Year-End Gratitude

If there were ever a year that we are grateful to see end, it’s 2020. Yes, it started with some bright promise that quickly faded as COVID-19 invaded and took control. Let’s not focus on the dark side, however. Despite the cloud that’s hung over us, there are some things for which to be grateful.

Change was thrust upon us, and organizations learned that remote working can be successful. Once we do emerge from this pandemic, the workplace will change. Hybrid working arrangements – some days at home, some days in the office – are likely to be the norm in many industries, ushering in a new era for work-life balance and flexibility. And job seekers will have more geographic flexibility as the realization takes hold that workers don’t have to live in the same city where the employer’s office is located. This is just the beginning. 

For us, we’ve enjoyed personal successes on the writing front, for which we are grateful. It started in February with a surprise package from our publisher containing The Manager’s Answer Book translated into simplified Chinese, and The Big Book of HR translated into Vietnamese. And while we haven’t received it yet, foreign rights were sold for The Conflict Resolution Phrase Book, which will be translated into Arabic. 

February also brought the opportunity from our publisher for a 10-year anniversary edition of The Big Book of HR. The ink was barely dry on the contract when the pandemic hit, making us totally rethink how some of the revisions will need to be addressed. But hey, who doesn’t like a challenge and the opportunity to stay busy.

A big thrill came in late May when we were notified that The Manager’s Answer Book was the winner in the career book category of the prestigious Next Generation Indie Book Awards, which our fabulous agent, Marilyn Allen, encouraged us to enter. Unfortunately, the awards ceremony, which we’re told is a magical night in the publishing industry, moved online like so many events. We watched it on Facebook Live while we were “together” on the phone. If nothing else, this year has been about innovation and creativity as we all coped with a new reality.

The writing success we are most grateful for is that last Tuesday, December 1, marked the release date and journey’s end for They Did What? Unbelievable Tales from the Workplace, which was finally published after years of work. Now we can look to 2021 for some new challenges. 

Finally, and most importantly, we recognize the many people who contributed to these successes. They include our families and friends, our readers, and our support teams who helped us get this book (and our blogs and social media) edited, finished, distributed, and promoted. We are especially grateful to them. 

Even in these trying times, take a moment to acknowledge your own personal successes and express gratitude to the people who touch your lives. We wish you a healthy and happy 2021.

Barbara and Cornelia

Imagination & Creativity - A Tip From The Manager’s Answer Book

Did you ever think about what gives you a different perspective?  Is it a new setting, or situation, or circumstance? Did you ever hear people say that they’re most creative when they are not at work? There’s something about stepping out of your usual routine and environment that allows new ideas to flood our brains.  When you expand your perspective, you expand your horizons as well. 

In 2020, we’ve found ourselves in new and different situations and circumstances. These days people are not at their usual place of work, but are still working, and working amidst distractions and interruptions. Enough to stifle anyone’s creativity, but it’s certainly bringing a new perspective to the way we do things. To paraphrase the title of a Tony Schwartz book, the way we used to work isn’t working anymore. 

Manager’s Tip:  During these difficult times, don’t lose your perspective. Opportunities can grow out of chaos and crisis. Potential can be unlocked creating positive and lasting change for your organization. It’s the time for new ideas and energy, for taking action, and for putting people first. You just have to expand your perspective. One silver lining I see from this pandemic, it will retire, forever, that tired phrase we’ve always done it that way!

As leaders in your organization, you recognize that creativity and innovation are critical – whether it’s developing new products or services or just finding improved ways of doing things.  You want nurture that innovative self inside each and every employee. You

need to start by letting your employees know that you are open to new ideas and suggestions and that you value their creativity. However, recognize that in these times, idea generation is going to take more time and effort. Be patient. Let the process be organic. 

You can read more about imagination and creativity on page 98 of The Manager’s Answer Book a proud 2020 Winner of the Next Generation Indie Book Award. The Manager’s Answer Book is available from Amazon -- https://tinyurl.com/y8umaqpz - Barnes & Noble or your local independent bookstore.

And remember “What you imagine you create.”

A Tip From The Manager’s Answer Book: Your Management Brand

 

As a manager, all eyes are on you.  You bring knowledge, skill and experience to the job. Managing in our current environment is and will continue to be different. As work gradually moves back into offices, managers will have to manage differently and trust their employees. Now more than ever before, the quality of output and results must be the focus of performance measurement, rather than the number of activities or amount of time spent at work stations, in order to sustain productivity, avoid burnout and produce results. 

Successful managers have to show they are not only competent in their area of expertise, but they have to show they are credible, agile, and empathic.  So how do you do that, and why is it important.  

