September 9). <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/steve-boese/2010/09/10/hr-happy-hour--episode-64--ask-a-manager">Join us here</a> -- and <a href="mailto:askamanager@gmail.com">send me your questions in advance </a>if there's something you'd like to hear me answer during the show.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-2813851932230881070?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-4639768151780709952010-09-08T11:55:00.006-04:002010-09-08T12:02:51.625-04:00a tale of post-interview feedback successA reader writes:<br /><br /><div></div><div><i>I just wanted to write in and thank you for the way that your blog has helped me in my (ongoing) job search. I have been looking for work after a summer spent travelling, and I had an application in that I was really excited about. The employer I'd be working for has a great reputation, I have lots of experience, etc. A week after I applied they emailed me and asked whether I was still interested, and what my desired salary would be. I wrote back and didn't hear from them for about a week and a half.<br /><br />Yesterday I received an email letting me know the position had just been filled.<br /><br />A bit disappointing! But thanks to you I knew that it's okay to ask for feedback as long as you're not a jerk about it, so I wrote back:<br /><blockquote>Thank you for letting me know; I appreciate it. I hope that things will work out well for Mr. X and his new staffer. </blockquote><blockquote>I know that I am not in a position to ask for favours, but if you have a moment to spare I would love some feedback. Is there anything in the way I present myself in my resume or cover letter whereby I shoot myself in the foot? Was my expected salary in a reasonable range, or should I adjust it? </blockquote><blockquote>Please do not feel obliged to answer these questions -- but if there is something you noticed, it will help me in my continuing job search and I would be most grateful.</blockquote> You can well imagine my delight when she replied with this:<br /><blockquote>You made it down to our top six out of more than 40 applicants. It was very impressive and you were about to be called for an interview. Within a day, however, three different contacts called us to endorse one particular applicant who had volunteered extensively for each of them. All three stated they would hire her themselves if a position had been available. Based on their assertions, and the fact that the applicant was only an hour away and was able to come to the office for an interview, Mr. X decided to move forward with her on a probationary term.</blockquote><blockquote>Again, your application was great, and you certainly did not shoot yourself in the foot. The circumstances just aligned themselves perfectly for another applicant.</blockquote><blockquote>I do wish you every success, and will absolutely be in touch with you should any other opportunities come up with our team.</blockquote>Hands down, that is the most encouraging rejection I've ever had -- and I'm glad to know that I didn't get passed over because I stink, but because someone else was perfect!<br /><br />Thank you for giving me the savvy to write an excellent resume and cover letter, and the courage to ask for more information. It's definitely paid off, and I'll be jumping back into my job search with renewed vigor.</i></div><div></div><div><br />Hooray! This is great to see.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is a good reminder about <a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2007/08/asking-for-feedback-after-job-rejection.html">asking for feedback</a> after a job rejection. Four things to remember when you do:</div><div><br /></div><div>1. Not every employer will give you feedback (some of the <a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2010/05/24/5-reasons-employers-dont-explain-why-you-werent-hired">reasons for that are here</a>), but you should not be discouraged by that or let it prevent you from trying in the future.</div><div><br /></div><div>2. When you ask, it's crucial that you not sound even slightly defensive or argumentative, or there's zero chance you'll get a candid answer. Note that in the letter above, it's very clear that the writer isn't objecting to the decision or feeling irked; she's asking for advice and assistance, and doing it in a way that's so engaging that any normal person would want to help her.</div><div><br />3. Related to that, I've received requests for feedback that sound like a form letter, or like the person is only asking because they've been told they should ask. The request above doesn't sound that way. It sounds genuine, shows personality, and underscores that there's a real person behind it. That helps.<br /><br /></div><div><div class="MsoNormal">4. Say thank you if you get a response. Giving feedback is not obligatory. If someone takes the time to help you, that person is doing you a favor. They'll notice if you don't thank them.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-463976815178070995?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-41098782470842792572010-09-07T12:28:00.000-04:002010-09-07T12:28:30.851-04:00how strictly should managers enforce company policies?A reader writes:<br /><br /><div><i>I recently started managing a department of approximately 15-20 people. I have found that there are a lot of rules and procedures in place but most are not being enforced. Obviously I've started to have all of these rules enforced or adjusted so what we are telling people to do matches what our written policies state.</i></div><div><i><br />The problem comes up regarding rules that are "company" rules but almost all departments don't follow them. (The rules not being enforced by other departments are things such as start times, breaks, accurate time sheets. You know, stuff that there is no reason not to enforce.)</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>My opinion is that I can only be responsible for the departments I'm in charge of and I need to enforce the rules as written. Part of me, however, asks why is it fair to enforce rules on my department that are obviously not being enforced by other departments. When employees point the blatant inequality in enforcing these rules, what is a good response other than the one I've been using: "I have no control over the management of the other departments, all I can do is fairly enforce the rules as written for the people in my department."</i></div><div><br /></div><div>I don't know enough about your business to state this definitively, but it's quite possible that you'd be a more effective manager if you were flexible on things like start times and breaks. (Not time sheets though; those need to be accurate.) For instance, if you have an employee who routinely works late and interrupts her weekend to handle work-related demands, do you really want to give her a hard time about being 15 minutes late? Answer: No, you probably don't, or you'll end up with employees who either (a) won't give you a minute more than they're scheduled for or (b) will leave and go somewhere that treats them like adults.</div><div><br /></div><div>(There are some exceptions to this. There are some jobs where it's truly crucial that people show up precisely on time. If that's the case, you need to talk to your employees about why that is, so they understand why you're going to be a stickler on that.)</div><div><br /></div><div>So there are two questions here: First, the question of what policies would be most effective, and second, the question of what to do if that's in conflict with what your company ostensibly requires. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you decide that the jobs you're supervising lend themselves to focusing on what results people are getting, and being more flexible on start times or break lengths, then you have to decide whether you want to (a) simply handle things the way you prefer, despite what the policy says, which is what other department managers seem to be doing, or (b) advocate with your own management for a more formal change to those policies.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm a big fan of bringing stuff like this to the surface and talking explicitly about where policies seem to be out of alignment with goals or practices, so I'd go with option B, personally. In this case, you'd say to your boss, "Hey, I've noticed that these policies on time of arrival and breaks are pretty loosely enforced, and that's my inclination as well, since I want to hold my people accountable for results, not whether they walked in the door a few minutes late. But since the policies are there in writing, I wanted to talk with you about how much flexibility I have in this area."</div><div><br /></div><div>On the other hand, if you determine that the policies are good ones and they're policies you'd implement for your staff even if they weren't company-wide rules, then you explain your reasons for that to your staff. But ideally you don't want to fall back on "these are the rules and that's the way it is." (And if you can't come up with compelling reasons beyond "these are the rules," that's a sign to go back to revisiting the value of the policies themselves.) </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-4109878247084279257?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-54258901438194938802010-09-06T20:21:00.004-04:002010-09-08T10:25:52.446-04:00do I have to wear pantyhose to an interview?<div>A reader writes:</div><div><br /></div><i>Perhaps my question is a bit trite, but do I have to wear pantyhose to an interview? I hate pantyhose. So much so that I haven't owned or worn any in at least 10 years. I usually just wear slacks to an interview, but I bought this killer new suit, and it has a skirt, so the issue has come up again in my life.</i><br /><div><br /></div><div>In general, no. But there <i>are</i> some industries -- fewer and fewer of them -- where women are still expected to wear pantyhose. Are you interviewing in a particularly conservative industry? If not, bare legs are fine these days. Go with a closed shoe though.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you're not sure if the office is particularly conservative or not, you could play it safe and err on the side of pantyhose. (Or you could decide that if they have a problem with you not being squeezed into waist-to-toe nylon, it's not the culture for you anyway.)</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-5425890143819493880?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-14909699041690164322010-09-06T11:34:00.001-04:002010-09-06T11:47:18.603-04:00update: boss expects slippers offered to herJust need to call your attention to this <a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2010/09/my-boss-acts-like-im-on-call-day-and.html?showComment=1283771817031#c1194725552975689901">update</a> left by <a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2010/09/my-boss-acts-like-im-on-call-day-and.html">the person whose boss treats her like she's on-call day and night</a>. The update itself is longer (and you can read it in full <a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2010/09/my-boss-acts-like-im-on-call-day-and.html?showComment=1283771817031#c1194725552975689901">here</a>), but it contains this gem about her boss:<br /><br /><i>Upon arrival each day, she dumps her purse, laptop, and shoes with the receptionist, then expects this person to have the slippers she wears in the office ready, and to carry her possessions up the stairs to her office, like a dog.</i><br /><br />I mean, this has crossed over to caricature and thus is almost awesome, if we want to judge on entertainment value.<br /><br />I wonder if your boss has a boss though.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-1490969904169016432?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-72912012322079198642010-09-04T13:15:00.000-04:002010-09-04T13:15:29.403-04:00new employee feels awkward and left outA reader writes:<br /><div><br /></div><div><i>My new job is about two months old. In that time, I have discovered that I love the job and the people, yet I feel left out because everyone in the office has a history (wonderful and friendly interpersonal connections). When they laugh and reminiscence with stories, I'm not quite sure what to do. If I am busy, I become more engrossed in the involved tasks. If I am currently not working on a project, I find something to do. Echoing the earlier email from the shy manager, I am also a shy individual. Therefore, I am concerned that I am providing an impression that I have an outlook about life and a personality which is contrary to theirs, when I do not.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>This dynamic when you start a new job and are surrounded by people who have a history together is hard if you're someone who's not naturally outgoing. It's like being the new kid at school.</div><div><br /></div><div>You don't feel comfortable jumping into an existing group, so try forming relationships one-on-one. Is there anyone there who you feel more of a connection with? Ask that person to get lunch or coffee with you. If you feel shy about making an overtly social overture, frame it as, "Now that I'm settling in, I'd love to get lunch with you and pick your brain about (fill in work topic)." Most people are flattered to be seen as a resource. (And if there isn't anyone there who you feel more of a connection with, ask whoever you work with most closely.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Don't be afraid to jump into group conversations, either. You say they reminisce with stories -- people usually love telling these stories to someone who hasn't heard them yet. You just need to indicate that you'd be interested, by saying something like, "That sounds funny. John got locked in the bathroom?" </div><div><br /></div><div>And one more tip: If your office has someone who seems to have taken on the role of social director -- someone who seems to arrange happy hours and lunches and so forth -- and if that person seems nice, they're a really good choice to be candid with. Tell them something like this: "I'm kind of shy but I'd love to get to know people here better." This type will often take you under their wing if they know you'd welcome it.</div><div><br /></div><div>What other suggestions do people have?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-7291201232207919864?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-3963694335560166222010-09-04T11:26:00.000-04:002010-09-04T11:26:34.944-04:00when should internships come off your resume?<div>A reader writes:</div><div><br /></div><i>When should internships come off your resume? I graduated a year ago and accepted a one-year, post-grad, entry-level position which ended recently and I am onto my second job since graduation. I was fortunate enough to intern with three really well known companies in my field during my undergrad years that are thought of as highly competitive. These internships clearly gave me in advantage in both post-grad positions.<br /><br />Now that I have finally settled into my first real job ( I don't consider the one-year post-grad program a real job since it was not permanent and was without benefits), when should I take off the internships from my resume? I do not plan on job searching any time soon, but I feel like if I were to ever part from my current job, my resume would really skimpy without those internships. Also since I work in the creative field, I have really refined projects from those internships in my portfolio. </i><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Will these positions simply age themselves out and no longer become relevant say 3 or 4 years or should they come off now that I am no longer seeking junior level work?</i></div><div><br /></div><div>The test is not whether you're seeking work at the same level as the internships were. If that were the case, no one would ever have anything on their resume except for their last job.</div><div><br /></div><div>The idea is that your resume shows the breadth and progression of your experience. If your internship experience is relevant to the jobs you're applying for, or if they help paint a picture of your career progression, or if your resume would seem sparse without them, they stay.</div><div><br /></div><div>They should come off only when you feel they no longer strengthen your candidacy or present a picture of who you are. That time is not now, as you only left the internship-period of your life a year ago. If I had to come up with a general rule to quantify it, I'd say that for most people that time will be somewhere between five and ten years after graduation.