Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Turn Yourself into an Office Diplomat
18February 2011
I always emphasize the importance of interpersonal skills. As I mention in my book, Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant, the ability to understand your fellow co-worker and maintain open communication is the basis for humanizing the workplace.
I recently addressed this issue in my article for BusinessWeek.com where I discuss “office diplomacy.” We’ve all observed managers with a knack for making people feel included, gently persuading others to cooperate, and generally inspiring others. Today’s most sought-after leaders never stopped displaying these qualities during the recession. Poise, transparency, and tact will also help any job seeker. In the article I offer suggestions on how to handle office relations, keep communication clear and to the point and make good impression at job interviews.
Read more on how to be an “office diplomat” 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.”
Coping With Difficult Bosses
30October 2010
A recent article on Monster+HotJobs.com titled Coping With 5 Boss Personality Types discusses five major boss types that aren’t easy to deal with (hence the need to cope). For each boss trait, the author cites advice from a number of experts, including myself. In my book Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant I give a bit different “boss classification” but I do like the way major personality types are represented in the article by recognizable movie and TV characters.
For example, for dealing with the Narcissistic Boss (a.k.a. Miranda Priestly, “The Devil Wears Prada”) the article very fittingly offers my “C.A.L.M.” method (Communicate, Anticipate, Laugh, and Manage Up):
“Communicate frequently, honestly, and regularly with aggressive bosses, so you understand what’s behind all the blustering. Anticipate problems before they occur or become more stressful (don’t encourage a tantrum with bad timing, either). Laugh: A little levity goes a long way when tensions are running high. Manage up by being a role model of good behavior, using positive and negative reinforcement as you would with a child.”
The article ends with a somewhat alarming revelation: when asked to characterize their boss in terms of a TV or movie character (the villain, the hero, the comic relief, the mentor, the oddball, the heartthrob, or a bit part) 41 percent of the poll participants said that their boss was the villain.
This should be an alarm call for any CEO or HR person – to look closely at their managerial ranks and weed out what I call Terrible Office Tyrants. Having to cope with a “villain” can’t be good for productivity; the interpersonal skills offered in the article are better used for creating harmony and balance in the workplace.
MSN Careerbuilder: How to Call in a Favor at Work
26September 2010
MSN Careerbuilder recently ran an article by Danny Goldin, titled How to Call in a Favor at Work. It deals with those situations when the daily grind becomes a bit too much. The article recognizes that although we may be reluctant to ask other people for help, each of us may have to do it from time to time – no arguing about that. What’s important, the author says, is how you ask.
“People never want to be known as the office pest, causing their co-workers to duck for cover when they approach. To ensure that this fate isn’t bestowed upon you, Lynn Taylor, a nationally-recognized workplace expert and CEO of Lynn Taylor Consulting, provides a few pointers.”
My recommendations, in short, are as follows:
• Make sure you are not asking too much.
• Timing is everything – “Is it a good time?”
• It’s a two-way street, so offer something in return.
The article quotes other experts offering an insight that I couldn’t agree more with: it’s important to use your interpersonal skills when you approach someone for a favor; you have to consider who is that person – for example, their age – and what’s the nature of your relationship with them. Then you shape your request to fit the situation.
In conclusion, the article offers another bit of advice from yours truly:
“Don’t forget to thank them, if possible, publicly,” Taylor says. “It won’t hurt to thank them immediately for saying ‘yes,’ and later when the event happens. A formal thank you in the form of a note or e-mail is also welcomed because it’s more visible and in black and white. It demonstrates more thought than just a phone call.”
So, never hesitate to ask for help when you really need it. And by doing it just right, not only you are able to achieve more, you are also sharing success with your co-worker and building a better, more collaborative workplace.
Put Leadership Training on the Front Burner
13August 2010
The recession forced corporations to cut down on training, especially leadership programs, creating a deficiency that will sooner or later show up in their performance. Leadership training is highly important for success – both long-term and immediate. There can be no justification for postponing it indefinitely, not even in these tough economic times. Even a paired-down program – a workshop or a seminar once in a while, dedicated to chosen key topics – can help boost morale, spur organizational growth, improve management/stuff relations, invigorate employees, and, overall, boost productivity and improve the bottom line. To this important issue is devoted my latest article on BusinessWeek.com. Please read a sample below:
Organizations may have cut funds for training, but they may not be able to afford putting it off forever. Perhaps the myth still exists that leadership training is a costly, time-consuming measure with only long-term gain—when in fact, relatively low-cost measures can reap immediate results.
