No Bull Business Blog

No one ever changed the oil in a rented car

Excerpted from the Executive Report: Leadership Skills: the 7 Essential Steps to Delegating

You don't always have the power, authority or means to reward people the way you'd like or give them the growth they desire. Now what?

Realize that there's almost always something you can do to provide an incentive. It may not be a pay raise, but it might be:

• a small bonus
• more time off to spend with the family
• training and learning opportunities, or
• an incentive tied to the company's financial performance.

And you can modify and adjust incentives based on your knowledge of the employee involved.

Just as some people like opera while others like baseball, so can incentives be adjusted to target an employee's likes.

So, while your authority to award incentives is limited, your imagination is not.

Another incentive for successful delegation is to give the subordinate a sense of ownership of the task - a reason to be invested in its success. As the adage goes, "No one ever changed the oil in a rented car."

If you don't own a project, why would you care?

The sense of ownership ties in with other incentives - a bonus, a chance to move up, more independence. There's a difference, however:

While you might offer an incentive for taking on the delegated task, you might also offer an incentive for any successes that result from the person's taking it on.

Again, what you offer may be limited by your budget and authority. Still, almost all of us can come up with a reward for success.

DIGGING DEEPER
The ability to delegate is what turns good managers into great managers. Learn how to do it the right way by reading the Executive Report: Leadership Skills: the 7 Essential Steps to Delegating

Deciding when and what to delegate

Excerpted from read  Executive Report: The 7 Essential Steps to Delegating Successfully

Delegating can provide a manager with many advantages. That doesn't mean it's wise to delegate just anything anytime. When done randomly and without thinking it through, delegation can be a disaster.

So, first, be sure to determine when delegation is the best course of action. To do that, start by asking five key questions:

1. Is there someone else who I believe has what it takes - background, expertise, information, etc. - to do the job? Absent that, is there someone I can get up to speed quickly to take over the job?
2. Does the task provide an opportunity to grow and develop another person's skills, or am I just foisting off an unpleasant task on someone else?
3. Is this a task that that's likely to come up again, so that if I invest time in someone, I'll get multiple payoffs?
4. Do I have enough time to delegate the job effectively? If there's no time for training, feedback and, yes, an occasional redo, I may be asking for trouble.
5. Is this a task that I should delegate? Let your instincts decide which responsibilities must stay under your control.

Other factors to take into consideration:

• How crucial are deadlines? What are the consequences of not completing the job on time?
• Is "good" good enough? In other words, could you get by with slightly lower quality for the sake of delegation? If not, you'll have to have full confidence in the person to deliver at the highest level.
• What are the consequences of failure? Handing over the job could increase that possibility. No one accepts failure, but you have to accept the possibility and be prepared to deal with it.

DIGGING DEEPER

Delegating is key to becoming a great manager. To get more help, read the Executive Report: The 7 Essential Steps to Delegating Successfully

3 questions that will boost motivation - and business

Excerpted from the Executive Report: Why Good People Jump Ship

Involved employees are motivated employees. So how do you make sure they're involved? Ask employees these three questions and you can boost morale and business:

1. Can you tell me our top three goals for this year? (To analyze the level of engagement, people need to be on the same page.)
2. If you were competing against our company, what would you do? (Managers are often surprised to learn that employees know right where the weaknesses are.)
3. What is currently impossible to do that if it were possible would change everything? (This forces people to think is there something different we can do? What drives us crazy and how can we fix it?)

DIGGING DEEPER
Making sure your best people stay is key to boosting business. To get help doing that, read the Executive Report: Why Good People Jump Ship - and What You Can Do to Keep Them

The right way to give verbal warnings

Excerpted from the Executive Report: Terminating Without Fear - What Employers Need to Know

Verbal warnings are a reliable first step when trying to get people back on the right track without making a to-do of things.

But it can be a bit of a judgment call.

A non-specific verbal warning, such as "Bob, you need to dial up your attention to detail" probably isn't worth the time it'd take to make a written record of the interaction.

It doesn't say enough.

Instead, try: "Bob, today is the third day in a row you failed to put the extra washer on the thingamajig. You know that step's been added to the assembly process, and I've mentioned it to you several times, and it is mandatory. I'm going to be monitoring your attention to detail, and if you continue to make the same mistake, I will have to move on to the next disciplinary step."

After an encounter such as that, a manager should make a written note of the interaction - as precisely as possible - making sure to include exactly what the employee was told, the date and time of day. Also include the employee's actions or response.

