Category Archives: Product Management

Recognition programs on a budget

Posted on by

This is Laura Lee Rose, a business and efficiency coach that specializes in professional development, time management, project management and work-life balance strategies.  The Professional Development Toolkit package covers professional development and real-world IT topics in detail. If you are interested in inexpensive training in these areas,get signed up

Depositphotos_10281388_xsMore and more small businesses are popping up.  Either you or your spouse is working at a small business or you know someone that is involved in a small business.  In a small company or business, discretionary funds are very restrained.  Even so, the need for employee recognition and appreciation is still important.  Your company’s success lay on your employees shoulders (especially when your resources are limited).   You and your employees are wearing multiple hats and are responsible for significant tasks that can make or break the company.

So — How can a small business reward and recognize outstanding performance without breaking the bank?

The best way to recognize employees on a budget is to create a 2-fer. By this I mean to think a little out of the box to discover and create rewards that also support your business success.

Some examples could include (but not limited to):

1) Use your client’s restaurants or facilities to hold recognition lunches.
2) Use your client’s print shop or merchandize to reward with plaques or gift certificates.
3) Make it an honor to be selected to escort clients to games, dinners theater, or other interesting entertainment etc (only select people that this is fun for — you want this to be a treat, not seen as a punishment).
4) Your company needs to be represented at certain luxury events, have your high-performing employees enjoy those evenings as your representative instead of you.
5) Work with a local Gym or Fitness Center to purchase group memberships in exchange for them placing your marketing/advertizing banner in their hall.
6) Sponsor a local technical conference in exchange for employee seats in certain certification, training or sessions.  Your marketing logo will be strategically displayed throughout the conference as well as getting your high-performers a lead into the next generation skill set.
7) Your company needs to periodically travel to high-profile client sites.  Prepare your high-performing employees to do these important client retention visits.  While they are during these travels, add an additional vacation day to their itinerary. Picking up the extra night hotel stay is a minimum expense, but it gives them a nice retreat.

So the idea is to make the effort to add value to what you are doing. Combine the recognition program with your client retention/referral/loyalty program or marketing/advertising dollars.  Since you need to spend money on your marketing and client retention programs (as well as your employee recognition program) – find a way to get more bang for your bucks.

In the Professional Toolkit, I provide worksheet, templates and guidance on how to accomplish these things.    In my Book of Answers: 105 Career Critical Situations, I have 105 work-life scenarios like the above.  The scenarios show how to accomplish your goals in similar situation.
For more information on how to get this toolkit or the “Book of Answers“, please contact LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info

Designing Your Scarecrows to Success

Posted on by

scarecrowsDesigning your own Scarecrow:  In the past, we’ve discussed doing at least 1 scary thing a week to grow and develop.   (Read full article of “How to do things that scare you” here)

Now that the fall is here – so is harvest time.  So — what types of tools have you been using to scare away those pesky voices, events, and even friends that tend to distract and sabotage your success?

While talking about the dilemma “is your glass have full or have empty”  I often reply “It’s irrelevant because there’s free refills”  Someone once asked a discussion group question – “What do you do is someone else smashes your half-full glass?”   Some folks said , “Just get a bigger glass”.  Some folks answered, “Get a bigger glass and stay away from those people in the future”.

One big mistake we all make is to assume that ‘someone else’ is smashing your glass.  No one can smash your glass, except you.  No one can affect you if you don’t allow them to.   It’s that old question “If a tree falls in the woods and there is no one to hear it, does it make a sound.” People can say anything they want (negative or positive).    If you are not listening to them, then you are not affected.  Therefore, the only reason someone can upset you is because you (for some reason) are believing what they are saying.  So – it really does come back to – it’s not what they are saying that hurts you.  It’s what you think about what they are saying that is hurting you.  Therefore, if you change how you think about what they are saying – you can turn this event into a positive (regardless of their initial intentions).

So — this is where Your Scarecrow comes into being.

We sometimes allow others (voices, events, and even well-meaning ‘framily’ (friends and family) to derail us from our personal and professional goals.   What have you put in place to keep you are target?  What type of Scarecrows have you put in place to divert and attract others away from negative influences.  And what type of Scarecrows have you put in place to help you focus on the goal at hand?

What would you like to use to help switch your mindset on some things.

