Tag Archives: 360 degree

On the Move? Things to Consider Before Relocating for Work

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Moving boxes in empty roomTraveling across the country for a new job may be just the adventure you’ve been waiting for. Like all adventures, relocating for work comes with its share of challenges. Being honest about the benefits and drawbacks of moving for work can save you time, money and family struggles down the road.

Show Me the Money

One big relocation incentive is a pay increase. But extra zeroes may not make much difference when the boxes are all unpacked. Ask yourself these questions regarding price vs. rewards before relocating:

  • Can I sell my home and break even or make a profit? If you can’t sell your house in a timely way and make enough from the sale for a down payment on another home in the new location, the difference in salary may not be worth the move.
  • Is the pay substantially better than where I am? Although the pay may look like enough to make moving worth the effort, some serious number crunching can help you get a clearer picture. Compare utility costs, fuel costs, taxes, as well as the cost of food in the new location. Are there added perks to the new job, like a car that could save you money? Take time to compare 401k plans, profit sharing and potential bonuses between your current job and the new offer. Adding everything together helps you get a clear picture of how much more you will make if you relocate.
  • Will the new company help with moving expenses? Moving across the country is expensive. Calculating how much the move will cost and whether your new job will to pay for it is an important part of your decision-making process.
  • Will the company cover temporary housing? If you are moving to a large city like, say, Phoenix, finding the right neighborhood for your family can take a lot of time. Many companies offer a short-term housing allowance to cover apartment rentals to give you and your family time to find the right house, neighborhood and school district.

The Relationship Factor

No matter how good the job offer, relocating can be difficult on relationships. Spouses, significant others, children and extended family are all part of the equation. Consider the impact your move will have on those you love by asking yourself these questions:

  • How will the move affect my spouse’s career? If your spouse has achieved certain career goals or is working toward them, relocating for your job may not be in her best interest. Be willing to say “no” to a new offer for the sake of your spouse.
  • What about the children? Moving can be harder on children than anyone in your family. Changing schools, making new friends, getting used to a new neighborhood can be devastating for children if not planned intentionally and strategically. Consider carefully how relocating will impact your children and, if they are old enough, get them involved in the conversation.
  • How will my extended family react? If you live near aging parents, consider how moving will impact them. Do they need help with their daily routine? Will moving mean multiple trips back and forth each year to meet their changing needs? Do your parents provide support like babysitting? How will your family replace this in a new town?

Should I hire over-qualified people?

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Should I hire over-qualified people?

(or will they leave as soon as something better comes along)

Professional development series

This is Laura Lee Rose, a business and life coach that specializes in professional development, time management, project management and work-life balance strategies.  In my GoTo Academy: Soft Skill Tools for the GoTo Professional continuous online coaching series, I go into office etiquette on various real-world IT topics in detail.
If you are interested in more training in these areas, please sign-up for the continuing online coaching series.

In the recent interview with Steve Wynkoop (founder of SSWUG.org) we covered the “hiring” topic (don’t miss another professional newsletter tip—signup for the free newsletter here). This article covers the topic in more detail.

I recently received this question from a reader:

I currently have several positions open, and the job descriptions clearly outline the experience necessary. I’m drowning in applications from overqualified people. I know with the unemployment rate so high, people often have noticeably more experience than the jobs they apply for require.

However, I fear that if I hire overqualified applicants, they will leave as soon as a better job comes along. So I prefer to hire candidates ready to move up or laterally. Is it worth considering overqualified candidates? Or can we add something to the job description to improve our applicant pool?

You are in a great position. My recommendation is not worry about the future if you hire an over-qualified person. Focus on hiring the perfect person for the job. And let “what if” take care of itself.  Let’s take the following examples:

 

  • Some people you feel are ‘over-qualified’ are actually looking for a lower-pressure position. They want something they can comfortably and expertly handle in 5-days/8 hour time slot. Because they are (as you describe) “over-qualified”, your position is perfect for them.  They may not be looking for their ‘next challenge’.

