She’s the Best

Want to be the best at what you do?

“She’s the best boss I’ve had because she’s as open-minded as she is clear about expectations. I always know where I stand with her because she’s willing to tell me the truth in ways that I understand. She’s never hurtful, always constructive, and trusts my ability to learn and grow on the job.”

“He’s the best manager I’ve had because he keeps us informed and encourages us to do the same with him. We don’t have to be concerned about personal agendas or blindsiding when working with him; it’s always about what’s best for the organization, and because of that, we get on board quickly when transitioning through change.”

“She’s one of the best leaders I’ve had the pleasure to follow. Change is the name of the game here, and we know that whatever direction we head, she’ll be focused on the end-in-mind. Because of that, and her sure-footedness, we’re lined up with her.”

“He’s a great supervisor. He knows what he knows and as importantly, he knows what he doesn’t know, and empowers those of us with complementary capacities to step up, close the gap, and work together to move us toward successful outcomes.”

“He’s really a youngster when compared to the rest of us on his work team, but he can teach us old war-horses a thing or two when it comes to optimism, energy, and a can-do attitude. He’s a great team builder, respectful of the intelligence and wisdom of his seniors and at the same time able to motivate us to achieve more than we have or thought ourselves capable. He makes us feel hopeful about the future. I wish he were my grandson, that’s how proud I am of him.”

“She’s a natural leader. She’s honest and respectful; she can see the big picture and at the same time can help us to see what it takes to achieve it. She knows when to be hands on and when to be hand-off. She understands what the people around her need to get their jobs done and she provides it. Sometimes that translates to getting us the physical and financial resources we need. Other times it’s encouragement and a well placed kick in the derriere. Whatever the situation, she’s pitch perfect in her delivery. “

“Sometimes the best leaders are the most humble. Our manager is one of those. He’s understated in his manner yet so clear in his commitment to excellence and in his belief in our ability to perform at the highest levels of excellence, that he motivates us to consistently give our best.”

“We’re going through enormous change in our organization and as we all know, change can create stress. I won’t kid you, we’re stressed here, but we’re able to keep it together because of our boss. She’s capable, calm, and considerate and because of that, we’re able to behave in ways that emulate her spirit. I’ve worked in other businesses where change equated to high turnover. Not here. Thanks in large part to our boss’s sure and steady hand.”

“I don’t know if you’d call our supervisor a leader or a top notch manager. I just know I’d always want to have him next to me in a fire-fight. I’ve never seen anyone as able to quickly anticipate what’s required and quickly respond with resources that meet the need. He’s a great trouble shooter, knows which fires are apt to turn into conflagrations and which will burn out on their own accord. He makes change exciting and preventive maintenance a talent worth rewarding.”

He Wants More

The caller wanted help with his job search. He said he had been at it for more than a year and couldn’t land anything that he wanted to accept. I asked him why he was looking for a job and all he could muster was why he was leaving one. I asked him what he does best and all he could tell me was what he does most. I asked him how he adds value and he told me what he wants to get paid.

He’s typical of job seekers who know that where they are or what they’re doing just doesn’t get it. They know themselves well enough to recognize burnout when they see it, when they live for another Saturday and can’t bear the thought of another Sunday. What they don’t know or can’t see is how to describe satisfaction, how to define ‘next’, how to map a route to something better.

Where do you begin when your focus has been on don’t, won’t, can’t, and why bother? Find a time in your life when ‘yes’ was your natural response, and will and can and ‘I’d love to do that’ comes immediately to mind.

On this particular day and with this particular caller the best times had been when he was in high school, playing clarinet in the school band and on  occasion, when he was really lucky, in a dance band at a small family resort just south of town.

“I loved it all,” he said, “the music and the way people of all ages responded to it. That’s the only time I can remember feeling at one with who I was and what I did.” I asked if he continued with his music after high school. He said that he hadn’t; he had to work his way through college and between work and study he didn’t have time for music. I asked if he missed it.

“I missed it terribly”, he said. “More than I thought possible. I never really liked school but my parents believed in education. When I didn’t have music as a social release I stopped socializing. I couldn’t afford to go out, so I didn’t. I just worked and went to school.”

He said that he majored in Business Administration “because my advisors said it was a safe bet; narrow enough to land a job and broad enough to not get pigeon-holed. My parents said the goal was getting the degree, not having to like it.”

