All posts by Ruth Henderson

I Need Someone New (A Manager’s Guide to Finding & Recruiting Talent)

March 22, 2018Blog, , , , , , , ,

Season Three B, Episode Two. Podcast recap! (And if you missed the podcast, you can find it here.)

Podcast Recap: Season 3b, Episode 2

In this week’s podcast we focused on tips for finding and recruiting the right talent. It’s 2018 y’all, and it’s no longer enough to simply post a job ad, cross your fingers, and hope for the best. Today’s talent is connected, to everything, everyone, everywhere, and so you must be too.

In order to create or build or grow the best team possible, you’re going to have to do a bit of work – not a ton, but enough.

Let’s take it one step at a time. Our first question is:

Who Are You Looking For?

The answer to this question requires a bit of self awareness. It’s awfully tempting to hire people who are just like us – after all, you know how to work with them, you know where to find them, and it’s EASY.

Of course, easy isn’t always RIGHT.

If you hire a team full of people who are just like you, you’re missing out on creativity, diversity, and the possibility of alternative, better, approaches to business.

Instead, think about your style and what gaps you’d like to fill. Are you super creative but not that great at execution? (be honest, now…) Are you a super analytical person who can get stuck in process? (My hand is raised for this one.) Are you just about getting things done, and you miss out on important details? (You know who you are…)

What about your team? Are there gaps there that you’d like to fill? Generational gaps? Gender gaps? Skill gaps?

It’s important that you do a gap assessment, not only of your own style, but also of your current team. Figure out what is missing, and think about the ideal person that could fill that spot.

Second question:

Have You Written it Down?

Do you have a Job Description? Not just a Job Ad or Posting – an actual, robust, Job Description (JD) that not only explains the job, but is written in a way to excite and attract the person you’re looking for.

It’s just smart. The one-size-fits-all JD is officially old school, so if you’re looking for creative types, then your JD better be creative. If you want a young Gen Z, then you’d better consider the things Gen Z’s love (being connected, flexible work, using the latest technology, autonomy). (Click Here for an article on attracting Gen Z talent.)

Tell a story about your company that will show your target people why they want to work for you. What is the culture like? Are there any perks on this job? Think about titles too. Are they old fashioned (Customer Service Representative) or modern (Customer Rockstar)?

Don’t forget to carefully consider the soft skills that you are looking for. More and more research exists on the importance of character in job success, so what character elements are important to you? Do you need relationship builders? People who can handle ambiguity? People who display high self-confidence and persistence? Someone who is courageous in the face of adversity? (Click here for an interesting research paper on character and leadership from the Ivey Business Journal.)

There is no one “right way” to structure your JD. So much depends on your audience, which is why the first step was thinking about WHO you’re targeting. Only then should you consider HOW you’re going to target them, and the first step in an amazing JD. (Click Here for an article on considering content and format of a JD.)

And by the way, JD writing isn’t everyone’s skillset. There are professionals out there who can help you, and it’s worth it!

Final question:

Who Knows That You’re Looking?

Google the top job posting sites, and you’ll get different answers depedning on the job category (tech, pharma, government), whether it’s a single job posting site (Monster or Dice), or a site that bundles other sites (Indeed). There are “boutique” sites, big sites, small sites, Google sites, LinkedIn sites… it can be overwhelming.

In addition to being overwhelming, you are likely to get 100’s (maybe 1000’s) of applications, and that can take time, energy, and even money (if you use a screening service) to sort through.

We aren’t suggesting you refrain from posting on a job site. What we are suggesting is that you at least supplement that listing with some networking. This helps you get the word out that you’re looking, and you never know what you’ll find out. Consider letting people know in any number of networking possibilities:

  • In the workplace: your own team, larger meetings or department events, committees, intra-professional events
  • Outside the workplace: conferences, professional associations, drinks with colleagues, your circle of friends

Start the conversation with, “Who do you know who…”

Once you’re connected to someone, you can encourage them to apply. Remember, this isn’t about circumventing the established hiring practice, it’s about encouraging someone to put their name in the hat. Their success within the process is then up to them!

If you do the work to make sure you really know who you’re looking for, and the work to write the job description to appeal to the person you want to hire, and then do the work to let people know you’re looking for someone, you will be much more likely find that perfect candidate.

Until next time,

Ruth.

Help Me Help You! (A Manager’s Guide to Managing Employees’ Careers)

February 22, 2018Blog, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Season Three B, Episode One. Podcast recap! (And if you missed the podcast, you can find it here.)

Podcast Recap: Season 3b, Episode 1

In this week’s podcast recap we focus on helping managers navigate the tricky business of guiding their employees as they plan their careers. There’s a fine line between helping them and doing it all for them, and the first question is:

How much do I need to do?

Many managers ask us: “What’s my role in my employee’s career plan?” In our experience, the employee is 100% accountable for determining their goals, and the manager is responsible for helping them analyze and address the gaps or steps that are needed to get them to those goals.

Of course many people really struggle with telling you what their goals are, so there is a role for manager in helping them figure that out.

