Use this self-assessment to be your own best leader
2-page self-assessment – 355KB Here’s a new download that’s perfect for reflection and planning. It’s a quick-take self-assessment for individuals who want to become better leaders and managers – of themselves. Use it to take stock of strengths, sources of inspiration and engagement, learning needs, recharge opportunities, and more. The fill-in sections are all on page 1. Detailed guidance is on page 2. Feel free to download, print, and circulate it among colleagues. We call it IMAP, for Individual Management Action Plan. But don’t let the word “individual” fool you, because it works especially well with groups. It’s an easy but eye-opening exercise that prompts good dialogue and discovery. Have team members use it on their own – then get together to share key findings. They’ll find plenty of common ground. They’ll learn new and important things about each other. They’ll even uncover ways to help each other – in ways that benefit individuals and the team. Download the 2-page self-assessment (PDF 355KB) This download is for e-letter subscribers • Sign up for the free Next Level...
Read MoreTurn panic into success with these 5 practical actions
What do you do if you’re put in a role that’s way outside your comfort zone? My friend Steve has an answer. Assigned to lead a super-demanding IT project, he started to panic over his lack of technical know-how. But he pulled it together and turned his nightmare into a noteworthy success. The team got the job done ahead of schedule and under budget. If you’re ever similarly overwhelmed, put this five-part Steve strategy to work: 1. Take copious notes. During team meetings, Steve wrote down key points, themes, and terms. He still does, taking time afterward to study the notes, make connections, and figure things out. This speeds up his learning process. 2. Build a network of trusted explainers. As Steve grew familiar with the technical details, he began to learn just how much he still had to learn. He built a bond with several trusted colleagues who would take his questions outside of regular team meetings. He’d scribble their answers in his notebook. 3. Make connections with people on their terms. When Steve needed information from the one person in the company who knew all about a particular operating system, he approached thoughtfully. The man was widely known as a brilliant yet prickly problem-solver who associated with very few people. Steve had heard that the guy was interested in all things automotive. So instead of launching into his computer questions, he started a casual conversation about his recent struggle with a bad transmission. The man’s problem-solving gears began turning, and they talked cars for 30 minutes. After that, Mr. Touchy was more than happy to answer Steve’s questions. 4. Pose key questions to help teams get smarter. Every once in a while, Steve would ask a “dumb” question at a project meeting. These were summary-type questions aimed at getting team members to question their assumptions, see the big picture, and reboot their thinking. For instance: “Let’s step back and take a look at the overall flow here. What does the user enter, how long should it take, and how again does this information get processed?” 5. Earn respect the old-fashioned way. As the weeks unfolded, Steve followed his three rules for earning respect: always put in a full week of work, always give an above-average performance, and make lots of friends. It’s common sense that’s all too uncommon. If you can exert your work ethic and your emotional...
Read MoreAre you sure you know your greatest strengths?
This should be easy: Name your top three or so greatest strengths. Got ’em? Are you sure? Are you really sure? Most people think they know the standout strengths they bring to the workplace. But the truth is, most people never get a full and accurate accounting – and many people go through life never knowing the best of what they bring to the table. Why? Because we’re too close to ourselves to be objective. Because we can be too humble. Because we might be a tad cynical. Because our strengths may have morphed into habits that we now take for granted. The reasons are many and varied. So try something different. Ask three or so co-workers what they see as your strengths. You don’t need some special meeting for this. Keep it informal and just ask. You’ll be pleasantly surprised and thoroughly informed by their answers. Will they think your inquiry is strange? Sure they will, at first. But within five minutes, they’ll be asking you to tell them their strengths. By Tom Terez • Contact Follow...
