Pressure

Pressure is a Word that is Misused in Our Vocabulary.

 

When you Start Thinking of Pressure, It's because You've Started to Think of Failure.

Tommy Lasorda

Something Magic Happens When We Accept Personal Responsibility for Our Behavior & Our Results.

But, it's not easy, because it's human nature to "pass the buck". I (Mac) know there have been times in my life when my business was struggling where I found myself blaming others, blaming the economy, blaming this, blaming that! But as I've gotten older (and a little wiser) when things go wrong in my business, or my life, I can always find the culprit...in the mirror.

 

In every instance, it always comes back to choices I've made in my life that put me exactly where I am today. I have to say, that this one "tweak" in my attitude may sound like a little thing, but it has made a big difference in my life.

 

What does all this have to do with change? Plenty!

As a manager, one of the most important things you can do in times of change is to get your people to understand how their taking personal responsibility, their recognizing problems as opportunities, will not only help the company, but will help them as individuals. In other words, sell the idea of...what's in it for them?

 

Authors B.J. Gallagher and Steve Ventura wrote a great little book about achieving success through personal accountability titled: Who Are "They" Anyway? I like their list showing how each individual in the company can benefit by adopting a "personal accountability attitude":

·         You have more control over your destiny

·         You become an active contributor rather than a passive observer

·         Others look to you for leadership

·         You gain the reputation as a problem solver

·         You enhance your career opportunities

·         You enjoy the satisfaction that comes from getting things done...the power of 
 positive doing

·         You experience less anger, frustration and helplessness - all leading to better

    physical health

·        You realize a positive spillover effect into your personal life at home

 

According to Gallagher and Ventura, the most important words of personal responsibility are as follows:

•  The 10 most important words:
  I won't wait for others to take the first step.
  
  
•  The 9 most important words:
  If it is to be, it's up to me.
  
  
•  The 8 most important words:
  If not me, who? If not now, when?
  
  
•  The 7 most important words:
  Let me take a shot at it.
  
  
•  The 6 most important words:
  I will not pass the buck.
  
  
•  The 5 most important words:
  You can count on me.
  
  
•  The 4 most important words:
  It IS my job!
  
  
•  The 3 most important words:
  Just do it!
  
  
•  The 2 most important words:
  I will.
  
  
•  The most important word:
  Me

 

Frank Tyger said it best...

"Your Future Depends On Many Things, But Mostly Yourself."

 

The Fundamentals of Success

In life, and in business, there are only a few fundamentals that make life work out well, and they have never changed. Too often we pretend that technology and education have created "new rules" or that modern systems permit us to cut corners and find short-cuts that didn't exist in the past. While there may be examples where that is true, in general, I don't believe it.

The fundamentals of living well, achieving our dreams and creating wealth have not changed. The path to success today is remarkably similar to the path walked by generations past.

What are the basics? You might have your own list, but I would suggest at least the following:

1. Personal Integrity: Socrates recommended, "Know thyself" and Shakespeare added, "to thine own self be true." Knowing who we are, what we value and making sure that our words and actions match is fundamental. Doing unfulfilling work or living in an environment that doesn't suit us will surely undermine our long-term success. Too many of us live "lives of quiet desperation" and that is NOT a foundation on which to build a life!

2. Clear Thinking: Many of us grew up in the "feel good" generation and we are confused about the role of thought (education, planning, skills and tools) verses emotion. We let our hopes, wishes, fears, or "hang-ups" run our lives. High achievers take time to think clearly, seek expert advice, plan wisely, and learn from the mistakes of others. The Old Testament says that "wisdom comes from a multitude of advisors." Some strategies just work better than others. Buildings are always designed and "blueprinted" in advance. Our lives should be designed just as carefully.

3. Unfailing Optimism: This is not shallow "positive thinking", but a clear-headed, conscious faith in the future and in your own potential. "Where there is a will, there is a way," or as Hannibal said over 2000 years ago, "We will find a way, or make one." High achievers believe in their skills, in their plans, and in their futures. They forge ahead with confidence built on integrity and careful planning.