You’ve likely got some combination of employees in the following categories:

  1. “AAA Keeners”:  These are your superstar employees who always go above and beyond. They ask for extra experience, and they gobble up opportunities like leftover stuffing at Thanksgiving. They just know what to do and how to play the game.  While this category might seem easy, they can also be tough to help.
  2. Great Performers who are “Tentative”: These are great performers who seem to need a little extra boost. They may be a bit more hesitant to throw their name into the hat. They may even turn down opportunities because they think they aren’t ready (even if you think they are.)
  3. “Arm Crossers”: This cadre is a bit…..difficult to say the least.   They expect promotions, assistance, guidance, mentoring, job shadowing…you name it.  Unfortunately they’d like to be sitting back enjoying a coffee while you do all the legwork to get them there.  You are the manager after all.  It’s your JOB to promote them.

For all three types, the manager’s role in career planning starts out with asking questions and coaching people to come to their own conclusions.

Examples of Questions to Ask:

  • What are your goals?
  • What are you looking for?
  • What work are you doing right now that makes you happy?
  • When have you received great feedback on something you did?
  • What one thing that you did this {year, quarter, month} brought you joy?
  • What have you done that you have really enjoyed (inside or outside of work?)
  • What work are you doing right now that frustrates you?
  • What skillsets are you great at?
  • How would you rank yourself on those skills on a scale of 1-10?
  • For those skills that aren’t a 10, what do you need in order to get to a 10?

Your keeners and your tenantive performers will likely do well in this type of coaching.  Your Arm Crossers, on the other hand, may push back and demand that the manager do the work for them.  Or say “I dunno”.

Ruth and Nicole came to a “Both And” approach, with Nicole jumping to some “solution-ing” and Ruth advising you to put the power to change on the employee’s shoulders. At some point, after all, the ball has to be in their court.

Either way you want to try to reach the arm crossers and hope that you can either get them re-engaged in the work or engaged in work elsewhere that brings them joy.

When to have these conversations?

For new employees, this is something you’d want to start talking about during on-boarding or during a 30-day check-in.  For existing employees this should be a purposeful meeting once or twice a year (OUTSIDE of 1:1’s, Performance Management etc.).  It’s important to give this type of conversation a special time and place to make sure that it has impact.

Take some time with your team and help people think about “what they like to do” to help them really start reaching for their dream job.

Until Next Time,

Nicole

 

Career Change Q&A with Jamie Johnson

February 21, 2018Blog, , , , , , , , ,

Season Three, Bonus Episode. Podcast recap! (And if you missed the podcast, you can find it here.)

Podcast Recap: Season 3, Bonus Episode

How to Turn your Side Hustle into a JOB

This was our first podcast with a guest!

We welcomed Jamie Johnson, Canadian Brand Ambassador for The Balvenie whisky, and famous podcast host of The Whisky Topic.

We thought you’d love to hear about how she transitioned from working in an administrative role in the Not-For-Profit Sector, to galavanting around the country drinking whisky and having a blast.

It all started with a vacation in Kentucky that led to Jamie creating @BourbonThing (a whisky tasting club with some friends) on the side while still working full-time.  It wasn’t long before her circle of friends grew to include their friends, and their friends, and then their friends, and suddenly strangers were in her apartment tasting whisky (which is not as scary as it sounds.)

Jamie realized she was on to something, so she got her hustle on, and went out to find bars and restaurants that would co-host with her. This was obviously a great business move for the owners of the bars, and when that business grew Jamie started adding corporate gigs and bachelor parties to her roster.

Some sudden changes at her office left her with a TSN turning point in her career, and the voice of a mentor helped her speculate whether @BourbonThing could be a full-time gig. The answer was a resounding YES.

Nine Lessons from Jamie if You’re Considering Making a MASSIVE Career change:

  1. Side Hustle: Test out what you want to do. Manage the risk of leaving a secure job/industry by trying it out and seeing what the interest is like before you leave your full-time gig.
  2. Network:  It doesn’t matter how many connections you have NOW.  It’s about how many you can MAKE. This is in your hands and it takes time and patience to get there. Go out when you don’t want to. Introduce yourself even if you’d prefer to crawl onto the couch and stay there with Netflix and a stiff drink.
  3. Credibility: Get the accreditation that you need (if it exists.)  If a formal option doesn’t exist, attend events and go out and meet the experts to build your own credibility.
  4. Support: Figure out financially how this will work. Can you start donating to a paid leave through your company? Can you take a sabbatical? Can you do full time work and your side hustle without getting burnt out? What is the GO/NO-GO turning point? Do you have a mentor, friend, spouse, or partner that is willing to offer emotional support and guidance?
  5. SAY YES. To everything (almost).  You never know who you are going to meet. Be willing to take a hit to your ego in order to meet more people and gain experience.
  6. Social Media: Build a following to help build your credibility and share news, your message and knowledge. If you don’t know how to do this, there are a flabillion people out there who can help.
  7. Things Take Time: Be patient.  It can take a while for your side hustle to turn into a full time opportunity.  Wait for the right opportunity and don’t make the mistake of taking the first job that comes along.
  8. Do your Research: Do the do.  Know what you are talking about and getting into.
  9. Be Yourself: Don’t be afraid to ask questions and admit what you know and what you don’t know.

Follow Jamie on Instagram or Twitter @BourbonThing and check out the WhiskyTopic on iTunes.

Until Next Time,

Nicole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Help! I Hate My Job! Should I Stay or Should I Go?

January 18, 2018Blog, , , , , ,

Season Three A, Episode One. Podcast recap! (And if you missed the podcast, you can find it here.)

