YESTERDAY, we introduced “Founders’ Syndrome”, an effect that puts a brake on the development of start-up enterprises.
If Founders’ Syndrome is the problem, “escalator management” is the answer. It is a new approach that helps to manage changing talent requirements that occur rapidly in a start-up, as it progresses to a final stage, such as a licensed product or initial public offering.
When a new company takes on staff permanently, it faces cost and time-consuming issues. In a changing environment, a permanent person with a fixed set of skills may not be what is needed. As the company enters a new phase, it needs access to different skills.
With escalator management, it is possible to place individuals or specialist teams in a start-up at short notice. They can serve for brief, concentrated bursts of activity or for longer, more sustained periods of effort, depending on the business demands. As the business evolves, the team revolves.
A case study of success
Here is an example of a real-life start-up that went from invention to commercial product in two years and made millions of dollars for the founders.
The enterprise began with a bright idea and a prototype created by four founders. Two were scientists who had created a novel drug delivery system in their spare time at home. The third was a physician with a special interest in drug delivery and control systems; and the fourth was a business administrator with a career history in life science businesses.
They formed a company to develop the scientists’ invention. Although they had some of the expertise to bring the product to market, they lacked other knowledge — such as regulatory, clinical, financial, commercial, marketing and delivery — that was necessary to turn their scientific invention into a commercial success.
The founders decided to secure funding from venture capitalists (VCs), and hire the expertise necessary to achieve that. They also agreed that they would not hire anyone permanently until they had brought a product to market.
To ensure that this did not frighten off the necessary talent, they offered everyone who joined them a share in the proceeds of success.
Their first hire was a chief executive officer (CEO) — not someone who would stay to the finish, but one with the skill to (a) steer them to Stage ‘A’ funding and (b) the experience to select a skilled chief financial officer (CFO) to manage this phase of development. The appointments worked and the company secured funding of US$30mil (RM99mil) from a consortium of VCs.
The VCs wanted changes in return for their funding and the board was reconstituted with places on it for them. Different expertise was now required to complete the next milestones. A new CEO came on board, followed by a new CFO, whose mission was to secure further funding, not least to pay for further expertise.
Over the next 12 months, the company brought in a head of manufacturing and a head of regulatory affairs — both with the requisite teams and both on fixed-term contracts.
Their mission was to scale up for mass production and ensure that the final product would pass all the regulatory requirements. It also brought in a chief commercial officer to work on asset development and marketing.
At the same time, the original founders reduced their roles so as not to impede their newfound experts.
So a succession of people came and went as needs arose and were met. Some came on fixed-term contracts, some on rolling contracts and some on a weekly or even daily basis.
Finally, the company produced a viable commercial product that met with regulatory approval. The story ended in 2007 with a sale to a major pharmaceutical company for a very large but undisclosed sum.
This is an example of how escalator management can work for a company, its founders, VCs, and people who helped along the way. With the current economic downturn, more companies will be looking to escalator management for cost-effective and practical ways to grow their companies.
Article by Nick Stephens, the CEO of the RSA Group.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Building on a good start
MALAYSIANS are an enterprising lot and start up lots of new businesses. Some of these start-ups are able to grow, and develop into larger companies that succeed within the regional and global arena.
However, many others do not; either they fail and lapse into obscurity or they just never grow. Research shows that, globally, four out of five start-up companies will fail within the first five years.
Why do these companies fail? What is happening during the failure process? Can it be avoided?
All entrepreneurs should be encouraged to start up and grow their companies. - Bloombergpic
Founders, not CEOs
Sometimes the problem lies in the idea that got the company started — either the product is not good enough, there is insufficient demand for it or the research does not lead to a marketable product or service. However, more frequently, the problem lies with the people who founded the company. While they were able to get the enterprise started, they were not able to grow and develop it further.
We are talking about Founders’ Syndrome, the name for a welldocumented condition in which the goals and behaviours of the founder(s) of a start-up are not in sync with those of the investors or the organisation.
This can occur because the fault lies with the founder(s) or the investors — or both. Consider the following.
# Investors expect a chief executive officer (CEO) to be an all-rounder. With a two to threeyear horizon of their investment, they focus on the strategic side of the financial and marketing concept of the company. Their target is, in many cases, not congruent with that of the founders. Investors may even seek “weak” CEOs, to run the company through the chairman in their interest.
# Founders may neglect to consider upcoming technical or financial problems, resulting in shifts of timelines. They sometimes fail to apply stringent project management standards.
# Key milestones and go/no-go decisions become major points of discussion between founder and investors.
# Many founders have difficulties coping with technical challenges and developing/adopting flexible financial strategies. A lack of understanding of the rules of the financial markets leads to unfocused concepts.
# Founders sometimes try to tackle too many projects and problems at the same time, instead of focusing on the fast proof-of-concept and viability of the business idea.
# Most investments cover only a two- or three-year burn-rate. As a result, founders have to run financing rounds at least every two years for one year with little new data. In addition, they will have to handle all the reports to the board of directors and meetings.
# In many cases, it is not fair to burden a founder with a CEO’s duties. This may happen because of the wish to “lure” a technical expert with an interesting technology into the CEO role, to gain access to that very technology. A better alternative would be to offer a founder the support of an experienced manager with a cooperative rather than dominating personality, who can shoulder the role of a CEO.
# Founders may sometimes become obsessed with their original pet idea and be inflexible or unable to adapt to change. Sometimes, businesses are dependent on the personal attributes or vision of the founders, instead of the structures/ systems designed to support the organisation’s goals. It is not difficult to see why things happen in this way, due to the respective characteristics of founders and investors.
While founders do have an entrepreneurial spirit, they are not necessarily businessmen. On the other hand, investors are often driven by the trends of the time, and want to see a marketable product being developed or an exit strategy. Founders simply cannot understand the risks this implies.
The further a company moves from the “two guys in a garage” phase, the more likely it is that founders will not be good, objective leaders of their growing businesses. Having said that, there are examples where founders do make good progress but, almost always, they need to move aside as the issues get more commercial.
This happens in most industry sectors. Moving founders aside may seem a harsh reward but it is the right thing to do to ensure that the company grows and succeeds.
Too many founders overestimate their own skills and underestimate the challenges posed by commercial development. These are the ones whose businesses ultimately fail.
However, help is on the way in the form of a concept known as “escalator management”. Basically, this is a means by which start-ups can add suitably skilled resources, either temporarily or permanently, as the need arises during the commercial development phase.
All entrepreneurs should be encouraged to start up and grow their companies to their maximum ability, Even if this means getting professional help, or standing aside to let someone else do the job.
Article by Nick Stephens, CEO of The RSA Group.
However, many others do not; either they fail and lapse into obscurity or they just never grow. Research shows that, globally, four out of five start-up companies will fail within the first five years.
Why do these companies fail? What is happening during the failure process? Can it be avoided?
All entrepreneurs should be encouraged to start up and grow their companies. - Bloombergpic
Founders, not CEOs
Sometimes the problem lies in the idea that got the company started — either the product is not good enough, there is insufficient demand for it or the research does not lead to a marketable product or service. However, more frequently, the problem lies with the people who founded the company. While they were able to get the enterprise started, they were not able to grow and develop it further.
We are talking about Founders’ Syndrome, the name for a welldocumented condition in which the goals and behaviours of the founder(s) of a start-up are not in sync with those of the investors or the organisation.
This can occur because the fault lies with the founder(s) or the investors — or both. Consider the following.
# Investors expect a chief executive officer (CEO) to be an all-rounder. With a two to threeyear horizon of their investment, they focus on the strategic side of the financial and marketing concept of the company. Their target is, in many cases, not congruent with that of the founders. Investors may even seek “weak” CEOs, to run the company through the chairman in their interest.
# Founders may neglect to consider upcoming technical or financial problems, resulting in shifts of timelines. They sometimes fail to apply stringent project management standards.
# Key milestones and go/no-go decisions become major points of discussion between founder and investors.
# Many founders have difficulties coping with technical challenges and developing/adopting flexible financial strategies. A lack of understanding of the rules of the financial markets leads to unfocused concepts.
