Back to Work…
Posted by: bk2nocal on: October 15, 2008
Well, I’ve been off from blog posting for a while now, but I’m back and I’m ready to get busy!
I hope to make this a valuable blog – with information, lots of tips and some action items for you to take to make yourself more successful.
My big news is that I’m pregnant – 14 weeks…so I have a while to go. But, I’ve realized this last few months that I’ve missed the blogging and sharing information. So, I’ve decided to focus my efforts on the two blogs which have had the most views. This one and my professional blog for speech and debate coaches. I am hoping that this renewed focus will be valuable to myself and others.
Looking forward to sharing things with you once again! Its good to be back!
What To Do in Times of Economic Turmoil
Posted by: bk2nocal on: December 3, 2008
We all know that the economy is not looking good. Businesses are begging for handouts from the government. Neighborhoods around the US are finding more and more houses sitting empty, with foreclosure signs in the window and dying yards. Many are being laid off. So, what can you do during times like these in order to alleviate some anxiety? Even if you think your job is in good shape, you might find some of these to be helpful. If your job is in limbo, than you should try adopting as many of these as possible.
- Update your resume. Its always a good idea to keep your resume up-to-date and ready for distribution. After all, no one knows when opportunity will come knocking and being ready to answer is half the battle. But, many of us, including myself, often put this task at the bottom of our to-do lists. The thing that keeps getting put off. I think its a good idea to figure out if you can apply for different types of jobs and have a few different resumes that stress specific skills for a specific job. For example, I have three resumes in my current arsenal: teaching, writing and administration. So, get those resumes updated and ready to go and have resume paper on hand.
- Cut your expenses. This is something I’ve been looking at, figuring that our new addition of a baby in April and our loss of our rent paying roommate in June will mean a little less cash on hand for us this coming year. Look at ALL of your expenditures and take some time to explore ways to cut those costs. I’ve ordered a digital converter box for our TVs and I’m seriously considering cutting cable and just watching the DTV channels available for free. After all, less TV in my life would probably make me more productive and I don’t NEED any of the cable channels. I am also trying to figure out ways of cutting our food expenses, using coupons more effectively, etc.
- Bring in extra money. If there is serious risk of losing your position in the near future, I think it is beneficial to make sure you are bringing home as much as possible on the remaining checks so you can begin socking that money away for expenses after the layoff. Look at your tax claims. Look at any additional flex spending you have deducted from your check. But make sure that any additional money you bring home goes straight into savings, not frittered away. You can also look for part-time jobs. It is holiday time and although retail may not be what it has been, there are places hiring seasonal workers. You might even have some talent wrapping gifts or putting together gift baskets. Get on Craig’s List, make flyers and get the word out that you can do these chores to save others time and frustration during this stressful season.
- Get educated. Start looking into educational opportunities that will help you when looking for a job. Computer classes, public speaking classes, online courses, etc. can really help to boost your resume and make you stand out from others competing with you for jobs.
- Don’t panic. Its never helpful to panic or get depressed. Take charge and you’ll feel more in control. Feeling in control allows you to get things done and getting things done is key to solving any problems that arise for you and your family in these times of turmoil.
I luckily am not speaking from experience. I feel like my job is relatively safe, thankfully. But, if you aren’t feeling as safe, take some steps to get in control and make the situation better.
Its giving not receiving that counts…
Posted by: bk2nocal on: October 18, 2008
We’ve all heard this before. Usually it is used in conjunction with the idea of altruism. Over at Leadership Now a recent blog post discussed an excerpt from the new book, Positive Leadership by Kim Cameron, that indicates that this old adage holds true in our work relationships as well. I’m not surprised by this finding. I think this was the biggest drawback to my job that I held for a year in the corporate environment. I just didn’t feel like I was able to contribute much – I did not have much contact with anyone but my direct boss and a couple of my workmates, all of our duties were very much independent of each other, and there was not much availability for building relationships or for providing support to others. So, my satisfaction with my job – even though I was making good money, working in a nice office environment and had a relatively stress-free job – was very low. According to this article a survey of 490 managers showed that 73% of workers report relationships with co-workers as their as the key to happiness on the job, while only 48% report financial reward as the key. In this period of economic downturn, this seems like particularly important information for employers. The article ends with a message to employers – “If organisations think more about what will make employees happy, they could reap the rewards.”
I think employers can take a few steps to insure that their employees are given the chance to build relationships.
