They say that raising children is a labor of love. While I can’t attest to that, I can vouch for a similar idea….. That you should love what you do. Yes, it is called labor, but why do it (whatever your chosen profession is) if you don’t at least occasionally enjoy it?
Yes, I realize that in today’s job market, we should probably be happy that we have a job. Or if we are out of work, happy with whatever is offered to us. But the job market won’t always be that way.
And whether or not the job market comes back, the executive has a couple of responsibilities. The first is to him or herself. Have you done some analysis of your job lately? What makes you look forward to going to work? What makes you dread getting out of bed in the morning? And how can you modify your existing job to get more of the former and less of the latter? And if you can’t make the necessary modifications, are there other jobs within your company that would be less labor and more love for you? Despite the job market condition, it is always a good idea to move around in your current company than hopping from company to company.
The second responsibility of the executive is to his/her employees. It is never too late to sit down with each direct report and understand what makes them love to come to work. No, they probably won’t tell you what makes them dread coming to work. But you can certainly read between the lines and figure it out. Then it is your responsibility to work with them in creating opportunities that puts the love back into their labor. And if you can’t get rid of the things that create the dread, at least be up front with them and say so. We can all do the drudgery for a while --- if we know our bosses understand and appreciate it.
So on this Labor Day, first kick back and relax. Then when you get back to the office tomorrow, it is time to start working on how to turn labor into love.
Cheers!
Showing posts with label Attitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Attitude. Show all posts
Monday, September 6, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
7-28-10 Is It Better To Beg Forgiveness?
Here’s an interesting question….. Is it better to beg forgiveness or to ask permission? Hmmmmm…..
Guess that depends on the situation, of course. But in the business world, I learned early on that it is better to take action and then beg forgiveness if something goes awry.
Oh sure, there are times that it is absolutely mandatory that you ask permission. Like when you are about to commit the company to a multi-billion dollar contract, well then, you should probably ask a couple of people if it is okay. There is a line here that you must not cross…. And that line will vary depending on your boss of the moment, your situation, your company, etc.
But, for most of the day-to-day business activities, I never really had much luck with asking permission. It gives people the opportunity to delay your actions -- even when their agreement wasn’t really needed. It also gives people the opportunity to torpedo your actions -- if it is something they don’t want. Or, heaven forbid, it gives someone the opportunity to say no. And if that someone is your boss, you can consider the door to be firmly shut to your idea. No amount of finagling will get you back to yes.
My policy is to assume that I have the authority (and responsibility) to do something until someone (usually my boss) tells me different. Have I screwed up with that attitude? Occasionally, yes. Hence the idea of begging forgiveness. It is real easy to say, “I’m sorry, but I thought that was my responsibility. I’ll not do that again”.
Interestingly, people (my boss, specifically) have always been willing to accept that and we move on.
Here’s something even more interesting. I’ve gotten feedback in the past that I was rated highly in evaluations because of my willingness to take the initiative, make a decision, and implement a plan. If I hadn’t assumed the appropriate authority, that would have never happened.
So remember, you are an executive. And you are in charge. Act like it.
Cheers!
Guess that depends on the situation, of course. But in the business world, I learned early on that it is better to take action and then beg forgiveness if something goes awry.
Oh sure, there are times that it is absolutely mandatory that you ask permission. Like when you are about to commit the company to a multi-billion dollar contract, well then, you should probably ask a couple of people if it is okay. There is a line here that you must not cross…. And that line will vary depending on your boss of the moment, your situation, your company, etc.
But, for most of the day-to-day business activities, I never really had much luck with asking permission. It gives people the opportunity to delay your actions -- even when their agreement wasn’t really needed. It also gives people the opportunity to torpedo your actions -- if it is something they don’t want. Or, heaven forbid, it gives someone the opportunity to say no. And if that someone is your boss, you can consider the door to be firmly shut to your idea. No amount of finagling will get you back to yes.
My policy is to assume that I have the authority (and responsibility) to do something until someone (usually my boss) tells me different. Have I screwed up with that attitude? Occasionally, yes. Hence the idea of begging forgiveness. It is real easy to say, “I’m sorry, but I thought that was my responsibility. I’ll not do that again”.
Interestingly, people (my boss, specifically) have always been willing to accept that and we move on.
Here’s something even more interesting. I’ve gotten feedback in the past that I was rated highly in evaluations because of my willingness to take the initiative, make a decision, and implement a plan. If I hadn’t assumed the appropriate authority, that would have never happened.
So remember, you are an executive. And you are in charge. Act like it.
Cheers!
Monday, July 26, 2010
7-26-10 So Many Bosses, So Little Time
For whatever reason, today I was pondering the various types of bosses out there. Of course, there are as many types of bosses as there are people holding the position. But a few types come to mind for me……
The Hit and Run. This boss never seems to have enough time to do anything properly. He runs into your office, drops a new assignment on you (like a hand grenade), and then breezes out before the explosion. Or he arrives at a meeting 10 minutes late, spends everyone else’s time getting caught up to speed, and then leaves early --- before any decisions can be made. Of course, his buy-in is required, so the decision is delayed to another day. Or with performance reviews --- you can count on them to be scheduled and re-scheduled, multiple times, because he always seems to have more important things to do.
The Psycho. With this boss, you never know which boss will actually show up. Think Mel Gibson in his current state --- you know, the psycho that keeps ranting and raving on those recorded phone calls. One day, this boss is as nice as can be. And then the next? Well, when you recognize the signals, you learn to stay out of his way during those times. ‘Cause lets face it, when he is in psycho mode, you cannot do anything right or to his satisfaction.
