Toojays Blog

Having run my own businesses now for 10 years I feel qualified to comment on this post!

Over my time I've heard and experienced the following sayings so many times...just wondered if other business owners feel the same or have any more to add to the list?

"You'll never....

1. Work as hard or as long as you do as your own boss

2. Find any employee as passionate about the business as you

3. Really switch off!

4. Get as much job satisfaction than from being your own boss

5. Be able to work for anyone else again"

Are these true?

Keen to hear your thoughts and comments!

Lee

Roundabout or a Road block?

I've worked with a lot of organisations, teams and individuals in my career.

During my time I've tended to come across individuals who can be described as 'Roundabouts' or 'Road blockers'. 

What's that you say? Well its those people who either have a 'can do' attitude or a 'more than my jobs worth approach'.

With customer centric strategies adopted by more and more companies and focus, rightly so, being emphasised on going that extra mile for excellence/customer satisfaction, it still surprises me to come across 'road blockers'.

I'm sure you've experienced them, know them and may even work with them. They can be, like road blocks, so frustrating to the drive toward your or your customers goals. The people who tend to say "ohh, I'm not sure about that..." or take a sharp in take of breath...or "I need to think about that/check the precident on that"

In trying to service our customers needs we experience such road blockers.

Now lets be clear..we never ask anyone to do anything that's illegal, in breach of copyright, IP, moral or ethical codes of conduct. Yet we still come across professionals, experts and individuals that appear to be rowing in the wrong direction!

Navigating Road blocks

So how do you deal with Road blockers? Well historically I used to let my frustration drive my actions. I decided that if 'they' weren't willing to play...then I'd distance myself from them and find someone who was on the same page...and who'd help achieve the goals. Seeking out the shortest route as it were.

This may not always be an option though, so in terms of a longer term strategy it has to be about communication.

You need to explain the bigger picture, explain the context of your requst. You also have to clarify the exact requirement of them as well as reducing their concern over the risk/cost/fear or factor impacting on them.

Only by doing this will you stand a chance of removing the Road block and preventing further blockers in the future with them.

Happy driving!

What? I hear you cry...surely the learning we do at the moment, be it 70:20:10 based or otherwise is always collaborative.

We collaborate with the tutor, the author, the fellow delegates, our coach, our work place colleagues. 

I grant you this may well be the case, but I'm specifically talking about how are we learning from other businesses, other organisations and industries.

I know from my experience the more enlightened professional may look to complete a bench marking exercise to rank their current status or situation against a comparible team or unit. 

But how often do we take the oppotunity to actually engage with that other organisation to discuss, debate, learn from and seek inspiration and creativity?

Not that often I'd wager.

In working with a variety of senior teams across organisations and continents it strikes me that I'm in a very unique position of seeing the familiar process of 'team development' work. One thing I note is that there are common issues and problems within these teams.

I understand the sensativity of corporate IP, and trading information so I'm not necessarily suggesting the collaboration is with your industry rival. However, there are a vast amount of companies and senior teams that are set up and deal with similiar operational, logisitical and strategic issues to perhaps your own.

So why not learn from others experience? Learn from their successes and mistakes..speed up your own teams development as a result.

One thing to consider though before you rush to the nearest comparible organisation asking for them to divulge their key to success....is what's in it for them?! The WIFFM factor.

Consider what can you trade with. What could they benefit from. What would they value in exchange for sharing their learning.

Worth a thought...to speed up the learning process at the very least!

Theres a hole heap of models and theories for leadership, management and coaching. 

I know as we use and teach the majority of them in our training courses.

But as we say to our delegates the success lies not in the model or concept itself..it's how you utilise it! It's all about the application.

Thinking about which model is appropriate to the situation, the circumstances or the outcomes you're trying to achieve.

This is where the Knowledge (of which model to use) + the Skill (of knowing how to use it) = Competence (and achievement of a successful outcome).

However, we often see people using the models and theories without understanding the impact or outcome.

A recent example happened at my eldest childs parents evening. As proud parents we attended the senior school and took our allotted 10 minute slot with each of the 10 different subject teachers.

