Leaders are difficult to find, leaving many companies scrambling when a higher ranking employee decides to leave. The Global Workforce Leadership survey from Workplace Trends found that almost half of the companies surveyed in February and March 2015 said that leadership is the hardest skill to find in employees.
How can companies manage the transition when leaders leave or when management positions are open? These changes in leadership shouldn’t be a catastrophe. By building a talent pipeline of future leaders, employers can simply fill urgent talent needs with a qualified internal hire.
However, building a talent pipeline is not just an event to do as needed. It’s a fully integrated process that requires more than just a set-it-and-forget-it philosophy.
Let’s take a look at how to build a talent pipeline of future leaders:
1. Create an employer branding message.
Growth opportunities are great for attracting top talent and retaining employees. LinkedIn’s “Why and How People Change Jobs” reportfound that 45 percent of the 10,536 people surveyed who changed companies between late 2014 and early 2015 say they left because they were concerned about a lack of advancement opportunities. Fifty-nine percent say they started a new job for a stronger career path and more opportunity.
In other words, start marketing the company’s emphasis on career development and growth opportunities. Cater the employer branding messaging to those who aim to become leaders and make sure it is clear and consistent.
The company’s online presence should make it clear that employees have a lot of room to move and grow within the organization. Share employee testimonials to highlight real-world examples for interested job seekers. This adds a level of credibility and authenticity to the message.
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Utilize social media outlets to expand the brand’s reach. For example, if a new department is in need of some entry-level workers, share the job listings on Twitter and Facebook. Make the most of visual platforms as well, like Instagram. Post images of the office or live stream video from a training seminar to show job seekers what it’s like to join the team.
Consider updating the core values and mission statement to incorporate employee development. Remember, creating a culture based on personal growth doesn’t just happen overnight. The best method for this involves a documented, fully developed talent mobility program.
2. Start a talent mobility program.
Talent mobility programs are essential for building a robust talent pipeline, especially for filling future leadership positions. Unfortunately, finding an employer with a leadership program is nearly impossible. The 2015 Global Human Capital Trends report from Deloitte found that while 53 percent of younger workers want to take on leadership roles, only 6 percent of organizations have strong leadership programs in place.
Talent mobility attracts more job seekers and improves retention rates. After all, employees who are being invested in will want to stick around. Investing in the workforce builds a strong relationship between the employer and employee that is based on trust and respect.
When creating a talent mobility program, incorporate leadership training so employees can start developing those valuable skills they’ll need when it comes time for them to succeed higher-ups.
Start encouraging participation within the company by promoting the benefits of the program through email notifications, signage in the office, meetings and other tactics that can catch their attention and engage them with the program. Raise awareness by clearly defining how it is advantageous to employees who want to move up in the company.
Some employers fail to make the most out of their talent mobility programs. To maximize the results and to understand the talent pipeline well, start measuring and tracking.
3. Use performance analytics.
Performance data gives employers and management visibility and insights about the talent on hand. Track how employees are faring with succession activities in the talent mobility program and provide feedback consistently to guide them toward achieving their goals and becoming a better leader.
Use data to assign tasks that they can succeed in, but also push them out of their comfort zones so they learn new skills or further develop ones they already possess. When employers fully understand each person’s strengths, they know who their best candidates are for future leadership roles.
Measuring and analyzing performance data helps companies make the right decisions. They can hire more confidently with predictive analytics. Promoting from within is not a guessing game. Talent mobility programs empower companies to build deep talent pipelines where they can choose from the best of the best to ensure the future of their company remains in good hands.
Entrepreneur.com | September 14, 2016 | Kes Thygesen
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I tend to wake up early and do my best work while the sun is coming up. Whenever I try to work late at night, I find I’m less focused and I have trouble thinking creatively.
But there is one thing that I’ve noticed that I have more of at night: motivation. Something about the end of the day makes me want to get a lot more done and complete more tasks—but by the time I wake up the next morning, all that motivation is gone.
Maybe you’re the opposite. Maybe you jump out of bed full of enthusiasm to attack the day, only to find you taper off at around lunchtime, and crawl through the afternoon trying to look busy.
And we’ve all gone through phases where we’re just not in the mood to work. Whenever you struggle most, if motivation is your challenge, I’ve got some good news. Researchers find it interesting to figure out what motivates us. That’s good for us, because we can use their findings about the general population to figure out what we, personally, respond to best.
Let’s take a look at some of the major findings on motivation from science, and how we can translate those into practical actions to help us get more done with less friction.
1. USE INTRINSIC MOTIVATION TO DO CREATIVE WORK
There are two types of motivation: “extrinsic” (or external) and “intrinsic” (or internal). If you’ve ever been extremely motivated to clean your house when you know you’re about to have visitors, that’s extrinsic motivation. If you spend time on your days off working to get better at a hobby simply because you want to, that’s intrinsic motivation.