# Founders sometimes try to tackle too many projects and problems at the same time, instead of focusing on the fast proof-of-concept and viability of the business idea.
# Most investments cover only a two- or three-year burn-rate. As a result, founders have to run financing rounds at least every two years for one year with little new data. In addition, they will have to handle all the reports to the board of directors and meetings.
# In many cases, it is not fair to burden a founder with a CEO’s duties. This may happen because of the wish to “lure” a technical expert with an interesting technology into the CEO role, to gain access to that very technology. A better alternative would be to offer a founder the support of an experienced manager with a cooperative rather than dominating personality, who can shoulder the role of a CEO.
# Founders may sometimes become obsessed with their original pet idea and be inflexible or unable to adapt to change. Sometimes, businesses are dependent on the personal attributes or vision of the founders, instead of the structures/ systems designed to support the organisation’s goals. It is not difficult to see why things happen in this way, due to the respective characteristics of founders and investors.
While founders do have an entrepreneurial spirit, they are not necessarily businessmen. On the other hand, investors are often driven by the trends of the time, and want to see a marketable product being developed or an exit strategy. Founders simply cannot understand the risks this implies.
The further a company moves from the “two guys in a garage” phase, the more likely it is that founders will not be good, objective leaders of their growing businesses. Having said that, there are examples where founders do make good progress but, almost always, they need to move aside as the issues get more commercial.
This happens in most industry sectors. Moving founders aside may seem a harsh reward but it is the right thing to do to ensure that the company grows and succeeds.
Too many founders overestimate their own skills and underestimate the challenges posed by commercial development. These are the ones whose businesses ultimately fail.
However, help is on the way in the form of a concept known as “escalator management”. Basically, this is a means by which start-ups can add suitably skilled resources, either temporarily or permanently, as the need arises during the commercial development phase.
All entrepreneurs should be encouraged to start up and grow their companies to their maximum ability, Even if this means getting professional help, or standing aside to let someone else do the job.
Article by Nick Stephens, CEO of The RSA Group.
Toughen your mind
FAMED American football coach Vince Lombardi bellowed that “mental toughness is essential to success”.
He said: “You never win a game unless you beat the guy in front of you. The score on the board doesn’t mean a thing. That’s for the fans. You’ve got to win the war with the man in front of you. You’ve got to get your man.”
Can you imagine what it takes to get to the top of the game, your profession, your company, your industry or your niche?
Mental toughness is definitely one of the keys, suggests Denis Gianoutsos, global head for leadership and executive development at a leading Fortune 100 information technology multinational corporation.
According to the Journal of Applied Sports Psychology, mental toughness is having the natural or developed psychological edge that enables you to:
Cope better than your opponents with the many demands such as training, lifestyle and head-to-head competition that are placed on world-class performers.
Be more consistent and better than your opponents at remaining determined, focused, confident and in control under pressure.
Corporate athletes
Gianoutsos adds that world-class athletes like Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh and Ernie Els have their counterparts in the workplace such as Richard Branson, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet.
One major difference is that athletes have a specific, more structured schedule to attend to while entrepreneurs or corporate leaders have a schedule that tends to be 24/7, 365 days a year, that can span not only five or 10 years — an average for professional athletes — but for two, three or four decades.
The toll on the corporate athlete is often more extreme than the sports athlete, and many of these corporate athletes do not have the support, infrastructure or resources to perform at their peak levels, especially the middle-level executives looking to make it to the top.
Research suggests that the four key components of mental toughness are:
1 Self-belief
Leading entrepreneurs and top athletes must display an unshakeable belief in their ability to achieve their competition goals. They have unique qualities and abilities that make them better than their opponents.
2 Motivation
Top performers have an ability to bounce back from performance or market setbacks with an increased determination to succeed.
Corporate athlete Ray Kroc shares numerous stories in his autobiography, Grinding It Out, of his trials and tribulations in building, stretching and systemising the McDonald’s winning formula of selling fast food.
He faced many failures throughout his career as a salesman, and it was self-belief and self-motivation that saw him through the difficult times.
Kroc is a classic example of an ordinary man who, thanks to an insatiable desire and motivation to succeed, went on to do extraordinary things.
3 Handling pressure
The final component of mental toughness is that top performers thrive on pressure and rise to the occasion.
Basketball phenomenon Michael Jordan relished the opportunity to take the last shot of the game. Throughout his career, he won more than two-thirds of the games with his last-second heroics.
Jordan said: “I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why ... I succeed.
“To make it to the top, a leader must be willing to experience the valleys to enjoy the peaks!”
4 Focus
Need a visual image of focus and intensity?
Close your eyes and imagine watching Tiger Woods, wearing his red sweater, on the 18th hole with a one-stroke lead at the British Open.
That is focus and intensity personified. World-class performers remain fully focused on the task that they face. They are not distracted by others and have an amazing ability to turn focus on and off as required.
A dose of confidence
William Reed, a 7th-dan black belt in Aikido, author and renowned speaker, says two other key concepts come into play in mental toughness and high-level performance — self-esteem and self-confidence.
According to Reed, self-confidence is the trust people have in themselves to deliver in specific circumstances.
Self-confidence is often task- specific and is more easily and immediately influenced by external conditions. The key to success is that self-confidence is focused on process and results.
Self-esteem, he adds, is how you value yourself as a human being and is greatly influenced by your internal dialogue.
Self-esteem comes from self-talk and self-image. It is the determining factor in how you interpret your experiences, and the steering mechanism for your success.
Taken all together, mental toughness, self-esteem and self-confidence will equip today’s corporate and sports athletes with the psychological wiring to remain in the game and reach the summit.
Article by Dave Rogers, a keynote speaker on today’s key business issues.
He said: “You never win a game unless you beat the guy in front of you. The score on the board doesn’t mean a thing. That’s for the fans. You’ve got to win the war with the man in front of you. You’ve got to get your man.”
Can you imagine what it takes to get to the top of the game, your profession, your company, your industry or your niche?
Mental toughness is definitely one of the keys, suggests Denis Gianoutsos, global head for leadership and executive development at a leading Fortune 100 information technology multinational corporation.
According to the Journal of Applied Sports Psychology, mental toughness is having the natural or developed psychological edge that enables you to:
Cope better than your opponents with the many demands such as training, lifestyle and head-to-head competition that are placed on world-class performers.
Be more consistent and better than your opponents at remaining determined, focused, confident and in control under pressure.
Corporate athletes
Gianoutsos adds that world-class athletes like Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh and Ernie Els have their counterparts in the workplace such as Richard Branson, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet.
One major difference is that athletes have a specific, more structured schedule to attend to while entrepreneurs or corporate leaders have a schedule that tends to be 24/7, 365 days a year, that can span not only five or 10 years — an average for professional athletes — but for two, three or four decades.
The toll on the corporate athlete is often more extreme than the sports athlete, and many of these corporate athletes do not have the support, infrastructure or resources to perform at their peak levels, especially the middle-level executives looking to make it to the top.
Research suggests that the four key components of mental toughness are:
1 Self-belief
Leading entrepreneurs and top athletes must display an unshakeable belief in their ability to achieve their competition goals. They have unique qualities and abilities that make them better than their opponents.
2 Motivation
Top performers have an ability to bounce back from performance or market setbacks with an increased determination to succeed.
Corporate athlete Ray Kroc shares numerous stories in his autobiography, Grinding It Out, of his trials and tribulations in building, stretching and systemising the McDonald’s winning formula of selling fast food.
He faced many failures throughout his career as a salesman, and it was self-belief and self-motivation that saw him through the difficult times.
Kroc is a classic example of an ordinary man who, thanks to an insatiable desire and motivation to succeed, went on to do extraordinary things.
3 Handling pressure
The final component of mental toughness is that top performers thrive on pressure and rise to the occasion.
Basketball phenomenon Michael Jordan relished the opportunity to take the last shot of the game. Throughout his career, he won more than two-thirds of the games with his last-second heroics.
Jordan said: “I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why ... I succeed.
“To make it to the top, a leader must be willing to experience the valleys to enjoy the peaks!”
4 Focus
Need a visual image of focus and intensity?
