The Legend of Larry King

 

It seems to me that we are losing a lot of amazing people lately. I’m thinking of the recent death of broadcast legend Larry King. HE will be missed.

When Larry was on CNN five nights a week, I tuned in as often as I could—especially if his interview was with someone I either admired or knew could teach me something.

What I didn’t think about until reading all the tributes to Mr. King was the things I was also learning from watching him interview people from all walks of life and doing it in a way that appeared to be effortless.

In my HR career, I’ve interviewed thousands of job applicants, so I know a little about how to gather information during an interview. Now that I am a published author, I’ve been interviewed many times for radio, podcasts, and webinars as well as a speaker at conferences and meetings. So, I’ve seen interviews from both sides.

Larry King had a wonderful way of getting people to talk. He made them feel comfortable. He asked the questions any of us would have asked if we’d met the person, but most importantly, he listened to their responses.

When asked about his tips for interviewing, he said, “I open with broad questions, listen carefully, focus on details, interrupt if the person filibusters or grows boring, and have the discipline to stay out of the way.”

In our book, The Manager’s Answer Book, we talk about the importance of being a good listener. We say on page 126, “Listening is hard work for most of us, and we’ve spent little time learning how to listen. A good listener makes a deliberate effort to understand the other person’s message. A good listener listens to learn, is interested in what the speaker is saying, and lets the speaker know they’re listening.”

Larry King said he wasn’t afraid to sound like he didn’t know everything—another key to being a good interviewer and manager He said he was willing to admit he knew a lot less than his interview subject. This is another good piece of advice to anyone who wants to be a good listener.

He excelled at concentrating on what the interview subject was sharing. He wasn’t focused on what his next question would be. He really listened to what was being said because he trusted his instincts to come up with the next question. 

This last point takes some work but can be done. We wish you well as you work to become a better listener.

Barbara Mitchell

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

Celebrate Managers – Boss’s Day 2020

 

If ever there were a year where we needed an excuse to celebrate, it’s 2020. Our world has been turned upside down. We’ve all been thrown by the pandemic into work and life situations we weren’t prepared for by the pandemic.  

Last month we wrote a blog about Management by Walking Around – the concept introduced in the 1980s by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman in their book, In Search of Excellence. “How’s that working for you?” as Dr. Phil would ask. When we wrote the award-winning book, The Manager’s Answer Book, one piece of advice we offered for managing remote workers was to use technology. Let’s take a pause on that for a moment.  We’re all weary and stressed from screen time and Zoom meetings these days. If we can’t walk around (managers and employees alike), and if we’re stressed from technology overuse, maybe it’s time to return to some other old-school methods of engaging. 

I remember the year I joined the corporate HR team in a Fortune 500 company. That holiday season I was stunned to receive a holiday card from our vice president. We lived and worked on different coasts and didn’t have much daily interaction. It wasn’t the card itself that touched me; rather, it was the personal note he took the time to write. Every year thereafter I received a card with a note, as did every member of the staff.  The note was either something about a work project or a personal event that he was aware of.  All these years later, I can still remember what some of those notes said. Talk about a motivator and a real leadership quality.

A personal, hand-written note to staff members is a powerful way to keep them engaged. With texts and emails and social media, we’ve lost the art of letter writing. Time to pick it back up. Another old-school method is to simply pick up the telephone and have a one-on-one conversation. It doesn’t have to be long. Just take the time to check in, ask how someone is doing, and mention something positive about their work. 

Of course, this works both ways. Team members should recognize that their bosses are stressed these days as well. If there were ever a year bosses needed to hear how appreciated  they are, it’s 2020. Being a manager is hard work, and being a great boss is even harder. Normally, we’d advise doing something festive for Boss’s Day, which is this Friday, October 16; but remote work and social distancing take away the options of decorating offices and having team lunches. What if everyone sent cards to the boss’s home, or ordered a pizza lunch for the boss and their family? If you want to send them a gift, consider a copy of The Manager’s Answer Book for their library.  We’d be honored if you did so.

