My Job Sucks: How to Love (Tolerate) the Job You Can’t Afford to Quit…Yet
February 1, 2011
How to Love (ok, Tolerate) the Job You Can’t Afford to Quit… Yet
If you’ve seen the movie “Office Space” you’ll remember the scene where the female coworker overhears the main character, Peter, saying he’s about to lose it because his commute stinks, his bosses are idiots, his work is meaningless and he thinks his girlfriend is cheating on him. “Uh oh…” says the Sally Sunshine coworker. “Sounds like somebody’s got a case of the Mondays.”
Not to be crass but, really, you want to inflict on her exactly what Peter’s neighbor suggests. (Rated R for language; not for little ears.)
Let’s Get Real
In all seriousness, do you have a case of the Mondays? Every day? Do you feel this way at work? Stuck. Wishing for something better. Knowing that there just has to be more to work than TPS reports (again, from “Office Space”).
A few words of encouragement:
- YOU control your professional and career development. Not your boss or the company you work for. It’s up to you to make something positive happen… and YOU CAN DO IT.
- And, a favorite idea from Claire Colvin, Senior Editor for TruthMedia Internet Group, your job does not define you but how you DO it does.
How do you show up at work now? Are you pouting or positive? Do you mope with a little black cloud over your head or do you find something productive to do every day (or at least week) that is in alignment with your career goals and personal brand?
It starts with clearly defining what you want from your career and what you want to be known for (your career vision), then making those opportunities happen for yourself even in — especially in — a job you can’t afford to quit.
Because here’s the best news: It won’t last forever if you are intentional about reaching your career goals. You can start looking for a new job whenever you want. In the meantime, until you find something “better”…
Add Something New
Find … better yet create … an opportunity for yourself at work to shine. To do what YOU do best.
Fact Finders: Find a new or existing project that needs your data-digging strengths. A new research project, a feasibility study, a fact-checking assignment. You naturally need and seek the facts, figures, data to justify and prioritize your work. Volunteer to do what you do best to make sure work the company is doing is worth the investment of time, energy, money. The natural strategist, you’ll make sure what everyone is working on helps move the company toward meeting its business goals.
Follow Thrus: Is there a project that isn’t being managed as effectively as it could? Without ruffling feathers of the current project owners, offer your natural expertise in creating a plan, defining the steps, helping to manage those steps and measuring the results. It’s what you do… you can’t help it. Put your talents to use to help your team or organization complete what they’ve started and measure the outcomes. The natural project manager, you’ll make sure it gets done.
Quick Starts: You’re the natural brainstormer. Are any of your colleagues “stuck” and can’t seem to think what to do to make progress on a project or set of tasks? You are the natural “unsticker.” Offer to brainstorm different solutions with your counterparts to help them work their way out of the paper bag and get moving again. You’ll save them from wasting time in “analysis paralysis.”
Implementors: You strive for quality outcomes, not just band-aid quick-fixes. Jump in and support a project that needs “beta testing” before a full roll out. Run the project through quality tests to ensure the biggest bugs are worked out before the whole team or organization has to implement something new. It’s what you do best! You’ll have your company time, money and other precious resources.
Delegate Something Old
Is there something in your job description that you’ve done a 1000 times and, well, you’re “over it?” Could it be a development opportunity for a junior colleague? A chance for growth for someone else on your team or someone you manage?
Three reasons to delegate it:
- When you delegate a task, activity or project that empowers someone else to put their strengths to work and do what they do best, you’re not only giving them the opportunity to show the team and organization what they’ve got but you’re increasing their level of engagement.
- When you give it away to someone whose natural talent(s) fits the task, that task will be accomplished more productively and efficiently than if you try to complete something that pushes you against your natural modis operandi (M.O.).
- When you give up one thing, you’re freeing yourself to take on more in your role to fit your unique strengths… to do what YOU do best. Please reference “Add Something New.”
Stay Positive
Get rid of the black cloud. And fast. No one likes to work with a Negative Nelly (or Ned). Fake it if you have to for a while. But put on a positive attitude and focus on doing something productive. Especially if you suffer from what I call “workplace depression,” the best cure for on-the-job doldrums is helping someone else accomplish something great. (See #2 on this list of 10 tips for staving off depression.