Close your eyes and imagine watching Tiger Woods, wearing his red sweater, on the 18th hole with a one-stroke lead at the British Open.
That is focus and intensity personified. World-class performers remain fully focused on the task that they face. They are not distracted by others and have an amazing ability to turn focus on and off as required.
A dose of confidence
William Reed, a 7th-dan black belt in Aikido, author and renowned speaker, says two other key concepts come into play in mental toughness and high-level performance — self-esteem and self-confidence.
According to Reed, self-confidence is the trust people have in themselves to deliver in specific circumstances.
Self-confidence is often task- specific and is more easily and immediately influenced by external conditions. The key to success is that self-confidence is focused on process and results.
Self-esteem, he adds, is how you value yourself as a human being and is greatly influenced by your internal dialogue.
Self-esteem comes from self-talk and self-image. It is the determining factor in how you interpret your experiences, and the steering mechanism for your success.
Taken all together, mental toughness, self-esteem and self-confidence will equip today’s corporate and sports athletes with the psychological wiring to remain in the game and reach the summit.
Article by Dave Rogers, a keynote speaker on today’s key business issues.
Thriving on the challenges of change
THE fallout from the financial crisis has been loss of face, wealth, homes, jobs, and/or businesses for many people. What disturbs me is that the financial crisis is not the root problem, the attitudes that caused it are.
Greed, lack of accountability, stupid business practices and poor legislation in some countries are no longer acceptable. In my view, they never were.
People engagement is one way to create the appropriate attitudes for the modern world, which must be about sustainable business practice in ways that contribute to the sustainability of life itself and the planet on which we live.
People engagement is still, for many, a buzz word. To thrive on the challenges of change, and there are many challenges at this moment in time, leaders must turn words into action.
Employee retention is an outcome of engagement and engagement is an outcome of how well you recruit and induct new employees. Thereafter, it comes down to how effective your performance leadership and management system is in enabling ongoing engagement for new and existing employees.
The journey to employee engagement and ultimately, retention, begins with making three key paradigm shifts. These are:
1. A move away from the traditional vision, mission and values, to the vision becoming a compelling story,
2. A mission becoming a cause beyond profit, and
3. Values becoming virtues.
I used to assist organisational leaders in the development of vision, mission and value statements. These often ended up on foyer and office walls and in annual reports.
I learnt from bitter experience that when stakeholders are not involved in the creation of such statements, there is rarely any ownership of them, and therefore no commitment to turning the words into reality. Many people are now very cynical and sceptical about these kinds of statements.
Every organisation has a story to tell. Discovering what it is requires a meeting of hearts and minds over time until a story emerges that can be distilled into something that inspires and engages all stakeholders, not just employees.
Organisations which have profit as their only goal rarely have an inspiring story to tell. Such organisations are becoming dinosaurs. The successful modern organisations have people goals (they are sometimes call social enterprises) or they have people, planet and profit goals. In the “for profit” sector, this latter organisation will be the one that thrives in difficult times and in the future.
In broad terms, the following is a typical picture of employee engagement percentages:
10 per cent are fully engaged, meaning for me, people are bringing everything they are, that one-of-kind person that each of us is, to their work on a consistent basis;
80 per cent are open to being engaged; and
10 per cent are disengaged.
I see very few organisations reaching the best practice level of 80 per cent engagement!
Once an organisation has discovered its compelling story, which often is heavily linked to its cause beyond profit, and is able to tell its story with integrity, people aligned with the story and cause should be the only folk recruited, because they are likely to be engaged right from the moment they start employment.
People will soon become disenchanted however, and eventually leave, unless the stated values of the organisation are actually lived, in other words, values are virtues.
A powerful performance leadership and management system is essential to maintain employee engagement. There are three key components of such a system:
1. Documented agreement with employees on their personal and business goals and how they will be accomplished;
2. Processes and techniques leaders and managers follow and employees agree with, that appreciate people when they do well and hold them to account when performance is less than what was agreed;
3. Formal performance reviews, held at least every 90 days, that are a celebration of people’s performance as well as a time to adjust goals and plans to achieve them, for the next quarter if required.
Turn your vision into a compelling story, your mission into a cause beyond profit, your values into virtues, and your performance leadership and management system into an ongoing people engagement enabler and you will not only thrive in difficult times, you will remove the key causes of the challenges you face, and future-proof your business.
Article by Ian Berry (CSP FAIM), an international business speaker with Training Edge International who speaks regularly on how doing good is great for business.
Greed, lack of accountability, stupid business practices and poor legislation in some countries are no longer acceptable. In my view, they never were.
People engagement is one way to create the appropriate attitudes for the modern world, which must be about sustainable business practice in ways that contribute to the sustainability of life itself and the planet on which we live.
People engagement is still, for many, a buzz word. To thrive on the challenges of change, and there are many challenges at this moment in time, leaders must turn words into action.
Employee retention is an outcome of engagement and engagement is an outcome of how well you recruit and induct new employees. Thereafter, it comes down to how effective your performance leadership and management system is in enabling ongoing engagement for new and existing employees.
The journey to employee engagement and ultimately, retention, begins with making three key paradigm shifts. These are:
1. A move away from the traditional vision, mission and values, to the vision becoming a compelling story,
2. A mission becoming a cause beyond profit, and
3. Values becoming virtues.
I used to assist organisational leaders in the development of vision, mission and value statements. These often ended up on foyer and office walls and in annual reports.
I learnt from bitter experience that when stakeholders are not involved in the creation of such statements, there is rarely any ownership of them, and therefore no commitment to turning the words into reality. Many people are now very cynical and sceptical about these kinds of statements.
Every organisation has a story to tell. Discovering what it is requires a meeting of hearts and minds over time until a story emerges that can be distilled into something that inspires and engages all stakeholders, not just employees.
Organisations which have profit as their only goal rarely have an inspiring story to tell. Such organisations are becoming dinosaurs. The successful modern organisations have people goals (they are sometimes call social enterprises) or they have people, planet and profit goals. In the “for profit” sector, this latter organisation will be the one that thrives in difficult times and in the future.
In broad terms, the following is a typical picture of employee engagement percentages:
10 per cent are fully engaged, meaning for me, people are bringing everything they are, that one-of-kind person that each of us is, to their work on a consistent basis;
80 per cent are open to being engaged; and
10 per cent are disengaged.
I see very few organisations reaching the best practice level of 80 per cent engagement!
Once an organisation has discovered its compelling story, which often is heavily linked to its cause beyond profit, and is able to tell its story with integrity, people aligned with the story and cause should be the only folk recruited, because they are likely to be engaged right from the moment they start employment.
People will soon become disenchanted however, and eventually leave, unless the stated values of the organisation are actually lived, in other words, values are virtues.
A powerful performance leadership and management system is essential to maintain employee engagement. There are three key components of such a system:
1. Documented agreement with employees on their personal and business goals and how they will be accomplished;
2. Processes and techniques leaders and managers follow and employees agree with, that appreciate people when they do well and hold them to account when performance is less than what was agreed;
3. Formal performance reviews, held at least every 90 days, that are a celebration of people’s performance as well as a time to adjust goals and plans to achieve them, for the next quarter if required.
Turn your vision into a compelling story, your mission into a cause beyond profit, your values into virtues, and your performance leadership and management system into an ongoing people engagement enabler and you will not only thrive in difficult times, you will remove the key causes of the challenges you face, and future-proof your business.
Article by Ian Berry (CSP FAIM), an international business speaker with Training Edge International who speaks regularly on how doing good is great for business.
Put fun back in the workplace
What is your work situation really like? Is your office a stale, boring environment, or are there touches of fun and humour to keep interest and enthusiasm levels high?
Can you enjoy a joke with your boss, or is it all just about work? For many businesses, the latter is usually more common. The idea that employees should be paid to have fun is not widely accepted by employers.
But that may actually be the best way to improve business efficiency. According to Scott Friedman, an international speaker and motivation expert, a livelier workplace atmosphere can translate directly into improved business results.
BOOST CREATIVITY
“The most valuable lesson is that work doesn’t have to be painful,” he says. “It can actually be fun — which leads to productivity, creativity and a better bottom line.”
