July 5th, 2009
In sailing, lying ahull is a controversial method of weathering a storm, by downing all sails, battening the hatches and locking the tiller. The boat is allowed to drift freely, completely at the mercy of the storm. Ahull is also my first inital and last name. Thus, after too many years at the dock, I am launching this ship into the wilds of the blogosphere. However, the winds have unfettered these sails and we shall see where it blows us.
For the past 11 years I’ve had a consulting and training company in the Washington, DC area. The focus is on helping people enjoy their work through effective change and career management. We provide consulting and training on the whole employee life-cycle, from onboarding through career and performance development, retirement and beyond.
Check out the website at www.hullstrategies.com.
Tags: career, Change, management, Retirement, Training and Facilitating
Posted in General | No Comments »
December 17th, 2009
Most of us don’t think we are a bad boss. The really bad bosses aren’t reading this because they don’t care.
Help me build the top 10 list of clues for a bad boss. Especially useful would be your ideas on how to help someone be a better boss. (hint: This isn’t always just what the boss needs to do.) I’ll get it started…
1. I do not acknowledge, or refer to staff members by name. Did you forget it? Is it hard to pronounce? Have you made up a nickname that is easier for you to use? Our names are very personal and we like hearing them, especially when used kindly by those whom we hold in esteem or have authority. Keep the parental tone way down – you know the one your parent used when you were in trouble. Shortening or creating a nickname for someone may be like rubbing salt in a wound. Ask them for proper pronunciation and privately check in to ensure you are getting it right. The best way to remember names is to know something about the person, not just their appearance or voice.
2. Most staff problems are annoying and I have much more important things to do, so I ignore them. Some things need to be talked through for staff to find their own answers. This takes effective listening skills and patience. Some things need your position power (aka influence) to happen. Minimize whining by asking what specifically action they want you to do and why. Have facts, not generalizations or assumptions, when you are looking for reasons to make a change.
3. My staff take things way too seriously; they can’t take a joke. As a boss, everything you say has the potential to have more power and influence with your staff than you may realize. The only person to poke fun at is yourself.
4. My staff are professionals; they should know what to do. Why should I have to explain their jobs to them? We all operate from a set of assumptions and the problem is when they don’t match. Use the 5 W’s when discussing an assignment (Who, What, When, Where, Why) and any boundaries (budget, relationships, etc.) to help make a better match at these assumptions, there by reducing late and wrong work.
What are your clues?
Tags: accountability, Communication, leadership, management, professional, Trust
Posted in Career Management, Change, Leadership & Management, Pollyanna's Evil Twin | 1 Comment »
November 3rd, 2009
It’s one of the squishy intangibles that makes all the difference in our work lives. If you cannot trust your manager – if you cannot trust your team – then no one is happy. Trust must be earned and that takes time, consistency and follow-through.
There are some specific things leaders can do to help that process:
1. More face time with staff and customers
2. Be clear about priorities
3. Genuinely ask for, listen, and act upon ideas and suggestions
4. Involve more or different people in high profile projects
Bates Communication has a survey and good article with more actions cited at this link.
Tags: Communication, executive, leadership, Motivation, Trust
Posted in Leadership & Management | No Comments »
September 8th, 2009
Posted September 04, 2009 09:02 AM Hide Post
Giving and receiving feedback are two different sets of behaviors. Many resources are available for giving feedback effectively. Yet there is little to help us prepare to receive and participate in these conversations, and not dread them. It’s hard enough for people to give feedback and many don’t do it very well. You can help them get better at it and relieve some of your own discomfort. Here are some tips for constructively receiving feedback and use it to be more successful in your work and relationships. The key is for both people to feel they have been heard and understood. Getting to agreement is another step.
Conversation killers:
• Defending yourself or actions may be a natural reaction, but does not allow you to understand the other person’s perspective. Everyone has their own lenses, and you don’t have to agree, but it helps to understand their perspective to respond effectively.
• Dismissing the feedback – If you are thinking, “They haven’t seen me in any other context,” or “They are seeing me through what they want me to be, not who I really am,” consider the source. Also consider how this same aspect might be seen by others.
• Blaming others – “It’s not my fault…” Accept that you were dependent on others, and consider how you approached them with your request for help and how you may have contributed to the failure.
• Rationalizing -“Yes but…” Justifying your behavior as an atypical response necessitated by a particular situation or series of events won’t help to prevent it from happening again. Recognize the situation and be aware when it may be likely to re-occur so you can handle it better.
• Disagreeing – Telling the person why they’re feedback is wrong will not work. A better approach is to ask for examples and suggestions.
• Interrupting or finishing the other person’s thoughts gives the impression that you don’t really want to hear what they have to say. It comes across as dismissive and rude, rather than expedient.
• Sulking, or withdrawing from the person giving the feedback afterward will not encourage them to work with you in the future. Although initially appealing, this is not constructive.