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.  

Find Your Own Way

Frank Sinatra sang about doing it “My Way.” Finding your own way to do things is important—

important for setting strategy for your organization or setting strategy for your career.  That doesn’t mean you can’t learn lessons from others.  When I first started consulting, someone told me, “Listen to other people’s ideas, try things out, but keep in mind that what works for someone else, may not work for you.  If it doesn’t, alter it or try something different.”

I read something interesting recently in a blog by Steven Spatz, President of BookBaby. He wrote, “Now, you can find all sorts of advice and read the success stories of independent and traditionally published authors. Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, or we’d all be using it and congratulating each other on our mutual good fortune. My advice? Any time you hear a success story, study it, parse it, and pick the elements of the story that resonate and seem applicable to your life and aspirations as an author. Your path won’t look exactly like anyone else’s, but you can take good ideas from a lot of different sources and create your own.”  Sounds an awful lot like the advice I received about consulting.  Bottom line is that we all have to find our own way to success.

In The Manager’s Answer Book we have a section on Creating Your Personal Brand. On page 113 we talk about the importance of being a courageous manager. A courageous manager is comfortable speaking up, especially if they think a mistake is about to be made or the organization may be heading in the wrong direction. They confront situations they think can be improved, and they present alternative options. They advocate for new ideas.  That doesn’t mean they dismiss an option that’s being presented. Rather they approach it in the way that Steven Spatz advises: they study and parse it, take good ideas and use them to shape a path for the organization. 

The same strategy can be applied to managing your career. Talk to other people who’ve been successful managers in your organization, and others, find out what they’ve done. Seek their advice, but don’t assume you have to do everything they did. Their circumstances may have been much different. Study it. Parse it. Pick the elements of their success story that may apply to your journey.

Speaking of finding your own way, Barbara and I are finding ours in the publishing world. We will be self-publishing our next book, They Did What? Unbelievable Tales from the Workplace. We’ve introduced you to Maryanne, the main character, with some stories over the past months. The book is coming out later this year, and we are working with BookBaby to get it printed and distributed. We’ll let you know how things progress.

What Do Top Workplaces Look Like?

Best workplace contests and surveys extend beyond Great Place to Work’s “World’s Best Workplaces.” Local surveys of workplaces likely take place in cities and states around the country, and New Mexico is no exception. The Albuquerque Journal partners with Energage of Philadelphia, PA to conduct an annual survey of top workplaces in the state. This year’s survey, which closed just before the first case of COVID-19 was reported in New Mexico, offers a unique insight from employee’s perspective. What makes an organization stand out in the eyes of its employees? No surprise to our readers – it’s being appreciated, challenged, coached, and invested in by their employer. These are qualities in an organization’s culture that management has to build authentically and deliberately. They are qualities that differentiate an organization. 

Doug Claffey, Founder of Energage, reported in a May 11, 2020 article in the Albuquerque Journal that “Energage has surveyed more than 20 million employees across 60,000 organizations over the past 14 years. We’ve learned that one of the things that matters most to employees — what truly motivates them — is feeling appreciated.” In the New Mexico survey, appreciation ranked only second to confidence in the direction that the organization was headed. 

Don’t be surprised to learn that appreciation far outranks pay, especially if you’re a manager. Claffey said pay is low on the list – and this has been trending for years. He suggests showing appreciation in the same way we do – offering a simple Thank You. “The simplest and sometimes the most effective form of appreciation is giving positive feedback or praise. “Thank you for your effort” or “You’re doing a really good job” goes a long way, whether delivered in person, electronically, or in a handwritten note.” As we say in The Manager’s Answer Book on page 91, a simple thank you may be all the recognition your employees need, and it’s cost effective as well.

There’s another point that Claffey makes that echoes our advice. “Managers are most familiar with their employees’ roles. Employees like to know their manager understands and values their contributions.” In The Manager’s Answer Book we talk about the importance of motivating employees. On page 89, we say, “Today’s workforce needs to know their work matters, so spend time with each staffer to educate them on the value their work brings to the organization.”