Your Career: Tuning In to Career Success in 2011
January 19, 2011
Whether you seek a new job or want to achieve more in the position you have, ask yourself these questions to tune into everything you offer to an organization in 2011m whether in a current role or with a new company. Then write down the answers to help you articulate the answer to every manager’s toughest question: “What’s in it for me if I hire [promote] YOU?”
Tune in to your own strengths and needs first so it’s easier to articulate the value you bring to the business.
“How do I solve problems, make decisions, take action?”
Because isn’t that what you do all day, every day on the job?
We each have a unique way of doing these things, our M.O., that is hardwired for a lifetime. Unlike skills that can be learned or personality that changes over time, our M.O. is hardwired. And how we use that circuitry is instrumental in career success when we embrace our M.O…. or failure when we try to “do it” someone else’s way.
Start with identifying how you uniquely tackle challenges when they come up at work:
- Look for all the information to help make sound decisions?
- Create order from chaos, creating a work plan, schedule, charting a course for mitigating the challenge?
- Jump in and figure it out as you go?
- Create a “model” of the solution and beta test for quality?
Your way IS the right way… for you. Start with understanding your unique M.O. then sell yourself as the ideal person for the functional role that allows you to operate “in your zone.”
“How do I want to make a difference, a true, positive impact?”
What does meaningful work look like to you? It’s different for everyone. For some it’s the honorable pursuit of finding the cure for cancer. For others it’s closing a sale. Forget what society, the boss, your colleagues, significant others say is the right thing to do and take time to define what “meaningful work” looks like for you. What would make you jump out of bed every morning and think, ” I GET to go do this today!”?
Then focus on finding opportunities to make that kind of difference. Even if it means adding responsibilities to your current role or finding a job that pays a little less in exchange for a purpose. There’s more to a job than just a paycheck!
“What kind of environment brings out my best work?”
And by environment we mean everything from your personal workspace to the people you work with and for. Get intentional about articulating exactly that you need to do your best work.
- Office with a door for quiet focused work?
- Windows and bright colors to give you energy?
- Open space for open collaboration and constant sharing of ideas?
- Being outside?
- A boss who allows you to work from the occasional coffee shop for a change of scenery?
- Colleagues who share your sense of humor? Values?
Understanding this about yourself will help you know to whom to attach yourself politically in your current role, what to ask for in terms of workspace and justify why you need it. It also helps job seekers ask the right questions to know if a new company is a good fit culturally.
4 Reasons You’re Still Un- (Under-) Employed (And What to Do About Them)
August 31, 2010
Discussions on one of the many LinkedIn groups dedicated to connecting job seekers and those in career transition are changing tone as it’s taking some job seekers longer than expected to land in their next position.
One in particular asks, “Job searching without success?” The reasons given by job seekers for being overlooked and remaining un-(and under-) employed are many but a few clear themes stand out. Here’s what they’re saying… and what to do about it… starting with your resume.
“I’m Not Getting Called for Interviews.”
IYRS… It’s your RESUME, silly. The sole purpose of your resume is to ensure you survive the automated keyword search, make it past the HR department screeners, land on the hiring manager’s desk and have her think, “WOW… I HAVE to call this one in for the interview.” Then, of course, the trick is to impress the hell out of ‘em in person.
If your resume reads like a job description of your current and past positions, you’re sunk. Likely the 100s (if not 1000s) of other applicants applying for the exact same position can claim the same experience in the same tasks. Sorry, but it’s true. What the potential employer actually cares about is whether or not you can produce results. Specifically results that will make or same her money. Demonstrate the VALUE you will bring to the next job by articulating results you’ve produced in the past while a showing a bit of your personality to help them understand if you’re a good cultural fit.
[Stay tuned for a follow-up post outlining How to Avoid 3 Big Resume Mistakes.]
“I’m Too Old.”
Ageism is alive and well in this economy despite what all my HR friends are saying. I know too many Boomer s(and older) seekers who complain about being overlooked. So, unless the dates of your education are recent and important (you just received your PhD in Organizational Leadership, your MBA in Marketing or your BS in Information Systems), leave dates off that point to your age or a professional career that is more than 20 years old. Same goes for certifications and awards. List them, leave off the dates.
