Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Acing a Job Interview: The Art of Proper Follow-Up
5February 2011
Often a job interview is like playing poker - you have to know how much to reveal, how much to conceal, and when to call for all cards on the table. If you play your hand right, the game is yours. But what to do when you’re across the table from an interviewer with the world’s best poker face?
You can succeed at the interview game if you’re good at reading people. You’ll need to decide how much or how little communication is right with the particular hiring manager, time your moves perfectly and watch for signals and the feedback you’re getting, or not getting.
With good interpersonal skills and an upbeat approach you can beat the odds in the interview game. But like in everything else, there are some dos and don’ts to remember. I offer tips on how to excel at “job interview poker” in my Psychology Today article.
Coping With Difficult Bosses
30October 2010
A recent article on Monster+HotJobs.com titled Coping With 5 Boss Personality Types discusses five major boss types that aren’t easy to deal with (hence the need to cope). For each boss trait, the author cites advice from a number of experts, including myself. In my book Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant I give a bit different “boss classification” but I do like the way major personality types are represented in the article by recognizable movie and TV characters.
For example, for dealing with the Narcissistic Boss (a.k.a. Miranda Priestly, “The Devil Wears Prada”) the article very fittingly offers my “C.A.L.M.” method (Communicate, Anticipate, Laugh, and Manage Up):
“Communicate frequently, honestly, and regularly with aggressive bosses, so you understand what’s behind all the blustering. Anticipate problems before they occur or become more stressful (don’t encourage a tantrum with bad timing, either). Laugh: A little levity goes a long way when tensions are running high. Manage up by being a role model of good behavior, using positive and negative reinforcement as you would with a child.”
The article ends with a somewhat alarming revelation: when asked to characterize their boss in terms of a TV or movie character (the villain, the hero, the comic relief, the mentor, the oddball, the heartthrob, or a bit part) 41 percent of the poll participants said that their boss was the villain. And if you find yourself working with a “villain,” what is more important than developing some good coping skills?
MSN Careerbuilder: How to Call in a Favor at Work
26September 2010
MSN Careerbuilder recently ran an article by Danny Goldin, titled How to Call in a Favor at Work. It deals with those situations when the daily grind becomes a bit too much. The article recognizes that although we may be reluctant to ask other people for help, each of us may have to do it from time to time – no arguing about that. What’s important, the author says, is how you ask.
“People never want to be known as the office pest, causing their co-workers to duck for cover when they approach. To ensure that this fate isn’t bestowed upon you, Lynn Taylor, a nationally-recognized workplace expert and CEO of Lynn Taylor Consulting, provides a few pointers.”
My recommendations, in short, are as follows:
• Make sure you are not asking too much.
• Timing is everything – “Is it a good time?”
• It’s a two-way street, so offer something in return.
The article quotes other experts offering an insight that I couldn’t agree more with: it’s important to use your interpersonal skills when you approach someone for a favor; you have to consider who is that person – for example, their age – and what’s the nature of your relationship with them. Then you shape your request to fit the situation.
In conclusion, the article offers another bit of advice from yours truly:
“Don’t forget to thank them, if possible, publicly,” Taylor says. “It won’t hurt to thank them immediately for saying ‘yes,’ and later when the event happens. A formal thank you in the form of a note or e-mail is also welcomed because it’s more visible and in black and white. It demonstrates more thought than just a phone call.”
So, never hesitate to ask for help when you really need it. And by doing it just right, not only you are able to achieve more, you are also sharing success with your co-worker and building a better, more collaborative workplace.
Put Leadership Training on the Front Burner
13August 2010
The recession forced corporations to cut down on training, especially leadership programs, creating a deficiency that will sooner or later show up in their performance. Leadership training is highly important for success – both long-term and immediate. There can be no justification for postponing it indefinitely, not even in these tough economic times. Even a paired-down program – a workshop or a seminar once in a while, dedicated to chosen key topics – can help boost morale, spur organizational growth, improve management/stuff relations, invigorate employees, and, overall, boost productivity and improve the bottom line. To this important issue is devoted my latest article on BusinessWeek.com. Please read a sample below:
A key to invigorating employees
Leaders must know how to motivate their teams to work for mutual success and the larger success of the company. Even with the economy still faltering, more progressive companies are considering restarting leadership training. They recognize it as a wise investment in creating an invigorated workforce.
Researchers from Harvard and McGill universities carried out a six-year global study of companies that sought improved working conditions at all levels of their business and managed to be profitable at the same time. The researchers found that these companies—ranging in size from small outfits of 27 employees to Fortune 50 corporations of 126,000—knew how to support leadership at every level and how to listen to employees.
One company, Costco, found that developing the skills and talent of its employees helped recruitment and improved the long-term quality of management.
Managers must include interpersonal intelligence in their leadership tool kit. They must demonstrate that they are trustworthy and transparent. In numerous studies conducted by our own firm, the “trust gap” between the boss and employee is clearly evident. But the trust gap can be reset.
Be sure to check the the complete article for more information and practical tips.
Does Your Boss Trust You?
22July 2010
Workplace issues are never out of the public discussion. Here are some recent media highlights: CBS News talks on “How to Handle Toxic Bosses“; BusinessWeek discusses “maltweetment” – people using social networking to get back at their higher-ups and co-workers; Time analyzes a New York state bill that targets workplace bullying ; and AOL DimeCrunch highlights a new job market tendency, the “tempreneur,” that is giving many people a renewed feeling of job security.
In my recent Psychology Today article I talk about another issue that can give you trouble at work: bosses who have an “employee trust deficit.”
Does your boss pop into your office at the most unexpected times to check up on you? Does he ask endless questions, micro-manage your work schedule or demand to know exactly what you’re doing? Do you want to take on more responsibility, but your ideas get shot down?
Some employees prefer having dialog with their bosses over feeling ignored. But there is a fine line between frequent communication and micro-management. Very often, a hovering, meddling boss leaves little incentive for you to produce your best work - because you believe that in the final analysis the end product won’t be yours.
Ironically, many managers feel that they are providing a service to their team members. At times, managers with the best intentions may not realize that they are not being a devoted mentor, but rather an unwitting menace. You are left feeling as if there is little or no trust in your decision-making.
The trust gap between bosses and employees can be mutually self-perpetuating. The same lack of trust in your judgment begets mistrust in your boss. This gap is at the root of significant downtime in your job, which clearly isn’t helpful to you or your company.
Read more about the importance of mutual trust and find suggestions on how to handle the problem here.
