Month: October 2014 Page 5 of 6

With the unemployment rate going up, many of us want to keep our jobs. I understand that giving the “pink slip” is no fun, but receiving it is even worse. Even if you are doing good work, it’s still possible for your employer to show you the door – literally!

If your performance is below standards, it’s only a matter of time before the manager calls you in to have a “private discussion.” When you get this call, or a meeting invite shows up in your Inbox, you can expect the worst. At this point, there is little you can do to change decision. It’s time to go.

Knowing the signs that you are near termination will help you plan. While your options with the current company might be limited or nonexistent, you can get a head start with your job search. Experience has taught me that finding a new job is much easier when you are currently employed. If you wait until you’re sitting at home without a job, you are more likely to take any job out of desperation. In other words, the dwindling bank account plays a major role in your decision.

#1: You’re manager is apathetic towards you.

You go to meetings, and your manager shows little interest in you, or in what you have to offer. In fact, the manager will purposely avoid giving you assignments. He knows that your days with the company are numbered, and doesn’t want to waste time training someone else down the road. The work you are given now is mostly operational, which means it’s tedious and adds little value to the department.

#2: The only raise seen on your check is the mandatory COLA.

If you are only receiving the mandatory Cost-of-Living Adjustment increases during the past couple years, while others qualify for bonuses, the writing is on the wall. Your manager has determined that you are a low producer, which makes you part of the bottom 10%. You can expect to lose your job in the next round of cuts.

#3: You have this crazy feeling that others know something about you, but they’re not telling you.

Whether right or wrong, your manager will share confidential information with key people in your department. They might have gone out for a drink, and the manager said something like the following: “Sam is not doing too well. I like him, but he’s not right for the company. I think some tough personnel decisions lie ahead for me.” When your manager feels that way about you and your performance, it’s only a matter of time.

Regardless of the circumstances, you can approach your manager when you sense that you might be nearing the chopping block. In some cases, the manager will direct you to the latest performance appraisal, and ask you to focus on the “areas for improvement.” By having a candid conversation with your manager, you can get a better idea of where you stand.

Getting fired is not the end of the world! In some cases, changing environments can make a big difference in your performance. However, you must be prepared for that eventuality. In other words, leave the company on your own terms.

Becoming a quality employee is far from easy. You must do more than simply meet expectations. Those who produce quality work are both efficient and effective. Even more than that, they do their work despite the many obstacles they encounter. One defining attribute of high-quality individuals is a professional and positive attitude.

It’s easy to spot the top quality people in your company. These men and women are focused on results. They are looking for new and creative ways to resolve problems. When they run into a dead end, they assume the responsibility of finding a solution. While they might seek guidance from their management team, they also propose alternatives.

Here are three strategies to becoming a quality employee:

#1: Seek meaningful work.

Do what you can to get out in front of the pack. Go to your manager and ask for challenging work. Until you take the leap and earn the high-value assignments, you will mingle mostly with mediocre employees.

Once you receive the important projects, create a plan. Determine who must be on your team, and ensure they are assigned work that meets their core competencies. As the leader of the team, roll-up your sleeves, and become a meaningful participant. You cannot watch from the sidelines, hoping everyone will meet the expectations.

#2: Become a Professional Problem Solver.

Do you want to make more money? Do you want to climb the ladder in your company? Do you want to be respected? To do so, you must solve problems. If you want to lead your company, learn to solve even bigger problems.

Avoid an ad hoc approach to problem solving. Make sure to have a plan. Think through the issue, and conduct a root cause analysis. One simple approach is the Socratic method of asking the “5 Whys.” Instead of tackling the symptoms, you want to identify the underlying cause.

#3: Become a professional at everything you do.

A great label you can earn that of a professional person. When others believe that you are both responsible and accountable, they will buy into your vision. You must be able to transfer that enthusiasm and belief to others, and a professional approach is an important first step.

As a professional, avoid pettiness. You are concerned about the impact that Decision A has on Decision Z. In other words, you are a big picture person. You view team members for their ability to contribute to the project, and could care less if they are tall, short, skinny, chubby, white, brown or black.

