The Work-Life Strategies that Really Matter

Every year for the last decade, I’ve spoken to MBA graduates returning for their one-year reunions. As predictable as the annual return of swallows to San Juan Capistrano, graduates who flock back to campus bring with them real-world anxiety over three things:

1) Work – doing meaningful work;

2) Companionship – finding a life partner, or figuring out life with their partner; and

3) Balance – dividing time and energy between work and family

This weekend, my own business school class marks its 40-year reunion, and the issues won’t have changed much. While for many of us, life’s ups and downs may have rounded off the sharp edges on those same apprehensions, they remain the struggles of our lives.

If any of us in the class of ‘73 has had success in four decades of dealing with these existential concerns, it’s because we recognized the truth of the following:

You can’t do it all yourself. Those who’ve done well will likely have one significant quality in common: They’ll have joined (or formed) the right teams. After picking the best players, they’ll have shared their own successes, and celebrated the successes of others. As Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson advised a young and wildly-talented Michael Jordan, “Let the game come to you." After Jordan committed to being a team player (though not always as the nice-guy), the Bulls won six NBA World Championships. In the same way, realizing that both business and family life are “team sports” will help with finding a team-centered life.

Life is a marathon. A meteoric rise right after grad school is impressive, but long-term success is far more satisfying. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Quick success sometimes goes to people’s heads – and makes them forget everyone who helped them get where they are. In the 1980s, after good fortune and good times made many folks wealthy, real estate markets collapsed. Some panicked; others dug in -- and dug out. It turned out that no one was as smart as they thought on the way up (or quite as dumb as others thought on the way down). But steadfast efforts when the chips were down revealed character not apparent when things were going well.

Bouncing back is key. Scanning reunions for grads once deemed “most likely to succeed” may not reveal the ones who did. Brains and ambition help, but it’s a never-say-die resiliency that allows people to move forward through life’s inevitable setbacks. “Most Likely To Bounce Back After A Fall” might have been a better yearbook category.

Give before you get. Real friends give without calculating a return on their friendship. So do spouses. Even salespeople first give information and authentic assurances in order to make sales. And while children require that you give, give, and give some more, they can return something far more valuable than you ever gave them — the chance to pass on the best of what you know, and the best of who you are, to the next generation. We end up caring about things for which we sacrifice. So, finding opportunities for giving goes a long way to relieving personal and career anxieties – which can be rooted in the desire to get before we give.

Don't underestimate refuge and recovery. I’ve never met a career-driven person who’s found peace in work alone. You need a space for refuge – a way to be alone, to recreate, and to recover; or things can go south. Letdowns are inevitable; so make sure you meditate, pray, stay active, or have a close friend in whom you can confide. Making sure you have the time and place and support for recovery is not selfish. It’s essential.

Wealth, power, fame and influence – perhaps all well and good – don’t reliably deliver satisfaction or meaning in life. I submit that meaning comes from the ability to look back with pride, and to look forward with peace, knowing that those we’ve worked with and cared for are better off for having known us. If recent graduates could be sure of these, they might choose to live with their team in mind.

Author: Joel Peterson

5 Things Smart Managers Know About Building Teams

In order for your company to prosper, you must figure out how to build a team that works well together. That can be a difficult task.  After all, creating a team means bringing together people with different skillsets and varied personalities to work towards a common goal--a complex undertaking.

When I look at the tactics smart managers implement, I see five common threads to how they approach team-building:

1. Play to Individual Strengths

You need to understand what each individual member's strengths are and put each person in a place to shine.

It is very rare that an employee can improve upon a deficiency, especially if that deficiency is a part of their nature. If a team member isn't good at details, they will never be good at details. You need to decide if they do the rest of their job well and if so, partner them with someone else who can help shore up their deficiency.

I hired an account manager who was excellent with customers--especially our more difficult customers--but she was not good at details. I partnered her with another team member for one final review of the documents she produced before they were sent out.