4. Hard Work: Ben Franklin observed, "Early to bed, early to rise makes a man (or woman) healthy, wealthy and wise." I've heard people say achievement should be "effortless" and I agree that sometimes enormous amounts of work can flow easily and quickly, but I also know that creating a great life usually requires dedication, personal discipline, attention to detail, and effort.

5. Patience and Persistence: A great life is rarely built in a day. It takes time develop a life of one's own. There will be mistakes and wrong turns along the way, and highly successful people are neither surprised nor disheartened by this. They simply get a good night's sleep and start again in the morning. They learn from their mistakes, correct them, and move on with better skills and more effective strategies.

There are more fundamentals than we have room for here, but they have not changed, and there are no "new" fundamentals! Creating a great life does not take extraordinary luck, unusual talent or skill. Building a great life does, however, require that we follow the "rules" that make life work out well. The fundamentals are not sexy or exciting or sophisticated, but they are tried and true. Use them to create the life you truly want.

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Quotes

"In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing." --- Theodore Roosevelt

"In each of us are places where we have never gone. Only by pressing the limits do you ever find them." --- Dr. Joyce Brothers

"Man is so made that when anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish."
--- Jean De La Fontaine

"Most of the things worth doing in the world have been declared impossible before they were attempted." --- Earl Nightingale

Possessions, Power, Position, or Prestige

Greatness is not found in Possessions, Power, Position, or Prestige.

It is discovered in Goodness, Humility, Service, and Character.

William Arthur Ward

Networking for Fun and Profit

There's an old saying that "it's who you know that counts" and for better or worse, it's often true.

Yes, there is a cynical aspect to the phrase, referring to favoritism that is unfortunate. More often, however, people get the referral or the promotion precisely because (in a positive sense) of "who they know." Knowing and liking someone makes a difference.

When it comes to networking, however, I've noticed two unfortunate patterns that are generally NOT helpful:

First is the person (to be honest, it's usually a male) who views networking as some strange contest to see who can trade the most business cards in the shortest period of time. In extreme cases, there's an uncomfortable energy that is a huge turn-off. Their quick handshake, exaggerated smile and exchange of business cards is usually a waste of time.

The second is the person who attends networking functions but fails to connect in a meaningful way. Often they spend the entire time chatting with a friend, and leave without meeting anyone new, or making any lasting impressions.

Effective networking means connecting with a few people in an honest, sincere way that suggests you would like to help them if you can, and would appreciate the other person's support in exchange.

Get to know people. Call them up, go to lunch, and if appropriate, certainly exchange business cards! But what you're looking for is a relationship. Get to know a few people well, rather than collecting dozens of cards from strangers. Follow-up with a phone call. And for goodness sake, if you can, be sure to send some business to the other person. Nothing will grow your own referral business like the gratitude of people who have benefited from your genuine support.

Sustainable HR

With all the talk about the importance of sustainable environmental practices, who knew those same principles could be applied to human resources and training departments? That's just what Kim Glinsky, director of operations for career management services company Lee Hecht Harrison, contends. Here are some suggestions from Glinsky, who says "reduce, reuse, and recycle" makes a handy mantra for trainers:

• "Reduce" turnover through retention programs. "Organizations that have a problem with retention can reduce the costs associated with hiring and training new employees by thinking green," says Glinsky. "Determining the root cause of turnover, and implementing solutions that promote organic growth, will improve their workforce environment and prevent further decline."

• "Reuse" talent through redeployment and career mobility. "Identifying career paths not only promotes retention, it also demonstrates an employer's willingness to invest in its workforce. Offering opportunities to develop individual talents promotes employee engagement while providing the organization with a renewable business resource," Glinsky points out. "Leveraging transferable skills and harnessing the power of redeployment is another green strategy that organizations can implement to reduce hiring costs and increase morale."

• "Recycle" your workforce, using Boomers as mentors and part-time workers. "Taking advantage of potential retirees' knowledge, experience, and interest in part-time schedules can be a perfect mix for a company facing both employment shortages and a tight bottom line," says Glinsky. "Implementing programs to help individuals nearing retirement age explore their options also will enhance an employer's ability to retain these workers and minimize exposure to talent shortages."