Podcast Recap: Season 3a, Episode 1

On Season 3 of the podcast we are tackling managing your own career, and our first discussion revolves around the question, “Should I stay, or should I go?”

Do you really need a new job, or are you just in a bit of a rut? Do you need to find something new, or are you just in conflict with another member of your team or your manager that is giving you grief?

While the job cycle is definitely shorter than it used to be, it’s still important to ask yourself a few questions before you make the decision to leave and find something new. First of all, why are you even thinking about a new job right now?

Why Leave Your Job?

We are asked all the time for advice on careers and job moves and changes, and there tend to be some pretty common themes during those conversations. Do any of these sound like you?

  1. Bad manager: You might experience signs and symptoms like poor work-life balance, stress, discomfort, or conflict.  How have you tried to work through the scenario? Do you have unrealistic expectations?
  2. Bad performance review/no promotion: You hear something in a performance review that you don’t want to hear and feel uncomfortable and want to leave. You didn’t get that last promotion and are feeling deflated.  Have you tried to work through this? Have you identified the gaps? Have you asked for work that helps you fill them? Is there opportunity to change and improve?
  3. Wanting a new challenge/more responsibility: You feel like you’ve mastered your role. You are bored and need to try something new. Have you asked for new responsibilities or offered to pitch in on different projects?
  4. Wanting a change: You just want a change for change sake. Some might even look for opportunities in a new city or country! What small changes are possible that would achieve the same result? Or is moving really what you want?
  5. Impending Doom. A re-org, merger etc. is making you fearful or not really keen on the changes that are ahead. Are you certain that the changes are coming? Are you certain they are going to play out the way you assume? Can you research a bit more?

What is Your Plan?

There is another common theme among people who are starting to get that feeling that they need a new job.

They don’t have a plan, or a goal, or a destination. If you do, then skip ahead to the next section. If not, then read on.

If you just desperately want to leave your job and scramble to something else, you can expect to be equally unsatisfied and unhappy where you land. Eventually.

In order to really address your discontent, you need to have a goal or destination, and you need to make decisions that will help you get there.

Where do you want to be in one year, three years, or even five? Make decisions today that help you reach your longer term goal.  Or more directly, find work/projects/courses that help you get to the next step.

The great part, is you are in charge of your goals. You can change them and they aren’t carved in stone. Don’t be afraid to chart out your path – you can change it!

Top Tips to Figure Out “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”

  1. Reflect: Reflect on the symptoms that you are experiencing and assess whether you’ve taken the steps to improve your current situation. (See above – is your job salvageable, or do you need to develop more skills before you move?)
  2. Have a Plan: Figure out your plan. Short term to long term. Have an idea of what you are going to so that you are happy when you get there and that this step makes sense in your bigger career plan. What are the stepping stones to get to the next big thing? Have an outcome statement. “I will know I am in the right job if____________.”
  3. Go Across to Go Up: Are you willing to take a lateral move in order to make a bigger change from there? Are you willing to take a pay cut to switch into a new career?
  4. Go “TO” something: Are you running away from your job and jumping to ANY job, or are you being selective and finding the right thing? Do you have passion for what you are applying for?

Take some time. Take a deep breath and put down the voodoo doll of your manager or most hated colleague.

Do some reflecting (use a @bestselfjournal if you can, we love them) and planning.

If you are convinced that you need a new job, stay tuned to the podcast and the blog to see how to start that job hunt.

We’ve got you covered.

Until Next Time,

Nicole

How to Be Productive When the Office is Quiet

January 2, 2018Blog, , , , , , ,

Season Two, Episode Eight. Podcast recap! (And if you missed the podcast, you can find it here.)

Podcast Recap: Season 2, Episode 8, BONUS PODCAST

This week on the podcast, which is our special Holiday Bonus Podcast, we talk about how to be productive when the office is technically open, but mostly pretty dead.

Unless you are an essential services worker (and if you are, thank you!), or are super lucky and work for an organization that closes between Christmas and New Year’s, you have probably experienced working those days when MOST people are on vacation, but a skeleton staff remains.

It’s the worst.

You’re there because the organization has to keep the lights on and do the basics to make sure nothing horrible goes wrong, which it almost never does, but you know, just in case and all that.

What do you do? There’s no one to have meetings with. You can’t get anything approved to move forward. Your desk is out in the open, so watching a movie or playing Candy Crush is unwise.

What Do You Do?

P-O-U-N-C-E

That’s right, Pounce. It’s our mnemonic gift to you to help you on those days when you are in the office, but barely anyone else is.

(It’s also helpful if you think about it as setting yourself up for the New Year. You know, pouncing on it. See what we did there?)

  • Ponder
  • Organize
  • Unsubscribe
  • Network
  • Chill
  • Enjoy

Ponder

Take some time to think about where you are right now, and whether you’re happy with it. This isn’t about making resolutions, although you might end up making some. It’s more about reflecting and doing a little self- assessment:

  • What do you want to do with your job? Are you on the right road to making it happen?
  • How’s your health?
  • How are your relationships, both at home and at work?
  • Are you at loose ends? Are you “all good?”
  • Do you have any “to do list” items that you’d like to check off your Bucket List this year?