Friedman says taking time out for “play” during the work day helps each staff member recharge the creative sides of their brains. And it is this creative side that will help businesses weather economic storms.
Rather than a sign of slackness or inefficiency, a few laughs in the office can be evidence of higher-level thought.
“Too many people buy into the myth that if you’re having fun, you’re not getting the job done,” Friedman says. “But play is a major part of innovation. It can help you get ‘buy-in’ to your company’s values.”
Friedman says the humour message is especially important for Asian business. In order to compete in the globalised, fast-changing world, organisations in this region need to make their creative and problem-solving skills a priority.
BUILDING BONDS
“Humour creates bonds in the workplace. It’s the shortest distance between two people,” he says. “Humour helps establish a feeling of camaraderie and sets the tone for co-operation, rather than contention.”
That helps to make employees happier and more enthusiastic in their work environment. “And happy employees create happy customers — both internal and external.”
Many key organisations are aware of this fact, but are perhaps unsure how to go about achieving those results.
Says Friedman: “Forty per cent of the best employers in Asia consider employee engagement their number one priority. They should be helping employees to enjoy what they do every day — leading to employee innovation.”
Of course, it is not all about fun and games in the office. Employers need to lighten up a little, but they definitely don’t need to turn each day into a circus. A balance is required.
Friedman says the other useful tool for increasing employee engagement is to ensure that staff have interesting jobs and responsibilities.
“You’ll find that employees are motivated in direct proportion to how satisfied they are with their daily responsibilities,” he says.
By empowering employees to take on new and different tasks, human resource divisions (HR) and leaders will find an immediate and direct benefit in terms of the way employees go about those jobs.
There are other benefits too. Making the workplace more vibrant and positive can help employees become more pro-active in their work.
Friedman believes that when employees are “truly grounded” in the values of their organisation, external troubles don’t impact on them negatively. Rather, they create a purpose-driven organisational culture that can keep itself one step ahead of external challenges.
Scott Friedman is an international speaker and motivation expert.
Can you enjoy a joke with your boss, or is it all just about work? For many businesses, the latter is usually more common. The idea that employees should be paid to have fun is not widely accepted by employers.
But that may actually be the best way to improve business efficiency. According to Scott Friedman, an international speaker and motivation expert, a livelier workplace atmosphere can translate directly into improved business results.
BOOST CREATIVITY
“The most valuable lesson is that work doesn’t have to be painful,” he says. “It can actually be fun — which leads to productivity, creativity and a better bottom line.”
Friedman says taking time out for “play” during the work day helps each staff member recharge the creative sides of their brains. And it is this creative side that will help businesses weather economic storms.
Rather than a sign of slackness or inefficiency, a few laughs in the office can be evidence of higher-level thought.
“Too many people buy into the myth that if you’re having fun, you’re not getting the job done,” Friedman says. “But play is a major part of innovation. It can help you get ‘buy-in’ to your company’s values.”
Friedman says the humour message is especially important for Asian business. In order to compete in the globalised, fast-changing world, organisations in this region need to make their creative and problem-solving skills a priority.
BUILDING BONDS
“Humour creates bonds in the workplace. It’s the shortest distance between two people,” he says. “Humour helps establish a feeling of camaraderie and sets the tone for co-operation, rather than contention.”
That helps to make employees happier and more enthusiastic in their work environment. “And happy employees create happy customers — both internal and external.”
Many key organisations are aware of this fact, but are perhaps unsure how to go about achieving those results.
Says Friedman: “Forty per cent of the best employers in Asia consider employee engagement their number one priority. They should be helping employees to enjoy what they do every day — leading to employee innovation.”
Of course, it is not all about fun and games in the office. Employers need to lighten up a little, but they definitely don’t need to turn each day into a circus. A balance is required.
Friedman says the other useful tool for increasing employee engagement is to ensure that staff have interesting jobs and responsibilities.
“You’ll find that employees are motivated in direct proportion to how satisfied they are with their daily responsibilities,” he says.
By empowering employees to take on new and different tasks, human resource divisions (HR) and leaders will find an immediate and direct benefit in terms of the way employees go about those jobs.
There are other benefits too. Making the workplace more vibrant and positive can help employees become more pro-active in their work.
Friedman believes that when employees are “truly grounded” in the values of their organisation, external troubles don’t impact on them negatively. Rather, they create a purpose-driven organisational culture that can keep itself one step ahead of external challenges.
Scott Friedman is an international speaker and motivation expert.
Still standing
MANY professionals have felt the shock of layoffs during a downturn, even those who have kept their jobs.
According to financial recruitment firm Robert Half, employees who survive a round of redundancies often have to manage heavier workloads and stay motivated while worrying that their jobs could be eliminated next.
“It is natural for people to have mixed feelings about keeping their jobs when colleagues have been let go,” says Tim Hird, managing director of Robert Half International, Singapore.
Demonstrate your ability to stay positive, motivated and focused on doing good
According to Hird, professionals who are spared from layoffs should not pretend it is business as usual. “This is the time to work closely with your manager to ensure your workload reflects company priorities.
“It is also important to stay positive during these challenging times, as losing good people inevitably affects overall employee morale.
“The more you can do to lift the collective spirit, the better off you and your team will be.” Here are some tips for survivors:
1 Make yourself indispensable
Focus your efforts on projects that help boost your company’s bottom line. Take courses to learn skills that allow you to contribute in new ways.
2 Build visibility
In uncertain times, it is important to be noticed for the right reasons. Volunteer for projects that no one wants to tackle or those that fall outside your job description. Also provide periodic reports to update your supervisor on your achievements.
3 Adapt to change
Managers appreciate employees who are able to deal with difficult situations emotionally as well as maintain productivity when faced with adversity. Demonstrate your ability to stay positive, motivated and focused on doing good work.
4 Conduct an audit
Now is the time to be nimble. Evaluate current processes and offer suggestions for cutting costs or saving your company time or resources.
5 Avoid the rumour mill
While increased water cooler chatter is inevitable after company downsizing, avoid contributing to the gossip. In addition, don’t believe everything you hear.
If you have questions about your company’s direction, ask your manager but understand that he may not have all the answers.
6 Be generous with praise
After downsizing, employees may begin to doubt their abilities and question their own future with the company.
If you are a manager, you may not be in a position to make promises of job security, but you can give direct reports or positive feedback on their performance during these challenging times.
7 Reach out
Offer assistance to those who have experienced a job loss by introducing them to your professional network and helping them with their job search.
8 Look out for yourself
Layoff survivors often experience increased workloads, which can lead to burnout. Talk to your manager about setting priorities, delegating projects or bringing in contract professionals.
It is also important for employees to be aware of the realities of their organisations. Hird concludes: “Those who think their job may be in jeopardy should focus on reactivating their professional networks, taking stock of their skills and accomplishments, and putting together a strong curriculum vitae.”
- Source: Straits Times/Asia News Network
Article contributed by Robert Half Singapore.
According to financial recruitment firm Robert Half, employees who survive a round of redundancies often have to manage heavier workloads and stay motivated while worrying that their jobs could be eliminated next.
“It is natural for people to have mixed feelings about keeping their jobs when colleagues have been let go,” says Tim Hird, managing director of Robert Half International, Singapore.
Demonstrate your ability to stay positive, motivated and focused on doing good
According to Hird, professionals who are spared from layoffs should not pretend it is business as usual. “This is the time to work closely with your manager to ensure your workload reflects company priorities.
“It is also important to stay positive during these challenging times, as losing good people inevitably affects overall employee morale.
“The more you can do to lift the collective spirit, the better off you and your team will be.” Here are some tips for survivors:
1 Make yourself indispensable
Focus your efforts on projects that help boost your company’s bottom line. Take courses to learn skills that allow you to contribute in new ways.
2 Build visibility
In uncertain times, it is important to be noticed for the right reasons. Volunteer for projects that no one wants to tackle or those that fall outside your job description. Also provide periodic reports to update your supervisor on your achievements.
3 Adapt to change
Managers appreciate employees who are able to deal with difficult situations emotionally as well as maintain productivity when faced with adversity. Demonstrate your ability to stay positive, motivated and focused on doing good work.