</div><div><br /></div><div>To make this more intuitive, think like an employer: Would you rather hire a candidate who appears to have only had one or two jobs, or someone who spent their time in college getting work experience too? At 35, what you did in college probably isn't going to matter that much. But when college was only a few years ago, it's still relevant.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-396369433556016622?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-32567800141819338332010-09-03T14:04:00.002-04:002010-09-03T14:04:13.842-04:00my manager wants to be my best friendA reader writes:<br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><i>I have great relationship with my manager and we used to be peers before she became my boss. When we were peers, we used to tell each other everything about our personal life outside work. The problem is she still wants me to tell her everything that I do in my personal life, like how I spent my weekends/ days off, etc. And then she likes to advise me on how to handle all my personal problems like she would on my professional problems. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>As I said, she is a great manager but I am becoming less and less comfortable working for her since she likes to be involved in every aspect of my life. It's like having a second mom at work! I have been trying to distance myself from her but she gets really upset when she finds out that I have been holding back.</i></div><i>She and I have the same set of friends, we play on same sport team and she is my friend on every social networking site! It's really hard to avoid her!</i><br /><div><i><br />I am looking for a new job, but in the meanwhile, can you suggest anything that will help the situation without offending her?</i></div><div><br /></div><div>You have two options: (1) Be straightforward and explain to her exactly why the relationship needs to be different now, or (2) Let her go on complaining that you don't involve her in your personal life like you used to, and just ignore her complaints, while not giving in. I'd do #1, but if you're not especially comfortable with that, #2 is a viable option. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you decide to be straightforward, the next time she gets upset that you've been "holding back," tell her: "Jane, you're right that I'm not sharing the sorts of things with you that I used to. Now that you're my manager, our relationship needs to change. I think you're a great manager and I love working with you, but it changes the boundaries from what we used to have. The fact is, it's your job now to evaluate my work and we're inherently on unequal footing. I am 100% comfortable with that, but it does mean that we can't be friends in the way that we used to. You're going to have things you can't tell me, or may need to make decisions that impact me. And I'm going to be more comfortable getting feedback from someone who isn't a big part of my personal life. Plus, I don't want it to appear to others that I might get special treatment from you because we're friends."</div><div><br /></div><div>Since you do think she's a good boss, emphasize that: "I think you're a great boss. I'm really happy for you that you got this promotion. But we can't avoid the fact that our relationship will need to evolve along with it."</div><div><br /></div><div>If you can't stomach this conversation -- or think she'll react badly and hold it against you -- your other option is to just enforce the boundary without explicitly getting into your reasons. Be busy with work when she tries to talk to you in the office, or just be vague when she asks you about your personal life. But if she's getting upset because she's finding out from mutual friends that there are things going on in your life that you didn't share with her, you may find yourself with no choice than to spell it out at some point anyway.</div><div><br /></div><div>And for anyone who thinks they can manage a friend and still keep a close friendship: You can't, or at least you can't without risking some pretty major dysfunction developing. (<a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2009/06/08/7-reasons-you-wont-want-to-manage-a-friend.html">Read this article</a> where I explain why.)</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-3256780014181933833?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-42196201386904617272010-09-03T10:00:00.003-04:002010-09-05T00:24:38.859-04:00last day to get How to Get a Job at 40% offThis is the last salesy post, I promise -- just a quick note to tell you that today is the <b>final day</b> to get <a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-how-to-get-job-ebook-is-here.html">How to Get a Job: Secrets of a Hiring Manager</a> at the 40% discount. At midnight EST tonight, the price will go up to $24.95, so if you want it, now's the time to get it. You'll also get <a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2010/09/want-some-free-webinars.html">two free recorded webinars</a>.<br /><br /><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> <a class="ec_ejc_thkbx" href="https://www.e-junkie.com/ecom/gb.php?c=cart&i=800897&cl=129119&ejc=2" onclick="javascript:return EJEJC_lc(this);" target="ej_ejc"><img alt="Add to Cart" border="0" src="http://www.e-junkie.com/ej/ej_add_to_cart.gif" /></a></div><div><br />And this ends our week of me being salesy. A new, regular post coming within a few hours!</div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-4219620138690461727?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-79152442616559197062010-09-02T13:36:00.004-04:002010-09-05T00:25:42.963-04:00want some free webinars?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RH99nm6F1JA/TH_g-ZIcbVI/AAAAAAAAAZM/aTTc3rxuNlU/s1600/bonus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RH99nm6F1JA/TH_g-ZIcbVI/AAAAAAAAAZM/aTTc3rxuNlU/s320/bonus.jpg" /></a></div><br />Exciting update! My ebook, <a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-how-to-get-job-ebook-is-here.html">How to Get a Job: Secrets of a Hiring Manager</a>, now comes with two free bonuses:<br /><blockquote>1. one hour-long webinar -- me talking about job-searching, including 30 minutes of Q&A with the audience</blockquote><blockquote>2. an additional hour-long webinar -- me doing another hour of Q&A on job-searching</blockquote><div>(These are both mp3 audio files, playable on your computer, ipod, or any mp3 player.)<br /><br /><b>So you get the book, plus two hours of additional webinar content, all for the discounted sale price of $14.95 (a 40% discount). But that discount only lasts through tomorrow, so if you want it, buy it now!</b></div><div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"> <a class="ec_ejc_thkbx" href="https://www.e-junkie.com/ecom/gb.php?c=cart&i=800897&cl=129119&ejc=2" onclick="javascript:return EJEJC_lc(this);" target="ej_ejc"><img alt="Add to Cart" border="0" src="http://www.e-junkie.com/ej/ej_add_to_cart.gif" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div><div>(Also: If you've already purchased the book, I'll be sending you these free bonuses too. Watch for them in your email later today.)</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-7915244261655919706?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-45190070595141248252010-09-01T20:31:00.002-04:002010-09-01T20:36:10.353-04:00my boss acts like I'm on-call day and night<div>In response to an <a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2010/08/calling-coworker-at-1030-pm-while.html">earlier post</a> about calling coworkers at night or over the weekend, I wrote that (a) it can be okay if you know they're fine with it, which some people are, (b) you should avoid doing it if you're a manager, even if you know/think they're fine with it, because most people will be less comfortable telling you "no," and (c) it's never okay if you're not sure where they stand on receiving such calls, unless it's an extreme emergency. One commenter wrote this in response:</div><div><br /></div><i>While I agree with everyone who said "just don't pick up," what about working with coworkers and managers who just don't get that? My boss and a coworker (who has been with my boss for a long time and modeled his behavior after hers) have a nasty habit of calling at ALL HOURS. I've gotten calls at 3 a.m. on a Friday, midnight on a Tuesday, 6 a.m. on a Wednesday, you name it. And if you don't pick up, they just keep on calling and calling until you do! In fact, I once had to field calls from my boss, who was in a complete tizzy, one weekend day when the part-time employee who I supervise wasn't picking up his phone, despite the fact it was his day off. Turns out he'd gone to the beach, again as it was his day off, and his phone was out of range -- but our boss was livid (how dare he not pick up).<br /><br />It's never an emergency, but the culture in my office is EVERYTHING is urgent. Seriously -- I was lectured once because, after working till 9 p.m. I mentioned to my boss that I was glad we'd finished that project, even if we had to stay so late, because I was hosting a Thanksgiving dinner at my house the next day (a weekend). And she asked me what made me think I could have a party on a weekend -- she might need me.<br /><br />Same goes for vacation: I was on unpaid leave at home when my grandmother died, and received almost hourly emails, texts and calls. When I was unable to answer or reply, as I was in the hospital while she was dying unable to use my cell, I was berated for having my priorities out of wack. However, god help the person who calls my boss on her weekends or vacations: even if we need approvals from her to continue the work, if we interupt her we're going to be screamed at.<br /><br />So my question for all of you: if office culture is so important, how does one change it? </i><br /><div><br /></div><div>There are two different issues here: the question of how to change an office culture, and the question of your crazy, out-of-line boss.</div><div><br /></div><div>Because let's be clear: Your boss is completely, 100% over the line, unreasonable, deluded, and a jerk. You were berated for having your priorities out of whack when a family member was dying? You were told that you couldn't have a party over a weekend because she "might" need you? What is this job exactly, member of the president's cabinet? </div><div><br /></div><div>Did you knowingly sign up for this? When you were hired, were you told that you'd be expected to be on-call 24-7? I'm betting not. This is not reasonable. This is not even <i>approaching</i> reasonable.</div><div><br /></div><div>You know, some bosses really don't understand how this is supposed to work because no one has ever taught them that it's not okay, and it's possible to get through to them if you approach it correctly. And if that were the case here, I would advise talking with her and explaining that the vast majority of people need to have actual time off, time that's your own, time when you'll only be contacted by work if it's a true emergency (and make sure you define what that is). And that your company will have trouble retaining good employees in the long-run if they deny them this type of quality of life, because what good person with options wouldn't rather go somewhere that respects her personal life? Some bosses do respond to this conversation, especially if it comes from someone with high value to the company and/or influence.</div><div><br /></div><div>But her problems go beyond that kind of naivete and bad judgment -- because she's also a jerk. And thus, while you could attempt this conversation, my expectations are not high that it will get you anywhere. She is a tyrant, and she's likely a tyrant in other areas too, not just this one. So my advice is to get the hell out. Start looking for an employer who understands that your paycheck does not buy your life, and that treating people badly is not a long-term strategy for success.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, on the more general question of how one can change office culture: It can be done, but it's really hard. It requires a serious commitment from people at the top of the organization, or at least from someone in a key leadership role with a lot of credibility and influence, and even then it's hard. When the culture you want to change is really the boss, the odds are so against you that I would again say to leave and find somewhere that operates in a way more aligned with your values. I know it's easier said than done, but once you do it, you'll wonder why you ever waited.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-4519007059514124825?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-52439649016905640462010-09-01T10:00:00.002-04:002010-09-05T00:26:30.580-04:00I'm extending the special sales price on How to Get a Job until Friday<a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-how-to-get-job-ebook-is-here.html" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RH99nm6F1JA/THxW3Xwt4nI/AAAAAAAAAYk/pZleTyZQTtU/s200/howtogetajobcover.jpg" width="171" /></a>By request, I'm extending the special sales price on my new e-book, <b><i><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-how-to-get-job-ebook-is-here.html">How to Get a Job: Secrets of a Hiring Manager</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">,</span></i></b> through Friday. <b>It'll stay at $14.95 -- a 40% discount -- until the end of the day Friday.</b><br /><br />By the way, a few people have asked me to explain e-books. You don't need a Kindle or an "e-book reader" to read it. It'll come to you in a PDF, so you can read it on your computer, your phone, or anywhere else you read files.<br /><br />And I don't want you to feel this purchase is a risk, so I'm offering a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee.<br /><br />In this book, I set out to give you an inside look at a hiring manager's brain, so that you can have an insider helping you every step of the way through your job search. You can read the <a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-how-to-get-job-ebook-is-here.html">whole description of the book here</a>, or buy it here:<br /> <a class="ec_ejc_thkbx" href="https://www.e-junkie.com/ecom/gb.php?c=cart&i=800897&cl=129119&ejc=2" onclick="javascript:return EJEJC_lc(this);" target="ej_ejc"><img alt="Add to Cart" border="0" src="http://www.e-junkie.com/ej/ej_add_to_cart.gif" /></a><br /><br />And last note before we return to our regular programming -- I want your feedback, so please let me know how you like it!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-5243964901690564046?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-64315458854936035732010-08-31T22:30:00.002-04:002010-08-31T22:30:00.743-04:00in rejecting job candidates, should I mention we selected an internal candidate?A reader writes:<br /><div><br /></div><div><i>In notifying candidates (who were interviewed) that they were not chosen, do you think it's better or worse to let them know that we've selected an internal candidate for the position?</i></div><div><br /></div><div>I'd come down on the side of more information being better than less information. Job seekers so infrequently hear <i>anything</i> from companies they've interviewed with, and I think if given the choice, most people would prefer to hear more rather than less about the reason they didn't get the job.</div><div><br /></div><div>That said, it's worth noting that some job seekers get upset when they hear that the <a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2010/06/why-do-companies-post-positions-when.html">job went to an internal candidate</a>, because they figure that you were planning to hire that person all along and just wasted their time. (Which, I want to note, is not always the case.)</div><div><br /></div><div>But on the flip side of that, some job seekers will feel like this is a rejection that doesn't really reflect on them, which they will appreciate.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, I think as a general rule, more feedback is better than less, so I'd include it.<br /><br />What do other people think -- would you want that info included in a rejection letter you received? Or would you wish they'd gone with something vaguer? </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-6431545885493603573?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-55144839412558806732010-08-31T11:07:00.007-04:002010-09-05T00:27:24.359-04:00My How to Get a Job ebook is here!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RH99nm6F1JA/THxW3Xwt4nI/AAAAAAAAAYk/pZleTyZQTtU/s1600/howtogetajobcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RH99nm6F1JA/THxW3Xwt4nI/AAAAAAAAAYk/pZleTyZQTtU/s200/howtogetajobcover.jpg" width="171" /></a></div><br />I threatened to do it, and now it's done: an e-book crammed full of all my thoughts on how to get a job.