 

  • Don’t assume you understand someone’s reason for applying for your job. They may want a slight career change.  Although they may seem over-qualified for the specific task you have in mind; their interest is more in a change of industry or culture.  Maybe their next challenge is getting experience in this new industry or area.   Perhaps your job offers more travel (or less travel).  It can be any number of things that attract.

 

  • Understand why you are hiring.  If you are in a production spike and need someone that will ‘hit the ground running’, hiring an over-qualified person is your best option.  If your spike is temporarily, consider contracting or temp-to-hire, until your product needs levels out a little.

 

  • To ease your discomfort around this topic, be explicit in your expectations. Explicitly announce your expectations and intentions (including the minimum length of expected stay). It’s perfectly acceptable to include the expectations to stay in this particular job for 8 months, 1 year (whatever your minimum expectations are). You can also include a contract penalty for leaving the position early (1 week, 2 week pay, whatever). This will weed-out the people that are merely using your job as a jobs-gap (bridge to another position).

 

  • Continually outline future career opportunities and advancement routes in both the technical and management ladders.   This helps retain the high-performance employees.

 Conclusions:

Don’t wait until the top-performers leave your company to figure this out.  If you don’t invest in your current employees’ career development, then you will be left with only low to mediocre performers (which make your management job that much more difficult).  Avoid offering lateral positions merely to ease your discomfort with hiring ‘over-qualified’ candidates.  Offer lateral position when it comes with additional promotion or skills advancement opportunities for the employee that is making that change.

If you liked this tips, more can be found at www.lauraleerose.com/blog or subscribe to my weekly professional tips newsletter at http://eepurl.com/cZ9_-/

The weekly newsletter contains tips on:
1)      Time management
2)      Career maintenance
3)      Business networking
4)      Work life balance strategies

If you haven’t taken advantage of your introductory time management coaching session, please contact LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info

 

 

Modifying the Pro and Con list to make better decisions.

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Most everyone is familiar with Pro and Con lists to help make a decision.  Often times the Pro and Con List does very little to clarify the decision – because – well – the reason you are creating the Pro/Con list is because it is a ‘close call’ to begin with.  We don’t go to the trouble of making a Pro and Con list on ‘no-brainers’.  Often times the pro and cons are pretty equal – making the decision still difficult.  Our mistake is that we stop at this point.  We don’t take the next step to reduce the impact of the “Cons”.

 

Use the Pro/Con/What if table instead.  List your Pros and Cons (like you would normally), then add a “What if” or “What needs to happen to reduce your discomfort of the Con”.   Once you have your matrix filled out, and then determine the probability and impact of each.  If you can’t think of any way to reduce the impact of the ‘Con’ – that adds clarity.  But most of the time we don’t take that step to think of things to improve your position.

Take the below example between a current job and a new job.  Once you have identified the “What Needs To Happen” – have a transparent and collaborative discussion with the hiring managers to see what is possible.

 

Pros Cons What needs to happen to  reduce discomfort of the Con

Job 1 – current
Enjoy the people and type of work $45/hr – underpaid Request $60-65/hour raise
Analytical, model and mathematical work that I enjoy Don’t have enough money to do much. Ask if there’s an opportunity to get paid for your articles, inventions and publications on your findings (in addition to the hourly rate)
Opportunity to set a standard and make a name for myself in this area Can’t enjoy my free time very much. Ask if there are any other things you can do for separate and added pay (i.e. referrals, sales leads, promote at trade shows, explicit things that will make the business money)
Opportunity to present papers on discoveries Can’t comfortably support my family obligations Find an alternative/added revenue stream (in addition to this hourly rate) external to this company.
Opportunity to define processes and lead policies
     