4 Conduct an audit
Now is the time to be nimble. Evaluate current processes and offer suggestions for cutting costs or saving your company time or resources.
5 Avoid the rumour mill
While increased water cooler chatter is inevitable after company downsizing, avoid contributing to the gossip. In addition, don’t believe everything you hear.
If you have questions about your company’s direction, ask your manager but understand that he may not have all the answers.
6 Be generous with praise
After downsizing, employees may begin to doubt their abilities and question their own future with the company.
If you are a manager, you may not be in a position to make promises of job security, but you can give direct reports or positive feedback on their performance during these challenging times.
7 Reach out
Offer assistance to those who have experienced a job loss by introducing them to your professional network and helping them with their job search.
8 Look out for yourself
Layoff survivors often experience increased workloads, which can lead to burnout. Talk to your manager about setting priorities, delegating projects or bringing in contract professionals.
It is also important for employees to be aware of the realities of their organisations. Hird concludes: “Those who think their job may be in jeopardy should focus on reactivating their professional networks, taking stock of their skills and accomplishments, and putting together a strong curriculum vitae.”
- Source: Straits Times/Asia News Network
Article contributed by Robert Half Singapore.
Friday, March 19, 2010
50 Worst of the Worst (and Most Common) Job Interview Mistakes
You may have heard the horror stories—job hunters who take phone calls or text during an interview, or bring out a sandwich and start chomping, or brush their hair, or worse. You wouldn’t do any of those things, would you? Of course not.
But there are tons of other job interview no-no’s you may not have thought of. Or that you’ve forgotten. The job hunting trail is long and arduous, and a little refresher course can’t hurt. So for your edification and enjoyment, here are 50 (yes, 50!) of the worst and most common job interview mistakes
1. Arriving late.
2. Arriving too early.
3. Lighting up a cigarette, or smelling like a cigarette.
4. Bad-mouthing your last boss.
5. Lying about your skills/experience/knowledge.
6. Wearing the wrong (for this workplace!) clothes.
7. Forgetting the name of the person you’re interviewing with.
8. Wearing a ton of perfume or aftershave.
9. Wearing sunglasses.
10. Wearing a Bluetooth earpiece.
11. Failing to research the employer in advance.
12. Failing to demonstrate enthusiasm.
13. Inquiring about benefits too soon.
14. Talking about salary requirements too soon.
15. Being unable to explain how your strengths and abilities apply to the job in question.
16. Failing to make a strong case for why you are the best person for this job.
17. Forgetting to bring a copy of your résumé and/or portfolio.
18. Failing to remember what you wrote on your own résumé.
19. Asking too many questions.
20. Asking no questions at all.
21. Being unprepared to answer the standard questions.
22. Failing to listen carefully to what the interviewer is saying.
23. Talking more than half the time.
24. Interrupting your interviewer.
25. Neglecting to match the communication style of your interviewer.
26. Yawning.
27. Slouching.
28. Bringing along a friend, or your mother.
29. Chewing gum, tobacco, your pen, your hair.
30. Laughing, giggling, whistling, humming, lip-smacking.
31. Saying “you know,” “like,” “I guess,” and “um.”
32. Name-dropping or bragging or sounding like a know-it-all.
33. Asking to use the bathroom.
34. Being falsely or exaggeratedly modest.
35. Shaking hands too weakly, or too firmly.
36. Failing to make eye contact (or making continuous eye contact).
37. Taking a seat before your interviewer does.
38. Becoming angry or defensive.
39. Complaining that you were kept waiting.
40. Complaining about anything!
41. Speaking rudely to the receptionist.
42. Letting your nervousness show.
43. Overexplaining why you lost your last job.
44. Being too familiar and jokey.
45. Sounding desperate.
46. Checking the time.
47. Oversharing.
48. Sounding rehearsed.
49. Leaving your cell phone on.
50. Failing to ask for the job.
Karen Burns is the author of the illustrated career advice book
But there are tons of other job interview no-no’s you may not have thought of. Or that you’ve forgotten. The job hunting trail is long and arduous, and a little refresher course can’t hurt. So for your edification and enjoyment, here are 50 (yes, 50!) of the worst and most common job interview mistakes
1. Arriving late.
2. Arriving too early.
3. Lighting up a cigarette, or smelling like a cigarette.
4. Bad-mouthing your last boss.
5. Lying about your skills/experience/knowledge.
6. Wearing the wrong (for this workplace!) clothes.
7. Forgetting the name of the person you’re interviewing with.
8. Wearing a ton of perfume or aftershave.
9. Wearing sunglasses.
10. Wearing a Bluetooth earpiece.
11. Failing to research the employer in advance.
12. Failing to demonstrate enthusiasm.
13. Inquiring about benefits too soon.
14. Talking about salary requirements too soon.
15. Being unable to explain how your strengths and abilities apply to the job in question.
16. Failing to make a strong case for why you are the best person for this job.
17. Forgetting to bring a copy of your résumé and/or portfolio.
18. Failing to remember what you wrote on your own résumé.
19. Asking too many questions.
20. Asking no questions at all.
21. Being unprepared to answer the standard questions.
22. Failing to listen carefully to what the interviewer is saying.
23. Talking more than half the time.
24. Interrupting your interviewer.
25. Neglecting to match the communication style of your interviewer.
26. Yawning.
27. Slouching.
28. Bringing along a friend, or your mother.
29. Chewing gum, tobacco, your pen, your hair.
30. Laughing, giggling, whistling, humming, lip-smacking.
31. Saying “you know,” “like,” “I guess,” and “um.”
32. Name-dropping or bragging or sounding like a know-it-all.
33. Asking to use the bathroom.
34. Being falsely or exaggeratedly modest.
35. Shaking hands too weakly, or too firmly.
36. Failing to make eye contact (or making continuous eye contact).
37. Taking a seat before your interviewer does.
38. Becoming angry or defensive.
39. Complaining that you were kept waiting.
40. Complaining about anything!
41. Speaking rudely to the receptionist.
42. Letting your nervousness show.
43. Overexplaining why you lost your last job.
44. Being too familiar and jokey.
45. Sounding desperate.
46. Checking the time.
47. Oversharing.
48. Sounding rehearsed.
49. Leaving your cell phone on.
50. Failing to ask for the job.
Karen Burns is the author of the illustrated career advice book
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Got a new idea?
COMPANIES are always looking for new opportunities and ways to increase product/service offerings as well as customer satisfaction.
Think beyond the traditional boundaries for innovative solutions as consumers look for new and cost-effective products.
As an employee or a leader, there are many ways that you can effect change in your company and in your team.
Companies look for employees and leaders who can generate innovative solutions with very limited resources. Here are some ways in which you can learn to innovate:
Identify opportunities
You can find new business opportunities in adjacent and new markets, as well as your current market. These opportunities will come up as you train your employees to look at the value that customers (and potential customers) obtain or could obtain from your products and services.
For instance, if you produce electric drills you may want to answer the question: who will use my equipment? And for what purpose? You will find that more markets may open up for you.
You can stretch it, for instance, to include property agents. Ask yourself how to convince property agents to use drills.
For example, they could use the drills to display posters or to do simple renovations in properties they are marketing, or act as retail channels to final users: many expatriates do not bring their drills with them when they relocate.
Heed customers’ needs
You need to identify the most pressing issues your target market faces and refine or combine your technology in order to outperform the normal market standard at a lower rate.
In the case of the drill, you may want to offer complementary products or services that will delight the customer in terms of value or convenience: suction products that can be fixed to the walls/ceilings and a wire system to display paintings, super glue, interior design advice or a drill rental service.
Throw up new ideas
Provide space, time and procedural initiatives that spur and reward innovative suggestions which enhance the value that your company delivers.
Employees can contribute ideas not only for new product development but for all the stages of the business process.
From design to customer service, employees can provide different views that will contribute to a holistic understanding of markets and customer segments, including business opportunities and product improvement initiatives.
This innovative space must be facilitated by a leader who can motivate his team to produce innovative output. A variety of backgrounds and areas of expertise always helps in the innovative process as quite often it is the intersection of disciplines that will offer innovative opportunities.