People Predict Budgets Better On Annual Basis

ScienceDaily (July 18, 2008) — Everyone knows they should have a budget. But there's precious little research on how to go about it and what works best.

 

A new study found that people who made annual budgets were more accurate than those who made monthly ones. They also found that peoples' perception of their budget-making abilities affected the accuracy of the budgets.

 

During the study, researchers asked participants of various income levels to estimate their budgets for the next year and the next month. They also asked them how difficult budgeting was and told them a variety of stories about the challenges of budget preparation.

 

Authors Gülden Ülküman (University of Southern California), Manoj Thomas (Cornell University), and Vicki G. Morwitz (New York University) found that, contrary to popular advice, people were more accurate when constructing an annual rather than a monthly budget, even when they were logging their expenses weekly.

 

The researchers believe the annual budgets were more accurate because they were actually more difficult to construct, whereas people tended to be over-confident when preparing monthly budgets. The accuracy of the annual budgets improved when people were told the difficulty they experienced would result in more accurate budgets.

 

"Consumers' default tendency is to underestimate their budgets, for both next month and next year frames," write the authors. "However budgets for the next year are closer to recorded expenses because consumers feel less confident when estimating these budgets, and therefore, adjust them upward."

 

The authors propose that the best way to prepare a budget is to make an annual budget and divide by 12. They also recommend removing distractions when budgeting, since programmed distractions tended to reduce the accuracy of the research subjects' budgets.

 

One unusual finding: People who were told that budgeting was difficult estimated more accurately than people who were reassured that it was easy. "Ironically, lack of confidence, in the context of budget estimation, seems to be a virtue," the authors conclude.

Six Tips for Conducting an Investigation

Investigating misconduct or rule violations is a necessary, but unpleasant, job for most HR professionals. Investigations should be conducted whenever there are complaints of serious workplace problems, including rule or policy violations (such as violating the safety
or harassment policy), misconduct (such as falsifying records or reports), or criminal acts (such as stealing). In addition, you also should be prepared to investigate lesser problems, even without a formal complaint, like rumors or suspicions of rule violations or wrongdoing.

The consequences of investigations that are not fair or thorough can be extensive. If your termination or disciplinary decisions are based on flawed investigations, they may trigger employee lawsuits for defamation, discrimination, harassment, or wrongful termination. In fact, even the accused wrongdoer may sue when an investigation is handled poorly or
the decision appears unfounded. Significantly, courts tend to punish employers that do not conduct thorough investigations. In addition, employee morale may suffer if employment decisions appear unfair or arbitrary because the process was not thorough or objective. 

So, to help prevent these problems and ensure an effective investigation, the following six elements should be part of your investigative process:

1. A Trained and Objective Investigator: The qualifications and demeanor of the person conducting the investigation will influence the perception of fairness. Ideally, the person should have special training and experience in human relations, employment law, and conflict resolution.

Many employers rely on their internal HR professionals or security officers in this role. However, an outside investigator may be appropriate if the issues are particularly sensitive or legally complex. (Note that if you use an outside investigator, you may have to comply with certain disclosure requirements under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, as amended by the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003.) In addition, some states, such as California, require that third-party investigators be licensed by the state.

2. Written Procedures: You should establish specific procedures to be followed by supervisors and managers who must conduct investigations. The written procedures should address each step of the process and provide guidelines for fact finding (including choosing and interviewing witnesses), proper documentation of the investigation steps
and the facts revealed, protection of confidentiality, and communication of results.

3. A Timely Process: Investigations should be completed as quickly as possible after a complaint is filed, the misconduct is observed, or the alleged incident occurs. Normally, no more than a few days should elapse between each step in the process; and ideally, the investigation should be completed within five to ten days. Of course, investigations
that involve complicated issues like harassment or theft may take longer.

 

4. Careful Fact-finding: The investigator should begin by gathering as many facts as possible about the problem, either by interviewing the complaining party, or if no one made a complaint, by interviewing people who may be involved or who may have witnessed the problem. As a general rule, the investigator should talk to any person who may have
information that would either prove or disprove that the alleged conduct occurred.