Job 2 – new opportunity
$85/hour Don’t know the folks. Will be working in isolation (not in a team). I work well both in a team and in isolation.   I can create opportunities to share my knowledge with co-workers through group discussions, lunch meetings, etc.  I can build working relationships outside of my specific task.
Easy work Have to accept without reading/signing a contract.  They want to know if I will accept before going to the trouble of a contract.  After I accept, I get a written contract to review and sign.  My fear is that after I accept and resign from other job—I find something in the contract that is not acceptable. If I want, I can accept job ‘now’, with the understanding that I still need to review and accept the written contract.  And you agree to start 2-weeks after you sign the contract. Then don’t you’re your resignation on old job until you have read the new job contract.
Will have enough money to do a few more things (including supporting my family). Not very exciting or challenging work. Ask if there are presentation opportunities within the company.
Will have some funds to enjoy my free time.  Will have some free time to enjoy. Ask if there are any opportunities (in this company) to set standards or procedures in the area that you are interested in.
Not a high pressure job.  No stress.  Have free time. Is there an outside activity that can fill the presentation, publication, and setting standards gap?  Is there another thing that gives me the same fulfillment or feeling?
Learn more about company and its other departments.  There may be other, more exciting project that you can get involved in as well.

 

Bottom line:  Taking the time to do a Pro and Con is critical; but sometimes it’s not enough.  Taking that extra step to find a solution to the Cons helps you better understand your next steps.

 

In my GoTo Academy: Tools for the GoTo Guy and Gal continuous online coaching series, I go into Time-boxing and the use of Parking Lot methods in detail.
If you are interested in more training in these areas, please signup for the continuing online coaching series.

 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter at http://eepurl.com/cZ9_-/

The weekly newsletter contains tips on:
1)      Time management
2)      Career maintenance
3)      Business networking
4)      Work life balance strategies

If you haven’t taken advantage of your introductory time management coaching session, please contact LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info

Why Do Workers Keep Searching Out Jobs

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Two recent surveys found that a majority of full-time workers continue searching out job opportunities, usually online and often through social media. What are the pluses and potential pitfalls of being on the search continually.
There are often many reasons for job-window-shopping:
1) If workers are not satisfied with their current work environment, they will continually look elsewhere.
The advantage to this is that many people can handle a ‘bad working environment’ as long as they see a light at the end of the tunnel (a potential new position in the horizon).
2) People are always curious. We window-shop. We want to see what is out there. Like window-shopping, people like to compare their current wardrobe to see if anything is missing, etc. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they are wanting to ‘jump ship’. This is an advantage to everyone if you take this new desire and new knowledge to your manager to see if there are appropriate jobs opportunities in your current company that fits what is attracting you out there. Management would be prudent to hold frequent career development one-on-one meetings, so that they understand what their talented employees are looking forward to doing. It the employee sees that there is no ‘next step’ within their current company, they should feel allowed to look more seriously at their next step outside of their current company.
3) People need to feel valued and want to be continually challenged in their area of passion.  At a certain professional level, it is not ‘money’ that satisfies.  It is more likely to be a combination of money, autonomy and mastery opportunities that are more aligned with the individual’s passion and talent.  If management isn’t listening, they are likely to loose their most valuable employees — because it is the talented that walk and the weak that stay.
4) If management uses this opportunity to negatively affect the employee’s advancement opportunities, then management is short-sighted. The employee is doing what they need to do to create the most effective and efficient match between what they want to do with their careers and what they are actually doing with their careers. The employee is acting responsibly. Management would be acting responsibly by listening and reviewing current company opportunities that better match their employee’s talents and passion.
Do you have a ‘ready-to-use’ resume or press kit?  To get a sample Professional Press Kit worksheet,

Once Upon a Classic

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There is a fabulous fantasy series called “Once Upon A Time” that I admit I watch/tape.  I enjoy it because it takes the fairy tales that we all know and love — and re-arranges them a little.  It puts a different spin on the “same ole, same ole”.  It’s very innovative.  If you haven’t bumped into it — check your local tv listings for it.

So — what does this have to do with today’s discussion?  EVERYTHING!