• Ruminating on Feedback – If the feedback is less than glowing avoid the temptation to re-enact the conversation to a friend as this only re-engages your emotions. Do talk about it with someone else, but make sure you’re emotionally detached first.
Do’s
• Keep some perspective. If feedback relates to a specific instance or to one part of your life,
keep it in context. Now you know about it and you have the opportunity to do something about it.
• Evaluate the information before responding. Feedback is given through the other person’s
perspective. It may tell you more about the person saying it than it does about you. If you
don’t agree or understand, ask for an example.
• Make your choice how to use the information. Feedback can be a gift allowing you to grow and develop as a person, in a job or in a relationship. It is ultimately your choice how to act, or not, upon feedback received.
• Giving or receiving feedback can be an emotional roller-coaster if you let it be. Learn how to receive feedback gracefully, giving you the emotional head-space to learn and grow from the experience.
Our most frequent complaint in workplace surveys is “lack of communication.” When communication and feedback is offered, be ready to not just hear, but listen to understand their point of view. Only then can you decide your best response.
Tags: accountability, Communication, management, professional, resistance, Trust
Posted in Career Management, Leadership & Management | No Comments »
September 2nd, 2009
Daniel Pink’s 18 min video on TED.com is a great example of how extrinsic motivators (such as financial incentives) have a narrow band of effectiveness and often work in reverse. By tapping into the intrinsic motivations of autonomy, mastery and purpose we can change not only how we do business, but how we work toward a better world. It’s worth a look:
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pink_on_motivation.html“>
Tags: Incentives, management, Motivation, Pink
Posted in Change, Leadership & Management, Training and Facilitating | No Comments »
August 17th, 2009
A colleague received an unusual e-mail from a new manager of his division:
One of the most important responsibilities I have as the [title] is to ensure I help people in achieving their career goals. I’d like to take some time to meet you and to get to know you, your goals, and how I can help you as you learn and grow. This is not a “formal” meeting in any respect – it’s just a chance for me to get to know you. You don’t need to prepare anything or to be anxious about it. There’s no set structure – just a chat!
My skeptical colleague thought this to be another management fad. However, I felt it might just be one of those rare occasions to take advantage of someone who is trying her best to change the culture in her own area.
For my colleague, it’s an opportunity to:
- present yourself in a way you want her to remember you for future projects/assignments
- let her know what you want to do more/less of
- help her know how to create a better work environment for you
- tell her what’s working well; limit what’s not working so well to 1-2 things.
- ask her questions about her priorities, expectations, career goals and pet-peeves (learn her agenda).
It is also an opportunity to learn how your work and personality preferences match or clash and how to best work together.
I’m waiting to hear how it turned out.
Tags: career, Communication, management, Trust
Posted in Career Management, Change, Leadership & Management | No Comments »
July 8th, 2009
A recently released report on successful government leaders [http://www.boozallen.com/publications/what-it-takes-to-change-government] lists several characteristics, one of which is “outcome oriented.” Leaders happen at every level of the organization- formal and informally. As we diligently work to do the best we can, we also need to ask the question, “So What?” This is one of the most powerful questions to help us see the impact of our toil. It can bring us back from the frustration and chaos to focus on what’s important. “Is what I’m doing making a difference?”
Does compiling the number of people who attend a training class matter? Yes, if it is for compliance records. But why does that record keeping matter? What is important is how the people use the skills and knowledge gained from the training. How do your specific programs and activities contribute to the overall, higher-level societal expectations?
Leaders with a results-oriented focus represents a fundamental shift in the way the public sector does business—a fundamental shift in the nature of thinking, acting, and managing that moves away from a focus on process and regulations to a focus on outcomes and results. [http://www.businessofgovernment.org/pdfs/KlobyIntro.pdf]
We need to understand the ‘why’, the purpose for the activity, and what end result is truly expected. Placing these in context of the mission of the organization, not just the statement-in-the-wall, but connecting with the deep core values of the people in the organization is a true leadership characteristic.
Tags: accountability, government, leadership, management, professional
Posted in Leadership & Management, Training and Facilitating | 2 Comments »
July 5th, 2009
Is retirement an option for you? Are you facing a decision due to mandatory or an early retirement offer from your employer? Have you reached that milestone point in terms of tenure or age?
“Retirement” is really a word only used in financial terms now – you are eligible by either age or time in your job/profession. Whenever people adamantly say, I’m retired, I don’t do anything.” I generally find they are doing the things they always wanted to do. But because they aren’t getting paid for it, they call it “nothing.”
Most people don’t think this is a tough question. They are enthusiastically counting the days and minutes to the moment they can walk out the door the last time. For others of us, we are absorbed with our work. It has become who we are both as a person and as a professional and what we want to do with our days. Leaving the job would be like cutting off oxygen. “I really like what I do and can’t imagine doing anything else.” We have become comfortable with the structure, people and challenges the work setting provides. We don’t know what we would do without these.