When I asked what he had chosen to do in his life that he enjoyed, that validated him and reflected his values he couldn’t come up with anything. He said that he didn’t know that was an option. He assumed that life was a series of events you survived by hard work and abstinence. “Abstinence from what?” I asked.

“To survive you have to live a life of doing more with less, self-discipline, self-restraint; not asking for or wanting more than life is apt to give you.”

I asked if given a second chance, what he would have done differently. He said that he would have majored in music education, taught in a high school, played in community orchestra and yes, if he were lucky enough, would have moonlighted on occasional weekends with a dance band.  He said that it lifted his spirits just to talk about it. I asked if that were good enough. “No, it isn’t”, he said, with a certainty that surprised me. “Now that I remember what it felt like to do what I loved and be appreciated for it, I know what I want and what I need to do. Thanks”

I Didn’t Tell You Because I Thought You Knew

A 360 Degree View

Between a Rock and….

Too Little…Too Late

Too Much Aggressiveness Eventually Catches Up to You

Frank strode into the room like he owned it. He was tall, imposing, and downright charming. As soon as we sat down, it was another matter.  He cut to the chase: his direct reports were all wrong and his peers were all stupid. He had managed  to the bottom line, had pushed his people hard. He made money and that was what stakeholders expected of him. He didn’t have a problem, the employees did. And so did any fool who would listen to their empty complaints about him.

When Frank joined his company, he had an insatiable hunger to succeed. He knew what to do as soon as he signed on: meet the right people, move up, never over. Twenty  years later, against staggering odds and an even greater body count,  he had succeeded, with a vengeance.

Frank grew up in a mill town and hustled for nickels and dimes as soon as he could walk. He knew what he wanted before he could write his name. Frank was determined to make something of himself and never looked back. He came from working survivors of hard knocks and cold streets, who made ends meet with outside work and back room income.

As soon as Frank was old enough to leave the house,  he was selling something to somebody: newspapers, water filters, gas extenders; you name it, he tried it. He loved the chase, refusals were fodder for his “try harder” mentality. Inevitably, he’d win over his prey with a relentless drive to make it happen. He didn’t find joy in it, or satisfaction. He never would.

Frank became a popular subject for the business press. He was quotable, candid, and made himself  available. When asked, “what drives you?” he’d tell them the glaringly obvious. “If it was there, I wanted it.  And if I wanted it  badly enough, I’d push aside anyone or anything to get it.”

Frank knew how the game was played: do what you have to do; remember who pays your salary, and deal with the fallout  later. His bosses loved him, his raises and promotions proved that. His peers and direct reports didn’t love him, didn’t like him, and didn’t trust him. In the end, they made their point, and won. Bosses don’t fire you. Direct reports do.

Frank was a survivor who made his name salvaging situations no one else would touch. This time he had to salvage his career. He wasn’t going to leave without putting up a fight.

Frank’s boss had called me, asking if I would pound some sense into him. Frank was out of  time. He couldn’t turn this mess around;  he was history. Frank needed to learn what went wrong, what didn’t work; what to do differently.

Whether you employ someone like Frank or feel that this story could be about you,  pay attention to these fix it now suggestions:

• Watch what you say and who you say it to: If you’re overly aggressive,  you’re probably managing up better than down or over.

• Develop peripheral vision. Make others look good; give credit where it’s due; promote the work of your direct reports; act as a mentor; listen more than you talk.

• Watch your body language: Turning away from others or multi-tasking when they’re talking to you is off-putting at best, and arrogant at worst. Give undivided attention to the speaker, and ask questions to clarify what  you’re hearing, not to justify what you ‘re thinking.

• Watch everyone else: There’s plenty of feedback to be had by watching others watch you. Relationship building and maintaining is key to career success both inside and outside the company.

Who do you trust? People trust trustworthy people. Men and women of integrity are valued in reputable organizations. They have no need to hoard information so that others are overly dependent upon them. They are confident without having to build their self worth off someone else’s errors.

Frank got fired. You may have time to turn your career around, if you work at it. You’re too talented and too old to waste time blaming everyone else for your lapse in judgment.

* * * *

Yes! You may use this article by Executive and Career Coach, Joyce Richman, in your blog, article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started her own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Feedback: Too Much, Too Little or Too Late

Feedback. Too much or too little? It depends on who you’re asking:

“Everybody tells me what to do; from my mother to my manager. You’d think I didn’t have a brain in my head. Why can’t people just keep their opinions to themselves and let me do my job?”