Recruitment and retention have important issues in organizations, and they are going to continue to be important. Employees and applicants will continue to look at the organization’s values and whether or not it demonstrates open-mindedness and innovation, their own ability to do meaningful work and make a contribution, and their own ability to develop and grow. Being a top workplace is more than how you rank in a survey. It’s how your organization’s culture and its climate impact your employees and your broader community.

Don’t Ignore Employee Issues

We’re in unusual times. Work has been disrupted. People are working from home and managers are concerned about productivity. Even though studies show that employees are more productive when they work offsite, current circumstances are highly unusual. There are some many additional distractions – partners, pets and children. Nevertheless, managers can’t overlook performance issues even when times are tough.

Most of us have never worked in this kind of circumstances before, and we may think there isn’t a playbook on what to do. Actually, there is. Follow your organization’s guidance and policies on performance management. But in times of crises, tread lightly. Here are some thoughts,  

• Empathy. Whatever the issue is, this is the time to be empathetic. That’s not to say you let serious issues slide because we’re in a time of crisis, but go a little slower and gentler than usual before you take any management action.

• Communicate. As in any issue, you’ll want to talk to the employee. This is complicated if you and the employee are not physically in the same place, but you can use Zoom or Skype or other platform your organization uses to communicate virtually.

• Get the facts. Ask open ended questions and listen carefully to responses. Your intent is to get the employee’s perspective. The key here is to keep an open mind. You may think you understand the issue or situation, but you may not have all the facts.

• Clarify. Clear up any misunderstandings about your expectations. Clarity on expectations is extremely important to a successful working relationship.

Yes, even during a pandemic, employees behave badly at work—even if they’re working from their own home. Relaxed environments and atmospheres break down boundaries. There have been concerns about on-line harassment and cyberbullying. At the same time, everyone’s stress level is high. Remind employees that your conduct policies still apply even in a drastically changed workplace, and follow your disciplinary processes if you decide action is required.

The Manager’s Answer Book provides a roadmap for coaching and counseling employees.  See page 59 to 61 for actions you can take to help an employee get back on track—even during a pandemic. In this time of crisis, we suggest you grant a bit more grace than usual; but no matter the employee issue, deal with it in a timely and professional manner.

Why Should I Delegate? Tips From The Manager’s Answer Book

We hear this question a lot in our consulting work with managers at all levels. Some people don’t want to delegate work because they don’t want to give up doing the things they love to do. Others say they don’t delegate because they can do the work faster or better (or faster AND better) than showing someone else how to do the task.

Manager’s Tips:  If any of these reasons apply to you, let’s consider why you should delegate.

1. Delegating routine tasks frees up your time to think, strategize, and manage your team.
2. Delegating work is a way to develop new skills in your staff.
3. Delegating work shows you trust your employees which goes a long way in establishing a positive work environment.

When you are comfortable delegating, think about who is the best person on your staff to take on a new challenge. Consider who has the potential to take on this task so that you ensure a successful outcome. You certainly don’t want to set people up to fail.

When you have that person in mind, provide all the help and resources they need. Set some milestones so that you check on their progress, and make yourself available for consultation. Don’t forget to reward their good performance.

For more information on how to be a good delegator, see page 54 of The Manager’s Answer Book.

Just Got Promoted. Now What? Tips From The Manager’s Answer Book

Getting a big promotion is something to be celebrated. You’ve worked hard and proven your value to your organization, and it’s paid off for you.

After you celebrate your success, take time to think about how you will approach your new responsibilities. If you now manage people who used to be your peers, consider how you will handle the fact that you’re no longer their co-worker; you’re now their manager.

If you’re now managing a different department, you still face the challenge of how to get to know your new team so that you can maximize their performance.

Getting promoted is great, and you likely have a lot of questions and concerns. Do you have a good support system to help you navigate the road ahead?

Manager’s Tips:  The Manager’s Answer Book can help by offering some suggestions for you to consider.  