After the second meeting it was obvious that ALL the teacher's had been advised / trained in how to handle the parents evening as they appeared to be following a script like process. 

We would sit down in front of the teacher. The teacher would warmly shake our hands looking us in the eye when doing so. They would then ask "Well now, how do you think (insert Child's name) has done this term?" Smile...and wait for a response from bemused parents.

I say bemused because as much as I take an interest in my children's eductation and acedemic ability I don't know how they have done on their SATS, or where they are in relation to the class average performance.

So to ask me "How do I think they've done" is a bit of a mis-leading question. 

I understand WHY they have asked the question (in order to acertain the proud parents entry level and perception of their golden childs performance before they are given the reality! - as it enables the teacher to adapt their feedback - in true Constructive Feedback style).

However, the reality of the question is that all it does (especially after the third and fourth time of the format being applied!) is make me think of two things:

1. Isn't that what you're suppose to be telling me?! (i.e. How well they've done)

2. You're just following a process here...and are almost on auto pilot.

The second point is the the one that all coaches, managers and leaders should be aware of. 

Are you losing the EQ (Emotional Intelligence) and personal engagement, by over utilising the model?

It's something to be concious of, particularly if you want to ensure integrity and create the right impression.

I recently ran a Presentation skills course where the subject matter got the grup talking about planning and time management.

Whether its a presentation, a project, a team meeting, a proposal or a training course we all need a degree of time to 'deliver' the 'product'.

When you're give the task of producing the product (whatever that might be) it's worth knowing what your ratio is to help the planning stage and to discuss delivery dates.

Ratio? I hear you question. 

Yes the ratio. The ratio is the amount of time needed planning X  to the amount of time spent deliverying X.

Let me explain this further for you. As an experienced trainer I know that if I was asked to design and deliver an interactive training course that lasted 1 day, this would take me 3 days to work out and design the materials, exercises, content, format, and to practice the delivery. 

Therefore my 'Ratio' is 3:1

A two day course would take me 5 days. 5:2

Knowing these ratio's I'm able to plan my time and discuss confidently the expected delivery date. 

Alternatively if the delivery date is set....I know how soon I have to commence work on the project to meet the delivery time...and whether the delivery date is feasable.

Ratio's can change depending on the work you're expected to deliver, the level of experience you have, and the reliance on input from others.

But do you know your ratios?

Why not map them out? You may find it helps your time management process!

I recently ran a management training course on Employee Engagement and during the course we discuss how motivating employees during difficult times was so hard.

With financial rewards and pay rises as rare as pixie dust and rocking horse...well you get the idea, the conversation moved on to the pyscological contract and how employees actually got a lot more than they used to.

A question was raised as to how do you stop employees thinking the grass is green elsewhere. Alot of the group agreed with the questioner and the problem facing them.

Whilst most had ensured their payroll was competative there were still employees they felt that weren't fully appreciative of the 'other' benefits they had.

We started to list all the 'additional benefits' their employees received. These ranged from pension contributions,  free lunches, parking, fruit, massages, holiday trading, free buscuits to training and development.

Whilst these were given by the employer they weren't detailed in terms of monetery value.

I recalled how many years ago whilst working for a large corporate we were handed a potfolio of Statements. This document, in addition to outlining the annual salary, pay increases and pension contributions, also detailed how many days of training and development we'd received and how that equated to company average and also actual monetary value.

I was surprised to learn that most of the group didn't demonstrate to their employees all of the additional benefits they received and what was invested in them.

You may not want to work out how many buscuits they've had or free cups of tea over the year...but perhaps in difficult times its worth reminding your employees of the benefits they receive and the amount of training and development you invest in them. 

A simple statement showing the benefits and monetary value invested in them may work!

Need to get the job interview?

Creating a winning CV is a feat of strategy involving focus, wording, design and content selection. To achieve a career marketing document that wins interviews, all areas of the strategy must be spot-on and consciously used in the most effective manner. One of the most common mistakes job candidates make when writing their CVs is not paying attention to strategy and word selection.

There are actually words that can have a detrimental impact on the effectiveness of the CV. When most job candidates write them, they don't consider word choice because they are primarily worried about getting down the basic information. Wording is critical and the wrong one can sabotage your CV.

