The other day I heard a very valued team member begin to teach a new team member how to do their job. As good as the former team member is, I was impressed that he was even better when he was teaching someone else.
I think that is true for many people. As good as we may be, we are often better when we are teaching others about what we do. What happens when we teach that makes us better?
When we teach, we are passing on the culture of what we do everyday. Often, because we do it everyday, we take it for granted. When we are giving this culture to others, we have a renewed respect for what we do and how it is done.
When we teach, often (as we should) in addition to explaining the "what" of the task, we are explaining the "why." Why we do things is often more important than how we are doing it and even what we are actually doing. By communicating the why, we are reminding ourselves of the purpose of our work in addition to giving that purpose to the person who is being trained.
To be a successful teacher, we need to be comprehensive in our instructions; we need to be complete in our actions. When we are instructing others, we need to show them the complete set of instructions that brings the work to fruition. Often when we are just repeating a task, we tend to engage shortcuts that may contribute to work that is less than fully realized.
Certainly when we are teaching, we should be aware of and communicating the importance of the work. Often, when we have done a task solo time after time, we lose sight of the importance of the work - and that's a shame, because we are significant contributors each and every day.
In short, when we teach, we look at our work with a different set of eyes; if we were to use that extra perspective even when we aren't teaching, it would enable us to be even better and more fulfilled in what we do.
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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for e-readers, tablets and PCs from Amazon Kindle.
Monday, July 27, 2015
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Donald, the Clown: Do You Have Yours?
Recent events (insulting John McCain's war record, giving out Lindsey Graham's cell phone number) would reinforce that Donald Trump is a clown. Not in the "ha-ha-ha" category; instead, solidly in the "Hey - look at me" category. The media loves this type of clown because there is always an outrageous headline; hence he is getting solid polling numbers. There are a few things to remember when contemplating Donald Trump - which I recommend doing as little as possible - but here goes anyway.
The man is not stupid. Baiting? Yes. Manipulative? Yes. PT Barnum of our age? Definitely.
The challenge is that Trump's antics have little to no added value for the rest of us. He tosses out verbal grenades not to advance civilized discussion - but to get headlines. He is the Real Housewife of the still-early 2016 Presidential Race. He will stir up drama just to get camera time. Effective? In terms of getting headlines - you bet. Constructive? No.
This is to point out that there are many Donald Trump clones (or clowns) in our workplaces. These are individuals who are smart, but instead of positively impacting the workplace, they use drama and verbal grenades to draw attention to themselves and in so doing, take everyone else's attention from the real issues at hand. These people are (short-term) very effective at this - and no doubt about it - they are disruptive.
So - what to do?
In this case, if you are leader of a team with a Donald-clone - you are your own media. Don't take the bait. . . the tactics of rabble rousing and attention getting are only successful if they are received, broadcast and escalated. Don't give them undue attention; don't reward antics with a spotlight.
Your time as a leader is precious - there is never enough of it. Spend that time with team members who are serious about advancing the mission and tactical agenda. Invest in the people who play for the entire team, not just themselves. Slowly and surely, the drama and attention-getting devices will disappear.
Huffington Post got it right the other day when they claimed they were no longer going to write about The Donald under the header of politics, but instead would report his antics under entertainment. Take their cue; don't take the bait of the self-promoter, but instead spend your energy with members of the team who are truly serious about moving the mission forward.
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My book: "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for PCs, tablets and e-readers from Amazon Kindle.
The man is not stupid. Baiting? Yes. Manipulative? Yes. PT Barnum of our age? Definitely.
The challenge is that Trump's antics have little to no added value for the rest of us. He tosses out verbal grenades not to advance civilized discussion - but to get headlines. He is the Real Housewife of the still-early 2016 Presidential Race. He will stir up drama just to get camera time. Effective? In terms of getting headlines - you bet. Constructive? No.
This is to point out that there are many Donald Trump clones (or clowns) in our workplaces. These are individuals who are smart, but instead of positively impacting the workplace, they use drama and verbal grenades to draw attention to themselves and in so doing, take everyone else's attention from the real issues at hand. These people are (short-term) very effective at this - and no doubt about it - they are disruptive.
So - what to do?
In this case, if you are leader of a team with a Donald-clone - you are your own media. Don't take the bait. . . the tactics of rabble rousing and attention getting are only successful if they are received, broadcast and escalated. Don't give them undue attention; don't reward antics with a spotlight.
Your time as a leader is precious - there is never enough of it. Spend that time with team members who are serious about advancing the mission and tactical agenda. Invest in the people who play for the entire team, not just themselves. Slowly and surely, the drama and attention-getting devices will disappear.
Huffington Post got it right the other day when they claimed they were no longer going to write about The Donald under the header of politics, but instead would report his antics under entertainment. Take their cue; don't take the bait of the self-promoter, but instead spend your energy with members of the team who are truly serious about moving the mission forward.