Many people begin “encore” careers, or develop creative interests through writing, painting, music, etc., or generously volunteer to help others. Starting a new business after age 60 is common.
Many organizations are offering more flexibility to prevent the brain drain that the boomers are believed to be creating. Reduced hours, part-time status or contracting back to the company for a project or for mentoring others are common.
Tags: accountability, career, Change, professional, purpose, readiness, Retirement
Posted in Retirement | No Comments »
July 5th, 2009
You meet someone at a social event or are introduced by a mutual friend and they ask “What do you do?” The next time they ask, “What do you do?,” try giving them some information they can personally relate to, and that will help them remember your name. If you feel good and proud of what you do, your expertise, your experience and the contributions you are making, talk about it. Let your enthusiasm show.
If you don’t feel good or proud of what you do, talk about what you’d like to be doing. Like this: “I’m working as a budget analyst learning the food distribution policies. I hope to move into a policy making role to help us find way to eat safe and tasty food.”
Are you your title? Or are you serving in that capacity or role? You title is significant to your organizations, and perhaps your industry. Beyond that, many titles don’t translate the same. A title generally denotes rank, status or level of responsibility. A Director in one organization may be a Board position, while at another it is the Manager of a specific area. An Analyst makes very different contributions depending on their employer. So don’t hide behind, or stand on your title pedestal. People are generally more interested in the types of activities, challenges and successes you’ve had. What kind of problems do you tackle and/or solve? Say something that will intrigue them. Take into account the type of setting you are in and anything potentially in common – such as the person making the introduction.
At a professional meeting:
“As a Life Coach, I help people find their personal charisma.”
“As a Procurement Analyst, I help my company get the best contracts for our IT needs.”
“I help my co-workers get the software they need to help their clients avoid personal bankruptcy.”
It’s a conversation, not a pitch. So the last thing is to add is the question about the person you are meeting. “What do you do?“
Tags: accountability, career, professional
Posted in Job Search | No Comments »
July 5th, 2009
Because change is so pervasive, resiliency is critical to success in all aspects of our lives. Fluency with change is the ability to be at ease or have a sense of confidence in dealing with ambiguous situations. It is the ability to respond to annoying things like deadlines, software changes, traffic delays – and major changes such as job, family, or health issues. Change is both voluntary and involuntary. Its the latter that is often the harder to manage.
What gets in our way of effectively managing change? Our own expectation of how things ‘should’ be is challenged by what is really happening. We may agree there is a problem to resolve, but disagree with the solution. Or, when good things happen, we may feel guilty, as if we don’t deserve them.
3 Tips for Developing Your Fluency with Change:
1. Take stock – Dealing with change, or not, is a matter of choice. It is choosing to be accountable to yourself for your own reactions, in both personal and professional development. We often cannot see how we undermine ourselves by our beliefs.
Create your own list of major things that happened or that you created in your life over the last year. These can be the “good” changes as well as disappointments or losses. Note how you initially responded to the change. How did you feel? What did you think? What did you say, to whom? What did you do? How do you feel about the way you handled it? What would you do differently?
2. Revisit your Sense of Purpose and Perspective – Clearly define “why” you do your work. Remember the stonecutter who made square blocks of marble day after day? When asked how he tolerated such a boring job, he replied, “I’m not just making square blocks.” He pointed across the field and continued, “I’m building that cathedral over there.” There are many resources to help people discover their mission or purpose in life. Your organization’s original mission can be a good place to start.
Re-new your commitment to your personal and/or organization’s mission. Then when you experience set-backs or other changes, you’ll have a stronger perspective to deal with the change.
3. Personal/Professional Networks – People don’t tend to keep up their network when they haven’t had to look for a job. Your network is not just a safety net in bad times. It’s a mutual exchange of ideas, support and connecting people as resources for each other. The most resilient people have a variety of personal and organizational relationships.
Jump-start your network by listing people you can depend on in times of need. Now choose a name and think about what you can do for them today!
Tags: accountability, Change, professional, purpose, resilience
Posted in Change | No Comments »
July 5th, 2009
In her “How to Deal” column, Lily Garcia lists 5 great ways to get ahead without going the management route. Too many times when we do great work, we get “rewarded” by being promoted to supervisor or manager. When dealing with the people aspects of managing we need a very different skill set in addition to how we manage the work. And it isn’t the right path for everyone. Both individuals and organizations are developing non-linear career paths to best use our talents and interests. Read Lily’s column: There Are Plenty of Ways to Shine, Even on the Bottom of the Totem Pole
Tags: career, Job Search, organization, professional, resilience, resistance
Posted in Career Management | No Comments »