<br /><br />If you've ever wished that you could look into the brain of a hiring manager to find out what you need to do to get hired, this guide is for you.<br /><br />Inside, I give you step-by-step help through every stage of your job search, explaining at each step what a hiring manager is thinking and what they want to see from you.<br /> <a class="ec_ejc_thkbx" href="https://www.e-junkie.com/ecom/gb.php?c=cart&i=800897&cl=129119&ejc=2" onclick="javascript:return EJEJC_lc(this);" target="ej_ejc"><img alt="Add to Cart" border="0" src="http://www.e-junkie.com/ej/ej_add_to_cart.gif" /></a><br />You'll learn things like:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><ul><li>what hiring managers are looking for when they ask common interview questions</li><li>how to talk about sensitive issues when you interview -- firings, bad bosses, "overqualification," and more</li><li>how to avoid companies that aren't a good fit</li><li>6 ways you might be sabotaging your job search</li><li>2 ways you can turn rejection to your advantage</li></ul>If you put the advice in this guide into action, I think you'll find your job search goes differently.<br /><br />In fact, read what people have said about the interviewing video and companion guide I released a few weeks ago:<br /><blockquote><style="font-family: courier="" new';"=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"This morning my husband had an interview. I bugged him for over a week about watching your video and he ignored me. Yesterday, I twisted his arm and finally got him to watch it. He liked the advice so much he watched it a second time. He really took it seriously and followed all of the advice you gave ... He just called me to tell me the interview was done and that it had been the best interview he had ever had." -- Kim J. </span></style="font-family:></blockquote><blockquote><style="font-family: courier="" new';"=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"When I first got to the interview and saw the interview questions (they had them written out for me), I thought they had taken their questions right from your guide! ... The fact that I had spent time thinking about my current job and how it relates to the job I had applied for, and about my work and areas that are strong vs areas that need improvement, really helped me in the interview. I didn't ramble as much as I normally do, I was able to present my strengths clearly and my weaknesses in as good of a light as possible, and I was happy to have a couple good questions for the interviewers at the end. No matter what happens, I am really glad I had your guide to help me through the process. Thank you again!" -- Becky N.</span></style="font-family:></blockquote>Still not sure? I'm offering a no-questions-asked <b>30-day money-back guarantee,</b> because I don't want you to feel any risk.<br /><br /><b>For a very short time, my new e-book is available for 40% off! </b>You can buy it today for $14.95 -- but it'll go up to full price in just two days.<br /><br />Get your copy of How to Get a Job: Secrets of a Hiring Manager now!<br /><br /> <a class="ec_ejc_thkbx" href="https://www.e-junkie.com/ecom/gb.php?c=cart&i=800897&cl=129119&ejc=2" onclick="javascript:return EJEJC_lc(this);" target="ej_ejc"><img alt="Add to Cart" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_RH99nm6F1JA/THxgUUsFUGI/AAAAAAAAAY0/5JS_SbmYT0o/s1600/buy-now.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><b>Update</b>: For those of you who have asked: It's a straight PDF (no Kindle or ebook reader is required).<div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-5514483941255880673?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-51353509488578728652010-08-30T18:19:00.003-04:002010-08-30T18:21:16.014-04:00the e-book is coming .... tomorrow!Remember when I asked how you'd feel about a massive guide crammed so full of my advice on how to get a job that you'd never want or need to hear another word from me?<br /><div><br /></div><div>It's coming tomorrow!</div><div><br /></div><div>Basically, if you want me to be your tour guide all through your job search, this is the book for you. You'll have me on your shoulder throughout your whole search, whether you want me there or not.</div><div><br /></div><div>It'll launch here at 10 a.m. EST tomorrow, at a specially discounted price for the first two days.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also, thank you to everyone who entered the <a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2010/08/win-free-copy-of-upcoming-ask-manager-e.html">contest</a> to win a free copy! The winners -- who I've contacted individually as well -- are:<br />Chris F. Joe K.</div><div>Johanna K. Kirk B.<br />Mike K. Pink P.</div><div><br /></div><div>E-book! Hooray!</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-5135350948857872865?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-11407592799967356982010-08-30T15:11:00.002-04:002010-08-30T15:12:34.994-04:00when customers speak to each other in a foreign languageA reader writes:<br /><br /><i>I would like your feedback on a common occurrence in our store. Sometimes a couple of customers will walk in whose native language is other than English. However, these customers do speak English quite well but choose to speak in the other language while they are being directly waited on by our employees. If they are trying on merchandise while we are right beside them to check fit, etc., more often than not they will “consult” their friend/family first (in the other language) before they tell us what they think, even though they are perfectly capable of expressing themselves to me, and anyone else, in English.<br /><br />I find this behavior quite rude and at times like this I am ready to walk away until they are ready to converse in English. Of course, I instead stand there, gently prodding the customer in English in an attempt to understand what else I need to do to serve them. Although I feel irritated regarding the seeming rudeness, I find myself mostly frustrated that I cannot help our customer to the best of my ability because I don’t understand their language.<br /><br />What is the best course of action to do in these situations? If you can address this in your blog I would be much obliged.</i><br /><div><br /></div><div>Um, they're your customers, not people who are there to socialize with you, right? They're considering patronizing your business? I suggest letting them speak to each other in whatever language they're most comfortable in, and assuming that if they need something from you, they'll let you know in English.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-1140759279996735698?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-35644830333933660682010-08-27T14:20:00.001-04:002010-08-27T14:29:12.757-04:00calling a coworker at 10:30 p.m. while they're on vacationA reader writes:<br /><div><br /><i>My husband called a co-worker Tuesday night after 10:30 pm and talked until almost midnight about business. This person was also on vacation. This was not an emergency call and I feel, regardless of whether the co-worker kept the communication going, that my husband was out of bounds in making this call. Please advise.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>It totally depends on the culture of your husband's workplace.</div><div><br /></div><div>At some offices, this would be beyond the pale. At others, this wouldn't be particularly strange (especially, for example, at a lot of start-ups). </div><div><br /></div><div>At my last job, many people would do some work from home at odd hours of the night (including me). I had one coworker who I knew often worked late at night, and sometimes he and I would find ourselves exchanging work-related emails at 11 p.m. and finally he'd suggest we jump on the phone to get something resolved faster. (I never suggested it, because as a manager, I didn't want to make anyone feel pressured to give up their nights that way. But if an employee initiated it, it was fine with me.) But that was just our culture, and it was the two of us in particular -- there were other employees who I never heard from after 6 p.m., and that was just fine too.</div><div><br /></div><div>As for the vacation element, again it depends on culture. Sometimes I go on vacation and make it clear that this is a "don't bother me unless someone dies" type of vacation. Other times, I want to get away but know that my workload at that point means that the only way I can do it is if I remain available by phone -- and in those cases, I'm willing to make the trade-off of getting to fly off somewhere fun in exchange for remaining available for phone calls.</div><div><br /></div><div>And there are certainly people who enjoy their work so much that they <i>want</i> to stay in touch while they're away. I've been that person myself, and I've worked at places like that; they do exist!</div><div><br /></div><div>So it really depends on the workplace culture, and the preferences of specific people involved. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, despite all that, if your husband had no basis for knowing that this coworker would be fine with a 10:30 p.m. work call, then yes, it was inappropriate. And even if that's not the case, if your husband has any authority over this coworker, he should be sensitive to the fact that the guy might not feel comfortable saying, "Hey, it's getting late and I'm on vacation. We need to wrap this up." Or even, "Hey, this is my vacation. Stop calling me! We'll talk when I'm back." </div><div><br /></div><div>In general, people in positions of authority should bend over backwards to be respectful of people's off time, to encourage people to take "real" vacations, and to make it clear that working odd hours is truly 100% optional. So your husband's role in relation to the coworker is relevant.</div><div><br /></div><div>But some people really do like working at odd hours. Some people do not. The question is where this guy stands.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-3564483033393366068?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-50289983404130274522010-08-26T19:47:00.004-04:002010-08-26T22:02:12.814-04:00why long-distance job searching sucks and what you can do about it<div>A reader writes:</div><div><i><br /></i></div><i>I am looking for a position in another city. I am applying for positions that I am well qualified for and would easily be asked for an interview if I was local. However it seems I keep getting turned away because I am out of state. I have stated in my cover letter that of course I will pay for all relocation costs but this does not seem like it is enough. Why I am not given a chance at these positions? It is quite frustrating. Any advice?</i><br /><div><br /></div><div>You've got to keep in mind that even local job-searching is really hard right now. In fact, I'm not so sure that you can assume that these are positions you "would easily be asked" to interview for if you were local -- not because I know anything about your qualifications, but because no one is having an easy time getting interviews right now, local or not.</div><br />But yes, the bar can be higher if you're not local -- although it really depends on the position. For entry-level jobs, a lot of employers will focus only on local candidates because there's no shortage of good ones, but for higher-level positions, most companies will consider non-locals. (And the higher level you go, the more that's assumed.) Are there some that won't? Of course, just like you can find some companies using other bad hiring practices too, but that doesn't mean they're the majority.<br /><div><div><br />(That said, if I were choosing between two great candidates who were equally qualified in every way and I needed a deal-breaker, I'd go with the local person over the long-distance person -- because (a) they can generally start sooner and (b) if it ended up not working out, I'd feel a lot less guilty firing someone who didn't move for the job. But it's rare that two people are really so equally qualified.)<br /><br /></div><div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">In any case, there are a few things non-local job-seekers can do that will help:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">* State in your cover letter that you are planning to move to to the area soon (and possibly explain why, if your reasons are ones you’re willing to share, as that can make employers more comfortable moving forward with an out-of-state applicant). For instance, you might say, “I am in the process of planning a relocation to California to join my partner” or whatever your reason is. State explicitly that you don’t need relocation assistance.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">* On your resume, list your contact info like this:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">Joe Smith<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">Relocating in October to Seattle<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">(555) 555-1212<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">jsmith@email.com<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">But overall, keep in mind that the job market really sucks right now. Being long-distance does make it harder, but you've also got to factor in that a lot of good people aren't getting interviews right at home either.</div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-5028998340413027452?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-82783565791596081442010-08-26T11:05:00.002-04:002010-08-26T11:06:26.617-04:00should this job-seeker take out a newspaper ad to promote himself?A reader writes:<br /><div><br /></div><div><i>I am thinking about trying to find a way to get myself advertised in a local newspaper. It would be either taking out an ad or finding another way within an opinion section or something of that sort. In this ad I would try to sell myself to local businesses with the hope that someone would read it and be impressed with my very broad background and maybe give me a chance. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>I know it sounds a little crazy but I was fired 10 months ago for refusing to lie to my customer to speed up the process of implementing changes in their software. I have been asked why I left my last job enough now that I am comfortable discussing it in an interview but I am noticing now that companies seem to be a little concerned with the 10-month and growing gap that is on my resume. I know this was my fault for not finding some type of volunteer work to do to fill the gap on my resume, but I also did not intend on being unemployed for such a long time.<br /><br />I have created an anonymous email address that would be my only point of contact in the ad, just in case the entire thing backfires on me. Would this make me look too desperate? Is this a crazy idea? Would you send an email to a "hire me" ad that you saw in a local newspaper? </i><br /><i><br /></i></div><div>Personally, it's very unlikely that I'd respond to a "hire me" newspaper ad, but then I don't like anything that feels salesy or gimmicky. I suppose that if (a) the person had the skill set and track record of achievement that I was looking for <i>and</i> (b) the ad really came across as professional, not like a stunt, I might -- but my skepticism is very high because I've never seen this done in a way that both (a) and (b) were true.</div><div><br /></div><div>That said, not every employer would have that reaction. There are certainly stories of people who have made inroads with less-traditional tactics like this, like this <a href="http://www.wisn.com/r/18942009/detail.html">billboard guy</a> or <a href="http://www.mediabistro.com/mediajobsdaily/job_search/guy_gets_a_job_for_6_161377.asp">this guy</a>. I think to pull it off, though, you'd need to have really impressive skills and experience -- otherwise you're just grabbing attention without the needed substance to take it anywhere.</div><div><br /></div><div>But I think a bigger point here is that since you're getting interviews, the problem that you're having isn't that you're not grabbing employers' attention initially -- it's closing the deal once you're in the interview. And I suspect the problem isn't the 10-month gap at all, since that's not stopping them from wanting to interview you. (Plus, that sort of gap is very common these days.) It might be far more fruitful to figure out if the real problem is something that's going on in your interviews.</div><div><br /></div><div>What do others think?</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-8278356579159608144?