The Good Ol’ Boy. Also known as The Politician. This guy is everyone’s friend. And all too often, he will say exactly what you want to hear -- and not what you need to hear. He knows everyone’s business, and doesn’t hesitate to insert himself into it, but only if he can be the hero.
The No Questions Answered. You know the type --- “because I’m the boss, that’s why”. Oh sure, he’ll never say that out loud, but you know that is what he means. Don’t bother asking questions, because he won’t answer them or will duck you when he sees you coming. Or if he does deign to answer the question, he’ll be sure to make you feel like a fool for asking.
The Figurehead. This guy generally doesn’t have a clue. He IS the boss, but to get anything done, you have to figure out who is really in charge and go to that person.
And on a side note….. Yes, I put these in terms of “he or him”. But that doesn’t mean we women are exempt from these types. It happens with either gender.
And while I’m on a side note, yes I recognize that I’ve just written about all the negative boss types. Oh sure, I know that there are good ones out there. But really, would that be as interesting to read about?!
Why is it important to recognize the different types of bosses? First, you need to know who you work for and how to handle their idiosyncrasies. Because we all “manage” upwards with our boss. And knowing the type of boss you have will make your upward management strategies more efficient.
Second, you need to understand what kind of boss you are. If you are one of these negative types, KNOCK IT OFF. Seriously, you’ve probably worked for one of these folks in your career. Didn’t you just hate it? So, if you ARE one of these types, don’t you suppose that you make life way to difficult for those people that work for you?
Cheers!
The Hit and Run. This boss never seems to have enough time to do anything properly. He runs into your office, drops a new assignment on you (like a hand grenade), and then breezes out before the explosion. Or he arrives at a meeting 10 minutes late, spends everyone else’s time getting caught up to speed, and then leaves early --- before any decisions can be made. Of course, his buy-in is required, so the decision is delayed to another day. Or with performance reviews --- you can count on them to be scheduled and re-scheduled, multiple times, because he always seems to have more important things to do.
The Psycho. With this boss, you never know which boss will actually show up. Think Mel Gibson in his current state --- you know, the psycho that keeps ranting and raving on those recorded phone calls. One day, this boss is as nice as can be. And then the next? Well, when you recognize the signals, you learn to stay out of his way during those times. ‘Cause lets face it, when he is in psycho mode, you cannot do anything right or to his satisfaction.
The Good Ol’ Boy. Also known as The Politician. This guy is everyone’s friend. And all too often, he will say exactly what you want to hear -- and not what you need to hear. He knows everyone’s business, and doesn’t hesitate to insert himself into it, but only if he can be the hero.
The No Questions Answered. You know the type --- “because I’m the boss, that’s why”. Oh sure, he’ll never say that out loud, but you know that is what he means. Don’t bother asking questions, because he won’t answer them or will duck you when he sees you coming. Or if he does deign to answer the question, he’ll be sure to make you feel like a fool for asking.
The Figurehead. This guy generally doesn’t have a clue. He IS the boss, but to get anything done, you have to figure out who is really in charge and go to that person.
And on a side note….. Yes, I put these in terms of “he or him”. But that doesn’t mean we women are exempt from these types. It happens with either gender.
And while I’m on a side note, yes I recognize that I’ve just written about all the negative boss types. Oh sure, I know that there are good ones out there. But really, would that be as interesting to read about?!
Why is it important to recognize the different types of bosses? First, you need to know who you work for and how to handle their idiosyncrasies. Because we all “manage” upwards with our boss. And knowing the type of boss you have will make your upward management strategies more efficient.
Second, you need to understand what kind of boss you are. If you are one of these negative types, KNOCK IT OFF. Seriously, you’ve probably worked for one of these folks in your career. Didn’t you just hate it? So, if you ARE one of these types, don’t you suppose that you make life way to difficult for those people that work for you?
Cheers!
Friday, July 16, 2010
7-16-10 More Musing on Balance
Earlier this week (and other earlier posts), I talked a little about the need for the executive to have balance in his/her life (7-12-10 Hard-Core Business Person vs. Artsy-Fartsy) . My pondering of the subject continued as I was reading one of the many magazines to which I subscribe -- Real Simple. (You can find out more about it at www.realsimple.com if you are interested).
Anyway. At the start of every issue, they have a “question of the month” to which readers respond. This month’s question fits in nicely with the whole idea of balance. They asked, “If you were suddenly given a free day this summer, how would you spend it? Imagine 24 glorious hours with zero obligations.”
Interesting concept, eh? The readers’ answers were are varied as the personalities that exist around the globe. One said she would spend it on her motorcycle. She said, “You know how happy a dog looks when he hangs his head out the window of a car? That’s how I feel on my bike.” Outstanding. Others suggested things like: floating on an inner tube, putting family photos in albums, visiting a best friend, recreating a past adventure, reading, etc.
It was fascinating to read. And it was invigorating to imagine what I would do. Yeah, I know, I’m retired so I have that luxury almost every day. I wish that I had taken that luxury of having obligation-free days when I was still working.
With cell phones, Blackberries, families, work, and other “to do” items, it is definitely tough to find an obligation-free day. So maybe you start small. Instead of laying your Blackberry next to you on the end table while you watch tv in the evening --- but it in a drawer somewhere and ignore it for a few hours. Or instead of using a free afternoon off to run errands, take the time to go to the art museum or take your kids to the zoo. If you are creative, I’m sure that you can carve out at least a few obligation-free hours each month.
And more difficult that finding the time? Turning off the guilt you will likely have when you ignore the obligations. But, it is well worth it because you come away from that time recharged and ready to take on old and new obligations.
So enjoy your obligation-free time!