- Provide a time during the work week once a month or more often when co-workers can take time out to chat with one another. This may mean a company breakfast or luncheon once a month (especially great for small businesses, but can be done by department in larger businesses) or cake and ice cream monthly for birthdays or just an early afternoon with a scheduled event in a close-by restaurant, sports bar, etc. These are times when people can relax, engage in non-work conversations, and get to know one another.
- Consider doing a company/department retreat once a year. You don’t have to pay for overnight accommodations if you can find a nice location nearby to the workplace. Make sure this retreat includes non-business time and activities as well as business planning activities.
- Produce an employee newsletter that includes family news, personal achievements, etc. from the employees. This is a great way for employees to realize similarities they have with one another even if they don’t have daily contact with one another.
- Consider sponsoring team activities each season – a company softball team, bowling team, etc. are good choices that do not require a big financial investment but do allow for a lot of bonding to occur.
Although employers can obviously play a big role in establishing a workplace that fosters strong relationships between employees, it is also the employees responsibility to do the work in building those relationships. It is often tough to take the time and effort to do more than have passing conversations with co-workers, but doing so can mean the difference between job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction. Try to plan group lunches or after work gatherings with co-workers to build those relationships. Doing this work is the giving that is referred to in the book referred to above and it can lead to a lot of satisfaction and some great relationships as well.
ACTION ITEM: This week, be sure to take the time to converse with someone you typically only speak to in passing at work. Ask some questions about them, their interests, etc. and see if you can find a commonality or two between the two of you. This commonality is a perfect in to the next conversation!
Complete your tasks…or else!
Posted by: bk2nocal on: January 22, 2008
I am a chronic procrastinator. I constantly have things on my to-do list for weeks, sometimes months. I make every excuse in the book to NOT do those items. But, Web Worker Daily has found a tool that could hit us where it hurts (our pocketbooks) when we don’t finish our tasks. This post on Stickk gives you the low-down. Now, there is no reason you need an online program to be accountable, but it sure does help to have that intermediary who is tracking your progress.
The problem that I see with this is lack of internal motivation. If you are only willing to do things because there is a cash penalty or another person who is going to know about the failure, then you are not truly self-motivated. And I think developing a level of internal, self-motvation is what is necessary for us to achieve our goals in the long-term. Sure, this Stickk program can help you to achieve a goal in the short-term. But, then another goal will arise and the question is will you be able to accomplish that without Stickk, or will you need to go back to it to get the motivation?
In educational contexts there is some debate over rewards vs. punishments vs. internal motivation. The article, “Toward the ethical motivation of learning,” provides a good discussion of this. I think this extends beyond the educational realm and into our everyday lives. Although Stickk may be a short-term solution to a lack of motivation, in the end, we have to figure out a way of intrinsically motivating ourselves or we are setting ourselves up for long-term failure, disappointment or more lack of motivation.
Extreme Marketing – Lessons Learned from History
Posted by: bk2nocal on: January 9, 2008
Most of us are probably familiar with the “extreme sports” concept. X-Games on ESPN has become a major hit with Generation Y. Snowboarding, skateboarding, motocross, etc. But, what about Extreme Marketing? You may have heard of Guerrilla Marketing tactics, where companies use non-traditional techniques to market their products to an unexpecting public. Some of these Guerrilla tactics have backfired, as in the case of the Cartoon Network’s Aqua Teen Hunger Force incident in Boston. Although this term is relatively young, coined in a book in 1984, the extreme tactics are much older.
According to the Ideal Bite on January 8, 2008, the founder of Vaseline, Robert Chesebrough ”traveled around NY demo-ing the product by burning his skin with acid, then spreading Vaseline on the injury and showing healed past injuries.” That was in the late 1800s. This is truly extreme marketing. I’m sure that his techniques would not be looked upon any more positively than the Aqua Teen Hunger Force incident.
I do think it raises a couple of important questions for entrepreneurs. First, what are you willing to do to get others to believe in your product? Burning yourself with acid may be a little too extreme, but how can you demonstrate your belief in your product in a meaningful and believable way? Second, what are some alternatives to traditional marketing that you can utilize to both save money and make more meaningful connections with potential customers? Thinking outside the box is especially important for small and new businesses. Our landscape is littered with advertising and marketing. To get past the “noise” you have to be willing to do something different. Something extreme.