Resolve today that you are going to focus on improving your overall quality as an employee. To do so, you must think long-term. Start building a foundation that will give you stability in the future. You must have a plan in place, and that initiative begins by focusing on making important contributions to your organization.

Focus on the key result areas (KRAs). If you don’t know the KRAs, schedule a meeting with your manager. Once you have a clear idea of the target, make sure every action and activity is aligned with those goals. To ensure you’re on track, continually assess your performance. When off-track, take corrective action, and get yourself back on the road to quality performance.

We You all want to put our best foot forward. You want to be more than average. You desire challenges. Many of you want to be known as go-to people.

Accepting more responsibility is easier than you think. In fact, so many people turn down these opportunities, providing you with more chances to become a meaningful participating for your organization.

Before making the decision to take on more responsibility, make sure you are prepared for the consequences. Your work will change. In some cases, you will make presentations to top management, and you must be aware that their expectations are different. They are concerned about how the work translates to bottom line success.

If you are ready to accept the challenge, here is how you can become a go-to person:

#1: Get your normal work done right and on time.

You cannot become a go-to person if you are failing to meet your day-to-day requirements. It’s imperative that you become highly skilled in the work that you do. As much as possible, you want to develop processes that make you more efficient. Whenever possible, automate your tasks. If appropriate, you can delegate activities to others. Don’t forget that you are still accountable for the timeliness and quality of the final deliverable.

#2: Stop worrying about the workload.

Top performers do not care about how much work they are doing. Becoming a go-to person means that you are prepared to resolve problems, manage big projects, and respond to risks.

The first step is to understand the problem or issue. Avoid diving into it without first knowing the root cause. Second, take the time identify the key stakeholders. Third, create an action plan, and ensure that you have the most qualified people on the team. You will need to create the momentum. Avoid expecting others to take the lead.

#3:  Be prepared to create your own roadmap.

The work assigned to go-getters is generally complex, requiring a different perspective. For example, you are given the following assignment: Determine why products sales have decreased the last three months in Georgia and Florida. There are many factors to consider here: the problem can be related to poor quality, inadequate sales training, lackluster economic conditions, friction in the supply chain, lack of leadership support, or a combination of these factors.

For many high-level projects there is no plan or roadmap. It’s your responsibility to determine the best approach. You will need to get buy-in from the main stakeholders, and make sure that your recommendations are workable. That means that you are also part of the implementation team.

Not everyone wants to be a go-to person. This responsibility is only for the top 5% of the organization’s employees. Once you decide to assume more responsibility and accountability, you can expect bigger assignments. Even when you fall a little short here and there, your career will progress in a positive direction.

Being a difference-maker for your organization changes you as a person, too. As a big thinker, you are no longer bothered by the petty stuff that is pervasive in most work environments today. You now are focused on meeting the strategic targets that differentiate your organization from the competition. At this stage, the “go-to” title is even more applicable.

In his book, The Qualities of a Team Player, leadership expert Dr. John Maxwell discusses the difference between a subtracter and a multiplier on a winning team. Knowing the difference can determine the success of your organization.

The Subtracter

The subtracter will do whatever possible to sabotage the success of the team. This person complains about team members, ridicules the leadership team, performs below expectations, and creates negative energy. Because subtracters view teamwork as extra duty, they will never volunteer to participate. When assigned by their manager, they express resentment for the additional work and time that is outside the scope of their job descriptions.

The Multiplier

The multiplier is the opposite of the subtracter. Dr. Maxwell mentions that these individuals are committed to enlarging other people. Multipliers value their teammates, and look for the excellent skills they bring to the team.

Forming a high-performing team requires leadership to understand what motivates each team member. Dr. Maxwell recommends asking the following questions of the team members:

• What are their dreams?
• What are their values?
• What are their skills?
• What is their attitude?
• What are the questions of their life?

Get to Know your Team

Creating a high-performing team requires both talent and hard work. It is both an art and a science. An excellent leader takes a macro view of the situation, and looks for individuals who can perform the work required to meet the team’s objectives. The goal is to align the skills of each team member with the required duties. Team members must also have the capacity or bandwidth to contribute to the team.