Cheers!
Anyway. At the start of every issue, they have a “question of the month” to which readers respond. This month’s question fits in nicely with the whole idea of balance. They asked, “If you were suddenly given a free day this summer, how would you spend it? Imagine 24 glorious hours with zero obligations.”
Interesting concept, eh? The readers’ answers were are varied as the personalities that exist around the globe. One said she would spend it on her motorcycle. She said, “You know how happy a dog looks when he hangs his head out the window of a car? That’s how I feel on my bike.” Outstanding. Others suggested things like: floating on an inner tube, putting family photos in albums, visiting a best friend, recreating a past adventure, reading, etc.
It was fascinating to read. And it was invigorating to imagine what I would do. Yeah, I know, I’m retired so I have that luxury almost every day. I wish that I had taken that luxury of having obligation-free days when I was still working.
With cell phones, Blackberries, families, work, and other “to do” items, it is definitely tough to find an obligation-free day. So maybe you start small. Instead of laying your Blackberry next to you on the end table while you watch tv in the evening --- but it in a drawer somewhere and ignore it for a few hours. Or instead of using a free afternoon off to run errands, take the time to go to the art museum or take your kids to the zoo. If you are creative, I’m sure that you can carve out at least a few obligation-free hours each month.
And more difficult that finding the time? Turning off the guilt you will likely have when you ignore the obligations. But, it is well worth it because you come away from that time recharged and ready to take on old and new obligations.
So enjoy your obligation-free time!
Cheers!
Monday, July 12, 2010
7-12-10 Hard-Core Business Person vs. Artsy-Fartsy
Okay, did that headline make you chuckle? Well, it does me --- every time. I’ve been a crafter all my life. My husband calls it my “artsy-fartsy alter ego”. There is something so very satisfying in creating an object that is either useful or beautiful.
And more important -- my artsy-fartsy side was an important balancing tool in my life.
In the past, I’ve talked about balance in the executive’s life (2-17-10 Balance). Specifically, I talked about taking time away from work and using up the vacation that you’ve already earned. Today, I thought that I would explore a different kind of balance.
During the business day, the executive is a hard-core business person. You wouldn’t have made it to the executive ranks if you weren’t. But, when you go home at night, you have to find the balance that lets you recharge for the next day. For me, that is crafting. I can lose myself in the creative process…. Making jewelry, crocheting an afghan, painting a picture…. All evening long. I realized that it used a different part of my brain and my emotions to come up with the creative outlet. And by doing that, I was giving all of the “business” side of me a rest.
How did I know it was important? Because if I stayed away from my craft table for too many evenings or weekends, I started to be a pretty grumpy Gus. I just felt out of whack.
And no, I don’t mean that you have to go out an discover your artsy-fartsy side. Although that is fine, if it works for you. What I’m suggesting is that you discover what activities allow you to disconnect from the business world and recharge. It might be sports. It might be community service. It might be writing. It might be reading. It might be people-watching. It might be surfing the web. Heck, it might even be channel-surfing on the tv.
Whatever you discover it to be, make time for that activity in your life. Balance ultimately makes you a better executive.
Cheers!
And more important -- my artsy-fartsy side was an important balancing tool in my life.
In the past, I’ve talked about balance in the executive’s life (2-17-10 Balance). Specifically, I talked about taking time away from work and using up the vacation that you’ve already earned. Today, I thought that I would explore a different kind of balance.
During the business day, the executive is a hard-core business person. You wouldn’t have made it to the executive ranks if you weren’t. But, when you go home at night, you have to find the balance that lets you recharge for the next day. For me, that is crafting. I can lose myself in the creative process…. Making jewelry, crocheting an afghan, painting a picture…. All evening long. I realized that it used a different part of my brain and my emotions to come up with the creative outlet. And by doing that, I was giving all of the “business” side of me a rest.
How did I know it was important? Because if I stayed away from my craft table for too many evenings or weekends, I started to be a pretty grumpy Gus. I just felt out of whack.
And no, I don’t mean that you have to go out an discover your artsy-fartsy side. Although that is fine, if it works for you. What I’m suggesting is that you discover what activities allow you to disconnect from the business world and recharge. It might be sports. It might be community service. It might be writing. It might be reading. It might be people-watching. It might be surfing the web. Heck, it might even be channel-surfing on the tv.
Whatever you discover it to be, make time for that activity in your life. Balance ultimately makes you a better executive.
Cheers!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
6-30-10 Am I Fired?
I managed to totally space-out about making a blog entry on Monday. If I were a “paid employee”, I’d probably be fired by now. Or would I?
It seems that most companies rarely fire people -- except in extreme circumstances. If a person doesn’t perform, they typically just get shoved off into a corner.
I know that I’ve said in the past that sometimes you have to clean out the dead wood (4-19-10 Cleaning Out the Dead Wood). But my musings about whether or not I should be fired from the blogging world got me to thinking about the responsibilities of the executive relative to people who don’t perform.
As an executive, your job is to create an environment where your people can accomplish the work assigned to them. There will be times when one or more of your employees don’t meet your performance expectations. And for at least a couple of your employees, it is likely that it will happen time and again.
So what do you do? Well, if I were a good HR person, I would tell you to document the heck out of each situation. And you know, that isn’t bad advice, because if at some point you do have to fire the employee, you will need that documentation.
But beyond the proscribed HR answer, what else can you do?
As I said above, you have to create a successful environment. That means figuring out the unique environment that will allow your non-performing employee to perform successfully. And that does not include pawning this employee off on some other executive or organization.