Have you heard of the Butterfly Effect?  (if not — watch below video).  What can you do differently today — to put a little bit of a spin on things?  I’m not suggesting anything too dramatic.  But, what do you think would happen if you were to :

  1. Instead of always asking your kids “How was your day?  What happened today?”  — You asked them “What do you want to happen differently tomorrow? What are your plans for tomorrow?”
  2. Instead of always asking your co-worker “How is it going?” — you told them how much you appreciated their help in XYZ?
  3. Instead of always accepting a task that you don’t have time for — you were deliberate about your time and always honest about your current task list?  What if you periodically recommended someone else for a task that doesn’t fit your current goals?
  4. Instead of always secretly complaining about how a meeting is run — you were to step-up and facilitated one of those meetings?
  5. Instead of coming home always exhausted – you took the time to walk around your block before entering the house?  A brisk walk allows you to clear your head, get oxygen into your body and usually uplifts your spirit.  You will be greeting your family in a much better and energized mood.

What if you altered your habits just slightly?  What do you think would happen?
Watch this video on the Butterfly Effect — and let me what steps you are ready to take right now.

Designing an Above Average Performance Rating

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Designing an Above Average Performance Rating

Professional development series

This is Laura Lee Rose, a business and life coach that specializes in professional development, time management, project management and work-life balance strategies.  In my GoTo Academy: Soft Skill Tools for the GoTo Professional continuous online coaching series, I go into office etiquette on various real-world IT topics in detail.
If you are interested in more training in these areas, please sign-up for the continuing online coaching series.

In the recent interview with Steve Wynkoop (founder of SSWUG.org) we covered some tips to taking more control of our own performance evaluation process (don’t miss another professional newsletter tip—signup for the free newsletter here). This article covers the topic in more detail.   Or better yet; attend the workshop at https://www.lauraleerose.com/take-command-of-your-performance-reviews/

Last few interviews and articles; we introduced the Personal Business Commitment tool as a great way to communicate your goals and commitments to your manager.  We also discussed the importance of frequent meetings with your manager on the topic.  This is great for getting a “Meet Expectation” or average performance rating.  What if I wanted to get an Above Expectations, Above Average or even and Exceptional performance rating?  How would I go about that?

How do I go about designing an Above Average rating?

Well – the first step is having a frank discussion with your manager on what he/she sees as “Above Expectations”.

For example:  A developer’s primary role and responsibility is perhaps to design, code, test, and deliver high quality products and services.  Being an exceptional development is exactly what your manager expects of you.  Therefore, being an exceptional developer (even though you feel that it warrants you an Exceptional rating) is a “meet expectation” to your manager.  There is nothing wrong here – except there is a mismatch of understanding.

Above Expectations or Above Average often refers to activities outside your regular development duties (while still accomplishing your regular duties with high quality).  If you were to get published in a technical journal, present at a technical conference, bring back sales leads (contact names, numbers, email address from people that attended your presentation or workshop), visited client sites to provide on-site Q&A, job-shared with a Technical Support person so that you gained additional customer insight into your product, manned a Tradeshow booth as the technical support partner to the sales force, or conduct an executive business strategy proposal based on your innovation – those things would fall outside normal expectations for a developer.  If you were to accomplish those things in addition to your high quality development responsibilities, that would better warrant an Above Expectation rating.

Gosh!  If that’s an Exceeds Expectations or Above Average, what the heck is Exceptional and Excels Expectations?  This rating seems impossible.

Once again, it means sitting down with your manager to discuss what they see as Exceptional. More often it is tied to the business results of your “extra activities”.   For instance, if your client visit (which is outside of the normal duties of a developer) caused the client to purchase $50,000.00 more product or services – that would be exceptional.  If you conference presentation and subsequent collection of contact names/emails, lead to a huge sale – that would be exceptional. If your presentation to the executives an on innovative business strategy was accepted, executed and successful – that would be exceptional.  If the business result of your activities propelled the business forward faster to the business goals – that would be exceptional.

Conclusions:

The key is to have this discussion with your manager to understand what your manager feels is Above Expectations. If you have no clue on your manager’s scaling process, you are less likely to hit the target.

