Author: Marcia Zidle

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Job Transition: Do It the Right Way

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Job TransitionAt some one point in our career, many of us wanted to tell our employers, “I quit!”. We may even have fantasized going out in a blaze of glory, like former Jet Blue flight attendant Steve Slater.

However, there is a right and a wrong way to transition from one job to another within or outside the organization you work for. So, if you’re someone who is seeking a better position or finds that a fantastic opportunity has landed in your lap, here are three steps from a Harvard Business Review blog to do it right.

1. Take the high road.
Be positive. When you give the news to your boss, avoid ranting and raving. You may feel better but it won’t help your career. If you do have constructive feedback, schedule a separate meeting with your boss focusing on how the team can work better going forward.

2. Help find your replacement.
Don’t leave your team or manager in the lurch. Review with your boss the job’s challenges and responsibilities. You can even give suggestions of who might be a good fit. Tie up loose ends and document your work so that there is a smooth transition. Leaving your team in good hands and in good shape will be remembered long after you’re gone.

3. Stay in touch.
Don’t sever all ties with the company even if you had a bad experience. Your former colleagues or managers are a valuable asset to you and not just for the sake of the reference letter or Linkedin recommendation. More importantly, that network may come in handy over the next 10, 20, or even 30 years of your work life.

Career Success Tip:

Don’t burn bridges. Who knows where you’ll end up after this new job? Today’s work world is very mobile. In a future role, you may end up working with or for that former boss or those colleagues or your direct reports. It happens. Don’t you want them to think highly of you today as well as tomorrow? So, do it right. Also, take a look at the post: Changing Jobs: Don’t Have Buyers Remorse.

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?

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Employee Morale Boosters For Tough Times

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It’s the small things everyday that can bring down employee morale and it’s the small things everyday that can raise it as well.

When money is tight and raises are non existent or when the heavy work load seems never-ending, managers tend to forget the “basics” of management- that the supervisor’s recognition and appreciation are the key drivers for employee motivation and morale.

Morale Boosters

Here are seven quick, inexpensive things managers can do that will keep workers motivated during tough times.

1. Say thank you.
Show appreciation for good work by baking a batch of cookies for the team or surprising them with pizza,, or sending them flowers, chocolate or a bunch of balloons. It shows your people that you care and appreciate them.

2. Have informal coffee talks.
Pull an entire work team together to openly talk about what’s going on in the world and how it affects business. Encourage employee questions. This decreases negative rumors and also gets employees focused on work rather than on griping.

3. Surprise with spontaneous treats.
Rent an ice cream cart or a popcorn machine. Take coffee and donuts to each person’s work station. How about a package of Lifesavers™ during a stressful time?

4. Offer stress relief activities.
Hire a local massage school to offer free 10-minute chair massages once a week. A distinctive and fun way for a company to convey that it recognizes the rough times and it cares about their staff’s well-being.

5. Support community involvement.
Provide company time for teams of employees to serve dinner at a local shelter, help build houses, adopt a family for a holiday, or collect money for a common charity. It not only serves as a motivator in that people feel they are doing something with a purpose but also creates a positive public image.

6. Make people feel valuable.
Talk with key employees about the types of projects, training, or experiences they would like to have. Times may be tough for people to get jobs, but your best people are also the most marketable. One of the main reasons people leave or are unmotivated is because they don’t feel valued by their manager or company.

7. Free car washes.
Express exterior car washes cost around $5 per wash. That means for $100, you can give 20 employees a shiny car every month. Or have a fund raiser for a community organization on your parking lot. They bring the people and the supplies and you pay them $5 for each car washed. This tells the employee you appreciate them and tell the community you care.

Management Success Tips:

Sometimes, simple works best. These seven morale boosters are a great way to create positive energy, develop pride and keep workers motivated during tough times.

Do you want to develop your Management Smarts?

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Are You A Team Player?

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Are you a team playerIf you were asked in a behavioral interview for examples of being a team player, what would you say?

This came up during a recent leadership coaching session with a department manager who would be adding eight new people to her team over the next several months. One of the key selection criteria is that the new hires must be team players.

Is It Me or Is It We?

Imagine a basketball team in which each player tries to take every shoot instead of passing the ball to an open player, setting screens for teammates or getting into position for the rebound. Obviously, the team would lose.