Once the team is formed, the leader should focus on the key motivators for each team member. By getting to know what is important for every participant, the leader creates an environment of high-trust, transparency, and commitment to excellence. In essence, this attention to detail exponentially increases the chances of the team meeting its overall objectives.

When a team leader is diligent about forming and developing the team, subtracters are nonexistent in the equation.

While on business in Baltimore, I rented a car from Avis. I happen to like the Preferred Member benefit at Avis because usually my car is waiting for me when I arrive at the destination.

The Reservation Process

The Avis website is easy to use. After logging in, I enter the pick-up location, select the car, submit the flight information, and confirm the payment process. One key element in the online rental process is providing the airline and flight number. By sharing this information with Avis, they will know if my flight is delayed, and supposedly the reservation will stay active.

The Flight

Flying American Airlines, I began my journey in San Antonio and was scheduled to make the connection at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. On this particular day, the weather changed rapidly for the worse in the Alamo City, and our departure was delayed more than an hour. Sure enough, by the time I arrived at D/FW, my flight to Baltimore was long gone.

The American Airlines agent informed me that I could jump on the 9:15 pm flight, and it would get me into Baltimore at 1 am EST. I wasn’t thrilled because my meeting was scheduled for 8:30 am, but at least I would make it, even if I was a bit tired. Murphy’s Law struck again, and the 9:15 p.m. was delayed until about 10 p.m., which made my arrival to Baltimore closer to 1:40 a.m.

The Rental Car Experience

With my luggage in tow, I found the rental car shuttle, which transported a handful of weary passengers to the rental car center. Because of the preferred status, I proceeded to the display board to search for my name, but the board had only two names: J. Jackson and L. Zimmerman. Since I am neither Jackson nor Zimmerman, I made my way to the Avis counter, which was staffed by one agent.

There were two customers in front of me, but one completed her rental process when I made it to the back of the line. Before the lady in front of me proceeded to the counter, I asked: “Ma’am, do you mind if I ask the agent a quick question?” She obliged, and the conversation went something like this …

Me: “Sir, would you mind telling me where the preferred members can find their cars? My name isn’t on the display board.”

Agent: “Sir, you will have to wait in line until your turn is up. This lady has been waiting to be helped.”

Me: “Sir, I do understand, and she gave me permission to ask you a question.”

Agent: “Sir, you will need to wait your turn. You are not allowed to cut in line.”

The discussion continued for a bit, and I finally decided to keep quiet, knowing this person would only escalate the issue.

The Name Tag Issue

I waited in line for what appeared to be a 20-minute conversation between the agent and the lady customer, mostly related to why she was visiting Baltimore. She disclosed she was there for a wedding, and he peppered her with many follow-up questions about the couple, and the many friends and family who would attend.

When it was finally my turn, I asked the agent for his name because his nametag was not on his wrinkled shirt. After disclosing his name was “John,” he mentioned that my reservation had cancelled because I was more than two hours late. I reminded him that I entered my flight information into the Avis website, and that the delay should have updated in the system to keep my reservation active. It took another 10 minutes to re-create my record, and I was finally on my way to the hotel around 2:15 am.

The Point

When I contacted the Avis manager about the situation, I informed him that John was a stickler for policy. He would not allow me to ask a question unless “it was my turn.” Yet, John didn’t have his badge affixed to his shirt, which is part of the Avis policy. The manager concurred, and was apologetic for the negative experience.

I informed the manager that I was a loyal Avis customer for more than 20 years, and this was the first time I had called about an unpleasant situation. He again apologized, and offered two days free on my rental.

The missing nametag is a symptom of a larger problem. I felt John was unprofessional. He could have handled the situation by saying, “Sir, the preferred desk is closed, and I’m the only agent on duty at this time of night. If you give me one second, I will get you into a car as soon as possible.” This approach is more effective than embarrassing a customer by telling him to get back in line.

On the positive side, I was pleased with the manager and the way he handled the situation. The two free days are less important to me than the professional approach he used when I called the following day. “Mr. Flores, Avis is about providing excellent customer service. When we fall short of your expectations, please let us know so that we can make it right for you.”

This customer-friendly approach will keep me an Avis customer for many years to come.

