Category Archives: Reciprical Referrals

Handling Facebook “friend” requests from your boss

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Hello, this is Laura Lee Rose.  I am a speaker and author. I am an expert in time and project management.

I help busy professionals and entrepreneurs create effective systems so that they can comfortably delegate to others, be more profitable and have time to enjoy life even if they don’t have time to learn new technology or train their staff.  I have a knack for turning big ideas into on time and profitable projects.

At the end of the day, I give people peace of mind.
Today’s question came from a busy professional interested in freeing some time and space to advance in his career.

How do you handle friend-ing requests from your boss? How about
your employees?

This is a tricky situation, especially if it is your boss making the friend request. You don’t want to say “no” to your boss, for fear they think you are hiding something.   In the “good old days” before social media, it was easy to keep your work life and private life separate. You have more control over what you shared in the office and what you took home at night. It was easier to keep private things private.

One wise friend recommends not placing anything on Facebook that you would be embarrassed if your boss saw it. I 100% agree. But that leaves all your other friends posts. While you can control what you post, it’s impossible to control what other people post.

Mixing your work colleagues and private friends on Facebook and social media is a slippery slope. Even if you are careful about the types of language and messages you put on your wall – there still are risks. Once you have shared friends and colleagues on Facebook, you have lost control over what other people post regarding your shared activities. Other friends can innocently tag you on photographs that they post.

It doesn’t have to be questionable photographs of you drinking (or being drunk) at a party to cause trouble at work. One real-life example is when a friend posted/tagged another friend in a photograph of their day excursion to New York. The managers saw the photograph on Facebook and realize that the employee had called in sick that day to take advantage of this play-date. The employee was fired. And he turned around and sued his friend for posting that photograph. The plaintiff accused his friend of causing his dismissal. Of course the judge corrected the plaintiff – because it was actually the plaintiff’s playing hooky from work that caused the dismissal. At the end of the day, the employee lost his job and a friend.

The intent of that story was to illustrate that you cannot predict the result of mixing your professional and private lives.

This is why I normally recommend keeping your work folks on a separate “professional page”. Keep them separate from your party-friend group. If possible, don’t allow the groups to mix. One recommendation is to keep your business contacts on Linkedin and your party friends on Facebook.

To learn more about how to effectively leverage LinkedIn to advance your career, check out the ecourse “Leveraging Links to Get That Skip-Level Promotion”.

For a list of the 10 Tool to Advance Your Career, request using this link <HERE>.

I know your situation is different. Why don’t we schedule an appointment, where I get to know more about your unique situation? And then I will be happy to make recommendations on what your best steps are moving forward. To schedule an appointment, book it HERE.

With enough notice, it would be my honor to guest-speak at no cost to your group organization.

I have a monthly presentation on “how to say YES to everything but on your own terms”. To sign up for the complimentary course, go to www.lauraleerose.com/Say-Yes

Best ways to show clients that they are appreciated

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Hello, this is Laura Lee Rose.  I am a speaker and author. I am an expert in time and project management.

I help busy professionals and entrepreneurs create effective systems so that they can comfortably delegate to others, be more profitable and have time to enjoy life even if they don’t have time to learn new technology or train their staff.  I have a knack for taking big ideas and converting them into smart, sound, and actionable ideas.

At the end of the day, I give people peace of mind.
Today’s question came from a busy professional interested in freeing some time and space to advance in his career.

What’s the best way to show customers they are appreciated?

The first step is to fully understand your company policies in regards to customer gifts, rewards, recognitions, and tokens of appreciations. Most companies have clear procedures and limits on customer appreciation gives to avoid the perceptions of kickbacks and payback.

Once you understand the company policies, you have various options to explore.

The key to client appreciation is understanding what the client values.  In Dr. Gary Chapman’s 5 Love Languages, people respond to 5 different categories of appreciation: Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time and Physical Touch. I have a presentation on how to translate these “love languages” into the workplace and customer appreciation venue. If you are interested in a group presentation on this topic, I would be happy to guest speak at your organization.

