 | | Book Report: Seven Steps to a Rewarding Transitional Career; Getting Work in a Tough Economy
It’s hard to imagine anyone who shouldn’t be reading this book this book right now. Effectively addressing the most crucial issues for those new to the transitional workforce, currently employed but looking to advance (or hold on), and those who have recently found themselves as casualties of the “layoff economy” Seven Steps to a Rewarding Transitional Career (HRD Press, 2009) provides far more than sage advice for professional service workers or those who are between jobs. The workbook format also demands action from the reader - rather than simply absorption of the information.
Author Dick Pinsker goes to great lengths to address personal branding, networking for career success, and how to position your previous accomplishments in ways that point to future successes. Pick up this book, and a pen – your career is waiting...
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| Refocus to Increase Productivity
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We are all familiar with standard employee evaluation processes. They set the expectation that employees should focus on the “meets or exceeds” category in every area, right? The model employee, therefore, is a well-rounded person who excels in all areas.
As managers, we tend to compliment employees and then give them the critical remarks that are intended to instigate learning and change in an area that needs improvement. By its nature, this method concentrates on the employees’ weaknesses. As Peter Bregman, author and business consultant suggests;
“Traditional management systems encourage mediocrity in everything and excellence in nothing. Most performance review systems set an ideal picture of how we want everyone to act (standards, competencies, etc.) and then assess how closely people match that ideal, nudging them to improve their weaknesses.”
So how can you encourage employees to increase the actual value they bring to your organization? By allowing them to shine where they are naturally inclined to do their best, that’s how.
Imagine Joe, an employee of yours, who excels in increasing sales and building new relationships for your organization, but never seems to get his budget plans ironed out.
They are always late and include too many general estimates that don’t seem to be backed up by a critical planning process. By focusing Joe on his flaws in the budgeting area, he will become distracted from what he does best—and where his passion lies—building relationships and boosting sales. What is more important to your organization?
As the manager, you are always looking at how resources are best spent. In this case, Joe’s manager may want to shift some of his responsibilities to another employee whose talents are a better fit. Perhaps there is someone in the department who could work with Joe to lend more structure to his budgeting responsibilities, so he can get out there and lead the company in sales.
In summary, treating your employees as though they are students earning a grade on a report card that includes a well-rounded menu of all subject areas probably isn’t going to lead to the best business results. Why?
Because school is about exposure to everything while business is about success in something.
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| How to Create a Positive Workplace
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The trend toward an organizational “no complaining” rule is gaining popularity, so in this issue we will look at how and why companies are enlisting this rule as the bedrock of cultural change in their organization.
Why do people complain? Usually for one of two reasons: (1) because it has become a habit and (2) because they feel fearful and helpless. Both of these reasons are important to organizations that recognize the value of a shift away from a common culture of complaint.
While it’s true that shared experience is what brings people together, holding them together through emphasis on the negative experiences they share creates a cultural purgatory that will eventually lead to a negative affect on your bottom line.
Granted, in the economic roller coaster of the last 18 months, many people—even employees of yours—have complaints that are grounded in very real situations. People are being asked to do more with less, stretch their budgets, work longer and often they don’t know what the future holds. While all of this is true, it is also true that a pervasive culture of negativity bleeds the organization of its ability to bounce back and recover when it really needs to. So how can you start to shift the tide? Here is a step-by-step guide based on The No Complaining Rule, by Jon Gordon:
1. Get your group together and explain the cost of negativity and
complaining; in other words, raise awareness of your complaint culture.
2. Discuss the difference between mindless and mindful complaining;
mindless complaining focuses on problems, whereas justified complaining
focuses on solutions.
3. Make sure that everyone understands how your organization will
consider and address complaints and turn problems into solutions.
4. Listen to complaints and solutions and give all of them their air time. Not
all solutions will be used, but let your team know that they will be heard
and considered.
