The Flexible Ruler Style of Work

Flexible ruler might seem like an oxymoron to some, and until the recent past it would have been. Today, flexible rulers really do exist.

And, more and more – flexible rules also exist in the workplace. Telecommuting and flexibility programs are terms used to describe arrangements whereby valued employees are permitted to work remotely, to come into the office for meetings only, to work during alternate hours, or a combination of all.

However, these types of programs are not entirely ubiquitous despite the extensive technological advances which easily support such arrangements. Why is that?

There are two fundamental reasons:

1. The office environment cannot support external employees - despite, or perhaps as a result of, technological advances, business move at the speed of light. One direct-to-voicemail missed call or a slow email server can spell inefficiency when the main office has already resolved and moved on from an issue in which the remote worker is still enmeshed. Adding to that less than perfect communication skills, and the operation will quickly become out of sync. A well-choreographed dance occurs among remote and main office-based workers, which relies on trust and the ability of one party to lead. Therefore, if you are the remote employee or a manager of one, basic rules of telecommuting should be examined prior entering into such an arrangement.
2. Employees cannot be trusted to work [independently] – I have never been the clock-watching type of employee nor manager. Where there is work to be done, it will be done – at 4am, 11pm or anytime in between that I can spare in order to meet deadlines. Therefore, it would make sense that where the work gets done should not matter either, correct? Unfortunately, whether in a traditional office environment or a remote office, many managers simply cannot trust that work is being accomplished unless the employees are under their nose to oversee. In my mind, and simply put – then you may have hired the wrong employee. ( Of course, there are times when F2F brainstorming, meetings or physical proximity to other employees/office infrastructure is essential.) However, in a less black and white world, we would all be better served if we simply observed the rules of results-based management.

But how do you know they’re working if you can’t see them? That question, and the fact that it’s asked so often, points to a real problem with management today. Whether your employees are down the hall or thousands of miles away, if you’re not measuring by results, you really don’t know who’s working and who isn’t. ~ Kate Lister

No longer are flexible work hours an exception; in fact, many of the most successful companies (including those in the Fortune 500) have embraced flexible work arrangements as an essential business strategy because it prodcuces greater productivity and innovation within its employee base.

When you ignore the where, when, and how work is done, and focus on results, your employees are more productive,more creative, and more successful. ~ Kate Lister & Tom Harnish

Results-based management should not be perceived as a new, innovative, complex concept. In its simplicity lies its efficacy – focus on what needs to be done and hire the people who can get it done. When those two factors are present, wearing pajamas versus pin-stripes really should not matter.

Stay tuned for my next post on freeing your mind by shifting your workspace.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

IMAGE Courtesy of…….RapidOnline

Autonomy..or, in other words…Nobody Owns Me…

au*ton*o*my
[au-ton-uh-mee ]
-Noun
Independence or freedom, as of the will or one’s actions.

A strange phenomenon has been occurring in my family for my whole life – wherever there was work to be done, advice to be given and opportunity to be had, my father – an educated, independent, successfully self-made man – would be in its midst, energized by the possibilities which lay within each endeavor. Today, despite being “retired”, he is busier than ever…his dance card full helping internal constituents with neither the intent nor expectation of remuneration – even more of a unique phenomenon!

I never understood where the desire, far less for the energy, to enthusiastically keep working/exploring/helping came from…to me, work was work. If it was supposed to be fun, they would have called it fun. A means to make a living, pay bills, exert some effort and hopefully make good on the education I had been given. Quite frankly, at times work felt like drudgery and at other times a drain on my psyche.

The latter mindset and emotions led me, over one year ago, to reevaluate my position literally and figuratively. I simply could not make myself subscribe to the daily grind any longer and felt as though I was not only wasting my own time, but more importantly wasting everyone else’s because nothing I did came from my heart. (my brain was fried at this stage, too, but we won’t mention that.) Despite how risk-averse a being I am, I took the greatest risk: electing to walk away from it all with not even a solid Plan B, and re-evaluate…

Then a strange turn of events occurred – some may call it irony, others destiny.

… I was afforded the opportunity (and I do not use that word lightly) to resume parts of my former position, but only those parts which capitalized on my strengths and to which I could legitimately contribute, without being tied to the balance of responsibilities my former position held. I know what you are thinking, because I was, too! Surely, too good to be true. I was hesitant at best, and concerned that I was walking right back through the doors from whence I’d come and this time, the doors would slap me as they swung closed behind me on my way back in. But, grateful for the opportunity and wanting in part to give back to the employers who had been so good to me during my tenure, I made a vow to entertain the offer and contribute what I could… a win-win for us all, I told myself.

But if I am to be honest- I am the big winner. For I have learned the difference - the difference between: doing because you have to versus doing because you want to; doing what you are inherently good at and enjoy versus doing what is demanded with no choice other than to comply; doing when there is the opportunity to take a risk and learn something versus doing when there is the risk of losing yourself. And most importantly, the difference between doing what I can within my own limits, therefore producing a high quality result with mettle and energy left for the next endeavor – versus overextending myself for the sake of getting the job done and losing the desire to do anymore…then,everyone loses.

