Management Craft

Fireside Chat with Dr. Gary Bradt

Do you have a change portfolio? Chat with Dr. Gary Bradt

During this podcast, I chat with Dr. Gary Bradt, author of The Ring in the Rubble: Dig Through Change and Find Your Next Golden Opportunity. Gary is a psychologist, change and leadership expert, and popular keynote speaker. We talk about the importance of finding opportunities (the rings) from change. Learn what you need to get rid of to create space for new opportunities.

You can listen to my podcast with the Gary Bradt by clicking here:

You can also download an MP3 version of the podcast here: MP3 Download

And just a reminder.....

Here is the Podcast Feed for the entire Fireside Chat podcast series:

To see the complete list of podcasts in this series, select the Podcasts and Webcasts category on this blog or see the list on my main website here.

You can also find this series on iTunes (and several other podcast sites), just search under my last name for Fireside Chat.

Choosing Where to Apply for a Job

How much do you pre-filter your job application responses? I was working with a woman who needs to get a new job. She was reviewing the various companies that had listed openings and after each one, she said some version of:

"I don't think I will apply there because I don't think I would want to work there."

Think back at all the jobs you have had. How right were your first impressions or thoughts about what it would be like to work there?

Here's a wee story about the funnest job I ever had - working for Black & Decker's distribution division (supporting all the locations in the US). I had a good job at a hotel corporation but was ready for something new. I was keeping an eye on the Sunday job ads (this predates the internet job search revolution) and saw an intriguing ad for a training manager. The ad did not state that the job was with Black & Decker, it was a blind ad. I sent in my resume, had a phone interview with the hiring manager, fell in love with the job and got hired.

Black & Decker ran the ad as a blind ad because they wanted to control the applicant flow - B&D had their HQ in the area and where regarded as a hot employer.

Interestingly, had the ad said the job was with Black & Decker, I probably would have said to myself, "I don't think I want to work for a tool manufacturer." Had that occurred, I would not have had what is still the funnest job experience of my career.

Here's the main point. It's the culture and the MANAGER that makes the greatest difference regarding whether you will enjoy a job. Apply to more places and focus on interviewing the hiring manager and others to determine if the job and environment is right for you.

I did a post back in 2005 on questions you can use to interview employers here.

Dress Code Woes

I like this post from the HR Capitalist called, Why Enforcing Dress Codes Will Drive All Men Out of HR. Here is a snippet:

Could the manager have had the conversation without getting you involved?  Sure.  Without saying something to get you sued?   Hmmm.   So you walk down to Cube 317 to take care of business.  You pull out speech 17b on what's appropriate or not and BAAAM!!!!  Alice tells you she has a medical condition where the spandex in the pants helps her circulation, and the slippers are the only thing her feet will fit into because of the swelling.  You look up and - I'm not joking but you guessed it - there are 20 Call Center Reps, all dressed the right way, watching what you are going to say next.

Well, female HR pros don't like spending there time on such issues either. I understand it might be more uncomfortable for men to say (in their special HR way), "hey, honey, zip up the shirt, you're making the men and some women salivate into their keyboards.

How much ought we care about dress code and why do people act dumb when they know the dress code?

1. How much ought we care? As little as possible. For workplaces that don't interact with clients - No private parts hanging out, no undergarments showing, basically (this is different in a factory where safety issues might also be a factor). If clients come into the office, then perhaps dress needs to rise to the level of "business casual." But then you get into skirt length and the materials that pants are made of. Denim, spandex, no holes or patches. Is cleavage OK if the blouse is silk but not if it's a cotton tank?

2. Why do people act dumb and wear sleazy or slimy or sloppy clothing? Adults will not make the best judgments when they don't feel connected to the workplace. If you have a workplace that is more like a impersonal factory - with extrinsic rewards being the only impetus for answering the phones with a nice tone of voice, you are going to create a workplace where people act like children. If you have to spend a lot of time enforcing dress code issues, I would say you have bigger problems than the dress code. The spandex is just the canary in the coal mine that indicates a control oriented workplace that does not foster connection, engagement, and ownership.