We are HUGE fans of the Self Journal from the Best Self Company. (You can buy them from their website or from Amazon.) It’s easy to use, and helps you set up your goals and what those tasks are that will help you achieve them. It even has a handy dandy poster to track your goals three months at a time (which is much less daunting than planning for a whole year), and gives you little wins to help build your motivation.

CONTEST ALERT!

In fact – we love it so much that we’re going to give one away! Just send us an email (info@whiteboardconsulting.ca) or tweet us (@whiteboardcons) to tell us what your favourite podcast of ours was from 2017, and why. That’s it! We will make a draw on January 15th and send one to you.

Organize

Times like these are also excellent times to organize your workspace. This works for everyone, even people who THINK they are organized all the time – come on be honest. You have binders there from that conference you went to two years ago that you haven’t looked at. Or you have confidential files that should probably be shredded or returned to the HR department. Or you have notes on a printed PowerPoint presentation that really isn’t helpful anymore (or it is, but only page 68). Toss it (except page 68 – take a photo of it before you toss it). Or you have a junk drawer full of old candies, paper clips, and expired emergency deodorant.

Take the time to remove all these things that clutter your desk and act as distractions.

Unsubscribe

Hitting delete is pretty easy, but it’s a temporary fix to an on-going email clutter situation.

Take 20 minutes to open those things you subscribed to or that you have no idea why you get, and unsubscribe from them. We aren’t here to talk about email habits and changing the way you manage your Inbox. We ARE here to advise you to clean out the crap because it’s distracting you and stressing you out and you don’t even know it.

We like a couple of helpful tools:

  • Unroll Me is an amazingly helpful online tool that scans your Inbox periodically and, when a subscription email shows up, offers you a few options:
    • Unsubscribe – AND THEY THEN UNSUBSCRIBE FOR YOU SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING,
    • Roll It Up to a daily email with all your subscriptions in one scrollable email, or
    • Leave it in your Inbox.
  • SaneBox is also an online tool that moves your email into folders that you define. If you take the time to set it up the right way, it means that when you open your regular Inbox, you only see the most important things. No scrolling, filtering, or distracting. SO HELPFUL

Network

This is the perfect time to connect and build relationships. Ask that new person to walk with you and get a Peppermint Mocha or gingerbread cookie. Talk to that one co-worker that you have been having trouble getting to know.

If you’re a manager, reach out to members of your team who are all in during these “between” days, and suggest you all go out for lunch together. (And no, you don’t have to pick up the tab, although it would be nice if you gave the OK to extend the lunch hour a bit.)

This is not about socializing with your work buddies or BFFs. This is about capitalizing on the opportunity to build critical relationships in the office. It’s also just plain nice.

Chill

Cut yourself some slack. Catch that later bus (as long as work allows you to be flexible with your hours). Put on some music while you sort out your desk. Take a few minutes to stare out the window and reflect or ponder or just people watch.

If you’re a manager, cut your team some slack! We know of managers who used to just send people home a bit early, or extend lunch hours to allow for holiday shopping. It doesn’t have to be huge, but wow it can give people some stress free time to get things done. And that goes a long way.

Most importantly though, focus on yourself and what you need in order to rejuvenate over this holiday time. (This relates, of course, to the Pondering activity!)

Enjoy!

Finally, enjoy yourself. Find some source of joy that works for you, whether you are celebrating holidays or not. Whether it’s helping someone else out, taking some time to work on that special project that you love but just isn’t normally a priority, treating yourself to some special food, or wearing an Ugly Holiday Sweater, there are things out there that are fun and festive.

Oh, and Get Your Work Done Too

Of course you have to get your work done. Hopefully the demands are somewhat less, and you can take the time to set yourself up so you can POUNCE on the New Year.

We’d love to hear how you use POUNCE! And of course don’t forget to send us a note or a tweet to enter the Self Journal contest.

We wish you the very best for the New Year, and look forward to bringing you our third podcast series which will focus on your career! How to manage it, how to change it, and how to get where you want to go. And if you’re a manager, we will have tips on how to help your team manage their careers, and how to run a successful interview too.

Don’t forget you can subscribe to our podcast in iTunes (click here) so you never miss a new episode!

Until next time,

Ruth & Nicole

Peter. You’re Fired.

December 14, 2017Blog, , , , , , , , , , ,

Season Two, Episode Seven. Podcast recap! (And if you missed the podcast, you can find it here.)

Podcast Recap: Season 2, Episode 7

This week on the podcast, which is our final episode of Season 2, we talk about things you should consider when you need to fire someone, either from their job or contract, from a project, or from, well, anything really.

Please note that we are NOT HR professionals or lawyers, so in our podcast and in this blog, we are focused more on the emotional burden of firing someone vs. the legal and technical logistics. Often, organizations have people to help with this and make sure that no one gets in trouble or does something horribly wrong. There is definitely due process that is required, and if you find yourself needing to fire someone, you need to ensure you’ve reached out to the right people before you actually say the words.