Yet, there are people at work who say they are a team player but in reality, they focus primarily on their own needs and ignore the needs of the team. Hopefully you’re not one of them. Here are easy, effective ways to show that you are a team player:

  • Include everyone on the team in the information loop so people will feel part of the team.
  • Don’t hog the limelight. When you get a compliment, acknowledge the team’s effort.
  • Volunteer to take the minutes at meetings rather than sit back and let others do it.
  • Be the first to chip in to move the filing cabinet or get doughnut or make the coffee.
  • List things you wish others would do for you and then start doing them for others.
  • Check the comments or decisions you’re about to make for their effect on others.
  • Express your appreciation when someone stops and helps you with a problem.
  • Listens and respond positively to other’s ideas even if you don’t agree.
  • Be on the lookout to provide assistance to others when they need it.
  • Attend team social events and be social.

Career Success Tip

Managers look for people they can count on, whether that means taking initiative, being accountable or collaborating with others. You want your manager to see you as both a productive employee as well as a team player.

Readers, how have you been a team player? What other examples have you seen?

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?

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Managing Is Hard Work: Avoid These Four Mistakes

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Many are promoted into management positions because they do their present job well, perhaps better than others on the team.

Unfortunately, many new managers are just thrown in without training and then left to sink or swim. Some make it; some don’t.

Avoid these four mistakes that many new supervisors make. Included are comments from supervisors who are or have been in your shoes.

1. Not hiring the right people from the start.

  • “Hiring people who are too similar to me has been a mistake.”
  • “I didn’t pick up in the interview that they were exaggerating their experience and I got burned.”
  • “I encouraged a group manager to hire an internal candidate when an external candidate was better qualified.”

2. Letting poor performance go unchecked.

  • “I kept someone on who should have been let go.”
  • “I didn’t recognize that someone was in way over her head.”
  • “Keeping a person in a position where he failed was my biggest mistake.”

3. Not realizing the importance of employee recognition.

  • “I didn’t give credit when it was due to individuals who made major contributions.”
  • “I failed to acknowledge someone who needed to be rewarded. I have regretted that for years.”
  • “I didn’t give enough praise to someone who turned out to be one of my best employees and she left.”

4. Not pay attention to what’s going on with staff.

  • “I didn’t pick up on signals from disgruntled employees.”
  • “I regret not seeing the signs that someone was going to leave.”
  • “I failed to clearly understand an employee’s situation and ended up losing him.”

Management Success Tip:

Many new managers fail to reach out for help thinking they have to be all-knowing. Soon they find themselves dealing with one crisis after another. This can lead to a failed project or, even worse, the loss of their job. So, don’t be the Lone Ranger. Quickly acknowledge what you don’t know or are uncertain about. Then find those around you who have the experience or knowledge to guide you. This accomplishes two things: It recognizes them for their expertise and gets them committed to your success.

Readers, what success tips do you have for new supervisors or managers?

Do you want to develop your Management Smarts?

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Don’t Settle for One Network, Build Three

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three different career networksOne career success strategy we have all heard is to build, maintain and leverage your network.

But a recent Harvard Business School article, states it important to develop three separate ones. Yes, you read right….three separate ones. Before thinking that’s way too much work, take a look at the rationale.

1. Your operational network
It’s comprised of the people you rely on to get work done: your peers, direct reports, bosses, and external contacts. Often times you don’t choose these folks, but you still need to cultivate them or you won’t succeed in your job.

2. Your developmental network
It is a group of individuals whom you trust and to whom you can turn to for advice. Select people who bring a diversity of perspectives. They can be from different industries or different professional backgrounds. These are your coaches , your mentors and your confidants.

3. Your strategic network
It helps you prepare for and succeed in the future. In this group, include people who work and live at the edge of your current world and can help you see what’s on the horizon. This is the one that we tend not to create because we’re so busy with today’s challenges that we forget about tomorrow.

Evaluate Your Network

  • Do you have one big network or do you segment your network into different categories?
  • Who is in your network and what roles do they play – operational, developmental or strategic?
  • Who is counting on you to play these different roles and do you give them what they need to succeed?

Career Success Tip

Think about networks as having multiple functions throughout your life and career. Having a powerful network with wide range of links in all your different “worlds” is important. Equally important is to be the person whom others want to help and have in their network. So it’s not just the number of contacts you have but the breadth of those contacts. If you have a diverse and strong network, you then can tap into a wide variety of resources and information.

How well are you networked? Is it time to expand your networks?

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?

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How to Encourage Everyone to Do Their Best Work

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Managers often forget that praising employees, telling someone they are doing good work, brings a smile, good cheer and greater commitment to their job.

Employee recognition for good performance is one of the simplest and easiest ways to encourage people to do their best work. Don’t underestimate the need people have for recognition. It provides these three major benefits:

  • It lets people know that their performance is valued, and increases the likelihood that they will continue to perform well.
  • It builds confidence so that people are willing to try new things, and develop further in their jobs.
  • It costs nothing and the payoff can be enormous -highly motivated employees who go the extra mile for the customer.