And although I know not what the future holds, be it another full-time position or a continuation of this semi-entrepreneurial exploratory phase, I will take the lessons and gifts that autonomy has brought me, fear not the possibility of defining both my strengths and boundaries, and ensure that the extent of my efforts remain my own choice, driven by my own motivation, and reflective of the fact that nobody owns me.

Wishing You Success in Finding Your Own Autonomy,
Natalya

Killing Them with Kindness…Corporate Kindness

We have all heard the saying: “kill them with kindness”…and what about one of my newest favorites: “don’t mistake my kindness for weakness…”

Quite frankly, and in my humble opinion (which we all realize isn’t so humble if I am voicing it here ) – kindness is often overrated!!! True kindness, like that which comes from a nun, priest or Mother Teresa – is not overrated – nor the small acts of kindness which come unexpectedly to us from those we love and who love us. Not overrated at all.

But there is a whole other society of kindness – let’s call it “Corporate kindness” which still has not come into its own. I have worked in the Corporate world, pseudo-Corporate world, and liaised with Corporate clients long enough to know that kindness is not well appreciated in these circles. Why? Perhaps because it may not have a place – as kind as you may be to a co-worker or colleague, let us not forget the reason everyone’s there: to earn a paycheck, meet deadlines, produce results, and stay away from trouble. Work = Work. Work ≠ Fun and Work ≠ Charity , otherwise we’d all call it ‘Fun’ or ‘Charity’, wouldn’t we?

Workplace kindness can and is often misplaced and misunderstood. Kindness, in fact, can become controversial in the Corporate environment. Some may mistake kindness for manipulation, others for competition, still others for weakness, and a vast majority for unprofessionalism.

Kindness is readily perceived as an attribute of a human being, not necessarily that of a solid worker, manager, director, VP or CEO. Kindness is a close sibling to compassion and character and associates nicely with respect and fair play – aren’t those key attributes of someone you would want to hire (?); yet it remains a step often left unwritten in employee handbooks.

But kindness can be just as easily cultivated as it is dismissed. It is a top down and bottom up trait. Those on the top who practice Corporate kindness can set the emotional tone, and those on the bottom can maintain it – thereby producing a reciprocity which could potentially filter throughout an organization and across departments and business units. I know , Crayola just invented a crayon the color of naïve, but I do believe it’s possible. In looking back on my own experiences, the superiors for whom I worked the hardest were inherently the kindest; and the employees to whom I was the kindest deserved it most for their character and work ethic.

Realize, however, that some in an organization may simply not possess the capacity to know, understand or be kind. They may continue to dismiss or look down upon the trait as weak or useless and proceed with their stoic/manipulative/scheming ways. But, wouldn’t it be great if they were the exception and not the rule?

Yes, work certainly is about getting things done, producing results and earning a living – but I would argue that kinder Corporate cultures cultivate more productive employees who, in turn, produce better results. If you take care of the emotions of those who take care of your business, your business may just take care of itself.

Try a little kindness….

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

If You Enjoyed This, You May Also Like:

1. Caring…With a Capital C
2. Employees Learn What Managers Live
3. Transparency vs. Authenticity: Which is More Powerful?

A…B…C is for COMMUNICATION

Reprinted with the Permission of Workshifting,

A…B…C is for COMMUNICATION
By Natalya Sabga
July 16, 2010

We all think we know how to communicate, right? As children, we learn how to talk; as adults our vocabularies increase as does our knowledge of both verbal and non-verbal queues. To borrow from an overused cliche: “It’s not only what you say, but how you say it…” Wellllll…maybe, yes, ok. But what about when you say it, how much of it you say and to whom it’s said?

In the world of project management, communication is KEY. It’s so key in fact, it’s one of the Project Management Institute’s nine knowledge areas. And, as any well-seasoned project manager knows – and as any new PM will soon find out – communication breakdowns can spell a project’s certain demise. My mantra has always been, “when in doubt, OVERcommunicate.” We all have too many emails in our inboxes anyway; leave it to the recipient to decide if they need the information or not.

If there is relevant and timely information which pertains to a project, disseminate it!!! I have never had a stakeholder nor project resource tell me to stop bombarding them with emails about a project, but I have certainly been involved in instances whereby a simple FYI would have gone a long way toward keeping stakeholder’s anxieties at bay and resources and schedules on track.

In particular, if a project has met with any type of constraint ( be it a resource, budget or scheduling constraint) or dependencies are preventing a milestone from being met – communicating potential roadblocks will help a PM avoid having to ask forgiveness at best or admit project failure at worst. Although you do not want to instill unnecessary concerns or “cry wolf” if you will, when there is the definite potential for adjustments or parallel pathing, your stakeholders need to know.

