One man's trash is another man's treasure

This is true on the job as well.  Everyone has different interests and preferences. 

Here's an idea.  Take time to ask team members what they enjoy.  Make a list of these interests and then get creative, play Match.com with your tasks. If you are lucky, what one person finds engaging is something that another person finds tiresome.

• Do you have someone who likes to teach?  They could be your internal trainer.
• How about someone who enjoys a sense of completion?   They could take on some reorganization projects. 
• Maybe you have a social convener in the mix, they could plan the next staff outing or meeting.

The more you tap into people's personal interests, the greater the team's overall success.  

What's your favorite part of your job?

Number 5 is Alive!

Do you remember that line from the 1986 movie, Short Circuit? It was uttered in reference to Johnny 5, the adorable, input-seeking robot who was brought to life by a lightning strike.

What’s my point?  Like Number 5, Millennials like input.  Why?  They were given so much input and feedback while growing up that they’ve come to expect it in the workplace.

This is good news!  If you’ve got workers who are under 32 years old, tell them what they are doing well, tell them what they are doing wrong, keep it casual and tell them often.  It will engage them and it will educate them.

Practice, practice, practice

Ever wonder how those Olympians prepare for such an important moment in their life? 

They practice a lot (that's an huge understatement) and they practice in environments that simulate the real event. 

Getty Images

If you are trying to improve performance on your team, don’t just talk about how to handle a tough interaction or presentation, practice in an environment as close to reality as possible. 

• For customer service interactions, role-play in an escalated tone.
• For presentations, practice in the boardroom, not your office.
• For conference calls, practice over the phone.

Help your team go for Gold.

The 5 Whys

I ran a great session on Change and Problem Solving with a fun bunch of professionals last week. Shout out to #WoltersKluwer #Nashville !!

One of the most popular take-aways was using the problem-solving model, “The 5 Whys”, as a way to have more effective feedback conversations with team members.

Here’s how it works.  When there is an issue, uncover the true problem by asking "why" no fewer than five times.  

Issue:  Bart is often late for work.

1.     Why are you late, Bart?  Traffic is bad.

2.     Why?  'Cause I have to get on the Always-Backed-up-Highway.

3.     Why?  'Cause I drop my daughter off at daycare across town.

4.     Why do you go to that daycare?  'Cause it’s closer to my wife’s office and she picks our daughter up at the end of the day.

5.     Why?  ‘Cause I don’t get out of work in time to do pick-up.

Spot any solutions yet?  

Now you can put your problem-solving hat on and work collaboratively with Bart to create focused solutions, rather than assuming a bad attitude, or tips on navigating traffic or buying alarm clocks!

'Tis the Season

Whether you are big or small, you cannot give good customer service if your employees don’t feel good about coming to work. ~Martin Oliver

This time of year brings a lot of added stress for a number of reasons, coming to work shouldn't be one of them.

Take a moment to check in with your team. It's as simple as slowing down and focusing on them.  In fact, ask them, "What do you need from me?"

Just asking can do a world of good. 

Special Note:  We're holding a Pay it ForWARD contest on Facebook.  There are individual and office prizes to be won.  Simply share a pic or just post and tell us what you've done for someone else.  If you've not already found us on Facebook, here we are:   Click here

Don't fear the tears

I’ve been running a lot of performance management training sessions lately and when I ask participants for their challenging situations they often respond:

 “What do you do when the employee cries?”

Here are some tips:

Let them.  Performance reviews or any conversation about a person’s career can evoke a strong emotion and tears might be part of that.

Give them a moment.  Chances are they are not thrilled to be crying so just be patient and pass the Kleenex box.  (Hint: Have a box of tissue in the meeting room just in case, plus it’s flu season, so always good to have them handy)

 If they can’t move on, tell them you will have the conversation later that day.  The sooner the better to ensure you talk.  You don’t want to give the impression that crying will get them out of feedback, coaching or performance reviews.

'Fess up

Come on admit it, there is someone on your team that drives you crazy!

It might not be the quality of their work, but rather their personality that makes them a challenge to manage.   Not to mention that once you form an opinion about them it seems everything they do supports that opinion.

What to do?

Change your mind.  Perhaps if you get to know them in a different way (over lunch or coffee, or collaborating on a project) you will understand their style or behavior better.

Change your reaction.  In our customer service training we discuss using visualization to create a funny image or thought when that challenging customer calls.  This is a healthier than reacting to the call display and assuming the worst.  When I ask for examples of what to visualize that would inspire laughter vs. cringing, participants come up with Sponge Bob, the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man (think Ghost Busters) or kittens on YouTube.   What POSITIVE visual can you think of when you see or hear your challenging team member?    

*This works because, if you are smiling when you see them you will feel better and when they see you smile (maybe for the first time?) it will make them feel better.

Change them.  Well, that’s not really possible.  But if there is a behavior that is counter productive in the workplace,  it is in both of your best interests to address it.   Focus on the behavior and the impact that behavior has on you, the team, the work or the company.