To obtain as much detail as possible, the investigator should ask probing and open-ended questions that do not suggest the answer. Interviews should focus on the specific facts of what happened (like when, where, and who was involved) and preserve confidentiality by addressing only the details that the particular person would know. In addition, the tone of
each interview should be professional, and everyone interviewed should be reminded that the organization will not retaliate, or tolerate retaliation, against anyone for participating in the investigation.

5. Documented Results: All steps in the process should be recorded and documented in writing. Written records, properly compiled, aid everyone's memory and can be invaluable in demonstrating, to employees and, if necessary, to a court, the fairness of the investigation and ultimate decision. Since these records may be used in legal proceedings, the information recorded should be limited to facts disclosed and behavior observed and should not include any speculation about what happened.

6. Final Decision and Communication: Once the investigation is completed, management should evaluate the evidence and make a decision. Although most managers and human resources professionals worry about making the "perfect" decision, neither employees nor the courts expect legal perfection. Rather, they expect a rationale decision based on a thorough investigation.

In fact, courts generally do not second-guess employer actions, even when later proven wrong, if management acted fairly and in good faith. Therefore, you do not have to meet a strict rule of evidence "beyond a reasonable doubt," as for a criminal offense, in order to make a proper employment decision.

As a last step, all appropriate parties should be informed of the decision. This communication can be used as an opportunity to underscore the fairness of the process. However, to prevent defamation claims, you should be careful to limit dissemination of the information to those who have a legitimate need to know.

"What's UP, Doc?"

Lovers of the English language might enjoy this......How do non-natives ever learn all the nuances of English???

There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP.'

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but why do we wake UP in the morning?

At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?

We call UP our friends. We brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.

At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.

A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.

We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP !

To understand the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in a dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 page -- it can really add UP.

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it wets UP the earth. 

If it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP .
One could go on, but I'll wrap it UP. For now my time is UP, so ....

Time to shut UP .....!

Don't mess UP. Send this to everyone you look UP in your address book.

Four Tips for Looking More Intelligent

Regardless of your actual IQ score, you can make others believe that you are highly intellectual, and here are four simple ways to do it.

First impressions really do count. Unfortunately, it is human nature to make quick judgments. However, with a little careful planning you can also turn this to your advantage. Do others have the impression that your IQ is way above average, or are they thinking, 'Well, he/she is definitely NOT the sharpest tool in the shed!' Regardless of your actual IQ score, you can make others believe that you are highly intellectual and here are four simple ways to do it.

1. Speak Rarely
A person who just can't keep a lid on it doesn't really give the impression of being intelligent. Oftentimes that person will just blurt out what's on his or her mind without really thinking. In fact, that person probably enjoys hearing the sound of his or her own voice. Just consider that a simple nod of the head can mean ten words. No need to make a production just to get a point across. By keeping your mouth shut, you will convey a sense of serenity and wisdom. Intelligence begins with as little words uttered as possible…

2. Listen Intently
This tip is a continuation of the first point. You're probably used to using grunts and unintelligible words to show your interlocutor you haven't fallen asleep. Sounds such as "Hunh", "hmm", yeah", "ah" are not words, so drop them from your vocabulary. Instead, replace your profound interjections with the more intelligible "I see", "yes, of course", "in fact" or "I agree". By using these terms, you are expressing your deep understanding of his or her monologue. Using interjections give the impression that you are actually learning something new. By expressing yourself properly, you are conveying the message that you fully grasp what is being said, and that no further explanation is necessary.

3. Avoid Answering Questions
If a conversation veers towards a more cultural or current events aspect, you will no doubt be asked to share your views ("Did you watch the news?"). If you have applied the two points mentioned above correctly, there is a strong chance your intellectual demeanor will receive your interlocutors' rapt attention… You will answer in the same sparsely worded manner. Lift your gaze casually and say something like: "The issue was well addressed". This is a perfect way to focus their attention on something they will be less eager to bring up in conversation, for fear of looking like fools. Generally speaking, only give information that you master completely and only speak when spoken to.