Effectively, the art of project management involves delicately balancing a defined scope with identified deliverables, the resources involved in managing these deliverables, in order to ultimately reach milestones within an acceptable timeframe and budget. If any of these items stand to be affected, the three ‘Cs’ are your best friends: Communicate, Communicate, Communicate. Remember – one of the distinct advantages of being a project manager is the implicit trust you earn from those relying on you to steer a project to success; embedded in that trust is a willingness for your voice to be heard – so don’t be afraid to use it. It’s your “responsibility” !!!

At the same time, use the tools which have been created just for your project management pleasure – tools such as MS Project and Visio are invaluable visuals which can communicate the progress of your project and any changes therein. I vividly recall managing a dual datacenter build for a methodical Japanese client (who also happened to be the parent company!), and when faced with project roadblocks for which I could neither excuse nor prevent, my constant Visio timeline updates won me all the brownie points that I needed to overcome an inevitable shift in delivery date. If you’re not a techie, which I certainly am not, there are numerous tutorials and resources available to learn how to use these tools.

We all take comfort when uncertainties are minimized, and there is no better way to ensure that those who need to know are in the know than by communicating. And whether you are a professional project manager or managing a life project such as a new home purchase or renovation or enrolling in a new school, the same rules apply. A…B…C is for COMMUNICATION. You would not settle for mis-information so don’t settle for a lack thereof either.

Project Management for the NEW Home Owner

I’m often asked how project management can be used outside the boardroom or office cubicle, and more specifically, how I use project management in general and in life. And, until recently, I thought I’d been using it pretty darn well – so well, in fact, that I conceptualized and am in the process of creating an entire new book around it.

Well, I have President Obama to thank for proving me wrong. Enter the 2009-2010 new home buyer’s tax credit and watch my motivation to become a first time homeowner soar. Until…closing day. While most people would look forward to and celebrate this moment, I faced the closing table with no small amount of dread and an increased, intense Excel worksheet frenzy late into the nights. When all was said and done, and none of it had even begun yet (!), I had a worksheet with too-many-to-count carefully color-coded, columnized tabs – there was a tab for PRE-Closing steps and documents, AT Closing, POST-Closing, Change of Address Lists, Vendor Lists, Cable-Internet-Phone-FPL-Utilities-to-Connect&Disconnect Lists, Furniture-I-Own Lists, Furniture-I’d-Like-to-Own lists…..etc, etc.

Armed with Microsoft Corp. on my side, what could go wrong?! Well, fortunately, Excel aside, it was a textbook closing and all went well! Yet, instead of popping a bottle of champagne at the closing table, I needed a bottle of Advil. I could not wait to jump up and get home to update my spreadsheet. Strange, some may think , but not really – certainly not for me! The keys were mine, and renovations could commence – but more importantly, the real planning could proceed in all its glory! Project planning, that is….Microsoft Project and all of its delights were going to be my new best friends…deliverables, milestones, predecessors…I simply could not wait to identify and track them all! On my critical path: painting and flooring. The paint an obvious predecessor to the floors, and the floors with a ’start no earlier than’ paint constraint. Fortunately, these two items were the only items on the critical path to move-in day. So, once complete, I could set a move-in date.

I already had movers lined-up. Oh, and by the way, my current apartment had been packed up for 7 months, save for the daily essentials needed to live (anyone who knows me would not be surprised). I even had a genius friend map out my current furniture to scale of the new house (!!!) in VISIO (thanks again, Microsoft, we love you) so I knew where all of the pieces would fit in my new home.

So, what was the problem? I was wrought with anxiety, sweating the small stuff, and fearful of all things new-home-owner-centric. Regardless of how many lists I made, project plan deliverables met, and boxes packed – I did not feel ready. I felt overwhelmed and certain that any move-in date I set would not hit its target. Would my very own first home be the first project of mine to colossally fail?

Stepping back for a moment, and taking deep breaths, I had an epiphany. In that moment of clarity and temporary sanity, I stopped berating myself for how badly I was managing my own project, and forgave myself for trying to solve the move, instead of simply living it.

I did berate myself, however, for failing to recall two primary tenets of good project management:

1. Rolling Wave (not) Crashing - Rolling wave project planning (RWPP) is a phased, iterative approach to project planning and implementation. When done well, it balances structured processes with flexibility.* It was readily apparent to me that there was a clear imbalance between my project planning ( too strong) and project execution (weak and anxiety-ridden). If I continued on the path of everything-needs-to-be-done NOW and BY ME, my project would surely crash.
2. Resource Management - There is no ‘I’ in Project Team. Why? Because every project manager is only as strong as the resources assigned to his/her project. And, typically, the PM is not the one with the technical expertise – the resources all bring a special skill to make the project work as a whole. So, I had to not only recognize but also accept that I needed help – I reallllllyyyyy needed help – not only movers to move, but people I knew who knew more than I did about…landscaping, sprinklers, patio cobwebs, light fixtures, paint, and decor, and who were willing to jump in to help without even the promise of a sandwich or donut in return because I was just too busy to stop and feed them. And accepting that I needed help meant, in turn, accepting that I would need to let go of control and learn patience.

