Archive for June, 2010
Are You Ignoring Someone On You Team?
23June 2010
It may happen sometimes that a manager would seem to ignore or avoid a member of his own team. In my latest Psychology Today article I address possible reasons, and offer some advice for the unlucky employee. Here is an excerpt:
Your performance is good, you are getting the job done without making big waves. But at the back of your mind there’s a persistent thought: it would be nice if your boss answered your e-mails or acknowledged your stellar work on that critical report. Being ignored can trigger a cascade of wasteful worries that don’t help your performance at all.
Often, it’s not about you. Your boss could be overwhelmed and distracted with other tasks or trying to solve big problems in little time – and in this case you are in no danger.
It could also be that your boss is feeling powerless. So in order to feel some semblance of control managers may act as if they’re too important to have time for you. Or, if there is a problem between you and your boss, instead of facing uncomfortable situations he may find it easier to just tune you out.
Boost Your Visibility
Keeping a low profile when you are ignored would be a mistake. Instead you need to increase your visibility and step up your role. The more indispensable you are, the better.
Make an effort to get your boss’ attention when you need it.
Points to Consider:
• Being ignored is no fun, but try not to take it personally. Your boss might simply be busy or preoccupied.
• Find out the reason by asking directly and by asking your colleagues.
• If you’ve done something to irritate or disappoint your manager, try to communicate with your ignoring TOT in a nonthreatening, constructive way.
• Make it easy for your boss: set up regular meeting times, keep the meetings short, and make your reports or presentations are appealing and creative.
If nothing else, getting in front of the problem will release a lot of tension. At best, it will mitigate the problem and perhaps even strengthen the relationship.
For a manager: By proactively anticipating communication gaps or honestly facing possible compatibility problems you will eliminate a lot of unproductive tension in the workplace and help your employees to help you achieve your goals.
Read the whole article here: PsychologyToday.com
Respectful Workplace, Part II
1June 2010
RespectfulWorkplace published the second part of my interview. Here are a couple of excerpts:
RW: In your book, you mention creating a “humanized workplace.” Could you please describe for our readers what that would look like?
LT: In today’s high-tech environment, sometimes “humanity” can be forgotten. A humanized workplace is a collaborative work environment in which everyone puts the larger good of the company first. It is the reverse of a corporate playground rampant with TOTs. It’s a workplace that has a family feeling to it, where fun and humor are not just tolerated, but encouraged. Where teams are inspired by their leaders to innovate and work toward a common goal. It’s a place where people want to work, not a corporate playground.
RW: Why is it so important to tame these TOTs? How are they wreaking havoc on the workplace?
LT: When TOTs run the workplace, workers don’t stay around for very long. Motivation, productivity and the company’s reputation drops along with profits. In fact, a survey commissioned by my company Lynn Taylor Consulting found that U.S. employees spend 19.2 hours a week (13 hours during the work week and 6.2 hours on the weekend) worrying about “what a boss says or does.”
The study illustrates the tremendous drain that a manager’s words and actions have on employees. Absenteeism, turnover, retraining and poor word of mouth, are just some of the ramifications. It reduces the opportunity to find and keep the best talent, not to mention the impact on customer acquisition and retention.
Read the whole interview at RespectfulWorkplace.com
