Archive for the ‘Career Strategies’ Category
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).
Is Your Management Career Poised for 2010 Success?
29December 2009
In Psychology Today.com, I talk about how it’s time to shore up your career and managerial skills for 2010. I’d like to address that here, and wish you much joy in your career and life in the coming year.
Many had to settle for a less-than-agreeable situation at work in 2009. But 2010 is upon us, and here’s a brief metaphor: 2010 is the Chinese Year of the Tiger, and the tiger is known for its strength and strategic skills in getting results. Without being a predator, you can be aggressive about achieving your career goals in the New Year.
First, decide what your heartfelt objectives are, then set your own rules. You do possess needed skills and company know-how. Your leadership skills are hard to replace. So if you like the job you’re currently in, but not the terms, now is the time to fine-tune them and dial up your satisfaction level.
Assess your weaknesses. Clarify what you want more, or less of. How can you better control office challenges by through reading, training and professional development? If fear has held you back, consider if it’s time to move on to the “great unknown.” Design your career objectives based on what would bring you the best long-term happiness. Then, pounce.
Regardless of your choice, the macro environment we’re in dictates a few requirements that will keep you at the top of your game:
• Make human relations skills your priority for 2010. Just because it’s a tech world on steroids doesn’t mean we must lose our humanity. In fact you can counter this trend by increasing yours. Even if those around you regress to virtual toddlers (Terrible Office Tyrants, or TOTs, as I call them) in the pressure cooker recession environment, ratchet up your “interpersonal intelligence” to set you apart from other managers in 2010. You will help “TOT Proof your company” in the process.
• Take the initiative. Like so many aspects of achieving success, maintaining an objective, healthy perspective and being a proactive problem solver can make all the difference. Learn how to role model calm, clear thinking, positive behavior with those around you - this is a transferable skill. The practice will be contagious to top management, too, and benefit those across the organization as well.
• Keep Your Eye on the Prize. Despite the prevalent “sky is falling” mood in corporate America, stay focused and positive on fulfilling your career dreams. When things are in flux, chances for advancement can unfold before you at any time - if you allow them to.
• Reach Out - With Precision. Regardless of whether you’re making job move, networking is essential to career success, and who you know does make a difference. However, choose your venues wisely; time is a non-renewable resource. Master social networking tools, such as LinkedIn groups, blogs and Twitter, as well as targeted trade groups in your area. Reach out to contacts who are helpful, but also be of value to others in return.
• What Are You Saying? With text messaging, e-mails and hurried memos, your writing skills can deteriorate into a terse, nonsensical mess. Recipients may spend needless time trying to decipher what you mean, or worse, take it the wrong way. Take classes in writing and public speaking so that you can better sell your ideas and put your best foot forward in business.
• The 2.0 You. No matter how much experience you have, you can always become more tech savvy. Now is the time to not only upgrade, but to learn skills outside your comfort zone. Jobs are becoming increasingly specialized over time, and so is software that supports those positions. The willingness to learn continually is an invaluable asset.
Make 2010 the year of bold decision-making that you may have been putting off. (Just be careful to sharpen your skills, not your claws, as you set your sights on your goal.
A sunny, helpful, open and positive disposition - combined with a thirst for knowledge - are the real “killer” skills that will last beyond 2010. They will last a lifetime.
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.
How to Allay Job Fears
15March 2009
An article in The Washington Post recently addressed a national job related survey commissioned by my firm, Lynn Taylor Consulting, on how a boss’s closed door can trigger immense job insecurity. The survey showed that one-third of workers these days often gets nervous when they see their manager in private conferences, worrying about possible layoffs.
The telephone survey included 1,000 people, and was conducted by an independent research firm. It also showed that another third worry at least sometimes. A quarter said they rarely or never fear they’re about to be laid off, even when the boss’s door is closed. A quarter of those polled said they think the average worker spends one to two hours a day worrying about personal job concerns such as layoffs, while a fifth believed that such worries consume four or more hours a day.
Overall, 76 percent of employees think about lay-offs when suddenly faced with “the closed door,” and 2.8 hours a day was the average time spent worrying about pink slips. Clearly, managers have a lot of work to do to allay employees’ fears and boost productivity! As the author of “Tame Your Terrible Office TyrantTM,” (John Wiley & Sons, July 2009) and CEO of a consulting firm that trains executives to become more productive and trustworthy managers - these findings make it timely to be aware of the Tame your TOT (Terrible Office Tyrant)TM and Humanize Your WorkplaceTM principles.
If you’re an employee looking for tips on how to advance in your career, or your managers are stuck in the Terrible Twos (!), please visit: www.TameYourTOT.com. For the job concerns press release, click: full press release or comment at my blog.
If you’re a senior manager, and don’t want TOTs running amok in your company (and do want to keep your best talent), visit Lynn Taylor Consulting or my blog. My most basic views are at: www.lynntaylor.com. As for right now, communicate - often. If it helps to buy a $2 door stop to remain “open” to your people and their ideas, that’s a small price to pay! Opening your door literally and figuratively might even keep open the doors of your business.