A Scarecrow can be several different things:

1) A vision board of where you want to be, do or have

2) Picture of your best friend for continued encouragement

3) A pact to text a friend each time you completed a work-out or tedious task

4) A rigid routine or schedule to help keep you on track and active

5) Motivational audios or videos

6) Journalling

7) Daily phone call to a trusted friend

8) Use of a timer to limit breaks, computer window browsing, or get us back on track

9) Blocking time on the calendar for our imperatives (like family, friend, healthy lifestyle, etc).

10) Lining up accountability partners and reasonable forcing functions to help us succeed – as in a Mastermind or Synergy group.

If can be anything.   If you haven’t lined up your Scarecrows, do it today.

More information on how to be a part of a mastermind or synergy group, <<click here>>

Different Types of Managers and How to Work With Them

Posted on by

As you have already experienced, there are different types of managers and the different styles of management workers might encounter.  A good manager actually transitions and flows between the different roles as the environment or situation dictate.  But some managers naturally gravitate toward their dominate style and stays there – regardless of their surroundings.   The best advice for working successfully with many of the types is to take full control of your own performance, professional development and career management.

You do this by:

There are 8 text book management styles  ( summary at end of note, posted by Touchpoint in General Business on Jan 9, 2012 9:02:00 AM); but a new type has cropped up recently.  It’s the BUSY Manager.

yesmanSome managers mistaken a “hands-off” approach to mean disengaged.  Most companies are understaffed and overworked.  Therefore, managers often have more work than their employees can handle and more stakeholders/clients to report to and appease.   This often puts the manager in a tailspin – which often tempts them to disengage from their employees.  The Global Workforce environment adds additional complications when individuals are remote and on different time zones.  This also contributes to the manager losing touch in what’s actually going on in his ranks.  In such an environment, most managers are focusing on don-time delivery of current projects.

These busy managers are often impatient with items not directly associated with today’s goal.   There is very little time spent on career management and individual development plans for their employees.  There is little focus on the training on next generation technology to reduce the learning curve to get ahead of the market.  Because of their heavy schedule and budget constraints, managers are often just present focus. They are only focused on what is needed to get them to the next hurdle — but not necessary over it.   They are working to keep their heads above water and not necessarily focused on getting out of the water.   If employees depend upon managers like that – staying only present focus will eventually drown you.

If you recognize that your manager is has a “present-focus” mindset (because he has so much to do, it’s the only thing he can focus on right now) – you need to take control of your own career and professional development.  If you are thinking like the owner or manager (discussed in the Professional Development Toolkit DVD) , you can both appreciate and anticipate need.  In “Knowing How You Boss’ Mind Works video (included in the Professional Development Toolkit DVD), you can better position yourself for that excellent performance rating and promotion.

8 Types of Conventional Managers:

Posted by Touchpoint in General Business on Jan 9, 2012 9:02:00 AM

  • Active leadership: Active leaders tend to lead by example and set a high standard for themselves and their employees. They wouldn’t ask an employee to take on a task they’d be unwilling to do themselves. They are highly involved in the day-to-day work and fully aware of what’s taking place in the office.

 

 

  • Directive leadership: Although less authoritative than autocratic managers, directive leaders do not typically solicit employee input. They often cite a short timeframe, an unpredictable client or an emergency situation as the reason for acting unilaterally. Often this may be true. Other times, they may just have a bit more difficulty letting go of control.

 

 

  • Participatory leadership: Based on a coaching philosophy, this style focuses on empowering employees to seek their own knowledge and make their own decisions when appropriate. It can be very effective in fluid work environments with shifting priorities. A more advanced version of this style is the flat management style, where different managers take the lead on projects, depending on their expertise.

 

  • Servant leadership: Based on a “people-come-first” philosophy, this style has been made famous by writer Robert Greenleaf. The style is based on finding the most talented people to run your organization and then empowering them to do what they do best. The leader sees him or herself as a “servant” to the customer and encourages employees to adopt the same attitude.

 

  • Task-oriented leadership: Leaders who use this style may have once been project managers. They are experts in planning projects, allocating resources, assigning roles, setting benchmarks and keeping to strict deadlines.