The average agent and/or hiring manager sees hundreds of CVs from qualified candidates. CVs begin to look and sound the same to them. Here are some words and phrases to avoid:

Soft-skill descriptions
Job seekers feel they need to communicate their soft-skills to the employer because they believe they are the traits that make them unique, but this couldn't be further from the truth. Soft-skills are so common that recruiters pay no attention to them.

Phrases to avoid or severely limit:
- Excellent communication skills
- Strong work ethic
- Personable presenter
- Detail-oriented

Do not bore the reader to tears with these trite, overused and tired phrases. After all, no one will write that he/she takes long lunches, is lazy and argues a lot with peers. Hence, it is much more effective to write a description that is action-based and demonstrates these abilities rather than just laying claim to them. For example, rather than just stating you are an "excellent presenter," you could say "Developed and presented 50+ multi-media presentations to prospects resulting in 35 new accounts, totalling £300,000 in new revenues." 

Age, health, appearance
Many seasoned job seekers are facing that scary time warp known as pre-retirement and fear age discrimination. They feel they can counter this perceived hurdle by giving a description of their age or health. But this can be death to a CV.

Phrases to avoid:

- Youthful
- Athletic
- Fit
- Healthy
- Mature

Additionally, unless specifically requested, there is no need to include personal details such as date of birth, marital status or whether you have children. This information is typically used to exclude candidates from consideration in the hiring process rather than include them. Unless the employer specifically asks, keep this information confidential.

Passive voice
Many people write in the passive voice because that is how we've been taught "formally" in school composition. The problem with the passive voice, however, is that it is just that passive! A CV needs to have punch and sparkle and communicate an active, aggressive candidate. Passive does not accomplish that.

Indicators of the passive voice:
- Responsible for
- Duties included
- Served as
- Actions encompassed

Rather than saying "Responsible for management of three direct reports" change it up to "Managed 3 direct reports." It is a shorter, more direct mode of writing and adds impact to the way the CV reads. On the flip side, whilst action verbs are great, don't overdo it. 

I have actually seen:
- Smashed numbers through the roof'
- 'Electrified sales team to produce...'
- 'Pushed close rate by 10 per cent'

Take your time
A CV is a marketing document for your career just as a brochure is a marketing document for a product or service. Companies put careful thought and consideration into each and every word that goes into marketing copy and you should do the same in your CV. These words stand in your place with the employer and need to showcase you in a powerful way. In a perfect world, these things would not matter, but in the reality of job search today, they matter a great deal.  Be wise - stop and give some thought to the words you choose.

Following on from the thread on Perofrmance Management I thought I'd talk about the issue of consistency within Performance Appraisals.

A Consistent Approach

Supervisors and Managers who deliver inflated performance reviews to their employees are doing more harm than good. A solid performance review should identify areas for employee improvement, but giving employees inflated reviews can mkae improvement an uphill challenge. While delivering honest performance evaluation can be an uncomfortable task, it is one that must be done in order to help an employee improve.

The Problem with Inflated Performance Reviews

When a leader delivers an inflated perforamce review, the employee does not receive the correct message. This type of performance review takes all of the potential conflict out of discussion for the manager or supervisor when deliverying the feedback, but there is a price to be paid. While this solution may in fact, make the manager or supervisor feel good in the short run, the long term problems are only begining.

Employees move toward positive outcomes when they review their ratings and the comments made about their performance. If there is no criticism, the constructive criticism is written in a way that is complimentary, or the rating is inflated; employees will believe they no longer need to develop in that area. They will look upon that skill as successfully and completely developed, while the manager may require further effort for improvement. The manager or supervisor also runs the risk of conflict with his or her boss when the evaluation is reviewed. If the final signatory disagrees with the assessment, the manager or supervisor will be forced to defend his or her rating. The boss may require higher levels of productivity based on the review, or he or she may be asked to have the review rewritten.