“I’m Overqualified.”
Position your experience as a Unique Value Proposition to the employer. Show them that you can produce results the day you step foot in the door and connect those results to their future success.
You also do not need to give the history of your professional life back to the first job in high school, college or post-graduation. Dedicate the precious real estate on your resume and LinkedIn profile to the MOST RELEVANT experience. And, yes, it’s OK to tone down your past job titles. I know many a returning-to-corporate-American entrepreneur who list themselves as “Director of Business Development” or “Operations Manager” in companies they’ve owned.
“I’ve Had Too Many Jobs.”
Job hopping is somewhat expected for Gen X- and Yers though Boomer hiring managers still roll their eyes if you haven’t managed to stay in one position for more than 2 years. Minimize the appearance of job hopping on your resume by eliminating the months and taking out any insignificant positions you were in for only a fews months especially when that position has no relevance to the position you’re going for.
Try It And…
Report back. If making these simple changes continue not to get you noticed, I want to know so we can delve deeper and get you The Job, not just another paycheck. ASAP.
10 Commandments of Personal Branding
June 22, 2010
If “branding” for a company refers to how it differentiates itself as well as its products and services from the competition by articulating its unique selling proposition (USP), then what is this business of “personal branding” all about? You’ve no doubt heard the term and I hope to provide clarity around its meaning and, more importantly, about why you should care.
What Is A Brand?
A brand is so much more than your logo, your signage, your tagline. A brand is a promise… It is the promise put forth by a company, product, service or individual to key stakeholders as to what they can expect from said company, product, service or individual. In short, it’s the sum of all experiences a “consumer” has with the entity that produces the emotional and psychological relationships between the entity and its “consumers.”
So, that said…
Do You Have a “Personal Brand?”
The answer is always yes. Whether you have been intentional or not about creating it, you do have a brand. You have a reputation, something or several that you are known for whether you want to be known for them or not.
The key to effective personal branding is to be intentional. You must know who you are, what you stand for, what value you offer then demonstrate that promise to the world.
And as with company, product and service brands, your personal brand is best built on your UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION (UVP). That is, the unique value only you bring to any situation — on the job, in volunteer capacities, at home — that no one else can offer. What place do you own in the minds of your key “stakeholders?” What do you want to be known for? What promise do you make to your “consumers?”
Your UVP
You add the most value when you are true to what you do best: your innate strengths, your natural talents, your unique instincts that make you YOU.
Once you understand these things about yourself and are ready to embrace them fully and shout your UVP from the mountain tops, the next step is to demonstrate that you are in fact already that person.
For a business owner, your UVP to your customers might be that you are easy to do business with, especially compared to your competitors.
For a leader or manager, consider creating your UVP for your employees as one who empowers your people to focus on their strengths to add the most value to bottom line results.
For an employee, your UVP ought to be that you are The One to turn to for those things you do better than anyone else on the team.
For a career changer 0r job seeker, focus your UVP on the value you will bring to a potential employer by doing what you do best naturally. It’s just what you do and you’re really good at it!
So What?
Why care about personal branding? In this day and age of faster-than-the-speed-of-light, reputation-demonlishing social media (did you hear about the fake BP Twitter account?), you have to own and manager your brand as fervently as you would your teenage daughter’s reputation. Seriously. Because if you aren’t intentional about it yourself, someone else will undoubtedly manage your personal brand for you. Why leave it to chance?
Here are some ideas on “how to.”
10 Commandments of Personal Branding
10. Own Your Brand
Be intentional about developing your personal brand or others will create it for you.
9. Be Consistent
Facebook or face-to-face, send the same message.
8. Appearance Matters
Don’t dress for the position you have. Dress for the position you strive for. Same goes online, too.
7. Stand For Something
The most memorable brands have a point of view. What’s yours?
6. Stay Focused
Act in alignment with your values and your
ultimate vision and goals.
5. Do Unto Others
Do for others that which you want them to do for you. You go first.
4. Create Brand Champions
Equip your network to advocate for your brand.