4. Keep Your Love Of Sports To A Minimum
A person gifted with wit is not usually enthralled with sports or other such "brainless activities". Nevertheless, nothing should prevent you from knowing a little about it, especially if you use it as a metaphor. Using expressions that contain sporting terms shows that the speaker enjoys a certain degree of sharpness and smarts. For example, if you wish to say that you have worked or done more than necessary, use the idiom "to be ahead of the game". "To carry the ball" implies to be responsible for a project or a business deal. In basketball terms, a "slam dunk" is a decisive action that was easy to accomplish. Why not a boxing term for example? To "throw in the towel" means to give up, to not pursue an objective. Do not forget, sprinkling expressions or English idioms into your conversations shows that you possess a theoretical mind and tact for analyzing a situation. These are indicative of a creative and witty mind.

If not all of this works and you still wish to appear intelligent then a simple solution is to mingle with idiots. At least in this way you may be the smartest of the batch!

Mediation: Shorter, Faster, Less Expensive: What's Not to Like?

Mediation is getting a second look from companies concerned about hair-raising judgments and settlements from traditional court disputes. Should your organization be looking, too?

Mediation is a simple concept, says The Justice Center of Atlanta: "Bring both sides of a dispute together. With the assistance of a neutral mediator, enable them to speak their mind fully, and to hear and understand each other. Help them find the common ground that may have existed all along, but was hidden by anger, or fear, or misunderstanding. That is the essence of mediation." What should you expect at mediation? Here's a summary of the typical steps in the process: 1. Opening Statement by the Mediator The mediator's opening statement sets the tone for the mediation and provides ground rules. The content is up to the individual mediator, but typically it covers the following: -- Mediator's identity and qualifications. -- Mediator's role. "I am not a judge or a decision maker. My job is to facilitate     communication." -- Assertion of neutrality and impartiality. -- Ground rules for the process, and the mediator's expectations for the parties. -- Confidentiality rules for what the mediator can and cannot reveal. -- Confirmations:      -That the parties are there voluntarily,      -That they are prepared to attempt to resolve the dispute in good faith, and      -That they have the authority to mediate and make agreements on behalf of the organization. 2. Opening Statements Each party presents an opening statement, typically covering: -- Its view of the dispute -- The relief or resolution that it thinks is appropriate -- Anything that they wish to add to shed light on their position Usually the party taking action, the complainant, goes first. Both parties fully explain their positions, even if they become emotional. (Venting by the parties can be the first step in putting the dispute behind them and moving toward resolution.) 3. Joint Discussion The mediator generally starts the joint discussion by summarizing the parties' opening statements. Clarifying questions are then asked of each party so the issues can be properly identified, and so the mediator is satisfied that he or she understands the issues. The mediator may allow or encourage the parties to ask questions of each other. 4. Caucus with the Parties At some point in the discussion, the mediator typically breaks the parties into separate groups called caucuses. During this time, each group is in a different physical location. The mediator meets privately with each party. This step often lasts for several hours. Virtually everything discussed in the caucuses, unless it was previously disclosed, is confidential. The mediator does not reveal the information to the other party. Caucuses and joint sessions may continue to alternate. At some point, the mediation process will come to a close. 5. Closure Either the parties reach agreement, partial or full, or they do not. In most cases the mediation session will close with at least some issues resolved. Once an issue has a specific solution agreed to, it is reduced to writing by the mediator, then reviewed and signed by the parties. The mediation should end when settlement no longer seems possible, i.e., there is no more movement by the parties on any of the issues, and the parties and all possibilities seem exhausted, or if one of the parties withdraws from the mediation. However, the door should always be left open for future meetings as the parties may be amenable to settlement after time has passed, and particularly after a hard look at their next options. Is mediation for you? In the next Advisor, we'll look at situations where mediation doesn't work, and at an upcoming audio conference to train your supervisors on conflict resolution.

Cover Letter Love

Eighty-six percent of executives polled say cover letters are valuable when evaluating job candidates, according to a recent survey developed by staffing service OfficeTeam and conducted by an independent research firm. What's more, eight out of 10 (80 percent) of managers say it is common to receive electronic resumes accompanied by cover letters.