“The only time I get any feedback is at my annual review, which I get every eighteen months to two years, if I’m lucky. Even then, it’s sketchy, abstract, and I don’t know what to do with it. Next thing you know, I’m let go, and I didn’t see it coming.”

Feedback. If more people knew how, what, and why to give it and more people knew how to do something with it, everyone and the bottom line would benefit.

Whether you’ve been into feedback avoidance, or you’re known as Attila the Feedback Giver, this framework should help you to prepare for and deliver feedback more effectively:

Approach your feedback meeting with the assumption that you don’t know everything; therefore, you don’t have all the answers.

Allow time for give and take. You’re heading into a discussion with someone who will provide you perspectives that you don’t have.

Develop an outline:

• What’s your goal?

Why are you giving this feedback?
What do you want to achieve by giving it?

• What exactly is the problem?

Who is it about?
What is it about?
How does it relate to the person you are giving feedback to?

• Who solves the problem?

Whose responsibility is it?
How much authority has this person in solving the problem?

• What are the available options?

What are the pros and cons of each option?
Who will benefit and how and at what cost?

• What’s the action plan?

Who’s going to solve the problem or meet the challenge?
What do they need to get it done?
How will you measure their progress?
How will you know if and when the problem is solved?

Despite careful planning and candid acknowledgment that giving objective and timely feedback makes sense, many employers “choke” when it comes to providing it.

• They fear negative reactions and don’t want to deal with them.
• They think they don’t have time to do it right, so they wait until they do. They won’t and they don’t.
• They believe it’s faster to fix the problem themselves.
• They complain that people are unpredictable. They’d rather work with widgets.

The rubber abruptly meets the road when these same bosses get deep-sixed with the very feedback that they avoided giving. Because they got it too late, they may lose their jobs.

Vicious cycle, isn’t it.

Good supervisors, managers, leaders provide feedback to enable their employees to grow and develop in their positions, to take on increasing levels of responsibility and authority, to free their bosses to accomplish the goals for which they are accountable.

Feedback, when delivered appropriately, benefits everyone.

It must be provided on a consistent basis and in a climate that is safe and supportive.

It’s a two way street. Give it and get it. Model it by asking your employees two questions:

What do you want me to do more?

What would you like me to do less?

Listen to what you are being told. Probe for deeper understanding. Ask for examples that would help you see the point that is being made. Rather than appearing to defend your behavior, learn why doing it differently would benefit others.

Providing and receiving feedback can be habit forming. When compared to other addictions, this is one with positive side effects that builds, rather than tears down, human capital.

* * * *

Yes! You may use this article by Executive and Career Coach, Joyce Richman, in your blog, article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started her own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Conventional Wisdom Won’t Keep Your Employees from Leaving

“How can I stop my employees from leaving when I can’t afford to compete with the salaries and benefits the other folks are offering?”

That’s the question many employers are asking. The problem is, they’re listening to Conventional Wisdom for the answers. CW suggests that people join companies and stay with them for salary and  benefits; that employees have no loyalty; if they can get better down the street, that’s where they’re going to go.

In years past, employers attracted employees with unspoken promises of security, competitive salaries and benefits. What they asked in return was uncompromising loyalty. They got it.

Companies grew and acquired other companies. Their mergers turned into downsizings and the silent promises they made were as bankable as smoke. If you were lucky, your hard work and loyalty got you a pass until the next layoff was announced.

Once burned twice savvy employees (and their soon to be employed children) learned that loyalty meant “take care of yourself because no one else is going to do it for you.” They changed the game by writing their own rules: Stay with a company that treats you right. Leave a company that doesn’t. They knew precisely what that meant even though they didn’t tell anyone and no one took the time to ask. Until recently.

First, Break All the Rules, What the World’s Greatest Managers do Differently,by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, is based upon the Gallup Organization’s comprehensive employee opinion survey and in-depth interviews of over 80,000 managers in over 400 companies. It is, according to Gallup, “the largest study of its kind ever undertaken.”

In essence, it says that despite the best efforts of pay, benefits, promotions and training, it’s the employee’s manager who most strongly influences whether employees stay or leave. How’s that? The more that managers become involved and invested in their employees’ development and career success, the greater the likelihood that employees are more productive, companies makes more money, customers are better served, and yes, employees stay where they are.

When highly respected polling organizations take the time to ask the right questions, in as comprehensive a manner as the Gallup Organization has, it pays to take notice of their findings.