So, therein lies a prime example of good intentions gone awry. Instead of willing my new-home-project forward, I had to awaken to the truth that it would be a process not a finish line, and I should celebrate milestones along the way instead of stumbling over them to prove that the project could be closed.

Something tells me that I will be compiling the “Lessons Learned” from this project for a long, long time to come.

VERY SPECIAL THANKS to all those who assisted me during this process…in word and in deed. You KNOW who you are!!! They deserve a standing ovation for making this happen – not only the time and effort expended but for simply tolerating me during this time of anxiety and preparation. And, an extra thanks to a wonderful real estate agent who led me, after a year-long search, to a home better than any I could have dreamed, and to Dad for spotting the diamond in a housing market full of rocks. Stay tuned for my follow up post…”House Hunting as a Metaphor for Life…”

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

* RWPP definition credits: Gregory D. Githens, PMP, Catalyst Management Consulting

A Pebble of Praise – The Power of Recommendations

I recently received a very unexpected recommendation from my colleague, Sharlyn Lauby on the professional networking site, LinkedIn. I urge you to check out her blog at hrbartender.com, for some of the most insightful, informative and well-executed thoughts that exist in the blogosphere.

Now, while I have been fortunate to enjoy a certain measure of accolades and praise in my professional career and been truly humbled by it, I very rarely stop to pay much attention to the recognition, if any at all. I do what I do because it’s what I want to do and how I need to do it. That means I treat my work, colleagues and deadlines with the respect they deserve, which often results [hopefully] in valuable output. Having said that, Sharlyn’s recommendation made me STOP. I appreciated her feedback, more so than any amount of praise and even more than other recommendations I’ve received, because I admire how she operates and the high level of quality which is part of everything she does. In that sense, her words about me forced me to recognize the level of quality and standards in my own work that I had failed to notice or appreciate myself.

So, whether you are in a professional setting or simply among friends, do not overlook the power of sincere praise and recognition. We all need it, whether we know it or not. And, particularly if you are a person whom your friends and associates like and respect, your acknowledgment of their contributions will be worth something to them – worth quite a bit, in fact.

Furthermore, the act of praise often has a domino effect: if you praise or recognize another, they will not only take greater pride in what they do, therefore enhancing their future output and contributions; but they will also be more likely to praise and recognize someone else.

If you simply stop and take the time to acknowledge someone who has made a difference, that small pebble of praise will have a ripple effect through infinite numbers of lives and levels of output.

If a pebble hitting the water in one location will affect the water on a much greater scale than one can comprehend, just imagine what your words of praise could do to the universe….

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

*Image courtesy of zaksiddons

Breaking All the Rules

I am not good at everything and managing people is certainly no exception. Take that one step further, I am even worse at listening to employees’ needs when my desk is piling up with projects, deadlines and issues needing solutions. I would venture to say that I am not alone.

Over the course of the past 5 weeks, I was fortunate enough to participate in a Management & Leadership seminar conducted by a company called Third Level, held at my former full-time stomping ground. Part leadership training, part high-level executive coaching, and part professional therapy, “Third Level” is no misnomer; the talented leaders of that firm encourage their executive coaching clients to manage to those above, below and laterally AND to go to that next, i.e. “Third” level, in decision-making, intuition, when listening to others, and when listening to oneself. During last week’s class, the instructor introduced us to a study conducted by Buckingham and Coffman entitled “First Break All the Rules!” For all of us leaders and managers alike who fail to listen to what our employees really need, and who were not listened to when we performed in the role of someone else’s employee – this list is for YOU, and you, and you, and me, too….

First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently

Buckingham and Coffman set out, in Gallup poll style, to conduct interviews with 80,000 managers in over 400 companies – the largest study of its kind – resulting in discovery of the TOP twelve definitive questions to ask your employees that measure the strength of your workplace.

NOTE: the questions listed below fell statistically in the TOP TWELVE of all questions asked. You may be surprised….

1. Do I know what’s expected of me at work?

2. Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?

3. At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?

4. In the last 7 days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?

5. Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?

6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?

7. At work, do my opinions seem to count?

8. Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel my job is important?

9. Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?

10. Do I have a best friend at work?

11. In the last six months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress?

12. This last year, have I had opportunities at work to learn and to grow?

Some of these questions may resonate more loudly with you than others, depending on your own experiences managing or being managed. For example, none resonated more loudly with me than number 3:At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day? Already a huge fan of Marcus Buckingham and his strength-based role-theory, when placed in a position (i.e., managing other people and playing politics) which does not utilize my greatest strengths and skills, I will jump ship lest I be set up to live a miserable existence at best and to fail or compromise my integrity at worst.

Take number 7: At work, do my opinions seem to count? How many times have we all not only worked tirelessly on a project, but also took it with us on our drive home, losing sleep and the ability to interact with our family in a human manner, in an effort to produce the best solution for the company – only to get to work the next day and realize someone else decided to do it their way, and all of your research and mental energies were for naught.