3. Keep It Personal
Face-time and other personal touches earn the most points and show you care.
2. Don’t Tell. Do.
Demonstrate your brand in your words and actions. Walk the talk.
And the #1 Commandment…Authenticity. Authenticity. Authenticity.
Be true to YOU: your strengths, your values, and the value only you can add.
And Just for Levity
And in all this, just remember not to take yourself too seriously either. Oy.
What Do You REALLY Want to Be When You Grow Up?
May 26, 2010
If you’re anything at all like me, you grew up in a time when parents told offspring either…
“Success is all about hard work. Work hard and you’ll go as far as you want.” Or… “You can be anything you want to be, dear, if you only put your mind to it.”
The fact is, to be truly satisfied, engaged and content (even happy!) with your career:
- Start with YOU and your goals.
- Intentionally design The 3 Elements of Your Ideal Career your “must-haves” are less likely to fall through the cracks.
- Take your unique 3 Elements for a test-drive to make sure they fit as designed. Tweak if not until you get it just right.
- Call on an expert career professional to help you think outside the job title box.
Reality Or…
To those parents I now say with all due respect and several years of confidence-building experience: HOGWASH.
Ballerina was never on my list of careers to pursue but it was fun when I was 4.
Growing up as a people-pleaser, comments like these did absolutely nothing to help me identify my talents, pinpoint my strengths and help me find ways to take my innate abilities for a test-drive in order to find my fit in the world of working professionals.
Quite the opposite infact: I was confused, left hanging and wondering if I was good at anything at all. So as the people-pleaser I started to think of vocation possibilities based on what those around me did themselves or thought I should do.
Accounting! Sure. My father was a numbers person as a financial planner. I could do accounting, just like several of my cousins. I loved playing on the now-considered-behemoth adding machine on his office desk. That was it: accounting. Until I saw my first manual cost accounting “spreadsheet.” Run!
Next: Teaching! Why didn’t I think of it before? My mother was a preschool teacher and became a middle school and high school English teacher later. My father had been a high school vocal music instructor prior to the financial planning shift. My grandfather devoted his entire career to academia eventually becoming a high school principal. Of course: teaching! It was in my blood! Then I reached my rebellious teen years and wanted nothing to do with any career path previously cleared by my elders.
Flight Attendant! That was surely it! Oh the adventure! The glamorous lifestyle! Yet, these first thoughts of pursuing a selfish desire (to travel… as far away from not-terribly-exotic Oklahoma as possible) was also short lived.
Finding — or better yet Designing — Your Sweet Spot
It wasn’t until I truly allowed myself to focus on where I knew I excelled (or could), on what I was passionate about and on what kind of place would bring out my best that I was able to be intentional about what I really wanted in my career.
Now I know. To be truly satisfied in a career, it must be comprised of exactly those three elements above and a somewhat selfish perspective. Before you start looking for a new house, for example, you make a list of “must haves” and “nice to haves.” Same with a new car, yes? Treat your career plan or job search no differently.
It has to start with YOU and your goals.
Get intentional about first carefully understanding what constitutes the three key elements of your ideal role, at the intersection of which you’ll find the sweet spot: your ideal career.
3 Elements of Your Ideal Career
Whether you are a highly motivated job seeker looking for a new position or a gainfully employed professional looking for the “next opportunity” internally, consider these three elements when asking yourself, “What do I really want to do?”
3 Elements of Your Ideal Career
3 Elements of Your Ideal Career
FUNCTION
This is the what you do piece. The tasks and activities you’re responsible for completing, the role you play, the duties and responsibilities in the job description. Marry your unique MO – how you naturally do the things you do – and your strengths with a role that needs those talents to accomplish the job most effectively and you have a match that allows you to do what you do best every day.
For example, if you are a gregarious brainstorming type who adapts every documented process to address the needs of the current situation and who thrives on experimenting with new ideas to see if they work… perhaps a role in direct marketing planning and analysis isn’t for you. (That was me, by the way. For the first 15+ years of my professional life.) No, no, leave that job to a systematic planner who decides, through strategic data analysis, what is feasible to try then carefully measures the results to gauge success and gather information on how to do it better next time. (Thank goodness for me there are people out there like this!)