Companies can receive different types of feedback by engaging suppliers, customers and partners in their innovation process.
Brand your service
By looking into the customer experience in detail, you can plug the gaps and provide a high level of customer service that becomes part of your brand.
You can make the customer’s experience memorable by engaging clients and helping to solve their problems.
On the business side, customer service officers are in a good position to see opportunities for innovation from the customer’s perspective.
This is one of the untapped data sources that companies can use for effective product transformation.
By giving customers what they want, your company will be seen as one that appreciates their clients.
This is not only a powerful marketing strategy but also an opportunity to strategically innovate in different areas of your business.
By empowering your rank-and-file staff and managers to think innovatively, your company will be able to leverage opportunities that come its way.
Article by Hector Ramos, a consultant and facilitator of creative thinking and innovation with Creativity Ventures.
Think beyond the traditional boundaries for innovative solutions as consumers look for new and cost-effective products.
As an employee or a leader, there are many ways that you can effect change in your company and in your team.
Companies look for employees and leaders who can generate innovative solutions with very limited resources. Here are some ways in which you can learn to innovate:
Identify opportunities
You can find new business opportunities in adjacent and new markets, as well as your current market. These opportunities will come up as you train your employees to look at the value that customers (and potential customers) obtain or could obtain from your products and services.
For instance, if you produce electric drills you may want to answer the question: who will use my equipment? And for what purpose? You will find that more markets may open up for you.
You can stretch it, for instance, to include property agents. Ask yourself how to convince property agents to use drills.
For example, they could use the drills to display posters or to do simple renovations in properties they are marketing, or act as retail channels to final users: many expatriates do not bring their drills with them when they relocate.
Heed customers’ needs
You need to identify the most pressing issues your target market faces and refine or combine your technology in order to outperform the normal market standard at a lower rate.
In the case of the drill, you may want to offer complementary products or services that will delight the customer in terms of value or convenience: suction products that can be fixed to the walls/ceilings and a wire system to display paintings, super glue, interior design advice or a drill rental service.
Throw up new ideas
Provide space, time and procedural initiatives that spur and reward innovative suggestions which enhance the value that your company delivers.
Employees can contribute ideas not only for new product development but for all the stages of the business process.
From design to customer service, employees can provide different views that will contribute to a holistic understanding of markets and customer segments, including business opportunities and product improvement initiatives.
This innovative space must be facilitated by a leader who can motivate his team to produce innovative output. A variety of backgrounds and areas of expertise always helps in the innovative process as quite often it is the intersection of disciplines that will offer innovative opportunities.
Companies can receive different types of feedback by engaging suppliers, customers and partners in their innovation process.
Brand your service
By looking into the customer experience in detail, you can plug the gaps and provide a high level of customer service that becomes part of your brand.
You can make the customer’s experience memorable by engaging clients and helping to solve their problems.
On the business side, customer service officers are in a good position to see opportunities for innovation from the customer’s perspective.
This is one of the untapped data sources that companies can use for effective product transformation.
By giving customers what they want, your company will be seen as one that appreciates their clients.
This is not only a powerful marketing strategy but also an opportunity to strategically innovate in different areas of your business.
By empowering your rank-and-file staff and managers to think innovatively, your company will be able to leverage opportunities that come its way.
Article by Hector Ramos, a consultant and facilitator of creative thinking and innovation with Creativity Ventures.
10 tough questions interviewers ask
1 Tell me about yourself?
Restrict your answer to a minute or two. Cover your education and work history, and emphasise your recent career experience.
2 What do you know about us?
You should be able to discuss products or services, revenues, reputation, image, goals, problems, management style, people, history and philosophy. Show that you have done some research, but do not act as if you know everything about the place.
3 Why do you want to work for us?
You can say that your research has shown that the company is doing things you would like to be involved in, and that it is doing them in ways that greatly interest you.
4 What can you do for us that someone else can’t?
Talk about your record of getting things done, and mention specifics from your resumé or list your career accomplishments. Say that your skills and interests, combined with a history of getting results, make you valuable. Mention your ability to set priorities, identify problems and use your experience and energy to solve them.
5 What do you expect to be doing in this role?
Think in terms of responsibilities and accountability. Make sure that you really do understand what the position involves. If you are not certain, ask the interviewer; he may answer the question for you.
6 How long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution?
Be realistic. Say that, while you would expect to pull your own weight from the first day, it might take six months to a year before you could expect to know the organisation and its needs well enough to make a major contribution.
7 Do you think you are overqualified or too experienced?
Emphasise your interest in establishing a long-term association with the organisation, and say that you assume that if you perform well in this job, new opportunities will open up for you. Mention that a strong company needs strong staff. Observe that experienced executives are always at a premium. Suggest that since you are so wellqualified, the employer will get a fast return on his investment.
8 What is your management style?
Possible styles include:
Task-oriented: “I enjoy problem-solving, choosing a solution and implementing it”;
Results-oriented: “Every management decision I make is determined by how it will affect the bottom line”;
Paternalistic: “I’m committed to taking care of my subordinates and pointing them in the right direction.”
Participative: “I prefer an open-door method of managing, and getting things done by motivating people and delegating responsibility.
9 Why are you leaving (did you leave) your present (last) job?
Be brief and as honest as you can without hurting yourself. If you were laid off in an across-theboard cutback, say so; otherwise, indicate that the move was your decision. Do not mention personality conflicts.
10 What do you think of your boss?
Be as positive as you can. A potential boss is likely to wonder if you might talk about him in similar terms at some point in the future.
When you are well-prepared to field tough questions, you will not only give thoughtful answers but will seem calm and self-assured — qualities that the interviewer will give you extra points for.
Article by Sattar Bawany, Head of Transition Coaching Practice with DBM Asia Pacific.
Restrict your answer to a minute or two. Cover your education and work history, and emphasise your recent career experience.
2 What do you know about us?
You should be able to discuss products or services, revenues, reputation, image, goals, problems, management style, people, history and philosophy. Show that you have done some research, but do not act as if you know everything about the place.
3 Why do you want to work for us?
You can say that your research has shown that the company is doing things you would like to be involved in, and that it is doing them in ways that greatly interest you.
4 What can you do for us that someone else can’t?
Talk about your record of getting things done, and mention specifics from your resumé or list your career accomplishments. Say that your skills and interests, combined with a history of getting results, make you valuable. Mention your ability to set priorities, identify problems and use your experience and energy to solve them.
5 What do you expect to be doing in this role?
Think in terms of responsibilities and accountability. Make sure that you really do understand what the position involves. If you are not certain, ask the interviewer; he may answer the question for you.
6 How long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution?
Be realistic. Say that, while you would expect to pull your own weight from the first day, it might take six months to a year before you could expect to know the organisation and its needs well enough to make a major contribution.
7 Do you think you are overqualified or too experienced?
Emphasise your interest in establishing a long-term association with the organisation, and say that you assume that if you perform well in this job, new opportunities will open up for you. Mention that a strong company needs strong staff. Observe that experienced executives are always at a premium. Suggest that since you are so wellqualified, the employer will get a fast return on his investment.
8 What is your management style?
Possible styles include:
Task-oriented: “I enjoy problem-solving, choosing a solution and implementing it”;
Results-oriented: “Every management decision I make is determined by how it will affect the bottom line”;
Paternalistic: “I’m committed to taking care of my subordinates and pointing them in the right direction.”
Participative: “I prefer an open-door method of managing, and getting things done by motivating people and delegating responsibility.
9 Why are you leaving (did you leave) your present (last) job?
Be brief and as honest as you can without hurting yourself. If you were laid off in an across-theboard cutback, say so; otherwise, indicate that the move was your decision. Do not mention personality conflicts.
10 What do you think of your boss?
Be as positive as you can. A potential boss is likely to wonder if you might talk about him in similar terms at some point in the future.
When you are well-prepared to field tough questions, you will not only give thoughtful answers but will seem calm and self-assured — qualities that the interviewer will give you extra points for.
Article by Sattar Bawany, Head of Transition Coaching Practice with DBM Asia Pacific.