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-32741265015456064182010-08-25T16:36:00.002-04:002010-08-25T17:21:39.572-04:00stupid hiring practices: being a condescending jerkA lovely anonymous <a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2010/08/can-you-be-good-manager-if-youre-shy.html?showComment=1282754069580#c9130530641822527055">commenter</a> pointed out an outrageous <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704684604575381010512997300.html?KEYWORDS=Shortcut+to+Spot+Best+Hires">article</a> in the <i>Wall St. Journal</i>, headlined "Resume Overload? A Shortcut to Spot Best Hires."<br /><div><br /></div><div>In the article, the author -- a small business owner -- writes that when managers are inundated with resumes, they're left with "no clue as to how to cull through them all to select the best people." (Problem #1, but we'll get to that in a minute.) He writes:</div><blockquote>For years I've used a special filtering technique to avoid this problem. My secret? In the ad (about three-quarters of the way down) I tell the applicants, "To prove that you're a meticulous reader, you have to include the following sentence when you send your resume: 'It is with my utmost respect I hereto surrender my curriculum vitae for your consideration.'"</blockquote>His theory is that "including the sentence shows the applicant has read the entire ad and knows what the job entails and if they're qualified to fill it," screens out people who are just applying to everything they see, shows they pay attention to detail, and shows they follow directions.<br /><div><br />Of course, it's also insulting and will drive away most good applicants, who don't want to work for an employer that treats them with condescension. ("My utmost respect"? "Hereto surrender"? Really?) And it betrays a complete lack of knowledge about how to hire good people -- which I suspect affects the rest of his hiring process too, once people jump through this condescending little hoop.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you want to ensure that job applicants read your ad, aren't just resume-bombing, and pay attention to directions, there's a much less insulting method that achieves this: Ask them to include a cover letter that specifically addresses some relevant point, such as why they're interested in working for your company in particular, or why they'd excel at some specific aspect of the job. That will give you information you can actually use in evaluating their application, rather than forcing them to write a sentence that is just plain embarrassing.</div><div><br /></div><div>And then, <i>learn to hire</i>.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you're feeling clueless about how to screen candidates and select the right people, that is a sign that you need to expend some effort learning how to hire well. There are books, classes, mentors -- tons of resources that can teach you strategies to cull through applicants and identify the people best suited to the role you're hiring for. Effective hiring has nothing to do with gimmicks like this.</div><div><br /></div><div>(Also, as a petty little side note now that I'm on a roll, I doubt he really wants a curriculum vitae; he wants a resume. He's just being pompous.)</div><div><br /></div><div>The only bright side to this guy's strategy is that job-seekers can be grateful that he's so proactively outing himself as an ass, before they spend any time applying to work with him.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-3274126501545606418?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-42013600151856121472010-08-24T17:37:00.003-04:002010-08-24T17:38:39.045-04:00can you be a good manager if you're shy?A reader writes:<br /><div><br /></div><div><i>I'm shy. Sometimes people misinterpret this as aloofness or snobbery. Being outgoing and making friends with everyone I meet has never been a part of my personality. I just have a hard time making casual conversation (which is necessary for good relationships with coworkers), and I have a hard time in difficult/important professional conversations (which are necessary for good relationships with supervisors, AVPs, and troublesome clients). When it comes to work issues, I have plenty to talk about. When it comes to interacting with our clients it's also not a big deal--it is strange, but it feels like when I'm at work I put on my work hat. With my "work hat" on, I don't even stress about the interactions it just happens. But once I'm put into a more relaxed, social situation, I quickly run out of things to say....(at work anyways, with personal friends, this is not an issue).<br /><br />At the same time, being shy has given me great strengths--I'm a fantastic listener, great attention to detail, I'm very focused, and great at observing other professional/political relationships and seeing where tensions and compromises exist.<br /><br />What I'm wondering is, do you think that "shy" managers can succeed? To succeed do they need to totally overcome their shyness? Or do you think there is a way that I can work on the weaknesses pointed out above, and emphasize the strengths shyness has given me? I was asked 'where I want to go within the organization' after just 6 months of constant praise, and zipping through training that was supposed to take a whole year. I've already come a long way here, in my first professional job out of college--although I should add that I'm a late-twenties grad and I had 3 years of part-time experience as a student worker. My supervisor told me that she and her bosses recognize my potential and success, and they want to start molding and mentoring me for either mangement, or a higher technical/professional position, depending on my interests. I'm excited, surprised, and scared!! I'd love to try for management, I'd love to take on the challenege, but I'm concerned that my shyness would interfere with my ability to be successful.</i> </div><div><br /></div><div>This is a great question.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't think that shyness and being a good manager are mutually exclusive, as long as the shyness isn't cripplingly strong.</div><div><br /></div><div>You say that you're generally comfortable with interaction as long as it's "work," but once it's a social situation, you get more shy. I think that's workable -- although you should be very sensitive to the fact that your employees might interpret your shyness in social situation as aloofness, and you should think about whether you can say/do things to counteract it. But in general, I think most employees care a lot more about whether their manager is fair, effective, and transparent than whether she comes to happy hour.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's not to say that forming personal bonds doesn't help. But I think you'll find you form personal bonds through the act of working closely with people regardless, even if you never talk about life outside work. And frankly, most people respect their boss more when she keeps a clear boundary up between work and non-work anyway.</div><div><br /></div><div>The one thing you wrote that potentially worries me is that you have trouble in difficult or important professional conversations. There are a ton of these sorts of conversations as a manager -- talking to someone about performance concerns, firing someone, responding to someone's request for a raise, giving feedback in general, delivering the news that a project hasn't been approved, and just generally being assertive about various needs. It's crucial to be able to do these conversations well, and they're ones that you don't want to hide behind email for.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, <i>everyone</i> feels weird when they're first on the manager side of these conversations. Almost no one feels comfortable with them right off the bat; I think it takes most new managers close to a year to stop feeling weird about them, so you shouldn't assume that your discomfort at this prospect signals that you'd never be good at it.</div><div><br /></div><div>But you do want to think really realistically about whether this is something you can see yourself getting comfortable with over time. You might surprise yourself that you're able to handle these just fine when your "work hat" is on. (Also, it's worth noting that these types of conversations are all about being effective and getting results, which I suspect is a motivator for you -- so maybe seeing them through that lens would help.) However, if you would dread these conversations, put them off, and suck at them when you finally had them -- even after practice -- management might not be the right direction. Because you do need to have those conversations, and if you put them off, you'll do your staff a disservice. </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't know how successfully you can predict how you'd handle these sorts of conversations until you're actually in the role, so one possibility would be to ease yourself in slowly, by starting out managing an intern or leading a team on a project, and see how that goes.</div><div><div><br /></div></div><div>It would also be ideal if you were able to find a mentor to talk over these sorts of conversations with -- how do you do them, what do they sound like -- and even practice them out loud with. And since your managers sound so supportive, it might be worth talking over these issues with them too.</div><div><br /></div><div>By the way, the strengths you described are very important ones -- being perceptive about other people is a huge advantage as a manager. And so is self-awareness, which you clearly have.</div><div><br /></div><div>P.S. I wouldn't say that I'm shy per se, but I'm definitely introverted and I've found that managing has made me more comfortable talking to strangers and dealing with unfamiliar social situations. Being forced to interview countless strangers and have countless awkward managerial conversations has left me feeling comfortable talking to pretty much anyone about anything at this point, which was not the case a decade ago. So there's something to be said for just jumping in and forcing yourself to swim, if you don't think doing so will cause you or your future managees significant pain.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-4201360015185612147?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-46116147384665150792010-08-24T14:06:00.003-04:002010-08-24T14:07:28.720-04:00yet one more random thingI just phone-interviewed someone who's a regular blog reader! Apparently my voice sounds nothing like people to expect it to sound. I wonder what people think I will sound like -- very gruff, I'm guessing. (The truth is that I sound like a 13-year-old girl, I'm sorry to say.)<br /><br />I told her about how when I first shed my anonymity, after about a year of blogging anonymously, a bunch of people were shocked because they'd thought from my writing that I was a man.<br /><br />I find this all fascinating.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-4611614738466515079?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-15526999438032432412010-08-24T11:53:00.000-04:002010-08-24T11:53:42.594-04:00four random things1. I <a href="http://youshouldonlyknow.com/2010/08/advice-on-getting-advice-guest-post-from-ask-a-manager/">guest-posted</a> a few days ago over at You Should Only Know. Complaining about ingrates. Also, her whole blog is awesome; check it out.<br /><br />2. If you're job-searching, check your spam folder. This is my <a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2009/10/job-searching-check-your-spam-folder.html">annual announcement</a>.<br /><br />3. It's really not a good idea to use my <a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2007/06/what-does-good-cover-letter-look-like_13.html">sample cover letter</a> as your own. Especially if you're applying for a job that's I'm doing the hiring for. I'm going to recognize it. This has happened twice now! That thing is there for illustration purposes only.<br /><br />4. Did I mention something exciting is coming?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-1552699943803243241?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-83953396801366172442010-08-24T00:53:00.000-04:002010-08-24T00:53:29.880-04:00something is coming...Something is coming, and it is so very, very awesome!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-8395339680136617244?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-37233862050805003302010-08-23T23:11:00.000-04:002010-08-23T23:11:38.223-04:00more danger signs when you're interviewing for a jobA reader writes:<div><br /></div><div><i>Can you give some advice to first-time job-seekers on how to verify the legitimacy of companies posting job opportunities?<br /><br />I recently was blindsided by being hired into a company that lacked any sort of professionalism or integrity. Although I've gracefully dealt with an entry-level customer service position for two years, I walked out of this job in tears after six hours. In hindsight, there were many red flags -- the job description was minimal, the interviewer didn't ask me any personality-based questions, there was no "about us" section or mission statement on their website. When I went in to work, they made me do telemarketing with only 20 minutes of training, treated me with disdain and fired me on the first day for not understanding a system no one had taught me.<br /><br />Are there other potential "red flags" that new job seekers should be aware of during the application and interviewing process? I'm just glad I had given two weeks' notice at my first job and was able to get my position back. Those before me might not have been so lucky.<br /><br />If there are obvious warning signs job seekers like me should be aware of, let us know! Too many people are so desperate for jobs these days that we'll take anything, even if our gut instinct is telling us something's wrong.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Listening to your gut is probably the most important one. But of course, when you're new to the work world, it can be hard for your gut to know if something is off or not.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've written before about <a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com/2007/12/danger-signs-when-youre-interviewing.html">danger signs</a> when you're interviewing for a job. In that post we covered flakiness, taking forever to get back to you, not bothering to tell you when a timeline changes (although that one's alarmingly common), high turnover, and zero turnover. Let's add to that list:</div><div><br /></div><div>* Are they rude or inconsiderate? Do they treat you like you're an unwelcome interruption? Do they ask you to do inconvenient things, such as interviewing on just a few hours notice, without acknowledging or apologizing for the inconvenience?</div><div><br /></div><div>* Do they seem totally uninterested in making sure <i>you</i> get to know <i>them</i> and that you have a solid understanding of what the job entails? </div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">* Are they unfriendly? If they don't seem like people you'd want to work with, pay attention to that. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">* Do you feel like they're trying to sell you something? Are they painting a picture of a job that sounds way too good to be true? Smart employers will be honest not just about the upsides of a job, but also about the downsides. Employers who try to downplay the less attractive aspects of the job—such as boring work or long hours—end up with employees who don't want to be there. Look for truth in advertising.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">* Are they resistant or vague when you ask questions about the details of the job offer, such as precisely what their pay structure is or how training will work?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">* What are others saying about them on the Internet? Search for their company name plus the word "scam" or "complaints" and see what you find.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">What would you guys add to this list?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><!--EndFragment--> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><p></p>
<font size="2"><a href="http://askamanager.blogspot.com">Ask a Manager home page</a></font><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5558939360732260529-3723386205080500330?l=askamanager.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ask a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899askamanager@gmail.com23
Management Crafttag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-494722010-09-06T11:52:11-07:00Discussions about state of the art business management.
