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Tuesday, November 10th 2009

10:03 PM

For Greater Effectiveness, Learn How To Give Feedback

A manager who coaches others needs to provide feedback that keeps them focused and on track. Feedback is also a critical element for working out relationships with coworkers, friends and family members. Unfortunately, "feedback" can become a euphemism for not very constructive criticism.

Feedback can and should be a way of helping another person become more effective. You can help others increase their effectiveness by helping them to understand both what you observed about their actions, and how those actions affected you.

Feedback, at its best, involves sharing both facts and feelings in a way that supports someone who is willing to accept your information.

Use these tips to improve the quality of the feedback you offer others.

1. Give feedback when it is solicited, rather than imposing it on an unwilling listener. If you must offer unsolicited feedback, first say that you would like to give some feedback and ask if this is a good time to do so. If now does not work, schedule it for a later time.

2. Provide well-timed feedback -- usually at the earliest possible moment after the given behavior. Feedback given long after there is any opportunity to correct a problem will usually sound like criticism. However, you may still have to wait until the recipient is ready to hear what you have to say.

3. Give descriptive rather than evaluative feedback. Report on the facts or behaviors you observed, and the impact of those behaviors. Avoid pejorative words like dumb, crazy or stupid.

4. Be specific rather than general. "I observed this twice," is more specific than "You always..."

5. Check to be sure the receiver understood your communication. A good way to do this is to ask them to tell you what they heard you say.

6. Offer feedback that is useful to the recipient. Think about their level of understanding, and ability to use the information. It is useless to give a novice complex, sophisticated details that she doesn't understand. On the other hand, it may be considered insulting to call someone's attention to a problem of which she is already aware.

If you want the recipient of your feedback to change their behavior as a result of you conversation, do not assume that giving the feedback is enough. Ask specifically for the change you want. For example, "Next time, please call me as soon as you know that the schedule needs to be adjusted. O.K.?"

Others will be more willing to give you the feedback you need to increase your own effectiveness if you demonstrate your willingness to receive it.

1. Ask others for their thoughts and feelings.

2. Actively listen to what is said. Paraphrase what you hear and ask if you are correct. Ask questions only for clarification.

3. Accept what you hear and avoid trying to explain or defend your actions.

4. Let others know how you use their feedback.

Remember, effective feedback gives you the information you need to keep learning and growing.
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Tuesday, November 10th 2009

10:01 PM

What You Think Of Me Is None Of My Business

How often do you hold your tongue and not speak the truth of what you are thinking?

What do you love doing that you haven't done in a long time?

Does your creativity get shoved into the box of what you think will please others?

If so, you may be letting your fear of criticism rule your life. This is one of the key sources of struggle people face. It is easy to try to please everyone all the time.

We tend to moderate our words, our actions, and look over our shoulder to see who's watching. Actually pleasing everyone all the time is actually a losing battle!

When we're caught up with what we're supposed to do we tend to stifle our energy and enthusiasm for whatever project we're pursuing. When we trust our actions and choices, we see that everything gets easier and we're in the flow of the work. There is more consistent energy. Our energy is not bolstered when others applaud us and deflated when others have a negative reaction to what we've said or done.

This is contrary to how many of us were raised. We were supposed to listen to how things were to be done and do our best to copy that. There was a right and wrong way for every project to be completed. Rarely were our personality styles considered as to what method would work best for us to approach any situation.

Terry Cole-Whitaker wrote the book titled, What You Think Of Me Is None Of My Business. I remember when I first heard this title. Over the years it has come to mean more to me as I've realized the peace that can come from letting go of need for love and approval for everything I do.

Is this selfish to put our OWN approval above others' approval? This may have been the message of our childhood. When we have healthy self-love we are able to be comfortable with what we are doing and are able to accept that others may have their own way to complete a task as well. Our self-care is essential for us to be a fully engaged individual in any situation, whether it is a personal relationship or a business project.

HOW CAN YOU CHANGE YOUR HABIT OF PLEASING OTHERS?

It first takes the decision that you are going to live life for yourself. This isn't to say you are not being considerate of others. On the contrary, you will value and respect them more than ever.

Then make a conscious effort to speak the truth, no matter what. How often to we filter our words carefully to avoid offending anyone? This only makes connecting more difficult and awkward. It is really pretty obvious when a person is not being authentic. You are not doing anyone a favor by not being real.

This process will not happen in just a few leaps and bounds. Small steps are the most effective way to make any change. You have to be comfortable with what you are doing to have this be a smooth process.

