Archive for the ‘Career Currency’ Category
Time Off During the Holidays
1December 2011
Holiday time is a time for joy, cheer, and perhaps you may feel some adult version of “separation anxiety” — fear that not everything at work is going to be done before the holidays.
As a manager, have a plan ready and decide what can wait until after the holidays. Too much pre-holiday workload may result in employee burnout and tarnish your reputation (you don’t want the name “Scrooge” brought up!) To avoid being a TOT, read my Psychology Today blog to learn about boss holiday separation anxiety. . . before you start seeing long faces at the holiday party!
Remember, a little break now will translate into a happier, more productive 2012.
TOT-taming for Beleaguered Office Workers
6November 2011
If you’re a senior manager or in Human Resources, you know that Terrible Office Tyrants (TOTs) wreak havoc in your business. You want to mitigate the behavior as much as possible. You also want to ensure that your staff is TOT-free.
TOT-taming is reaching out to more beleaguered office workers this month with articles appearing in Forbes, CBS/MoneyWatch and Media Bistro. Forbes highlighted Seven Ways to Tame an Office Tyrant — don’t let them see you sweat, listen actively, be a role model, be a problem solver, harness strengths and weaknesses, use humor and show empathy. Of course, in my book, there are many more tips. Check them out!
At CBS/MoneyWatch you’ll find suggestions on what to do When Your Boss Acts like a Toddler, which included my favorite acronym: CALM—Communicate, Anticipate, Laugh and Manage. Communicate with your boss openly, honestly and frequently. Anticipate problems before they become larger problems and have solutions ready. Levity helps break tension, diffuses issues and punch through barriers. Managing up doesn’t mean kissing up. It means speaking the truth and setting expectations with your boss.
In Media Bistro’s Dealing with the Terrible Office Tyrant (TOT) I told public relations professionals that the onus was on them to spot a TOT and put some real teeth behind that great PR reputation. With some behind the scenes TOT-taming they can increase those moments of agency euphoria.
Try some TOT-taming techniques in November, as the holidays and a short month create a fertile environment for more stress!
How Many Thank-You E-mails Land the Job?
9April 2011
After a job interview, you need to follow up to stay visible—without becoming a pest. I discuss this issue in my new Business Week article and offer my perspective on how to find a perfect balance based on a number of factors.
I start with an example from my personal experience – of two excellent and equally qualified candidates competing for the same job. One was virtually silent after the interview and thank-you e-mail. The other one sent the thank-you and also checked in about every 10 days with interesting links and industry information. Eventually I had to go with my gut: Since Candidate B went out of his way to demonstrate his interest for the job, I selected him. He remained part of my team for years until he had to relocate for personal reasons.
So Candidate A lost out in large part because he failed to follow up with enthusiasm. But over the course of my career, I’ve also had to exclude candidates from the running because they made pests of themselves after the interview.
It is obvious that candidates who can manage just the right amount of contact are the ones most likely to succeed. So how do you know what the right amount of follow-up is? Every other week is a good general rule, especially if you’re getting a positive response from the interviewer. But every situation is different, and there is a number of things to be factored in. For the complete picture, read more on BusinessWeek.com.
Job Interview: A Card Game?
5February 2011
Often a job interview is like playing poker. Both sides are like careful players, deciding how much to reveal, how much to conceal, or when to call for all cards on the table. If the job seeker doesn’t play his hand right he may loose the opportunity, no matter how well he’s qualified. If the interviewer can’t “read” the opponent properly, he may end up giving the job to the wrong person. And what to do if your counterpart has the world’s best poker face?
In my recent article on PsychologyToday.com I offer job hunters some advice on how to excel at “job interview poker.” I think it’s a useful read for hiring managers as well. A position is only filled properly when both the employee and the employer attempt to be as forthcoming as possible. Granted, a hiring manager certainly may not know if the candidate going to make the cut until the process runs its course. And there are often other decision-makers. But if the match is not even close, managers should be careful not to set unrealistic high expectations at the very least. Read on for an employee’s perspective of the job interview “poker game.”
Landing a Survival Job
21January 2011
Today many people are forced to look for jobs below their qualifications. In the current tough economic climate even “settling for less” often presents a challenge and needs to be done right. What advice would you give to candidates seeking “survival jobs” – or use yourself in a tough situation?
Megan Malugani, a contributing writer for Monster.com, quotes opinions from a number of workplace experts (including yours truly) in her recent article: “A survival job should be something you enjoy,” says Lynn Taylor, a workplace expert who is CEO of Santa Monica, California-based Lynn Taylor Consulting and author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant. “Your likelihood of landing even a survival job is greater if you demonstrate genuine enthusiasm, so don’t waste anyone’s time with a job you dislike from the start.”
You’d also need to tone down your resume to avoid being perceived as overqualified. Focus your resume and the interview on the actual job at hand.
Above all, stay positive and remember that any experience is an opportunity to learn.