TypePadManagementCrafthttp://feedburner.google.comThis is an XML content feed. It is intended to be viewed in a newsreader or syndicated to another site.Audacious Accolades - Light Someone Up!tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f3e26593970b2010-09-06T11:52:11-07:002010-09-06T11:52:11-07:001, A friend of mine used the word "audacious" in a note this morning. 2. I am watching the US Open and the announcer said that Mardy Fish is colossally talented. These two things have inspired this post. I got...Lisa Haneberg<p>1, A friend of mine used the word "audacious" in a note this morning. </p><p>2. I am watching the US Open and the announcer said that <a href="http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/08/the-tipping-point-called-owning-it-reinvent-yourself.html">Mardy Fish</a> is colossally talented.</p><p>These two things have inspired this post.</p><p>I got to thinking about the power of an audacious accolade - when we tell someone they are amazing in a surprising way or with words that are big and bold (fearlessly, unrestrained, spirited). I don't know about you, but I still remember and think about the most audacious accolades I have received and think fondly about the people who said these things about me. There were special ones delivered with a punctuated pow, like the semi-famous-best-selling-likely-rich podcast guest who told me in the after-chat that I was f$%^*^%# brilliant. And I will always remember the guy who told me I was "stunning" as I came out of the pool after swimming laps. And then.... well, I won't bore you talking about me....</p><p>The point is that these audacious accolades make an impact. They matter. They make people shine. So why not lob a few in the direction of your employees or friends? Be a generous giver of audacious accolades! I am not suggesting you be inauthentic, BTW, but I am sure you know people who deserve big props.</p><p>Some of you might feel uncomfortable saying anything beyond, "nice job." <strong>Well, get over it!</strong> Start smaller, perhaps, with something like, "amazing work!" Then graduate to something juicer like "that was truly inspired performance, dude, I am in awe." </p><p>In case some Management Craft readers need ideas of great audacious accolades, tell us your favorites - given or received - in the comments.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ManagementCraft/~4/MSvbkigqcH8" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/09/audacious-accolades-light-someone-up.htmlWhat if your employees were like Guns and Roses fans?tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f3d4f561970b2010-09-05T14:55:21-07:002010-09-05T14:55:21-07:00You have probably heard that the band, Guns and Roses, were booed and pelted with bottles in Ireland because they were 1 1/2 hours late for starting the show. As I listened to the news story on the radio, I...Lisa Haneberg<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>You have probably heard that the band, Guns and Roses, <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=11549185">were booed and pelted </a>with bottles in Ireland because they were 1 1/2 hours late for starting the show. As I listened to the news story on the radio, I felt a moment of disgust and found myself thinking, "how dare you be so self-absorbed!" Sure, this is not unexpected from some rock stars, but let's think this through for a moment:</p><p>What's the cost of 90 minutes of time for thousands of people? What might the opportunity costs be? The costs are HUMONGOUS. What would you have to tell yourself that would make showing up 90 minutes late for a concert (where people PAID to see YOU) an OK THING TO DO? I can't imagine the mindset that rationalizes that this as acceptable performance.</p><p>
<a href="http://managementcraft.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f3d4e7b5970b-pi" style="float: right;"><img alt="Hand to nose" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f3d4e7b5970b " src="http://managementcraft.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f3d4e7b5970b-800wi" style="width: 313px; height: 208px; margin: 0pt 0pt 5px 5px; border: 1px solid black;" title="Hand to nose"></img></a> <br> Let's relate this to management and work professionalism, now. <strong>How many of you are habitually late?</strong> What if you suffered from the politically correct versions of being booed and pelted when you showed up late? What if people did not wait for you?</p><p>As managers and leaders, we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard than the members of Guns and Roses are apparently doing (I say this because the newscaster said that the band is known for showing up late). I know that some people struggle more than others to be on time, but tough cookies. Being habitually late, when a specific time is agreed to and especially when groups are involved, is irresponsible, rude, and self-absorbed. It has to be self-absorbed - somewhere in your head you are rationalizing that this is OK and your argument will be some version of the following thought, "my time is more valuable than yours and it is OK for you to wait for me." You probably don't say it like that in your head, but it often boils down to this.</p><p>I am not talking about the occasional lateness caused by freak things like traffic piles ups, stuck elevators, or suddenly being called to the big boss's office. My tough stance is aimed at habitually late people - you know who you are. :-) </p><p>Weigh in!</p></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ManagementCraft/~4/ug3gTC07PL4" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/09/what-if-your-employees-were-like-guns-and-roses-fans.htmlHigh Urgency Inactiontag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f38c2b76970b2010-09-02T19:03:09-07:002010-09-02T19:03:09-07:00I woke up from a dream early this morning. In the dream I was trying to move through a crowd at a conference but I could only move in slow motion - like I was walking in thick mud or...Lisa Haneberg<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>I woke up from a dream early this morning. In the dream I was trying to move through a crowd at a conference but I could only move in slow motion - like I was walking in thick mud or with heavy weights on my ankles. I was frantically trying to go fast because I left my conference tickets back at my office.Time was ticking and the start of the conference was 40 then 30 then 20 minutes away. I could not miss the start! And when I tried to use my cell phone to call someone to help, I could not find them or the number was wrong. </p><p>As I reflected on this dream (interestingly I have had a similar dream before, have you?) the following pairing of phrases popped into my mind:</p><ul>
<li>Sense of urgency</li>
<li>Inaction</li>
</ul>
<p>That is what it felt like - like trying real hard and not going anywhere. Obstacles popped up everywhere. Do you have days like this? When we do, perhaps the place to look to get going again is not in the action, but in the focus - maybe the sense of urgency is poorly defined or not the right focus. </p><p>Trying harder might be the solution sometimes, but I would bet the answer often lies in how we focus and tune our intentions. </p><p>Let's not waste time frantically going nowhere.....Is this what the dream is telling me? Who knows! Seems like sound advice!</p><p></p></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ManagementCraft/~4/W0pNBiXEW2M" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/09/high-urgency-inaction.htmlRuthless Focus - Get and Keep it Now @wallybocktag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341bf6f553ef0134868eaf38970c2010-08-31T03:14:00-07:002010-08-31T03:14:00-07:00Wally Bock, pal, fellow blogger, writer, and management expert, sent me a copy of his new book called, Ruthless Focus: How to use key core strategies to grow your business (Wally partnered with Thomas Hall on the book). And I...Lisa Haneberg<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><a href="http://blog.threestarleadership.com/">Wally Bock</a>, pal, fellow blogger, writer, and management expert, sent me a copy of his new book called, <strong><em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ruthless-Focus-Thomas-Hall/dp/1608445437/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1283178589&sr=8-1">Ruthless Focus:</a> How to use key core strategies to grow your business</em></strong> (Wally partnered with Thomas Hall on the book). And I would like to recommend this book for all leaders and managers.</p><p>Knowing that Wally had worked on the book, I expected it to be honest and direct, even when the message is one you might not want to hear. I expected conclusions to be insightful and insanely helpful, because that is how Wally delivers his messages.</p><p>And the book did not disappoint. <strong><em>Ruthless Focus</em></strong> is an important book because it addresses a topic that we don't talk about enough - focus versus multiple or changing #1 priorities. Actually, we talk about it often but not in the way that is helpful. This topic determines how we create a good plan and follow-through. In our "shiny object" business culture, sticking to a plan is often laughed off as unrealistic and not an option. </p><p>Here's the bottom line - you can ignore this topic, but it might be at your business's peril. </p><p>
<a href="http://managementcraft.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bf6f553ef0134868ea9a9970c-pi" style="float: right;"><img alt="Ruthless focus" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8341bf6f553ef0134868ea9a9970c " src="http://managementcraft.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bf6f553ef0134868ea9a9970c-800wi" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px 5px;" title="Ruthless focus"></img></a> Thomas and Wally researched successful companies and unsuccessful ones, and companies that were successful for a while and then withered. They share their findings in the book, which are provocative (not in a "gosh, I am shocked" way but in a "kick me in the butt I need to pay attention" way). They tell great stories about real companies we all know and some love.</p><p>The authors did not say this in the book, but it strikes me that the overall manta of their suggestions could be, "create enduring success through focus and discipline that enables engagement and excellence." This may not be as sexy as frequently reinventing the strategic plan but it is what will help your organization succeed, respond, and grow over the long haul.</p><p>For those of you who are frustrated by strategies du jour and revolving leadership styles and missions, you might want to get a copy of this book for your leadership team and facilitate a book club brown bag session. Let it catalyze great conversation and affect your thinking and future decisions.</p><p>Any manager or leader who reads this book will be better able to plan, measure success, and follow-through on core strategies. If they follow Wally and Thomas' advice, they will be able to achieve focus that opens doors to greater performance, engagement, and creativity.</p><p>There you go. Buy it. Read it. Be it. Pick up <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ruthless-Focus-Thomas-Hall/dp/1608445437/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1283178589&sr=8-1">Ruthless Focus here</a>. Excellent work, Wally!</p></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ManagementCraft/~4/FcwHLZ3xPQQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/08/ruthless-focus-get-and-keep-it-now-wallybock.htmlHave Your Best Day and Week, Part 2tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f369eb34970b2010-08-30T05:31:39-07:002010-08-30T05:31:39-07:00In my previous post, I invited us all to have our best day ever and best week ever and offered a few suggestion for how to do this. I wanted to explore one aspect of how we experience our work...Lisa Haneberg<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>In my previous post, I invited us all to have our best day ever and best week ever and offered a few suggestion for how to do this. I wanted to explore one aspect of how we experience our work a bit deeper.</p>
<p><strong>Task completion versus task mastery</strong>. Is there a difference? Huge difference!</p>
<p>Task completion means you can check off the box. Been there. Done that. You might even have very detailed goals that make sure that you complete the task or project at a high level of performance. Success is usually defined by someone else, or a departmental plan, or an internal or external customer.</p>
<p>Task mastery occurs when we become in the "flow" with our work and perform in ways that can't all be measured. There is the task completion and quality that can be measured and then there is that <em>je ne sais quoi</em> (translated: I do not know