At a departmental meeting, the boss (Dan) made it clear that he was fighting for their cause with upper management. The problem, though, is that bad news is followed only by more bad news. A year ago, several staff members were let go, and no one has seen a raise for several years.

Believe in Me

This particular department has seen stagnant performance for several years, and most employees have stuck around, mostly because the job market is tight, and they are comfortable in their current position. There is no need to take a chance right now. Too risky!

Here is part of the discussion:

Dan: Look … I’m doing all I can to talk about the good things y’all are doing.

Employee #1: Dan, we need to have our voices heard. When is the last time management considered what we thought? We provide recommendations and ideas, but nothing is done. It’s discouraging!

Dan: I know what you are saying. I go to those meetings and tell them that we are overworked in this department and that we need to approve more hires. I think we will get at least one more by the end of this year. At least one … I hope!

Employee #2: Dan, what about raises? I hear that the leadership team approved bonuses for themselves. This might be a rumor, but I think it’s true. When are we going to get even a cost-of-living-adjustment?

Dan: That is another issue I raised with the CEO. I told her that even nominal pay increases should be approved. She looked at me funny and told me that she would think about it. You have to believe that I’m doing all I can to make things better.

The Fallout

The problem here is that Dan is giving the same message each year. While he claims to be making a difference, status quo is the result. The employees are restless, and many of them are doing just the bare minimum.

When the leadership team fails to listen to its employees, you can expect resentment, anger, and apathy. In essence, employees will do what is required, but nothing more. When an important project arises, no one will volunteer. There is no reason to give more than expected.

Every organization wants to attract the best employees available in the market. However, potential candidates, especially top-notch prospects, have an innate ability to sense a dysfunctional culture. When interviewing, they can sense if the workers feel the organization appreciates them. If they fail to get the right vibes, they will keep looking, which means that the organization must settle for average employees, which will only cause more problems because they are easily influenced by the other disgruntled staff members.

One can make the argument that Dan is indeed trying to make the case for his employees. However, when will they stop believing what he is saying? After five years, nothing has changed. The employees in his department are underperforming and have no incentive to make any improvements.

Until the leadership team pays attention and assumes accountability, the status quo will remain the norm.

A conversation with an employee who was playing the game…

Your employees come to work each day ready to do the assigned work. After the standard coffee break, and the half-hour used to surf the web, they start going through their Inboxes. It’s time to get going.

Most departmental meetings focus on the day-to-day requirements, and not on the big picture. In other words, the workers fail to understand how the work they do affects the bottom line of the entire organization.

Some might argue that employees should worry only about the work assigned to them, and the rest will take care of itself. Unfortunately, this position is shortsighted, and will stifle the organization’s growth.

The Conversation

I recently had a conversation with an employee working for GeoTel, a global telecommunications company. This company is expanding into South America, and it has a diverse workforce. From what I hear, it receives hundreds of applicants for its advertised positions.

Me: Hey, Mike! How’s it going?

Mike: I’m alright – just hanging in there.

Me: How’s everything at GeoTel?

Mike: I’m doing more work in Brazil now. I do what I have to do. It seems like I’m on the road most of the time. Basically, I go meet our customers in Sao Paulo every month or so, and pretty much tell them the same thing.

Me: What do you mean?

Mike: Well. I give them an update on the new technologies, our marketing campaign, and other routine stuff. In fact, I think a phone call or WebEx might serve the same purpose.

Me: I remember when you started at GeoTel … you were excited. You told me that you were planning to be there as long as possible. Right?

Mike: I guess. I don’t remember saying that, but I probably did. Look … we are pretty much told what to do, and that’s it. I know that management welcomes our opinions, but nothing is ever done. They listen, but do nothing about it.

Me: You mean that your opinion doesn’t really matter?

Mike: I guess, but there’s more to it. Look … the point here is that the more I know this job, the less I like it. I really don’t think we can compete in this market. Because we supposedly are committed to quality, we are late getting into the market. Our competitors have an inferior product, but they are already selling their stuff left-and-right.

Me: So … what are your plans?