PASSION
The why you do what you do piece. What difference do you want to make? What impact? What will be your legacy? What would make you excited to get out of bed every morning to work on and invest 8+ hours a day?
I’m not necessarily talking about finding the cure for cancer or saving the whales here. Unless that’s truly your thing. I’m talking about what you feel is important… what is meaningful to you. Just because your father wanted to fill the world with song doesn’t mean that’s what would make you race into the shower after turning off the alarm every morning. When you can work toward making a difference in some area that you feel strongly about, you will apply what you do best every day to something that matters.
ENVIRONMENT
The where you do what you do best piece. What does the “place” look like that will allow you to do your best work? Bright, open shared space? Private office? Your car? Outside? What is the culture/core values of the organization? Who are your colleagues (if any) and what are their attitudes, beliefs, work ethic? What are the ideal benefits and compensation?
From the physical space to the intangibles like values and benefits, outlining the characteristics of the right environment is just as important as what you do and why you do it in order to find — or design — the exact right fit for YOU.
3 Ways to Put These Ideas Into Action
1. Look back to past (or current) roles. At work. At home. In volunteer capacities. Pick one or two and list all the tasks for which you were responsible. As many as you can think of. From reading e-mails to project management to strategic planning. Then rank how you felt doing them 1-4:
1=LOVE IT! I love doing this and know I’m adding value! I could do this all day!
2=Good. I feel good about being productive and the work is essential to getting the job done.
3=Eh. A necessary evil. I could live without it but I know it has to be done.
4=HATE IT! Please don’t make me.
Those activities you ranked 1 are must-haves in your next career adventure and deal-breakers if they aren’t part of the job. The 2s are likely keepers. The 3s, well, we all have tasks that have to be done that may not be a favorite activity so which of these can you stand to do once in a while. That is compared to the 4s that drain you of energy and motivation. Are your 4s non-negotiables for your next position?
2. Ask yourself this question and write down all the answers you come up with: If I won the lottery tomorrow (and I’m talking the never-have-to-work-another-day prize), what would you do anyway? What is important enough to you that you would continue to work at it even though your financial security was no longer at stake? Now, go volunteer in some of these capacities to see if it’s worth pursuing as a vocation.
3. Remember your values. Write down the most important ideas about how you want to live your life and what you want people know about you. Write it down, post it where you’ll see it every day, and remind yourself that the new environment you will work in will respect and support these values.
“But I’m Stuck…!”
If your roof is blown off in a hurricane you would call a roofer to fix it, right? If your books are complicated, you would hire a CPA wouldn’t you? Need to build a bridge, hire an engineer to design it. You can also avoid costly career mistakes by getting help up front. It really isn’t as easy at 1-2-3 unless you’ve known since you were 5 that you wanted to be a prosecuting attorney cleaning up the mean streets of your hometown or until you’ve invested time for serious thought on all three elements with the help of someone who can hold up the mirror for you.
MPOWER can help. If you’re feeling stuck (either in your job search or in your current job), use me as a resource. Let’s schedule time to talk.
Lessons from the PICU
January 5, 2010
AJ & Dr. Jon who was instrumental in saving AJ's life
My son came home with a runny nose and scratchy throat on a Friday in late September. After two trips to the ER over the weekend, he was admitted to The Children’s Hospital in Denver on Monday, and by Wednesday morning he was on life support (heart-lung bypass and a ventilator) with multi-system organ failure. All from severe complications caused by H1N1. It wasn’t until we were through the worst part of the crisis that my husband and I realized (or allowed ourselves to consider) just how close we were to losing him.
Fast forward to today: AJ is a healthy, normal, funny and often schizophrenic now-6-year-old. In fact if you didn’t know our story, you would be hard-pressed to believe it when see him now.
A few simple but hopefully provoking ideas have shaped my experience over the past three plus months. I hope that what I learned through near personal tragedy provides some inspiration and offers perspective on the truly important things on which to focus in 2010.
Life Lessons from the PICU
Waiting is not your enemy. Time is your friend. Time heals. Patience is not a virtue. It must be learned, intentionally practiced and consciously applied.