 

The  IT Professional Development Toolkit, goes into the: who, what, where, when and how to accomplish all of the above. I also have a transferable skill worksheet.  For more information about the toolkit,

Blue-StartHere

How to Launch a Successful Grand Opening for Your Department or Team

Posted on by

Although these tips are specifically for Grand Opening for your businesses – they are relevant to any major changes that your teams or departments are making.  The advantage expanding the Grand Opening concept beyond just starting a business is that you receive the following:

  • Re-vitalize your connections with inactive clients or stakeholders
  • Provide an event that encourages current clients, members or stakeholders to make referrals
  • Expose and publicizes your teams accomplishments to a wider audience
  • Exposes your company, department and team as a thought-leader in this space

Below is an article by Mary Brown.  Mary is an event planner and freelance writer from North Carolina.  Review her tips and think of ways these concepts can be used for your team or department.

How to Launch a Successful Grand Opening for Your Business

About half of all new businesses survive five years or more and about one-third survive a decade or longer, according to the Small Business Association Office of Advocacy.

Depositphotos_10281388_xsA grand opening event can provide the opportunity to get your business off to a great head start and offer the chance to build client relationships that will eventually help you achieve success to become a company that survives and thrives, long-term.

Make an Impression

In order to stand out and make an impression, your grand opening should be more than just a staged ribbon-cutting. Throwing something together at the last minute not only wastes time and money, but you’ll also miss out on taking advantage of one of the best opportunities to gain lots of publicity and new clients. You don’t even have to spend a lot to make it work.

  • Charity event. Consider hosting a charity event as part of your grand opening by contacting a nonprofit organization within the community. For example, a restaurant might partner with a local food bank. An environmental consulting company might contact the local chapter of the Sierra Club or the Conservation International Foundation. Your office or store can host the event that raises funds for the charity. By focusing on charity work while ensuring that your business name and logo are highly visible, your company will virtually sell itself.
  • Opening your company to the community. Your grand opening might include opening up your business to the entire community. Consider providing special pricing and even giveaways that can only be taken advantage of during the festivities. Allow visitors to get a glimpse of the business behind the scenes with a special tour while meeting employees and sampling products.

Date and Target Audience

Your grand opening shouldn’t coincide with the first day you’re open for business. Ideally, it should be three-to-four weeks, or even a few months afterwards, in order to work out any inevitable kinks. This will also allow you to determine high-traffic times and figure out the ideal hours to hold the event and attract the maximum publicity.

You should also identify your target customers to determine who you will invite. Well-known community members can help you increase the media coverage your event receives, so consider local politicians, prominent business officials, Chamber of Commerce staff, members of business associations and local press. Of course, you should also invite anyone who may have helped you to get your business started, in addition to friends and family members.

Spread the Word

Next, get the word out about the event to as many people as possible. A great way to get word-of-mouth advertising going is to join a community organization, which can help create a buzz through networking. Talk to your local Chamber of Commerce for recommendations. They may also be able to offer grand opening assistance benefits at a discount.

Advertising is also a key factor, and it doesn’t even have to cost a lot. Social media is free, so take advantage of every method possible, such as sharing via Facebook and Twitter. A press release is also a must. It can make or break the amount of media coverage your business will receive.

A good press release should:

  • Have a headline that stands out, encourage the viewer to read more.
  • Include a summarizing statement that will convey your main message quickly.
  • Include a good story. A business grand opening may not be enough. Think about what makes yours unique. Are you bringing new jobs to the area? Representing a new industry? Supporting environmental efforts? What would your audience find most interesting?
  • Always include the who, what, when, where and why of the event.

Offline Marketing

Direct mail marketing can also be essential for reaching the maximum number of people at a fairly low cost. A service such as Overnight Prints postcards allows your business to reach potential customers as quickly and as cost-effectively as possible. They can be mailed, handed out to anyone you meet and placed on car windshields, or any other place where people will see them, so they’re drawn to your grand opening event if that’s the audience you’re looking for. Offer an incentive on the postcard, such as a discount for bringing it to the opening, and use a bold, colorful design that encourages people to take a second look.

5 Ways to Get That Raise

Posted on by

 

Hello, this is Laura Lee Rose – author of the business and time management book TimePeace: Making peace with time – and I am a business and efficiency coach that specializes in time management, project management and work-life balance strategies.  Steve Wynkoop and I talk a lot about designing and managing our professional careers on a weekly interview on SSWUG TV. This episode was about how to find a mentor.   This article goes into more detail.  And the IT Professional Development Toolkit DVD goes into further details on the who, what, where, when, and why of these topics.