what) or something special.</p><p>Your something special, your flow, your mastery, will be different than mine. We each have a special eye and a unique filter and a one-of-a-kind ability and when we bring this forth in our work it makes a huge difference.</p><p>So as you launch forward into the new week, take the time and care to bring your best to even the seemingly tiniest tasks. Do you have a staff meeting coming up? Don't show up checked out and automatic, enter the meeting room like you would have on your first day of work - interested, engaged, and ready to share your best thinking, listening, and partnership. Regardless of how many crappy meetings you might have been through in the past, see the next one as a huge opportunity and privilege. The moment you stop believing is the moment when mastery will no longer be possible.</p><p>You might retort: But what if I don't care about the depth of my performance at staff meetings? </p><p>My retort: This is not about giving something to your boss, mastery is for you. When we are in the zone of high performance, we enjoy our work more fully and we feel more successful. </p><p>You might retort: Well, I will save that for something I am interested in, like project XYZ.</p><p>My retort: If you are present and in the zone during even small tasks, you will have much more capacity and focus to bring to the project. If you choose to check out and be automatic much of the time, you will experience more stress, distraction, and your brain will reinforce negative patterns.</p><p>I invite you to experience each task with a heightened sense of connection and focus - and make this the best week ever.</p><p>If you would like to join our little online group aimed at making this and every week the best week ever, read the previous post and drop me an email.</p></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ManagementCraft/~4/SQm1JSKXNrA" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/08/have-your-best-day-and-week-part-2.htmlHave Your Best Day at Work Ever (@tromboneshorty)tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341bf6f553ef0134867d7806970c2010-08-26T17:51:48-07:002010-08-26T17:51:48-07:00I was driving for several hours back from a client site this morning when my mind began to explore a few ideas. BTW, before I get into the ideas, the idea-enhancing music wafting through my TDI today was TROMBONE SHORTY,...Lisa Haneberg<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>I was driving for several hours back from a client site this morning when my mind began to explore a few ideas.</p><p>BTW, before I get into the ideas, the idea-enhancing music wafting through my TDI today was <a href="http://www.tromboneshorty.com/">TROMBONE SHORTY</a>, and this album, Backatown, is so amazing (track #8 is addictive). Things you never thought a trombone could do! Here is a tantalizing description from TS's website:</p><blockquote><p><strong>Troy 'Trombone Shorty' Andrews'</strong> new album, <em><strong>Backatown</strong></em>, is the work of a rare artist who can draw
both the unqualified respect of jazz legends and deliver a high-energy
rock show capable of mesmerizing international rock stars and audiences
alike. With such an unprecedented mix of rock, funk, jazz, hip-hop and
soul, he had to create his own name to describe his signature sound:
Supafunkrock! Andrews is the kind of player who comes along maybe once
in a generation, and <em><strong>Backatown</strong></em> is the latest, clearest proof that his
artistry is as singular as his raw talent. </p></blockquote><p>As the slippery guttural tones danced in my head like entwined endorphin ribbons (my reptile brain driving with confidence, no worries), I got to thinking about beginnings. And sub-beginnings. And faux-beginnings. And the power of designing our daily work experiences.</p><p>Here's the idea. Many of us do a pretty good job of beginnings when we take the time to think about them. So let's design the best work day ever tomorrow. </p><ul>
<li>How does it start off for you? Start that way. </li>
<li>What kinds of things might you do? Do at least some of these things. </li>
<li>How would you feel, act, speak, and relate to others on your best day? Be that way. </li>
</ul>
<p>And because many of us are better at beginnings than follow through and endings, restart the day at lunchtime. Refresh your thinking and ask the questions again. In fact, take as many mulligans as you need, to the point of restarting at 4:30pm if that makes sense.</p><p>And what about the best ever week? What might that look like? Let's design that to happen next week and then improve upon our plan for the following week and then the next one and so on. Write your plan down, carry it with you, and review it every two hours. Restart any time. And on and on. </p><p>As I hit the replay button on TS track #8 for the 10th time, I thought, <em>how could we make the weekly plan - and recreating it anytime and reinventing it each week - more positive and fun and energizing? </em>How about a group who do it together? People from anywhere in the world getting together on the web to share their Best Week Ever plans and provide ideas, support and motivation. Interested? Willing to spend 30 minutes this weekend creating your weekly plan for next week? Willing to post it to a shared project site (wiki or Basecamp, etc..)? </p><p>Drop me an email if you want to give it a whirl. I will create a sample Best Week Ever template planning tool inspired by my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0787984825?ie=UTF8&tag=chilepepperbl-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0787984825">Two Weeks to a Breakthrough</a> work, but you can use anything you want.</p><p>And even if you do not want to do it with a group, give it a whirl on your own! Make tomorrow the best day ever and this week the best week ever. And this moment? Make it the best ever. What would that look like?</p><p><strong>Let's use the energy we have for beginnings to continually relaunch the day. The past only gets in the way of the present and future when we fail to begin again.<br></strong></p><p><strong>One more idea: Maybe the specific items on your plan are not as important as how you would generate progress, forward movement, and build stronger and more effective partnerships.</strong></p><p><strong>One more thought: Be open to the idea that you can have both a challenging and great day at the same time. That you can experience adversity and peace at the same time. That you can be fraught with a tense situation and at ease at the same time.<br></strong></p></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ManagementCraft/~4/zGCMYTVIIuY" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/08/have-your-best-day-at-work-ever-tromboneshorty.htmlAre you Struggling or a Super Star? Research Opportunitytag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f33a1823970b2010-08-24T03:36:00-07:002010-08-24T03:36:00-07:00My colleague and pal, Lisa Edwards, is working on her next book and would like to invite you to participate in her research. This book will be very cool and her research seeks to uncover how various types of performers...Lisa Haneberg<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>My colleague and pal, Lisa Edwards, is working on her next book and would like to invite you to participate in her research. This book will be very cool and her research seeks to uncover how various types of performers approach their work and how they differ. If you would like to participate and then follow the progress of the research, click on through below. Here is the short invite from Lisa E.</p><p>============================</p><p>From Lisa Edwards:</p><p>I would love to invite you to be a part of my next book!</p><ul>
<li>Are you energized by your job?</li>
<li>Do you believe you could be more effective?</li>
<li>Are you struggling to succeed in your work environment?</li>
<li>Do you have a track record of producing results?</li>
</ul>
<p>If you agree with ANY of these statements, you may be eligible to be a part of my next book on personal effectiveness and performance at work. Learn more about how you can get <a href="http://bit.ly/dlNuOs">involved by clicking here</a>. </p><p>Thanks!</p></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ManagementCraft/~4/kdVgCKS35HQ" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/08/are-you-struggling-or-a-super-star-research-opportunity.htmlThe Tipping Point Called "Owning It." Reinvent Yourself!tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341bf6f553ef01348663f683970c2010-08-22T13:04:36-07:002010-08-22T13:04:36-07:00I like tennis, take lessons, and have always enjoyed the sport. Today, I was watching the men's finals between Roger Federer (#2 in the world) and Mardy Fish (ranked #36 before today's match) at the Western & Southern tournament that...Lisa Haneberg<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>I like tennis, take lessons, and have always enjoyed the sport. Today, I was watching the men's finals between Roger Federer (#2 in the world) and Mardy Fish (ranked #36 before today's match) at the <a href="http://www.cincytennis.com/">Western & Southern tournament</a> that is played right here in Cincinnati. I was not there in person, I watched on TV.</p><p>It was a very close match and Federer ultimately won. <strong><em>For the sports commentators, however, Fish was the story.</em></strong> This is what they said while marveling at how well Fish was playing: Apparently his career had been less than spectacular, with lots of injuries and few wins. Then, in conjunction with an injury and apparently realizing that he was getting older (he is 29, on the older side for tennis), Mardy decided to own his career in a new way. He started eating differently and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpD1yXGU-Rk">lost 30 pounds</a>, which enabled him to be faster, stronger, and last longer on the court while reducing injuries. He also revamped his training regimen and became a much more driven, focused, and disciplined person. The commentators even joked that the officials almost did not recognize him when he came in to get his credentials for the tournament because <a href="http://www.tennisnow.com/News/Streamlined-Mardy-Fish-Loses-Weight,-Wins-Delray-B.aspx">he looked so different</a>.</p><p>
<a href="http://managementcraft.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f33fa504970b-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Mardy1" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f33fa504970b " src="http://managementcraft.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f33fa504970b-800wi" title="Mardy1"></img></a>
<a href="http://managementcraft.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bf6f553ef01348663f0e8970c-pi" style="display: inline;"><img alt="Mardy2" border="0" class="asset asset-image at-xid-6a00d8341bf6f553ef01348663f0e8970c " src="http://managementcraft.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bf6f553ef01348663f0e8970c-800wi" style="width: 145px; height: 202px;" title="Mardy2"></img></a> Both pics from the <a href="http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2010/07/27/Newport-Sunday-Fish-Wins-Title.aspx">ATPWorldTour</a> site<br> <br> The way they talked about the turnabout in mindset and results struck me. What an inspiration! The power of OWNING our career, our health, our results is so decisive because all actions will derive from this. If there is something very important to you and in your life and if you demonstrate the ownership and resolve that Fish has, or more, there will be no stopping you. I am very sure of that.</p><p>The question we must all ask ourselves is, "Am I willing to own it, really own it?" And here is another question - "What if we did, what might be possible?"</p><p>You go Mardy! </p></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ManagementCraft/~4/Bi1QkhFnTfg" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/08/the-tipping-point-called-owning-it-reinvent-yourself.htmlSix Thoughts About Middle Managementtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341bf6f553ef01348651551f970c2010-08-19T15:51:24-07:002010-08-19T15:51:24-07:00I will be doing a talk tomorrow about middle management excellence. Here are six of the points I will be expanding upon - tell me what you think: Overall premise: Managers are our engines that turn intentions (mission, strategies, goals)...Lisa Haneberg<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>I will be doing a talk tomorrow about middle management excellence. Here are six of the points I will be expanding upon - tell me what you think:</p>
<p>Overall premise: Managers are our engines that turn intentions (mission, strategies, goals) into performance and into results.It has never been harder to be a middle manager and we need great middle management more than ever (we don't need to call it that, but we need the work mucking about at the core of where processes, people, and plans intersect and sometimes collide).</p><p>1. Let's reframe middle management. It is the best and most challenging job available! If you want to have maximum impact, be a middle manager. Doing so will require that you see dysfunction as a part of your reason for being (and not become a victim of it).</p><p>2. Great managers do what others don't or won't. How fast and smoothly the engine runs depends on deliberate and proactive choices you make each day, many times a day. Great managers approach and blast away barriers. They have conversations others are put off and they don't let busy work get in the way of truly important tasks.</p><p>3. Management is a social act. Conversations are your currency to generate excellence and bring out the best in others. Erode relationships, erode results.</p><p>4. Let's reframe results orientation, too. We can likely agree that to be results oriented is to drive to achieve results. Some of us, however, might need a new paradigm when to better describe managerial activities that most impact results (I have seen how many organizations define results orientation and I invite your to rethink your definition). Think intrinsic, think inspiration, think connection, and then define it again. What managerial activities MOST impact results?</p><p>5. If you want to build business, build talent and partnerships. Selling - to internal or external customers - is often a push process but the most powerful way to expand your opportunities and impact is through creating pull. Pull is stickier.This applies to internal and external influencers.</p><p>6. Time is precious and expensive. Every conversation, every meeting, every IM, and every email has the potential to engage, excite, enliven, and explain. If you saw a ticker spinning and showing the mounting costs of time spent, would you change how you spent it? This is not an invitation to stop showing up at meetings or stop responding to emails, BTW, great conversations are worth their minutes spent in gold. Even break room banter can be a great use of time (better than many staff meetings!). Relationships = results.