Here are three quick and easy ways to praise.

1. Direct Recognition:
Give a subordinate a direct compliment for good performance. Example: “John, you did a great job of dealing with Mary this morning. She was being difficult, but you stayed very calm.”
2. Third-Party Recognition:
Encourage someone else to offer recognition for good performance. Example: “Sheila, it was Tony who made sure we completed our agenda yesterday. Why don’t you tell him how well he did?”
3. Formal Recognition:
Respond to good performance by doing something official. Example: Memos to other (colleagues, your manager, upper management, personnel file) or mention at a staff meeting or management meeting.

Management Success Tip

Giving direct praise is probably the most commonly used form of employee recognition. However, third-party, and formal recognition are also effective to encourage people to do their best work. Remember, most people feel they get too little recognition for what they do; very few feel over-recognized.

How have you recognized others? How have you been recognized? What do you think is the best way to encourage people to do their best work?

Do you want to develop your Management Smarts?

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Do You Know What a Career Activist Is?

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know what a career activist isEvery profession or specialty has its own terminology. So does career management. How familiar are you with these latest career terms?

1. Career Activist:
Someone who is proactive in planning, evaluating, directing, and controlling his or her career rather than simply reacting as situations arise. A career activist has an enduring interest in understanding and achieving his or her full career potential, while maximizing career marketability. See Career Entrepreneur.

Are you taking charge of your career or just reacting to what’s happening out there?

2. Career Branding:
Branding is your reputation. Branding is about building a name for yourself, showcasing what sets you apart from your competition and describing the added value you bring to an employer. It define who you are, how you are different and why you should be sought out.

Do you have a brand? If so, what it is? Is that how you want to be seen by others?

3. Career Design:
The continuous process of evaluating your current lifestyle, likes/dislikes, passions, skills, personality, dream job, current job and career path to make possible corrections and improvements. Think of career design as building bridges from your current job/career to your next job/career.

When was the last time you evaluated your current job or career path? Is it time to make some changes?

4. Career Vision Statement:
A set of career goals that you set for the long-term, typically five years or more. Its purpose is to give you a clear direction for the future. It enables you to evaluate and decide on potential career opportunities or chart a new course when we’re at a career crossroads.

Do you have a career vision for your career? If so, what is it? If not, are you ready to create one?

5. Culture Fit:
The culture of an organization is the collection of beliefs, expectations, and values that sets the norms (rules of conduct) of acceptable behavior for employees. It’s important to understand the culture of an organization before accepting a job and for succeeding in that job.

Can you define the culture in which you work? Are you a good fit for it? Is it a good fit for you?

6. Portfolio Career:
A career path where, instead of having a series of full time jobs with advancement, you have multiple work experiences (including part-time and temporary jobs, freelancing, and self-employment) that create an expertise in a specific functional area or specialty. Portfolio careers offer more flexibility, variety, and freedom, but also require organizational skills as well as risk tolerance.

Could you thrive in a portfolio career? Or would a more traditional career path fit you better?

7. Re-careering:
The realization, usually in mid-career, that one’s job or career path is no longer bringing personal or professional fulfillment. Many, who want to find the spark again, are looking into these options: Going back to school for additional degrees or specific training; Moving into a new career entirely; or becoming entrepreneurs by starting a new business or buying a franchise. See Career Change.

Are you in mid-career looking for a new challenge or wanting to get the juices flowing again? If so, what options might work for you?

Career Success Tip

Don’t be a modern day Rip Van Winkle, waking up to a world you no longer know. Successful career management requires that you stay in tune with the changing workplace so that you will be better able to anticipate and prepare for the changes in a planned, constructive manner.

Readers, what other career related terms are you reading about or being talked about? I will compile a list a then post them.

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?

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Behavioral Interviewing: Hire The Right Person for the Job

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Have you ever hired someone who did not live up to expectations? I’m sure many of us have at one time.

A wrong decision can be very costly. It’s been estimated that replacing a key professional or manager can be three to five times their annual salary. Do you want to increase the odds for selecting the best person for your most critical positions?

Then try behavioral interviewing instead of the gut feel approach

This is gut feel: “Mary seems right for the job…so let’s hire her.” However, when she came on board, she didn’t perform and had to be let go. Mary may look good on paper or even interviewed well but she did not have the specific skills and traits that were needed for the job. Therefore, the hiring process started all over again.