Audio of this episode:

[codepeople-html5-media-player id=1]

Have this ever happened to you?  You get a great performance review; they are very pleased with your work; they say they would like to give you a raise — BUT, due to budget problems, it is not possible at this time.  What do you do to succeed?

The old adage of “hitting while the iron is hot” is significant here. First, congratulate yourself for recognizing and acknowledging that you have the power to make this situation better.

  1. Get the performance evaluation and desire to give you a raise in writing.
  2. If they cannot give you a raise at this time, it is reasonable to ask “when do they foresee that they will be able to give you the raise” .   How you conduct yourself at this point plays an important role into getting the raise.  From this point, act as if the raise is imminent; is going to happen (just not today).     Take them at their word that you deserve a raise.  Get that answer in writing.
  3. Request another salary review every 3 months or every quarter.  This is a way to keep this discussion on the table. If they don’t know when they will be able to give you a raise, follow-up and schedule those quarterly salary discussions. (Squeaky wheels get the grease). You should already be having frequent one-on-one manager meetings (outlined in the Professional Development Toolkit) – so you merely have to periodically bring this topic up in the already scheduled meetings.
  4. Discuss alternative compensations that your manager has discretion over (outlined in the Professional Development Toolkit). This allows him to give you what you want without having to go above his head :
    • 4 day work week schedule; flex time; working from home
    • Additional vacation days
    • Extra time off
    • Allowed to do some community service or volunteering a few hours a month to your favorite charity during work hours.
    • Reimbursement for professional association membership, industry related journals, subscriptions, magazines.
    • Reimbursement for higher certifications, licenses, additional degrees in the company’s industry.
    • Travel on the company’s dime via customer visits, speaking engagements at out-of-town trade-shows, user conferences, and technical seminars.
    • Reimburse for home internet fees because you sometimes work from home
    • If your company does donations or charity work – see if your charity is listed and/or ask it to be listed.
  5. Do your homework.
    • Continue to excel in your performance and career (outlined in the Professional Development Toolkit).  Continue to log, track and measure your own performance in regards to your individual development goals and business commitments.
    • Conduct industry salary investigation.  If you can show that you are currently underpaid in comparison to the industry standard in your region, you have additional ammunition on you side.  http://www.payscale.com is just one website that can help you with your investigation.

There are certainly things you can do now, to re-start the salary discussion. If you would like more information on that, please consider purchasing the IT Professional Development Toolkit or invest in a one-on-one Coaching package.

The Book of Answers: 150 Career Critical Situations also covers the above in more detail as well.

Once again – I go into the who, what, where, when and why in more detail in the Professional Development Toolkit now available at <HERE>.

 

7 Tips to Finding a Mentor

Posted on by

Hello, this is Laura Lee Rose – author of the business and time management book TimePeace: Making peace with time  and The Book of Answers: 105 Career Critical Situations– and I am a business and efficiency coach that specializes in time management, project management and work-life balance strategies.  Steve Wynkoop and I talk a lot about designing and managing our professional careers on a weekly interview on SSWUG TV.

The IT Professional Development Toolkit DVD goes into further details on the who, what, where, when, and why of these topics.

Most successful people believe having a mentor greatly helps them stay on target and even excel quicker.

But how do you find a mentor, particularly with someone who you might not have a relationship
with yet or resides in another location.

7 Tips to finding a Mentor

1)      Outline the items/areas that you are interested being mentored or coached.  There may be several areas that you are interested in.  So – don’t feel that one mentor has to fulfill all areas.  You can have one mentor for “how to better market yourself in your organization”.  You can have one for “how to increase my technical expertise and influence in the organization”.  You can have one for “how to step more into the spotlight in trade-shows, user conferences, speaking engagements”  You can have one on advice for starting your own business.

2)      Once you have your areas outlined – talk to your manager about wanting to improve these specific areas.   Ask your manager’s advice on who in the organization would be good mentors in those areas.  Ask your manager if he/she would provide a warm-introduction (simply touch base with that  person to see if they are open to something like that).

3)      Do the same with your HR representative.  Share your desire to get a mentor with your HR representative.

4)      Ask co-workers and friends if they have been a mentor, have a mentor or have a recommendation on one.