Mike: The immediate plan is to book my ticket to Brazil by this Friday. The job market is a bit soft right now, so I’m not going to cause any waves. I will continue to play the “Yes-Man” game for the next year or so. I will do whatever possible to keep the paychecks coming. I think you get the picture that I’m not committed to this organization.

Me: Yeah – that is clear.

Mike: I guess I better run. I have to work on my Portuguese!

Most employees are enthusiastic when they first join the organization. They believe in the vision and are willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. However, at some point, they hit a brick wall, and they begin to lose interest.

The management team must ensure the employees stay energized. This is done by seeking feedback from employees and implementing the viable suggestions. By doing so, the employees will have a better understanding of how their work affects the overall success of the enterprise.

Many employees are mediocre. When they arrive at work, they do just enough to stay under the radar. These average employees have little interest in any work beyond what is explicitly stated in their job description. They are also aware that additional assignments lead to more risk, and this could result in low marks on their performance appraisals.

Here are typical comments made by mediocre employees:

• “I do my work. That’s right! My work! Nothing else!”
• “Today is just Monday! This week is going to take forever.”
• “No one really cares what I do around here. I don’t even care if I receive a bonus.”

The majority of employees fall into the mediocre category. You must do whatever possible to challenge them and motivate them to increase their productivity. In short, you want to make some of them top performers.

Here are three strategies to motivating mediocre employees:

#1: Determine what motivates them to do good work.

Every employee has a different reason to excel. While some will work harder when provided a financial initiative, others are more interested in a work / life balance. Psychologist Frederick Herzberg suggested that true motivators include achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility, promotion, and growth. He noted that Hygiene Factors (such as pay and benefits) were less likely to motivate employees over the long-term.

Take the time to learn more about your employees. By having lunch with your staff once or twice per month, you can learn the key motivators. These get-togethers also provide you with the opportunity to identify potential individuals who are ready to make the move up the ladder.

#2: Select attainable goals.

The vast majority of employees want to succeed. As the leader of your department, you must identify goals for your employees. When creating goals, use the SMART approach: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound. At first, the goals should be easy to accomplish. As the employees improve their skills and confidence, you can add stretch goals.

Many mediocre employees are looking for someone to believe in them. Once you show that you are banking on them to do good work, they will respond favorably. It’s important that you are genuine in your approach. Let them know that their work is important, and make them accountable.

#3: Support them in their career development.

Identifying and training mediocre employees is only the beginning. Once these individuals are in the program, you must help them find even more challenging opportunities. They may not all be interested in management positions, and that’s fine. However, they can become subject matter experts (SMEs), and serve as mentors for other employees.

You can expect a higher level of commitment and loyalty when making others responsible. Reinforce the importance of the work they do, and explain how the deliverables benefit the organization. It’s important to use metrics when measuring performance, such as an increase in sales of 10%, or a defect rate reduction rate of 2%.

It’s true that not every mediocre employee is interested in more challenging work. However, you are interested in identifying those who are ready to make the leap. Many of them will lack the confidence to volunteer for a chance to assume meaningful work. Therefore, it falls on your lap to get to know your employees, and to select those who are prepared to become meaningful participants.

Your audience can sense lack of confidence from miles away. To ensure your message has the intended result, you must show strength in your delivery. Of course, it helps if you are knowledgeable regarding the subject, but expertise alone is insufficient to successful presentations.

Your non-verbal skills make a huge difference. When you walk to the front of the room, many eyes are fixated on you. In other words, you are evaluated from the minute you are announced to the participants.

#1: Don’t drag your feet. Get a confident walk about you.

Get excited about the presentation. This doesn’t mean that you are silly and loud. Instead, you walk briskly to your position, and you keep your head up and shoulders back. This confident demeanor will get you going in the right direction.

When officiating Div. I men’s basketball, I walked onto the floor with as many as 18,000 fans in the arena. My supervisor made it clear that a confident walk gave the impression we were in charge. In essence, we want to control the environment as much as possible.

#2: Have a pleasing smile.

When you smile, you’re human. I’ve learned over the years that smiling makes others more comfortable. This is different from breaking out into a ridiculous laughter that makes you look unprofessional. Instead, use a warm and confident smile to win the audience.

#3: Avoid going on tangents.