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My book: "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for PCs, tablets and e-readers from Amazon Kindle.
Thursday, July 16, 2015
7 Keys to Getting the Job
When job-seeking and successful interview advice becomes too tricky. . .honestly, it's just too tricky. Below are seven foundational elements that I have found influence potential employers in an interview situation. Here we go. . .
1. Know your stuff. Be prepared to demonstrate, through examples of past experiences and knowledge of the world at large, that you truly are very skilled in the area for which you are interviewing. Beware of catch phrases and emphasis at past employment that may not be known or play well for potential employers - in other words, truly expand your vision within your skill set. Be prepared to talk about what other companies do and your viewpoints on their actions.
2. Know their stuff. Maybe more important than knowing your stuff - is knowing their stuff. Spend several hours researching your potential employer on-line - you will find information that will guide your decision should you get an offer. More importantly, however, you should be well versed on their positioning, their news, their sales. . .what analysts are saying and what competitors are feeling. Use that information liberally in your conversation.
3. Be natural. This is almost oxymoronic in an interview situation in which you feel that so much is on the line. Re-frame the conversation in your mind; mentally reposition yourself that it really doesn't matter that much whether you get the job or not - you are just looking forward to having a great conversation about the business. Which brings us to. . .
4. Have a conversation, already. The traditional framework of the interview (answer a question, answer the next question. . .) is deadly. Get people talking with you. Once you answer a question, ask a specific question back. For instance, "That's my general view on garnering sales. . .are there specific areas of concern in this position that you would like to have addressed?" Which then leads to. . .
5. Do more listening than talking. Again, this challenges the traditional framework of the job interview - which is great. If you can get your potential employer talking about their needs and their business. . .I'm thinking the chances are well above the fifty percent mark that you've got the job. Moreover, you are getting a lot of information that can help you make a job acceptance decision.
6. Ask smart questions. Frame questions that indicate you have knowledge and skills for the job. For instance. . ."What analytical tools do you already have in place. . .and are they working for you?" Avoid assumptive questions like "As a competitor, you must stay awake nights worrying about the expansion of Bob's Burgers, what do you intend to do about it?"
7. Be likable. And this is probably the most important of all. People want to work with people they like. Be likable - heck, be lovable. You want to leave the room with the interviewers feeling that their day would be just a little bit better if you were on their team.
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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for PCs, e-readers and tablets from Amazon Kindle.
https://kindle.amazon.com/search?keywords=courageous+questions+confident+leaders&x=0&y=0
1. Know your stuff. Be prepared to demonstrate, through examples of past experiences and knowledge of the world at large, that you truly are very skilled in the area for which you are interviewing. Beware of catch phrases and emphasis at past employment that may not be known or play well for potential employers - in other words, truly expand your vision within your skill set. Be prepared to talk about what other companies do and your viewpoints on their actions.
2. Know their stuff. Maybe more important than knowing your stuff - is knowing their stuff. Spend several hours researching your potential employer on-line - you will find information that will guide your decision should you get an offer. More importantly, however, you should be well versed on their positioning, their news, their sales. . .what analysts are saying and what competitors are feeling. Use that information liberally in your conversation.
3. Be natural. This is almost oxymoronic in an interview situation in which you feel that so much is on the line. Re-frame the conversation in your mind; mentally reposition yourself that it really doesn't matter that much whether you get the job or not - you are just looking forward to having a great conversation about the business. Which brings us to. . .
4. Have a conversation, already. The traditional framework of the interview (answer a question, answer the next question. . .) is deadly. Get people talking with you. Once you answer a question, ask a specific question back. For instance, "That's my general view on garnering sales. . .are there specific areas of concern in this position that you would like to have addressed?" Which then leads to. . .
5. Do more listening than talking. Again, this challenges the traditional framework of the job interview - which is great. If you can get your potential employer talking about their needs and their business. . .I'm thinking the chances are well above the fifty percent mark that you've got the job. Moreover, you are getting a lot of information that can help you make a job acceptance decision.
6. Ask smart questions. Frame questions that indicate you have knowledge and skills for the job. For instance. . ."What analytical tools do you already have in place. . .and are they working for you?" Avoid assumptive questions like "As a competitor, you must stay awake nights worrying about the expansion of Bob's Burgers, what do you intend to do about it?"
7. Be likable. And this is probably the most important of all. People want to work with people they like. Be likable - heck, be lovable. You want to leave the room with the interviewers feeling that their day would be just a little bit better if you were on their team.
Like it? Share it!
My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for PCs, e-readers and tablets from Amazon Kindle.
https://kindle.amazon.com/search?keywords=courageous+questions+confident+leaders&x=0&y=0
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Get Over It - Already!