5)   Attend your professional association meetings, networking groups and subscribe/read your industry magazines.  Be on the lookout for people giving relevant presentations/talks at your professional networking groups OR authoring articles in your industry journals.   Introduce yourself by telling them how much you enjoyed their presentation or articles.  Discuss various points that you really connected with.  These are great ice-breakers.  Tell them that you would like to interview them for your article, blog or newsletter. During your interview, share your professional goals – and ask their advice on how to find a mentor in their specific area.

6)   Repeat the above for other experts in your areas of interests. Start adding these contacts to your LinkedIn or Facebook space.  Reciprocate and ‘Like” and provide positive comments on their businesses.  Go out of your way to give them testimonials and endorsements on their pages.  This helps keep you on their radar.

7)      Make use of your facebook and  LinkedIn.com connections.  Do a search/review of your network to see if they have the qualifications necessary to be a guide.  You mentor doesn’t need to be in your current organization or company.  It is actually beneficial to expand your reach beyond your current company.  When you find someone that you want to reach out to – simply state your goal, and that you admire their accomplishment.  Be specific on what you really like about their background and achievements, highlighting any commonalities between you and them.  Admit that they seem to be in the perfect position to suggest a possible mentor.  This gives the person an “out” without alienation.  If they want to mentor you, they will often suggest themselves and a meeting time.  Otherwise, they may offer to connect/introduce you to someone else.  Either way you win.

This last point is MOST important.  Reciprocate either by paying them for their time and expertise; gift their family dinner/theater/entertainment tickets; offer your services in the areas of your expertise, etc.  Avoid taking without giving back.  Otherwise, you run the risk of over-extending your welcome.  And you really want to develop a long-term working relationship with these masters.

In my IT Professional Development Toolkit, I go into the: who, what, where, when and how to accomplish all of the above.   For more information about the toolkit, please contact

 

vConferenceOnline.com/Bits on the Wire, Inc.
6420 E. Broadway, Suite A300
Tucson, AZ 85710
520-760-2400 or (877) 853-9158
info@vconferenceonline.com

 

 

Or sign up for my weekly Time and Career Management Newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/cZ9_-/

 

How small business’ can raise prices without alienating clients

Posted on by
Most small business owners often underbid their services to better attract sales.  Once established, they take too long to raise their prices.  The fear is that they will lose their current client base, and therefore lose money.  How can small businesses raise prices without alienating or losing clients.
Some of the more effective methods for small business’ to raise prices without alienating are:

1) Announce price raise well in advance, as well as the reason for new rates.  Include additional benefits to them that you are being added in your descriptions.  You can also offer a “lite” version at the original price – so not to loose any clients

2) Offer “Grandfathering-in” at original price for a limited time.  Anyone purchasing the service before that date will get it at the original price.  Offer a loyalty program such that clients that continue with you (either via a retainer, or subscription membership) will remain at the original price for 1-year.  Any break in service will revert to new price.  Any new clients entering after XXX date will pay the new higher rate.  This entices ‘on the fence’ customers some incentive to purchase ‘now’.

3) Offer a Club Membership Subscription – such that a reasonable membership fee will guarantee the original price as long as they are members in good-standing.

4) Offer a referral program that allows the customer to get compensated for bringing in new-paying clients.  Anyone bringing in new paying customers  get the original rate as well as the new customer.

5) Offer an advertising program that allows customers with their own facebook social media,  newsletters, blogs and websites receive the product/service at the original price.  Create a contract that requires the client to advertise XX times a quarter on their various social media wall, newsletters, blogs, and websites.  As long as they fulfill the advertisement contract, they pay the original rate.

Remember the goal of “price increases”:  You are increasing your rate to make more money.  If you can make more money doing other things, then you have been fairly compensated.  If you can reduce marketing costs or other overheads (allowing the customer to help with those tasks), then you can afford to compensate the client by giving them the original rate.

Giving the client options to stay at the original rate often eliminates the alienation feeling.  This way, the client is the one selecting the price they are willing to pay.

Create a campaign and marketing plan around your strategies. Use it as a catalyst event.

1) Make your “price change” announcement at least 3 months advance to encourage new clients to purchase at the lower prices.

2) Roll-out your loyalty programs and referral programs at least 2 month’s in advance.

3) Call (or visit) your high-influential, high volume  clients to discuss the price changes, the reason for them, the grandfather/membership plans, etc.  Allow your clients to choose how they want to participate.  This also allows you to give them a free membership or subscription to lock them into the lower rate.