If you liked this tips, more can be found at www.lauraleerose.com/blog or subscribe to my weekly professional tips newsletter at http://eepurl.com/cZ9_-/

The weekly newsletter contains tips on:
1)      Time management
2)      Career maintenance
3)      Business networking
4)      Work life balance strategies

If you haven’t taken advantage of your introductory time management coaching session, please contact LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info

 

Secrets to Taking Command of Your Own Performance Review Part II

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Secrets to Taking Command of Your Own Performance Review Part II

This is Laura Lee Rose, a business and life coach that specializes in professional development, time management, project management and work-life balance strategies.  In my GoTo Academy: Soft Skill Tools for the GoTo Professional continuous online coaching series, I go into office etiquette on various real-world IT topics in detail.
If you are interested in more training in these areas, please sign-up for the continuing online coaching series.

In the recent interview with Steve Wynkoop (founder of SSWUG.org) we covered some tips to taking more control of our own performance evaluation process (don’t miss another professional newsletter tip—signup for the free newsletter here). This article covers the topic in more detail.

Last interview and article, we quickly mentioned the Personal Business Commitment tool as a great way to communicate your goals and commitments to your manager.  But what makes up a Personal Business Commitment plan? Who creates it? Who approves it? How does it fit in the performance rating process?

Let’s take these questions individually.

What makes up a Personal Business Commitment plan?

The PBC contains a list of high-level business goals (typically handed down from the executive and management ladder).  The goals could be similar to:

1)     Increase sales by 50% by year end

2)     Retain 100% current clients and increase 10% of new client

3)     Release at least 3 new high-quality, in-demand products/service by year end

4)     Reduce incoming Customer Complaints by 50%

5)     Resolve 100% of critical and high-level complaints with 72 hours of issue.

6)     Resolve backlog of customer complaints by 75%

Once you have your manager’s business commitment goals, you can draft your personal business goals to support them.

Also create an IDP (Individual Development Plan) to accompany your PBC.   This plan will outline how you intend to stay up-to-date on the new technology and critical business skills.  Include any intentions for external professional coaching, internal mentoring programs, job-sharing opportunities, conference attendance, etc.  Make sure your IDP ties in with your PBC and your manager’s PBC goals.

The intent is to have a blueprint for the year.  If you know where you are heading, it’s much easier to get there.

My upcoming “Taking Command of Your Performance Review” Workshop will go into detail on this topic.  It’s a three-hour workshop (75 minutes of presentation content and 90 minutes of actual hand-on coaching of the provided worksheets). At the end of the workshop, you will have a customized PBC and IDP started.

For more information on this critical workshop, see https://www.lauraleerose.com/take-command-of-your-performance-reviews/

Who creates it?

In the idea world, the PBC is a two-way street.  Your manager would share his/her PBC goals with you (which he/she created from their manager’s PBC and so forth up the ladder).  Then you would create your PBC and commit to your SMART goals that will support your manager in his/her goals.  Your Business Commitments are just that; commitments to the business to make the business prosperous and successful.  (See my articles on always ‘thinking like the owner’ for more tips on this; or subscribe to the weekly newsletter here)

If your manager hasn’t created his/her PBC goals, initiate a one-on-one discussion.  Request a meeting in which the sole purpose is to walk out with a set of PBC goals in which tie your PBC.

Who approves it?

Both you and your manager collaborate and approve it.  It requires both signatures.  Often times, the manager would then have his/her manager sign-off on it as well.  It is critical that you have it documented and signed, because a change of manager often occurs.  If this documented and signed, you can have something to refer to with the new manager.

How does it fit in the performance rating process?

Once this is created and approved, it becomes a living document.  Every time a directive or project is changed, review your PBC to see if the document is still accurate.  If your management chain is altered, review your PBC with your new manager to see if the document is still accurate.  If you title, roles and responsibilities change, review your PBC to see if the document is still accurate.