In the meantime, a relationship (whether a personal, professional or business relationship) is composed of one or more people.  Therefore, a show of the right kind of appreciation (the one that the client would value most) in any of those venues would work.  Dr. Chapman mentions that everyone has 2 dominant categories.  For example – if you know that your client feels appreciated (loved) with words of affirmation and Acts of Service – you would best be served by giving them a plaque/award with some fanfare or a special “Done For You” complimentary service.   On the other hand, if your client doesn’t like to be put on stage and value their leisure time with their family above all else – then making them spend their leisure time to accept an award in front of people would have the opposite effect. He/she would resent being there.

Understanding the proper acts that make them feel appreciated (or loved) is the key to a successful client appreciation program.  Then selecting items that fit one of their dominate profiles would win the day.

The appreciation doesn’t have to be expensive, just valuable. For example, if your client owns a restaurant, then periodically taking your department to lunch at their establishment is of great value. Purchasing gift certificates from their shops to give as client appreciation gifts to other customers is of great value. Creating testimonials about their service and establishments would be of great value.

The key is to be in-tuned with what your client values.

I know your situation is different. Why don’t we schedule an appointment, where I get to know more about your unique situation? And then I will be happy to make recommendations on what your best steps are moving forward. To schedule an appointment, book it HERE.

With enough notice, it would be my honor to guest-speak at no cost to your group organization.

I have a monthly presentation on “how to say YES to everything but on your own terms”. To sign up for the complimentary course, go to www.lauraleerose.com/Say-Yes

Navigating Office Politics

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Hello, this is Laura Lee Rose.  I am a speaker and author. I am an expert in time and project management.

I help busy professionals and entrepreneurs create effective systems so that they can comfortably delegate to others, be more profitable and have time to enjoy life even if they don’t have time to learn new technology or train their staff.  .  I have a knack for turning big ideas into on time and profitable projects.

At the end of the day, I give people peace of mind.
Today’s question came from a busy professional interested in freeing some time and space to advance in his career.

How women can navigate office politics while staying professional,

Looking for career experts to offer advice on how women can navigate office politics while staying professional, staying focused on their career goals, etc.

Regardless of whether you are male or female, the most effective way to get ahead in an office environment is to do the following:

1)    Avoid gossip, rumors and negative judgments. Stay professional at all times.

2)    Stay in control of your emotions. Stay calm and don’t take anything personally. If you feel yourself becoming emotional, excuse yourself and regain your composure and confidence. (I have some great tips on how to regain your composure without leaving the room as well).

3)    Consistently quantify your results and performance toward the company goals, mission and visions.

4)    Publicize your results in metrics of $$:  increased revenue or decreased costs; increased customer satisfaction or reduce time to market.

5)    Think like the owner and treat the company like your company, regardless of your job title.  Take the initiative beyond your defined title, role and responsibilities.  Be responsible for creating leads, sales, promotions and illustrating that your company is the thought leader in their field.  Companies are in the business to make money.

6)    Compliment, acknowledge and publically recognize other team member’s contributions to your successes.

7)    Become an effective business networker, team lead and team builder toward the company’s bottom line.  Recognize that you can accomplish more with a complementary team or entourage around you.  If your manager is the only one that knows your value, you are doing a disservice to yourself.

In general, when you continue to focus on the larger corporate picture, you will be able to stay unattached to temporary situations and avoid many of the in-fighting and politics.   Start solving the higher-level, Big Picture, COMMON GOALS instead of the silos and individual project concerns.  Focus on the company WIN versus individual wins.

 If you are interested in a more detail program on these things, we have offer several intensive workshops from the 6 Critical Training Areas. (Technical Mastery, Exceptional Performance, Business Networking That Makes the Difference, True Leadership – the transformation from Worker Bee to Queen Bee, Communication that Matters, The Difference between playing with time and controlling it).

I know your situation is different. Why don’t we schedule an appointment, where I get to know more about your unique situation? And then I will be happy to make recommendations on what your best steps are moving forward. To schedule an appointment, book it HERE.

With enough notice, it would be my honor to guest-speak at no cost to your group organization.

I have a monthly presentation on “how to say YES to everything but on your own terms”. To sign up for the complimentary course, go to www.lauraleerose.com/Say-Yes

Overcoming Your First Mistake At A New Job

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Hello, this is Laura Lee Rose.  I am a speaker and author. I am an expert in time and project management.