The paperwork should be filed away, but since it is a written record of a verbal warning, it is not necessary to get the employee to sign off on the document at this point.

If the employee then fails to improve, the manager might begin a more formal process of progressive discipline.

And in the first write-up, the manager should refer to earlier verbal coaching: "As we've discussed on several occasions, your attention to detail ..."

If the employee claims he wasn't given prior notice that his performance or behavior was unacceptable, the manager has the earlier notes to fall back on, and can and should recount the specifics of those earlier interactions with the worker again.

DIGGING DEEPER
Managers too often let fears of legal repercussions cloud their judgment about pulling the trigger on terminations. For help, get the Executive Report: Terminating Without Fear - What Employers Need to Know

Are you stressing out your employees?

Excerpted from the Executive Report: Why Good People Burn Out – and How You Can Stop It

As much as you and your employees don't want to suffer from stress and burnout, you could be the "cause" of the stress. Here are some things to watch out for:

• Setting unrealistic goals. Imposing highly ambitious goals on employees will daunt and discourage, rather than motivate, them. If you have tough goals they must achieve, break them into smaller parts before presenting them.
• Looking at the dark side. If you always look at the downside or harp on what's wrong - and allow others to do it - you can bet employees will become de-motivated and stressed. Instead, mention the bright side of every tough circumstance you and your people face. Encourage employees to suggest changes for things they don't like.
• Us vs. them talk. Managers often don't want employees angry at them, so they unintentionally remove themselves from potential guilt. (For instance, "I fought for your pay raise, but you know HR makes the final decision.") Leaders need to stand behind decisions they've made or have been made regarding their employees.
• Allowing some people to slide. Managers who let poor performers get by or allow bad behavior to continue will derail good employees. Confront those issues until they're fixed or gone.
• Talking more than you listen. Whether you deliver bad news or offer an opposing opinion, your employees will want to vent about it. Let them, because that may be all they need to get over it.
• Jumping to conclusions. One person rarely knows how another person feels, so avoid telling employees how they should react or feel in any situation. Let them react and then talk about solutions.
• Poor listening. Nothing is more irritating than not being heard. Paraphrase, take notes or do anything to show employees you care.
• Reacting to anger or anxiety. This only adds fuel to the fire. Instead, keep an even tone and deal with similar situations uniformly.
• Bad habits. Ask a trusted colleague (or loved one), what habits you have that can get on people's nerves.

DIGGING DEEPER

So, are your employees stressed out? Find out what you can do by reading the Executive Report: Why Good People Burn Out – and How You Can Stop It.

No more raises: 5 ways to motivate employees

Excerpted from the Executive Report: Motivating Without Money: 91 Inexpensive Ways to Keep Employees Happy

 

There will be very few raises this year, but there are still ways to motivate employees and boost morale. Here are five ways:

1. Make your people the face of your organization. You have to advertise anyway, so why not put their smiling faces in your ads or feature them in company publications, such as newsletters.
2. Give shiny cars. You can buy express car washes for about $5. So for $100, you can give 20 employees clean cars.
3. Add a handwritten note to your employees' paychecks from time to time. Highlight something they did, how you felt about it and the effect it will have on the company, co-workers or customers. For instance, "Jill, your perseverance helped us find the software bug. I'm proud you're part of my team. You saved us a lot of time and money."
4. Give employees space to do their own bragging. Put up a large bulletin board and invite them to fill it with certificates, newspaper clippings, artwork and other noteworthy items about themselves or their loved ones.
5. After someone puts in an extra effort, send a care package home to the employee's family. Include items with the company logo and passes for all family members to see a movie.

 

DIGGING DEEPER
Motivating employees is a never-ending job for managers. But there are plenty of ways to do it. For more ideas, read the Executive Report: Motivating Without Money: 91 Inexpensive Ways to Keep Employees Happy.

Use the word 'behavior' instead of 'attitude'

Excerpted from the the Executive Report: Dealing With and Eliminating Unacceptable Behavior.

You may think a person has a good attitude or bad attitude, but unless you're crawling around inside his or her head you really don't know.

Managers should steer clear of using the word "attitude" in the work stetting.

Instead, use "behavior."

You can actually see and document behavior.

You can tell a worker: "It's unacceptable for you to suck your teeth and walk away while I am giving you instructions."

That's more clear and specific than "I don't like your attitude."