Like all things that are new or challenging, firing someone in the most effective and sensitive way requires some preparation. In addition to reaching out to your employment lawyer and/or your HR department, you might consider:

Before the Conversation

  • Have you given the person a chance to improve?
    • If you’re firing someone because of poor performance, you need to be able to show that you’ve been clear with your expectations, you’ve had regular performance conversations, and you’ve actually given the person a chance to improve.
    • Remember that the onus is on you to hold regular performance management conversations so that really, this isn’t a surprise to anyone. (Except those who may be deliberately obtuse.)
  • Have you documented your conversations?
    • Of course as part of a formal due process there are verbal warnings and written warnings and all kinds of documentation. We also recommend that you keep your own private and more casual notes on your discussions and important events. This can be used as evidence of your efforts to help the employee improve, your conversations, their reactions, etc.
  • Have you planned what you’re going to say?
    • Consider the ASBI tool so that you can open well, state the issue, and then BE QUIET. The temptation is to keep talking and fill the silence, and that just doesn’t help anyone (and could dig you into a hole).
    • Be firm and kind. If you’re over emotional, you risk the conversation going sideways and losing control of what is happening. If you’re unemotional, you risk sounding like a cold hearted robot.
    • If you’re firing someone because of a poor fit (vs. for poor performance), all the same preparation applies. Have you given them a fair chance to fit in? Have you chatted with them and coached them to allow them to adjust? Have you planned how you’re going to say what you need to say?

During the Conversation

Think about having a mantra to use if you get a bunch of questions or arguments against the termination. You might consider:

  • I appreciate this is a difficult or frustrating thing to happen. As I stated, you are being released from this position, and here are the next steps…
  • I appreciate your perspectives, and here is what is happening…
  • I know this is upsetting. Here is what you can expect next…

Picking a mantra that is true, does not apologize, and does not admit to any mistakes, is critical. It allows you to repeat the message over and over as the person tries to process what’s going on. Remember, this conversation is not a debate.

After the Conversation

Follow up. It might be with the person or with HR or with a variety of other people. Ensure that the proper next steps have been taken – leaving it up to chance or process is a recipe for confusion and, if things don’t happen in the right way (for instance, owed pay is not issued), it makes a bad situation worse, and makes you look terrible.

Our Three Tips

  1. Prepare Prepare Prepare:
    • Before the conversation – document and give them a chance to improve or fit in
    • During the conversation – have a mantra to stay on course and avoid a debate
    • After the conversation – follow up on the promised next steps, and do a little self assessment of how it went and lessons learned
  2. Use ASBI with Just the Right Amount of Emotion
    • Open Well
    • Be Firm but Kind
    • Don’t Fill the Silence
  3. Deal with Dissention
    • Stick to the Talking Points
    • Refuse to Debate
    • Use Your Mantra

This may be the hardest of our Difficult Conversations – after all, we are talking about someone’s livlihood! Do your homework so you can get it as right as possible the very first time! Likely you will think back and wish you had done something differently. And that’s ok.

Peter is Perfect. Does He Still Need Feedback?

November 21, 2017Blog

Season Two, Episode Five. Podcast recap! (And if you missed the podcast, you can find it here.)

Podcast Recap: Season 2, Episode 5

Peter has come a long way. He’s taken your excellent feedback, worked hard to improve, and consistently meets and exceeds your expectations. In fact, you might go so far as to say he’s your “perfect” employee.

Thank goodness, because now you don’t have to give him feedback anymore and you can save all that time.

Right?

Wrong.

Star Employees Need Feedback Too

There’s not much that is more deflating to a high performer than suddenly feeling invisible or under valued. Sadly, this happens frequently – we reward our star performers with, what??? MORE WORK! We know they will do it and do it well, and then are surprised when they slip back into old habits or appear disengaged.

The truth is that ALL employees need feedback, even when you can’t find anything to criticize or improve. Why? Because feedback doesn’t have to be negative or constructive (and if that’s the way you view it, we encourage you to change that opinion).

Positive feedback, thoughtfully given and sensitively presented is ALWAYS A GOOD THING.

Three Things to Consider

Here are three common scenarios in which you might struggle to find the right kind of feedback to give to someone:

  1. The Over Achiever. This is the person who just wants more. All the time. They want more work, more challenges, and want to get better and better. They are the person sitting in your office BEGGING for feedback, and you’ve run out of things to tell them.
    • What to do? Consider asking them to rate themselves on a scale of 1 to 10. Chances are they will NOT give themselves a 10 (because overachievers always want to improve). Regardless of how they rate themselves, you can ask them these questions, and let them come up with their own feedback!
      • What are the positive things that contributed to this rating?
      • What do you think you need to do to move the needle higher?
  2. The Practically Perfect Person. Ah, Perfect Peter. He is solid, reliable, has achieved all the goals you have worked on together, is happy with the feedback he gets (and you know this because he told you, not because you assumed), and is just the kind of person everyone wants on their team. So what kind of feedback can you continue to provide? Well, maybe at this point it’s time to switch from feedback to a goals discussion. Perhaps he really is a 10, and now you need to move the needle. Consider setting professional and global goals (global goals are skills that are easily transferrable and often required to “move up” the career ladder or shift to a different role, e.g. presentation skills, facilitation skills, networking) and creating a new set of objectives on which you can give feedback.
    • What would you like to do next? What skills are needed to achieve that?
    • How can you share your skills with others? Are you interested in mentoring someone or allowing someone to job shadow you? Would you like to give a presentation?
  3. The Average Joe. This is your average, reliable, normal person, who requires a combination of positive feedback and recognition in order to remain engaged. Oh and guess what, positive feedback and recognition, while related, are not the same!
    • Positive Feedback is giving specific details on how a person performed and how that performance impacted the team, the organization, you, or any other entity. Use ASBI to deliver that positive feedback in a meaningful way!
    • Recognition thanks someone for their efforts and gives visible reward for their efforts. Remember that recognition does not mean the same thing to everyone – in fact it can go horribly wrong if you assume people like to be recognized the same way you do. The best tip? Ask the person!