Take the initiative to schedule quarterly performance progress reviews with your manager.  Use your PBC as the agenda for those critical meetings and request frequent one-on-one meetings in the interim.   The more performance-based meetings you conduct with your manager, the less anxiety the yearly review will

Conclusions:

Don’t wait until the last minute to prepare for your performance review. Consider everything that you do in the work environment as input into your performance evaluation process.  Keep an achievement folder to continually collect your accomplishments (until waiting until the last minute to remember them).  Read the follow-up articles in this series for more information.  Or better yet; attend the workshop at https://www.lauraleerose.com/take-command-of-your-performance-reviews/

Secrets to Taking Command of Your Own Performance Review

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Professional development series

This is Laura Lee Rose, a business and life coach that specializes in professional development, time management, project management and work-life balance strategies.  In my GoTo Academy: Soft Skill Tools for the GoTo Professional continuous online coaching series, I go into office etiquette on various real-world IT topics in detail.
If you are interested in more training in these areas, please sign-up for the continuing online coaching series.

In the recent interview with Steve Wynkoop (founder of SSWUG.org) we covered some tips to taking more control of our own performance evaluation process (don’t miss another professional newsletter tip—signup for the free newsletter here). This article covers the topic in more detail.

It’s natural to shy away from evaluations, judgment, risk of rejection and confrontations.  A performance evaluation or performance review meeting with your manager certainly falls into this category. Most of us postpone or even avoid such conversations until it is too late.  When we feel we are doing well, we don’t think we need to discuss it.  When we feel we are not doing well, we avoid it.  In both cases, we’re postponing the cure.  The cure, of course, is to take command of your own performance and the management of your own career.

How do we take more ownership of our performance evaluation process?  It’s my manager’s responsibility to review me, isn’t it?

This is an easy out.  Although it is true that your manager evaluates you, your career and performance isn’t really your manager’s responsibility.  Your manager has 10-12 people to manager (as well as his/herself).  You are not his/her only concern.  You, however, can devote the majority of your time on your professional career and development.  You are the only one that can effectively influence your own performance.

Step 1:  Take ownership of your own career.

Clearly articulate what you want in your career; what you would like to work on; the type of people you would like to team with; even the atmosphere and working environment.  Once you can clearly and concisely articulate it, you can effectively convey it to others in your business network (See my articles on business networking in the professional environment for more tips on this; or subscribe to the weekly newsletter here)

Step 2) Understand how performance ratings are created.

There are at least two parts to the performance ratings.  Part one is your individual contributions to the business goals.  Most companies are in business to make money.  Even when business mission statements announce client satisfaction and quality products as their primary goals; the underlining reason for retaining clients with quality products is so that customers will purchase more products (and/or refer others to purchase more products and services); which will create more sales and prosperity for the company.

Part two is how you compare to other employees in your same rank or band.  Most organizations compare their employees (of the same rank or band) across departments.  This is because most companies have a policy regarding how many people can get an Exceptional Rating, an Above Average Rating, an Average Rating, a Below Average and even a Needs Improvement Rating.  For instance, they may have a percentage policy like 5%, 10%, 45%, 35%, 5% (respectively).  This would require all the employees of a certain band or ranking to be compared, ordered and sorted.  Once everyone is in sorted order, most companies will draw the line at the appropriate percentage.  To do this, managers of the same level meet to discuss their employees and rank them in order.  Therefore, the more managers in that room that knows you (in a positive light) the better.  This is where your business networking strategies come into play. (See my articles on business networking in the professional environment for more tips on this; or subscribe to the weekly newsletter here)

Step 3: Declare your Personal Business Commitments upfront.

If you and your manager agree (up front) what is expected for an Average Rating, an Above Average, and Exceptional Rating, it’s much easier to achieve.  This agreement is often called the PBC or Personal Business Commitment.  It is what the metric in which the performance evaluation is cultivated.  My upcoming “Taking Command of Your Performance Review” Workshop will go into detail on this topic.  It’s a three-hour workshop (75 minutes of presentation content and 90 minutes of actual hand-on coaching of the provided worksheets). At the end of the workshop, you will have a customized PBC and IDP started.