For more tips, read the complete article at Monster.com
Survey: Boss Behavior Causes Rampant Worrying
15January 2010
Workplace Expert, Author, Provides Career Tips for 2010 and Beyond
SANTA MONICA (January 13, 2010) — According to a new survey released today by national workplace expert Lynn Taylor, author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant –TOT (John Wiley & Sons), 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 national study was conducted by an independent global research firm and commissioned by Taylor’s firm, Lynn Taylor Consulting, which offers workshops on how to humanize the workplace for increased productivity and profitability.
Taylor said, “The study illustrates the tremendous drain that a manager’s words and actions can have on the minds and work product of its most valued asset – people – at a time when companies can least afford the loss. Particularly during this period of high unemployment, bad boss behavior can go into overdrive – distracting employees from the work at hand.”
“Conversely, the survey suggests that greater interpersonal sensitivity can significantly boost morale and help a company thrive,” Taylor said. She advises managers to go the extra mile by showing interest in the team’s well-being. “Employees’ careers are not on hold, even if major corporate initiatives are,” she added. Taylor said that spillover anxiety on weekends of 3.1 hours a day further underscores how critical the boss/employee dynamic truly is.
“Employees should take the initiative in 2010 to build their own human relations skills,” Taylor said. She added, “Tackle issues early on with diplomacy and deploy good ‘parenting skills’ in the office – without patronizing. Use positive and negative reinforcement; provide positive role modeling; humor; and set limits to unreasonable demands with tact, showing the benefits of an alternative compromise.”
The U.S. study was based on telephone interviews conducted with 1,000 respondents 18 years of age or older. For more information, visit www.LynnTaylorConsulting.com and www.TameYourTOT.com or call 1-800-454-0083.
About Lynn Taylor Consulting
Lynn Taylor is the founder of Lynn Taylor Consulting, which advises companies on how to humanize the workplace. A nationally recognized workplace expert, dynamic speaker and acclaimed author, Taylor is the author of the book, Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant™(TOT); How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job (John Wiley & Sons, July 2009).
Bad Boss Behavior Is Dragging Your Company Down
9October 2009
Many leading experts are emphasizing the importance of a psychologically healthy workplace for a company’s success. This may be more difficult to achieve now than it used to be.
National surveys commissioned by my company, Lynn Taylor Consulting, and conducted by an independent global research firm show that bad and childish boss behavior rose 50% in the period from 2004 to 2009.
This kind of behavior can increase stress in the workplace and lead to employees’ distraction, decreased motivation and even long-term health problems, the ultimate result being drop in productivity and profits. Readers’ conversation on my BusinessWeek blog shows it to be a matter of great concern among employees.
This study and other extensive research encouraged me to write a book, Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant™ (TOT); How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job (John Wiley & Sons, July 2009). The book offers tips on “parenting” unruly managers who resemble tots in their Terrible Twos. Even more importantly, the book advises CEOs on how to “humanize their workplace.” Senior management has the most power to implement change that would establish an employee-friendly corporate culture with management/employee relationship based on trust, understanding, and mutual respect, creating a better workplace climate and improving overall performance.
Rather then managing an assorted collection of people united just by material interest, CEOs could be leading a tight team united by a common purpose where everyone is motivated to contribute their maximum. TOT-proofing a company would be a major step towards achieving that goal.
“So, What’s Your Book About?”
27June 2009
In my daily travels, after people ask me the name of my forthcoming book, their first reaction is usually laughter. They immediately understand that Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant™ (TOT) is a self-help guide to make the workplace more manageable, offering some laughs along the way. Mission accomplished! But the follow-up comments are always fascinating. “I could have written several anecdotes for your book!” “Gosh, [to a nearby subordinate], I’m not a TOT, am I?!” The dutiful subordinate blushes and replies: “Ha. Of course not!” “You must be the Dr. Spock of the workplace.” “Yeah, I cringed when I heard how some (former) managers spoke to employees!” When people want to know more, and ask, “What’s it really about?” – I usually say something to the effect of: “It helps you define your career rather than letting it define you.” I quickly describe the “TOT™” and toddler parallel of out-of-control office behavior. Then I explain how mastering the “parental” techniques of dealing with the similar traits is invaluable and, transferable –and that it will help them in their careers –maybe even in life. But one of the cornerstones of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant™(TOT): How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job is about shared responsibility. When I first realized the similarities between children and bosses with too much power, I knew that by offering that perspective to employees, it would help them manage up. But the other side of the coin was that it would also help managers do their part from an employer’s’ perspective – it would help them humanize the workplace. A win-win, collaborative proposition. No matter your level in an organization, having the ability to master relationships with those around you is a legitimate, personal growth commitment. Not surprisingly, it also the secret to being a great leader. CEOs and senior business leaders can “TOT-proof their companies” and make their environment safe for success. More than anything else, my book makes it crystal clear that it’s incumbent upon everyone to set limits to bad office behavior and reinforce the good. Just as a good parent can reward good behavior and rebuke the bad, the same techniques work 9 to 5. So, what’s my book about? It’s a customizable guide to assist you in taking command of your own personal career currency. In the process, you can help your boss and fellow employees humanize your workplace.