Remember – employee engagement has been proven to directly impact an organization’s results. Don’t save your feedback discussions for times of trouble or assume that your team members are all happy and don’t need your positive feedback or recognition.

Take the time to find the positive things to reinforce and inspire the behaviour you want on your team. Then think about how best to deliver it, and take purposeful action to get it done.

Honestly it takes 5 minutes. And it lasts a lifetime.

Until next time,

Ruth.

Peter is Crying. What Do You Do?

November 15, 2017Blog, , , , , , ,

Season Two, Episode Four. Podcast recap! (And if you missed the podcast, you can find it here.)

Podcast Recap: Season 2, Episode 4

Remember our poor imaginary employee Peter? Well, today we want you to imagine that he is now standing in front of you, in your office, weeping. He is distraught, using up your kleenex, and looking at you not know what to say or how to say it, and yet imploring you to help.

I guarantee that if you manage or supervise people, this has happened to you, or will happen to you some day, and you need to know what to do and how to handle the situation.

Shouldn’t Peter Leave His Troubles At Home?

Maybe 30 or more years ago, sure. Back then it was NOT ok to bring your troubles at work – you were expected to be a “big boy” or “big girl,” and “leave it at the door.”

Well, that’s not the case anymore. Now it is acceptable to “bring your whole self to work” and be who you are. If that’s not enough of a reason to hear Peter out, then here are three more reasons why you should make sure you know what to do if someone comes to you stressed out and/or emotional about something that has nothing to do with work:

  1. At the minimum, Peter will not perform well for you if something is causing him to become emotional in the workplace. And guess what – you are responsible for the performance of your team.
  2. You have a legal obligation, at least in Ontario and in many other places, to ensure that your employees are safe from bullying and harrassment, and this includes understanding whether there is an issue with domestic violence that could come to work. (See Bill 168 here.)
  3. It’s the right thing to do. As a human being it is appropriate to find out what is troubling this person and to make sure that they get the help and support they need. Note that this does NOT mean that you have to be their therapist!

OK, So What Do I Do Other Than Have Kleenex Ready?

Having an emotional person in your office is not unlike having an angry person, which we talked about a couple of episodes ago (read the blog recap here). It’s important to listen and convey understanding and empathy so that you can diffuse the emotion and get to the point where you can discuss what needs to happen. The LESTER tool works great for this!

  • Listen. Don’t talk. Just listen.
  • Echo. Repeat back what Peter said so you can confirm you know exactly what he’s upset about.
  • Sympathize/Empathize. Let Peter know you know how awful this must be for him, and then move on to the next step. The danger here is to start swapping stories of when it happened to you. Suddenly you become like a therapist to Peter, and he’s in your office every day, and nothing is getting resolved.
  • Thank. Tell Peter you’re glad he came to you.
  • Evaluate. Consider some solutions to help. This is important: avoid saying, “What can I do to help?” This can result in Peter dumping things on you with great relief. Instead, ask “What needs to happen to help you through this?” Now Peter can own at least some of the responsibility of solving his own issues. (Note that depending on the issue you may want to check in with your HR department and let them know what’s going on, and just make sure you’ve done everything you should. They can be an excellent resource for you.)
  • Resolve. Confirm the plan, follow up, and check in.

The key here is to ensure Peter is getting the help he needs, not let up on holding him (and yourself) accountable for any action steps, and for following up.

What if Peter’s Performance Doesn’t Improve, Even With My Help?

Well, the reality is that you are not Peter’s therapist, and you ARE responsible for your team’s performance.

If you have done everything you can think of to help Peter, and he is still not improving, then you will need to have a performance discussion. Here is where the ASBI tool will help you structure your conversation to be clear and direct:

  • Ask for permission to have a discussion.
  • Describe the situation.
  • Describe the behaviour.
  • Describe the impact.

This gives Peter the chance to understand that his performance is the issue (not his emotional concerns), and discuss how he can improve it.

If he STILL isn’t improving? Well, now you’re into a formal performance management conversation. Now is the time, if you haven’t already, to call HR and check your organizational policy on this. (If you don’t have an HR department, then check your company’s policy on this. Does Peter need time off?)

Remember, that helping Peter doesn’t mean you have to become a therapist. It means you have to be kind and curious, help Peter get the help he needs, and ensure that your team or organization’s performance isn’t jeopardized in the meantime.

Seek the Happy Path, always. You may end up on the “Almost Happy Path,” and that’s ok too. Just avoid the “Well Intended But Unhappy Path.” That is an energy drainer and doesn’t help anyone in the long run.

Give these tips a try, let us know how it went on Twitter at @whiteboardcons and check out the rest of our podcast series on our homepage at www.whiteboardconsulting.ca.

Until next time,

Ruth.

How to Tell Peter, “No Raise for You”

October 31, 2017Blog, , , , , , , , , ,

Season Two, Episode Two. Podcast recap! (And if you missed the podcast, you can find it here.)