</p></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ManagementCraft/~4/I1q-tQ9Mank" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/08/six-things-about-middle-management.htmlHey Omaha, Jamaica, DC, Roanoke, Kuala Lumpur and SFO!tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f325dabf970b2010-08-18T07:08:45-07:002010-08-18T07:08:45-07:00I like to make the most of my business travels, adding talks, workshops, training sessions, and networking to my other scheduled events. Here is a list of the places I will be over the next couple of months. If this...Lisa Haneberg<p>I like to make the most of my business travels, adding talks, workshops, training sessions, and networking to my other scheduled events. Here is a list of the places I will be over the next couple of months. If this is your hometown, let me know if you would like to arrange something or pass this along to your colleagues who live in these cities (hit the email link on the left side of the blog to send me a note). Thanks so much!</p><blockquote><p>Next week - Omaha, NE</p><p>Early September - Kingston, Jamaica</p><p>Late September - Washington DC and Roanoke, VA</p><p>Mid October - Kuala Lumpur</p><p>Also, in mid-November, I will be in San Francisco.</p></blockquote><p></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ManagementCraft/~4/wnqNUBSfmto" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/08/hey-omaha-jamaica-dc-roanoke-kuala-lumpur-and-sfo.htmlFireside Chat with @EllenFWeber - Brains and Breakthroughstag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f3119ab3970b2010-08-15T08:38:17-07:002010-08-15T08:38:17-07:00Would you like to learn how to use your brain's natural functions to help generate progress and a breakthrough? Check out this podcast! During this 25 minute podcast, I chat with Dr. Ellen Weber, author of several books and the...Lisa Haneberg<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Firesidechatsmall" border="0" src="http://managementcraft.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/firesidechatsmall.jpg" title="Firesidechatsmall"></img> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 1.4em;"><strong>Would you like to learn how to use your brain's natural functions to help generate progress and a breakthrough? Check out this podcast!</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>During this 25 minute podcast, I chat with Dr. Ellen Weber, author of <a href="http://www.brainleadersandlearners.com/">several books and the amazing Brain Leaders and Learners Blog.</a> Ellen is the President of the <a href="http://mitaleadership.com/index.html">MITA International Brain Center</a> and is an expert on all things <em>BRAIN</em> and how to apply brain science to improve our lives. I have been following Ellen's work for years and we recorded a podcast several years ago that ended up never getting posted due to technical problems. </p>
<p>If you are a regular reader of mine, you know that I am passionate about helping people generate breakthroughs in results. During this podcast, we bring these two topics together to discuss easy and practical ways (easy but DEEP and PROFOUNDLY transformative) we can generate more breakthroughs and progress and put the amazing power of our brains and our body's electrical circuitry to work for us. I think you will really enjoy it. After the podcast, Ellen and I had a wonderful conversation where she recommended the following book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Brain-That-Changes-Itself-Frontiers/dp/0143113100/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281885946&sr=1-1">The Brain That Changes Itself</a> by Norman Doige.</p>
<p>You can listen to my podcast with the Dr. Ellen Weber <a href="http://www.hipcast.com/playweb?audioid=P35f98c2db952e5be5ceaa2a20b79ffd6YVBxRVREY2Nw&buffer=5&shape=6&fc=99CC33&pc=CCCC66&kc=FFCC33&bc=FFFFFF&autoplay=1&brand=1&player=ap28">by clicking here</a>:
</p>
<p>You can also download an MP3 version of the podcast <a href="http://www.hipcast.com/export/P35f98c2db952e5be5ceaa2a20b79ffd6YVBxRVREY2Nw.mp3">here.</a></p>
<p><strong><em>And just a reminder.....</em></strong>
</p>
<p><a alt="Levit" href="%20http://www.hipcast.com/export/P8af3f78d452bbc679e4cec0643dfda78YVBxRVREYmVw.mp3%20Download%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E%0A%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cimg%20border=" src="http://managementcraft.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/04/27/levit.jpg" title="Levit">Here is the Podcast Feed for the entire Fireside Chat podcast series: </a><a href="http://lhaneberg.hipcast.com/rss/fireside_management_chats_with_lisa_haneberg.xml" target="_blank"><img align="middle" alt="View RSS XML" border="0" height="14" hspace="5" src="http://www.hipcast.com/images/icons/generic/xml.gif" width="36"></img></a></p>
<p>To see the complete list of podcasts in this series, select the Podcasts and Webcasts category on this blog.You can also find this series on iTunes (and several other podcast sites), just search under my last name for Fireside Chat.</p></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ManagementCraft/~4/4DQaQ6raekA" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/08/fireside-chat-with-ellenfweber-brains-and-breakthroughs.htmlHelping Others Zoom Forward - Two Waystag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f305c22a970b2010-08-12T11:41:38-07:002010-08-12T11:41:38-07:00I am working on a 30minute keynote about breakthroughs where I will spend the last 10 minutes focusing on how we can catalyze breakthroughs for others. The first 20 minutes will make the case for why small daily actions are...Lisa Haneberg<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>I am working on a 30minute keynote about breakthroughs where I will spend the last 10 minutes focusing on how we can catalyze breakthroughs for others. The first 20 minutes will make the case for why small daily actions are our most powerful tools for generating breakthroughs (<a href="http://managementcraft.typepad.com/management_craft/2008/04/birthday-butter.html">chaotic systems/butterfly effect</a>, <a href="http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/08/get-out-of-your-rut-ways-to-catalyze-change-dr-ellenfweber.html">brain chemistry/plasticity</a>, going beyond <a href="http://www.leadershipiq.com/materials/LeadershipIQ-AreSmartGoalsDumb.pdf">SMART</a> goals/<a href="http://hbr.org/2010/01/the-hbr-list-breakthrough-ideas-for-2010/ar/1">importance of progress</a>, <a href="http://www.managementcraft.com/2009/07/10-ways-to-handle-your-mistakes.html">Dale Carnegie</a> on Steroids/<a href="http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/01/invite-a-challenge-and-zoom-forward.html">inviting a challenge</a>). </p>
<p>Here are my talking points for the second part.Tell me what you think!</p><p><strong>Catalyzing Breakthroughs</strong></p>
<p>There are few things as satisfying and meaningful than when we can help catalyze breakthroughs. We have the opportunity to extend our impact, reach, and legacy well beyond what we can do ourselves. keeping in mind our breakthrough principles, I'd like to share three conditions that can be highly catalytic.</p>
<p>But first, let's define the term catalyst. </p>
<p>A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction but is not consumed in the process. In everyday terms, a catalyst is something that makes a result easier to achieve. Imagine you wanted to take supplies from the top of one mountain to another and there was a deep and narrow valley in between. You could build a road down the side of one mountain and up the other and that might make it easier to go fast. Or you could build a bridge across the valley and make it even easier to get the supplies across. The bridge is the catalyst. It makes something easier and does not get consumed by the process.</p>
<p>How can we make it easier for people to be more focused and in action? How can we help catalyze breakthroughs? Here are two of my favorite ways.</p>
<p><strong>The Sponge Stance</strong></p><p>A couple of years ago, I did 25 back-to-back training classes in a large office building in downtown Seattle. Each morning, I would enjoy a latte in the lobby Starbucks. These early moments were peaceful and reflective. I watched people line up for their caffeine fixes and sit at the small, round tables with colleagues and friends. I observed a large spectrum of listening styles and was most fascinated by the people who seemed completely engrossed in what the other person was saying. This observation was the inspiration for what I now call the sponge stance.<br><br>Imagine that you went down to your favorite coffee shop for a mid-day infusion of caffeine. You are standing in line and you notice that the person standing in front of you is someone you admire a great deal--someone famous, a great leader, author, innovator, or a historical figure. You summon the courage to introduce yourself to this person and ask her if she would like to have a coffee and chat with you. She agrees. Now imagine that you are sitting across from her at one of those small, round café tables. She is talking, and you are hanging on every word she is saying. Your eyes are fixed on her face, and you are unaware of what’s going on beyond your conversation. You think she is amazing, and you are enjoying taking in each word, inflection, and nonverbal cue. You are like a sponge, fully soaking up her messages.<br><br>What do you think it feels like to be listened to in this way? Have you been listened to like this? What if, not every time, but sometimes you listened to your employees, peers, or friends in this way? What might be possible? Our best thinking doesn't usually plop out of our mouth right away. We need to noodle and play with the topic and this takes time. Do we give others the time and absolute attention they need?<br><br>This is the sponge stance--the way we listen when we demonstrate a complete interest in and focus on the other person. It’s the way we listen when we think the other person is amazing--when we admire who she is and what she is doing. In the years that I have been telling people about the sponge stance, several have asked if what I am describing is the same thing as active listening (which means not interrupting, asking for clarification, not thinking about what you are going to say, parroting back what you hear, paying attention, empathizing, minimizing distractions, and reflecting on and synthesizing the information). I don’t think the two approaches are the same--nor are they in conflict with one another. The sponge stance is listening that demonstrates our regard for the performer and our admiration for what she is trying to accomplish. Do you really hear what others are saying? If we want to help make big things happen, we need to listen deeply and well. </p>
<p><strong>Make Reverse Requests</strong></p><p>I am a fan of making requests to generate breakthroughs. If we do not ask, how will the people who care about us know what we need? Well, here’s a different twist on how to use the power of a request--I call it the reverse request to catalyze breakthroughs.<br><br>I first discovered the power of a reverse request by accident. My husband Bill and I were traveling and I was making conversation - small talk - throwing out seemingly meaningless questions for the fun of it. But then I hit upon a question that changed our lives forever. The question was, "If you could live anywhere, doing any kind of work, where would you live and what would you do?" Seems simple enough, right? To my surprise, Bill said that he would like to live in Seattle and have his own geology consulting business. We lived in New Mexico at the time, and he had never mentioned Seattle or starting a business. This is something I did not know and might never of known because he is the type of guy who does not advocate on his own behalf very often. I had not been to Seattle, knew little about it but said, "well, why don't we do that?" I got a job with Amazon.com, and six weeks later we were living in Seattle and my husband had started his own consulting firm. 11 years later, he is still enjoying his work at his company, Haneberg Geoscience. I often wonder what our lives be like if I had not asked this one question? I was just making conversation and was not trying to change the course of things. Do you know your spouse's dreams? Really?<br><br>A reverse request happens when you help others make requests. Here are a few examples of reverse requests:</p><ul>
<li>You know what someone wants, and so you go ahead and offer it (or some version of it), sparing them the difficult task of asking for it.</li>
<li>You engage in a conversation that helps someone articulate what she wants. Then you ask what you or someone else could do that would be most helpful.</li>
<li>You provide the courage--courage on loan--that helps someone else make something big happen.</li>
</ul>