The more work feels like high school, the more likely you will be asked to become a hall monitor.

One more thing - you want to solve the problem of girls dressing in miniskirts and skimpy tops? Turn down the thermostat. Freeze them into some decent clothing. I'm kidding, of course.

They're Not That Into You

Remember the bestseller, He's Just Not That Into You? The author was on Oprah and everything. I thought the book enabled some great, open dialogue and I like that it got us to think about the reality that we will not appeal to everyone.

We want to be liked by everyone.
We want to be great at everything we do.
Most of us believe we are in the top 10% of performers - most of us are wrong.

I think there is an art to learning (and accepting and embracing) what you are great at and where you don't excel. This is more difficult when you are told that or you learn that you are not so great at something you really want to do. Should you shift course and change your goals and dreams? At what point might a new perspective and direction be warranted?

Rejection, failure, or disinterest is hard to take. Personally, I find disinterest the most difficult.

Here are a few indicators that might signal that a realignment of strengths and goals might be helpful:

• You have been in focused action for some time and have not produced your desired results (your butterfly wings have been flapping a lot).
• You do not have the energy or drive to get into focused action.
• You have suffered a few setbacks that all point to a potential mismatch of strengths and goals (for example, you have applied for several positions but have been told you are not the right fit).
• You are not enjoying the present.

One failure or setback is generally not enough to signal a need for realignment. There will always be setbacks. But a pattern might serve as important feedback that we should listen to.

We all have an "A Game" but most of us are B or C players. Why? Our strengths and interests and work are not aligned. We are in the wrong place and/or doing the wrong things.

It's about fit - not right or wrong or good or bad or smart or dim. If your work is not a fit to bring out your A Game, you won't likely find fit by doing the same things you have been doing in the past.

Try a new approach.
Consider a change in profession/job/scope/company.
Notice the activities that give you energy and those that sap it all out of you.
Listen to what people tell you about your strengths and weaknesses, seek candid input.

You might enjoy listening to my podcast with Marcus Buckingham that I did a few months ago - we chat about this.

Cute Seal Pup Pictures

This is too adorable not to share. Check out these pictures of baby seals resting on Alki Beach here in Seattle. This comes from my favorite neighborhood blog, The West Seattle Blog. I saw the Seal Sitters watching over the pups today, making sure no one disturbs them.

Try This Clump Grid Exercise to Focus Your Life/Work

Why do we keep doing things that take lots of time and energy and yield little benefit? Why do we ignore or under do those activities that can most enhance our lives.

An age old question with no real answer.....

Sometimes we need a visual to help us make better choices. Check out this simple grid I created:

It's simple to understand, harder to act on, right? I was feeling in a funk today (we had to say goodbye to our 16 year old poodle, Jet, last night). I get reflective about life when I am in a funk. Does that happen to you? It's a good time to take stock in what I am doing and make adjustments.

Click on this link to download and print off this grid in a one page exercise.

Download ClumpGridExercise.pdf

There are two important considerations for the exercise:

1. Include as many activities as possible. Take the time to be thorough.

2. Define "reward" wisely. This is the key, isn't it? We will each define rewards differently, but we need to be clear so we can put activities in the right boxes. And what you find rewarding might change over time. How you define rewards ought to align with your goals and how you define success.

I'm a Golden Slacker!

I am honored to be the first inductee into Slacker Manager's Order of the Golden Slacker. Check out the details here.

And here's the certificate David and Phil (The Slacker Managers) sent me:

Cool, huh? Thanks David and Phil!

Fireside Chat with Mike DeWitt

What do a mastodon hunter and a manager have in common? Chat with Mike DeWitt

During this 31 minute podcast, I chat with fellow blogger and business consultant Mike DeWitt. We have a lively conversation about management acumen and the best ways to learn how to lead. You can find Mike's blog, called Spooky Action here. Listen to this podcast to find out the three things managers and leaders most need to master to succeed.

You can listen to my podcast with the Mike DeWitt by clicking here:

You can also download an MP3 version of the podcast here: MP3 Download

And just a reminder.....