Podcast Recap: Season 2, Episode 2

This episode we focused on telling poor imaginary Peter that he didn’t get that raise he was expecting. “No raise for you Peter!”

Why is it so hard? It should be pretty logical, right? Wellll, not always.

It’s a Touchy Subject

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs tells us why the issue of pay raises, salaries, or compensation of any kind is especially difficult to address with people.

A person’s total compensation package is highly personal and strikes right at the heart of an individual’s ability not only to provide physiological needs for him/herself and his/her family, but also to build their own self-esteem, and to feel valued and worthwhile.

Essentially, you are impacting a person’s most basic and psychological needs.

It’s for this reason that you have to tread lightly when responding to someone who is angry about money. As you can imagine though, we strongly suggest you DO have that conversation. Why?

So many reasons.

  1. It’s respectful.
  2. It engages people.
  3. It builds your trusting relationship with that person.
  4. It sets expectations for the future.
  5. It’s just the right thing to do.

Peter Didn’t Get the Raise He Expected

Yup, back to poor Peter. In our last blog we focused on how to give Peter impactful (and kind) feedback about the quality of his work. Now we are faced with telling Peter that he is not getting the raise he wanted, either because he suddenly stormed into your office to discuss it, or because it’s part of your yearly salary or performance management conversation.

So what do you do?

  1. Say the hard thing. Be clear and specific.
  2. Be quiet and wait for the response.
    • You’re hoping they will say, you’re right. What can I do to improve?
    • It’s also possible they will be super angry.
  3. If they’re angry… well, read on.

Let’s say in this case, Peter is really angry. so, you give him all the logic of why he got what he did, what the protocol was, and explain things in very detailed words. All better, right?

No. Not right.

When we’ve talked about the Change Curve with clients and students, we’ve highlighted that when people are angry, they simply can’t hear you. Your best bet is to simply listen and let them vent.

The simple act of Listening is respectful, engaging, and HARD. Often people are taken back by anger and feel attacked and tempted to respond in kind.

So our tip for you today, to help you metaphorically throw the bucket of water at the anger, is the LESTER tool.

LESTER

LESTER is a great mnemonic to help you remember the steps when being confronted with anger in the workplace.

  1. Listen: Take a minute to breathe, and then just listen. Let the person vent, ask them clarifying questions, maybe even use “Tell Me More,” and listen. Really listen. Be engaged and be present. (Peter, tell me what’s got you so upset.)
  2. Echo: Clarify what you heard them say. It’s possible that, from all the venting, you will pull out the wrong issues or misunderstand what Peter said. (Ok Peter, it sounds like you are frustrated about the amount of your pay raise, and also – maybe even mostly – a little surprised by it. Have I got that right?)
  3. Sympathize: (Or perhaps Empathize, which messes up the mnemonic, but whatever…) Recognize their frustration. Tell them you can see their anger. Do NOT say “I’m sorry you feel that way,” which is passive aggressive and only makes people feel worse. Just let them know that you heard them and you can understand that they are upset. (Well I can see that your upset, and I can imagine how frustrated you must feel.)
  4. Thank: Yup, that’s right. Thank them for letting you know. It’s as simple as saying, “thanks for coming to me.” This ensures that people will continue to come to you, which is what you want as a manager. It’s way better than having people complain about you at the water cooler. The only thing that does is ensure you never have your finger on the pulse of the team. (Thanks for coming to me. I appreciate it.)
  5. Evaluate: Now you want to work on solutions to the problem. It might mean you change a decision or a policy, or it might mean that you discuss things in advance, or it might mean working on ways for Peter not to be so surprised in the future. (Well, let’s talk about how to make sure you’re not taken by surprise next time. You know the pay cycle and the policy for it. How can we work together so that you get what you’re expecting?)
  6. Resolve: This final step is just about repeating any agreed on actions as the person walks out the door. (So what we are going to do is set quarterly reviews to talk about your performance. You’re also going to work on your report-writing skills, and I’m going to set you up with some job shadowing. Sound good?)

This whole conversation can happen in five minutes. The more you practice, the easier it gets not only to avoid escalating, but also to actually de-escalate and build the relationship.

Give these tips a try, let us know how it went on Twitter at @whiteboardcons and check out the rest of our podcast series on our homepage at www.whiteboardconsulting.ca.

Until next time,

Ruth.

How to Tell Peter His Work Was, um, Crappy

October 24, 2017Blog

Season Two, Episode One. Podcast recap! (And if you missed the podcast, you can find it here.)

We are so excited to launch Season Two of our podcast this week! Get ready for a whole series dedicated to discussions related to “Difficult Conversations,” with tips, tricks, and tools to help you navigate those situations instead of avoiding them altogether.

In Episode 1 we focus on the awkward task of giving someone critical or constructive feedback. 

Podcast Recap: Season 2, Episode 1

How many times have you been in a situation where you’ve had to tell someone they didn’t do a great job on something, and you wished with the power of a thousand fiery suns that you could avoid the whole thing? Perhaps you DID avoid it and it kept happening anyway?

The funny thing is that most of us crave feedback. We want to do well, to grow and improve, and to feel competent, useful and valuable.

So why is it so hard to give feedback?