Why You Must Read Biographies

"Don't worry boy, it will be alright. I've took this road you are walkin' down. I've been in your shoes. It is just somethin' that you have got to go through. I had this same talk with my dad."

Those were the words I heard from my dad at the age of twelve, when my heart had flushed my eyes with tears because the life of my dog was flickering out. Through the years I have taken walks down the same road with my dad and I've heard different versions of the same speech when business was tough, friendships ended or I wasn't feeling my best.

Sometimes it is nice to know that what you are going through isn't an experience unique to you. There is comfort in knowing that others have been there and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Often, when you are in the midst of the tunnel – the only thing that catches your focus is despair, discouragement and depression. Yet, it can turn your day around when someone ventures into the tunnel – walks with you and grabs your hand to say, 'I've been here…hang in there. I turned out alright and you will as well.'

Unfortunately, we don't all have someone who will tread into the tunnel and walk beside with encouragement. This is why it is so important to read biographies! A biography is a unique way to have a successful person walk beside you as you examine the story of their life.  You will often be surprised that the most successful people of all time experience the same struggles as you.

Einstein was divorced, Lincoln battled depression, Ronald Reagan had his heart broken by his first wife and Sam Walton went broke twice. Where did I learn these facts? From the biographies I read! Did it make me feel better because they had hard times? Yes and no. I never delight in someone else's pain. On the other hand, it is without question that Einstein, Lincoln, Reagan and Walton were monumental successes. It is refreshing and inspiring to read that they were also human and have walked down the same road that you and I have.

What an encouragement it was when my business was struggling a few years ago to read Sam Walton's biography and my eyes halted on the page where I read that at the exact age I was – at that time – that he was in an almost identical financial spot! I put the book down and a smile spread across my face. If you don't know who Sam Walton is, he started a small company called Wal-Mart a few years ago and it turned out okay.

Reading Sam Walton's biography was a neat way for me to get inspired and reminded that some pretty successful people have met discouragement head on and succeeded. In a sense while reading that book a message from the spirit of Sam Walton said, 'Ron – I have been there. It is hard, but don't give up. The reward is worth it. Now press on.' I did and I will be forever glad that I did.

Now, go to the bookstore and pick up a biography. By the way, if you are in a rough spot or experiencing some heartache... "Don't worry boy, it will be alright. I've took this road you are walkin' down. I've been in your shoes. It is just somethin' that you have got to go through. I had this same talk with my dad."

 

by Ron White

Cool Career You've Never Heard Of

Doulas

Birth Doulas advise on birthing techniques and serve as the mother's advocate during labor. Postpartum doulas assist with emotional and physical recovery from childbirth and teach coping skills to new parents. You don't need a college degree to become a doula, but to be competitive in the field you should be certified by Doulas of North America (http://www.dona.org/). The median fee for a birth doula is $700 per birth.

How to get a jump-start: Get to know established midwives and doulas in your area and ask if you can witness a birth or postpartum counseling session to see if the field's for you.

What Motivates Teams? Again, It's Not the Money

Managing teams is different from managing individual contributors. Although there is clearly overlap in the "happiness factors," there is also clearly a different perspective. Here's what BLR's unique resource for smaller HR operations, HR Department of One, sees as key "happiness" (read retention and productivity) factors for teams:

Shared Concept / Vision. Team members know where they want to go. They look to the future rather than dwelling on the past or focusing only on immediate demands.

Agreement About their Overall Purpose. Team members who agree about their purpose set priorities and assign tasks that are meaningful. And that makes them feel that they're making a specific contribution toward a valued result.

Team Thinking. People enjoy the feeling of belonging to a group. Knowing that others depend on their work is a good motivator.

Sense of responsibility to the group. Once they have committed to goals—especially those they helped establish themselves—team members feel a strong obligation to support the team, and not let the team down.

Sensitivity to Changes In Individual Roles. As roles develop and change, opportunities for learning expand. Members of a team get the benefit of learning from one another.

Free Discussion. Team members are free to present and argue their points of view safely. They feel that others really listen and respect their points of view.

Team-Set Goals. Because the team sets goals, priorities, and tasks, there is a way of evaluating and recognizing achievement. This makes work more satisfying.