As the executive (and the boss), your job is to figure it out. Here are some things to ponder as you are working on this. Is the employee struggling with specific tasks? Is it a communication issue? Is it an education or training issue? Is it attitude? There are, frankly, an endless number of possibilities here.
Once you narrow down the possibilities/issues, then it is time to talk to your employee. You need to make your expectations very clear, being very specific about performance issues. And then you need to talk about options for the employee (and I‘m NOT talking about the threat of job loss). Show the person that you have given this a great deal of thought and analysis ---- and have some ideas. Then listen. And listen some more. Let your employee talk through the anger and frustration that he/she likely has. At some point, it will likely come to be a collaborative session between the two of you.
One other thing. You will probably have to do it more than once. Huh? Yeah, I really mean that. Think about it. When you were deciding on a career, did you end up doing today what you started out doing? Likely not. So be prepared that the first attempt by you and your employee to get this right will not always work. Patience…….
Cheers!
It seems that most companies rarely fire people -- except in extreme circumstances. If a person doesn’t perform, they typically just get shoved off into a corner.
I know that I’ve said in the past that sometimes you have to clean out the dead wood (4-19-10 Cleaning Out the Dead Wood). But my musings about whether or not I should be fired from the blogging world got me to thinking about the responsibilities of the executive relative to people who don’t perform.
As an executive, your job is to create an environment where your people can accomplish the work assigned to them. There will be times when one or more of your employees don’t meet your performance expectations. And for at least a couple of your employees, it is likely that it will happen time and again.
So what do you do? Well, if I were a good HR person, I would tell you to document the heck out of each situation. And you know, that isn’t bad advice, because if at some point you do have to fire the employee, you will need that documentation.
But beyond the proscribed HR answer, what else can you do?
As I said above, you have to create a successful environment. That means figuring out the unique environment that will allow your non-performing employee to perform successfully. And that does not include pawning this employee off on some other executive or organization.
As the executive (and the boss), your job is to figure it out. Here are some things to ponder as you are working on this. Is the employee struggling with specific tasks? Is it a communication issue? Is it an education or training issue? Is it attitude? There are, frankly, an endless number of possibilities here.
Once you narrow down the possibilities/issues, then it is time to talk to your employee. You need to make your expectations very clear, being very specific about performance issues. And then you need to talk about options for the employee (and I‘m NOT talking about the threat of job loss). Show the person that you have given this a great deal of thought and analysis ---- and have some ideas. Then listen. And listen some more. Let your employee talk through the anger and frustration that he/she likely has. At some point, it will likely come to be a collaborative session between the two of you.
One other thing. You will probably have to do it more than once. Huh? Yeah, I really mean that. Think about it. When you were deciding on a career, did you end up doing today what you started out doing? Likely not. So be prepared that the first attempt by you and your employee to get this right will not always work. Patience…….
Cheers!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
6-23-10 Don't Dis Your Boss in Public
I don’t think General McChrystal is a dummy. Hell, anyone that can advance to a four-star general has to be a pretty smart person. But I do have to wonder what he was thinking…….
In the past I’ve written about how there comes a time when you have to quit arguing, salute smartly, and follow the company line (2-1-10 Salute Smartly). But this whole incident with General McChrystal goes even beyond that.
If you haven’t been watching the news lately, General McChrystal (who heads/headed our war operations in Afghanistan), gave an interview to the Rolling Stone where he and his staff apparently dissed the President, the Vice President, and various diplomatic wonks in country. On a side note, I’ve read the article and frankly, I didn’t think it was that inflammatory. However, our press, and subsequently the President, apparently did because the General got relieved of command today.
Public disagreements or public dismissals of others’ ideas are never a good idea -- whether you are looking up the chain of command or down the chain of command.
When you are looking up the chain of command and you publicly dis your boss, like the General supposedly did, you run the serious risk of losing your job. Even if you retain your job, you will likely lose the confidence of your boss. And really, how can you be effective if you don’t have the support and backing of your boss? You will also likely jeopardize any future opportunities that might have come your way. Why would other potential bosses want you on their team when you clearly ignore the chain of command or when you publicly air your concerns or negative thoughts?
When you are looking down the chain of command and you publicly dis your peers or subordinates, you damage the credibility of everyone involved. You damage your credibility because, after all, YOU were the one that hired the person that you just publicly dressed down. What does that say about your common sense and abilities? And you damage the credibility of the person that you dissed, because if you don’t take them seriously, why should anyone else? And because of that, they become unable to effectively do their job. So you’ve essentially jeopardized your organization’s ability to accomplish its mission.
So the moral of the story here is….. Keep your negative opinions to yourself. In this day where there is immediate transmission of news, emails, IMs, and pictures/audios, you just never know where or how far what you are saying will go. And if you just can’t keep your opinions to yourself, then take them to the person that will be most hurt by the public flogging. Have the nerve to tell that person what you think. And if it is your boss, then be prepared to salute smartly and do what he/she says anyway.
Cheers!
In the past I’ve written about how there comes a time when you have to quit arguing, salute smartly, and follow the company line (2-1-10 Salute Smartly). But this whole incident with General McChrystal goes even beyond that.
If you haven’t been watching the news lately, General McChrystal (who heads/headed our war operations in Afghanistan), gave an interview to the Rolling Stone where he and his staff apparently dissed the President, the Vice President, and various diplomatic wonks in country. On a side note, I’ve read the article and frankly, I didn’t think it was that inflammatory. However, our press, and subsequently the President, apparently did because the General got relieved of command today.
Public disagreements or public dismissals of others’ ideas are never a good idea -- whether you are looking up the chain of command or down the chain of command.
