Manager Tools Forums

Re: My Fears

petera — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 06:47:39 -0400

... if you haven't been doing them it'll be the best thing your team will have seen you do. Whether they approach it cynically or not, o3s will give them something that every direct wants: more info from the boss. And if you stick to it, even without introducing any of the remaining trinity, you'll convince them that this isn't a false start. Also, if you haven't already found them, be sure to listen to the "rolling out the trinity" casts.

Re: Developing Executive Presence

TomW — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 21:49:45 -0400

That could mean attire, posture, presentation skills.... almost anything. I think you should see if you can get more information.

My Fears

gazman — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:38:37 -0400

Hi All,

I have been a (fairly ineffective) manager for around 5 years now, I don't think I'm useless but I've always known that I could do a better job without really knowing how. I stumbled across the MT podcasts around a week ago, have begun to work my way through the basics series, and I am absolutely loving it. This is the sort of down to earth, practical, humorous and professional advice I wish I had listened to when I was starting out. I can't wait to start putting this stuff into practice but I have two fears:

1.) My direct reports will think "Here we go again, this is just another one of his phase's or false starts or half hearted attempts at being a better manager. I'll just nod in the right places, play along and it will all go away again until the next time."

2.) I'll prove them right.

I have tried to put some things in place in the past but the workload and my own inability to follow through always win in the end and before I realise it we are back where we started again. More guilt on my part and more cynicism on theirs.

I know there are no easy answers but I was looking for a bit of encouragement or advice as to how I can avoid failure in implementing one on ones, feedback, coaching etc.. Also maybe someone out there recognises what I am talking about from their own experience and has managed to succeed. How did you do it?

Thanks

Gary

How to keep sales team motivated when one portion of business isnt working correctly?

yahtzee — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:03:20 -0400

What is the best way to make a sales team aware of a software solution NOT working as planned while still keeping them focused on the bigger picture and keeping them motivated?

Re: New additions to premium content

roberthon — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:25:44 -0400

Is there a way to get the RSS feed into MS Outlook? With the 2007 version, the functionality exists, but I receive an error that I do not have the proper creditials. I don't have iTunes on work machine so I am looking for a different solution.

Re: Emails, restructuring

asteriskrntt1 — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:10:26 -0400

I think a lot of us do it Buggy. We forget these tools are complements, not replacements.

Re: Developing Executive Presence

asteriskrntt1 — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:08:17 -0400

It only matters to the people who are measuring your progress at it. Get their definition(s).

Office place politics

petera — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:13:10 -0400

I've recently been reassigned to another dept. My new boss and my former boss are at odds with one another. Lines are being drawn between the two depts, and I am being pulled into the fray. I would prefer to stay neutral but I wonder if this is naive. What advice or experience have others had around office place factional fighting?

Re: Bad news before phone interview

TomW — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 07:29:31 -0400

You don't need to be specific. You could call the interviewer and simply explain that you've had a personal emergency or a death in the family and need to reschedule. Interviewers are human too, and will completely understand.

Re: Bad news before phone interview

jhbchina — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 06:04:55 -0400

Dear Grad School,

First I am sorry to hear about your grandmother. My condolences to your family.

Turn the situation around for a second. Would you expect the interviewer to call you if they had a personal crisis of this proportion. They would cancel on you in a moment for less tragic events.

Be professional, focused and short. A death in my family requires my immediate attention, I am sure you can understand. I will call you next week to reschedule. I greatly appreciate your kindness on this matter.

Two other points, if they have not hired someone by now, another week will not hurt them and would you want to work for them if they said no. Remember you are evaluating their professionalism too.

I hope you had a chance to read this before the interview.

God Speed

JHB "00"

Re: How to train O3?

jbancroftconnors — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 23:34:51 -0400

If you can assign a project to her, then you can have her do PM O3s as part of her role as the Project Leader. They are not the same a regular O3, but a start in the right direction

Re: Amazon Kindle

lgh2 — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 22:55:48 -0400

I love my Kindle DX, and yes....I would marry it.

Re: Retention Report Template/Sample

dorian.w — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:12:08 -0400

I've got an excel file that I've used for a template, and if you send me a PM, I can get it to you via email. Unless anyone knows a way to post it here?

Dorian

Re: Developing Executive Presence

deanpickett — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:11:39 -0400

DAP = Development Action Plan

Executive Presence: What does it mean to you?

~DCP

Re: Southwest NC (Charlotte)

deanpickett — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:24:25 -0400

Everyone,

How does mid April 14th | 21st sound to everyone?

~DCP

Re: Rolling out the Trinity with new hires

mauzenne — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:00:21 -0400

Mike, Yes. Start from scratch for each new team member, slowly rolling out each piece over time. Best Regards, Mike

Rolling out the Trinity with new hires

mlin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:58:36 -0400

If the recommendation for rolling out the Trinity to a team is to do so gradually, do the same rules apply to every new hire as well? Start with O3's, then add positive feedback, then add adjusting feedback, and then add coaching?

I'm sure this question must have been asked before, but I couldn't find it. So I apologize if this is a re-post.

Thanks,
Mike

Re: Southwest NC (Charlotte)

sbaleno — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:36:12 -0400

Please keep me posted.

DiSC 2-5-4-6

Re: Emails, restructuring

bug_girl — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:22:27 -0400

Thanks for that advice, Asterisk! I have a tendency to let my preference for email blind me to that dynamic.

Bad news before phone interview

gradschoolmarkter — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:16:48 -0400

Yesterday, I was scheduled for a phone interview today. I selected an interview time for today because I was already taking the day off work to visit my grandmother suffering from the late stages of cancer.

This morning, I learned that my grandmother died overnight. I'm unsure how to handle the phone interview. I could make myself turn on the energy for the 30-minute interview, but then I don't want to seem fake if they know about my situation (I keep a fairly active professional networking presence on Twitter, and I've mentioned it there). Conversely, I don't want my first impression to be too downbeat, as they will more likely be unaware of my loss.

Right now, I think my options are to 1) put my best foot forward with the interview and set my personal feelings aside, 2) let them know of my loss but continue with the interview today, or 3) ask to reschedule next week (when I'll still be dealing with funeral and family visits, so I'm not sure if that's an improvement). Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

And just for the record, I'm very happy in my current job, but this could be an incredible opportunity.

Re: Emails, restructuring

Mark_Phillips — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:58:50 -0400

That's a really good rule of thumb to work by. I will use that in future to determine whether or not email is appropriate. I will also scan the net for presentations.