I could go on and on, but I won’t, as each question will mean something different yet surprisingly the same to each of you. This is why the questions above constituted the TOP TWELVE.

Be prepared to have your current thinking about what motivates or de-motivates YOU at work and in life, AND what really matters in the psyche of employees and us all, challenged if you choose to First, Break All The Rules.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

What I Wish I’d Known Before I Went Out Into the “Real World”…

In my book, I talk about my entrée into a world I once called “Corporate Utopia.” For anyone who has read Sir Thomas More’s work you would know that [ or, if you haven’t…] Utopia refers to a an ideal community or society. Let us also note that More did not consider such a place to be realistically feasible. So, I tend, then, to wonder: why did I…?

Regardless of how worldly, educated or confident you think you are, you will undoubtedly face challenges yet-unknown when you take on a new job, role or lifestyle. That is why it is called the ‘unknown.’ Of course, you may carry attributes and lessons learned into said new territory, but they will always require a new application for the new experience. Still, we would all agree that skills we learn along the way in life should prepare us to handle ourselves in basic situations, correct? But, often times, they don’t. And, unlike school, in life the F’s are more important than the A’s , for from failure we learn the most.

To that end, and in honor of someone I admire greatly, Maria Shriver, here are a few of the “Things I Wish I’d Learned Before I Went Out Into the Real World”…

1. Communication Skills: If “ ‘A’ is for Attitude”, well of course, “ ‘C’ is for Communication.” What I mean by that is, that without adequate written and verbal communication skills, your chances of truly being successful are slim to none. This does not mean that your emails need to be Shakespearean in nature nor that you need speak as smoothly as Hillary or Bill Clinton, but it does mean that you need to be aware of correct grammar and be concise when writing emails, memos and reports and that you think before you speak whether in a meeting, informal conversation or during a presentation. If you can communicate your ideas and yourself adequately, that will “speak volumes” for your aptitude at what you do.
2. Personal Development: Your brain is a muscle, and it needs exercise like every other muscle in your body, to stay strong. So many times we work so hard, and focus on doing the best job possible – until one day we wake up and realize we are robots. If you have the time and mental clarity to identify not only what you’d like to be better at doing, but what you would really enjoy doing and learning how to – seek out opportunities for personal development, growth and continuing education. You never know where it might lead you….
3. Interacting With Others: I have to laugh as I approach this one. My forte is not interacting with others, especially when I first walk into the office, before adequate coffee consumption and when work is piling up on my desk. While I am not anti-social, I am focused and not loquacious by nature. However, that does not exempt me (or you) from being cordial and interacting with others when professional duty calls – whether at a meeting, problem-solving session, or client dinner. It’s all part of the job and/or career choice you are making. And, unless your desk sits atop Mt. Everest, learn to expect interruptions; but also learn how to deal with them by a) being organized and planning ahead so you are not constantly chasing the 8-ball and b) be honest if you truly have a hard deadline or need quiet time to focus on a task. If your office protocol does not smile upon closed doors, or if you don’t have a door, a nice note taped up to the barely-ajar door and/or cubicle wall requesting respectful silence and space while you work on the task is acceptable!
4. Whom to Emulate and How Not to Follow the Wrong Leader: The term “management style” is overused and misunderstood, IMHO. Saying that you follow a particular style of management is like saying you are the identical twin of a complete stranger who looks and acts nothing like you. Forge your own style, best practices and standards by which to live and work; don’t judge how someone else handles themselves in a certain position until you, too, hold that position and can decide what it takes to succeed doing it; and don’t model your behavior nor knowledge after someone just because their title says you should or others are – but DO study them so you can form your own opinions of them, emulate their strong points and avoid their weaknesses.
5. The Meaning of Loyalty: I never expected loyalty from anyone with whom I worked, and I count this as one of my more wise deductions. The person you are at work – where your ego, professional identity, and means to support your family reside – is not necessarily who you are at heart, deep down and when completely relaxed. Therefore, to expect loyal behavior from people in a work environment is not always realistic. Having said that, the same rules apply – the Golden Rule, that is. Do Unto Others…..etc etc. Particularly if you find yourself in a management position, remember that your employees depend on you for guidance, moral support, trust, and knowledge the same way a toddler relies on its parents for food, clothing and protection. And, if they cannot rely on you, rest assured that eventually your team won’t be able to rely on their output.
6. Choose Your “Friends”Carefully… : It is very true, you do attract more bees with honey than with vinegar; but when you enter a professional environment, you must ask yourself if you are there to make friends or to get a job done. Sometimes you may need to be friendly in order to get the job done, but ultimately the goal is the latter not the former. Of course, when many of us work upwards of 8, 10, 11 hours or more a day, it is natural to not only gravitate but also bond with those around you; however, never let your guard down completely, and build your life outside of your workspace with other people and influencers. Reference the above category, ” The Meaning of Loyalty ” – if you depend too fully on those with whom you work, eventually a work-related issue will arise and your “friendship” may be compromised.
7. The Definition of Intelligence: You are not smarter than anyone and, by the same token, no one is smarter than you. Perhaps you have more experience in a certain area or a heightened insight into particular issues, but we can all learn something from those around us. Sometimes, we learn how not to be or act. And, If you happen to meet someone who thinks and acts as though they are smarter (translate, better) than you, picture yourself doing their job (perhaps with a little training) and you will see clearly that there is no divide.
8. The Difference Between Being a Team Player and Setting Yourself Up to Fail: I have always been a BIG believer that “ ‘A’ is for Attitude” – project optimism and a ‘Can Do’ attitude and your perception will become your reality. But, along the way, ‘A’ also became for AUTHENTICITY. Be true to what is realistic, for you and for the big picture; and where you must project some measure of pessimism or doubt, come equipped with work-around for those issues and create a winning solution.
9. Giving Up Credit [Where Credit is Due]: My father always taught us, if someone else takes credit for your work and effort, then clearly they feel they need it more than you ever could. While praise and credit for your work is not only important, but also a means of differentiating yourself in this unstable economy, choose carefully how to handle a situation whereby you feel that you have been robbed of credit for your efforts. If only for momentary glory, let it go. YOU know you did it and could do it again, so sleep soundly with that confidence and move on with your life. If your job stability relies on it, step aside, take your emotions out of the equation and approach your superior(s) with facts that corroborate your contributions and why it is so important that they know it was your work.
10. Self-Fulfilling Prophecies are NOT a Myth: To quote from a well-known song, “If I can see it, then I can do it…If I just believe it, there’s nothing to it…” Believe in yourself, because if you do not, no one else will either. Contrarily, if you do believe in yourself, why shouldn’t everyone else, too?
11. We All Have a “Number “ We Think We’re Worth: …But you KNOW you’re worth more than they’re paying you. OK, I will tread carefully in this area, particularly in the economic climate in which we reside. I will preface this postulation by saying that you should first consider the budgetary constraints faced or flexibility within the scope of those determining how much you are paid. With that disclaimer noted ( I feel much better) – know your own output, the effort which goes into it compared to others’ efforts around you and the quality of the output. If those three variables add up to more than your paycheck, then there is room for discussion. Companies should always want to a) keep and b) reward their top performers, but sometimes the decision makers lose perspective and lose sight of your needs. Be the squeaky wheel, but realize that if times are tough for your organization, your rewards may not necessarily come in the form of $$$. The option to telecommute, take additional paid time–off or other non-fiduciary perks may just suffice!