Manager’s Tip:  You do it by creating your personal brand. Your brand is how you present yourself – how you communicate, act and interact with others. As a manager, you are representing the organization – whether interacting inside or outside – so you always want to be mindful of how your actions uphold the organization’s positive culture.  There are critical traits that illustrate a positive personal brand. Clearly at the top of the list are ethics and integrity – being true to your values and principles. You demonstrate this by making decisions that don’t contradict your values, seeking out people with common values and respecting the people around you. Trustworthiness is a close second to integrity.  You show other people that they can trust you by maintaining confidences, exercising discretion and avoiding rumors and gossip.  Listen to your staff and be as transparent as you possibly can. Be fair and consistent with your staff and admit when you are wrong.  And finally courage – having the confidence and integrity when you see something is wrong or not moving in the right direction to say something. Confront wrongdoing no matter where it’s occurring. Step up and do the right thing. Finally, courageous leaders not only speak out and take an opposing point of view, they also advocate for ideas and positions that may not appear to be popular.

You can read more in The Manager’s Answer Book a proud 2020 Winner of the Next Generation Indie Book Award.  Section Four is devoted to creating your personal brand.  Ethics and integrity is discussed on page 111, courage on page 113 and trustworthiness on page 120. The Manager’s Answer Book, is available from Amazon -- https://tinyurl.com/y8umaqpz - Barnes & Noble or your local independent bookstore.

A Tip from The Manager’s Answer Book: Mentoring and Millennials

Remember when we thought that mentors had to be older people with many years of experience? Well, those days are over. A better definition of a mentor is “anyone who has knowledge you don’t have.” This new take on mentoring is playing out in organizations today as Millennials mentor Baby Boomers in how to get the most out of technology as often as Boomers mentor Millennials in how to survive office politics!

If this pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that we can learn a lot from the Millennials.  We’ve a younger colleague who had worked to get her organization up and running on Microsoft Teams—well before the pandemic hit. Her efforts were resisted at first, but lauded when the rest of the management team realized that the transition to working from home was seamless. The new normal that we’re facing isn’t necessarily hard, it’s just different, and we’ve got to adjust to the differences.  This is where the Millennials can help. They can show us how to use new tools and upgrade our technology and skills if we’re willing to listen and expand our point of view. 

Mentoring is the classic win/win situation. The mentee gains knowledge they didn’t have, and the mentor has the satisfaction that comes from doing something to benefit another. Those who are challenged by the new technology will come to realize that it’s taking business to the next level and it’s Millennials who are driving that path forward. Take them seriously and learn from them.

Manager’s Tip: If you want more ideas on mentoring, The Manager’s Answer Book answers this question: “I’ve had wonderful people during my career who served as mentors and helped me get to the management level. I’d like to start a formal mentoring program and have the support of senior management to do so. Can you give me some ideas on how to get started?”

“Answer: Good for you to want to ‘pay it forward’ and encourage mentoring in your organization. Mentoring is an excellent tool to develop staff that doesn’t cost much (or any) money but it can pay huge dividends for the individual and your organization, including your ability to hire talent employees. Smart job applicants ask if they might have a mentor to help them be productive if they join your organization. Other benefits of mentoring programs include the development of cross-organizational connections as people mentor employees from other departments and build channels of communication—often between people who might not have otherwise worked together.”

For more information on designing a formal mentoring program or selecting a mentor go to page 138 of The Manager’s Answer Book, a proud 2020 Winner of the Next Generation Indie Book Award. It’s available from Amazon -- https://tinyurl.com/y8umaqpz - Barnes & Noble or your local independent bookstore.  

Lifelong Learning – An Evergreen Concept - A Tip from The Manager’s Answer Book

“Lifelong learning is fundamental to building strong communities, companies, and economies.” This is a quote from a Harvard Business Review article published in its May-June 2018 issue entitled Why Lifelong Learning Matters More than Ever. In 2018, we could not have foreseen the circumstances under which we’d be managing in just two short years.

The article discusses how life long learning can go a long way toward helping us solve the skills shortage. There are more and more learning possibilities available to our employees, and during the pandemic we currently find ourselves in, everyone is having to get up to speed on technology and doing things virtually. That includes learning. People have been using their time in isolation to brush up on numerous learning opportunities. We’re all learning how to be more effective in virtual meetings. With webinars becoming more frequent events, there’s an opportunity to learn how to be an efficient presenter and an active participant.  

Manager’s Tip:  Life-long learning is a critical issue which we discuss in The Manager’s Answer Book:

Question: “I want to encourage my employees to continue to learn and grow. What can I do to help them see the importance of continuous learning?”

Answer: “Share what you’re learning with your staff. You can do this in a staff meeting by taking a few minutes to share a book, article, or other resource you’ve found to be helpful. If your employees seem receptive, it is a great idea to ask everyone to read a particular article or watch a specific video and then discuss it when you next meet. This is an easy way to get your employees interested in expanding their knowledge or skill base.”

There are so many ways to learn using available technologies, including:

• Webcasts
• Podcasts
• YouTube
• Online articles
• Audio books
• TED Talks

For more on this subject, see page 99 of The Manager’s Answer Book, available from Amazon -- https://tinyurl.com/y8umaqpz - Barnes & Noble or your local independent bookstore.

Finally, a shoutout to Next Generation Indie Book Awards. The Manager’s Answer Book is a proud 2020 Winner in their Career Book category.  The staff did an excellent job of conducting a virtual awards ceremony last month on Facebook Live. A learning opportunity for them.