DIGGING DEEPER:
For the most part, employees do the right thing at work. But there are always those moments of "unacceptable behavior." Get a handle on it with the Executive Report: Dealing With and Eliminating Unacceptable Behavior.

Recipe for conflict: Comparing one employee to another

Excerpted from the Executive Report: Dealing With and Eliminating Unacceptable Behavior

A rule of thumb when dealing with unacceptable performance is to avoid comparing the employee to co-workers. That just creates more problems.

Instead, focus just on the person in front of you, giving a straightforward assessment.

For instance, it should never be "You only do six of these a day, and Beth does 10."

Instead, it should be "You do six of these a day, and there is room to do more. I'd like to find a way to build you up to eight, or even 10. What do you think of that? What do you think we need to do to help you get to that number?"

DIGGING DEEPER

One of the biggest headaches that managers have is dealing with inappropriate behavior in the workplace. For additional help, see the Executive Report: Dealing With and Eliminating Unacceptable Behavior.

New FMLA rules provide employer leeway

Excerpted from the executive report: The New FMLA Rules: What Employers Need to Know Now

The new FMLA rules give employers more leeway in what they ask for when seeking certification of a serious medical condition. The paperwork can now include the physician's area of specialization, specific facts pertinent to the employee's condition, and whether intermittent or other leave is medically necessary.

The new regs include an optional form, WH-380E: New Certification of Health Care Provider for Employee's Serious Health Condition, which is for the employers use.

Under the old rules, employers couldn't check directly with employees' medical providers when further information was needed to determine FMLA leave eligibility. Companies could ask for an opinion from another healthcare professional - but the firm had to pick up the tab.

The new regs allow employers - with authorization from the employee - to contact the worker's physician directly if clarification or authentication is needed.

But there's a catch: The individual contacting the doctor has to be one of the following:

• a health care professional
• a Human Resources staffer
• a leave administrator, or
• a member of upper management.

The rules expressly prevent the employee's direct supervisor from making contact with the worker's medical provider.

DIGGING DEEPER

The new FMLA rules, which take effect Jan. 16, 2009, make some significant changes. And employers must make those changes to be in compliance. Get all the details in the executive report: The New FMLA Rules: What Employers Need to Know Now

 

The truth is ... honesty motivates

Excerpted from the Executive Report Motivating Employees: What Every Manager Needs to Know.

 

The best way to motivate employees - tell the truth.

 

When telling the truth is the norm, it's easier for people to be motivated to do their work to the best of their ability.

 

When employees know the boss will be candid with them if their performance is found wanting, they don't worry about interpreting hidden meanings, innuendoes or non-verbal language to decide if the boss is unhappy with them. They can focus on their work and not worry about dark plots.

 

For managers and supervisors, telling the truth is doubly important. Their credibility is their most important leadership asset. Without trust in the manager's credibility, employees don't feel motivated to perform. And even if they did, they don't expect good performance to be recognized, rewarded or appreciated.

 

DIGGING DEEPER

Motivated employees are happier and deliver higher productivity and performance. How do you motivate them? For help, check out the Executive Report Motivating Employees: What Every Manager Needs to Know.

 

Burning out: 78% say it’s happening to them

Managing employees is getting tougher every day and keeping the staff focused and energized is difficult.

 

More than 78% of employees say they're feeling burned out at work. Smaller staffs and increased workloads are increasing stress and hurting morale, says a CareerBuilder.com survey.

 

In fact, 46% say their workloads have increased in the past six month and 45% describe their current workload as heavy or too heavy. So it's not surprising 23% of workers are dissatisfied with the current work/life balance.

Digging Deeper:

Some organizations hum along like a well-oiled machine while others don't. Time and again the answer lies in the effectiveness of frontline managers. Avoiding dumb mistakes that destroy teamwork and efficiency is ultimately the key to success. Check out the Executive Report: 6 Dumb Ways to Kill Employee Morale - And What You Can Do to Fix It.

10 most outrageous lies on resumes

Only 8% of employees admit to stretching the truth on their resumes, but 49% of hiring managers say they’ve caught job applicants lying on their resumes, says a CareerBuilder.com survey.