4) One week before price change, remind folks that some of the discount offers will expire on the rate-change date.

5) Do a count-down a day before the event.  Make the price change an actual event.

How to attract the clients mostlikely to pay your price for your products and services

Posted on by
How can small companies  reach the types of customers most likely to be willing to pay their  prices for their products and or services.
Individuals normally hang-out with folks that  are within 20% of their own salary range.  If we want to improve  our social-economic standing, we need to associate with the same income level  that we want to achieve.
We can use this knowledge in attracting the clients  that you want. 
1) Be clear and explicit in your target client  description.
    Include in your description: 
  • yearly income
  • type of neighborhoods they live
  • the size and price of the homes that they would   typically live in
  • types of hobbies
  • types of charity events
  • type of cars, boats, premier   service they use
  • type of transportation that they normally   use
  • type of events and meetings they attend
  • type of restaurants, parks, activities that they   take advantage of
  • type of magazines that they normally subscribe   
2) Then start networking and showing up at the same  places.
  • Volunteer at the charity events that   your target clients normally attend.  Pick a position that allows you to   connect and interact with your target client.  Don’t accept a position   that keeps you in the background. Since you are volunteering your   time,make sure that the ROI is to your advantage.
  • Become the program committee chairman at some of   the associations and events that they atend.  Being the program chairman   of these types of associations gives you an easy ice-breaker.  You can   then invite them to speak or attend these gathering as a way to introduce   yourself and your service.
  • Get in the position to invite some of your target   clients to speak or present at a special and prestigious event
  • Attend some open-houses of the type of homes they   would buy
  • Put on a free event in the club-house of their   neighborhood or resort/golf-club that they would normally attend
  • Get in the position to speak (or even just   introduce/MC) at some of the events and meetings that they normally   attend
  • Facilitate or organize the type of charity   event or catalyst event that they normally would attend.
  • Attend boat shows and car shows that they would   normally attend
  • Advertise in magazines that they would normally   purchase.
  • Write articles or columns in magazines or   electronic magazines that they normally read
  • Write “letters to editors” and comment on articles   that would interest your target client
3) Where ever you show up, make sure you are adding  value to the interchange
4) After you have built a relationship  with a few of your target market — ask for referrals. Even though  they may not need your services at this time, they may have friends and  neighbors that would be interested.  Remember, they will also hang-out with  folks that are in their same social-economic standing.

How to Hire Friends or Family Members

Posted on by

Hello, this is Laura Lee Rose – author of TimePeace: Making peace with time – and I am a business and efficiency coach that specializes in time management, project management and work-life balance strategies.  I recently received the questions “What is your #1 tip on hiring friends or family members?”

Small business owners may look to family and friends for staffing assistance.  Even if you are not a business owner, you may feel obligated to recommend a friend or family member.   Though you may know and trust these people more than a stranger, there are several things to consider up-front.

There’s always a high risk of losing the friendship or creating bad feelings with the family member or friend. It’s just a risky business proposition. If you are still going to do it, here are 5 tips to implement to make is a smoother experience.

1)     Have the right reason for hiring your family or friend.

Example of the wrong reason:  Simply to help them get on their feet and you feel obligated because they are ‘family’.  This isn’t the best reason to invite a friend or family member into your business.  If you want to help them out, help them with their resume, forward job leads their way, pay for their skills training or certification course, coach them in other attributes that you feel is keeping them from success, etc.   There are many other ways to help them get on their feet, other than having them affect your business and your quality of life.

Example of the right reason:  They have the right skills, personality, work ethics, business reputation, professionalism, exceptional work experience in relevant industry, you have successfully worked with them in the past, and you would love to work with them in the future.  They are also mature and feel that your relationship will not be affected if the business relationship does not last.

2)     Documented detail expectations and work contracts.

In the interview and hiring phases, get everything in writing.  It’s especially critical to have formal contracts when working with friends and family.  This assures everyone is on the same page and that you have a ‘meeting of the minds’ before you start. Have the contracts and documented approved and signed by all the appropriate stakeholders.  Any modification of these agreements must also be documented, approved and signed.

These documented expectation and work contracts should be instituted for all employees; but critical for family and friends that you hire.  Follow-through on any consequences or rewards documented in those signed contracts.

