Get Your Career In Gear

Create A Solid Relationship With Your Boss

If there is one thing that will hold you back in your career it's "not getting along with the boss".  It doesn't matter whether your boss is right or wrong, weak or strong.  The reality is, the boss is the boss, and you're success hinges on what you make of the relationship.

Special Note: For the purpose of keeping this post as simple and clear as possible, we'll assume your boss is a she

The good news is this.  If you happen to be one of the unfortunate people who works for a difficult boss, you can be successful in spite of her.  Two big secrets:

1. Understanding what makes her tick
2. Knowing how and when to give her what she wants (not necessarily what she needs)

Jill Geisler from the Poynter Institute has already created a list of 20 things you should know about your boss.  If you know answers to these 20 things, you'll be well on your way to understanding what makes her tick.  Here's her list:

1. Preferred method of giving info to me:
2. Preferred method of getting info from me:
3. Biggest current pressure:
4. Stands for these values, first and foremost:
5. Biggest "hot button":
6. Passion outside of work:
7. Has expertise in:
8. Lacks expertise in:
9. Vision for our organization:
10. Would be really hurt if someone:
11. Best boss my boss ever worked for:
12. Expects this from me when there's a small problem:
13. Expects this from me then there's a big problem:
14. Will not compromise when it comes to:
15. Considers a great day at work to be:
16. Handles pressure by:
17. Is respected by her/his bosses for:
18. Respects others for:
19. Has a blind spot about:
20. Thinks I'm great at:

Go read her full article titled "20 Questions About Your Boss" to get the full meaning of her point.

Ok...point #2   Knowing how and when to give her what she wants (not necessarily what she needs) -

Your answers to the 20 questions will give you the majority of information you need to know "how and when".  So giving her "what she wants" is the next key.

It's really pretty simple if you think about it.  When she needs something from you, get very clear about what that is, when she wants it, and deliver it with a smile...especially when you disagree or have some other negative reaction to it.  Here's what I mean by that.

Difficult bosses usually like to be in control and they REALLY like to be right.  Unless you have the savvy to pull it off, you may fall victim to your own best judgment.  Save your judgment and creativity for a boss that will appreciate it.  In the meantime, do what you need to do, do it well and you'll open up doors to your next opportunity.

What should we add to this list?

How To Keep Your Job During Radical Times

Here in Michigan the economy is still pretty much stuck in the mud.  It seems like every week another company closes the doors and puts more people on the streets looking for work.  Those who remain are taking drastic measures to cut every bit of slack in their systems.

One of the most common questions I get from people is "How do I survive the layoffs and cutbacks?"

My typical response starts with one statement.  Show them why they should keep you!

What do I mean by that?  Pretty much exactly what it is.  Every day, all day, fully engage with your work and your company.  Don't let yourself get bogged down by the 40+% of the people who are disengaged and doing just enough to get by.  In fact, don't even associate with them.  Eventually, they are going to be gone.  You need to set yourself apart.

Set your sites on finding ways to make money, save money, save time, save unhappy customers, etc.  Think of yourself as a private investigator who is on a mission to find the waste and cut the slack.  Once you find the holes in the systems, look for solutions and make recommendations for improvements.

Round it all out with an upbeat attitude and a sense of enthusiasm.   Then rally the troops.  Get other people excited about what you're doing.  Involve them.  Cheer them on.  Spread it like the largest computer virus in history.

Notice the difference between "telling" and "showing" here?  If you just do it, you don't have to tell them anything.  They'll see it for themselves.  And where do you think your name will be on the layoff list?  On the bottom...just where you want it!

Once your company decides to close the doors there's not much you can do.  But, there's PLENTY you can do in the meantime.  Don't waste any more time.  Just DO IT...NOW!

Let me ask you this...What have you done up until now to help your company reduce costs?

Act As If You Like Everyone

The May 2006 issue of Relating@Work has been posted on my website for easy viewing.

Relating@Work is a monthly publication dedicated to delivering thought provoking information, tips and resources that support you in developing your self, your staff and your business. You’ll find practical information, tips and resources, with real time application.

