Author Archives: Ben

Culture: commonality and exclusivity

The other day my friend Daniel Crosby pointed me to a company called Clearlink. I checked out their culture study at his urging, and it gave me some great ideas to pursue. Not that it’s scientific or the source of a deep revelation; it’s just one more piece of their culture that can be use to attract (or deter) potential candidates.

Commonality

It shows the under-the-surface stuff about the company’s people. These are commonalities that aren’t all immediately apparent, yet they provide a platform for people to connect on a deeper, more personal level. I’m an Android fan, so I know I can geek out with plenty of them. Superficial, yes, but having common topics of interest makes for a more enjoyable work environment for all.

Exclusivity

One area of culture that’s not discussed as much is the exclusivity factor. It shouldn’t be something that appeals to everyone. When I’m in an interview and I am getting a sense (through deeper, probing questions)  that a person doesn’t have the same values that define the organization, I have no problem letting them go by. Even if someone is has amazing skills and abilities, if they don’t fit the culture it’s going to most likely end up souring before long.

For me, looking at this kind of chart that Clearlink provides is a fun, neat way to see into what they do. For other people, I would imagine that it’s a turnoff if they are looking for a more traditional, 9-to-5 workplace. And you  know what? That is perfectly fine. There’s something out there for everyone!

Does anyone out there do a culture survey at work (more scientific/work focused than this one or just as silly, either one works)? I’d be curious to know what kinds of questions you ask. Feel free to hit me via email and we can discuss: ben@upstarthr.com

Recruiting family members

No, I’m not talking about recruiting your family members! I’m talking about going the extra mile and working to make the candidate’s family members more comfortable with the new company and job.

I had a great experience a few days back when I brought in a new candidate and got to spend some time talking with his wife about the company and position. I wrote about it over on RocketHR today. Click through to read Recruiting Your Candidate’s Family.

Recruiting your candidate’s family

recruiting a candidate's spouseI had a great experience this past week. I have been recruiting pretty much 24/7 for some urgent hires, and I asked one of the candidates who accepted to stop by so we could get some paperwork out of the way. He said that his wife would be in the car since they were headed to another function, and I told him to bring her up so she could check out the office as well.

After finishing the paperwork, giving him the quick tour, and introducing him to both our CEO and Operations Manager, I spent a few minutes talking about some of our cultural aspects in the office with him and his wife.

We covered the usual topics-dress code (whatever you want), work hours (whatever you like), and other general information. However, I couldn’t help but smile when his wife checked out our little kitchen and gave it a nod of approval. I told her that we would take good care of her husband and that, in all honesty’s sake, it was the best and most professional workplace I’d ever experienced.

When they walked out the door, I knew that I had made a lasting impact on both of them, and I realized that it might be worth it to try and recruit a candidate’s family more often, because even after the offer has been accepted, there is plenty of time for second guessing and turmoil. Getting the family on the same page gives the candidate more support in the new role and solidifies it in their mind. Anyone else ever consider meeting the candidate’s family in an informal setting to help the person get more comfortable in the job? It wouldn’t work for everyone, but I think it’s one more piece of what makes Pinnacle a great place to work.

The case for developing leaders at all levels

Today I’m going to make the case for leadership development at all levels, not just at the top of the organization. Think about it, do you want those employees positioned closest to your customers to have that training? I would. Yes, it’s a question of cost for many companies, but if your customer-facing people aren’t doing the right thing, then cost won’t matter when you lose the customers!

That was just a taste of what you’ll find in the video below. Subscribers may need to click through to view.

(Fair warning, the video sometimes is skippy and doesn’t seem to align with the audio track, but the info’s still thought-provoking!)

Communicating with difficult team members

How do you communicate with team members with a chip on their shoulder? What do you do or say when they are stubborn, constantly interrupting, unapproachable, or unwilling to accept feedback? Well, for starters, you are not alone. Every workplace I’ve ever been has at least one of these people working there. Let’s look at a few ways to deal with the madness.

While there are multiple dynamics for this question (dealing with subordinates, peers, and managers), I’m going to stick solely with dealing with team members. 