Excellent speakers know the importance of sticking to the script. Know the key points that you will cover, provide planned examples, and focus on the message you are attempting to communicate.

A presenter who wanders and fails to focus on the message will lose the audience. In most cases, you have a specific topic that must be addressed, and it’s critical you focus your energy on that requirement.

For example, let’s assume you are asked to discuss the benefits of using virtual teams. Your main topics might include:

• Introduction
• Leverage of talent from different parts of the organization
• Employees exposed to other functions
• Focus on project management skills
• Incorporating technology to stay connected
• Conclusion
• Q&A

You must let the audience know what you will speak about, share the information, have a re-cap, and encourage questions or comments. A well-crafted presentation doesn’t have to be elaborate. Do your best to keep it simple, and pepper examples that reinforce the key concepts.

A successful presenter understands the importance of both non-verbal and verbal communication. Accepting a presentation means that you will commit the necessary time to prepare. Even when you are asked to speak impromptu, have a plan in place. You will introduce the topic, share the information with the audience, review the main message, and allow time for the audience to participate.

In most cases, we are asked to present a topic because we are considered an expert in that area. However, we must avoid an arrogant or over-confident approach, as that attitude will turn the audience against you. It’s best to have a professional approach in which you are open to feedback.

In short, avoid trying to solve every problem with your presentation. Stick to your message, leverage humility, and be thankful you were given the opportunity to share your ideas with an intelligent audience.

As a university student, I was assigned to give a presentation to the class. I was nervous. Perhaps it was the setting of the class; it felt like the students were too close to me.

I practiced several hours for this presentation, and had my note cards ready. I don’t remember the exact topic, but the class covered Texas government and politics.

The instructor called my name, and I made my way to the front of the classroom. My heart was racing, and I broke a little sweat. The intimacy of the room didn’t help much.

I began, “Hello, everyone! My name is … is … is …”

I froze! Thankfully, another student reminded me of my name. By that time, I was both nervous and embarrassed. I finished the presentation in record time, took my seat, and felt stupid (include ridiculous, too). I vowed to improve my speaking skills. Shortly thereafter, I requested my company pay for the Dale Carnegie class, which provided me with the skills and confidence to excel in speaking engagements.

Here are three strategies that help me recover when stumbling during a speech:

#1: Avoid showing distress or lack of confidence.

Regardless of who you are, you will make mistakes during a speech. You might say something silly, or lose your thought process. When this happens to you, quickly review your notes, and hope something in your notes will jog your memory. Avoid a long pause. You must have an emergency point or topic that will keep the speech moving forward.

Unless you are performing at a comedy club, avoid joke telling.  While some people might laugh, many others might not like your humor, or not get the punch line. Just as important here, be careful about getting a laugh at the expense of an audience member. This tactic might be a turnoff, and might cause resentment among the attendees.

#2: Ask the audience to participate.

As a college professor for many years, I’ve learned that engaging my students is an excellent strategy to maintaining control of my presentation. When I get signs that the audience is daydreaming too much, I am prepared with a learning team lesson. I can also ask questions of the audience, but at times responses tend to be measured, which fails to generate the strong interest I’m seeking.

Be prepared with a case study, or any other lesson that breaks the monotony. Of course, make sure you give the impression that it’s planned. You can even make an announcement at the beginning of the session regarding this type of exercise.

#3: Be quick to acknowledge a mistake, but don’t show lack of knowledge or weakness in your subject area.

As a professional, you are hired to speak on subjects on which you are considered an expert. I often teach IT to IT people. I’m sure they know more about some technical subjects than me, but the difference is that I committed many hours preparing for the workshop. In many cases, I developed the curriculum. You must exude confidence. In other words, show that you belong.

You should not convey the attitude of a “know-it-all,” but that you are good at what you do. If a question or topic catches you off-guard, let the person know that you will research it and have an answer soon. In many cases, the person asking the question has a narrow understanding of the topic, and might be looking to look good before his peers.

Becoming skilled as a public speaker takes practice, more practice, and even more practice. Accept as many opportunities to present before a group as you can. Before long, you will develop the confidence to impart excellent knowledge to others, and even keep them entertained.