Give yourself a moment before speaking to check how authentically you are about to respond. Speaking the truth does not mean that you have to fully disclose all of your thoughts. That isn't necessary. Healthy boundaries for your privacy are appropriate.

And, realize that some people in your life may not be comfortable with your honesty. They are probably not people who are adding positive energy to you anyway.

How would your life be different if you were living congruently with your ideas and values?
How would your relationships be enriched by being all of who you are?
How would your productivity be affected?
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Sunday, September 27th 2009

7:04 AM

Put Great Effort Into Getting - Recruitment


What core does this acquire on different employees? How grownup does direction look? How overmuch has this cost? How unsportsmanlike was this on the rising employee? Which employees would propose this orderliness to their friends?

When we run activity on resume maker san diego achievement and postulate what the succeeding state should be after a resignation, the greeting is invariably to advertise. This greeting is modality of organizations that do not human a touch for recruiting - likely figure of the most price exercises undertaken by most managers. The outlay of losing and substitution an employee ranges from III months realize to up to trio nowadays yearbook salary.

This is an concerned and crucial exercise, still it is quite oftentimes carried outer in an ad hoc position with oft real sedate and pricey consequences.

A transmute is essential and group demand to be housebroken in it.

The transubstantiation needs to counterbalance specified issues as:

Who give be embroiled in the achievement process? This haw let the supervisor, interior customers and peers.

Is the difficulty necessary? The unfortunate hawthorn be competent to be conglomerate with other invest or be outsourced.

Does the invest impoverishment redefining? An up to associate task statement should be prepared Expert Resume Writing.

How do we protection the applicants? terminate we obstruct by datum résumés and over the ring before encounter to grappling interviews?

How do we program the interview? The key pieces of assemblage required should be characterized with the attorney questions printed out.

How gift we piddle the ultimate selection? If this knowledge is followed, the unalterable firmness making is easier. exclusive those that somebody demonstrated the “must haves” are on then foresightedness list. any investigating hawthorn be required for particularized issues.

Reference checking is a must. Who are the right fill to require and what shall we expect them?

What conditions faculty the mortal be recruited on? If you tally policies and systems in gauge for these this faculty also be a relatively promiscuous decision.

How gift we know we someone prefab the right decision? Having attorney measures of success in residence before the determination module puddle reviewing the early employee an light task during the probation period professional Resume making .

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Tuesday, September 8th 2009

11:50 PM

Six Steps To Correct Without Discourage An Employee

While maintaining the motivation of a partner is an art, there are certain strategies that will allow you to maintain your enthusiasm for the job. I advise you do the following:

1. Meet privately with your partner. It is very important that whenever you want to correct a person, it does not feel exposed, otherwise it will increase its defenses and diminish the likelihood of an actual change in behavior.

1. Indicate the purpose of the conversation. Discuss your interest is to develop skills and resources so that he or she can succeed in their day to day.

This step is important because it is a way of saying "I want to help and although the subject might be uncomfortable to try my goal is to support you for your growth." Again, what we're doing here is to increase its responsiveness to say whatever you want.

1. Mention what you've observed. At this time, tell the person what is the error that requires correction or habit or what needs improvement in one task to him.

Focus on facts and not speculation or interpretation you have of the case. For example, let's assume that you want to correct the problem that is always late at the time of entry.

Avoid saying "I've never known someone who wants to lose their jobs as fast" or "I have not seen such irresponsibility in many years." Although I really want, Focus on behavior: "In the last three weeks later you got five." Period. The fact is, no interpretation of what we think is happening.

1. Indicate why it is important to correct their behavior. This will help greatly depersonalized correction, ie it means that if you're drawing attention is not because you fall ill or because they want to annoy, but because it is within a system and their participation is important.

In the example I have been driving, you could mention something like: "Customers expect the look of the 8 o'clock. Some of them are in a hurry to get to other sites and we are not available to serve them are angry with us and iran to competition. "

If you realize, all the arguments that employees do not have to do with you or with the company, but to customer service: something completely justified and logical.

1. Ask what you can do to correct their own behavior or performance. This is a strategic step within the whole process because you're doing your own thinking and find ways to solve the problem.

If you tell them how to take it as an obligation or coercion. But if he sets his own way will be corrected with more availability.

But be very careful to get evasive answers. Do not conform to an "I promise not to do again." That is not enough. You have to get a specific response to the employee, such as: "as from tomorrow I will put my alarm clock 10 minutes before." That it is specific!

One advantage of this step is you're doing your partner a mature, rather than because you give him all the answers led him to look for himself. Eventually, you will be able to find their own solutions instead of you're wondering all the time.