Now take a look at behavioral interviewing. It focuses two very important elements of the interviewing process:

  1. Identifying the required skills and traits that are needed to be effective for the particular position.
  2. Asking the right questions to obtain a behavioral example of a specific skill or a specific trait you are looking for.

The rationale for asking for behavioral examples is the notion that the best predictor of what individuals will do in the future is what they have done in the past. Therefore, you ask an applicant to describe a specific event that shows in detail how she did something or handled a problem or dealt with a specific situation.

Behavioral example questions typically start out with the following phrases to encourage the person to talk about their experiences in a non-threatening manner.

  • “Tell me about a time when….”
  • “Give me an example of….”
  • “How did you….?”

Note how the following question has been rephrased so that it will elicit an answer that explains how the person dealt with a specific situation.

Original: “Have you had experience training new supervisors?”
Revised: “Tell me about a time when you had to hire and train a new supervisor. How did you go about it? Would you do anything differently?”

Management Success Tip

Remember, the purpose of the interview is to obtain accurate information for selecting the best person for the job. Behavioral interviewing is a technique that focuses on an applicant’s skills and traits not on a manager’s gut impressions.

Do you want to develop your Management Smarts?

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Career Satisfaction: Do you Have It?

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career satisfactionDo you “work to live or live to work”?

In a recent Leading News, e-newsletter, from Marshall Goldsmith, the premier executive coach, asked that question. Why? Because if you figured how time you spent at work – approximately one-third of our waking hours – then you realize that your job has a significant impact on your life.

He created an exercise to help people evaluate their job satisfaction and, mostly importantly, their career choice. There are three categories and you are to estimate the percentage of your job that falls within each category.

You Try It.

The first category is “play.” This is job content that is fun and what you would tend to do regardless of whether or not you were compensated for it. We have all seen people readily agree to do a task that was beyond the job description. Why? Because it was a task they viewed as fun, as an outlet for untapped creativity or a channel for self-development. If I tell myself, “I’m going to play,” then there is no resistance or creative avoidance.

The second category is “work.” This is job content that is not play. It’s work. This is an activity that, although not fun, you would agree to do for reasonable compensation.

The third category is “misery.” Job content in this category is not only not play, but it is drudgery, and at times pure h-ell. And we can find all times of creative reasons to avoid and procrastinate.

How do you see the composition of your work experience concerning activities that are categorized as play, work, and misery? Do you need to write yourself a new job description?

Here are the typical survey results among professionals:

  • 15 percent of what professionals do is considered play;
  • 75 percent of what professionals do is considered work;
  • 10 percent of what professionals do is considered misery.

Career Success Tip:

Most professional jobs can be molded or shaped to allow for individual situations or for one’s growth and development needs. Think about ways to add things to your job that will allow you to play more or take some things out that will allow you to be more satisfied. Then go to your boss and make a case for it – not that it will make you happier but that it can add to your productivity.

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?

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The Top 5 Hiring Mistakes

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Have you ever made a hiring mistake — selecting the wrong person for the position?

Most of us, who are or have been supervisors, have had to deal with the consequences of a poor hire. It can eat up one’s time and energy and weaken an entire team. However, a good hire can take the weight of the world off your shoulders.

So why do so many managers fail to hire the right people for the right jobs? Here are the top five hiring mistakes supervisors make. Make sure you don’t.

1. Failure to prepare.
When managers are so busy dealing with multiple issues everyday, they may not have the time to do the front-end homework that is required. Find the time because bad hiring decisions can be costly in terms of your time and your money.

2. Failure to identify success factors.
You must go beyond the job description. Make a list of the qualities to be successful as a service champion, for example. It could be two or three or it could be 10. Then go out and find people to match those qualities.

3. Failure to evaluate correctly the person’s skills.
If the position requires someone who is detail-oriented, then determine if the candidate has this skill either through the use of behavioral interviewing or through some form of assessment.

4. Failure to deal with a poor fit.
Something changed. Maybe the job, the organization, or the person changed. Maybe everything changed. Many people end up in the wrong place because they stayed in the right place too long. So the right place can become the wrong place over a matter of time.

5. Failure to be patient.
Sometimes the person is in the right place, but they have to grow into it — they have to be trained and developed. You know they have the talent they have the ability, they have the passion; but they need time and someone to help them.

Management Success Tip

Remember, good hires are never an accident. It is always the result of good preparation, good interviewing, and good decision making. So stop making hiring mistakes and start selecting the right people for the right jobs.

Look for our next post “Behaviorial Interviewing” – How to increase the odds for selecting the best person for the job.

Do you want to develop your Management Smarts?