When you are looking up the chain of command and you publicly dis your boss, like the General supposedly did, you run the serious risk of losing your job. Even if you retain your job, you will likely lose the confidence of your boss. And really, how can you be effective if you don’t have the support and backing of your boss? You will also likely jeopardize any future opportunities that might have come your way. Why would other potential bosses want you on their team when you clearly ignore the chain of command or when you publicly air your concerns or negative thoughts?
When you are looking down the chain of command and you publicly dis your peers or subordinates, you damage the credibility of everyone involved. You damage your credibility because, after all, YOU were the one that hired the person that you just publicly dressed down. What does that say about your common sense and abilities? And you damage the credibility of the person that you dissed, because if you don’t take them seriously, why should anyone else? And because of that, they become unable to effectively do their job. So you’ve essentially jeopardized your organization’s ability to accomplish its mission.
So the moral of the story here is….. Keep your negative opinions to yourself. In this day where there is immediate transmission of news, emails, IMs, and pictures/audios, you just never know where or how far what you are saying will go. And if you just can’t keep your opinions to yourself, then take them to the person that will be most hurt by the public flogging. Have the nerve to tell that person what you think. And if it is your boss, then be prepared to salute smartly and do what he/she says anyway.
Cheers!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
5-19-10 The Real Power
On Monday, I talked a little about the power of your position as an executive (5-17-10 Personal Impact) along with the impact that the position power has on those around you.
I was browsing the latest issue of Harvard Business Review (May 2010) this morning and ran across an article that really caught my attention….. And in my opinion, extends the discussion of position power.
The article is from Michael Segalla and is based on his research as to where the real power resides in the organization. Michael is a professor and researcher at the HEC School of Management in Paris. You can find the HBR article at the link below. It is a very short, but very powerful article, I think. Go ahead, click the link. I’ll wait.
I was browsing the latest issue of Harvard Business Review (May 2010) this morning and ran across an article that really caught my attention….. And in my opinion, extends the discussion of position power.
The article is from Michael Segalla and is based on his research as to where the real power resides in the organization. Michael is a professor and researcher at the HEC School of Management in Paris. You can find the HBR article at the link below. It is a very short, but very powerful article, I think. Go ahead, click the link. I’ll wait.
Vision Statement: Find the Real Power in Your Organization
Glad that you came back! Didn’t you find the article interesting?
For the new and/or aspiring executive, I find a couple of interesting implications from this research.
First, it would be interesting to plot where you are on the grid. Do you fall in category A -- untapped potential? If you are new or aspiring as an executive, the answer is likely yes. So what? Well, in my mind, the issue for you becomes one of how you move up in the hierarchy and in objective authority --- while maintaining your high sense of responsibility. Of course, that movement up isn’t something you get to chose. But you CAN influence it. How? By finding a boss or mentor that trusts you AND that can help your movement. When you find this person (or persons), you will find additional opportunities to prove yourself. It is then up to you to make sure that you succeed.
A second implication for the new/aspiring executive is to understand how those around you (your peers, your bosses, etc) fall on this grid. Yeah, I know, you can’t go out and interview all of these people to get a fix on it. But that’s okay, because if you stop and think about it, you likely have all of the information you need to plot each person on the grid. And if you don’t have the info, your network can certainly help to provide it.
Once you have them plotted, then what? Well, it should help to shape your work, discussions, meetings, etc. with each person. And you can’t just limit this to those people above you on the grid. Look at the grid that was reproduced in HBR. There are a lot of people in the lower section of the grid with a significant amount of objective authority. Wouldn’t these be ideal people to have as part of your network? And what about category B, dangerous deadwood, people? You certainly can’t ignore them, because they do have a lot of power in your organization. And frankly, if you ignore or butt heads with them, it is likely that they can snuff your career advancement chances in a heartbeat. But since you now know that they wield a large amount of power but lack the sense of responsibility, you can shape your interactions with them -- such that you aren’t damaged or hurt by the interactions.
Of course, I am sure that there are many other implications that go with this model of determining the real power in an organization. And many thanks to Professor Segalla for sharing his powerful research with us.
Cheers!
Friday, May 14, 2010
5-14-10 You Can't Do Everything
Continuing the theme of discussing survey participant extra input and comments…..
One of my participants talked a little about outsourcing. His comment was that his department was utilizing resources from both Russia and India. “Many of our engineers do not like the idea of sending work outside our country (and company!) and are not supporting this effort. Without their engagement, it becomes very difficult to get full potential from foreign partners.”
Okay, yeah, in the US outsourcing has a really bad name. Moving jobs off-shore, and all that. But the fact is there isn’t any company that can do EVERYTHING. In this case, we just couldn’t hire enough engineers (of all types) to get all the work done on a timely basis. So the thinking was, let’s move some of the grunt work, like drafting functions, to off-shore firms. That would free up our very experienced engineers to do the critical functions like stress and design.
But it seemed that no matter how we explained it, our engineers weren’t buying into the concept. And if they don’t buy in, then they don’t provide the guidance and the interface that their foreign counterparts need to do their jobs. And you end up with elegantly designed product that comes out like crap in the drawings. Not a good situation.
So how to solve this problem? Given that there was no choice about outsourcing to foreign firms, there are a couple of potential solutions.
For example, it helps to bring a large cadre of the foreign engineers in-house for an extended period of time. It aids in developing the engineer-to-engineer relationships that are needed for the long haul. After you have set next to and worked directly with someone for the last 4 or 6 months, it is very difficult to ignore their phone calls or requests for information later on. It is all about establishing the one to one relationships.