Cheers,

Mark

Under Performing direct, time to go

Cherie — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 01:59:40 -0400

Time to terminate mid level manager-

This person has been employed at our organization for almost a year and has consistently missed deadlines, "forgotten" important tasks, been ineffective in meeting benchmarks and lies on a regular basis (essentially at every meeting, when confronted his response is "I don't know what you want to hear". My frustration is further enhanced because of her previous experience and MBA which doesn't seem to add any benefit to the current position (assumptions were made that basic skills in management would be carried out IE reporting based on facts and data as opposed to emotion).

I have been working closely with this person for several months coaching, integrating the feedback model and one on ones. I follow the steps to the letter and document each conversation and agreed upon outcome (I also use the recommendations on how to communicate to her DISC profile). These conversations have become increasingly more direct and serious (I am a High D so I am pretty direct all of the time) and have included terminology like "terminated", "Fired" and "consistently below expectations". I was going to terminate the employee/employer relationship at the 6 month probationary review but was halted by my CEO (because he thought I would be too busy to hire and train a new manager). I have since gotten approval to proceed and will be reviewing my notes with our HR Attorney next week.

I am concerned about the impact on the team (the time she didn't spend on her deliverable has been spent cultivating relationships with the team) and since I am a High D, I thought of termination early ; what do you think? Am I moving too quickly? Can I do more to help this person be successful?

Thanks in advance for your insight

Re: Personal Business Cards to use while job hunting

kmtone — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:39:53 -0400

Hello, I made some with the clean perferated paper from Staples. The instructions said and there are templates by Avery under labels in Microsoft Word. Took a minute but they are done.

Re: Taking notes while reading?

SamBeroz — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:54:00 -0400

I typically don't take notes while I read, unless I get an idea that I really don't want to loose. Instead I use 3M sticky flags to mark (horizontally) just above the sentience I want to revisit. If the page as a whole is worth revisiting then I mark it with a vertical flag. When I'm finished I remove the flags one at a time and compile the ideas into a short summary. - Sam

Re: Asking for an increase

asteriskrntt1 — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:56:57 -0400

Yes, you still prepare even though the boss has brought it up. Why would you not prepare for an important meeting. And I was not suggesting saying anyone else got a raise. It is easier to give a lower paid clerical 4% than a more senior person 4%, isn't it. I was suggesting that by looking at if anyone was getting raises of any substance, it helps you gauge the owners' attitude towards raises right now. One of the most important things you can learn as an up and coming exec is "what is the management attitude towards a decision?" and factor that in to your requests as much as possible. Sometimes the management attitude is very obvious, sometimes not.

Re: Emails, restructuring

asteriskrntt1 — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:49:12 -0400

If you have not already, scan the net for some presentations on Marketing Communications and how to target your messages. Additionally, if you are sending out emails that result in more than 3-5 email exchanges, you should not be using email. Those evolve into conversations and conversations should be conducted face-to-face or via conference call.

Re: Developing Executive Presence

asteriskrntt1 — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:42:39 -0400

Hi Dean

Not sure what DAP is but am guessing it is something about development program. There is no one thing that creates an executive presence - it can mean a million different things. In fact, unless someone defined their version of what an executive presence is, how would you know what to develop? If your program is any good, it should define whatever executive presence is and give you the plan to achieve it. Let us know what you find out.

Re: How to train O3?

asteriskrntt1 — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:37:41 -0400

Wait until the decision is actually made. It is horrible for directs to serve 2 bosses. You have already trained her how to do O3s your way and she has to develop her own style. Wait until the promotion is in place and let her go at it then. She should role it out as if the O3s had not been done at all. Send out the email, have people sign up, develop her own routine.

Re: Promoting directs, or not

asteriskrntt1 — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:32:05 -0400

If your job is the only one available, you still have to develop your direct. Eventually, you might get promoted or leave. Even if you don't, no one stays in their job forever. A developed direct will have more career advancement opportunities from your development. And developing your direct should make your job easier or you more effective. Remember all that stuff you delegated? It is off your plate. And your boss has probably given you new stuff to work on, which you could not be doing if your were not developing your direct.

Re: Advice on setting a goal

AManagerTool — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:33:59 -0400

Why is it unmeasurable?

Goal: 0 missed tasks for 30 days.

All project or general tasks shall be sent to both you and I as tasks in Outlook. As you get them done check them off as completed. If I have to remind you, the task has slipped.

Of course, you need to get your direct to come up with this brilliant plan but nonetheless there it is.

Re: Southwest NC (Charlotte)

tdressler — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:11:16 -0400

I am interested in participating as well...Should we pick a date in early April and see what we get?

Tom Dressler

Re: Southwest NC (Charlotte)

thebeezer — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 23:07:04 -0400

I'm about an hour away to the northeast and would be very interested to meet up.

Re: Usually on the other side of the table

sportgoofy — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:13:23 -0400

I have started supervising a union based employee group within a municipal government. Coming from the private sector I find it very frustrating how the union protect their weakest members. It seems that the easiest tasks become difficult. I can`t believe how many benefits they have and they still act as if they are a victim and are treated poorly. I think my group all need a reality check with the private sector working force so that they realize how good they have it. It is like a `spoiled kid!``

Re: Southwest NC (Charlotte)

hanks1415 — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:27:25 -0400

DCP,

I'm moving to Charlotte in June (starting work with BofA). If I miss a first meeting between now and then, I'd love to help schedule a second meet sometime this summer.

Great idea!

--Brian Hanks

Promoting directs, or not

eastbayrider — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:18:01 -0400

I hear a lot of talk about promoting directs and readying directs to be promoted and also some talk of managers not doing so. Have you considered that in many cases the direct can only be promoted to his manager's position? If the direct can only be promoted to his boss's position, and the boss isn't going anywhere, then what is the direct to do?

Advice on setting a goal

bddbrown — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:07:44 -0400

Hi,

I'm having trouble setting a measureable goal for one of my directs for improving his task management skills and I am looking for ideas.

I've just started coaching with some of my directs (having recently attended the UK MT London conference) and getting the goal setting right is proving difficult. We've decided to improve this person's task management skills. He is often forgetting to do tasks and needs reminding. Also recently he has taken on team lead responsabilities (and shows a lot of potential), but tracking those tasks he should be reminding his team about is a potential problem area.

I don't want to just show him how I do things or offer advice. I know what works for me may not work for him.

Maybe this is not coaching topic but it feels about right and the structured process will be benficial in any case. For the moment we are not letting the lack of a measurable goal stop us, but I want to get the goal in place asap otherwise it will be difficult to measure success and when to stop. Brainstorming resourcing and setting out a plan of small measurable steps is working well.

Has anyone done something similar they could share or have any (bright) ideas for a measurable goal?

Thanks.

Bruce.

Re: C vs D/I stalemate

DrESouza — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:13:35 -0400

Couple of quick thoughts

Tension in the workplace is normal. That it turned 'icy' is not good. It did not get there overnight. Try not to fix it overnight.