• Find a mentor either inside or outside your organization who can be extremely helpful as you seek to lead your team successfully. Be sure to select mentors who are knowledgeable and trustworthy.

• Start or join a manager’s group either inside or outside your organization where you can share experiences and learn from each other.

• Take advantage of the amazing resources available to you in webinars, podcasts, books, and articles. Check out TedTalks and YouTube videos for additional learning experiences.

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For more information on this topic, see page 22 of The Manager’s Answer Book.  Congratulations on your promotion. 

National Ask a Stupid Question Day

Now I know for sure that there is day for everything!  Who knew there’s a National Ask a Stupid Question Day?  It’s celebrated on September 28 or, if that date is a weekend like in 2019, it is officially on the last Friday of September.

Ask A Stupid Question Day was created by teachers in the 1980’s to get kids to ask more questions in school. It started in the United States, but is now celebrated in lots of other countries including India and Britain.

I have to admit that this day might have been started by those who taught me in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. As a student, I thought that it was better not to ask questions for fear of sounding stupid—and I hate the word stupid.  Now I know that was not a good learning strategy!

These days, I love asking questions, and I really love answering them.  As you may know, Cornelia Gamlem and I co-authored The Manager’s Answer Book in 2018. The tag line of that book is “Powerful Tools to Build Trust and Teams, Maximize Your Impact and Influence, and Respond to Challenges.”

In our book, we respond to questions around these topics:

• You’re a new manager, now what?
• Developing your management skills
• Building and managing your team
• Creating your personal brand
• Managing up, down, and around
• Avoiding potential land mines
• Recognizing legal pitfalls

When we were working on this book and collecting questions to answer, we never considered a question too stupid to include in our book. If something is one your mind or if there is something you don’t understand, odds are many other people have the same question and they may be like me in school—not brave enough to ask it.

So, ask as many questions you want. Don’t worry about what other people think and don’t wait until September 27, 2019 to ask them. We’d love to answer more of your questions anytime you’d like to ask.

The Manager’s Answer Book, along with our other books, is available on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, or you can order it through your local bookstore.

Inspiring Confidence

A local business owner shared an interesting experience with me recently. She received an inquiry through her company’s website. Would she be interested in a certain niche service for her business? Her interest was piqued enough to want additional information and she thought a phone call would be helpful.  So, she conferred with her business partner and then responded to the email suggesting a phone call with the individual who contacted her.

Now you know how difficult it is to coordinate a call among three people. Here’s what happened next:  After numerous emails among the three, a call was finally arranged with Billy, the business developer who’d sent the inquiry. The next day, Billy sent an email advising that the call would be with Justin, the founder, because Justin took all new business development calls. Strange, but okay thought the partners.  Justin tried to join a call on Tuesday, but the call was scheduled for Friday because Tuesday didn’t work for the partners. Justin wasn’t available on Friday, the day arranged by Billy.  Confused yet? They sure were. They asked Justin to provide available days and times for a call.  He took two weeks to respond.  

There’s an old saying — too many cooks spoil the broth. Justin sure spoiled a potential business opportunity for his firm for a number of reasons:

• Lack of clear communication — when would the call take place,
• Lack of clear expectations — with whom would the call take place; and
• Lack of trust, at least that’s what the partners perceived — didn’t he trust Billy to take an initial call with potential clients?

At this point, the partners had pretty much written off Justin and his firm. They were questioning if things were this difficult to get a simple call arranged, what would they encounter if they proceeded with a business arrangement? Simply stated, Justin hadn’t inspired confidence in himself or his firm.

Confidence, like trust, isn’t an event. It’s a process. Confidence and trust are something you build over time — with your employees, with your clients and customers and with your stakeholders.  Set expectations in the beginning of the business relationship and reinforce them. Have clear processes and communicate those processes early to everyone affected by them. You want your employees and your customers to be emotionally engaged in a positive way.  The emotional engagement the partners in this story experienced was confusion.  Justin’s going to have to work hard to change that.