Another solution is to recruit a senior engineer and place him/her in country with the contract firm. This person then becomes the liaison between the engineers at home and the engineers in the foreign organization. It has to be a senior engineer…. One that has not only the technical experience but also has the network of contacts throughout the home organization. He/she then uses these established home office relationships to get the data and information that the contract firm needs to be successful.
You’ll notice that both solutions are all about relationships. Probably the first solution is better than the second in terms of relationships. This is simply because it establishes multiple person-to-person relationships between the organizations rather than a single conduit between organizations. However, both are viable alternatives to those times where your organization just can’t do everything.
Cheers!
One of my participants talked a little about outsourcing. His comment was that his department was utilizing resources from both Russia and India. “Many of our engineers do not like the idea of sending work outside our country (and company!) and are not supporting this effort. Without their engagement, it becomes very difficult to get full potential from foreign partners.”
Okay, yeah, in the US outsourcing has a really bad name. Moving jobs off-shore, and all that. But the fact is there isn’t any company that can do EVERYTHING. In this case, we just couldn’t hire enough engineers (of all types) to get all the work done on a timely basis. So the thinking was, let’s move some of the grunt work, like drafting functions, to off-shore firms. That would free up our very experienced engineers to do the critical functions like stress and design.
But it seemed that no matter how we explained it, our engineers weren’t buying into the concept. And if they don’t buy in, then they don’t provide the guidance and the interface that their foreign counterparts need to do their jobs. And you end up with elegantly designed product that comes out like crap in the drawings. Not a good situation.
So how to solve this problem? Given that there was no choice about outsourcing to foreign firms, there are a couple of potential solutions.
For example, it helps to bring a large cadre of the foreign engineers in-house for an extended period of time. It aids in developing the engineer-to-engineer relationships that are needed for the long haul. After you have set next to and worked directly with someone for the last 4 or 6 months, it is very difficult to ignore their phone calls or requests for information later on. It is all about establishing the one to one relationships.
Another solution is to recruit a senior engineer and place him/her in country with the contract firm. This person then becomes the liaison between the engineers at home and the engineers in the foreign organization. It has to be a senior engineer…. One that has not only the technical experience but also has the network of contacts throughout the home organization. He/she then uses these established home office relationships to get the data and information that the contract firm needs to be successful.
You’ll notice that both solutions are all about relationships. Probably the first solution is better than the second in terms of relationships. This is simply because it establishes multiple person-to-person relationships between the organizations rather than a single conduit between organizations. However, both are viable alternatives to those times where your organization just can’t do everything.
Cheers!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
5-12-10 Shoulda Told Me #10
In the past, I’ve talked about how you should find a career that follows your passion (3-19-10 A Couple of Things to Consider and 3-15-10 Do Overs?). Here’s another reason why this is important. Work isn’t always fun. Big surprise, eh? We’ve all heard the cliché --- “that’s why it is called work”.
And as I’ve said before, your career is way too long to not have a passion for what you are doing.
The corollary to that is…. Life is way too short not to have fun along the way. That means your work life too. Yes, there are times when you have to be serious and studious at work. But there are also times when you should be enjoying yourself and having fun at work. Just don’t take it too far.
A few years back, the department I was in started up a “have fun at work” team. I mean, really, do we need a TEAM to help us have fun? In this case, apparently our bosses thought so --- thought that they could introduce a more enjoyable experience to our daily lives through this team. Interestingly, it was mildly successful. But just as interesting, it didn’t really last long.
Why? Because in my opinion, having fun at work cannot be forced. It doesn’t work so well when someone looks at you and says, “okay, for the next hour everyone have fun!”, right? Having fun at work is spontaneous. And it is unique to the individual or to the team.
So having said that you should have fun at work, I should also point out that there are limits. You should never have fun at someone else’s expense. You should never use “blue humor”. And you should never engage at inappropriate behavior on the way to having fun.
Still, I wish someone had told me early on in my career that is was okay, in fact encouraged, to have some fun at work. It makes the days fly by. And it creates an environment where people WANT to be in your organization. It gives you an edge in attracting and retaining the best (including yourself!). So look for those opportunities where you and those around you can have a good time.
Cheers!
And as I’ve said before, your career is way too long to not have a passion for what you are doing.
The corollary to that is…. Life is way too short not to have fun along the way. That means your work life too. Yes, there are times when you have to be serious and studious at work. But there are also times when you should be enjoying yourself and having fun at work. Just don’t take it too far.
A few years back, the department I was in started up a “have fun at work” team. I mean, really, do we need a TEAM to help us have fun? In this case, apparently our bosses thought so --- thought that they could introduce a more enjoyable experience to our daily lives through this team. Interestingly, it was mildly successful. But just as interesting, it didn’t really last long.
Why? Because in my opinion, having fun at work cannot be forced. It doesn’t work so well when someone looks at you and says, “okay, for the next hour everyone have fun!”, right? Having fun at work is spontaneous. And it is unique to the individual or to the team.
So having said that you should have fun at work, I should also point out that there are limits. You should never have fun at someone else’s expense. You should never use “blue humor”. And you should never engage at inappropriate behavior on the way to having fun.
Still, I wish someone had told me early on in my career that is was okay, in fact encouraged, to have some fun at work. It makes the days fly by. And it creates an environment where people WANT to be in your organization. It gives you an edge in attracting and retaining the best (including yourself!). So look for those opportunities where you and those around you can have a good time.
Cheers!
Friday, April 30, 2010
4-30-10 Fight or Flight
We had a good old fashioned Midwestern thunderstorm last night. And sometime between, oh, about 2:30am and 4am, my dogs demonstrated the fight or flight concept perfectly.