2. Encourage Transparency

Teams are a lot like families, and you need to let them work things out on their own.  When things start to go awry, bring together those who aren't getting along and make them work through their concerns. Don't let them put you in the middle of a he said/she said situation. Your primary job is to help team members understand each other better.

This approach will feel uncomfortable, but if they learn that your go-to strategy is to bring them together to work it out, they will start trying that on their own and will only involve you when absolutely necessary.

3. Establish Ground Rules 

Your team needs to know how you like to operate. I'm a solution oriented manager. I am fine with talking about problems with a project or an approach, but I insist that everyone contribute ideas for resolution. When issues arise, and they will, I don't want to get caught up in whose fault it is, or why it happened. I prefer to take time to do that at an established and appropriate time later. I am known to say, "Don't bring me a problem without a solution" and, "I don't want to know why we can't do it, I want to focus on how we can."

Other managers prefer to do root cause analysis immediately and then move forward from that point with a solution. Everyone's style is different, and it is often based on the type of work you do.  The important thing is that your team knows your preferred work style so everyone is thinking toward that same goal.

4. Let Them Know You Have Their Back

As the leader of a team, your team members must know that you have their back and that you are their greatest supporter.  I see my primary job to remove obstacles that are in my team's way and to be there to support them when issues arise with a customer or other internal groups.  When you team members know they have your unconditional support, they can move forward with confidence.

5. Provide an Incentive

Create a goal that your team can work towards--a day off at the end of the quarter, flexibility in their work schedule, or a bonus.  Realize that just as your team members have different skills, they probably respond to different incentives, so rotating through the types of incentives you provide or allowing for flexibility is key to the success of an incentive.

I always have team members who prefer time off or an experience over money.  A bonus program, while nice, doesn't have the same impact as providing an extra day off or a gift certificate to a nice restaurant. It comes back to knowing that everyone's different.

Author: ERIC V. HOLTZCLAW

8 Things You Should Not Do Every Day

If you get decent value from making to-do lists, you'll get huge returns--in productivity, in improved relationships, and in your personal well-being--from adding these items to your not to-do list:

Every day, make the commitment not to:

1. Check my phone while I'm talking to someone.

You've done it. You've played the, "Is that your phone? Oh, it must be mine," game. You've tried the you-think-sly-but-actually-really-obvious downwards glance. You've done the, "Wait, let me answer this text..." thing.

Maybe you didn't even say, "Wait." You just stopped talking, stopped paying attention, and did it.

Want to stand out? Want to be that person everyone loves because they make you feel, when they're talking to you, like you're the most important person in the world?

Stop checking your phone. It doesn't notice when you aren't paying attention.

Other people? They notice.

And they care.

2. Multitask during a meeting.

The easiest way to be the smartest person in the room is to be the person who pays the most attention to the room.

You'll be amazed by what you can learn, both about the topic of the meeting and about the people in the meeting if you stop multitasking and start paying close attention. You'll flush out and understand hidden agendas, you'll spot opportunities to build bridges, and you'll find ways to make yourself indispensable to the people who matter.

It's easy, because you'll be the only one trying.

And you'll be the only one succeeding on multiple levels.

3. Think about people who don't make any difference in my life.

Trust me: The inhabitants of planet Kardashian are okay without you.

But your family, your friends, your employees--all the people that really matter to you--are not. Give them your time and attention.

They're the ones who deserve it.

4. Use multiple notifications.

You don't need to know the instant you get an email. Or a text. Or a tweet. Or anything else that pops up on your phone or computer.

If something is important enough for you to do, it's important enough for you to do without interruptions. Focus totally on what you're doing. Then, on a schedule you set--instead of a schedule you let everyone else set--play prairie dog and pop your head up to see what's happening.

And then get right back to work. Focusing on what you are doing is a lot more important than focusing on other people might be doing.

They can wait. You, and what is truly important to you, cannot.

5. Let the past dictate the future.

Mistakes are valuable. Learn from them.