Read MoreThe power of “I really don’t care what people think”
Would you adopt a new approach if it promised improved performance and better results? Sure you would. But what if that sure-fire approach was, well, unorthodox? What if it prompted eye-rolling among colleagues? What if it made you the occasional butt of jokes? Would you adopt it then, or would you stick with your old approach to avoid the grief? For Rick Barry, it was an easy choice. During his 14 seasons as a professional basketball player, he threw all his free throws underhanded – while his court colleagues used the standard overhand toss. Did Barry’s underhand throws look silly? Who cares if they did – they produced so many points that they became a big-time competitive advantage. Barry sank 90% of his free-throws – compared to a 75% average for everyone else. In his last pro season (1979-80), he took top free-throw honors with an average of 93.5%. The Hall of Fame forward scored 25,279 points during his career. Named to 12 All-Star teams, he led the Golden State Warriors to the NBA Championship in 1975, averaging 30.6 points per game in the 4-0 series – and earning MVP honors. Did free throws matter? Two of those games were won by one point. Among today’s basketball players, Chinanu Onuaku is following Barry’s lead. In his freshman year at Louisville, Onuaku made just 47% of his free throws. He adopted the underhand approach, put in the training time, and upped his average to 59% in his second year. Now with the Houston Rockets, Onuaku is still tossing his free throws the unorthodox way. His comment to Sports Illustrated says it all: “I really don’t care what people think. As long as I get a bucket, I’m fine.” It’s true in any setting where performance is important. If you don’t care what people think, you’ll find all sorts of new approaches that can score better results. Have you found a unique scheduling system that goes against the grain but gets great results? Stick with it. Are you getting new insights from customers by organizing a first-ever series of focus groups – while getting curious looks from colleagues? Stay the course. Are you gearing up to bring process mapping to your team, knowing that it works but also knowing that some team members will balk? Trust your know-how and go for it. MVP status awaits. By Tom Terez •...
Read MoreKeep an eye on a few key measures – or else
I should’ve known better. My work involves performance and process improvement, so I’m well aware that meaningful measures and objective data really do matter. But for an upcoming half marathon, I decided to go rogue. I’d run without my watch and without looking at the posted times on the course. It would be a test of sorts for 13.1 miles. I’d remain oblivious to time and see what happened, instead of closely tracking time like I’d done in all my previous races. On race day, the early miles seemed to fly by. I felt so good that at mile 4, I picked up the pace. At mile 9, still feeling strong, I sped up some more. And with a few miles to the finish, I raced forward with confidence. When I crossed the finish line, I had no clue what time I had logged — but I knew it was good. Perhaps my best time ever. Except that it wasn’t. Not even close. For all the half marathons I’ve run over the years, it was my worst time ever. As I dug into the official post-race numbers, I discovered what had happened. Those first four fly-by miles were easy because I wasn’t flying at all. According to the data, my pace had been 14 seconds slower than my leisurely per-mile pace for long training runs. For whatever reason, my internal pacing mechanism was giving me a good report, but it was way off. Without a watch, I had no accurate reality check. When I dialed up my pace at about mile 4, I felt like I was really hitting the accelerator. But the data told a different story. From that point to mile 9, my pace was only 46 seconds faster per mile — a measly 7.5% pick-up. Without any objective feedback telling me otherwise, I was relying on my internal pace clock, and it was again giving me a deceptively rosy report. In the last four miles, I shaved another 33 seconds off my per-mile pace. I passed 482 runners — while being passed by only 19. All that passing surely boosted my confidence, further convincing me that this race could be a personal best. But because I had so dogged it early on, the quicker pace was nowhere near enough to get me a good time. Did I have fun during the race? Absolutely. Would I have...
Read MoreAre you crushing creativity with your nonverbals?