Here is the Podcast Feed for the entire Fireside Chat podcast series:

To see the complete list of podcasts in this series, select the Podcasts and Webcasts category on this blog or see the list on my main website here.

You can also find this series on iTunes (and several other podcast sites), just search under my last name for Fireside Chat.

The Starbucks Lawsuit

You've probably heard about the class action suit against Starbucks. The complainants are alleging that their jobs do not qualify for exemption (being paid a salary with no overtime) because they spend a majority of their time doing the non-exempt work of a barista.

When I hear about these big cases, I try to put myself in the position of the HR leaders of the company who were responsible for driving these decisions. Because I have been on the inside for cases like this and have had my share of conversations with wage and hour lawyers, I am left with just one response.

What were the HR leaders at Starbucks thinking?

Caveat: I just want to make it clear that I am responding based on what I am hearing in the news - I have no special/inside knowledge of the situation at Starbucks. I could be wrong and misinformed.

 

I respect Starbucks a lot and I spend thousands a year on their products. But this seems to be to be a no-brainer. We've all gone into Starbucks stores and we can see that the managers are "working managers."

The laws may vary a bit from state to state and all states must minimally comply with FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act). With all the unique jobs out there, it's is not always cut and dry to figure out which roles ought to be exempt. That said, regardless of the exemption type, all jobs need to pass the test that the exempt work takes a majority of their time. In the case of a Starbucks store manager- particularly small locations with just a few employees - one would predict that their managers spend much of the time in the front of the house.

There are a couple issues here. First, is how they interpret the regulations and how they design the jobs. Second, they need to make decisions that are right  - in compliance and in both the employees' and company's interests. Third, they must acknowledge that as a large and well known company, they have a big red target on their backs (all companies ought to comply, but Starbucks must cross all their Ts and dot all their Is).

But they are voted a "great place to work," every year! I think Starbucks does many, many things right and they offer a lot of benefits to part-time workers. That said, all it takes is one employee to get the ball rolling on a big class action lawsuit.

I would guess that there will be many more to come in other states, too. And this could affect other businesses, too.

The facts will unfold, and who knows, maybe I don't know the pertinent facts and maybe I am wrong. Maybe the managers do spend most of their time doing exempt level work (or ought to be). But if I were in the HR department at Starbucks - based on what I see from the outside -  I would not have allowed the store managers to be classified as exempt. Sometimes the HR leaders get vetoed, too, but that's when we need to show our leadership to ensure the right things are done. It's moments like these that we show why we exist.

When I do HR work, I am OK being the "evil HR lady" as long as I know that the work I am doing leads to the right decisions and that it helps protect the company and its employees. I was in this situation once, where we needed to make a lot of unpopular (to the executives and the company purse) changes to do the right things. It was a very difficult time and I was hated by a large number of people because of the disruption. But it was the right thing to do and that was proven soon thereafter.

HR leaders are faced with gnarly and complex situations every day and most of them pour their hearts into their work - work that is largely ignored by others. Think about it, HR leaders get about as much respect as Lawyers and IRS auditors.

But I cringe and feel pain when these things happen to great companies because of what seems like weak or inaccurate HR leadership. Sorry, but  if this case reveals that the managers ought not be exempt (my prediction), I blame the HR leadership at Starbucks. As hard - as agonizing - as it would have been to lead this change, you should have done it. That's why you are there.

If the facts come out that I am wrong, I will be the first to apologize to the HR leaders a Starbucks on this blog. In fact, I hope I am wrong, but I fear I am not.

Six Essentials for Networking

Here is an article, reprinted with permission, called Six Essentials for Networking. It was written by Christine Comaford-Lynch, author of Rules for Renegades: How to Make More Money, Rock Your Career, and Revel in Your Individuality. I like the Rolodex dip. About 20 years ago, I contacted a guy I had met once a year prior and we ended up dating for two years. He later broke my heart, but I still think the technique of Rolodex dipping is a good one and I still do it today (but just for business, now).