A personal story

I had an, um, interesting experience at a previous employer with a coworker, and it was the closest I’ve ever come to quitting a job. Here’s my story:

The computers and network at this company were terrible. The internet connection, which I needed to complete my work, was unstable and usually worked about 25% of the time between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm. In order to get my work accomplished, I started showing up at work at 7:00am to get some stuff done before the network slowed to a crawl. Well, one morning I received an email about some training that I had been considering, so I opened up the links to the training website, leaving it running in the background so I could read it over my lunch hour.

During lunch, I was sitting there with my door closed when my coworker walked in and announced that she needed to use my computer because hers wasn’t working. I put my lunch down and asked if the internet connection was her issue, because mine wasn’t working either. She walked around behind my desk and pointed accusingly at me because the website was pulled up. Despite my attempt to explain that it was done hours earlier, she walked out and slammed the door.

I put it behind me. The woman had that reputation for being abrasive, and I didn’t need any further stress thanks to our shoddy technical resources.

The next day in our department meeting, our manager asked if anyone had anything to discuss. My coworker looked at her and said, “I think Ben’s not a team player. He was using his computer during lunch yesterday and wouldn’t let me get my work done.”

Of course I did my best, but I couldn’t keep from laughing. I explained the issue and how I had loaded the pages five hours before she came into my office demanding my computer, but I could tell it was a lost cause. The coworker had been working there for several years, and I knew my manager would believe her over me. I refused to give in, but when we left the meeting I felt humiliated by the accusations and betrayed by my manager. One thing was for sure, I was going to start looking for another job right away.

I wanted to tell my personal story as a warning. Everyone in the situation, the manager, coworker, and even me, could have handled the issue better. We all deserve some of the blame for it getting out of hand. Since that time I’ve done everything I can to be more aware of these situations and I try to follow the ideas I’ve listed below. It’s my own personal formula for communicating with difficult team members, so use at your own risk. :-)

How to deal with the issue

First, I would give them a chance to open up. Sit down and talk with them for a few minutes. The easiest advice to follow is that of the book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie. Here are a few high points (more listed here):

  • Don’t criticize, condemn or complain-Starting with any of those three statements will instantly close the person off to further discussion and could hamper future communication efforts.
  • Give honest and sincere appreciation-Tell them something they did well, and make it sincere. People can tell when you’re setting them up with false appreciation, so make it truthful and heartfelt.
  •  Smile-It might be hard, but it can make or break your discussion.
  • Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language-This is a sales technique, and it works. People enjoy hearing their own name and you can use it to keep them focused on the conversation and what you have to say.
  •  Talk in terms of the other person’s interests-This is one I’ve used to great success. Instead of asking them to make your work easier, show them how making a change will actually help them in the long run. Make it about them, not you.
  • The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it-If an argument begins, drop it. There will be another time and place to continue the discussion, but arguments have a way of getting us to say things that we can’t recover from.
  • Show respect for the other person’s opinions. Never say, “You’re wrong.” Even if they have the dumbest idea and are completely incorrect, you need to be tactful in the handling of the issue. If not, they will (again) close off and become defensive instead of focusing on the problem and how it can be solved.
  • If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically-This can help teach others that it not only is okay to admit mistakes, it is preferred to the long, drawn-out battle of the wills over who is right and wrong.

So, once you’ve had the talk with the person and followed (as closely as you can) the suggestions above, you should hopefully be in a much better place to communicate with them in the future. Use these principles as a guide for future conversations and interactions and it’s hard to go wrong.

However, sometimes that just isn’t enough. There’s a continual clash between the two parties or even an irreconcilable difference that can’t be overlooked. What else can you do?

  • You can go to your manager for help. They might be able to offer insight or alternatives that aren’t immediately obvious to you.
  • You can do your best to continue your work without interacting with the person. This is less attractive because it can impact how decisions are made, and it’s not a 100% permanent solution.

And that’s about it, really. I’m a fan of handling the issue between you and the other team member if at all possible. However, sometimes there just isn’t a way to get the other person on board. That leaves you with the two options above as the end-of-the-line alternatives for resolution.