Putting on a brave face
IMAGINE sitting in a crowded airplane and the captain’s voice comes on: “Please fasten your seatbelts. There’s nothing but stormy weather ahead, and we’re going to experience a long stretch of turbulence.”
If you could listen to the thoughts of all the passengers, how many different emotions would that announcement trigger?
Now imagine being in the cockpit. As the captain, you are considering your aircraft’s ability to withstand the conditions ahead, monitoring your instruments, triangulating with your crew and air traffic control, and making decisions about your flight plan.
You know what you want from your passengers: to remain calm and in their seats. That is not unlike what is happening in corporate America today. Chief executive officers who are struggling to keep their companies aloft in an increasingly turbulent economy need their employees to remain calm and focused on their jobs.
But like airline passengers, employees’ responses are influenced by their own past experiences in comparable situations.
In today’s turbulent environment, the energy and innovation required to generate and sustain business growth has been eroded by a lack of trust among employees and the public.
Research has demonstrated that how business leaders deal with turbulence in the environment outside their jobs will be reflected in how they deal with turbulence within their companies.
Senior executives have to make tough calls every day, and those who are successful learn to maintain cool, calm exterior facades to demonstrate that they are in control.
Often, something very different is going on inside. They may be dealing with feelings of inadequacy and vulnerability.
Turbulent times require leaders to be at their best — a tall order when they are feeling stressed and fatigued by what they are dealing with on both a personal and a corporate level. So it is no surprise when we begin to see behaviours that seem out of character.
Managerial courage requires leaders to become “architects of trust”. Leaders develop trust and gain commitment from employees through personal action — leading by example — and relationship building.
Executives need to be visible to employees and make an effort to find out what they really think and feel by asking direct questions and listening and responding to the responses.
It is not a time to be silent, and it is certainly not a time to stay behind closed doors, although it is tempting — and easy — to do just that.
At the same time, executives need to be very mindful of their words, actions and behaviour. It is crucial to give careful thought to how employees are interpreting those words and actions, because they are hearing with different ears and seeing with different eyes now.
Even “good to great” leaders are under a microscope at a time when credibility and trust are coming into question like never before. These leaders may benefit from having an external resource available to act as a trusted adviser and sounding board.
Executive coaching can play a critical role in providing leaders with a safe outlet for expressing a sense of inadequacy and vulnerability. Corporate budgets are also under the microscope right now, but there has never been a better time to invest in helping business leaders not just cope, but excel.
Article by Joan Caruso. Originally published by The Ayers Group.
If you could listen to the thoughts of all the passengers, how many different emotions would that announcement trigger?
Now imagine being in the cockpit. As the captain, you are considering your aircraft’s ability to withstand the conditions ahead, monitoring your instruments, triangulating with your crew and air traffic control, and making decisions about your flight plan.
You know what you want from your passengers: to remain calm and in their seats. That is not unlike what is happening in corporate America today. Chief executive officers who are struggling to keep their companies aloft in an increasingly turbulent economy need their employees to remain calm and focused on their jobs.
But like airline passengers, employees’ responses are influenced by their own past experiences in comparable situations.
In today’s turbulent environment, the energy and innovation required to generate and sustain business growth has been eroded by a lack of trust among employees and the public.
Research has demonstrated that how business leaders deal with turbulence in the environment outside their jobs will be reflected in how they deal with turbulence within their companies.
Senior executives have to make tough calls every day, and those who are successful learn to maintain cool, calm exterior facades to demonstrate that they are in control.
Often, something very different is going on inside. They may be dealing with feelings of inadequacy and vulnerability.
Turbulent times require leaders to be at their best — a tall order when they are feeling stressed and fatigued by what they are dealing with on both a personal and a corporate level. So it is no surprise when we begin to see behaviours that seem out of character.
Managerial courage requires leaders to become “architects of trust”. Leaders develop trust and gain commitment from employees through personal action — leading by example — and relationship building.
Executives need to be visible to employees and make an effort to find out what they really think and feel by asking direct questions and listening and responding to the responses.
It is not a time to be silent, and it is certainly not a time to stay behind closed doors, although it is tempting — and easy — to do just that.
At the same time, executives need to be very mindful of their words, actions and behaviour. It is crucial to give careful thought to how employees are interpreting those words and actions, because they are hearing with different ears and seeing with different eyes now.
Even “good to great” leaders are under a microscope at a time when credibility and trust are coming into question like never before. These leaders may benefit from having an external resource available to act as a trusted adviser and sounding board.
Executive coaching can play a critical role in providing leaders with a safe outlet for expressing a sense of inadequacy and vulnerability. Corporate budgets are also under the microscope right now, but there has never been a better time to invest in helping business leaders not just cope, but excel.
Article by Joan Caruso. Originally published by The Ayers Group.
Stand out from the crowd
LET’s face it – this is not the time to take your job for granted. The economic downturn has meant that jobs that were aplenty are now dwindling as more companies downsize or merge.
It is important to know how you can not only hold on to your job in uncertain times, but also thrive.
First and foremost, start looking at crafting a brand that will set you apart from your competitors and peers. You need to stand out so your boss notices you.
No more just “doing what my boss tells me to do” or working long hours hoping somebody up there will notice. You have to take your future and your career into your own hands!
Here are some suggestions on how you can get noticed:
Passion for your job gets you noticed and takes you places. Look at Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, Barack Obama and countless others who have caught the world’s attention. People who love what they are doing never take their foot off the accelerator.
Barbara Walters once asked Oprah how she had survived discrimination while growing up in the American South.
Oprah not only stunned Walters but won the respect and admiration of many when she replied: “Barbara, I discovered very early in life that there is no discrimination against excellence.”
Identify what it is about your work that gets your adrenaline pumping. Then, work to excel at it, and make sure others know you are the best in that area.
Craft your USP
USP or unique selling proposition is what makes you special, or to put it simply, what makes your “customers” (boss, clients, colleagues) “buy” from you and not someone else.
You can find your USP by looking at your passion, strengths, skills or values. Once you have done that, then start selling yourself.
For those of you who baulk at the idea of having to “sell yourself”, shed your inhibitions. You have to be a super salesperson for yourself if you want to get noticed.
As one executive who wanted to make a career change said in the book, Free Agents, by Susan Gould: “What I am doing is selling myself. Intellectually I think I understood that, but emotionally I didn’t until I experienced the pain of constantly putting myself on the line and facing rejection.
“It makes sense to look at yourself as a work in progress and to define your core assets and then sell them to the marketplace. The question ultimately is: ‘Are you willing to do what it takes to get the opportunity you want?’”
Look good
Quit looking sloppy simply because you believe your job doesn’t require you to dress well.
Start paying attention to how you look and the image you present to others. You need not splurge on expensive clothes, or take drastic measures to look like a model.
Just do simple things like wearing colours that suit you, updating your hairstyle to flatter your face shape and learning to dress for your body shape.
When you look good, you will project yourself well; when you project well, people respond positively to you; when that happens, you feel great. This is called the circle of success.
Be an intrapreneur
The best way to stand out is to treat your job like your own business. Take full ownership of business results that are expected of you. Be fully committed to your targets and work goals. Live for your clients.
The company I used to work for had a credo: “Customers make my payday possible.” Think of ways to cut expenses for your company — your boss will love you for that.
Make it a project
Forget job. Forget tasks. Think “project”. Strive to turn every job assignment into a project and add more value into the project than your boss expected.
If you prove yourself valuable to your boss and your company, your job will most likely be safe, even in a downturn.
Article by Jessica See, a certified professional coach.
It is important to know how you can not only hold on to your job in uncertain times, but also thrive.
First and foremost, start looking at crafting a brand that will set you apart from your competitors and peers. You need to stand out so your boss notices you.
No more just “doing what my boss tells me to do” or working long hours hoping somebody up there will notice. You have to take your future and your career into your own hands!
Here are some suggestions on how you can get noticed:
Passion for your job gets you noticed and takes you places. Look at Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, Barack Obama and countless others who have caught the world’s attention. People who love what they are doing never take their foot off the accelerator.
Barbara Walters once asked Oprah how she had survived discrimination while growing up in the American South.