For more information on this critical workshop, see

https://www.lauraleerose.com/take-command-of-your-performance-reviews/

 

Who writes the PBC?  Does my manager or do I?

In the idea world, the PBC is a two-way street.  Your manager would share his/her PBC goals with you.  Then you would create your PBC and commit to your SMART goals that will support your manager in his/her goals.  Your Business Commitments are just that; commitments to the business to make the business prosperous and successful.  (See my articles on always ‘thinking like the owner’ for more tips on this; or subscribe to the weekly newsletter here)

 

Conclusions:

Don’t wait until the last minute to prepare for your performance review. Consider everything that you do in the work environment as input into your performance evaluation process.  Keep an achievement folder to continually collect your accomplishments (until waiting until the last minute to remember them).  Read the follow-up articles in this series for more information.  Or better yet; attend the workshop at https://www.lauraleerose.com/take-command-of-your-performance-reviews/

 

If you liked this tips, more can be found at www.lauraleerose.com/blog or subscribe to my weekly professional tips newsletter at http://eepurl.com/cZ9_-/

The weekly newsletter contains tips on:
1)      Time management
2)      Career maintenance
3)      Business networking
4)      Work life balance strategies

If you haven’t taken advantage of your introductory time management coaching session, please contact LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info

 

 

 

Stop working 7 Days a Week to get your job done.

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This is Laura Lee Rose, a business and life coach that specializes in professional development, time management, project management and work-life balance strategies.  In my GoTo Academy: Soft Skill Tools for the GoTo Professional continuous online coaching series, I go into office etiquette on various real-world IT topics in detail.
If you are interested in more training in these areas, please signup for the continuing online coaching series.

In the previous newsletter article on Professional Development, we covered some office conflicts (don’t miss another professional newsletter tip—signup for the free newsletter here). A follow-up client question (regarding the previous newsletter article) was “If your workplace is getting too hard, but you like the job – do you leave the job or stay there? What’s your recommendation, please.”

I am not a fan of the idea of working 7 days a week. As a time and project manager, I am more in-lined with realistically scheduling for 5 quality work days (or equivalent). The company is paying you for 5 days of quality (i.e. the very best of you). You can’t give the best of you,  if you are not the best of you (which mean the well-rounded healthy, happy, stress-free you). I recommend realistically planning and working 5 quality work days. This way you have the energy and stamina to handle anything that comes your way. You will have the adrenalin required for the infrequent emergency.

“But the works continues to come and my boss expects me to do it.  If I don’t do it, I get a poor performance review or worst: fired!”

Imagine the company as a restaurant with a glutton of menu items.  But you don’t have the funds (time and energy) to purchase everything on the menu.  Therefore, you deliberately pick and choose the items that best fit your budget and preferences.  Now, imagine your manager as a blind waiter.  The blind waiter will continue to pour your coffee until you say “when”.  In both situations (the menu and the coffee), it is your responsibility to speak up.  The company and waiter will continue to bring you food and drinks until you say “stop”.  Their job is to push their product.   And even if you take the meals home to complete later, they end up spoiled and stacked at the back of your refrigerator.

Your manager wants the work ‘done with quality’ — not laying at the bottom of your in-basket (i.e. back of your refrigerator).  He doesn’t much care if you get it done or someone else gets it done.  Allowing him enough lead time to manage and hand-off to someone else is the responsible thing to do.

“I’m worried about my performance review.”

At the end of the day, your manager expects good work from you.  They contracted for 5 days of quality work, allowing you to create a balanced life that sustains your energy, passions, and expertise.  The weekends and vacations are designed to energize, feed your creativity and hone your skills.  Taking this needed time away from work allows you to be more productive and effective during the paid 5 days at the office.  Being fully transparent on the items that you can realistically accomplish with quality and those that need to be re-assigned or postponed, allow your team to properly manage the business.  Taking full advantage of the team attitude propels you to a different level.  Quality and honest service begets larger rewards.