Extrinsic motivation is often used in a work context with “if, then” rewards. When your boss tells you, if you hit this deadline, then you’ll get a bonus, that’s an “if, then” reward. It’s providing you with an external incentive to work hard.
This can work well to increase how hard you work—but only in particular contexts. That is, tasks that are simple and require mostly physical effort or time to get done. Anything repetitive that doesn’t require creative thinking is a perfect candidate for this type of motivation.
But this approach breaks down when we look at tasks that require innovation and creative thinking. In those cases, researchers have found “if, then” rewards lead to worse performance. And in some cases, the higher the reward, the worse the participants performed on their tasks!
So extrinsic motivation isn’t our best bet when we’re working on something creative. It narrows our thinking by focusing us on getting the task done so we can earn the reward. But in creative work, that’s the opposite of what we want. We need broad thinking, so we can come up with innovative ideas and see new connections.
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Put this into practice: Focus on the three elements of intrinsic motivation. If you’re working on a simple, mechanical task, try using “if, then” rewards to increase your motivation. Save a fun task to do later as a reward, or promise yourself a break, a snack, or a short time playing a game or watching videos. Apps like Habitica offer in-game virtual rewards with an aim to motivate you to complete tasks and goals on your list.
But when you’re doing creative work—whether it’s writing an article or trying to come up with a name for your new business—try not to use “if, then” rewards. You’ll probably find it hard to do your best work if you’re using extrinsic motivation. Instead, focus on what author Dan Pink says are thethree elements required for intrinsic motivation:
Autonomy
Mastery
Purpose
Autonomy is all about choice. As Scott Geller, director of the Center for Applied Behavior Systems in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Tech, says in a talk at TEDx Virginia Tech, when you believe you have a choice, you’re more motivated. If you’re working on something you chose to do, you’ll be intrinsically motivated to get it done.
So finding as many ways as you can to increase your autonomy in your work can improve how much natural motivation you have. Maybe you were given an assignment by your boss but aren’t too thrilled about it. See if you can negotiate the terms of the due date, the project specs, or anything else that would help you feel more in control.
Mastery, says Pink, is about wanting to get better at something that matters. If you love what you do and enjoy improving your skills, you’ll be more motivated to learn and use those skills in your work. If you believe you have worthwhile skills, you’ll appreciate opportunities to use them more. If you don’t feel this now, try looking for ways to augment your work by picking up a new, related skill that interests you.
Finally, focus on purpose. That comes from believing you’re working on something that’s bigger than yourself. If you’re thinking about your customers, how your business is impacting the world, or the innovations that will come from what your team is working on, you’ll be more motivated to do your part.
These three factors—autonomy, mastery, and purpose—are all also critical for job satisfaction. When you have all three in your line of work, consider yourself lucky.
2. KNOW HOW YOUR WORK HELPS OTHERS
When we know that our work will make a difference to someone else, it makes us work harder. One example of this was found in a study of a fundraising call center at the University of Michigan. Students who’d benefited from the center’s sponsorship fundraising talked to the call center workers for 10 minutes. One month later, those workers were spending 142% more time on the phones, and revenue had increased by 171%.
Despite these stark changes, the call center team members denied their work was affected by the students visiting them. So it may be that we draw intrinsic motivation subconsciouslyfrom evidence that our work is useful to others.
Put this into practice: Talk to the people who benefit from your work. Try seeking out the people your work impacts directly. That’s probably not your boss or your colleagues. They’re your final customers or even their customers. They might not be people you come in contact with every day, but making the effort to get in touch with these people could boost your motivation to work hard. You might occasionally ask customers to fill out a satisfaction survey or informally request feedback directly.
If you’re curious about whether it will work for you, try tracking your work results before and after speaking to people, since you might not notice the effects yourself.
3. GIVE YOURSELF SOMETHING TO LOSE
There are two parts to this finding that relate to motivation. The first is acognitive bias called “loss aversion.” For example, if you found $20 on the ground, you’d be pretty happy. But if you had $20 in your wallet and lost it, you’d be really unhappy. Loss aversion refers to the fact that we feel stronger emotions about losing something than we do about gaining the same thing.
The second related finding is about ownership. The “endowment effect” states that we rate things as having higher value if we own them. This was illustrated in a study of students at Duke University by behavioral economist Dan Ariely and marketing professor Ziv Carmon. Ariely and Carmon asked students who’d won Final Four basketball tickets in a lottery at what amount they’d sell their tickets. The average answer was $1,400.
They then asked disappointed students who hadn’t won tickets in the lottery how much they’d pay if they could purchase the tickets outright. Their average answer was $170. It’s quite a big difference!