In this issue:

 

Food For Thought:  The Capacity To Love

Strategy Of The Month:  Act As If You Like Everyone

Talk To Me

Resources

 

You can find it right here

 

To subscribe send a blank email to:

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Other Goodies...

***Resources From Essential Connections***
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mailto:coach42-67534@autocontactor.com


Have you checked out my complimentary eCourse yet?  The title is "How To Become The MVP In Your Profession".  Take a look at the right hand side of my website here:
http://www.connectionscoach.com

 

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Quick Book Review - Change The Way You See Everything Through Asset-Based Thinking

I made a quick trip to the local Sam’s Club this morning to see what they were currently offering for computers.  As always, I decided to quickly scan the books before I left.  One book practically called my name.  For a minute I thought I was dyslexic.  The title was printed backwards.  But it practically called out to me… “Pick me up, look at my beauty inside, have a drink of my wisdom.” 

It was sheer delight to spend this Saturday afternoon reading “Change The Way You See Everything Through Asset-Based Thinking”.  It’s a delightful but deep, quick read co-authored by Kathryn D. Cramer and Hank Wasiak.  The graphic design is exquisite.  The powerful messages resonated with my purpose…to help people bring out the best in themselves.

The introduction message, in part, goes like this:

“People from all walks of life surpass their current levels of excellence and achievement just by shifting, ever so slightly, the way they see everything.

Just think what could be possible if people focused their attention on:

§         Opportunities rather than problems

§         Strengths more than weaknesses

§         What can be done instead of what can’t

When you decrease your focus on what is wrong, and increase your focus on what is right, you build enthusiasm and energy, strengthen relationships, and move people and productivity to the next level.”

It goes on to deliver powerful practices, lessons and stories about the value of embracing “Asset-Based Thinking”.  This book is beautiful enough for your coffee table, and the teachings are brilliant enough to change your life.  It’s something you’ll go back to again and again, and each time something new will resonate with you.

If you’ve been treading water for too long, and you’re ready to start swimming, this book will be one of your favorites.  Don’t miss it!

Act Like The Apprentice!

I have to admit, I'm suffering from Apprentice withdrawal this season.  Somehow my brain just can't remember that it's on Monday instead of Thursday.  I miss the learning.  I know it's just TV, but if you watch closely there are phenomenal lessons to be gleaned.

What would you do differently if you were playing the apprentice?  Do you want to play?  Here's a scenario...

Your boss calls a meeting.  Your entire team is in the room.  It's so quiet you can hear a pin drop.  You can feel the tension in the air.  And then she finally utters a word you never expected...CUTBACKS!

She has 90 days to cut 3 people from the team.  Basically she's putting the decision in your hands.  Here's the deal.  The 3 people who add the least value to the company at the end of 90 days will be cut.

Your heart pounds and your brain spins.  In 90 days you could be out of a job.  Nothing you've done in the past matters.  It isn't fair.  You didn't see it coming.  90 days isn't long enough!  Oh my god...what now?

Your future is in your hands this very minute.  You've got 90 days.

• What will you do?
• How will you start?
• What will you do more of?
• What will you do less of?
• What will you start doing?
• What will you stop doing?
• What will you keep doing?

Are you willing to play it out with me?  Talk to me!  What's your plan?

Your Career Is Your Business

Dave Lorenzo from the Career Intensity blog recently posted a great piece called "Your Career IS Your Business".  What I loved about it is that it reminded me so much of Dan Pink's "Free Agent Thinking", and Tom Peters' "Brand You".

When you work "as an employee" for a long time, it's really easy to forget that you are in control.  What I mean by that is...you are there by choice, and you are free to leave if the gig stops working for you.  This is especially true for people who have worked for the same company for several years.  You forget about your choices, and sometimes you even feel like the company "owns" you. 

Dave gives you 3 pointers for managing your career like you would manage a business.  Briefly, they are:

• It makes sense to diversify income streams
• We should always prospect for new opportunities
• Keep growing and improving

Go visit his post and see what you think of the rest of his wisdom.