Start by reinforcing the positive. Most organizations do about 90% of their tasks right. From your description, you may even be greater than that. So you have lots to praise. Start there.

MT has a podcast on doing 'One Nice Thing'. Start by doing enjoyable connective things that require limited input, limited commitment, and limited time: breakfast pastry in the morning for the crew, a specific, well thought-out compliment.

This will not necessarily fix the interaction between the C-D-I. But here is the deal: they have to fix it themselves. If you try to do it, it will be a mess and you will regret it. Focus on how to build the team that will allow them to work together and then eventually get to how you will coach, then hold them accountable for their interactions with each other.

Yeah, it will take a while but what else we have to do between now and retirement?

Good luck,

Re: C vs D/I stalemate

synapsid — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:57:24 -0400

Thanks 430 Jan. I realize now I have to roll out O3s and they will be more helpful at opening communication lines than feedback. I could see my meek DR leaving and citing a 'hostile' work environment, but I could also see the others raising a grievance that my Hi-C was being hostile to them. I would like to hear more about how you're dealing with this situation, either in this thread or elsewhere.

An added wrinkle is that some of the DRs are off-site and out of the country sometimes for 4-6 weeks at a time. Can one handle the rhythm of O3s in this situation?

Hello from Maryland

DWElwell — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:51:06 -0400

Hello from MD (Washington-Baltimore corridor)

I manage a small team of a technical professionals. I've following MT since the early days, and helped organize one of the first meetups in the DC area (there were 2 of us and met at the late Tom Sarris' Orleans House in Arlington). I've been absent from the forums for a number of years but working on getting re-engaged. MT is consistently fantastic!

-Dan

Re: D.C. MT members reach out

DWElwell — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:37:37 -0400

I'm also in the Silver Spring-Rockville area. If I can be of assistance in getting you acclimated to the area, please give me a shout!

-Dan

Re: How to Resign

raulcasta — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:38:13 -0400

I have used the pointers from the casts, all except one: "the resignation letter", which I delivered after talking to my boss in private. This was the right thing to do, from my point of view, as a way of showing my boss his well deserved respect. This letter served a triple purpose: state clearly my resignation as of date, a short-concise summary of my time at the firm, and a warm than-you to my boss for everything. It went really well and I got 4 weeks to transition smoothly, for which I have been preparing since the end of last year.

I'm leaving on super great terms and even planning to do business with my ex-employer from my new job. The doors are open at my old job.

Cheers

Re: Inteviewing Dilema- "to leave or not to leave"

raulcasta — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:23:00 -0400

The process was delayed to what seemed like an eternity. I was proposed a position late 2009 which I decliened, as it was not my top choice. I'm happy to announce that I finally got the job I was looking for.

Southwest NC (Charlotte)

deanpickett — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:12:22 -0400

Anyone up for a MT get together around the Charlotte NC or Greenville SC area?

Till Later,

~DCP

Retention Report Template/Sample

ronmolenda — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:53:21 -0400

I'm trying to implement retention reports as in

http://www.manager-tools.com/2006/04/retention

Does anyone have a template or sample they could share? We're a very small organization and will be starting from scratch so a reference point will save us a lot of bumbling ; )

Looks like Lee Butler would like one, too: This Retention topic is off to a great

Thanks in advance!

How to train O3?

ronmolenda — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:41:31 -0400

I'm developing my second to take over my position in in the next 6-9 months. We've begun discussing one one ones and have covered the MT materials, but experience is of course the best teacher.

I don't really think it's appropriate for her to conduct her own until she's formally given the position, and sitting in on an O3 seems to go against the personal/intimate spirit of the exercise. So far, I can only think of her doing an O3 with me or starting her own 'light' O3s with the staff a few months in advance of the transition.

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can help her to get some experience with O3s before she jumps into the thick of things? Thanks!

Offered an increase!?

adam_seeber — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:25:00 -0400

Hi guys - this is where I put the "long time listener, first time poster" thing.

I've been with a company around 2 months now, and my boss has told me that they're happy with my work and would be pleased to increase my pay at the 3 month mark - and would like to know what I'm after. What sort of increase should I ask for?

Some background on this - I work in an IT Managed Services role as a Service Delivery Manager, essentially managing customer contracts. I came into the role with absolutely no IT experience or qualifications at 26 years old, whereas the other SDM's (in this company, and in general in the Industry) are usually late 30's with 10+ years experience, from a technical background. I impressed the employers by how I spoke to them and offered to work a little "cheaper" I guess for the first 3 months to prove I could really excel.

Turns out I hadn't really done the research on the pay I should expect, and the wage I accepted (which I was happy with) is about half of what the average pay is in my city (industry standrard stats)! So, I'm on half of the wage of a more qualified and experienced person, but my bosses are happy with me, have made me process manager for a few ISO processes (IT Service Management standard) and are really getting behind what I'm trying to do.

So the question is - normally, I know a 5% increase is amazing. But I think I might be selling myself short? I'm not going to ask for the full pay, as I don't think I can deliver (yet) ALL the benefits that someone else could. But as a guideline, does anyone have any suggestions? I'm on literally 50% of the standard pay, should I maybe ask for 60%?

Any and all thoughts would be great!

-Adam

Developing Executive Presence

deanpickett — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:59:04 -0400

Everyone,

1st time poster, so be a little gentle.

As part of my 2010 DAP, we have highlighted I should develop my "executive presence". While looking thru the net, I have noticed a more than a few books and seminars.

Does anyone have any suggestions (books or seminars)?

Would a book be better than a seminar?

Thanks,

~Dean

San Diego Manager-Tools (MT) Meetup - 03/17/2010 (Wed)

sholden — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:26:17 -0400

San Diego Manager-Tools (MT) Meetup - 03/17/2010 (Wed)

Here is the agenda for the San Diego Manager-Tools (MT) Meetup scheduled for 03/17/2010 (Wednesday):

6:00 pm - 6:20 pm: Meet & Greet, Introductions, Food*
6:20 pm - 7:00 pm: Topic - Back to Basics: Coaching
7:00 pm - 7:25 pm: Open Discussion (advice, suggestions, help, etc)
7:25 pm - 7:30 pm: Hot Wash / Next Meeting Decisions

* Food = We will be ordering pizza and drinks. We plan to split the cost between the attendees.

The location this month is at:

   Diversified Business Solutions
   9765 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
   Suite C
   San Diego, 92124

   RSVP - Matt Spindler, 619-869-5110

We hope folks in the San Diego area, and the south Orange County / Riverside County areas can join us!

Matt Spindler (via Steve Holden)

P.S. Our April 2010 meeting is currently scheduled for 4/21/2010.