What Employee’s Value from Work: Tips From The Manager’s Answer Book

The Washington Post, using an independent research organization, does an annual survey called Top Workplaces.  They publish the results in their Sunday Post magazine.

It’s not surprising to learn employees surveyed are looking for organizations where they have confidence in the firm’s direction.  Even in a time of low unemployment, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Said in a slightly different way, employees want transparency from their leaders.

The Post’s survey also showed that employees want to work for an organization with high ethics and where the organization’s values are lived. Most well managed organizations publish their values, but some have trouble living up to or demonstrating them. This is not what today’s workers are looking for in an employer.

The result that did surprise me is that 67% of the respondents said they value working in a place were different points of view are encouraged. This is great news. People want to work where there is diversity of thought.

High on the list of things people value is having a good manager. The adage that “people don’t leave organizations—they leave managers” reinforces what the respondents said in this survey. Strong managers who set clear expectations and hold people accountable tend to be the kind of managers people want to work with.

Manager’s Tips:  If holding employees accountable is a struggle for you, The Manager’s Answer Book addresses this issue and here is a portion of the answer:

Managers should hold their people accountable for their work but before you can do that, clear expectations must be set. One of your most important roles as a manager is letting your team know what is expected of each of them. If they are new to our organization or your team, if you’re starting a new project, or if you are asking for something you’ve never asked of them before, they need you to be clear on issues such as:

• When is the task/project due?
• What are the key deliverables?
• Are there milestones for check in?
• What will success look like at the conclusion of the project
• How will my performance be measured?

See page 76 of The Manager’s Answer Book for more information on setting expectations and holding employees accountable.

As you work to improve your managerial skills, keep in mind what people value from work and if you don’t already do so, maybe you want to ask your own team what’s important to them.  You may learn valuable information that will help you engage and retain your staff.

Words Do Matter: Tips From The Manager’s Answer Book

We were at a museum recently which had a number of wartime planes on display. What struck me about one was its description. It included statements such as: She was built in [year]; she flew [x number] of missions; she was taken out of service in [year].  “Why,” I asked no one in particular, although my husband was standing nearby “are inanimate objects referred to as she?” I didn't really expect an explanation, but where did this practice come from?

Language is powerful and we talk about this in The Manager's Answer Book. On page 123, this question is posed: Knowing that words matter, do you have any guidelines on using the correct words and language to avoid offending anyone?  

Manager’s tip:  Part of the answer we offer:  Language is symbolic, meaning there is an arbitrary connection between the symbols (words and phrases) and what they refer to. Stated another way, different words and phrases can have different meanings to other people, depending on their perspectives and experiences. In today’s diverse workplaces, communication can be complex and challenging!  Paying attention to what you say and how you say it is an excelled way to build positive relationships at work. 

Remember to use neutral words, be wary of slang and jargon, and don't use labels when referring to other people. 

Surviving the Talent Shortage: A Tip from The Manager’s Answer Book

Unless you live under a rock, you’re aware that we are in a serious talent shortage. Not only the unemployment is very low, there is a serious shortage of people with the right skill sets for the knowledge economy. 

Finding the right talent to fill positions in organizations is always a challenge but now, even more so. What can your organization do to survive and thrive, for that matter?  For one thing, you can work to retain your great employees so that you don’t have to replace them in a difficult job market. 

Manager’s Tip:  While there is no guarantee that they’ll stay with you forever, you can increase your chances of keeping them just a little bit longer by using some of the ideas found in the The Manager’s Answer Book:

“As you consider how to retain your great team, ask yourself these questions:

• Do they know how much I value them?  This is sometimes referred to as ‘re-recruiting your superstars.’ Sell them on the value they add to your team and let them know you are committed to adding to their skill set.
• Am I providing the high performers with career development opportunities such as mentoring, conference attendance, seminars, or degree opportunities? Investing I you superstars can encourage them to stay with you. Employees, especially Millennials, want to learn and grow, so be sure you offer developmental opportunities.
• Am I rewarding my great performers in ways that will motivate them to stay with me? In order to do this, you need to really know them individually so that the reward will fit them personally. To some people, a day off is a great reward. Others would rather have a bonus. There are countless ways to reward performance, but it isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ proposition.

