Posts Tagged ‘Thank God It’s Monday’

Trust

Monday, April 21st, 2014

Have you seen the Gallup survey about trust and engagement? It showed that the chances of an employee being engaged are 1 in 2 if they trust their bosses to keep their commitments, but only 1 in 12 if they don’t trust their bosses to do that.

What a HUGE difference that trust makes!

Then there’s the New York University study that showed higher customer service and sales results when employees themselves feel trusted—not by the customers, but by their managers and colleagues. In short, those who feel trusted to do their jobs do those jobs better.

This is why Stephen Covey calls trust “the new currency in the new global economy.”

But trust isn’t something you can insist on, and it’s not something you are entitled to just for showing up. Trust has to be earned and demonstrated. And if you want to rock at your job by earning trust, keeping your commitments should be Job One. There’s no better strategy to earn and deserve trust.

No one can keep 100 percent of the commitments they make. We are always at risk of being a little bit out of integrity. But do everything you can to be on the extreme upper end of that continuum.

Critical Thinking Skills

Monday, April 14th, 2014

A recent study of executives showed that their number one concern is not having people with the critical thinking skills to fill the corner offices.

Another study showed that the average American student shows zero increase in critical thinking skills after four years of college. Whoa! No wonder employers are worried!

But critical thinking has to be more than a vague buzzword, and that starts by knowing what it is and isn’t.

Critical thinking is not about what you know, but how you think. It’s the systematic attempt to avoid errors in reasoning, especially errors that creep in because of our own biases and preferences. Everybody has those biases, but a critical thinker knows how to counter them effectively.

Done right, critical thinking can be the secret weapon that allows for massive effectiveness and powerful results and returns for your organization, and for your career.

Let down your defenses

Monday, April 7th, 2014

Picture yourself in a physical defensive crouch. You’re huddled close to the ground, eyes closed, hands clutched by your head. You’ve given up trying to move. Instead, you’re preparing for a beating, or to strike back.

Emotional defensiveness is just the same. The mental “crouch” paralyzes you. It keeps you from moving forward or growing.

Defensiveness often comes from a place of low self-esteem, which in turn creates a self-reinforcing downward spiral. Everyone around the defensive person walks on eggshells, including those who might otherwise try to help. Worst of all, the defensive person is fatally uncoachable, and therefore unpromotable.

So why are people defensive? People hear things through their filters. Based on their life experiences, if they feel unworthy, you can mention to them that the moon is beautiful last night and they’ll likely hear it as, “You were expecting the sun instead.” They hear it as yet another way you’re telling them they are inadequate.

If you become defensive in the face of criticism, it’s time to get a handle on it. Realize that someone offering advice is not attacking you, but critiquing your work in order to help you. Instead of pushing back with a “tone,” ask questions to get more information.

Let down that drawbridge, blow the doors off with your coachability, and there is NOTHING you can’t achieve.

Make it a great day

Monday, March 31st, 2014

For most of my life I’ve heard people tell me to, “Have a great day!” It always seemed like a nice enough thing to say—until the first time I heard someone change it just slightly.

It blew me out of the water.

It was years ago, I was picking something up from the pharmacy, and the girl handed me my receipt and said, “Thank you—make it a great day!”

Such a small change, but what a difference! “Have a great day” is a basically wish, a hope that your day will be great. But if you tell me to make it a great day, it underlines the fact that the greatness of my day is in my control.

It’s true! So much of our experience of life is determined by the way we react to things as they happen. Yes, the rain complicates your drive to work. It also brings life to every living thing. Focus on one and a rainy day is a drag. Focus on the other and it’s a miracle and a relief.

Once in a while my husband and I underline this in our own way. We wake up and say, “I wonder what super fantastic thing is going to happen to us today?”

However you do it, take control of the greatness of your day, and help others do the same!

Signs of disengagement

Monday, March 24th, 2014

Have you seen the TV series Lie To Me? The main character is an expert in micro-expressions, including the subtle signs that someone is not telling the truth.

When it comes to disengagement at work, a lot of the same signs are in play, and you don’t have to be an expert to spot them. You just have to care enough to look for them.

When people are disengaged, they make eyes at others during meetings as if others can’t see it. The person playing with a pencil, not making eye contact, or even texting during a meeting is disengaged. They might stand off to the side after the meeting is over, speaking under their breath, or even leave early without permission.

Forbes columnist Kevin Kruse suggests an intervention as early as possible. Engage the disengaged person by asking for input or opinions during the meeting: “Michelle, how do you think we can approach this in the most effective way?”

If the person doesn’t snap out by the end of the meeting, have a quick chat right away: “I couldn’t help noticing that you seemed a little distracted during the meeting. Do you have any concerns about the way this is being done?”

This can be done no matter who you are. You don’t have to be the project leader to address disengagement, just a team member who cares. And be sure to present it in a positive way (“Do you have any concerns about the way this is being done?”), not as an accusation (“You seem to have an attitude problem”).

The company, and everyone in it, can benefit from the care you show in effectively addressing disengagement on the spot.