Oprah not only stunned Walters but won the respect and admiration of many when she replied: “Barbara, I discovered very early in life that there is no discrimination against excellence.”
Identify what it is about your work that gets your adrenaline pumping. Then, work to excel at it, and make sure others know you are the best in that area.
Craft your USP
USP or unique selling proposition is what makes you special, or to put it simply, what makes your “customers” (boss, clients, colleagues) “buy” from you and not someone else.
You can find your USP by looking at your passion, strengths, skills or values. Once you have done that, then start selling yourself.
For those of you who baulk at the idea of having to “sell yourself”, shed your inhibitions. You have to be a super salesperson for yourself if you want to get noticed.
As one executive who wanted to make a career change said in the book, Free Agents, by Susan Gould: “What I am doing is selling myself. Intellectually I think I understood that, but emotionally I didn’t until I experienced the pain of constantly putting myself on the line and facing rejection.
“It makes sense to look at yourself as a work in progress and to define your core assets and then sell them to the marketplace. The question ultimately is: ‘Are you willing to do what it takes to get the opportunity you want?’”
Look good
Quit looking sloppy simply because you believe your job doesn’t require you to dress well.
Start paying attention to how you look and the image you present to others. You need not splurge on expensive clothes, or take drastic measures to look like a model.
Just do simple things like wearing colours that suit you, updating your hairstyle to flatter your face shape and learning to dress for your body shape.
When you look good, you will project yourself well; when you project well, people respond positively to you; when that happens, you feel great. This is called the circle of success.
Be an intrapreneur
The best way to stand out is to treat your job like your own business. Take full ownership of business results that are expected of you. Be fully committed to your targets and work goals. Live for your clients.
The company I used to work for had a credo: “Customers make my payday possible.” Think of ways to cut expenses for your company — your boss will love you for that.
Make it a project
Forget job. Forget tasks. Think “project”. Strive to turn every job assignment into a project and add more value into the project than your boss expected.
If you prove yourself valuable to your boss and your company, your job will most likely be safe, even in a downturn.
Article by Jessica See, a certified professional coach.
Wake up & smell the coffee
PEOPLE have been telling me stories about how their companies or colleagues have tried to increase efficiency by decreasing communication.
In the first story, a company got rid of the coffee machine because people spent too much time chatting over their mugs.
The second story was told by a woman whose co-worker refused to talk to her directly, despite sitting at the very next desk. Whenever the woman asked him to discuss something, he would tell her to check the relevant e-mail, or send her own question via e-mail.
In a third instance, a company instituted a policy requiring employees to communicate with each other via e-mail rather than in person, to reduce the distraction of talking in the office!
What do you think happened to morale in all these cases? It seems to me that one would need to study human behaviour for mere minutes before concluding that choices like these pave a very grim road.
Study to discover
It is not what you do but how you do it, though. It is not what you study, but how you study it. Sometimes managers seem to study human nature to close down avenues for expression, when it makes more sense to look for ways to discover and develop them.
Otherwise, the thinking goes like this: Numbers are down, reports are late, people are chatting, the coffee machine is an evil siren luring the company onto jagged rocks.
If you study the nature of your staff with an eye for what is working rather than what is not, you may recognise the talking at the coffee machine as an activity to be exploited for the general good.
Let people do what it is in their nature to do, and study it so that you can manage and benefit from it. - Bloombergpic
Alternatively, you may see that focusing so much on the coffee machine is too narrow a study, and investigate other areas of behaviour.
You may learn that the office is bleeding elsewhere, and that surgically removing the perceived cancer of the coffee machine would be a danger to corporate health rather than an improvement.
If you can accept it, you can manage it.
I finally heard an encouraging story from someone whose department head encourages everyone to dress colourfully on Mondays to beat the blues, and at a certain time of the morning, she comes out of her office and tells everyone to go around and talk to one another about the weekend.
Setting aside a time for a chat about the weekend serves many purposes. Among them, the team members appreciate the manager’s respect for the human desire to engage, and they come in on Mondays knowing that after doing a bit of work, they can have a nice chat fest.
The manager, for her part, knows that before the chat fest, her employees will apply themselves to catching up with their responsibilities, and after the chat fest, they will go back to work with energy. They might take a little while to settle down, but their brains will be “on” and they will be pleased to be part of the organisation.
Although this policy is most likely easier to be instituted in an office largely populated with women, the excellence of the principle remains: Let people do what it is in their nature to do, and study it so that you can manage and benefit from it.
Be a keen observer
Learn to watch human nature at the office watering hole like how a zoologist studies animal behaviour:
Note the people who do the most talking at the coffee machine. Perhaps they would make good presenters?
Note the different groups that gather. Are they budding work units? Would they like a project?
Note the people who never sidle over for a chat. Why don’t they? Would they benefit from being invited over by you?
Note if someone you need to talk to is there. Go over and ask your question and promote discussion, thereby marking the coffee machine as a place for brainstorming as well as a social spot.
Remember to wear camouflage when observing staff. Stay low in the grass. If they get a whiff of you, they will skitter away and start hunting their caffeine elsewhere.
- Source: Straits Times/Asia News Network
Article by Alison Lester, a speaker, trainer and coach who specialises in communication, creativity and presentation skills
In the first story, a company got rid of the coffee machine because people spent too much time chatting over their mugs.
The second story was told by a woman whose co-worker refused to talk to her directly, despite sitting at the very next desk. Whenever the woman asked him to discuss something, he would tell her to check the relevant e-mail, or send her own question via e-mail.
In a third instance, a company instituted a policy requiring employees to communicate with each other via e-mail rather than in person, to reduce the distraction of talking in the office!
What do you think happened to morale in all these cases? It seems to me that one would need to study human behaviour for mere minutes before concluding that choices like these pave a very grim road.
Study to discover
It is not what you do but how you do it, though. It is not what you study, but how you study it. Sometimes managers seem to study human nature to close down avenues for expression, when it makes more sense to look for ways to discover and develop them.
Otherwise, the thinking goes like this: Numbers are down, reports are late, people are chatting, the coffee machine is an evil siren luring the company onto jagged rocks.
If you study the nature of your staff with an eye for what is working rather than what is not, you may recognise the talking at the coffee machine as an activity to be exploited for the general good.
Let people do what it is in their nature to do, and study it so that you can manage and benefit from it. - Bloombergpic
Alternatively, you may see that focusing so much on the coffee machine is too narrow a study, and investigate other areas of behaviour.
You may learn that the office is bleeding elsewhere, and that surgically removing the perceived cancer of the coffee machine would be a danger to corporate health rather than an improvement.
If you can accept it, you can manage it.
I finally heard an encouraging story from someone whose department head encourages everyone to dress colourfully on Mondays to beat the blues, and at a certain time of the morning, she comes out of her office and tells everyone to go around and talk to one another about the weekend.
Setting aside a time for a chat about the weekend serves many purposes. Among them, the team members appreciate the manager’s respect for the human desire to engage, and they come in on Mondays knowing that after doing a bit of work, they can have a nice chat fest.
The manager, for her part, knows that before the chat fest, her employees will apply themselves to catching up with their responsibilities, and after the chat fest, they will go back to work with energy. They might take a little while to settle down, but their brains will be “on” and they will be pleased to be part of the organisation.
Although this policy is most likely easier to be instituted in an office largely populated with women, the excellence of the principle remains: Let people do what it is in their nature to do, and study it so that you can manage and benefit from it.
Be a keen observer
Learn to watch human nature at the office watering hole like how a zoologist studies animal behaviour:
Note the people who do the most talking at the coffee machine. Perhaps they would make good presenters?
Note the different groups that gather. Are they budding work units? Would they like a project?
Note the people who never sidle over for a chat. Why don’t they? Would they benefit from being invited over by you?
Note if someone you need to talk to is there. Go over and ask your question and promote discussion, thereby marking the coffee machine as a place for brainstorming as well as a social spot.
Remember to wear camouflage when observing staff. Stay low in the grass. If they get a whiff of you, they will skitter away and start hunting their caffeine elsewhere.
- Source: Straits Times/Asia News Network
Article by Alison Lester, a speaker, trainer and coach who specialises in communication, creativity and presentation skills
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