Then let them go.

Easier said than done? It all depends on your perspective. When something goes wrong, turn it into an opportunity to learn something you didn't know--especially about yourself.

When something goes wrong for someone else, turn it into an opportunity to be gracious, forgiving, and understanding.

The past is just training. The past should definitely inform but in no way define you--unless you let it.

6. Wait until I'm sure I will succeed.

You can never feel sure you will succeed at something new, but you can always feel sure you are committed to giving something your best.

And you can always feel sure you will try again if you fail.

Stop waiting. You have a lot less to lose than you think, and everything to gain.

7. Talk behind someone's back.

If only because being the focus of gossip sucks. (And so do the people who gossip.)

If you've talked to more than one person about something Joe is doing, wouldn't everyone be better off if you stepped up and actually talked to Joe about it? And if it's "not your place" to talk to Joe, it's probably not your place to talk about Joe.

Spend your time on productive conversations. You'll get a lot more done--and you'll gain a lot more respect.

8. Say "yes" when I really mean "no."

Refusing a request from colleagues, customers, or even friends is really hard. But rarely does saying no go as badly as you expect. Most people will understand, and if they don't, should you care too much about what they think?

When you say no, at least you'll only feel bad for a few moments. When you say yes to something you really don't want to do you might feel bad for a long time--or at least as long as it takes you to do what you didn't want to do in the first place.

Author: Jeff Haden

Warning! The Things You Must Not Tell Anyone At Work

There are some things we shouldn’t tell anyone at work. Sharing the ‘wrong’ things with co-workers can quickly backfire and leave us exposed, vulnerable or side-lined. While some banter with colleagues is great it is important to know where to draw the line.

Like most of us, I have definitely been there. We usually get an immediate sense for when we have crossed that line between acceptable banter and telling people things we shouldn’t have. It is the looks we get as if they wanted to say: I never thought YOU would do THAT!? Or YOU believe WHAT? You are no longer the person I thought you were…

Anything you tell colleagues will spread faster than a revelation of a secret sex tape showing Kate Middelton and Justin Bieber would on Facebook and Twitter. Always remember everyone loves to pass on gossip. What’s more, most people continue to talk and complain about colleagues when they get home or see friends.

So here are my top 10 things I believe you shouldn’t share with anyone at work:

1. Salary or money details – Never talk about money at work, be it details about your salary or how much you have spent on your house, car or latest gadget. Talking about money can trigger lots of negative feelings such as jealousy and resentment.
2. Intimate details about your love or sex life – you might have the most amazing or most miserable love life there is but don't ever share the detail at work.
3. Whether and how much alcohol you drink – even if you are nursing the hangover from hell or want to share the excesses of your super party weekend, don’t do it at work. It will always look unprofessional. And as for talking about other drugs – don’t even think about it!
4. Political views – You might feel like saying: Why would anyone in their right mind vote for Obama? Simply don’t do it. Politics can divide people and open up a massive can of worms.
5. Religious views – The same applies to religious beliefs. It is great that people have their religions but remember that most wars are caused by religious differences.
6. Non-pc jokes – We all like to have a laugh at work but not if it means you discriminate against anyone. If you feel the need to share jokes just think twice whether they might offend someone.
7. Your Facebook account – Making friends at work is wonderful but I feel that connecting with all colleagues on Facebook is a step too far. I use LinkedIn for colleagues and Facebook only for close friends. I think it is so hard to control what goes out to others (e.g. comments of friends of friends etc.). Almost every day I see posts and pictures on Facebook that make me cringe (where friends of friends have posted completely inappropriate things) and it is best to keep colleagues out of that loop.
8. Medical details – For whatever reason we love to talk about our illnesses and ailments. A bit like kids that can't wait to show others their scratches and bruises. Even though we all want to hear about medical details, work is not the place to share how you had an anal probe inserted to check for haemorrhoids.
9. Gossip and negative comments about co-workers - Even if you think that everyone agrees David from the accounts department is a massive jerk – don’t say it out loud!
10. That you are looking for a new job – You might feel unhappy in your job and are actively looking for now post, but don’t tell anyone at work. It will very quickly come out and could leave you in an awkward position.