The oldest of our dogs gave a perfect example of flight. She has always been afraid of the thunder. And, in the best case, will hide in the pantry until the storm sounds pass by. However, she doesn’t have access to the pantry during the middle of the night, so it was more than a bit stressful for her.
The baby, on the other hand, gave us a perfect example of fight. With each clap of thunder, she was up on her feet and barking at the “intruder”. No shrinking flower there. Although having a dog barking in your ear at 2:30 in the morning isn’t the most pleasant of experiences.
So what? You ask. Well, perhaps it is caused by lack of sleep, but it got me to thinking about facing that fight or flight impulse in the work place. I’m sure that there are many scientific studies from over the years that determine the effects of triggering the fight or flight response in humans. So I’m not headed down that angle. Instead, I’m more interested in how an executive handles the impulse.
As an executive, you will walk a very fine line between fight and flight many times in your career. You will feel threatened and you will have to decide, often in a flash, whether you fight or flee. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t advocate either. What I advocate is a measured response.
For example, you are pitching a new product for your company and you encounter some significant, and even derisive, resistance -- in public. And so your fight or flight instinct kicks in. You know the feeling. Your heart starts pounding, your face might get a little red, your mouth gets dry, or you start to sweat.
If you are like many executives (let’s face it, most of us are type A, aggressive personalities), your immediate impulse will be to fight the detractors. But is that wise? Maybe. And maybe not. Sometimes you have to stand up and fight for what you truly believe in. And sometimes you have to subside and walk away from the situation.
The point is, you need plan for this eventuality. It will happen, sooner or later. You should learn to recognize when the instinct kicks in. And once it kicks in, you have to take a breath or a step back and analyze the situation. And THEN pick the appropriate response.
So the next time you hear the music of a thunderstorm, it might be wise to ponder a few things. What triggers your fight or flight instinct? What are the symptoms that you feel when it kicks in? And how will you respond? And most importantly, how can you turn the instinct to your advantage as an executive?
Enjoy the thunder!
Cheers.
The oldest of our dogs gave a perfect example of flight. She has always been afraid of the thunder. And, in the best case, will hide in the pantry until the storm sounds pass by. However, she doesn’t have access to the pantry during the middle of the night, so it was more than a bit stressful for her.
The baby, on the other hand, gave us a perfect example of fight. With each clap of thunder, she was up on her feet and barking at the “intruder”. No shrinking flower there. Although having a dog barking in your ear at 2:30 in the morning isn’t the most pleasant of experiences.
So what? You ask. Well, perhaps it is caused by lack of sleep, but it got me to thinking about facing that fight or flight impulse in the work place. I’m sure that there are many scientific studies from over the years that determine the effects of triggering the fight or flight response in humans. So I’m not headed down that angle. Instead, I’m more interested in how an executive handles the impulse.
As an executive, you will walk a very fine line between fight and flight many times in your career. You will feel threatened and you will have to decide, often in a flash, whether you fight or flee. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t advocate either. What I advocate is a measured response.
For example, you are pitching a new product for your company and you encounter some significant, and even derisive, resistance -- in public. And so your fight or flight instinct kicks in. You know the feeling. Your heart starts pounding, your face might get a little red, your mouth gets dry, or you start to sweat.
If you are like many executives (let’s face it, most of us are type A, aggressive personalities), your immediate impulse will be to fight the detractors. But is that wise? Maybe. And maybe not. Sometimes you have to stand up and fight for what you truly believe in. And sometimes you have to subside and walk away from the situation.
The point is, you need plan for this eventuality. It will happen, sooner or later. You should learn to recognize when the instinct kicks in. And once it kicks in, you have to take a breath or a step back and analyze the situation. And THEN pick the appropriate response.
So the next time you hear the music of a thunderstorm, it might be wise to ponder a few things. What triggers your fight or flight instinct? What are the symptoms that you feel when it kicks in? And how will you respond? And most importantly, how can you turn the instinct to your advantage as an executive?
Enjoy the thunder!
Cheers.
Monday, April 19, 2010
4-19-10 Cleaning Out the Dead Wood
Springtime around my place means cleaning out the numerous flower beds of all the dead wood and debris from the winter. Hard, but satisfying, work to be sure. And it pays off over the course of the next few months with more productive and healthier plants.
The same can be said for your workforce. What? Yep, cleaning out the workforce is sometimes required. In fact, there are companies out there which mandate to their managers that they let go the bottom 10% of employees every year. No, I don’t recommend anything quite that draconian. But I have seen the benefits of identifying low-performing employees --- and then, if necessary letting them go.
A manager or executive has many difficult jobs. But perhaps the second-most difficult job is to sit down with an employee and tell him/her that they are not performing as expected. It is never an easy conversation. But you owe it to that employee to be forthright and honest about what you observe in their performance. And then you owe them the opportunity to improve. And finally you owe them your assistance on that improvement plan.
And if the improvement doesn’t happen, the executive’s most difficult job is to let that employee go. I don’t know if you have ever had to fire someone, but believe me, it is an extremely difficult task.
So why would you let someone go? Even if he/she wasn’t performing up to par, it just puts more work on the folks that are left behind, right? Well, yes, it probably does. But here is where one of the benefits come in…….
Look, everyone in your organization likely knew that this person wasn’t pulling his/her weight. And likely resented it. So when you suck it up and do the right thing by letting that person go, the people in your organization actually breath a sigh of relief. They recognize that you don’t have your head up somewhere and aren’t really oblivious to what is going on in the organization. And they will (at least silently) applaud your efforts. You’ll hear things like, “hey, she really IS paying attention to what is going on here”. And some will even thank you for getting rid of someone that is bringing down the whole organization.