Help with Challenges Beyond Teambuilding

Teambuilding is just one challenge out of—what—100 challenges HR managers face? HR is not an easy job, and it's especially difficult in a small department, where one or two people have to do it all, from succession planning to recruiting to training to recordkeeping to benefits. How can anyone possibly handle it all?

What 8 Things Do Employees Want? (Hint: Money's Not on the List)

Tangible rewards play a role in job satisfaction, says today's expert, but for many workers, the "happiness factor" depends heavily on intangibles, such as respect, trust, and fairness. 

 

Is money the key to retention and productivity? It helps, says the Christian Science Monitor's Marilyn Gardner, but it's not enough. Beyond pay and benefits lie eight key factors that influence "happiness" at work-factors that motivate workers and keep them at your organization. Here's our distillation of Gardner's eight factors, as found on the website, communityinvestmentnetwork.org.

 

1. Appreciation

Praise heads the list for many workers, and it doesn't cost the employer anything to provide it, says Gardner. A sincere thank you or a short note can mean a great deal.

 

 

2. Respect

Again there is no cost and a big payback. Respect plays out in letting people know that their work is appreciated, in treating them like adults, and in being fair in your dealings with them.

 

 

3. Trust

Trust is the action side of respect. People need guidance, but they need to know that their boss trusts them to be able to get a job done on their own.

 

 

4. Individual Growth

Today's workers-especially the Gen Y group-want training, want to take on new challenges, and want to advance based on their new abilities. Giving a raise without increasing responsibilities could actually backfire, notes Gardner. As one expert says, if you give more money to an unhappy employee, you end up with a wealthier unhappy employee.

 

5. Good Boss

It's the old saw: People don't leave companies, they leave bosses. In a recent Robert Half survey, Gardner notes that 1,000 Gen Y workers ranked "working with a manager I can respect and learn from" as the most important aspect of their work environment.

 

6. Compatible Co-workers

Working with people you enjoy is also very important, says Gardner. Spending the day-every day-with people you don't like does not make for a productive workplace.

 

7. Compatible Culture

Employees want a work environment that fits their needs. That could mean hard-driving, high paying, or it could mean high flexibility and significant attention to work/life balance.

 

8. A Sense of Purpose

People want to know that they are contributing to something worthwhile. They need to know what the organization's core purpose is and what it is trying to achieve. And then they need to know how their particular job fits into the whole.

 

One of the interesting things that Gardner discovered about employee "happiness" is that there is a disconnect between what managers think and what employees think about happiness at work.

 

Managers tend to think that salary and benefits are the main motivators, while workers consistently respond that factors such as those mentioned above are what's important. Successful organizations will find a good balance to retain their best people.

Don't Take the Bait

Do you work, live, or interact with someone who seems determined to engage you in some kind of conflict? Do you find yourself getting hooked into their drama, and before you know it, you are in a no-win situation? How does this happen and why?

The reasons are many, but they usually have to do with someone wanting you to "fight" with them. You swear that you will never let yourself to get into that position again, and before you know it, there you are!

How can you respond to the hostile baiting that some people engage in? First, be aware that on some level, these people are attempting to get some need met. And secondly, remember you have a choice in how you respond. Consider the following suggestions:

 

Tips To Avoid Being Hooked By Someone Fishing For a Fight

1. Recognize when you are being baited.
2. Listen carefully to the words being used for bait.
3. Don't bite.
4. You can't get hooked if you keep your mouth closed.
5. Recognize that biting the bait is a conscious choice.
6. Bait is bait is bait, no matter how tiny or innocent it may seem.
7. The fisherman may not even know that she/he is casting for a fight.
8. The main differences between fishing from a dock or from a boat are whether or not she/he is on more "solid ground" and whether or not there is an "audience" watching the fishing expedition.
9. If the fish aren't biting, the fisherman will quit fishing.
10. If it looks like bait and smells like bait, it must be bait. Don't take the bait!

If you find yourself hooked - forgive yourself and the person who was fishing for the fight. If you find yourself baiting others, STOP, take them off the hook and let them go.