I help busy professionals and entrepreneurs create effective systems so that they can comfortably delegate to others, be more profitable and have time to enjoy life even if they don’t have time to learn new technology or train their staff.  I have a knack for turning big ideas into on time and profitable projects.

At the end of the day, I give people peace of mind.

Today’s question came from a busy professional interested in freeing some time and space to advance in his career.

 

Overcoming Your First Mistake At A New Job

What advice do you have for new hires having to own up to their first big mistake on the job? Is there a professional way to apologize? What is the best way to bounce back after making a mistake?

 

First recommendation is to relax. Everyone that starts a new job is focused on making a good impression. We all want to prove that they were right to hire you. Everyone would be a little nervous about making a mistake. The good news is that everyone makes mistakes. It’s just that we feel more vulnerable at a new job, versus when we’ve been at a position for awhile. So my first recommendation is to relax.

Next is to avoid the term “mistake” and replace it with the idea that you were trying something new. Professionals makes “mistakes” when they are trying something new, experimenting, and stretching beyond their comfort zone. This is a good thing. People that never make mistakes are not growing, exploring or evolving. Every action or decision that you take merely generates more data and results. The results are either moving you closer to your goals OR giving you more data that will get you toward your goal.

The last concept is that your mistake doesn’t ruin your reputation.  It’s how you respond to your mistake that makes or breaks you in the eyes of your coworkers and employer.  By taking the initiative to correct, improve and eliminate the repetition of that same mistake is always a good step.  By creating an automated procedure, utility, better documenting the steps, or sharing the knowledge with others not only stops you from repeating the error but stops everyone that follows you.
Think like the owner of the company.  What would the business owner like to see come from this situation?

Under no circumstances would you try to cover up or blame someone else for the error. Taking responsibility for a situation isn’t taking the blame. Taking responsibility is actually being able to respond to the situation (response – able). Being able to respond to any difficult situation is a sign of a leader.

I know your situation is different. Why don’t we schedule an appointment, where I get to know more about your unique situation? And then I will be happy to make recommendations on what your best steps are moving forward. To schedule an appointment, book it HERE.

With enough notice, it would be my honor to guest-speak at no cost to your group organization.

I have a monthly presentation on “how to say YES to everything but on your own terms”. To sign up for the complimentary course, go to www.lauraleerose.com/Say-Yes

Mono-tasking Versus Multi-tasking

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Hello, this is Laura Lee Rose.  I am a speaker and author. I am an expert in time and project management.

I help busy professionals and entrepreneurs create effective systems so that they can comfortably delegate to others, be more profitable and have time to enjoy life even if they don’t have time to learn new technology or train their staff.  I have a knack for turning big ideas into on time and profitable projects.

At the end of the day, I give people peace of mind.

Today’s question came from a busy professional interested in freeing some time and space to advance in his career.

Multitasking is out, mono-tasking is in. But how do we learn to focus on just one task at a time? Looking for practical workplace tips on mono-tasking and efficiency.

One recommendation is to realize that “multi-tasking” and “mono-tasking” is really the same thing.   You can only fully focus on one thing at a time. You can only be effective on one thing at a time. Multi-tasking just means that you are churning from one task to the other – but still you are only focused on one item at a time. It’s just that you are only focused on that one item a very short amount of time. You are only fully engaged in that one task for only a few moments. In my opinion, the false encouragement of multitasking supports attention disorder. We proudly announce that we are an expert in multi-tasking – when you are trying to express that you are very organized and able to project manage various tasks. The skill is not in the switching and churning from task to task. It’s not the ability to do multiple tasks at the same time. The organizational skill is in the efficiency, accuracy and quality in which you complete your tasks on time and within budget.

Mono-tasking is merely extending the length of time that you elect to focus on a task or item. Mono-tasking, like any skill, takes practice.   The key to stay focused on a task until its appropriate conclusion is to break the task into manageable mini-tasks.

This is described in more detail in the Sprint and Buffer strategy in the Professional Development Toolkit online course. For more information on this ecourse, follow this link <Professional Development Toolkit>

Once you have your tasks split into mini, self-contained tasks (as described in the Sprint and Buffer method), the next step is to take control of your time and calendar.