1. Take the follow-up. Never let a good performance goes unnoticed. If the employee shows signs of improving, felicítalo. This way you'll be reinforcing the new behavior learned.

It is also a way to say "I'm fixing you."

There is an additional recommendation that you want to do: care for the tone of your voice and nonverbal language to carry out this process. When you're angry about something that was a bad employee, it is likely that, unconsciously, is what you want to download your discomfort and projected in your gestures, gestures and vocal tone.

If you practice these tips, your partner is not discouraging because we've brought to see things from another perspective: that we are helping to be better at what it does. You'll feel more self-motivated and will gain more influence over him.

Much success!
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Monday, September 7th 2009

4:07 PM

Standardize Your HR Software Selection Process

After you have determined your needs for a human resource software program and after you have determined which HR software products will meet your needs, the next step is to set up demos and evaluate the numerous HRIS systems.

The typical HR Software demo

With the typical HRIS demo, a sales person and perhaps a technician will perform a demo either online or in your office. They may show a Power point presentation; they might not. A consultative sales consultant is going to ask you a great deal of questions about your HR software needs and tailor the HRIS demo to those needs. When showing the HR software, they will focus on the features that set their product apart. They will gloss over areas where their product is not as strong as others. Unless you ask the right questions and take control of the demo, you may or may not get a true picture of the HR software's capability.

You need to take control of the HR software demo

In order to receive a true picture of the HRIS application, you need to take control of the demo. I am not saying you need to be rude. Make sure to ask a lot of questions and make sure to have your IT person in the demo to make sure all technical concerns are addressed. The important thing is for you and your staff to see what you need from the Human Resource product, not what the sales person wants to show you.

How to standardize the process and make the right HR software selection

After looking at a few HRIS products, they start to blur together; you can't remember which product did what. I recommend taking the following steps to standardize the process and make sure you evaluate each HR system on an equal basis: Write down a number of processes and ask the person, or people, providing the demo to show the process and then provide a score.

- Hire a new Employee
- Terminate an Employee
- Import a data file
- Run a turnover report
- Run a birthday list
- Show how salary and job history are recorded
- Setup a medical benefit plan
- Create a custom report of your choice

On the medical plans and custom reports, the sales person may or may not be able to perform the task. They are, after all, not implementation experts. If that's the case, make sure to have a support person or an implementation expert provide a presentation on those processes. As the person shows these processes, make sure and score how easy or how hard the process seems to be. At the end of five demos, you will have a clear understanding as to which HR software products meet your needs and which are going to require the least amount of training and time to maintain.

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Monday, September 7th 2009

4:06 PM

The Scapegoat

Every day it seems we hear about another company laying off workers in an effort to cut cost. Though the worker is the one feeling the pain, it isn't the worker who is lacking in productivity or straining the company's budget, but rather the high cost of failed leadership. In their zeal to point blame and cut costs, managers are overlooking the human factors that created the success of the business in the first place.

Let's be honest. The core responsibility in any position of leadership is to be competent at continuous adaptation to unforeseeable events. It's the ability to plan for contingent circumstances which cannot be forecast that makes for great leadership. But judging from the state of this economy, one would think that precepts like stability and control are irrelevant in today's vernacular.

Kept outside the corporate planning process, employees work in a vacuum, a world apart from the more privileged executives at the top. What matters to those at the top are stock options, bonus incentives, and severance pay. What matters most for ordinary workers is job security. To that end, workers know that their job security is inextricably linked to the profitability of the company.

Now, I ask you: Who has the best long term interest of the company in their hearts and minds?

Doug Wallace, an attorney and author of the memoir, Everything Will Be All Right, worked twenty years as a lawyer representing most of the top national banks in the nation. He gained a keen insight into the minds of corporate managers. He once heard a Vice President of one of the nation's largest financial institutions assert, "Don't confuse what's good for the company, with what's good for my career." And, he was just one of the executives with a similar mindset that Wallace met over the years.

Many workers today feel unappreciated and expendable, not as important players in their company's planning process. Most workers are being asked to increase productivity in the face of unprecedented layoffs. Working under these conditions can be downright intimidating, which has the potential to create morale problems that will linger for years. A partnership between employer and employee is created when the goals and attitudes of the top executives are consistent with the goals and attitudes of the ordinary workers.

Yet, take a look at what's happening. The visible effects of the current crisis are unprecedented layoffs and worker discontent, while the executives at the top are relatively unharmed by this crisis. The worker yearns for stability at a time when they have reason to doubt the competency and loyatly of management at the highest levels. This is a problem created by blunder and greed of corporate managers--a total failure at all levels of upper management.