If a face can launch a thousand ships, can it also kill a thousand ideas? My guess is yes. Some time ago, my work path crossed with someone we’ll call Helen. She seemed plenty nice, but whenever she heard an idea that didn’t fit her way of thinking, she’d say so with her face. Her lips would tighten. Her mouth would twist to one side. Her eyebrows would knit together. Sometimes her head would tilt. Without any words, Helen seemed to be saying: Your idea stinks. When she went on to speak, her words often matched her expression. She would begin with skepticism. I can’t say that Helen sunk a thousand ideas – I wasn’t keeping count. But she sunk some of mine, and she kept other ideas from setting sail. I became so intent on avoiding her negative expression that I stopped coming forward with new ideas. The whole experience got me thinking about the signals I might be sending. It reminded me to turn up my self-awareness. Facial expressions are like pictures – they’re worth a thousand words. Let’s use them for good. By Tom Terez •...
Read More10 pain-free ways to boost your productivity
Ernest Hemingway didn’t have the typical job, but he said volumes about productivity when he observed, “Never mistake motion for action.” How about you? Does it ever feel like you’re on a nonstop treadmill of busyness? If so, here are ten ways to slow down and ensure that you’re taking meaningful action. 1. Do less in order to do more. Scour your schedule for tasks that amount to meaningless busywork. Stop these costly habits, and redirect your saved time to work that will add value. 2. Know when “good enough” is good enough. Some work activities don’t call for a perfectionist’s extra effort. Learn to spot those “okay is okay” tasks, and dial down your time accordingly. 3. Use a timer. If you want to spend 30 minutes on a given task, set a timer (on your phone or watch) and stop when it goes off. Keep pace by keeping an eye on the time as your work unfolds. 4. Schedule meetings for before 10 a.m. or after 3 p.m. By holding meetings early or later, you and other meeting-goers will preserve a bigger stretch of uninterrupted time during the workday. 5. Respond to e-mail and messages twice a day. It’s tempting to jump whenever something beeps. Turn off the notifications, and go from reactive to proactive by scheduling two quick blocks of time each day to respond. 6. Take a break. Ten minutes away from work can clear the mind, reduce stress, and put things in perspective. When you reboot your computer, it works better. Shouldn’t you reboot yourself? 7. Learn how to single-task. When we do multiple activities at the same time, our mental processors slow down. Start doing one thing well at a time. 8. Get a smart start. Make a habit of beginning your day by working on the day’s most important task. This will set a productivity precedent and give you good momentum. 9. Quarantine the phone. Does it even need to be said?! Turn off your phone, put it away, and focus on the work at hand. 10. Get more productive together. At your next meeting, ask others: “What can we do to be make better use of our time? What can we do as individuals, and what can we do as a team?” Write ideas on a flipchart or white board. At the next meeting, have people report progress, and ask for more ideas. Over time, productivity...
Read More10 ways to boost your energy at work
Want to increase your at-work energy? Here are ten caffeine-free actions guaranteed to boost your presence and productivity. 1. Mix with different people. Step away from your immediate work area — and into a new work unit, floor, or department. Meet, greet, and learn what these other folks do. 2. Get up and move. Not long ago, most jobs involved standing, walking, and moving around. In today’s knowledge-worker world, not so much. Do your body a favor and take active breaks every day. 3. Do things differently. A little change can shake you up in an energy-building way. Start your day with something different. Change the order of your activities. Take a new approach with an old work task. Stop going through motions that have lost their meaning. 4. Lend a hand. We all need help now and then. Tune in to your colleagues, and step forward whenever your skills, expertise, and empathy might make a difference. 5. Visit with your customers. Maybe your job puts you in contact with the people you serve. If not, then find them, spend time with them, listen, and learn. When you see how people benefit from your work, you’ll feel a surge of energy. 6. Tell success stories. Did someone go the extra mile for a customer? Did an unsung workplace hero help someone meet a tough deadline? Did a creative colleague come up with a big idea? Watch for good news and spread it around. 7. Learn with others. Attend a learning session with a co-worker. Start a book group. Circulate that timely work-related article to team members. Make learning an everyday priority. 8. Be a coach. Don’t diminish your skills and expertise. There’s a lot you know that others need to know, so please be a generous teacher. 9. Make it better. Do your work processes show room for improvement? Then get busy with colleagues to analyze and strategize. But be ready to break from the past while you break apart those old ways of doing things. 10. Take on a big challenge. Stretch your skills on a new project. Take that big idea you’ve had for months now and be the one who gets it started. By expending energy in a positive way, you’ll get much more in return. By Tom Terez •...