Here are some additional suggestions:
1) Make proper use of your “do not disturb” signs on your office door, your instant messages and your phone.  Educate people on when they can and can not disturb them.

2) Schedule regular meetings.  Take the time to setup quick (regularly scheduled) meetings with your entourage and staff.  If people know they will be meeting with you every Tuesday for 10 minutes, they tend to hold all their issues until that date/time – eliminating interruptions.

3) Use Sprint and Buffers:  If you are having problem focusing all day on one task, split the task into mini-tasks with breaks or buffers between the mini-tasks.  Then you can switch to a different task or area in between those mini-tasks for some variety.

4) Set the timer.  If you can’t focus for a long time on something without getting distracted, set your timer for 20 or 30 minutes.  Stay focused on that task until the timer goes off. Often times when you know, in advance, how much time you have to work on something – you become more productive and focused. Often times when you set yourself a time limit to get something done, you challenge yourself to get it done before the timer. Make it a game.

5) Use the timer to distract yourself back to work.  If you take longer breaks then you intend, use the timer to bring you back to work.  For example, if you take a break with social media or internet searching – you can often allow time to get away from you.  By setting the timer for 10 or 15 minutes – the alarm will distract you back to reality.  This allows you to take those spontaneous side-tracks without getting lost in time.

6) Implement the “parking lot” method (discussed in more detail in the Professional Development Toolkit) to jot down any extraneous and spontaneous ideas that come to you while you are focused on this particular task. This allows you to keep track of your great ideas AND still stay focused on what you need to accomplish “at this moment”. After you have completed your scheduled task, then review your parking lot items to prioritize and schedule quality time for those items.

7) If you feel that you cannot us the “do not disturb” solution because your manager is a micromanage, then you need to proactively ease his/her anxiety over the status of things. If you regularly and frequently provide status reports that anticipate issues and questions – you reduce his/her need to micromanagement, reduce interruptions; and increase the trust between you and your manager.

For more tips to realistic scheduling, check out the article “12 Tips to Realistic Schedule”. Download your copy <HERE>.


 I know your situation is different. Why don’t we schedule an appointment, where I get to know more about your unique situation? And then I will be happy to make recommendations on what your best steps are moving forward. To schedule an appointment, book it HERE.

With enough notice, it would be my honor to guest-speak at no cost to your group organization.

I have a monthly presentation on “how to say YES to everything but on your own terms”. To sign up for the complimentary course, go to www.lauraleerose.com/Say-Yes

When hiring, should I prioritize relevant non-startup experience, or general creativity and critical thinking?

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When hiring for my start-up: should I prioritize relevant non-startup experience, or general creativity and critical thinking?

Right now, I am interviewing potential hires for my start-up. Since my company is young, we could definitely use some fresh ideas and sharp minds to help grow our business. However, it would also be great to hire one or more individuals with industry-specific experience. Would it be a good idea to hire some employees for their expertise and some for their general creativity/skills, or should I just pursue those with the “total package”?

 

My best advice is to start with an all-star that can hit the ground running. Cash flow is king. Strategically add employees with very measured and strategically planned skill sets as you grow.

As you strategically add to your team, it will become clear what complementary skills, personalities and talents you will need to fill in the gaps.
One item that you, as the owner, need to be very clear in is describing your ideal working environment and team. Once you can clearly visualize the personalities, skills, talents and passions that you really want – the right people will start to appear. Don’t wait to “know it when you see it”. Your job is to “know it so you can recognize it”.

Visualize your team from the start.  Imagine the exact atmosphere, energy and professionalism that you want.  Be able to taste it and feel it.  Once you can do that – this particular question will become irrelevant.

How to Attract and Retain Talent with the right benefits

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Tips from the article in COI Journal.  Find the complete article at:

http://www.cio.com/article/753056/How_to_Attract_and_Retain_Talent_With_the_Right_Benefits?source=CIONLE_nlt_insider_2014-05-27

 

The article by , she correctly points out that  with multiple generations in the workforce at the same time – Millennials, Generation X and Baby Boomers – it can be tricky to navigate benefits offerings when recruiting and hiring talent. But ignoring the issue could leave businesses without a crucial tool for attracting and retaining top talent.