Wishing You Success “In the Real World”,
Natalya

Transparency versus Authenticity: Which is More Powerful?

In my daily world, there is a new buzz word. It’s “transparency”. Transparency in business can mean many a thing, from the open disclosure of certain policies to a company’s public constituents or its own employees, to public statements and press releases, to dialogues between manager and employee, etc….

I should qualify that my daily world consists, in large part, of dealing with business – building business, making organizations stronger, smarter and more productive, and ensuring that the most important assets of an organization –its people – are fulfilled, educated, successful and working to their strengths.

But, I would argue that – the focus is on the wrong word.

Authenticity [aw-then-tis-i-tee]
–noun

The quality of being genuine or not corrupted from the original; Truthfulness of origins, attributions, commitments, sincerity, and intentions; The quality of being authentic (of established authority)

~ www.wiktionary.org

Authenticity is correlated to transparency – where there is a lack of transparency, there is sure to be the absence of authenticity. In the place that authenticity does not exist, neither can transparency. In fact, I would be bold enough to say that authenticity is a pre-cursor to transparency, in business and in life.

Case Study 1: the Business Scenario

You are working to a deadline, 10-12 hour days, meetings abound, your focus is unwavering. But, let’s face it – when the adrenaline ebbs, exhaustion and frustration flow. Yet, you keep smiling, portraying that ‘A is for Attitude’ team player role and smiling humbly when your superiors tell you what a great job you’re doing. Meanwhile, said superiors are going about their own business, stressed out by deadlines currently unknown to you but soon to be your next project; and they, too, keep smiling. A simple “How are you?” in the hallway is met with “I’m GRRRRREAT! Life is good!” But is it?

For a truly authentic person, i.e. he/she who knows his/her own truth and is not afraid to live it and express it, life may not be great at that moment. It may, in fact, be stressful, tiring and a means to an end. And, displaying the human emotions of exhaustion, fear and perseverance as a result should not be frowned upon. I would suggest that if these emotions were expressed and understood, perhaps more of us could feel acknowledged and subsequently empowered to keep going, instead of flattened like the product of a silicon rolling pin. Yet, when met with the Mr. Superficial and Ms. Inauthentic on the management team, all of a sudden transparency becomes opaque and authenticity unacceptable. Whether willing to admit to it or not, we are starving for and striving for some measure of authenticity. We want our leaders, colleagues and everyone with whom we interact on a professional basis to simply be themselves and live the truth.