The economy has put the squeeze on corporations, big and small, in every industry, in every field, and the hunt is on for ways to cut costs. Workers are being let go, and those who remain are asked to make sacrifices, but workers know all too well that what is really happening is they are the scapegoat for corporate malfeasance. It was Mark Twain who said "There are many scapegoats for our blunders, but the most popular one is Providence." Except in this instance, the blunder has been created by management at the top, and the popular scapegoat is the worker at the bottom. The long term price to be paid by corporations for this blunder will be loss of employee loyalty. Only Providence knows just how costly that blunder will be.

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Sunday, August 30th 2009

10:51 PM

Tuning Your Sales Pitch

Since words and meaning conflict, and since one unit of tone is more convincing than, six hundred units of words, it is wise to make use of tones when working on making a sales pitch.

The mental-tone actually fights to gain attention. "Hear Ye! Hear Ye!" is used in the courtroom to gain the immediate attention of every one in the room. This mental tone is a fighting tone. It does not suggest a physical fight, but a conflict of ideas. Unless you wish to stir up opposing ideas, avoid using it except when necessary to gain immediate attention.

The feeling-tone is the brotherhood tone, the comradeship-tone, the I-want-to-do-you-a-good-turn-tone. To be effective, it must be without any hint of fawning or pleading. In the mind of the listener, it awakens willingness to be persuaded.

To determine its pitch and quality, image yourself talking to your young son, expressing your love and kindness. Then, fit your tone to your feelings, and you can discover the correct pitch and depth of the emotive tone. Keep it manly and strong. It is the attracting, harmonizing and winning tone.

The power-tone is used to command and direct successfully. It is lower in pitch than the mental-tone and lacks the winning quality of the feeling tone. Direct commands in words often arouse opposition; but soft words and strong power-tones awaken no such opposition. The power-tone communicates the command, which will be obeyed.

Persuading and convincing are factors of the art of selling. Selling, in its larger sense, is the basis of human relationship; for, whenever two human beings converse, one sells the other something. It may be a thing, or it may be an idea, or it may be an ideal, or a personal impression. If successful in selling, you lead the other person's mind to see and feel and desire as you do. To do this, you first win by attraction, and then impel by conviction. Choose your tones wisely.

Woe to you if you attempt by a mental tone to persuade a woman.

Why, then, try to use such a tone to persuade a man to buy? Yet, you are in the habit of doing so; for, when you go to another person with a proposition about which you have been thinking, it is natural to use a mental tone, because your mind is centered upon the ideas of your proposition. To win, first think less of your ideas and more of the man-to-man relationship you wish to establish between the other man and yourself. Use the feeling-tone for this. Then, use the power tone to impel a decision.

The experienced salesman has learned by many failures not to depend upon the mental tone. Instead, he uses a brotherly tone in talking to his prospects. He talks as a brother who wishes to act as a benefactor, and who wishes to render a service.

The mental-tone should be used only in gaining the attention of the mind of the other person when you present information or explain.

The emotive or feeling-tone should be used to convey to the buyer's mind a true consciousness of your honor, of your kindnesses, of your courtesy, of your desire to serve. It should always be used to win and to persuade.

The power-tone should be used in commanding. It always suggests your solidity, your capacity, and your right to direct others.
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Sunday, August 30th 2009

10:49 PM

Is it Marketing or Advertising

Fred: Many people use the terms selling and marketing interchangeably- but they are not the same.

Lyna: This is common mistake made by many new as well and experienced business.

Fred: Lets take a look at each of these in details. First- marketing is how you are going to generate leads and attract potential customers and clients.

Lyna: That's right, it also is part of your overall plan for advertising and getting your name and product or service out there.

Fred: Marketing helps us establish a long term relationship with a product. The more we keep something in the front of our minds, the more we check it out and even buy it. For example: when I say coffee whom do you think of?

Lyna: Starbucks definitely know how to get customers to stop and buy a cup of Joe.

Fred: Once you are successful at getting customers in your door, then you move on to sales.

Lyna: Sales is basically getting the customer to reach the buying decision so he will purchase your product.

Fred: One goes with the other. You cant have sales without marketing first and the reason you market is for sales.

Lyna: Lets break it down even further. Marketing consists of of your advertising, public relations, branding your name and product or service.

Fred: Where sales are more personal and generally one on one. This would include networking, cold calling etc.

Lyna: Its like baiting your hook and waiting for them to bite.

Fred: Your marketing success depends on what type of bait you use and how you bait the hook also.

Lyna. And once they bite you need to reel them in carefully so you don't loose them.

Fred: Then once you land them you have to be careful how you take them off the hook so they will come back another day.

