We often hear complaints about bosses who only focus on what is not working and never acknowledge and celebrate what is going well. Other clients describe their experience of bosses who have nothing to say about their performance until they have made a mistake. Some clients even describe their belief that their bosses are lying in wait – ready to pounce on the one bad thing that happens; so, we thought we would take a few moments to look at…
Often, we hear from experienced managers that they are proud to say that they have learned to “trust the process.” Those same managers will describe that they have encouraged younger, greener mangers to do the same and have been shocked when problems arise. Unfortunately, this advice can get less experienced mangers in trouble especially if “trusting the process” isn’t fully defined, since most of them assume that “trusting the process” means just letting whatever happens happen. And that’s rarely successful.…
Many of you have probably seen the original Terminator (1984) movie. In it, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a cyborg that has come back in time to kill the future savior of the world. In one scene, the cyborg is in a rundown hotel room tending to some pretty nasty wounds when the hotel manager knocks on the door (wanting to know what the smell is that is coming from the room) and asks him whether he has a dead animal in…
Throughout our lives, there are times (sometimes many times) when we disagree with someone about an issue. Whether that person is someone we work with, live with, or relate to on a regular basis, knowing how to disagree with them without being disagreeable in an important skill that will increase your effectiveness and personal power. Two basic things are required to effectively disagree with someone without being disagreeable, the first is knowledge of oneself and second, communication skills. Let’s look…
In our last two posts, we’ve encouraged you to get people to move forward because of their commitment to the organization instead of getting stuck on finding fault in others (See 5 Steps to Effectively Attack the Problem and Trust is Not a Weapon). Building commitment to an organization is an underlying and critical aspect of creating an effective work force, yet very few leaders and managers know how they can facilitate the kind of commitment that supports organizational success.…
An important source of information that folks often overlook when exploring or considering their next career move is their own observation. By this I mean, start observing with close attention to two areas: What are other people doing in their careers/jobs that looks interesting or fun to you. Don’t make any judgment about whether you could do that exact job, but rather analyze why that work looks fun. Identify those people and/or organizations that are inspiring or motivating to you. …
Last week we talked about 5 ways to focus your efforts when things go awry. We believe it’s critical that you attack the problem and leave the people associated with the problem intact. Number 3 on that list was: Get participants to move forward because of a commitment to the organization rather than getting caught up on the notion of “trust”. At that time, we promised to share more of our thinking on trust, so here goes. In our experience…
Last week we talked about the importance of attacking the problem and leaving the people associated with the problem intact. Today we want to offer you some guidelines for doing so effectively. In 1981, Roger Fisher and William Ury wrote a game-changing book called Getting to Yes. They were the first to change the conversation about how to go into a negotiation. Their work has dramatically changed the world’s perspective on how to approach tough issues with a level of…
As this week’s title indicates, we want to explore the concept of fiercely attacking a problem without attacking the person who is attached to the problem (either directly or indirectly.) Seems reasonable, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, for most people, it’s much harder than it sounds. For so many of us, when we hear about a problem, or even a potential problem, the first reaction we have is something along the lines of “What the *%#!*^!” The next thought is typically, “Wasn’t…
Remember, the goal in making contacts and having a discussion is to gain information – information that helps you make decisions about the possible directions for your career. People like to talk about their job, their personal story and their views of the industry and its future. Your role during this discussion is to listen, listening for ways that you could be a solution. Here are some questions that are good ones to ask: How did you become interested in this…