For more ideas, see page 96 of The Manager’s Answer Book.

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

I was interviewed earlier this month for the radio show “Thank God for Mondays” which broadcasts on WSOU in the New York City metropolitan area. The occasion was National Bosses Day. We talked about several areas that new managers need to prepare and develop. In particular, I was asked: What are one or two skills that new managers needs to develop quickly, and how can they go about doing this?  

Manager’s Tip:  One of the things that is particularly hard for a new manager to do is give up favorite tasks and projects – those things your good at doing.  Delegation is the number one management skill and not learning how to delegate can derail your career. As you let go of your pet projects, think carefully about which staff member is right for each one. Once you’ve chosen someone, describe the task, the timeline and the expected outcome. Be available to answer their questions. Delegating frees up your time to work on strategic items and develops your employees’ skills.

Time management is another challenge – and not just for managers.  Try using a to-do list to keep track of what you’re doing. You may also want to start an accomplishments list so you can see that you’re making progress. Don’t forget to prioritize tasks on that to-do list, and manage distractions and interruptions – but do so gracefully. Finally, don’t take on too much. 

You can read more about delegation and time management on pages 53 and 54 of The Manager’s Answer Book, which is available from Amazon -- https://tinyurl.com/y8umaqpz - Barnes & Noble or your local independent bookstore.

Why Mentoring Works - A Tip from The Manager’s Answer Book

I’ve worked with many top-quality mentors during my business career and I hope you have been as fortunate as I was. It was an honor to work with generous people who willingly shared their expertise to help me hone my skills as a manager.

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!

Mentoring relationships can be formal or informal and savvy organizations are installing mentoring programs to attract, engage, and retain the best talent available.  But, if your organization doesn’t have a mentoring program, don’t hesitate to look for a mentor on your own.

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. The organization wins as well with employees who are more engaged in their work and their commitment to your organization for providing them with mentoring opportunities!

Manager’s Tip:  If you want more ideas on mentoring, in our latest book, The Manager’s Answer Book -- we answer 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.”

Check out more information on designing a formal mentoring program or selecting a mentor on page 138 of The Manager’s Answer Book available from Amazon -- https://tinyurl.com/y8umaqpz - Barnes & Noble or your local independent bookstore.  

Lifelong Learning A Tip from The Manager’s Answer Book

The May-June, 2018 issue of The Harvard Business Review has an article titled, “Why Lifelong Learning Matters More than Ever” which contains a powerful statement, “Lifelong learning is fundamental to building strong communities, companies, and economies.”

The article discusses how life long learning can go a long way toward helping us solve the skills shortage. While there are more and more learning possibilities available to our employees, not enough people take advantage of what’s available to them.

Organizations need to commit to providing learning opportunities and to make it possible for their employees to have the time to develop their skills through learning.

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 t 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.

The Disciple @Work A Tip From The Manager’s Answer Book

The word discipline often is associated with negative and constricting connotations as it is used today.   For example, control gained by enforcing obedience or order, self-control or even punishment.  However, according to Merriam Webster, the origin and etymology of the word discipline is from the Latin disciplina meaning teaching and learning, or as I heard recently, to impart knowledge and to enlighten.

When you think of disciplining one of your employees are you thinking of it in a negative, constricting way, such as to punish? Or are you thinking about it, as we would suggest, in a constructive way — a way to teach and thus have the employee learn?  In other words, is it a means for you to impart knowledge?

Manager’s Tip:  Manager’s often ask how to address workplace behavior without it appearing punitive. We advise in The Manager’s Answer Book that taking corrective action is not necessarily punitive action — and if you approach it as continuing development process or a teachable moment, it need not be an unpleasant experience for the manager or the employee. Rather than thinking of yourself as a disciplinarian or a task master, think of yourself as a disciple – a teacher or advocate of the employee.

We have more to say about corrective action and you can read it all on page 59 of in The Manager’s Answer Book.