Career (Page 7)

In: Collaboration, Effective Communication, Virtual Teams, Working From Home

Synopsis of an article from Harvard Business Review, by by Justin Hale and Joseph Grenny, Published 9th March 2020 The authors make the argument that too often meeting attendees check out. When everyone is in the same room there are techniques we all use to bring the attention back to the speaker but how do you do that on a virtual meeting. Here are 5 rules that can really help sharpen the focus in your next virtual meeting. The 60 second rule – In the first minute of the meeting do something with the group to make them experience the problem. It might be a dramatic story, compelling statistics or a powerful analogy. The goal is to ensure that the group understands the problem before you discuss or try to solve it. The responsibility rule – when attending a meeting we all have a role, you need to provide clarity on the engagementContinue Reading

How to Hand Over

In: Career Development, Leadership, Networking

By Crispin Blackall It is one of those tasks that can really make a difference in how people see you, done well it has potential to make a lasting impression on your personal brand for the successor, for the staff and for the former manager.   So how do you focus on getting it right and not getting it wrong! Whether you have identified a successor and grooming them to replace you.  Or you have been promoted in the business, potentially you are leaving the company for a new opportunity, maybe you are retiring or even being made redundant, this is how you will be remembered by those who stay (and these people may turn out be your referees in the future), so protect your personal brand and do a good job at the hand over. The cost of poor leadership transition is potentially significant, a poor transition can leadContinue Reading

Self Sabotage

In: Burn Out, Career Development, Resilience

Synopsis of an article from Fast Company, by Evelyn Marinoff, Published 7th July 2020 Evelyn explores why that even when we have worked so hard to achieve a goal, we self sabotage our own attempts. There are so many ways we do this for example – watching Netflix not working on an important presentation, not going to the dentist for regular checkups, ordering takeaway when you are on a diet, the list goes on. “Self-sabotage is the action we take to thwart our own best intentions and goals. We do it because we want something, and then we fear that we may actually get it, that we won’t be able to handle it, and so we ruin everything—be it getting a promotion, finding the perfect relationship, or starting a business. So why not save ourselves from the pain, the embarrassment, the disappointment if we mess up and kill all theContinue Reading

Ways to Lead

In: Collaboration, Leadership, Trust, Virtual Teams

Synopsis of an article from Forbes, by Benjamin Laker, Published 6th July 2020 In this article Benjamin looks at ‘Respect Trumps Harmony’ a new book from Rachel Robertson who also published ‘Leading on the Edge’ which is an account and the learnings from her expedition to Antartica. The key points that Rachel makes are that now is the perfect time for leaders to reset, redefine and to clarify. To re-set the cultural boundaries, to redefine the rituals and clarify team expectations. Establish what worked in our old rituals and behaviours and what should be ‘ditched’. Three tools that any leaders can use: No TrianglesPractice only having direct conversations to build respect and collaboration. ‘‘We had a simple rule that went ‘I don’t speak to you about him, or you don’t speak to me about her.’ No Triangles go direct to the source”, Rachael said. Manage Your Bacon WarsAs you returnContinue Reading

In: Collaboration, Crisis Management, Leadership, Trust

Synopsis of an article from Chief Executive by Dale Buss, Published 1st July 2020 This article interviews Stew Leonard, CEO of the Northeast Grocery Chain and learns from the practical changes he put in place for the US group as the pandemic has transformed how people work. “No one ever really gets tested until a crisis happens,” Leonard told Chief Executive. “Then some people rise to the occasion. It’s like when people are going through tough times in their life: Some friends avoid them, but others knock on their doors and say, ‘How can I help you?’” Leonard explained how his store managers and leaders worked to build trust with customers and with staff. They did this by continuing to trial ideas and communicate the best practices as they went. Leonard established a number of principles for his team and shared them across the leadership team with an ‘informal scorecard’ to trackContinue Reading

In: Career Development, Human Capital

Synopis of an article from Forbes by Kathy Caprino, published 28th June 2020 Kathy explains that she has found many of the professionals that she is connected with are using this ‘unprecedented time’ to reset and consider how to get back to the career that they are really seeking out. Many people are “realising that no job or career is truly safe and secure”, so why not use this time to get on with doing something you really love. She provides four steps: 1. Stop focusing only on applying onlineYou have probably heard that more than 80% of jobs are not found online many of those jobs are not listed anywhere, so don’t expect that you will find those great jobs just by applying to what you see online. Effective and Powerful Networking are required to bring yourself to market, and that means connecting with and cultivating relationships with theContinue Reading

In: Influence, Networking

Synopsis of an article from SmartBrief Leadership by Art Pretty, Published 25th June 2020 In this article Art shares some ideas and approaches on how you can build your network and collaborate more effectively across your organisation (without compromising your values). The ‘facts of organizational life’ Organisational politics are everywhere and sadly there is no escaping it, from the parent teacher association to community sports to the executive team. Some how in all environments where decision making authority exists, so too does the politics around making those decisions. “That’s workplace power. The challenge for everyone else is how to either cultivate power organically or to tap into decision-makers’ power.” Three approaches for growing your influence at work 1. Develop strong networks to help grow your influence Building a strong network provides support, guidance and insider knowledge. “It gives you access to private information and individuals with unique skill sets.” SoContinue Reading

Negotiating a Pay Rise

In: Leadership, Negotiating

Synopsis of an article from Fast Company by Suzanne De Janasz, Published 26th June 2020. Suzanne takes us through the challenges of how to ask for a (potentially much deserved) pay rise during a Pandemic. “Remember, you don’t get what you don’t ask for. The challenge lies in how you ask.“ KNOW YOUR WORTH Any negotiation starts by knowing what the price the market will bear, and the way to find out what that number is comes from research. You need to look at what your skills, your experience, your education, the roles responsibilities and the roles accountabilities are worth in the market. But that is just the starting point. You need to be clear and put a value on the benefits or efficiencies that you have directly delivered. WHAT IF THE BOSS SAYS “NO” Being clear on what you believe that you are worth in the role is the fist stepContinue Reading

How to recover from burn out

In: Burn Out, Resilience

Synopsis of an article on Thought Leaders by Jon Wortmann published 24th June 2020. In this article Jon explains how work pressure and feeling tired can lead to burn out and exhaustion. The symptoms of burn out at work have three clear symptoms that all leaders must watch out for in ourselves and in others: chronic metal or emotional fatigue, cynicism and dissatisfaction. “Are you consistently exhausted, irritated with the people around you, bothered by issues that used to roll off your back?” Are you consistently exhausted, irritated with the people around you, bothered by issues that used to roll off your back? “Do you find yourself more critical than normal, judging and picking apart people and situations with an edge that isn’t who are or want to be?“ Do you find yourself more critical than normal, judging and picking apart people and situations with an edge that isn’t whoContinue Reading

In: Culture, Effective Communication, Leadership, Resilience, Values

Synopsis of an article in HBR by Michael Beer, Published 22nd June 2020 Michael explains that most organisations today are dealing with massive strategic challenges that require a redefinition of purpose, identity, strategy, business model and even structure. Many if not most of these will fail and not because the strategy if flawed but rather the organisation does not have the ability to execute. He explains that he has seen six common interrelated reason for failures, referred to as ‘hidden barriers’ which make organisations ineffective. Hidden barrier #1: Unclear values and conflicting priorities Often, the underlying problem is not this or that strategy, but rather the process by which the strategy was formed — or the lack of any such process. In these cases, strategy is often developed by the leader along with the chief strategy or marketing executive and only then communicated to the rest of the senior teamContinue Reading