Why is something so simple so difficult to achieve? Perhaps the pandemic of inauthenticity derives from a ubiquitous crisis of confidence. ‘CYA’ surpasses ‘Be Yourself.’ We are often taught, subliminally, that it is more important to be accepted, liked, and approachable than to be true. In fact, there are studies occurring to this end, on what has been coined as “Organizational Silence” – when you know or feel a truth yet dare not speak it; when employees realize that what is required is to put the organization’s well-being before one’s own. Some may fear looking unintelligent, being chastised or ridiculed by one’s superiors, losing an already tenuous grasp on perceived power, that validating someone’s honesty may result in one’s own professional demise. These forces and emotions occur at all levels within organizations; as a result, ironically, this “silence” is inbred and reinforced at all organizational levels.

Similarly, shades of “Organizational Silence” are not solely present in the business world. Enter:

Case Study 2: Life

Shades of societal silence are cast upon us in childhood and travel with us into our adult relationships and family life. We are taught to be non-confrontational, not to cause a fight, to be loyal to family just because they’re family even when they may act like foes, and to “pick our fights” in relationships instead of expressing how we really feel and unlocking the doors to authentic communication. Unless….perhaps if we are blessed to have role models who are authentic, who do not fear the repercussions of integrity and expressions of truth – then we may not only overcome but also outgrow the legacy of societal silence that is cast upon us and ultimately mature into fully transparent, confident and authentic role models ourselves.

Authenticity is about enjoying a new sense of freedom to be who we really are—ourselves, natural and without a mask in our relationships, our work and our life. It takes courage, commitment and depth.

~ Mike Robbins, Author of Be Yourself: Everyone Else Is Already Taken

In many ways, being authentic – which we have already established leads to being transparent – takes courage, vulnerability, inner strength and confidence. So, no, it’s not for the weak-knee’d nor faint of heart, but it is for anyone wishing to break down walls of inner turmoil and shed superficial skin. Just remember, if you’re true to yourself – you will expend far less effort trying to be something you’re not to someone who probably isn’t being real either. When presented with the choice to be authentic, take it and let the light of truth which shines from you illuminate the path for those watching from behind…

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

Caring, with a Capital C

So, on the heels of my most recent post “WHY Employees Break the Chain of Command,” in which I essentially bashed [some] managers for their inertia and breaches of confidence, I will now make up for that by discussing the manager who CARES.

I don’t mean the manager who is pleasant, funny, nor who smiles at the right times and says thanks for all your hard work. We can all do that on any given day.

People will go anywhere and do anything for that person who cares like they really mean it-and, puts that caring into action.

~ Howard Behar *

I consider myself a generally kind and compassionate person; at least I try to be. I cannot say the same about me as a manager of people. I faced the fact a long time ago that I am too task-oriented, too deep into the details to see or “care” what other variables exist, and too insistent that the job get done.

BUT, that does not mean that I have not had a few caring managers, myself. Two come to mind, in fact – they each had as much at stake in reaching goals and satisfying the bottom line, but they never allowed that to cloud their judgment when real human issues arose – family crises, personal meltdowns and human mistakes. They managed to the human factor as the rule, not the exception.

Caring… is not a corporate skill, it is a human skill.

~ Howard Behar *

They cared, one employee at a time and one issue at a time. And you know what, the businesses they each manage did not fail as a result of all kinds of willy-nilly peace love and happiness. In fact, they stand strong today with loyal teams and a culture of carefully cultivated caring.

So, when at work, put the people with whom you work first and their effort will follow…

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

* Stay tuned for future posts in my aptly entitled “The Starbucks Series”, inspired by Howard Behar, and his book: _It’s Not About the Coffee_…

WHY Employees Break the Chain of Command *

Has a co-worker, friend or family member ever come to you after an incident with his/her superior, feeling as though they had been stepped upon, ignored, betrayed and undermined?

Well, if you have not experienced this yet, chances are you will…

Leading causes of employee dis-satisfaction and management circumvention include, but are not limited to:

• Management Inertia = A superior’s lack of respect for deadlines or the importance of actions they may need to take in order for you to do your job. Leading to extreme frustration, an employee may feel that they need to be heard by a higher power before the manager’s lack of time and task management adversely affects the employee’s ability to do his/her job. So, they circumvent the middle manager and head directly to a senior leader.
• Management Breach of Confidentiality = Taking an employee’s expressions of concern or frustration and bringing it to the attention of senior leaders (i.e. the manager’s manager). This typically happens when a manager is in CYA mode, or, a manager is using the employee’s concerns as a scapegoat for a possible failed project and blame being placed on the manager for that failure. In this case, the employee may feel the need to plead his/her case to senior leaders, so they know the true context in which the frustration and concern was expressed, proving that the employee really did have the best interest of the project in mind.

From an employee’s perspective, rest assured, they realize that they are side-stepping the normal and accepted chain of command; however, many a time they are willing to accept those consequences in order to truly get the job done and/or clear their own name.