One more point - Christine is obviously not an introvert. I believe that networking is critical and I think these techniques are great. And if you follow my 2 Weeks to a Breakthrough stuff, you know I believe in the power of sharing our goals and enlisting others.

So networking - or connecting and relating - is critical. That said, for strong introverts (I am one), it is not always fun and we generally have to push ourselves to do this. It is not our natural, or fall back, behavior. Sometimes, even for those of us who speak and train for a living, it still is an "awkward social ritual" or more candidly, something we just aren't interested in doing. But we need to push through the natural resistance and do it anyway. It is that powerful.

Six Essentials for Networking

By Christine Comaford-Lynch   

Networking is about creating an extended family. It’s about developing connections, caring about people, increasing the size of your “tribe.” Most of all, networking is not the awkward social ritual many of us think it is—networking is actually FUN!

Here are my top six networking essentials to rock your career and your life.

1. Practice “Palm Up” Networking. When you network, are you giving, or grasping? Palm up networking embodies the spirit of service, of giving and wanting nothing in return. When you network “palm down” you’re grasping for personal gain. Palm up = heart-oriented interaction. Palm down = greedy grasping. Which attitude results in building relationships, providing value, and ultimately bestows benefits on both parties? You guessed it. The universe has a perfect accounting system. Give to others, it’ll all come back to you in time.

2. Do Daily Appreciation. Appreciate at least one person daily. Sometimes I do this via e-mail so I can be thorough. And often, to my delight, the recipient will tell me that they are saving the message for when they need a pick-me-up. You can also express appreciation over the phone or in person. Simply tell someone how much you appreciate who they are, what they do, whatever about them moves you. They’ll be flattered and you’ll feel great.

3. Equalize Yourself with Others. I believe we all have one unit of worth, no more, no less. No one can add to it, no one can take it away. We’re all equal. Just because someone is powerful, rich, famous doesn’t mean they are better than you. Practice equalizing yourself with others—this will enable you to more comfortably interact with others, and to reach out to people of all walks of life.

4. Rolodex Dip. This is a fun practice when you want to connect with someone but aren’t sure who. Flip through your contact database and pick a name. Then think of all the things you like about them. Now call them up to see how they are doing. They’ll be surprised and delighted.

5. Pick a “Sensei of the Day”: Each day I pick a sensei, a teacher. This is someone who has taught me a lesson or reminded me of something important in life. Your sensei can be a person, a pet, a plant, it doesn’t matter. The important thing is to acknowledge that there is much to learn and you are being offered valuable lessons constantly.

6. Do the Drive-By Schmooze. Parties, conventions, groups of all sorts are great opportunities to network, but sometimes you’ll be tired, not in the mood, or have too many events in one evening (like during holiday season!). This is when you’ll want to use the Drive-By Schmooze. Here’s how:

a. Timebox your networking. Decide that in 30 minutes you’ll do a check-in to determine if you need to stay any longer.
b. Set your goal. Determine the number of new connections you want to establish. Remember, your goal is meaningful connections, not simply contacts.
c. Let your intuition guide you. OK, this may sound flaky, but it works! Stand near the door, in a corner, out of the way. Stop your thoughts. Internally ask to be guided to the people you need to connect with. Then start walking. You’ll be amazed at who you meet.
d. Connect. You’ll always resonate with someone at an event. When you do, ask questions about them, such as: How did you get started in your field? What’s your ideal customer? We all love to talk about ourselves, and these questions will not only help you form a connection with this person, but will also tell you how to help them.
e. Offer help and follow through. If you can provide help, jot down ideas on the back of their business card, commit to follow up, and then do it. If you’ve had a fruitful conversation and want to take it further, offer to meet for lunch or coffee. People say life is 90% about showing up. Nonsense! Life is 90% about following through!

For more tips and helpful info on networking, see the Cool Resources section on www.RulesForRenegades.com.

Christine is author of the best selling book Rules for Renegades: How to Make More Money, Rock Your Career, and Revel in Your Individuality. She’s CEO of Mighty Ventures (www.MightyVentures.com), an innovation accelerator which helps businesses to massively increase sales, product offerings, and company value.