Correcting the Problem

There are many ways to avoid or correct inflated performance reviews. When managers write performance reviews, they should not write them hastily. Taking several days to complete an evaluation allows managers to write, revise, reconsider, and review it from fresh perspectives. Each time the assessment is reviewed, the ratings can be moved up or down and the comments adjusted accordingly.

Even after an inflated performance review is delivered, there are steps that can be taken to correct the message. Correcting the problem can be more uncomfortable than giving the honest feedback initially; but, it is better to correct the message and the rating, if possible, than to allow the employee to believe they are doing better than they are. Managers should schedule additional coaching and mentoring sessions to discuss the employee's performance and create some short term expectations. Setting additional short-term goals can help turn the situation around.

Managers must ensure that every performance review they deliver is accurate and genuinely reflects the over all performance of their employees for the defined period. Constructive feedback can be difficult to give and receive, but it is better in the long run for everyone to deal with the truth up front. What employees choose to do after that will be up to them.

The seemingly never-ending recession and subsequent fear and job insecurity that it brings places immense pressure on managers to maintain focus and motivation, especially when the company is undergoing restructuring or savings drive.

So how do they rebuild confidence and trust within their teams?

It has to be about being transparent and keeping people informed. There's nothing worse than gossip and the internal grapevine for distorting the facts and de-motiving the workforce. 

Managers shouldn't fear telling people how bad it is.

In difficult times its essential to retain your talent, and keep high levels of faith, trust and confidence in order to deliver BAU targets and performance.

Being aware of the emotions that people go through, including the managers themselves is critical to help people move through any transition. The Change Curve model from Kubler Ross can help with this. http://www.toojays.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_default.tpl&product_id=158&category_id=18&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=62

But there are Three simple steps to help maintain morale during and after any restructuring:

1. Be Transparent

Give staff the truth about the company's current position and future plans - they will respect you for this honesty and it will prevent any unfounded fear and concern among employees.

2. Offer Support and Encouragement

For all staff who have survived a redundancy process ongoing support and encouragement can remove any feelings and emotions of guilt and paranoia.

3. Support staff who are being made redundant

By offerring outplacement services this will prove you are a responsible employer. The remaining staff will appreciate your efforts and even the departing staff will talk about you more favourably ensuring your Brand is not tarnished.

 By following these three steps you are on the way to creating the right atmosphere and culture for continued performance under difficult times.

Its a difficult situation especially if you're asked to manage the team you were part of.

Most people are promoted into a position of management due to their technical expertise. However, managing requires a very different set of skills.

As the team manager you have to remember that your emphasis has changed from being the expert 'doer' to leading the team to ensure they can deliver the results.

In todays teams this can be difficult as there may also be a requirement for you to still do some of the production, and not solely be a manager of people.

So how do you make the transition?

Well there are some key actions that you can take to ensure a successful move.

1. Understand yourself

 If you are going to lead a team effectively, you need to have a high level of self awareness. Being self aware is not about identifying all of your faults but about understanding your motivators, your impact, your skills and your development areas. When you are armed with these insights you are then able to engage your team more effectively.

2. Understand your team

Knowing the skills, motivations, personalities and strengths of each of your team will help you plan how to engage with them, getting the most from them as individuals and as a team.

3. Know your goal

Its surprising how many teams lose track of what it is they're to do. Make sure there is a clear vision, with everyone knowing their role in achieving it. That includes you. Make sure the team understand your role, and what you expect from them. Setting SMART objectives and outlining standards is crucial for effective performance management.

4. Develop your Managerial skills

The core skills all managers need to be competent in include Communication, Time management, Prioritisation & Planning, Delegation, Decision making, coaching and influencing. If these are not strong then look to get some personal development to ensure you can apply them comfortably.

5. Communicate clearly

Communication is king. Communicate the new lines of operation. Its important that you establish yourself as the professional manager....and set out what are the parameters of the relationship. Certain behaviour may no longer be appropriate! This is often the most difficult part of the transition as you try to get the balance between credible manager and maintaining strong relationships. Communicate your intentions...Communicate to set expectations...Communicate praise...and Communicate to inspire and motivate. Remember that good communication is a two way process...so get plenty of feedback!

If you look to apply these five steps then you'll be on the way to making a clear transition.