Let me ask you this...  If your job was eliminated tomorrow, how prepared would you be to move on?

Achieve Breakthrough Goals

If you haven't discovered Phil Gerbyshak's blog yet, you need to take a minute right now and pay him a visit!  His posts are high quality and his resources are fabulous!

One of his posts recently focused on how to achieve breakthrough goals.  If you have a list of really great ideas and/or a stack of incomplete projects, you can relate.  Phil refers to this as the "failure to finish syndrome"...and boy can I relate to that!

He calls his new idea the "Accountability Circle".  This is what he means in his own words.

"I mean I tell a few people that I trust that will hold me accountable one of my goals, give them my time frame, and ask them to help me be accountable to achieving this goal.  And they share one with me, in fact they share 1 each. This gives us 3 people in our accountability circle, and it works because of it's simplicity. By telling 2 people my goal, I am asking both of them to help me be accountable and achieve my goal, and if I'm not on track, I ask them to challenge me and ask me why I'm not on track. I'm hoping that 1 of them will have the courage to step out and tell me, and would LOVE IT if both of them would.  And I hope that at least 50% of the time, I am willing and able to challenge them if they are not achieving their goals. It's almost like a primary, and secondary, though if all parties are in 100% of the time, it does work best. "

Another idea that really works well is a "Fast Focus Day".  Here's how it works...

You need at least one other person, but it can work just as well with 10 people.  Everyone selects a project and agrees on one day to focus on it.  Pick a start and end time for the day.  The secret is to pre-schedule periodic progress reports through the day.  Here's an example:

Let's say you've got 5 other people who want to be part of your Fast Focus Day.  Before you begin do these things:

1. Agree on a date
2. Agree on start and finish times
3. Agree on progress report times (every hour or two works best)
4. Schedule a conference line (use a free one like freeconference.com)
5. Go to it!

Keep the progress report calls as brief as possible so that everybody can get back at their project just as quickly as possible.

You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish!

Would you like to give it a try?  Let me know and I'll organize one!

Log Your Successes And Achievements

Do you ever look back on something and say to yourself, "Gee, I wish I'd done that!"  Well this post is one of those "Gee I wish I'd done that" moments for me.

Jacob Cazzell from the SuccessMinders blog hit the nail on the head in one of his posts titled " Is Your "Success Resume" Up To Date?"

I happily worked for the same great company for over 28 years.  That may give you an idea of just how rusty and out of date my resume was.  When it was time to pull it out and update it, the scope of the job was enough to make you want to jump off a cliff.  Very tough lesson learned here!

Jacob starts his post by asking a couple of short, but very important questions:

• Do you keep an achievement cheat-sheet?
• Do you keep your "success resume" up to date on a regular basis?

He then outlines a process for getting it under control in 5 easy steps:

1. Choose your tools
2. Layout the document
3. Play catch up
4. Stay current
5. Update Quarterly

He gives plenty of detail and ideas to get you going, so be sure to check out his post here.

If you're already on top of the game here, congratulations!  If you're like I was, make the commitment to get going now!

Let me ask you this...What additional tips would you add to Jason's post?

Ask For Feedback - Regularly

The subject of FEEDBACK is one of those muddy little areas in the corporate world.  I'd dare say most managers squirm at the thought of it.  Why?  Not because they don't think it's important.  Not because they don't have anything to say.  But because they don't quite know HOW!  And not knowing how makes it uncomfortable enough to avoid.

On the flip side, most professionals don't take the initiative to ask for feedback either.  They simply adopt the mindset that "no news is good news" and keep doing what they've always done.  When the annual review process to comes along they start stressing about what kind of surprises might be in store.