Re: What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith

Peter.Westley — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:30:09 -0400

I'm halfway through reading it. Fantastic, clear, concise, and very readable (i.e. easy to read).

I won't repeat what others have said but it's a must read IMHO.

-- Peter

DISC®: 2564
@pjwestley

Re: Intensive International Travel - Time Zones, Jet Lag, Lieu Time and O3s

asteriskrntt1 — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:16:47 -0400

Thanks for sharing Guys

Love the story about the old VP LOL. I have listened to the travel casts. Lots of great content.

I passed your experiences on to my friend. Much appreciated.

*RNTT

Re: Asking for an increase

BBundy — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:13:21 -0400

Okay here is an update, but first ... Thanks everyone for the advice.

My boss approached me on last week saying after his vacation, one week, we need to sit down to discuss my salary. I had not mentioned this at all. For the past year on a select few received increases, mostly 3 - 4% for some clerical people. I was able to justify an increase for all my staff, due to overall improvements in the department.

My followup question is : As my boss approached me stating we need to discuss my salary should I still prepare for the meeting with all my accomplishments and wins during the year?

Rick, I think your logic is sound, it is actually what I followed. The wins started coming after my first six months and have continued. Once a topic is off the "to do" list, I make sure it does not fall apart. I did not approach management during 2009 due to the financial constraints on the company, but I feel waiting a third year (no increase 2008 or 2009 but did get a bonus in 2008) without some merit increase is too long. I'm happy to have a job and don't want to price myself out of a job, but (in my opinion) I feel my work product has produced the results to merit an increase.

*RNTT - Yes I know the financial situation of the company, but can not disclose my knowledge, but I always try to not let this influence my objectives. (I try not to let knowledge of others increases (if there were any) factor into mine. I can't say "so and so got on therefore I deserve one"). I'd like your suggestion of the pre-wire though.

Once again thanks for the advice.

Hello from Mexico

josemx — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:19:37 -0400

Hello. My name is Jose Ramon Gonzalez.

Im an Industrial Engineer. Live in Mexico. I found Manager tools, thanks to my brother and becaues Itunes Store finally opened in my country.

Im listening all the podcasts that Mike and Mark have done and is great the job and the information and the quality. thanks To Mark and Mike and as i said in other part of the page, thanks to all that with your comments make me a better people.

In Disc file. Im High S and C. Im not so good talking to people until i know them good. Im loyal, i like to make thinks work better than they actually do and i like making life easy for the people i know. Id like to start things sooner, so im working on that.

In other subjects. I like management, reading, nature, animals, sports specially soccer and walking. I speak spanish and improving my english.

Id love to have new friends and if i can help id love to.

Re: How can I go above my manager?

PaulSchweer — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:32:13 -0400

FlyingDutchman, not sure I follow... Are you implying good business relationships can exist without some history of quality results? And/or the inverse?

As for future podcasts, isn't there already a bad boss cast? (And more planned, I believe.) Not to mention the cast on what to do if you hate your job...

Paul Schweer

Re: Effective Manager behavior in an organisation about to be outsourced?

lindge — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:51:28 -0400

It's not clear from the wording whether the company is being sold or whether certain work is being outsourced. If the latter, are any staff are being transferred with the work to the company being outsourced to? Is there a vendor management team being created to maintain oversight of the company being outsourced to? Are retention bonuses are in place for managers or staff?

Not withstanding the answers to these questions:

- Keep on producing and remain positive while you continue to work for the company. Keep doing O3s with directs, feedback, coaching, reporting etc. etc.

- Think about the changing balance of work within the team and how you as a team can best handle this. You may have folks from the vendor in with you, understanding current processes and outputs etc. and there may be a lot of documentation required over the next 4-6 months. Take the time to step through all of this in advance with the team and understand / identify any concerns or questions - ask the team how they feel the changes can best be handled.

- Think about the questions your directs may have for you during this period. Is management and HR getting together to produce a Q&A pack that can be sent out to staff and followed up on in O3s? Acknowledge concerns & questions from staff and be as honest / open as the situation permits.

- Look for opportunities within your current company e.g. with the outsourcing will there be some sort of vendor management team being put in place where there may be opportunities, or are there roles available in other parts of your organization? Also, are people being transferred with the work to the vendor & any opportunities there?

- Get your resume up to date if it needs it. Reach out to your network, make those lunches with friends in other companies. Start contacting recruiters if you don't already have relationships in place here.

- And again, keep on producing and remain positive. That said, if you're working excessive hours, and no opportunity for continuing employment in the current company, you may want to cut back to a reasonable work/life balance.

Anyway my 2cents to start things off...

Chicago Communications Conference -- Best 1 day of training I've ever experienced

gjoesten — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:34:49 -0400

Thanks guys for an awesome training. Sorry I had to run out and didn't get to thank everybody in person, this is really fabulous stuff and I am already applying the tools with favorable results.

Thanks again.

Gregg Joesten

CME Group

Re: How can I go above my manager?

FlyingDutchman — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:11:12 -0400

A recurring theme of Manager Tools is that one cannot manage ones own boss.

Nevertheless, as in the example of this posting, there are many examples of incompetent bosses that destroy value for organizations.

In a competitive world where companies fight for success and sometimes plain survival, how come that these bosses (as any other underperforming employee for that matter) do not get winnowed out?

Unfortunately, the fact of life is that when it comes to selecting people meritocracy works only partly at best. People typically do business with people they trust, people thy’ve got a great relationship with. And when elements like trust and relationship are strong, people become almost blind to differences in quality or merit. Relationships are more easily formed with people we know and who we can trust will follow our line rather than clever, competent ones that may not follow us when called.

I applaude Manager Tools efforts at improving management practices. It provides us effective working practices for dealing with the real world. Nevertheless, I see a gap in the recommended approach when dealing with incompetent or inefficient bosses. Leaving for other jobs and/or putting up with it because the power sits with the bosses do not promote efficient management practices in the workplace.

Could this - how to deal with incompetent and inefficient bosses - become a new Manager Tools podcast and forum thread?

Emails, restructuring

Mark_Phillips — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:21:58 -0400

Hi all,

I have begun my new role as faculty coordinator in a secondary school. I have found the tranistion a difficult one at times. I have four full faculty meetings per year which in my opinion is not enough and I find myself communicating with staff via email a lot, too much.

I have created small teams and appointed team leaders and decided to have team leader meetings twice a term with the full faculty meeting being used for planning and PD. This is to help with increased communication and information flow.

Is there a problem with using email to communicate a lot. What are some other effective ways to communicate with a faculty of 22 when there is only 4 meetings per year.