I am not an advocate of management circumvention, but if you find yourself under the direction of a manager who repeatedly does not respect your work efforts enough to respond to your needs or chooses to expose your feedback in an unattractive manner – consider going to senior management for advice. Then, accept that the outcome may not be in your favor, depending on what level of politics are at play. Still, hedge your bets that if the quality of your work speaks for itself, senior management will listen to you and assist you in getting the job done. And, if none of these options work in your favor – recognize that this workplace may not be the one for you; because, if they will not respect your commitment to achieving their goals, find a place that will…!

If you enjoyed this post, you may want to visit or re-visit my previous posts: “The Peanut Butter Sandwich Syndrome (aka Middle Management)” and “Employees Learn What Managers Live...”

* Based on an article in Strategy & Business.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

Employees Learn What Managers Live

Growing up, my mother had a colorful wall hanging that read: “Children Learn What Their Parents Live…” followed by a poem extolling the virtues that every parent should possess.

I was always attracted to the wall hanging’s colors, but never very fond of the poem, perhaps because it was too esoteric for a child to read.

Only recently did I realize that the same concept can apply to the workplace and the employee-manager relationship. Employees learn what managers live.

From what I have observed, employees tend to adopt one of two schools of thought on this hierarchical relationship:

1. The ” in-five-minutes-before-and-leave-5- minutes-after” theory: in this scenario, employees carefully time their entree and exits to effect the perception that they are “working harder/putting in more time” than their direct superiors (managers, directors, etc) and therefore proving their work ethic. Does not matter if the 5 minutes “before” are spent checking Facebook nor if the 5 minutes “after” are spent glossing one’s lips for a dinner date. All that matters is that your manager sees your car in the parking lot as he/she walks in and then again when he/she leaves for the day. Preferably in the same parking spot, indicating that dedication to work prevented even a lunch break.
2. The ‘won’t-do-anything-he-is-not-willing-to-do-himself” theory: in this scenario, employees carefully observe what it is their direct superiors (managers, directors, etc) are willing to do – whether the task is above or below their respective pay grade – but more importantly, what they are not willing to do. Consciously or otherwise, employees’ behaviors are then based on adopting the same patterns as their direct superiors. Interestingly enough, even if you were hired to refill the company refrigerator with water for the staff, if you don’t ever see your direct superior carrying a case him/herself, then you may begin to resent the menial task to which you have been assigned- whether this consists of paper pushing or water carrying.

Fortunately during my career, I have worn both hats – that of manager and that of employee.

I have had employees of the ” in-five-minutes-before-and-leave-5- minutes-after” flavor; quite frankly, I never looked at the clock if work was being done and deadlines met. Working smart is far more important than painting a picture of working hard. I have also been an employee, starting from the bottom rung of the ladder, and never failing to be impressed with and motivated by my superiors who showed me how it was done with their own two hands, from the most menial manually laborious tasks to the most quantitative profit share calculation, and who demonstrated doing it again and again when duty called.

So, if you are that manager/superior – be sure to examine your own actions and set the example you want your own employees to follow. And, if you are that employee, focus on your tasks more and the clock less; if you have superiors who are clock watchers and your position does not warrant adhering to an exact schedule, don’t be afraid to break the timer, leave for lunch, and prove that the quality of your work will not suffer.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya

Stay tuned for a follow-up post, ” Why Employees Break the Chain of Command” based on a study done by Strategy & Business…

The Peanut Butter Sandwich Syndrome (aka Middle Management)

Anyone who has ever partaken of a peanut butter sandwich can relate to the feeling of the gooey spread becoming stuck to the top of one’s mouth and how tired a tongue can get trying to make it “unstick” so chewing can resume.

But has anyone ever stopped to think how the peanut butter feels, spread thinly across 2 slices of bread and then pressed tightly together so the bread is glued together? If you have ever been a manager in a corporate, educational, retail or other environment, you might just relate….

By definition, a middle manager (the peanut butter) is the conduit between senior management and the employee (two slices of bread). A middle manager’s job is to ensure that departmental goals are achieved, timelines are met, budgets are not exceeded, meetings are represented, and superiors are kept well informed, while simultaneously monitoring employees’ performance without micromanaging and being the answer for the employees’ every knowledge gap, human resource issue and emotional meltdown.

You’re rarely involved in decisions yet the solutions consist largely of your efforts.

A little fluff with that peanut butter is sounding rather nice right about now, to ease the crush and buffer the thin spread…

Unless you are callous, detached and uncaring, being a middle manager can be stressful and thankless at times.

Not everyone is made for management nor should managers be made simply because an employee excels in his/her individual performance. Individual aptitude rarely translates into group-think.

Often times, the money is in management, but before you accept the offer and climb to the next rung on the ladder ask yourself if the price you’re about to be paid is going to be worth the price you pay. While you’re at it, check out a great related post from one of my favorite colleagues, the HR Bartender.

Wishing You Success,
Natalya