Butch Ward from the Poynter Institute recently wrote a great article called The Value Of Feedback. It was based on some training he attended on becoming a more creative leader.  Here are a few excerpts from the article:

**********************************************************************************************************************

"How well are you doing your job?" I asked. Lots of humility: some hesitant nods, a few uncertain head bobs –- in general, a reluctance to answer.  "Note that I didn't ask you, how do you think you're doing," I clarified. "I asked, 'How well are you doing?' How well does your boss say you're doing?"  The reluctance began to morph into an unspoken -– but clear -– answer. I asked the obvious follow-up.  "So how many of you get regular feedback from your boss?"

Maybe you've heard the same statements. Or maybe they're yours:

• "I don't really need a lot of feedback."
• "I must be doing okay, since no one's telling me otherwise."
• "I gave up a long time ago on getting any feedback –- I figure if they're unhappy with my work, they'll tell me."
• "I'd like to give more feedback, but there's just not time."

Truth is, constructive feedback rests at the heart of our efforts to become better people.

Do you receive enough feedback from your boss?   If you're not sure of your answer, consider these questions:

• Do you know how well you're doing your job?
• Has your boss given you specific examples of what you're doing well, and examples to illustrate what you need to work on?
• Have you and your boss agreed on a plan for measuring your growth over time? What do you agree improvement will look like?
• Does your boss know your ambitions? Have you received straightforward feedback on what you need to do to achieve those ambitions?

If you answered "yes" to these questions, you seem to be receiving the information you need to help you grow as a journalist. If not, maybe it's time to ask your boss for a conversation.

After all, you have that right. Just as much as you have the right to a computer, a telephone and auto reimbursement, you have the right to honest, constructive feedback. Otherwise, how can you do your job?
**********************************************************************************************************************
To add to that, this is the process I used for getting my boss to give me feedback.

At the end of our weekly meeting, I simply asked 3 questions:

• What's going well?
• What could go better?
• What needs to change?

Then I followed it up with questions that made it easy for her to give me SPECIFIC feedback.  Just short phrases to get her started.  Things like:

• What should I should keep doing?
• What should I start doing?
• What should I stop doing?
• What should I do more of?
• What should I do less of?

As you can see, the process was simple and painless and it made it easy for her to be very specific.  It also helped me navigate better going forward.  Best of all, there were NEVER any surprises when it was time for my annual review.

Let me ask you this...How do you get feedback on how you're doing?  Talk to me!

Step 2 - How To Manage Your Hot Buttons

If you completed step 1 of How To Manage Your Hot Buttons, you should be more aware of:

1. Which situations tend to push your buttons

2. The warning signals your body sends you when your buttons are being pushed

3. How you tend to react in those situations

Now you're more aware. You have consciously gathered some very important information. Before we move on to "what to do with the information", let's look a little closer.

If I asked someone close to you about how you react when your buttons get pushed, I'll bet they could answer in the blink of an eye. It's one of those things that's easy for others to see, but more difficult for us to admit to ourselves. After all, it's usually not something you're going to brag about. And that's my point. As Dr. Phil would say, "How's that working for you?"

That leads us to Step 2. What is it costing you?  By that I mean, take a good close look at the consequences. What damage is being done, and what is the impact?

Let's take Brad as an example. Brad is an IT guy.  Part of his responsibility is to answer the "help line" for one hour every day.  He hates it.  He thinks it's a waste of time.  He thinks the callers ask stupid questions, and he does everything possible to get out of it.  When he finally does take his turn, he makes sure he let's the caller know he thinks they're stupid.  No, he doesn't come out and say it, but they can hear it in his voice.  He's impatient, he sighs, and he makes sarcastic comments.

So what is this behavior costing Brad?  Well, for starters, nobody wants to call in when he's answering the phone.  People go out of their way to find out when he's scheduled so they can avoid him.  I'd say he's created a reputation for treating callers poorly.

Secondly, his team members are tired of his excuses.  They're tired of covering for him and they're tired of his lame reasons for getting out of the responsibility.  I'd say this is also impacting teamwork.

I'm sure there are several other consequences to Brad's behavior, but you get my point.

For the next several days, ask yourself these questions

§           What are my hot buttons costing me?

§           How are they getting in the way of what I want for myself?

§           What changes am I willing to make now?

Let me know how you do!