Also, one of the team leaders has been unable to attend a number of meetings due to other legimate school business, I asked them to give up their role of team leader if they weren't able to make it to regular meetings. I am feeling a bit unsure about this and was wondering if I have over reacted here or whether I have made the right call. It will allow a more inexperienced staffmember to gain some leadership experience.

Any feedback or comments to assist with this dilemma.

Thanks,

Mark

Re: One-on-ones with children

raylea — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:21:06 -0400

An interesting note on this topic: some years back I read Stephen Covey's book on Effective Families, and he suggests a structure that appears very similar to the O3 Regularly scheduled time when the child can count on getting you to themselves. Additionally the parent is to use the time to question and to listen but to refrain from comment unless asked. This environment promotes communication from the child in the absence of judgement. I'd love to say I use them, but it's tucked into my "things I know I should really be doing...." compartment. Cheers, Raylea.

Re: What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith

imahick — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:32:35 -0400

I've been a manager for just over a year and a half now. When I was promoted I knew I was playing above my ability and went in search of resources for managers. Manager Tools was what I found and their recommendation for this book put it in my hands. A quote from my most recent evaluation, "I never thought you would be this good as a manager". I believe I owe a lot of that comment to Mike, Mark, and Marshall. If the best judgement of effectiveness is results then Manager Tolls and "What Got You Here Won't Get You There" are worth the investment of time and money.

Thanks so much for what you provide.

Chad

Re: Recognition for contribution to a project - monetary versus nonmonetary

anish — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:19:50 -0400

Thank you all for your suggestions and feedback. I wanted to provide closure on how this panned out in my case.

What I decided to do was to get this direct and his wife a gift certificate for a romantic dinner and a night stay at a very exclusive hotel here in town. Also I included a hand written thank you note for his wife for allowing this company to monopolize his time for weeks. He was very happy. He mentioned that his wife is really excited about the upcoming "date". So all in all it turned out well.

I appreciate all the guidance this group provided.

Re: Amazon Kindle

bug_girl — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:08:53 -0400

This is a really wonderful article on the difference between books as objects and as digital forms:

http://craigmod.com/journal/ipad_and_books/

"Of the books we do print — the books we make — they need rigor. They need to be books where the object is embraced as a canvas by designer, publisher and writer. This is the only way these books as physical objects will carry any meaning moving forward."

Re: Advice on transitions from small companies to larger companies

AManagerTool — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:52:12 -0400

BLUF: Having had experienced both sides of this situation in my career I can tell you without a doubt that big company hiring managers sometimes do look down their noses at small company applicants. That said, who cares! It's about your resume, the way you interview and if you have what the hiring manager is looking for that matters. The trick is getting that interview.

I work for one of the largest pharmas. You will have a very tough time making it through the resume screening process without coming from another big pharma. I know I did. At bigger companies, hiring managers don't screen resumes. HR does and they look for a lack of big company experience as a reason to say no. Truthfully, there is a small difference between big and small company experience that I won't get into here. However, there are strategies that you can use to "break in" to large companies.

Perhaps the best strategy that I have seen used is the "backdoor approach". Temp to perm, contracting or consulting all provide a way to give yourself big company experience while simultaneously lowering the artificial hiring hurdle. This is how I got in. That's not to say that it's easy being hired by a contracting company but they don't seem to "look down their noses" at small company experience. Once you have at least one or two contracting engagements to your name, you effectively have the "big company experience" you need. Of course, you need to ROCK those engagements but you already know that.

Another way is to bypass that HR screener. Find a way to get your resume in the hands of the hiring manager. This is where a good recruiter helps. This is also where networking comes in to play. Hiring managers make the call on applicants not HR. If your skills are what they need, they will bite unless they never get to see you at all.

A third way is what I call the theory of relativity. The theory of relativity states that big companies like to hire their employees relatives. Though I must say that this is really old school HR thought and in practice becomes a bit of a long shot the higher up the ladder you are trying to get placed on. This method is VERY effective for people just out of college or looking for entry level employment.

Hope that helps...

Re: Advice on transitions from small companies to larger companies

TomW — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:11:49 -0400

I have seen the same thing, with larger companies thinking they are better at everything than the smaller ones. If you can show that you can do what they need, sometimes they will make exceptions. I would look at it like the recent cast on changing industries. Your resume and interviewing skills have to be far better than everyone else's.

Be ready for exponentially worse office politics than you are used to in a small firm and expect any major decisions to take 4 to 10 times as long as you are used to because of the number of people who will feel the need to weigh in,.

Re: Feedback to another manager about one of their directs

TomW — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:08:32 -0400

Make sure that you are in the mood before you talk to your peer.

Re: Rolling out the Trinity with 30+ directs?

TomW — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:07:33 -0400

Is the entire group completely flat, with just one person supervising 30 to 60 people? Or is there any kind of subdivision at all? What kind of business is it?

Re: australian conference - confirm/deny - lets get it happening!!

RickMeasham — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:38:18 -0400

Everyone that doesn't live in Sydney knows that Melbourne is the nicest city in Australia! We have the best cafes, the best art scene, the best things to do. The only thing we don't have is the harbour, the bridge and the opera house -- all of which can be seen at the same time and after which, there's not much else to do!

Cheers!
Rick Measham
Proud Melbournian

Geek Herding

Rolling out the Trinity with 30+ directs?

andhec — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:00:59 -0400

Question:

Would you even try to roll out the Trinity with more than 30 (and up to 60) directs and how would you adjust the process?

Short Background:

I frequently come across managers with more than 30 directs and some even have up to about 60 people to "manage".

The fact that this in itself is close to impossible to do with some sort of good quality and effectiveness, is something that has been largely ignored when deciding about the "structure" of the organizations in question.
It's also typical in these organizations that there is no room for delegating some of the "day to day-leadership" to someone closer to the direct.

Of course the best thing would be to change the structure of the organization.
At the same time we, as Mark and Mike use to say, live in the real world and this what I come across in my work.
So what could we recommend to managers in this situation?

Appreciate all input!

/Anders

Re: australian conference - confirm/deny - lets get it happening!!

pedantix — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:57:55 -0400

Definitely a vote over here for Sydney... would love to see that happen!

Effective Manager behavior in an organisation about to be outsourced?

andhec — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:31:29 -0400

Hi All!

A "high level" question:

I wonder if any of you have some good advice or recommendations for managers in an organisation about to be outsourced.

Specifics to do or to keep in mind as a manager to stay as effective as possible when everybody in the organisation knows they won't be around much longer than 4-6 months?

Appreciate all input :-)

Have a good day!

/Anders

Re: Feedback to another manager about one of their directs

jaredavd — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 20:20:20 -0500

Will do-- I have specific examples that I intend on bringing to the other manager, I just wasn't in the mood to type out the examples in my post. Thanks for the response.