Thanks to Kathy Duffy for sending in this great question! Anyone else have an idea they’d like to share for communicating with difficult team members?

How to manage a team (four key concepts)

Many new leaders wonder how to manage a team. It requires a unique set of skills, patience, and charisma, and it’s not for everyone. In my short career I’ve led teams in multiple ways; however, while I haven’t led a formal team in the workplace, I have seen firsthand how my own manager leads the team I participate in, and I’ve learned more from that experience than I could have in a dozen books on the topic. I’ve seen four solid pillars for a good team management structure-autonomy, communication, equal footing, and capable leadership.

  • Give autonomy-When managing a team, it is important to remember that you are not the one who should be completing all of the work. That’s why you have a team. Set expectations for the team members (and let them set expectations for what they need from you), and then get out of the way. When people are given the autonomy to complete their work, they generally have more satisfaction in the completed product. Remember, you lead/manage, they do the work.
  • Communicate up and down-Providing short, factual feedback is one of the best ways to keep the team motivated and performing. I’ve seen so many teams fail not because they were not made up of capable workers, but because the team leader failed to provide feedback for course corrections, confirmation of satisfactory work, or any other purpose. It’s also important for the individuals on the team to provide feedback to the manager on what they need to be successful, whether it be resources, manpower, or even downtime to rest and recuperate. A note for both managers and team members: don’t assume the other party knows what you need!
  • Equal footing-This is one my manager does well. The departmental team is made up of different functions, but none of us think of ourselves as superior to one another. The administrative assistant has the same vote as the HR guy or the accounting staff. While the work we do is different, we each provide a valuable service to the organization, and there’s no way (or reason, really) to determine which is the most important function. A good example of this is a recent team interview. One of the candidates looked good on paper, but one of our team members did not feel comfortable with bringing the guy on board, so he was crossed off the list. Each of us has the veto power if we feel like the decision is not going to be good for the team.
  • Lead whenever possible-This is a tricky one to describe, but it’s also the piece of this that I’ve come to realize is most important. Many managers feel the need to use their position’s power to tell others what to do. A great manager not only offers to help, but they actually will step in and do the work if need be. That is the best definition and example of leadership that I know of.Not only are they stepping down from the “management pedestal” to do the work of the team, they are also demonstrating the concept above that each person is on equal footing. Sure, a manager can tell you to go do something and they have the authority to make you do it, but a good one will work with you to minimize the discomfort of an unpleasant task or help you to be excited about completing it, even if you were dreading the activity previously.

Is this list complete? Most certainly not. However, it’s a great start, and I’m learning new ideas every day for how to manage a team well.

Have an idea of your own to share? Feel free to leave a comment!

The What vs. The How

I covered the concept of the “what” and the “how” of work long ago in my review of The Pursuit of Something Better.

In the book, U.S. Cellular is going through a dramatic culture change, and a large aspect of that is the shifting mindset from focusing on the “what” to focusing on the “how.”

Here’s a good example. Many years ago when the majority of the workforce was employed in factories performing manual labor, companies dominated the “how” of work. They told employees when to be there, how the work was to be performed, and when they could leave.

But that’s obviously not the case for most work these days. Companies are realizing that giving people control of the way work is accomplished (the “how”) is a great way to get employees engaged in their jobs.

Back to U.S. Cellular. The company started putting less emphasis on the “what” (sales targets, number of calls received, and other metrics) and more on the “how” (communication, ethical behavior, etc.). Despite the critics’ belief that they would fall on their face for taking their eyes off the all-important numbers, the company actually flourished. And, in time, the numbers looked better than ever, because the leaders within the company had the courage to focus on the bigger picture.

Take a moment to think about your own workplace. Is more emphasis being put on the “what” than the “how?” Are people pursuing good numbers and letting their ethics and morals fall by the wayside? Are managers using intimidation and fear to get the results they want instead of offering a thoughtful, considerate point of view?

Sometimes it can be difficult applying these abstract concepts to the way real work is done. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Coaching managers on how to change their thinking won’t be simple, but it is worth the effort. Doing so can mean the difference between success and failure for your people!