Someone I know was done a customer disservice by a major company. . .15 years ago. To this day, without any further interaction with said company, they vilify it. They grasp and hold on to that unfortunate incident and in doing so, make it part of their DNA. Never mind that the people responsible probably no longer work for the company (or are dead!). Never mind that the company has effectively changed ownership and leadership. This individual is going to hold on to the grudge with a vise-like grip to effectively squeeze every drop of martyrdom out of it until the day they die!
For what? I don't know. The only ones who are being harmed at this point are the holders of the grudge.
So it is with individuals within companies. I've known individuals who've been wronged in the past. . .but years (and I mean YEARS) later, it is still a battlefield. . .but at this point it's only a battle of one. My belief is that when someone is done a disservice - apologies should be offered and accepted - and then for every one's sanity - move on!
People, however, seem to be reluctant to move on. For some reason, they like to grip tightly at the fact that they were done wrong. Within reason - within reasonable time - part of that is a healing process. When it becomes prolonged - it becomes injurious to the holder and a major detractor to the work at hand.
People, companies and teams need to be able to move forward. . .when grudges are held well beyond the past-due date; forward motion stops. With feet planted firmly in the tar pit of "I'm never going forget how I was wronged," these individuals deny themselves the privilege and associated benefits of walking into the future.
Dwelling on past wrongs doesn't rectify the situation; it does however harm the individual who's gripping on a grudge. For the sake of the individual, and the team, get over it and move on.
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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for purchase on Amazon Kindle.
For what? I don't know. The only ones who are being harmed at this point are the holders of the grudge.
So it is with individuals within companies. I've known individuals who've been wronged in the past. . .but years (and I mean YEARS) later, it is still a battlefield. . .but at this point it's only a battle of one. My belief is that when someone is done a disservice - apologies should be offered and accepted - and then for every one's sanity - move on!
People, however, seem to be reluctant to move on. For some reason, they like to grip tightly at the fact that they were done wrong. Within reason - within reasonable time - part of that is a healing process. When it becomes prolonged - it becomes injurious to the holder and a major detractor to the work at hand.
People, companies and teams need to be able to move forward. . .when grudges are held well beyond the past-due date; forward motion stops. With feet planted firmly in the tar pit of "I'm never going forget how I was wronged," these individuals deny themselves the privilege and associated benefits of walking into the future.
Dwelling on past wrongs doesn't rectify the situation; it does however harm the individual who's gripping on a grudge. For the sake of the individual, and the team, get over it and move on.
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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for purchase on Amazon Kindle.
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Good Words from Bad People
I have a set of phrases replay in my head nearly everyday; these phrases, in large part, form the framework for how I live my life and how I work. The commonality among them is that the tone is usually positive, the phrases inspire me and they have integrity.
Ironic, then, that when I think of the various sources of these phrases, I'm somewhat alarmed to remember many of these principles of my life were said by people I don't particularly like.
To my defense, there are good reasons I don't like some of these people: dishonesty, disloyalty. . .and there's one or two that are plain mean. In that dishonest, disloyal or mean person, however. . .there was something of value.
Often we tend to view the world as black and white, bad and good. If something is bad - nothing about that entity, we tend to think, is of value. Or if something is good - then it's all good. (Come to think of it - probably some of the worst pieces of advice I've been given have been given by very good people.)
To totally dismiss anything someone says because we don't like them - whether for valid reason or not - is truly missing a point. Life is full of anomalies; as opposed to being confused by that, we should find grounding in that. To be able to explore other's worlds and thoughts, even if we don't like them, and find things that work for us is a great, unexpected gift.
Life is seldom black and white - all good or all bad. If we choose to believe that high contrast black and white, we miss what makes life interesting. We most often will find our own truth somewhere in the greys.
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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is in digital format from Amazon Kindle.
Ironic, then, that when I think of the various sources of these phrases, I'm somewhat alarmed to remember many of these principles of my life were said by people I don't particularly like.
To my defense, there are good reasons I don't like some of these people: dishonesty, disloyalty. . .and there's one or two that are plain mean. In that dishonest, disloyal or mean person, however. . .there was something of value.
Often we tend to view the world as black and white, bad and good. If something is bad - nothing about that entity, we tend to think, is of value. Or if something is good - then it's all good. (Come to think of it - probably some of the worst pieces of advice I've been given have been given by very good people.)
To totally dismiss anything someone says because we don't like them - whether for valid reason or not - is truly missing a point. Life is full of anomalies; as opposed to being confused by that, we should find grounding in that. To be able to explore other's worlds and thoughts, even if we don't like them, and find things that work for us is a great, unexpected gift.
Life is seldom black and white - all good or all bad. If we choose to believe that high contrast black and white, we miss what makes life interesting. We most often will find our own truth somewhere in the greys.
Like it? Share it!
My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is in digital format from Amazon Kindle.
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