Read MoreAre your strengths turning on you?
Day after day, Bill sticks to his work routine like few people can. Co-workers tease him for his same-time arrival and departure each day, but they mean it as a compliment. They’re awed by his ability to do the same job over and over with little comment, no complaints, and consistently high quality. Says a co-worker: “The guy’s a machine.” This is good, right? To a point. It’s easy to love the solid work ethic, predictable performance, and steady productivity. But too much self-enforced routine can move the mind to autopilot and render a person’s creative powers pretty much useless. That positive predictability can become a groove that turns into a rut that keeps Bill from ever seeing new ways of doing things that could produce better results. Call it too much of a good thing. When a strength is overused and used exclusively, it can become a liability. Look around and you’ll see plenty of examples. That skillful analyst who revels in data and spreadsheets? She brings objectivity to the decision-making process, which is great. But she often gets stuck in an endless loop of over-analysis. She seeks data and only data for every decision — even for decisions that call for experience, intuition, and anecdotal information. That creative type who’s always coming up with new ideas? He’s energy personified, and his presence adds spark to every meeting. That’s fantastic. But with his creativity running full tilt all the time, he zooms past the part where you’re supposed to focus on just one idea, develop it in detail, and get it going. The ideas keep coming, but nothing gains traction. Responsible Robert? He ends up taking on so much work that he can’t do any of it well. Organized Olivia? She’s so organized that she’s one file folder away from being a control freak. Empathetic Edward? He spends so much time listening to people and their problems that he’s worn out. What about your greatest strengths? Are you using one of them so constantly and exclusively that you’ve taken it to its counterproductive extreme? If the answer is yes, here’s great news: As soon as you ease back on that one overused strength, you’ll give all of your other strengths more room to step forward and go to work. By Tom Terez •...
Read MoreThe 10 Commandments of a Happy Work Life
1. Thou shalt honor thyself Your brain can process 100 trillion instructions per second while using the equivalent of just 12 watts of power. Your heart beats 100,000 times per day, carrying your blood some 12,000 miles. You’re able to imagine, create, communicate, and love. Take time to be in awe of yourself. 2. Thou shalt be true to thyself Only one person has your portfolio of experience, know-how, skills, and style. You’re in charge of putting it to work without compromise. If you need inspiration, consider Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr., and Thomas Edison. These greats (and many others) enriched the world by making the most of their differences. 3. Thou shalt speak up When you have a good idea, share it. When you have a question, ask it. When your help is needed, offer it. When you envision a better approach, put it in spoken word. Your voice needs to be heard. 4. Thou shalt strive to simplify Take a fresh look at your schedule, and eliminate activities that seems important but aren’t. An action is either mission-driven or mere motion. Keep the former, ditch the latter. 5. Thou shalt assume the best Few people wake up and declare: “I’m going to make this a horrible day for myself and my co-workers.” Most people want good days in which they use their know-how, exercise their creativity, and make a positive contribution. Assume and expect the best, and you’ll see more of it all around you. 6. Thou shalt fix processes, not people It’s tempting to blame that missed deadline or fouled-up project on a nearby colleague. But the fact is, problems almost always occur because of process issues, not people. So cut your co-workers some slack — and enlist their help in analyzing and improving how things get done in your workplace. 7. Thou shalt serve a greater purpose Henry David Thoreau put it well: “It is not enough to be busy — so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?” What is the mission that gives meaning to all of your work-related busyness? 8. Thou shalt be interested Want to be interesting? Then be interested — in people, processes, clients, customers, competitors, and more. Open your eyes wider. Be more curious. Seek new challenges. Start more conversations. Make a point of asking questions rather than making statements. Turn your work world,...
Read More