<p>I have a friend who is very conservative when it comes to being assertive about her hopes, dreams, and wishes. She does not want to be a bother, and so she feels a bit selfish asking about these things closest to her heart (I am not putting words in her mouth; we have talked about this). But it’s not selfish to make requests, because when we are at our best, everyone wins. Yet because this is a struggle for my friend, she generally does not get around to sharing her requests. Sometimes I put myself in her shoes and share with her what I think she would ask for if she had the courage. So far, I have been right every time. When I offer her help, she says “yes,” and things surge forward for her. I would bet that you have a friend or coworker like this, too.<br><br>Reverse requests are a great way to help catalyze breakthroughs. Be a "Yes" Person!</p><p></p><p></p><p></p></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ManagementCraft/~4/p6-pMp71TmI" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/08/helping-others-zoom-forward-3-ways.htmlGet out of your rut! Ways to catalyze change. Dr. @EllenFWebertag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f2f94f6e970b2010-08-11T03:42:00-07:002010-08-11T03:42:00-07:00I found this post from the always provocative Dr. Ellen Weber very interesting. It is called, Blame in on the Brain and in the post, she offers 25 reasons we might not get out of our ruts and ways to...Lisa Haneberg<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>I found this post from the always provocative Dr. Ellen Weber very interesting. It is called, <a href="http://www.brainleadersandlearners.com/working-memory/blame-it-on-the-brain/">Blame in on the Brain and in the post</a>, she offers 25 reasons we might not get out of our ruts and ways to overcome these barriers by working WITH our regenerative brain powers. Here are two that really resonate with me:</p><blockquote><p>3. <strong>Thank</strong> a fellow worker for a personal accomplishment. <strong>Brain fact</strong>: Well being comes partially from and is fueled by serotonin chemical hormones that accompany acts of kindness.</p><p>8. <strong>Stir</strong> curiosity and engage others around you. <strong>Brain fact</strong>:
Lectures and talks work against listener brains, and benefit speaker
intelligence only, while failing to benefit from listener insights.</p><p>15. <strong>Create </strong>rather than criticize. <strong>Brain fact</strong>: Cynical or critical mindsets literally block creativity, limit talent in you or others, and stomp out innovation.</p><p>17. <strong>Inspire</strong> novel<strong> </strong>young ideas.<strong> Brain fact</strong>:
Plasticity enables people of all ages and backgrounds to rewire their
brains in ways that prosper from young and agile acumen.</p></blockquote><p>OK, I could not pick only two and had to pull myself away from the list. Go read all 25 and do something amazing today!</p></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ManagementCraft/~4/8Lz7IE7MXQI" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/08/get-out-of-your-rut-ways-to-catalyze-change-dr-ellenfweber.htmlCan You Teach Passion? I say YES.tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f2f7c5ca970b2010-08-10T06:30:33-07:002010-08-10T06:30:33-07:00I think most organizations do a fine job of finding or creating solid management training for the basic stuff - giving feedback, using 360s, progressive discipline, etc... Where we are less common to see effective training is dealing with matters...Lisa Haneberg<p>I think most organizations do a fine job of finding or creating solid management training for the basic stuff - giving feedback, using 360s, progressive discipline, etc... Where we are less common to see effective training is dealing with matters that help managers create and electric workplace - electric as in engaging, interesting, positively charged etc... An obviously passionate manager will act and think much differently from one who is not feeling passion about his or her work. </p><p>So the question is, can you teach a manager or leader how to be passionate?</p><p>This might go against your initial instincts, but I think we can. Or rather, I think we can align all the passion making planets and increase its likelihood.</p><p><strong>From where does passion come? </strong>Some people will be passionate in spite of their work circumstances and others need to be in a particular setting. That's OK, we should not create development programs based on the minority who do not need it. We should expect we need to help people do their best work.</p><p>Here are the conditions or elements that foster workplace passion:</p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Position fit </span>- there is nothing more damaging than having someone in the wrong job. All those involved suffer. If you have people in the wrong jobs, change this, without delay. I had one client who had an unwritten policy that once someone was promoted they could not go backwards - BAD POLICY! We sometimes promoted people into roles for which they are not a good fit and we should be able to correct this with openness, care, and confidence. One of my coaching clients was in this situation. She knew it, I knew it, but her employer preferred to let her fail in her current role than correct their mistake (yes, they made the mistake promoting her, the signs were clear she was not a good fit).</p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Openness</span> - If your work environment is one where people cannot be themselves, then you are squelching passion. Period. I surveyed one organization where it was obvious that this was a key barrier to their success. The senior leadership bred this environment, but they did not think this was the case (although they felt the same restrictions regarding how they communicated with the HQ). I remember when I worked at Amazon that they had an ad campaign for workers that said something like this, "we love your blue hair..." The blue hair was not the real message, although there were lots of vividly colored people (hair and tats) there, the bigger message was bring us your ideas, even the ones outside the norm. I am working with one client whose CEO is such a strong personality, her staff is obviously not open with her. You can tell this after just one meeting. Imagine what it feels like to be working this way every day.</p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Clear compelling goals aligned with action</span> - Passion is the outcome of a clear goal that feels right and is on track. When someone says, "I am passionate about music," he or she is saying that music is an important part of their lives and that he or she is fueled by that as long as he or she stays connected with music. You might not think there is a goal in there, but there is, and it might be unspoken but it is clear. Goal: Music plays an important role in my life. I know a lot of managers who are passionate about helping people do their best work but they spend virtually no time doing this. Goal: Helping people plays an important role in my work. If they spend little time helping people, they will be out of whack and their passion will fade - it gets smothered by regret.</p><p>BTW - a quick aside about goals. Your stuffy corporate goals might not be enough to get your managers excited. What's in it for them? Make sure you answer this. "Increase shareholder value," might not be enough - for even the most business minded - to keep people excited during tough times. I sat down with a leader a few weeks ago who had no compelling goals or mission. It was so sad and deflating. I want everyone to have goals that are so exciting, that they get chills just thinking about them. </p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Contribution</span> - Recent studies tell us that we feel intrinsically motivated when we feel we are "making progress." We want to progress. We want to feel like our efforts have meaning and make a difference. We want to see and feel that we make an important contribution. This is why our after work nonprofit work is often so rewarding - we ca see and tell we are making a difference. At work, our passion will increase when we can see the contributions we are making and they may fade when we feel our work does not make a difference. This is the cornerstone of my middle management training approach, BTW, to help reignite the fires of managers who feel like pawns in the middle by helping them see and feel the contributions they make (and increase their contributions).</p><p>Position fit, openness, clear compelling goals and aligned actions, and contribution. When these elements of our work are strong, our natural passion for our work will shine through. Can we teach these things? You bet we can, and we should. Thoughts?</p><p>One more thing. If you are a leader who wants to ignite passion, focus, and engagement, talk about these elements and make decisions with them in mind. Give it a try at your next one-on-one and see the difference!</p><p>One more thing. If you are a coach, consider these elements as important for helping people get zooming toward their goals. </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ManagementCraft/~4/oI1tDTafEfs" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/08/can-you-teach-passion-i-say-yes.htmlThe Efficient Robot Manager - Tales from @PaneraBreadtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341bf6f553ef0133f2f40dbe970b2010-08-09T13:25:46-07:002010-08-09T13:25:46-07:00I was eating at my local Panera for lunch today. I usually sit at the small tables by the window where exuberant multi-child families are less likely to sit (love them, but can't think though all the noise!). And I...Lisa Haneberg<div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>I was eating at my local Panera for lunch today. I usually sit at the small tables by the window where exuberant multi-child families are less likely to sit (love them, but can't think though all the noise!). And I usually sit facing the registers and Panera employees bustling like ants to feed us all.</p>
<p>Today, I noticed a manager training a new employee. She was very efficient, clear, and direct. This is a great thing when training newbies on detailed procedures. I also saw this manager while she was not training - she was restocking the table with packaged baked goods and straightening things.</p>
<p>She did not smile the entire time and more fundamentally, her voice never modulated. Do you know what I mean by modulated? She sounded like a robot and had no emotion. She did not address her employees or the customers with a warm greeting, although she never failed to respond to them. The trainee was learning from an efficient robot. </p>
<p>I have no doubt that the trainee will get the procedures down, but will he learn the overall mission of Panera? <a href="http://www.panerabread.com/about/">From the Panera website</a>:</p><blockquote><p>"We are Panera. We are bakers of bread. We are fresh from the oven.
We are a symbol of warmth and welcome. We are a simple pleasure, honest
and genuine. We are a life story told over dinner. We are a long lunch
with an old friend. We are your weekday morning ritual. We are the
kindest gesture of neighbors. We are home. We are family. We are
friends."</p></blockquote><p>I love Panera, BTW, and eat there several times per week. I don't think this problem is too uncommon, either. Many managers and leaders do not represent the mission with their actions. And in this case, the manager's robot-like demeanor is causing some disconnect between Panera's external brand and their internal brand. Perhaps their management training does not address what the Panera mission looks like in action??</p><p>This is not the first time I have observed this manager, so I think this is not just her having an off day. I think she has been promoted because she is so great at attending to the details.</p><p>During my lunchtime observations, I also noted one cashier who always stands out. He is so friendly and warm, and knows the regulars, many by name. He goes out of his way to model the above mission. I hope the new trainee watches and learns from him, too.</p><p>Do your management training programs help your smart and hard working managers learn how they can (and should) model the mission? If you are going to take the time and care to create an inspiring missions (I think Panera's is uber cool and inspiring), also take the time to ensure that your mission is in the capable hands of managers who know how to operationalize it (and know it is their job).</p><p>And yes, I know that many Paneras are franchises, but this is something that ought to be a part of the franchiser's requirements.</p></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ManagementCraft/~4/zd7IBnX0YCg" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/08/the-efficient-robot-manager-tales-from-panerabread.htmlRemember Your Key Messages - the Great Ones, Especially.tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d8341bf6f553ef013486150703970c2010-08-09T04:27:31-07:002010-08-09T04:27:31-07:00I had a strange but not uncommon experience a few days ago. I am reviewing the final formatted manuscript for Coaching Up and Down the Generations, which comes out in October. My editor asked me to do a close read...Lisa Haneberg<p>I had a strange but not uncommon experience a few days ago. I am reviewing the final formatted manuscript for <strong><em>Coaching Up and Down the Generations</em></strong>, which comes out in October. My editor asked me to do a close read to catch any final errors. </p><p>I was putting it off because I somewhat expected to be disappointed. I had it in my head that perhaps this was not one of my best efforts. Interesting! It is a short book, about 120 pages, and I got through the first 50 pages in a several hour sitting.</p><p>I had not remembered what I wrote! And it is a very cool book, if I do say so myself, laced with catalytic and transformational tones and a good dose of my breakthrough stuff - all through the lens of creating multi-directional learning and partnership.</p><p>The reason I am mentioning this now, is that I think that we all have great and helpful messages that might need to be dusted off and put back into service. As the months and years go on, we sometimes fail to remember what we have said and done that made a difference to someone else. </p><p>Think about the last time you helped facilitate an ah-ha moment. Remember what you were thinking, what you did, and what you DID NOT do. As Leaders, our best approaches might be waiting to be put back into service. </p><p>Reflect on that staff meeting several months ago that was great - what did you do and who were you being? Give it a try again!</p><p></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ManagementCraft/~4/ENM8jRbJghI" height="1" width="1"/>http://www.managementcraft.com/2010/08/remember-your-key-messages-the-great-ones-especially.html
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