In her article, she stresses “One-Size Fits None”  and “Customization is the key”.  But how does one pragmatically and logically achieve this customization without increasing your time spent in the office? How can you continually offer benefits in line with your employees’ needs and their work-life balance challenges?

Well – the most effective way is to get to know and understand your employees.  The best way is to meet with them on a regular basis.  I offer the following tools and training to better understand your employees in a way that doesn’t add time to your already busy work day.

  • Schedule weekly or twice a month one-on-one manager meetings with your employees.
    • Assign them the task of setting it up, defining the agenda, preparing you for the meeting
    • By their agenda, you can tell what is important to them.
    • By asking open-ended questions in these meetings, you can tell what benefits best fit their needs.
    • Delegating them the task of driver doesn’t add time or energy to your plate
  • Assign each employee an Individual Development Plan worksheet (described in detail in the Professional Development Toolkit eCourse or DVD)
    • Assign them the task of creating their own career development plan puts their career path squarely on their shoulder where it belongs
    • By reviewing their career development plans, you can see what it important to them – which allows you to provide appropriate benefits.
    • Delegating them the task of ownership doesn’t add time or energy to your plate
  • Co-create their Performance Commitment Plan (PBC – more details in the Professional Development Toolkit) that outlines the company and department goals
    • Assign them the task of listing how they are going to achieve those department goals, how they are going to show their results in alignment of those goals, and what they need from you to
    • Giving them more autonomy and mastery of their craft is often what driven and high-performing employees crave.
    • Giving them more autonomy reduces your time and energy on their tasks, roles and responsibility
  • Recommend that they seek out mentors and coaches
    • Once you understand their career desires and self-designed paths, you can recommend additional mentors, coaches and experts to help them on their journey
    • Providing them additional training through mentors, coaches and other experts reduces your time and energy on their training and professional development
  • Make use of your other resources
    • Encourage your employees to visit the HR representative for a list of other benefits, job opportunities and training opportunities
    • Setup skip-level management meeting opportunities, so that your employees can meet and discuss issues with your manager or executives.
    • This makes your HR representatives and your executives collaborators in your employees success and reduces your time and energy on your employee’s company satisfaction

.

 

How do you get someone in another department to do something you need that isn’t important to them

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How do you get someone in another department to do something you need that isn’t important to them?
Imagine you’re on a deadline that’s important to you. The
project might not qualify as “mission critical” to the rest of
the organization, but it’s certainly essential for your own
team. So far, so … ordinary.Now you run into a road block: a task wherein you need input
from someone from another department, or where you need the
other person to actively do something.  Sometimes, your request is a distraction to the other person’s business goal.
The key thing that you have already realized is that this isn’t important to them.  SO – they ARE doing you a favor.

Do not approach this as “they are the road block”.  Instead – approach them as a valued consult or mentor.  Make it easy for them to do this favor for you; and be prepared to do the work.

Approach with appreciation, admiration, and friendship.
Some recommendations:

1) Invite them to (and pay for) lunch or dinner to interview them on this topic.

2) Approach it as if you are gathering valuable information from them — AND YOU ARE NOT ASKING them to do the work.

3) Share your current situation and ask their advice on how to go about accomplishing it.  Ask them what they think your next step should be.  People often give their opinions and advice freely.  Take advantage of this human trait.
4) Be prepared to do the work, with the information and advice that they give you. (This may mean that you create the spreadsheet with their information.  Or that you do the research from the links and pointers that they give you. Or it may that you right your own recommendation and ask them to edit as they see fit.  Or that you do all the leg work and make it easy for them to sign-off.)
5) Do everything that you can possible do to reduce their effort and time.  Make it easy for them to help you. This monkey on your back is your monkey – not theirs; therefore, you are responsible for feeding your own monkey and not pass it onto someone else’ shoulders.

6) Ask permission for a follow-up  so that they could review your mid or final draft of your project.

7) If they say they can not help, emphasize how much you appreciate their time and admire their experience in this area.  Then ask them to recommend someone else that they think would be a better fit for this project.

Approach the topics with an appreciation of their time, their talent and their experience.  Treat them as special.  Realize that they are in the best at what they do and therefore are in much in demand.

End-Game:  The job isn’t done once you get what you want. It’s only just begun.