So here you have it, my top 10 things you shouldn’t share at work. Of course you can disagree with any of them and hopefully you’ll let me know where you agree and disagree. Also, there are probably others you would add to this list – please let us know what they are…

Finally thought: Of course there are some work places where it is safe to share more personal details. I am not advocating that you become a work robot that ever share any part of your personality with others. The point I am making is that at work it is usually inappropriate to share these things and can give unwanted ammunition to those who want to expose or side-line you.

Author: Bernard Marr

The Power of "I Don't Know"

In a 2012 study on the state of marketing conducted by IBM, 52 percent of Chief Marketing Officers said that they are unprepared for the expected level of complexity over the next five years. Which only makes me wonder whether the other 48 percent were posturing, daydreaming when they answered the survey, or really think they have it all figured out.

From big data to the myriad of little dials we need to turn in managing our brands, there has never been more to do, less time in which to do it, and such a paucity of patience for poor performance.

So what’s a marketer to do? Develop more sophisticated systems and tools? Invest in new methodologies and engagement strategies? Create deeper integration between every function in their business--from IT and Finance to Customer Service and Sales?

(Yes, yes, and yes.)

But while these might be some of the functional changes required to stay competitive, I’d suggest that there is a fundamental approach that is the fountainhead from which success in this new era of marketing must truly begin. 

In brief, this approach can be captured in three simple words: “I don’t know.”

That’s right, I’d maintain that acknowledging (and for some, this might feel more like “admitting”) a lack of knowledge within and across this business function is a critical skill for marketers of all stripes. Here are a few reasons why.

“I Don’t Know” Creates Possibilities. It’s been said that the key to success is to never stop learning, while the key to failure is to think you know it all. Modern-day marketers need to be comfortable acknowledging their blind spots. It’s truly impossible to be an expert at everything in an area of exploding apertures, approaches, and analytics; by starting with a baseline of what is not known, exploration into untapped possibilities for the organization can begin in earnest.

“I Don’t Know” Inspires Engagement. Do you want to work with or for the person who knows everything? Or would you prefer the leader who wants everyone to use his or her talents, curiosity, and passion to help find the answer? By creating space for new data, ideas, and perspectives, “I Don’t Know” helps marketers (and businesses) get the most from their teams.

“I Don’t Know” Defends Against Complacency. Andrew Grove, former president and CEO of Intel, is famous for saying, “Only the paranoid survive.” With not just increasing information but also decreasing control in the participation age, great marketers (and leaders) need to fight against getting comfortable. It is incredibly easy to fall into patterns, particularly when the regression line is gently nudging north. As such, creating a culture of inquiry--where “I Don’t Know” (and “Let’s Find Out”) are valued--helps create constructive agitation.

“I Don’t Know” Is Just More Fun. The 2013 Gallup State of the American Workplace Report found that only 30 percent of employees are engaged and inspired at work. Yikes. By creating a culture of “I Don’t Know,” marketers help build a place where most employees want to work--where their opinion is heard, where there efforts matter, and where they can truly make a difference. In sum: Happier employees, better productivity, and superior outcomes. 

For the avoidance of doubt, if you do know something…well, then, yes, state it clearly, with confidence and conviction; let the proverbial dog run.

But to the larger theme here, in my career, the clients and marketers who got the most from their agencies and teams were the ones who were open--and dare I say, fearless--in acknowledging what they didn’t know and challenging everyone around them to relentlessly bring new data, fresh insights, and any and all ideas to the table.

But don’t take it from me. “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing,” said the enigmatic figure known as Socrates. 

So, is this idea of “I Don’t Know” relevant for you and your business? 

I don’t know; you tell me.

Resource: Inc