Another benefit? You will likely fill that position, right? You’ll promote someone else into the job, and give their career a boost. Or you’ll hire someone off the street, infusing new life and ideas into your organization.
So no, cleaning out the dead wood isn’t easy. But in the long run, your organization (and your garden) will be better off for the effort.
Cheers!
The same can be said for your workforce. What? Yep, cleaning out the workforce is sometimes required. In fact, there are companies out there which mandate to their managers that they let go the bottom 10% of employees every year. No, I don’t recommend anything quite that draconian. But I have seen the benefits of identifying low-performing employees --- and then, if necessary letting them go.
A manager or executive has many difficult jobs. But perhaps the second-most difficult job is to sit down with an employee and tell him/her that they are not performing as expected. It is never an easy conversation. But you owe it to that employee to be forthright and honest about what you observe in their performance. And then you owe them the opportunity to improve. And finally you owe them your assistance on that improvement plan.
And if the improvement doesn’t happen, the executive’s most difficult job is to let that employee go. I don’t know if you have ever had to fire someone, but believe me, it is an extremely difficult task.
So why would you let someone go? Even if he/she wasn’t performing up to par, it just puts more work on the folks that are left behind, right? Well, yes, it probably does. But here is where one of the benefits come in…….
Look, everyone in your organization likely knew that this person wasn’t pulling his/her weight. And likely resented it. So when you suck it up and do the right thing by letting that person go, the people in your organization actually breath a sigh of relief. They recognize that you don’t have your head up somewhere and aren’t really oblivious to what is going on in the organization. And they will (at least silently) applaud your efforts. You’ll hear things like, “hey, she really IS paying attention to what is going on here”. And some will even thank you for getting rid of someone that is bringing down the whole organization.
Another benefit? You will likely fill that position, right? You’ll promote someone else into the job, and give their career a boost. Or you’ll hire someone off the street, infusing new life and ideas into your organization.
So no, cleaning out the dead wood isn’t easy. But in the long run, your organization (and your garden) will be better off for the effort.
Cheers!
Monday, February 1, 2010
2-1-10 Salute Smartly
I’ve always been a pretty aggressive person. I get an idea or a bee in my bonnet and I go for it. Generally, that has served me well in the work environment. But not always…….
Back when I was a first level manager, I had responsibility for the financial systems in the company. I remember one time where we had an upgrade to one of the systems that the team was proposing. We had done our research and come up with what I considered to be a very elegant solution. We went to the bosses and made our case. I thought it went very well.
What I didn’t realize was the full scope of the available support and funding for the opportunity.
As a result, we were told “no”. Instead, we were told to go do a smaller, less elegant solution. My team and I didn’t agree with this solution. So I went back to make our case again, and again, and again….. Well you get the idea. I was working hard to get approval for something that my team and I thought was the absolute right way to go. I guess that I was more than a little vocal about the situation.
Finally, my boss took me aside. He said, “Look, I really appreciate your passion for this and I really appreciate how you are supporting your team”. But then he went on to say, “Now knock it the hell off”. He wanted me to understand that having passion about your work is a good thing. However, I REALLY needed to learn that once the decision has been made, to quit arguing. That I needed to step back, salute smartly, and support the company line.
He went on to explain that by continuing to argue, I was giving my people false hope that the decision would be reversed. And I was subtlety encouraging them to rebel against what had been decided. Further, there would be times in my work life that I wouldn’t agree with the company position. But that until I was the CEO, I would have to swallow my arguments and support the company decision.
Frankly, that was a difficult lesson to learn. We all like to think that we are right in every situation. And maybe we are. But being right doesn’t trump supporting your company‘s tactics and direction. When it comes right down to it, there are times when you will have to internalize your disagreement and get on with business.
Cheers!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Shoulda Told Me #4
The outlook and attitude that you carry to work each day makes a difference. You can have the “I don’t wanna be here” attitude, but you can’t let it show.
I’ve always made it my policy to respond to the perfunctory “how are you?” salutation with either “wonderful” or “awesome” or “outstanding”. “Fine” or “OK” just doesn’t cut it in my eyes.
Why? Well, have you ever been around a co-worker that is always unhappy? I have. And frankly, it either depresses me or irritates the hell outta me. I don’t want to be around them and I don’t want to work with them. And believe me, if your co-workers know that you are that way, your bosses will know as well. If you are looking to get ahead, it is highly unlikely that you will -- if you are one of those constantly unhappy types. People tend to gravitate to those folks that will make them feel good.
Additionally, the attitude that you carry around with you at work will set the tone for your day and all of your interactions. I always looked at it as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Even if I wasn’t in a good mood, didn’t feel good, or just generally didn’t want to be there --- if I acted like I was happy, sooner or later it became true. In fact, I’ve told people that. When someone would observe that I always told them I was “wonderful”, I would tell them that I couldn’t be lying all of the time --- sooner or later it would be true! And I always said it with a smile.
So, heck, someone shoulda told me that a positive outlook sure goes a looooong way at work. It gives you an aura of someone that people want to be around. I am firmly convinced that it contributed to my success. A positive outlook and a smile makes difficult or awkward moments easier on everyone around you. People remember that and they will repay the favor of your easing the situation.
One caveat? You have to be consistent about it. You can’t be the grouchy ol’ bear one day and then little miss sunshine the next. That confuses folks. They don’t know which of you will show up to work on any given day. And will be forced to tread lightly around you until they establish you are/aren’t the bear today. As much as people like a positive attitude, they also need it to be consistent.
So tomorrow, before you walk in the door, check into the attitude that you are projecting. And do it the next day, and the next, and the next….. Until the positive reflex becomes a habit.
Cheers!
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