  • Don’t forget the THANK YOU:   And when they do come through for you – publicly recognize them in either a mention in your project proposal, Thank You Note to their superiors, and/or a gift of appreciation.
  • Reciprocate:  Take the time to learn about their various projects and volunteer your services in the near future.

How to handle obnoxious questions about your job search

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Today’s question came from a professional interested in freeing some time and space to advance in his career.

How to handle obnoxious questions about your job search. I’m talking specifically about how to handle questions from friends, family about how it’s going, why you don’t have a job yet.
One of the most effective ways to handle questions that annoy you is to turn the tables on those questions.  Instead of seeing those questions as annoying; take them at face value; and thank them for their interest. Then tell them exactly what you are looking for, the industry you are interested in, the position level, the role and responsibilities you are focusing on.  Share your career goals and make them a co-conspirator to your success.  Ask them if they can think of any business or network contacts that you can reach out to.  Ask to schedule some time with them to review their linkedin and facebook contacts, to see if they have anyone in their sphere that would be able to help you.  Ask for their advise on who in their circle — you should meet and ask for a warm introduction from them.Once you switch your opinion of them from an annoyance to an asset, two things will happen:

1) You will start networking with the right people

2) The wrong people will stop asking the questions.

Hi, my name is Laura Rose.  I am a speaker and author. My background is in time management, professional development and work life balance strategies.

I help busy professionals and entrepreneurs create effective systems so that they can comfortably delegate to others, be more profitable and have time to enjoy life even if they don’t have time to learn new technology or train their staff.  I have a knack for taking big ideas and converting them into smart, sound, and actionable ideas.

Perks you should hold out for as you’re negotiating a position with a company

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Hello, this is Laura Lee Rose.  I am a speaker and author. My background is in time and project management.

I help busy professionals and entrepreneurs create effective systems so that they can comfortably delegate to others, be more profitable and have time to enjoy life even if they don’t have time to learn new technology or train their staff.  I have a knack for taking big ideas and converting them into smart, sound, and actionable ideas.

At the end of the day, I give people peace of mind.

Today’s question came from a reporter: What perks you should hold out for as you’re negotiating a position with a company? What perks do soon-to-be-hired people forget to ask for? What should they try to get?

 

My recommendation is to first understand what your wants and desires are, then use those as the starting point for your perks. Take everyone else out of the picture when deciding what you want.

workerswantReview this survey results on “what workers want” – and decide what you really want from your work experience.  For example if you are want your “opinion and knowledge valued” – discuss opportunities to travel and speak at various conferences in the company’s industry.  If you want to be properly recognized for work well done, discuss award schedules based on your performance. If you want the freedom to create and innovate, discuss their patent opportunities and compensations.  If career advancement is important to you, discuss the possibility of reimbursement for success or career coach fees.   If it’s important that you have the proper resources to do a better job, request administrative help to off-load so that you can focus on items only you can do.  If continuous learning is important to you, negotiate appropriate training time and reimbursements.

Once again – go back to what is important to you and then be creative in your negotiation the essence of those goals.

 

I know your situation is different. Why don’t we schedule an appointment, where I get to know more about your unique situation? And then I will be happy to make recommendations on what your best steps are moving forward.

You can schedule a 30 minute complementary consult right HERE.  Do it today, what do you have to lose?ScheduleTime

With enough notice, it would be my honor to guest-speak at no cost to your group organization.

I have a monthly presentation on “How to say YES to everything but on your own terms”. To sign up for the complimentary course, go to www.lauraleerose.com/Say-Yes

This presentation isn’t for everyone. It’s for professionals that are ready to succeed. Since we use the time to do some real-time laser coaching around your unique situation, the seats are limited. Even though this presentation is complimentary, there is a $5.00 reserve your seat fee that is refunded when you after attend the presentation. If you register and do not attend, you forfeit the $5.00 and all materials covered in the presentation.

I also have several worksheets that help clarify your goals, your teams missions, and your performance expectations in the Professional Development Toolkit.  The toolkit goes into the who, what, where, when, why and how of all of the above.  It contains audios, videos, presentations, and worksheets for your use and growth.  Take the next step and check the toolkit out <<HERE>>