5. Celebrate successes of people who turned their complaints into solutions
and innovations that benefited the organization. Don’t wait for the annual
meeting! Do this continually through email, web site postings,
conference calls and meetings.
Make creating a positive culture a priority amongst managers and leaders in your organization. You will find that the energy previously being spent on complaining will now be freed up for creating solutions and (ultimately), increasing productivity!
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| Inspired Training! Interview with Bob Pike
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We are thrilled to bring you an interview with Bob Pike, author of the best selling title, Creative Training Techniques Handbook (HRD Press, 2003).
Bob also enjoys a well earned reputation as "the trainer's trainer," and has many other accolades including teaching adjunct at the University of Minnesota and Chairman/CEO of the Bob Pike Group. More than 100,000 corporate trainers on five continents have attended his two day Creative Training Techniques Boot Camp.
Thanks so much for being with us today, Bob. Can you tell us how the perception of training has moved along with the pace of technology? That is, does good classroom training still hold its value?
The interesting thing is that we have profiled over 25,000 people on their learning preferences. We used three scales: informative versus practical, general versus specific, and participative versus reflective. For the first two groups, there is typically a 50/50 distribution curve.
For the last scale, participative versus reflective, 75% of learners prefer learning with others over learning on their own. That is why we can say that you need to look at online and eLearning as one component of a program, especially when it comes to asynchronous learning—logging on 24/7.
The majority of learners will have trouble retaining information if it is acquired entirely from eLearning. Moreover, the classroom has so many ancillary benefits of networking and informal connections which can occur spontaneously when we get people together face-to-face. Also, people connect with each other later about information they may not have remembered or need to brush up on.
Employee engagement is something we hear a lot about. Do you have any tips on how to corral a class of people who don't seem interested?
What you are really talking about is involvement in the learning situation. Here is one thing we do quite often: If we sense that engagement might be a challenge, then we start by asking learners to brainstorm 18 reasons that they shouldn’t be here. Most of the time people have only two or three reasons, but with 18 as a goal, they have to come up with ridiculous reasons and they start to laugh. We have break out groups and we write them on the board.
At the same time, the top reasons may be very serious. So we empathize with the audience and ask them to meet us half way. So despite these barriers, we can move ahead. As they say in counseling, "Name the secret and you release the energy." If you are bold enough to get it out there, you can change the tenor of the situation.
Regardless, as a trainer, there are some things you can do something about, and some things you can’t. But if you go ahead and talk about what is on people's mind, you will have a positive outcome.
Can you tell us about your current project?
Sure, I love talking about this, because it is such an exciting new area. I have been working with a couple of researchers whose work centers on how creating a fun work environment reduces stress and increases productivity. We are focusing on four ways to introduce fun in the workplace: recognition, playful (not competitive) games, celebrating small victories and recognizing milestones. Look for more on this topic in my new book, The Fun Minute Manager (Creative Training Techniques Press, 2009).
We'll be watching for it! Thanks so much for your time, Bob. When Bob Pike isn't working on one of his projects, you likely will find him on the golf course, playing the perfect game.
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| Welcome to the Situation Room!
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Generational Issues at the Office...
Joan, the hiring manager of a mid-size training firm, conducted a series of interviews for summer interns. The summer internship typically consists of general office work, catching up on some filing projects and doing web site maintenance. Joan chose to hire Greg, the candidate who seemed most appropriate for the post.
Greg came in on his first day and announced that he had been working on developing his own training program for large corporations, and he had chosen your firm to roll it out to the market. He had clearly gone to great lengths to prepare curriculum materials, activities and accompanying trainer notes.
He had also prepared a presentation to show the executives at the firm. After showing Joan his full package and explaining all of his ideas and plans, he finished with the sentiment, "I'm ready to put this program into the pipeline. …And the sooner the better!"
How would you handle this situation?
*Note: Be sure to Send in your solution and see it posted here in the next issue!*
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