Always accept support in all its forms from others. If nothing else, it relieves the helplessness they feel. You might get something out of it, too.
Hug. Every chance you get. A hug will soften even the most seemingly gruff personality, and those are the ones who probably need one most. If you’re not a hugger, then at least learn to touch someone on their arm or shoulder.
Focus on the good. Of each day. Every situation. And always look for the good in others.
Care like no one is watching. No matter how uncomfortable you may feel in saying the words, suck it up and say “I love you” to your family and friends. At work, give genuine praise when work is done well and be a “coach” when it’s not.
If you need a good cry, let ‘er rip. Holding it in is not good for your health, both emotional and physical.
Do what you do best. Collaborate on the rest. Delegate. Find partners. You are not and cannot be an expert on ALL things. And no one expects you to be. Rely on the strengths, knowledge, skills of others. In the end, the results will always, always, always be better than if you tried to go it alone.
Find something to laugh about every day. Especially yourself.
Give it up to a higher power. Truly when it all just seems like it’s too much to bear, give it up to God…your Creator… the Universe… Buddha… Nature… whatever you call Your Higher Power. Embrace your spiritual source and give over your worries, anxieties and fears. Believe things will work out for the best and ask everyone around you to believe it with all their hearts, minds and souls.
Believe that miracles will happen. ‘Nough said.
Employee Engagement: Games We Play
September 22, 2009
So many give great lip service to the idea of getting the right people on the bus. But then what? How much time is spent getting the right people in the right seats based on what they bring to the game? Oh, not important in this economy? Wait… is employee engagement… just a game?
Wearing ‘Em Out?
You’ve seen it. The player drops in the coins, eagerly presses START and the ball appears. The player slowly pulls back the plunger and POW! it slams into the pinball propelling it into the game. It ricochets wildly, bouncing off bumpers, careening into drop targets. Lights flashing, bells ringing, music heralding points, points and more points! A popper shoots the ball out in the direction of the middle lane, drawing it down… down… down toward the inevitable end…
One down. Two to go. An exhilarating game. Unless you’re the ball. Sure, the frenzy can be energizing… for about 5 minutes. Is your employee engagement strategy like pinball or…?
Or Leveraging Strengths?
Or is it more like… chess. Individual contributors working together to move forward directed by a singular goal. It’s a complex game which the player leads leveraging each piece’s unique qualities to meet the ultimate objective.
Each piece knows its role, what the player expects of it and the value it brings to the game. Using its natural movements and relying on other pieces to fulfill their roles. Each with an important role to play. All working strategically toward the same goal.
OK, OK. Sure the analogy’s a little silly. But you know exactly what I’m saying. Here’s the real game-ender: Engage ‘em now or lose ‘em later. And here’s the data to back it up.
How to Keep ‘Em
Let’s get practical. A few key steps to keep employees engaged in tough times:
Focus on Natural Strengths vs. Proximity
You’ve downsized, rightsized and have asked employees to supersize their jobs as a result. This as a great opportunity to actually get more done with fewer people. Take a good hard look at the total value each employee brings to your game: their skills, instincts and natural talents. Be open to shifting job responsibilities based on these versus simply giving assignments to the next closest cubicle-dweller to that guy you had to let go. And by all means, ASK THEM for their input. If their work is comprised of things they are naturally good at doing they will get more done. Again, Gallup studies show that employees who are given the opportunity to do what they do best are 6 times as likely to be engaged in their jobs.
Personalize Recognition
Now more than ever you need to demonstrate — genuinely, authentically — that you care about your employees as human beings. They’re working tirelessly for you; how will you let them know you appreciate all their efforts? Give the working mom a Friday afternoon off for pampering or extra family time. Supply the Starbuck’s junkie with his fix for the day with a $5 gift card. A simple thank you note may make the biggest impact. The point is: make it meaningful to each individual and make sure the appreciation is indeed genuine. One-size recognition does not fit all.
Don’t Manage. Coach.
A favorite resource is Unleashed! Expecting Greatness and Other Secrets of Coaching for Exceptional Performance by Gregg Thompson. It teaches how to put the needs of the other person first and coach them for exceptional performance. Traditional managers direct tasks. The manager coach manages for results, allowing employees some freedom and flexibility in how the work gets done.
Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.
Check in with employees… often. More often than usual especially if your organization has gone through significant changes (lay-offs, reorganization, leadership change, etc.). One-time message delivery will not stick so if you’ve told them once, tell them at least another dozen if not 100 times. Remind them why you each come to work every morning, reiterating through words and actions that it’s all about the mission of the organization. Deliver bad news compassionately but purposefully. Always answer “why” and “what’s in it for me.” Ask for feedback. Involve them in the conversation. You never know what time-, resource-, money-saving ideas are just waiting to be discovered.
So… ready for a game of chess?
The New Rules of Leadership and Management
August 12, 2009
Today I bought and started reading The New Rules of Marketing & PR. Yesterday I attended a talk on “Generations in the Workplace.” And now you’re thinking: What the &#@! does one have to do with the other?
The Connection
The last sentence on page 26 of The New Rules gave me an a-ha that made that connection for me:
Content drives action.
The sentence prior to that reads:
Great content in all forms helps buyers see that you and your organization “get it.”
If we replace just a couple of those words and put the two back together:
Great content in all forms helps employees see that you and the organization “get” them. [Leadership] content drives [employee] action.
The New Rules of Leadership and Management
Here’s where the generational thing comes in.
It’s the online Gen-Xers and Millennials who are driving that “content” also be the new rule of leadership and management.
The old rules of one-way “push” marketing and advertising aren’t working with these generations of consumers who demand informative, authentic and interactive content to make buying decisions. Just as the old rules of management and leadership won’t work with these generations as employees. Maybe it’s because the one-way “my way or the highway”/”because I said so” management style reminds questioning (sometimes referred to as cynical) Gen-Xers of their mothers who didn’t care if their children had opinions. And, the Millenials won’t even hear these managers because as kids these employees grew up with constant “Good jobs!” and getting trophies even for coming in last. Where’s the praise in “Do it or else.”?
Content is King
So, the “content” of successful leadership according to these generations, to which they’ve grown accustomed as online consumers, is treating them as unique individuals who demand interaction and authenticity. So to paraphrase the New Rules of Marketing and PR in the context of New Rules of Leadership and Management, I offer:
Inspire Millennial and especially Gen-X employees to design the content of their individual work, empowering them to do what they each do best every day. That’s strengths-based management!
Engage these employees in the content of the organization’s vision, mission and objectives. Help them see how essential their individual role is in achieving organizational goals to give them the meaningful work these generations crave.
Individualize communication content so these employees know you are speaking directly to them. That’s when they’ll know you appreciate them for what they bring to the game.
That’s when they’ll take action and follow you. Because content drives action.
Do More With Less…No, REALLY!
June 3, 2009
Doing What You Do Best, Every Day
Kolbe Wisdom is a field of study that helps us tap into our natural method of operation. When we do we actually can accomplish more in less time and with less stress. I use the Kolbe A Index assessment with individuals and teams to understand how each person uniquely tackles problem solving and taking action — and after all isn’t that what we all do… every day… all day… especially on the job? — and use that to make them more productive, more efficient and more effective. Kolbe is backed by 30+ years of scientific research and validation, and unlike personality assessments, your Kolbe A results are true for your lifetime.
Bottom Line:
Kolbe identifies your hardwiring and with the help of a Certified Kolbe Consultant — that’s me! — we can develop a path for your team or for you personally for a lifetime of success. Kolbe gives you the freedom to be YOU and as a result do your best work on the job… at home… at play…
Kolbe with Teams
Make the most of every person, every moment, every PENNY. When managers and leaders do the work to put the right people in the right seats and empower them to work from their natural strengths, the team will be more productive, efficient and effective! Oh the stories I can tell…!
Kolbe with Individuals
It’s about doing what you do best every single day. With Kolbe we uncover how you operate which helps us understand the functions of a job you do most naturally (and therefore more efficiently!)… then work to pinpoint what motivates you, that is what does “meaningful work” look like for you personally… and outline the best environment for you to be your most productive, efficient self, including the kinds of partners you need to take on who complement your strengths. It’s career coaching and leadership development based on what you do naturally.
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