Lyna: Your marketing program is all about warming up your potential customers and getting them interested in finding out more.

Fred: I like that- warm up your customers with marketing so it wont be a cold call when you sell your product to them.

Lyna: Marketing is about making relationships with future clients successful. The more people get to know and trust you and your product, the more sales youll make.

Fred: You want to sell more products? Remember, its all in your marketing.


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Tuesday, August 25th 2009

8:27 PM

Performance Management In A Downturn

In this current economic climate, smart companies are focusing more on performance management of their staff rather than  finding new ones. Employee performance is vital if a company is going to stay afloat. A lot of recruitment agencies have gone by the way of the dodo recently. A friend of mine started one about 4 years ago and she closed her doors about 3 months ago as she found that the industry was suffering big time. It seemed to her it was only the big and established agencies that would survive until things pick up. Unfortunately, her agency wasn't going to be one of the survivors.

The major question that faces you as a manager right now is which of your staff goes and which stays? Without a question its cheaper to develop existing talent than it is to find new ones. An economic downturn is a good time to make such decisions. If you haven't already, it might be a good time now to develop a performance management system. Even with that though, its not as easy to decide who stays and who doesn't.

One of the things I found helpful was to sit down and write down all the names of people in your team. Then rate them form 1-10 pretty much like the scores ballroom dancers or gymnasts get after a routine. The criteria should be along the lines of whose work performance in terms of achieving the objectives of the job they do merits a 10 out of 10?  If they have done everything that they were expected to do, then its a 10 out of 10. Lower point score if they failed to do some things. Obviously for this to be a fair judgement, their job outline and whats expected should be 100% clear to them. Your goal should be to find the 'best'. By doing this, you will identify who has the relevant behavior to enable the business to grow. That's how you as a manager are judged, by business growth of your area. Why shouldn't your staff have the same criteria?

Downturn or no downturn, regular performance evaluations are essential. In any economic climate, no business can afford to have 'dead wood' hanging about. Part of your job as a manager is to make sure that you keep your best people. You need to understand who they are and make sure they understand whats expected of them. If they can score a ten out of ten with you and they're recognized for their success then they're far less likely to leave which means you wont be wasting valuable time and money finding your next 'top gun'.

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Monday, August 24th 2009

8:31 PM

The 7 Reasons New Employees Fail

When a new employee starts with your company, the first few months are like a honeymoon period. You and the employee are getting to know each other, working out what makes each other tick and the employee is learning about your business.

During this period, both sides work out if they are a "fit" and if the employee is not working out, then their employment is not confirmed (read - sacked).

Almost 100% of employees start a new job with the hope of doing the right thing and being successful in the role. They genuinely want to build and support your company.

So, why does it often not work out?

What I am going to say may sound harsh. In my experience most failures during probation are squarely the fault of the manager and the company. The top 7 reasons new employees fail are:

1. Incorrect recruitment. You grabbed the first person breathing who looked at your job and didn't really match their interest, attitude and skills to the position.

2.Incorrect induction or no induction. You didn't explain the company and how their particular role fits into the bigger picture. You were not welcoming. You didn't explain basic internal processes and rules and the person broke the rules.

3. Unclear communication. You were not clear in explaining what had to be done, in what order and for what reason. If you are fuzzy, what hope has a new employee without your experience of the business have of getting it right?

4. Muddy management reporting lines. Does your employee know who their direct report is or are they getting torn between different managers telling them different things?

5. No explanation of the code of conduct. Did you explain what acceptable and unacceptable behaviour was?

6. Poor performance management. When they were going off track, did you take time to bring them back gently on track or did you just nuke them? Did you give them feedback that there was a problem, or did you just sack them?

7. Changing boundaries. The person was hired for one position and you changed the role and duties after they started.

There will be the odd occasion where a person genuinely doesn't care, but these are less than 1% of all new employee failures.

If you find that you are having a number of new employee failures - then go back and check out where the problem really lies. You usually will find it is not with the individuals hired, but with the person doing the hiring.

So, what do you do about it? When you have a vacancy, start by being really clear on the role you want to fill. What precisely will they be doing? Who do they report to? What are they accountable for?

Next be clear on the person who will best fit your role - their skills, attitudes and attributes.

Once you have found someone - how can you make them feel welcome, important and valued? What do you need to tell them so they quickly understand your business and "how you do things around here".

If they get off track - talk with them and explain what you really meant for them to do. Ask for feedback on your communication and act on suggestions to improve it. Guide them back on track as gently as possible.

Yes, all of this takes time. But so does having to constantly hire new staff. Where would you prefer to invest your time
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