Learn Business Etiquette for Free from HP
Posted by: bk2nocal on: January 6, 2008
HP has a free online resource for business professionals that includes educational opportunities. One that I thought readers of this blog may be interested in was the Business Etiquette class. Anyone can sign up for free anytime before February 15, 2008. The class is taught by an experienced business owner, Robin Markham and covers subjects from how to dress professionally to telephone etiquette to conflict mangement with co-workers. I encourage you to check it out and see if you find it helpful. Please provide a comment below with your experience if you do end up using the service.
Admitting Mistakes
Posted by: bk2nocal on: December 29, 2007
I have to admit that I have had some problems admitting mistakes in the past. I was definitely one of those people that saw mistakes as a sign of weakness. I have also thought in the past that calling attention to a mistake risks pointing out something that someone else did not even realize was there. But, this, itself is a mistake. And this time, I will admit it. Why? Because I just read over at Early to Rise about The Continental Airlines experiment discussed in the book Supercrunchers. In this experiment, they reacted three different ways to customer complaints. They either (1) sent a letter of apology, (2) sent a letter of apology and an offer for free membership in a Continental customer’s club, or (3) ignored the complaint. The first two options resulted in more customer purchases and a greater feeling of loyalty.
Beyond admitting mistakes for the purposes of both self-respect (for integrity and honesty) as well as the respect of those you deal with, the Continental airlines story demonstrates that admitting mistakes and recognizing the harm you have done to others can often not only lead to forgiveness, but a sense of loyalty.
I think the success of these particular efforts depends on two external factors though. First, the mistake not being repeated if at all possible. I know how I feel when someone is constantly apologizing to me for the same things. It doesn’t make me feel any more forgiving or loyal than I would if they just ignored it. In fact, it is sometimes even more annoying because at least with the ignoring you can sometimes think they just are not aware of what they are doing. So, although I think recognizing your mistakes is important, not repeating them incessantly is just as important. Second, the offer of the apology being personalized and meaningful. Making eye contact, showing genuine concern, putting it in writing, etc. are all ways to do this. In the case of the Continental airlines experiment, they used a written apology letter sent directly to the individual complaining. It would probably not have been the same if they had bulk mailed an apology to every Continental airlines customer.
So, admit your mistakes, but be sure to fix them and ot make the apology meaningful and personal. If you combine all of these, you are sure to get some good results.
Annie Duke – Model Presenter
Posted by: bk2nocal on: December 18, 2007
I just came across the youtube video of Annie Duke’s testimony before Congress on an internet gambling bill that attempts to ban online gambling in the US. For those of you unfamiliar with Annie, she is the top female professional poker player, a mother of three and a PhD graduate of Columbia University, where she received a grant from the National Science Foundation. Obviously, from that description, she is not the typical poker player, mother or PhD recipient. She is really not typical in any way. But, she is someone that a lot of very different individuals can relate to in one way or another, which is why she makes such a great candidate for testifying in front of Congress. But, once there, she really showed herself to be great in another area – as a presenter. I have included the video in this post, but here are some things I think she does particularly well in her testimony:
1) She establishes her credibility on multiple levels early in the presentation. The first thing you should be concerned about as a presenter is getting the audience to relate to you, to feel some connection with you. She does this by including all of her different titles in her introduction. Congress is a diverse group of individuals with a number of different concerns. So, she does not depend solely on her title as top female professional poker player or her title as mother or her title as PhD recipient, but instead shows how they all are an important part of her history and who she is. In this way, she establishes a connection with those in favor of gambling, those who are concerned with family and those who are looking for impressive credentials from academia. She is able to establish herself as a credible individual without the least hint of hubris or condescension.
2) She references icons of American political history. Again, this is a way of identifying with her audience. These individuals are serving in the “hallowed halls of Congress” where history and patriotism abound. She is able to draw on icons such a John Stuart Mill to make a connection with her audience. But, importantly, she is able to draw a logical connection between these icons and her advocacy. Many speakers make the mistake of referencing or quoting individuals whom they think the audience will feel a bond, but they do a poor job of tying that to their particular advocacy. Most audiences will see through this pretty quickly and not appreciate the “sucking up” that is being attempted.
3) She does a great job handling the questions and answers. There is an entire series of Q&As that Annie Duke participated on youtube and she shows herself to be not only well-spoken, but also quick on her feet and able to speak with clarity on short notice. When testifying before Congress, you do not have the ability to get the questions submitted to you before hand to prepare answers (unlike Presidential “debates”), so you have to be able to think quickly and put together answers that make sense and are informative in a very short amount of time. I was impressed with Annie’s ability to do this.