Trainingzone reports, “Feedback is difficult because it stands at the juncture of two human needs – the need to be loved and accepted for who we are and the need to improve and be better than we are.”

We think that’s spot on, and believe that FEAR is found at the juncture mentioned above. Fear of upsetting or angering someone, fear of being caught in an argument and having no “comeback,” fear of not achieving the desired result, or worse – fear of making things worse.

Our podcast focuses on overcoming that fear by learning methods that can help you be more effective at giving critical or constructive feedback.

Level One: Can I Tell You Something?

You are busy. Everyone is busy. The word of the day/week/year is busy. We get it. Who has time to be all nicey-nicey and make everyone feel good? You received a report, you reviewed it, it’s not very good, and you just need the writer to fix it.

You could stop by his desk and say, “Peter, I read the report. You’ve missed a couple of important details, and also the formatting is wrong. Please fix it and get it back to me by end of day.”

There’s nothing technically wrong with this. You even said please. But is it the best way?

Now let’s walk in Peter’s shoes. He’s also busy. He just got off a conference call, he got fifteen emails in the last thirty seconds, and his wife, who is home with a new baby, just texted him to call as soon as he has a chance.

He’s super distracted, and when you come by and interrupt his train of thought, he says, “Oh yeah sure, no problem.” He then calls his wife as you walk away, and relates to her how his micro-managing boss just stopped by and he has to go. Then he opens up the report and has no idea what he’s supposed to fix because he can not remember what his boss said.

Now what if you had said the following instead:

“Hey Peter, I know you’re super busy. Can I tell you something? Have you got a sec?”

In this situation, Peter is much more likely to look up from his email and look at you. He will probably answer with a much more clear and understanding response, and will maybe even take a note or two before calling his wife.

Using the phrase, “Can I tell you something?” is an automatic trigger to stop what you’re doing, look up, and listen. It signals to the listener that something important is about to happen, and they need to pay attention.

It works. And takes two seconds out of your day.

Level Two: “How Did That Go?”

Ok, so Level One is your base. It’s the bare minimum that you should do if you absolutely do not have time for a full conversation, and while it may not be entirely engaging or coaching for improvement, it will be effective in setting expectations.

The problem with Level One is that it’s directive, and doesn’t ensure that Peter will not repeat the same mistakes the next time he has to write this report.

Level Two adds a coaching element by first asking the person to self-discover what could have been done better.

How About This Instead?

You have a couple of minutes so you ask Peter to pop by your office. He sits down, and after pleasantries you say, “Hey Peter, I got your report and read it through. Thanks for sending it last night. How did that whole report-writing process go for you?”

Peter, who as we know is busy, says, “Fine. Yeah it was good. It took a while to get started, and I was so tired when I finished it last night. The baby isn’t sleeping, and I figure I rushed the end. But I wanted to get it to you.”

You have been dying to say, “the conclusion of the report is CRAP and by the way what happened to our brand format!” and apparently Peter knows it too. So instead you say, “Yeah, I noticed some gaps in your conclusion. And, can I tell you something?”

Peter snaps to attention, because “Can I tell you something?” does that to people.

“The formatting needs some work too. Have a look at sections two and three – they are completely different and off brand. Can you please fix this and get it back to me by end of day?”

Peter knows what he did. And now he knows that you caught him at that and a couple of other things, and it’s unlikely he will do it again.

Level Three: ASBI

The ultimate feedback tool is the ASBI methodology, which comes from the book “Giving Feedback to Subordinates,” by Dana McDonald-Mann and Raoul J. Buron. While we don’t love the title for how hierarchical it sounds, it has some excellent ideas and tools, including ASBI.

How often have you either given or received feedback that sounded like this:

  • Hey, great job on that report!
  • I’m not happy with the way you handled the project.
  • Thanks, your team did really well.
  • You need to become a dynamic speaker!

These phrases are better than nothing, of course, and they could be even better if they were more specific. What was great about the report (so I can do it again)? What about the project did I handle incorrectly (so I can fix it)? What did my team do well? What do I need to do to be a more dynamic speaker?

The ASBI tool is short and sweet and allows you to give essential feedback that is clear and helpful, and allows the listener to process and respond.

Here’s how ASBI works:

A = Ask for Permission (Can I tell you something?)

S = Describe the Situation (I was in the Finance Committee meeting yesterday for your presentation.)

B = Describe the Behaviour (I noticed that you tended to read from the screen with your back to the audience.)

I = Describe the Impact (When you did that, it seemed that you didn’t know the material very well, and that you weren’t interested in engaging the crowd in a dynamic way.)

Then be quiet.

This last step is so important. It’s tempting to fill the awkward silence with chatter because we feel badly for just giving someone critical or constructive feedback. When we do that, not only do we we take away the listener’s ability to process and think of their response, but we also confuse the message.

In most cases, the person will listen, ponder, and then respond – perhaps in many different ways. Be prepared for that!

And in all cases, the listener will know exactly what you meant, and what the impact was of their behaviour. This is the only way for them to be able to both correct behaviour AND maintain a good working relationship with you.

Next on the Podcast

We will continue our discussion on Difficult Conversations by talking about how to deal with someone who’s angry!

Stay tuned for that, and please let us know if you have any questions or ideas by sending us an email at info@whiteboardconsulting.ca. You can also follow us on our social media:

 

 

 

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