Employees leave or stay because of their managers, not because pay or benefits are more or less than what the folks get next door. Employees stay with managers who match strengths to challenges;  delegate decision making authority, and demonstrate a real interest in individual development. They stay with managers who enable them to accomplish something worthwhile and affirm them when doing so.

So rant and rave all you want about the folks next door stealing your employees. If you treat them right, they’ll stay. If you don’t, they won’t.

“But what if your employees don’t want to be motivated? They don’t want to be challenged, they don’t want to be developed, they just want to get a paycheck. If you demand more than they’re willing to give, they’re out the door. What then?”

Look at your hiring practices. The most critical mistake any employer makes is to hire someone without clarifying expectations. Consult with a professional who can help assess your needs and your environment (which are often different than you might think), and design an interview process that is targeted to both.

Provide new employees the training and equipment they need to get the job done. Give them specific and timely feedback; when they are performing the job well and when they need to improve and how. Motivate them by reinforcing their strengths instead of emphasizing their weaknesses. Ask them for feedback and listen to what they say:  Do you have what you need? Give us your ideas about how to do this job better. What are some ways we can improve our processes?

Take an interest in employees as people. The more you bring out their best, the more likely they are to stay. Those are employees you want to keep.

* * * *

 Yes! You may use this article by Executive and Career Coach, Joyce Richman, in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

 Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started her own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

The Three C’s of Effective Communication

Political pundits advise the President to have news conferences early and often. Why?

1. The public wants to know what’s happening and what the President’s doing about it. They want to know his command of the issues; how aware, involved, and decisive he is regarding critical events and breaking news.

2. The more often the President meets the press and the public, the more on top of issues he has to be.

Political advisors aside, that’s sound advice for anyone in charge of anything. It’s of particular importance to people who have information that impacts the lives of others.

Why is it important to inform others, consistently, concisely, yet comprehensively, of events and plans that affect them? The answer appears self-evident, yet those responsible for the telling (and who should know better) are too often missing in action.

What keeps leadership and management from stepping up? Let’s examine the more obvious reasons, and deal with them one at a time:

• They don’t know what’s going on.
• They don’t know what to do with what’s going on.
• There’s so much going on they don’t know where to begin.
• They don’t know how their employees will act if they tell them what’s going on.
• Their employees might have some strong opinions about what’s going on.

They don’t know what’s going on: Well meaning employers can over delegate what they are least interested in doing or knowing, entrusting others with more decision-making authority than they should have. When the buck stops it’s on the wrong desk. Employers need to understand what’s happening and anticipate the consequences that flow from the information they’re getting.

They don’t know what to do with what’s going on: When employers and their managers feel overwhelmed by the mass and speed of changing events, they get stuck between where they’ve been and where they need to go. If they prefer the tactical to the strategic, they’re putting out fires without identifying the cause of the blaze. Savvy leaders think and act strategically and analytically. They maintain vision and perspective as they unravel and simplify the complexities of cause and effect. They communicate that understanding to tactical managers and their employees, who fix what’s broken and get the new job done.

There’s so much going on they don’t know where to begin: Managers who procrastinate are avoiding what comes first in favor of what comes last. Effective managers dial into the issues and ignore the static. They focus their time and energy on what’s important, instead of what’s making the most noise.

They don’t know how their employees will act if they tell them what’s going on: When leaders and managers side step issues to avoid the prospect of conflict, they further complicate problems, erode trust and diminish loyalty. It takes courage, honesty, and integrity to manage employees and the information that affects them. Effective leaders and managers are knowledgeable about the choices they make and realistic about the consequences of their actions.

Employees might have strong and opposing opinions about what’s going on: If employers adapt the adage, “what they don’t know won’t hurt them,” they wrongly assume their employees live on the dark side of the moon. Today’s workers are savvy. They are highly aware of talk in the press, in the markets, and on the street. What they don’t know, they create, resulting in rumors that hurt everyone.

If employers avoid sharing information because they fear strong, negative reactions, they’re delaying the inevitable, multiplied. Whether the news is good or bad, employees want to know. They want to prepare themselves and plan, emotionally and intellectually, for what might happen. If it turns out fine, they’re relieved. If it doesn’t, they’re ready. Employees trust bosses who demonstrate consideration, compassion, and consistently tell the truth.

* * * *

Yes! You may use this article by Executive and Career Coach, Joyce Richman, in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.

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