Re: Should I be working on my exit strategy?

MsSunshine — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:10:22 -0500

This is critical - and I missed it. Know what your boss and your organization wants/tolerates. My boss wanted me to be harder on them. The upper management decided that too many people were complaining too much and people should decide to be happy or move on.

I got beaten up pretty badly for this mistake!

Re: Direct is chronically late in work delivery

mcfarlandlake — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:21:18 -0500

Thanks for the great input.

I spoke with my boss at length about this yesterday as part of my own yearly evaluation, and he gave me some really good (although difficult to hear) insight and suggestions. What it boils down to in MT terms is that I'm not managing with my directs' DiSC profiles in mind, but using the style my DiSC gives me the most comfort. The direct in question seems to be a pretty high S, and is in a position that isn't really suited for that type of profile. There is no opportunity for a transfer to a better fitting position. I am a very high C and the care and feeding needed for the high S so goes against my grain!

My boss still agrees that this direct is not overtaxed in his assignments and needs to be held accountable for on-time delivery. I just need to approach the problem differently than in the past - much, much more affirming feedback than I've been giving, asking the direct what is getting in the way of meeting goals and what the direct can do to get them back on track.

Direct is chronically late in work delivery

mcfarlandlake — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:19:51 -0500

I'm at my wit's end with this direct and need some input from the forum. on how to increase my direct's timeliness in completing assigned work.

I hired this direct into his job 2+ years ago. Even after allowing him sufficient time to learn his new job duties, he has had difficulties meeting deadlines and taking on more than one assignment at a time. The problem has not improved over time. I have tried giving feedback, coaching, setting firm deadlines, asking her to set him own deadlines, reducing her workload. All of these have only been partially successful in getting him to meet deadlines that in some cases are legally required.

His explanation for being late is that he has too much to do and things have to fall off hisplate to meet deadlines. He also complains that my management style is unlike any he has ever had in 20+ years of hiscareer. He refuses to accept that he does not meet expectations for timely completion of work and says my expectations are too high.

One difficulty with this is that, of the work he completes, it is very good - well written documents, complete. Meets all my needs except it is late and impacts others work.

I have discussed this with my boss and he agrees with me that the direct's workload is not too high to justify the chronic lateness.

I give my direct his evaluation next week and next year's expectations. Any suggestions on how to get my direct to improve?

Re: Direct is chronically late in work delivery

TomW — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:12:14 -0500

Well, as Mark has said many times, whenever there is a problem, look in ever widening concentric circles around your own desk! :-)

Re: Direct is chronically late in work delivery

thebeezer — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:51:44 -0500

I'd also recommend giving feedback that emphasizes the negative impacts on the team as a whole. The podcast about tailoring your feedback to different profiles can give you additional suggestions for how to illustrate why the direct needs to change their behavior.

Re: Switch - any reviews?

thebeezer — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:14:41 -0500

I bought the dead tree version because I really liked their previous book and their Fast Company column. There's a good mix of research and anecdotes and has been an enjoyable read. It's more actionable than most books of this type that I read.

Re: C vs D/I stalemate

430jan — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:40:51 -0500

Sorry for the discord on your team. I think that yours is a very frequent problem in management and most of us are struggling with it....if we're not ignoring it.

I guess one thing that I would infer from your comments is that the conflict in your team is going to go away if you manage the MTs way. It is going to be more effectively managed, but believe me when I say that conflict in your team and among the differing array of behavioral types is going to continue as long as people have breath in them. When you add a new person in, or take one away it will heighten for a while. I am re-listening to every podcast with the word "conflict" in it. Also the "micromanagement" part 2 podcast deals directly with how to respond to a team in conflict.

I think that I have a compassionate team, but they know when they are being reinforced for conflict instead of redirected. It is such an easy path to take as a manager because I think that we all basically want peace and quiet. If you learn it once be willing to go back and learn it again.

Lastly I would say be careful about documenting the efforts you are taking. I had one staff member leave and file a complaint with the EEOC because she said that administration was not receptive to her complaints about the "mean" people around her. She is alleging a hostile work environment.I am still sorting this one out, because Manager Tools does not have you jump at the sign of conflict, you work through feedback and one on ones. You also are not supposed to believe everything you are told. I most certainly didn't ignore her comments, but because most managers pull the offenders into a room and ream them out (and this is very bad according to the conflict podcast) and we did not do that I am having to prove that I was addressing the conflict in another way that was not visible to the employee that felt her complaints were not addressed. I don't believe that her complaints were valid but I am still in the process of learning what HR thinks of this way of doing business. (of course there is more to the story, but this is your thread!)

Good luck to you and keep listening and posting long after you think you have it all figured out.

Re: Should I be working on my exit strategy?

ken_wills — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:43:53 -0500

Ms. Sunshine has it right. I can only add this:

It's not so much about the job, as it is about your *FIT* with the job.

There are lots of jobs that some people find stressful, and other people thrive in.

How's your fit with your job?

Re: It is OK to insist on an offer before saying yes or no

ken_wills — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:39:41 -0500

Sounds to me like you were being jerked around by a poor recruiter. That said, there's probably some learning in this for the next time: ask more questions about what you're applying for. But good for you for dropping out!

Re: Advice on transitions from small companies to larger companies

dad2jnk — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:02:53 -0500

Large companies always look for people who are agile, entrepreneurial, and have the ability to network. Your small- and mid-size company experience could help you there. Use any experience you have to show past success working across departments or across companies.

If you can demonstrate success in these areas, your experience can be turned to your advantage.

Good luck!

dad2jnk (Ken)

Switch - any reviews?

dad2jnk — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:55:23 -0500

Has anyone read Switch? Is it worth the $9.99 for the Kindle version?

Thanks.

dad2jnk(Ken)

Re: C vs D/I stalemate

synapsid — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 07:43:54 -0500

Thanks RWWH, for your response. Yes, I just discovered MT and have listened to about 50 archived podcasts but of course I am still new to the methods. I will check out the "rolling out" podcasts, thanks for the tip. I didn't expect one instance of feedback to make a big difference, but it did feel good to use a new communication tool after basically a year of ignoring an 'elephant in the room'. I need to foster better communication between my team members if we are ever going to grow.

Re: Manager Apps

rwwh — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:15:47 -0500

Taking notes on your iPhone may be "productive" (a.k.a. "efficient"), but that should not be your prime concern. When dealing with people, what counts is "effectiveness". It is very hard to take notes on any kind of computer and be effective at the same time. You are making iPhone notes, but the people that are in conversation with you may think you are absentmindedly checking your E-mail. Or playing tetris.