3)     Avoid being their direct report on the job.

To eliminate daily conflicts, it might be good to assign your family or friend to an experiences and high-performing manager or mentor.  Share the particulars with your manager to assure him/her that your family member should not be treated any differently than any other employee.  Share the PBC and IDP documents with the manager (Sign up for the Professional Development Toolkit to learn more about PDB and IDP documents).  Also, tell your family or friend that they need to go through the manager or mentor – and not directly to you regarding work issues.

4)     Proactively eliminate venting to other family members.

Because this is your friend or family member, you will have mutual family and friends in common.  And they might have a particularly hard day and vent to mutual friends and family members.  Realize that it is very possible that you might hear “through the grapevine” some grievances and complaints; and friend in common might feel obligated to take a side in the conflict. This will not only cause strain on your relationship with your employee but with the family and friends you have in common.

Before you hire your friend or family member, outline your grievance policy and procedures.  Make it very clear that you expect him/her to take any grievances directly to his/her manager.  If the issue is associated with the manager, they should follow-up with their 2nd line manager.  Make I clear that you will not tolerate any side-routes through family members.  There will be consequences to not following this grievance policy that could include probation or lose of position.

This grievance policy should be abide by all employees – but especially critical for employees that share family and friends.

5)     Be over-diligent in equal treatment to all employees.

If you feel you need to institute a new policy, procedure change, rewards, bonus, advance pay or improvement plan, you need to institute, document and announce the change for the entire company.  You need to avoid the perception that your family member is receiving special treatment (either positive or negative treatment).  You can do this by being over-diligent in your documented company policies.  You also need to document all your employee interactions regarding performance reviews, rewards, performance improvement needs, reasons for pay increases or decreases, etc.  Error on the side of too-much proof regarding all employee interactions and performance issues.

Bottom line:  I am not recommending anything that should not already be done for regular employment and company policies.  The key is not to deviate these procedures based upon a personal relationship with the potential employee.  If you friend and family member feels uncomfortable with the level of professionalism of your business, then your company is simply not a good match for them.  It’s best to find out at the interview stage.

 

In my IT Professional Development Toolkit, I go into the: who, what, where, when and how to accomplish all of the above. I also have a transferrable skill worksheet.  For more information about the toolkit, please contact

 

vConferenceOnline.com/Bits on the Wire, Inc.
6420 E. Broadway, Suite A300
Tucson, AZ 85710
520-760-2400 or (877) 853-9158
info@vconferenceonline.com

 

 

Or sign up for my weekly Time and Career Management Newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/cZ9_-/

What’s the Bravest Thing You’ve Ever Done At Work?

Posted on by
The Bravest Thing You’ve Ever Done At Work
Although I’ve done many brave things at work, this  was the most unforgettable because it not only hits an uncomfortable  topic – but shows how a truly, integrity-based company responds when  something is pointed out to them.
I was a manager of 12 developers and testers  at the company; and had just received a glowing performance review  rating.  Since I was a manager, I understood how the raises were  calculated based upon my review rating and current income.
My manager looked very pleased as he asked: “Well,  how do you like your raise?”
“I like the raise very much.  It’s the base  salary that I’m not too happy with.”
His face fell. “What do you mean?”
“I think my base salary is lower than most people  doing my level of work and at my performance level.”
My manager took a looked at my base salary and  nodded to acknowledge that he heard what I was saying.  “Okay.  Let me  look into this”.
“Thank you.  I really appreciate  it.”
The next time I met with my manager he said that I  was right about my salary and described a plan to adjust it.  He said that  because of my query, the company did a department review of all the  salaries and discovered that I wasn’t the only one not being compensated  appropriately.  Because the correction wasn’t just one person, the  company did not have the available funds to correct those  affected, all at once.  But they were going to continually increase  the salary of the affected employees with periodic raises every 4 months until  they were compatible with the average pay scale for our industry and  location.
I very much appreciated their response because it  illustrated two things:
1) The fact that they didn’t want to loose a  valuable employee because of a salary dispute.
2) Their integrity to not only correct my salary,  but anyone else’s salary that was below the national range.
I was very impressed with the way my manager (who  was 1 of  the 4 founders and co-owner of the company) handled the  conversation.  But I suspect that if he wasn’t one of the co-owners, the  story might have had a different ending.
Tell me your story.