On the other hand, working long hours 6 or 7 days a week will product mediocre product and services. Not taking the vacations, weekends, breaks and training drains your batteries.  Although effective for short periods in ‘high-crunch’ emergencies, the execution as a long-term strategy will be exhausting. You will be producing 7 days of mediocre work.  Not producing your best 5 days a week is stealing from your company.  The company will not be impressed with the mediocre work (even though you feel you are working hard and putting in extra hours) and you will get a poor performance review. Now you are resenting the extra hours and the lack of appreciation.

Conclusion:

As in the restaurant, the company will always have things for you to do.  The projects and ideas will continue to flow and evolve.  Every accomplishment will yield new ideas for the next project or service.  It is a never-ending spiral of growth and expansion.  Therefore, the list will never be completed.  If the list will never be completed, then working 7 days a week won’t be enough, either.  In the restaurant, you have no problem picking and choosing from the menu.  You have no problem saying “when”.  We need to feel that comfortable in the professional office as well.

On the other hand, I believe you can have it all.   To learn how to have it all, please subscribe to the GoTo Academy: Soft Skill Tools for the GoTo Professional.

If you liked this tips, more can be found at www.lauraleerose.com/blog or subscribe to my weekly professional tips newsletter at http://eepurl.com/cZ9_-/

The weekly newsletter contains tips on:
1)      Time management
2)      Career maintenance
3)      Business networking
4)      Work life balance strategies

If you haven’t taken advantage of your introductory time management coaching session, please contact LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info

 

Want to be a good leader? Be a good teacher.

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– When the student is ready, the teach will appear
Buddist Proverb

In my GoTo Academy: Soft Skills Tools for the GoTo Professional continuous online coaching series, we cover real-life professional dilemmas such as the below.
If you are interested in more training in these areas, please signup for the continuing online coaching series.
Whether you are leading in the office, home or life, it’s much like teaching.
A good teacher provides only the answers that the student is asking.  If the teacher’s goals is to  cover all the information in their syllabus to accomplish the semester’s goal, then their class plan will be different than if their goal was to help the student understand the significant concepts of the material.  You can see how the different emphasis and goals might change the way the teacher approaches the task.

Same with the work force and life.
As a leader in the work force, community or life in general, you can decide what type of leader you want to be.
Do you want your focus to be “the execution of a series of pre-planned tasks and directives” or will your focus be on the high-level mission and vision (allowing for the natural deviation of specific tasks to accomplish the essence of the high-level vision)?  Both goals are very appropriate.  Both goals will have different approaches.

A good teacher modifies their pace to their student’s absorption rate or rate of understanding.  If the teach gets too far ahead of the student, the student will be lost and frustrated.  If the teach falls too far behind the student, the student will get bored and distracted with other things to fill in the empty space.

Same with leading.  A good leader sets his/her pace to the team’s movements.  In a funny way, the good leader is actually following the team.  If the leader leads too far ahead, the team will be pushed, pulled and jerked into compliance.  Although the tasks might be executed on time, they may be lacking of quality and eloquence.  If the leader leads to slowly, the team is apt to either complete the task on their own in a different direction (and away from the overall vision) or get distracted to complete something else (delaying the delivery of this project).

Becoming a good leader (like becoming a good teacher) takes time, practice and patience with oneself and others.  It’s not an over night skill.  Be gentle with yourself and with others, and everything will come together at the right time.

If you are interested in knowing how to take these leadership concepts into the professional environment, please sign up for my professional and career management (free) newsletter at
or cut/paste this into your browser: http://eepurl.com/cZ9_-/
Feel free to share this newsletter with your family, friends and colleagues. My business relies on satisfied clients as the primary source of new business, and your referrals are both welcome and most sincerely appreciated!

Enjoy!

Warmly,
Laura Lee Rose
We talk more about how to incorporate this philosophy into the real-world professional environment in my on-line coaching academy series.  <check out our GoTo Academy: Soft Skills Tools for the GoTo Professional>

Feel free to share this newsletter with your family, friends and colleagues. My business relies on satisfied clients as the primary source of new business, and your referrals are both welcome and most sincerely appreciated!