I used to take notes digitally. MT has made me try taking paper notes again. It works. I will not go back to digital. I now capture everything on paper, and reprocess my action points (properly marked) in digital form (GTD) later. For any recurring meetings, I make sure I have my notes from earlier meetings at hand, on paper.

Re: Direct is chronically late in work delivery

rwwh — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:01:07 -0500

Before going into systemic feedback, you have to verify whether you are giving feedback where the impact (part 3) is targeted at the DiSC style of the direct. It sounds like this direct is a very high C to me. If that is really the case, it does not help if your feedback tells him that "respect from other group members is reduced" if he does not meet his deadlines.

Also, not every employee can handle the same work load and has the same strengths and weaknesses. TomW is right that everyone has to be aware of their weaknesses and willing to work on them. On the other hand, if at all possible you have to try and position your directs such that you leverage their strengths and are bothered as little as possible by their weaknesses, allowing them to grow gradually. You first choice should not be to put a High I/High S type person in a role as financial controller, or to put a High D/High C in marketing. Read "First, Break all the Rules" by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffmann", especially Chapter 5: "Focus on strengths".

Re: C vs D/I stalemate

rwwh — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:33:43 -0500

Welcome to the club. Do I understand correctly that you just discovered MT, and the first thing you do is deliver corrective feedback? Corrective feedback alone is not going to get your situation improved! Please check out "rolling out the trinity" and the other manager tools basics. Better relationships between you and each of your directs will be the result, and I'm sure you will be able to leverage that into better mutual understanding.

Re: Feedback to another manager about one of their directs

rwwh — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:24:33 -0500

You do not have "feedback" for your peer, do you? You have information about his/her directs that you want to share. I would definitely discuss it, but make sure to use behavioral descriptions. "Rude" and "unprofessional" are not behaviors, they are conclusions you draw from behavior.

Feedback to another manager about one of their directs

jaredavd — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:29:48 -0500

I've got a peer who's direct is regularly rude to my directs. My directs have given polite peer feedback to the rude person but there have been no improvements.

Do I follow the peer feedback model and go to the rude person's manager, or is there a different way recommended to try to get the rude, unprofessional behavior corrected?

Re: It is OK to insist on an offer before saying yes or no

jhack — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:12:35 -0500

You cannot accept or reject an offer you don't yet have.

You can, however, choose to remove yourself from consideration at any time. If you are certain that you would turn down an offer, you should politely and respectfully remove yourself from consideration. Yes, this happens.

Good hiring managers know when there's a good fit, and when there's not. If it's truly a good fit, you won't remove yourself. If it is a good fit, you'll wait for the offer.

Rick's point above taken, it's nearly unheard of for a company to present you with an absurdly great offer, way out of pay scale, to bring you into a job you know you don't want.

John Hack

Advice on transitions from small companies to larger companies

psprouse — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:43:22 -0500

My wife, a medical doctor, and I are moving to Houston in the next few months for a position she's taken. Since we're moving from a small regional market to a large market, I'd like to take that opportunity to transition to a large firm.

My background however is exclusive to mid and small sized regional companies, although I have a strong performance and career growth track record; this is also reflected in my salary history as well as role and responsibility increases.

So how do I sell my small company experience to a large company? I feel that the larger companies are looking down their noses at my experience, and I feel I also am at a disadvantage to other applicants with large organization experience, regardless of ability. Anyone know if I'm off here, or if that is just the way it works?

Suggestions? Advice? Experience moving from small to large?

Re: Should I be working on my exit strategy?

MsSunshine — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:28:05 -0500

First, stress is how you react to the environment. What you need to do is react appropriately instead of becoming stressed.
You say you like the job. What do you like? What don't you like? Of the things you don't like, you have a choice of changing them, living with them or leaving the position. Can you live with what you don't like? If not, can you change it? If not, then REALLY consider leaving!
If it's just too much to do, then think about how you can manage that. DO NOT fall into the trap of just working lots of hours and trying to be a hero. It's not worth the toll! There are lots of things out there on how to manage your work load.
Many people push back on changes, complain, etc. Do they know what you are trying to do with the changes? If not, make sure the vision is clear. If so, then at some point you can tell them to stop. I've been there an know its hard. But I finally had to say to multiple people the following - "We seem to be having the same conversation over again about 'their complaint'. Do you have something new to add or something that you feel I could do to help you move on from where you currently are? If you don't have anything new to bring up, we've already covered this and I don't have anything else constructive to offer. Therefore, I don't see any point in discussing this further. If you have something new, feel free to bring it to me. Otherwise, we need to stop having the same conversation."
You cannot let them drag you down and honestly spend time covering the same thing. At some point, THEY HAVE TO CHOOSE to move on. You should be trying to help them work through the change - there are lots of good books out there on working through change. But if you've done that, then they need to wallow on their own! My experience is that some people just don't want to move on.

Remember that it is your reaction to them that wears you down. You control your reaction and what you let other people dump on you. If you know what you are trying to accomplish, stick to it. You don't have to let them whine to you with no end!

Re: Taking notes while reading?

MsSunshine — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:08:16 -0500

Yes, that's it. It is not a new book but I thought it had good information. I was given it as part of a list of books the GE corporate training suggests that you read. It helps you hone in on what is important to look for, strategies for easily digesting and remembering what you read.

C vs D/I stalemate

synapsid — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:17:24 -0500

I have a high C DR who is very timid, with low self esteem, but who exhibits good productivity. My other DRs include an extremely intense high D and another extremely intense high I.

Because of some disagreements that occurred over a year ago, no one in the department speaks to the high C, and vice-versa. They perceive the C's silence as disrespectful and the high D recently publicly accused the C (when the C was absent) of being unproductive and unprofessional.

The C, on the other hand, feels that they are being purposely shunned / ostracized by the rest of the group. No one eats lunch together anymore, and no one seems willing to break the stalemate.

I just found out about MT and delivered feedback for the first time yesterday to the high D, which I think was very effective. However, I fear it may be too late to smooth things over.

Here's the kicker - the team's productivity does not depend on them working together in any formal sense - the D, I, and C all work essentially independently, although the D has garnered collaborative support from the others, while the C has withered.

The atmosphere in the office is icy. Is there any way back, or have we gone too far?

Re: Too soon to post for internal position? What message does it send?

jiggymac — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:45:50 -0500

Your actions are in some way going to be interpreted by your organization and only you can get a sense of how people you work with will feel if you apply for a position you don't end up receiving . However, 3 1/2 years is plenty of time to begin looking in other parts of the company for advancement. Your title of too soon seems a little off. Six months might be too soon or if you were in some type of development program, but instead you are the one developing others in your division, including your peers.