The most common lies included:

• Embellished responsibilities – 38%
• Skill set -18%
• Dates of employment -12%
• Academic degree -105
• Companies worked for – 7%
• Job title 15%

But some folks make incredible claims: Here are some of the most outrageous:

1. Claimed to be a member of the Kennedy family
2. Invented a school that did not exist
3. Submitted a resume with someone else's photo inserted into the document
4. Claimed to be a member of Mensa
5. Claimed to have worked for the hiring manager before, but never had
6. Claimed to be the CEO of a company when the candidate was an hourly employee
7. Listed military experience dating back to before he was born
8. Included samples of work, which the interviewer actually did
9. Claimed to be Hispanic when he was 100 percent Caucasian
10. Claimed to have been a professional baseball player

DIGGING DEEPER
Spotting bad hires before they're on the payroll saves you a lot of angst and money. Get help with this Executive Report: Why Stupid People Get Hired - And What You Can Do To Avoid This.

10 dumbest excuses for being late

One in four workers admits to making up excuses for arriving late.

More than 32% blame traffic and another 17% blame it on falling back asleep, says a CareerBuilder survey.

Most of us would probably buy those answers, but the 10 below are a bit beyond belief:

1. While rowing across the river to work, I got lost in the fog.
2. Someone stole all my daffodils.
3. I had to go audition for American Idol.
4. My ex-husband stole my car so I couldn't drive to work.
5. My route to work was shut down by a Presidential motorcade.
6. I wasn't thinking and accidentally went to my old job.
7. I was indicted for securities fraud this morning.
8. The line was too long at Starbucks.
9. I was trying to get my gun back from the police.
10. I didn't have money for gas because all of the pawn shops were closed.

DIGGING DEEPER
Spotting bad hires before they're on the payroll saves you a lot of angst and money. Get help with this Executive Report: Why Stupid People Get Hired - And What You Can Do To Avoid This.

You can teach a bear to dance, but it will always dance like a bear

Excerpted from the Executive Report: Why Good People Jump Ship - and What You Can Do to Stop Them. 

Perhaps more than any other aspect, trait or quality, employee retention hinges on a good job fit.

Remember: You can teach a bear to dance, but it will always dance like a bear.

Consider this real-life example: A small, bottled-water company in the mid-Atlantic region was trying to grow. It had some early success using some of its delivery drivers as salespeople to drum up new business at grocery stores and other retail outlets the drivers were already familiar with.

Then the company tried to expand the sales effort by including all drivers. The company offered significant training and a handsome sales commission package. Yet managers were stumped as to why more of the drivers weren’t able to succeed in their new roles as salespeople.

Was it a poor fit? It’s a fair question to ask.

When fitting an employee to the job, the first question to ask is: What is the benchmark? What does it take to be a top performer in this position? Then: Which of these characteristics does the employee already have and which does he/she need training on?

It’s all about fitting a square peg into a square hole. But because managers are dealing with people and ever-changing work roles, it’s not quite as simple.

A clear job description is essential. So is gaining feedback from the employee on his or her strengths and weaknesses, then playing to the strengths first. That builds early success and sets the stage for future success.

Another question to ask: Is the job description realistic?

DIGGING DEEPER
Keeping good people isn't an accident. It takes good managers who know how to create an environment that employees see challenging. For more help, check out the Executive Report: Why Good People Jump Ship - and What You Can Do to Stop Them.

Crazy but true: Zappos pays employees to quit

Should you pay employees to quit? That’s the provocative question from a new article that's rocketing around the Web about Zappos.com, the online shoe company with soaring sales.

Zappos is so serious about its commitment to amazing customers that it “bribes” new employees $1,000 to quit after a week, reports Harvard Business Review.

By offering them a leaving bonus plus their first week’s salary, Zappos weeds out reps and employees who aren’t committed to its fanatical belief in great service. Chances are, employees who refuse the $1,000 love Zappos.

The big idea: The online shoe company knows customers don’t engage with companies. They engage with people.

A fanatical belief in great service

It realizes customer service is even more important online than offline.

Here are some of the other things Zappos does differently:

• Puts its telephone number on every page of its Web site. The message: “We want to talk to you.”
• Rejects scripts. Unlike many other companies, Zappos’ reps don’t have scripts or time limits on their calls. These reps are given the power to do whatever it takes to make customers happy enough that they’ll buy again.
• Encourages employees to use social networking tools like Twitter, MySpace, etc.
• Offers free delivery both ways. Got something you didn’t like? No problem: Zappos picks up the tab on return shipping. That minimizes the risk of buying sight unseen from an online company.

You can read more at  “Why Zappos Pays New Employees to Quit – And You Should Too.”

Posted by Julie Power, editor, Internet Marketing Report www.pbp.com/imr.asp and www.eIMR.blogspot.com