For example, you could give a one-day workshop on strategic growth initiatives, motivating staff through enhanced communications or improving skills for virtual-team leadership. Sure, this will mean time spent planning the workshop and perhaps money invested in hiring an outside facilitator, but it could contribute to the bottom line in hours. A motivated salesperson, invigorated by a sales manager’s genuine public praise one morning, can easily precipitate a sales spike that afternoon.
Other good subject matter for leadership training sessions includes: implementing career pathing for employees; setting objectives and expectations and monitoring them among staff; delegating tasks to others; team building and creating a sense of community; mentoring and helping teams maximize their potential; and establishing alignment with business and personal goals.
These days, businesses have a segment of employees inspired to work only because they want to keep their jobs. But as employment improves, survival won’t be enough to compel them to leap out of bed in the morning.
A key to invigorating employees
Leaders must know how to motivate their teams to work for mutual success and the larger success of the company. Even with the economy still faltering, more progressive companies are considering restarting leadership training. They recognize it as a wise investment in creating an invigorated workforce.
The complete article highlights some research results on leadership training and the success of companies that don’t neglect it. It also lists important topics to include in your renewed leadership training program.
Does Your Boss Trust You?
22July 2010
Workplace issues are never out of the public discussion. Here are some recent media highlights: CBS News talks on “How to Handle Toxic Bosses“; BusinessWeek discusses “maltweetment” – people using social networking to get back at their higher-ups and co-workers; Time analyzes a New York state bill that targets workplace bullying; and AOL DimeCrunch highlights a new job market tendency, the “tempreneur,” that requires a special approach from HR managers and recruiters.
In my recent Psychology Today article I talk about another issue that can create problems in the workplace: bosses who have an “employee trust deficit.” Here are some samples:
…There is a fine line between frequent communication and micro-management. Very often, a hovering, meddling boss leaves little incentive for you to produce your best work - because you believe that in the final analysis the end product won’t be yours. Ironically, many managers feel that they are providing a service to their team members. At times, managers with the best intentions may not realize that they are not being a devoted mentor, but rather an unwitting menace. You are left feeling as if there is little or no trust in your decision-making.
If managers have reason to feel that work is sub-par, of course, they will pay greater attention and will want to help. But this discussion is about those situations where the help becomes “unhelpful.”
The trust gap between bosses and employees can be mutually self-perpetuating. The same lack of trust in your judgment begets mistrust in your boss. This gap is at the root of significant downtime in your job, which clearly isn’t helpful to you or your company.
As studies commissioned by Lynn Taylor Consulting and conducted by a global research firm reveal, U.S. employees spend a whopping 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.”
Read more about the importance of mutual trust and find suggestions on how to handle the problem here.
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
Respectful Workplace
10May 2010
Last year I started guest-blogging at RespectfulWorkplace.com – a website whose mission is very close to my heart. Devoted to “fostering awareness and providing resources for creating more respect in the workplace,” RespectfulWorkplace.com is a collaborative project between Edge Learning Institute of Ohio (EdgeOhio) and Edge Learning Institute, a global provider of leadership and staff development services that help companies and non-profits improve management competencies, enhance customer service and improve employee engagement. The website’s goal is “to create an online community of people interested in creating and nurturing workplace environments where diversity and inclusiveness are not only recognized, but appreciated and celebrated.”
Respectful Workplace provides a rich variety of resources such as speakers, publications and articles that further this commitment. Identifying “flexibility and respect as core competencies for success,” they offer interactive educational programs, workshops, and seminars that help organizations improve their workplace culture. They welcome outside contributors and invite like-minded people to share their thoughts.
Respectful Workplace blog, to which I’m proud to be a contributor, is a great source of ideas and insights coming from both RW team and guest bloggers. Recently I’ve been interviewed by Respectful Workplace about my book, Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant – TOT (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.). Here is a short exerpt:
RW: How is your book beneficial to bosses who want to TOT-proof their company?
LT: TOT-proofing a business can be compared to childproofing a home. Childproofing a home makes it safe for your children to run about freely, explore and learn. TOT-proofing a company creates a corporate environment that is safe for success. It allows workers to be innovative and at their best, which leads to a better balance sheet. One study found that 90% of employees are more motivated when managers are willing to change course after receiving feedback. This prompts employees to feel that they can take risks and innovate.
The book is beneficial because it shows employees how to manage the relationship better (bosses often don’t have the time or necessarily want to spend the time to make it so.) This is a wide-open and empowering opportunity for the employee. The book also speaks directly to management about the role they can play to mitigate “TOT” behavior in their ranks.