Most companies have a 1 year period in which you cannot apply elsewhere internally and anything below that could be perceived as overly ambitious.

The real question you will have to ask yourself is: Is this what I really want to do with my career? Don't consider the money necessarily but will getting this promotion really make you happy in the near term (5+ years).

While having to learn underwriting may be a minor setback and of course not getting the position because of it may be a risk, always look at the big picture and where such skills will set you up in the future. Taking a step back to move forward is usually worth it.

Finally consider the risk of applying and not getting the job versus the opportunity to be a leader within your own organization via your management example. Think too on what happens if the organization does not like the added costs of directs for the AM position.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Manager Apps

jrfireboy2 — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:32:16 -0500

What are some of your favorite apps that make you productive as a manager?

Personally I used to keep a running notebook and would use symbols to denote tasks, meeting/O3 items, etc. Now I am trying to track more in my iPhone. I use 2Do for my task list and QuickOffice for any Word/Excell items. I am trying to find a good way to track O3's using it.

Re: Direct is chronically late in work delivery

TomW — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:01:30 -0500

Have you listened to the systemic feedback cast? And have you been documenting your discussions with the person and the deadlines that have been missed?

This is someone who's job should be in jeopardy, not because he is missing deadlines, but because he is unwilling to work on a major weakness. In today's economy, you can easily find someone who submits just as good work ON TIME.

That's my High D showing through a little ;-)

But before we go there, you need to let the person know how dire the situation is and work with him to correct it. Find out if there actually is too much on his plate. Is there anyone else who can help take on his work? What have you done to help him meet the deadlines? What kind of status reporting do you have in place? Is he working alone on projects? How are his peers doing with their deadlines? How does his workload compare with theirs? Is there any possibility that your expectations actually are too high?

Re: Intensive International Travel - Time Zones, Jet Lag, Lieu Time and O3s

markwalsh99 — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:34:30 -0500

Learn to sleep on the plane.You may find that you don't get as much opportunity to do so at your destination if your schedule is full-on. I don't think you can get much done on the plane other than reading IMO, so it would be better to use that time productively. A VP I used to travel with seemed to be able to force himself to sleep almost instantaneously. I thought it was because he was old (!) but when I asked him, he told me that he'd trained himself to do so.

Time in lieu. Yeah right. The nearest I got to that was to organise my schedule on my return to make sure I got a bit of time to sort domestics. If I was travelling over a weekend at both ends of the trip, that was just tough. Although I always made sure I got 8 hours sleep back at home, regardless.

Business Class flights. Until I started doing it, I thought it was a perk, but it's a necessity. Sometimes, in a full-on schedule, the only place you get to have a bite to eat or just a sit-down not in a plane or in a meeting room is at the airport lounge. If you do have to travel economy, then allow a bit more time out to do domestic stuff either end of the flight. It's Managerial Economics 101; companies wouldn't pay a premium for Business Class flights unless they thought that it allowed their executives to be more productive.

Too soon to post for internal position? What message does it send?

clarkuga — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:22:43 -0500

I want to know your thoughts on how posting for an internal position in another division might be interpreted. Would I be viewed as someone interested in advancement or as someone not grateful for what has already been given to me?

I work for a large property and casualty insurance carrier and I believe that I have accumulated divisional good will from my upper management (in NY and Atlanta). My company has a more senior level position open in a different division. I need to preface that I don't meet the minimum criteria of the posting as I lack underwriting experience. I do however believe that I have the skills to be effective in the position. Realistically I believe I have a slim chance to receive the offer. I am focusing on the interviewing experience as a positive for me and hope that it would be seen as my statement that I am interested in further development.

I have been in my current position for 3 1/2 years. It was strictly an individual contributor postion (even though I have a manager title) until about 6 months ago when my divisional upper management approved a direct report for me to manage and train. This opportunity has never been offered to any other Account Manager (AM) in my division - nationwide.

Although the AM position exists in other divisions (including the division with the open position), I am the first person in my division in Atlanta to be an AM. My work has been recognized and used as a training tool for other AM's throughout the country. This led to my current direct report.

To obtain the underwriting skills noted in the job posting would mean that I would have to take a step backwards from my current position for an overall movement forward in my career.

I appreciate your thoughts.

Re: Intensive International Travel - Time Zones, Jet Lag, Lieu Time and O3s

dad2jnk — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:23:25 -0500

I have done a fair bit of long-haul travel and it is always the most unproductive part of the trip. Listen to the admin travel pod-cast for some really good ideas to mitigate this productivity chasm. I usually print things out to work on instead of work on my computer screen. Too many eyes behind you to work on anything sensitive.

Some things I have found while leading my roller-board like a dog down the street.

Nothing gets done in coach. Too many eyes and not enough room. If you are expected to be productive while traveling, fly in the front.

Get a Kindle (sorry Terri). Keep it fresh. Get a subscription to WSJ, Economist, or your favorite blogs. Beats hauling around the latest 400 page tome.

Nothing gets done sitting in the lobby. Too many loud cell phone conversations, too many people coming and going, and too much jet-lag induced ADD. In many international terminals (Heathrow leaps to mind, but also AMS), you are not allowed to go to the gate until check in and then herded into the staging area like cattle.

My recommendation follows M/M. Get one airline you like, accumulate all your miles there, and then have the company purchase a year of the airline's lounge. Delta and AA/BA have nice lounges with meeting rooms and privacy when you need it.

Fly a route routinely. That way you know flight times and options, airport conditions, where to get a cup of decent coffee or a meal that doesn't come in a wrapper. I fly through Detroit a lot and know there is a good Japanese restaurant in concourse A and a decent pub in C. MSP has a few good places to eat. ORD - not so much - stick to the snacks in the lounge. AMS some good breakfast fare.

O3s are the most difficult. I try to keep up either early morning or late evening depending upon the time zone and jet lag. Unless your boss is accustomed and buys into O3s, your cell bill will get some unwanted attention.

Executives never get lieu time to compensate for travel days.

Eat right and don't drink too much. I usually lose weight on trips, but that isn't the norm. Find a hobby that get you outdoors. I like geocaching because they are all over the world and don't have time constraints. Running and walking work too. Clears the mind.

I'm sure I have missed some things and others have good advice.

dad2jnk (Ken)

Re: MT Paraphernalia

DPWade — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:32:07 -0500

...how hard is that.

-D

Spread the word about MT

djurecic — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:49:37 -0500

I'm a big fan of both manager tools and career tools and I believe I've listened to all of the podcasts. I try to spread the word about MT and have recently given presentations for Toastmasters adapted from the "How to Leave a Voicemail" and "Timely Meetings" podcasts. People who have never listened to MT are impressed with the common sense concepts as well as the actionable items.

Keep up the great work!