For these reasons, I think that Annie Duke stands as a model presenter. Argumentation and persuasion are, in my opinion, the most difficult presentations to make effective. After all, you are often times dealing with a hostile audience who will easily ignore or discard what you have to say. But, Annie does a great job of establishing connections, using relevant and attractive references and dealing with questions/challenges. I think we can all learn a little something from this PhD-poker-playing-mom!
Tech Tool for Meetings
Posted by: bk2nocal on: December 15, 2007
I came across this high tech pen over at think:lab and thought it would be perfect for business meetings. Most formal business meetings have someone who is taking minutes, but often the accuracy of those minutes are questionable. This pen would mean that the person could tap that part of the notes and get an exact playback of what was said. In addition, for those projects where there seem to be a million things to do, it would be great to have access to exactly who was told to do what or what was decided after much discussion of possibilities. It seems to me that this is a great resource for significantly increasing the accuracy and retention of information.
This may be a particularly important item for small businesses who often have client meetings without the benefit of support staff and minute-takers. This would provide the person with an immediate recall of what was discussed, what the client decided, etc.
At $200 a pen, it may be something to wait on until all of the bugs are worked out, but it is something to consider. $200 is not an especially steep price for something that can have such a positive effect on the reputation of a business or an employee.
Using Email Appropriately
Posted by: bk2nocal on: December 13, 2007
My last post on Email Emergencies focused on the problems that email has created in the workplace. Despite these problems, there is no escaping email. We are all required to use this medium for communication. I know of two instructors who do not use email, but both of them have student assistants who deal with their emails, printing them out and then typing responses for them. Most of do not have this luxury, so we have to learn how to effectively deal with email on our own. A recent survey by Officeteam.com found that 65% of executives prefer to receive communication via email versus 31% who prefer face-to-face communication, 3% who prefer paper memo and 1% who prefer voicemail.
I can’t say I was shocked by the email figure. I certainly prefer to receive communication via email. It allows me to access and deal with it when it is convenient for me. It allows me to view it, think about it and then respond to it. It also allows me to revise my response as I am making it. Face-to-face meetings do not allow for any of these things. There are certain occasions that demand face-to-face interactions, but I do believe those should be few and far between. I find that face-to-face meetings often result in extraneous discussion that detracts from getting the job done. I think interpersonal interactions are important, but often should be treated as a relation-building venture versus a task-completing venture. Building relationships is important, but it does not and should not happen for every task.
I had a manager once that required me to meet with her in-person each morning to go over the day’s events. These meetings required both of us to stop what we were doing, me to move to her office from my cubicle and both of us to be unavailable for the period of time it took to review the day’s events/tasks. It often took longer than it should have because she or I would have to look for our planners and/or go through some notes for a meeting, etc. in order to complete the list. When I first started, these meetings were great because they gave me a chance to ask questions, get feedback, etc. everyday without fail. That was really helpful. But, as time wore on and I became adept at doing the tasks I did each week, the meetings became a waste of time. It would have been much easier for us to post to calendar or email each other with the day’s events and get on with the day itself.
I think that the 31% who chose face-to-face meetings probably fall into two major categories. First, the luddites who hate their computer and anything electronic. These individuals are usually older workers who are stuck in their ways. They are frustrated by the computer and equate email as part of the computer. The second group are people-people. These individuals like to talk to people. They are the individuals you find at the water cooler or coffee pot, seemingly stirring their coffee or sipping their water, just waiting for someone to approach them in order to “make conversation”. Email does not meet their requirement for personal interaction, so face-to-face meetings are required. These individuals are usually great people. They are friendly, interesting and engaging. The problem is that they tend to have difficulty being concise and direct in their interactions. So, you go in for a five minute meeting and emerge thirty minutes later with not much more information than you started with.
I think that we have to reach a happy medium between these mediums. We also need to recognize the desires of others and why they have those desires. If you work with people who are constantly calling for meetings and face-to-face interactions, it may be worthwhile to ask for a “goals” or ”priorities” meeting to establish what some of the goals are for the organization, for you and for your peers. Usually, once you’ve established these goals and priorities, it is pretty easy to point out how attending a meeting is not going to be helpful in achieving those and therefore should be unnecessary. In addition, it may be worthwhile to explore why people dislike email as a medium. Figure out whether they have had a bad experience with email or if you might be able to switch to a more user-friendly email system in your organization or if they feel like they need some training on using email to insure misunderstandings do not occur. There are many reasons for disliking email, but there are many more reasons for becoming adept at using it and for making sure those in your organization are also adept at using it.