Read the rest of the interview (with the 2nd part coming next week) on the Respectful Workplace blog.
Tempreneur: A New Breed of Free Agent
26March 2010
Whatever pundits say about the economic recovery prospects, one thing is clear: this recession will leave a few changes in its wake in the way companies organize their workforce.
The last decade saw a series of turbulent employment times and produced a gradual sea change on both the employer and employee front, sped up by the current recession. This year seems to underscore the shift: a need for more flexible or contingent workers as a permanent business solution.
Forced by economic uncertainty and trying to avoid rounds of layoffs, employers are making contingent workers integral to their strategic workforce planning. All the usual elements are there: temporary workers, from agencies, independent contractors or freelancers; outsourced employees; part-timers; and consultants. But a new phenomenon is coming into play, different from all those: the free agent with a new mindset and career goal; what I call the tempreneur.
How is it new and different? Because it is not driven by a necessity to make ends meet between full-time jobs; rather, it’s a personal career choice. Temporary workers go from project to project, usually onsite. Entrepreneurs have made a career decision to work for themselves, usually off-site. Tempreneurs constitute a sort of hybrid between the two.
Similar, Yet Different
While they are unique by comparison to most workers of prior decades, there is still some overlap. For example, tempreneurs must collaborate and work on a mutual agreeable schedule with the client, much as consultants do, but there are important differences:
- Tempreneurs are more senior than the average temporary
- Most temporaries require much more supervision than tempreneurs
- On the flip side, oftentimes consultants are more senior than tempreneurs, and they leave much of the execution to the client
- Since tempreneurs are not as senior as consultants, they fill much of the massive middle ground in meeting workload demands
A New Breed of Free Agent
Many high level employees have lost faith in “job security” as they once knew it. For tempreneurs, independence is more important than that old mirage, and mid- to high-level stints allow them to keep their freedom. They may even have a sole proprietorship of their own and/or even be a high level temporary at an agency at times during the year. They may work in such widely ranging fields as marketing, accounting, information technology, health care or legal.
A tempreneur has real talent, experience and professionalism — and choices. They are not seeking full-time positions. In the coming decade, they are more likely to be more wooed by employers to join their full-time ranks – with all the associated “perks.” But those bennies now come with a heavy price, such as lack of freedom and job insecurity, for many. Employers unfamiliar with the potential contributions of tempreneurs will have to realize that they are a force to reckon with in the decade ahead and beyond; a new brand of employee – not a “temp.”
Of course, regular, full time employees will never vanish. Companies need the stability and consistency of a core staff. But entrepreneurship is on the rise (as this Entrepreneur article) and at the same time, many realize the start up costs involved with a full-fledged business – which nudges a lot of talented and motivated people towards joining the tempreneur ranks.
A Longer Road from Temp to Perm
A recent Associated Press article talks about the boost in temporary hiring as usually signaling a recovery – yet this period has been protracted, with no rebound. It’s clear that for 2010 and beyond employers are adopting a variety of strategies to organize and manage contingent workers and have them work into existing system.
Staffing Industry Review Magazine reported in January 2010 that Bill Yoh, Chairman of staffing agency Yoh, believes many companies will use 2010 as an opportunity to begin projects they had put on the back burner for the past couple of years. He said, “As this happens, there will be an increase in the demand for contingent workers.” He added, “Most HR executives are now charged with a responsibility for comprehensive workforce strategies, and contingent labor will be a key part of this going forward.”
HR also needs to be aware of the liabilities and legal concerns:
- Training and retraining is required: Regardless of the level of seniority or experience, tempreneurs must be trained or retrained if they are to be most effective.
- Legal concerns: Every contingent employee should be made aware of their status is, especially what benefits are available to them in relation to full-time employees. Also be clear that there is no guarantee they will be hired full-time.
- Full-time versus part-time perceptions: Part-time employees may be working alongside full-timers for longer than anticipated, without the same benefits. Prevent sinking of tempreneurs’ morale by treating them with the same respect as you would your permanent staff.
Know the differences; understand the benefits and pitfalls of “co-employment,” as explained in the February 2010 issue of HR Magazine.
Building a Smarter, Agile Workforce
A varied, flexible workforce of highly skilled professionals will help with cost-containment and competitiveness. You should become well-honed in your strategic use of every type of contingent worker and combine a team from top to bottom with your full-time workers. In that context, the tempreneur phenonmenon is one that cannot be overlooked in the years ahead.