This is because the owners of the tickets believe they’re far more valuable than those who don’t own them, due to the endowment effect. They also have to ask a price high enough to offset their loss aversion—they’ll feel a lot more strongly about “losing” the tickets than those who buy them will feel about their gain. Knowing it will hurt to part with something they own, the sellers ask for high prices to offset that pain.
Vassilis Dalakas, professor of marketing at California State University San Marcos, tested how loss aversion affects our motivation with his consumer behavior class. He had two classes learning the same material and gave each class optional pop quizzes throughout the semester. Each quiz was worth one point if answered correctly, and would cost the student one point if answered incorrectly.
For the first class, Dalakas told his students they had to take a final exam unless they earned five points through the pop quizzes. Those five points would earn them the chance to skip the exam. Forty-three percent of students in this class collected the full five points. In the second class, Dalakas told his students the final exam was optional unless they didn’t earn five points through the pop quizzes. If students opted to not take the quizzes or didn’t pass enough to get their five points, they were required to take the final exam.
In the second class, 82% of students earned five points. Can you guess why?
In the second class, students believed they owned the right to opt out of the final exam. The exam started off as being optional, but they could lose that right to sit it out by not taking the quizzes. The thought of losing the right to skip the exam was a powerful driver.
The first class, however, was told their exam was required from the start. They could earn the right to sit it out, but they weren’t having anything taken away from them. Earning something new wasn’t enticing enough for even half the students to earn the required points.
Put this into practice: Motivate yourself externally using loss aversion. You can use this psychological principle by putting something at stake when you feel unmotivated. It could be money, which is how apps like Beeminderand stickK work. You put up the money initially but only lose it to an individual you specify, a charity (or worse, anti-charity—an organization you strongly oppose) if you fail to complete your commitment.
Whether it’s money, a right to something, or a physical object, make sure you choose something you feel ownership of and a way to hold yourself accountable, such as a friend or colleague. If you feel like it’s not yours in the first place, you won’t feel as much pain to part with it, and its power to motivate you will be diminished. And remember, this is an externalmotivation mechanism, so it’ll work best for simple, mechanical tasks rather than creative work.
There are plenty of things I’d like more of: self-discipline, willpower, persistence, and spatial awareness to name a few. But motivation is certainly at the top of my list. Without motivation, it’s hard to hit deadlines and even harder to do your best work.
These approaches aren’t foolproof and won’t necessarily work for everyone. But the best way to find out what motivates you most is to try different approaches and measure your performance. Just remember to match the type of motivation to the task at hand.
This article originally appeared on Zapier and is reprinted with permission.
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Are you a self-proclaimed bookworm? Can you read quickly and comprehend every sentence you consume? Good news: your passion for books and excellent reading skills may help land you a lucrative job.
Editor
Turns out there are a lot of high-paying professions out there that require strong reading comprehension skills.
Business Insider recently combed through the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), a US Department of Labor database that compiles detailed information on hundreds of jobs, and looked at salary data on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ website to find positions with a median annual salary of over $55,000 where reading comprehension is very important to the job.
They research, analyze, interpret, and present the past by studying historical documents and sources.
Reading comprehension importance score: 94
Median salary: $55,800
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They teach courses in English language and literature, including linguistics and comparative literature. Some of these professors also engage in research.
They develop instructional materials and products and assist in the technology-based redesign of courses. They also assist faculty in learning about, becoming proficient in, and applying instructional technology.
Reading comprehension importance score: 85
Median salary: $62,270
Instructional coordinators
Sean Gallup/Getty Images
They develop instructional material, coordinate educational content, and incorporate current technology in specialized fields that provide guidelines to educators and instructors for developing curricula and conducting courses. This profession includes educational consultants and specialists, and instructional material directors.
They study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. They may also study topics, such as public opinion, political decision-making, and ideology — and they sometimes analyze the structure and operation of governments, as well as various political entities. They may also conduct public opinion surveys, analyze election results, or analyze public documents.
They represent clients in criminal and civil litigation and other legal proceedings, draw up legal documents, or manage or advise clients on legal transactions. They may specialize in a single area or may practice broadly in many areas of law.
Reading comprehension importance score: 85
Median salary: $115,820
Preventive medicine physicians
Jim Bourg/Reuters
They apply knowledge of general preventive medicine and public health issues to promote health care to groups or individuals, and aid in the prevention or reduction of risk of disease, injury, disability, or death.
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpg00First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2016-09-14 14:47:522020-09-30 20:50:46Your #Career : 15 High-Paying Jobs for People Who Love to Read…Turns out here are a Lot of High-Paying Professions Out There that Require Strong Reading Comprehension Skills.
Mental strength takes a long time to develop. It is the daily practice of pushing yourself to grow stronger, maintaining realistic optimism, and setting healthy boundaries.Mentally strong people don’t dothings like waste time feeling sorry for themselves or give away their power to other people.
Morin shared the following 21 signs you’re mentally stronger than average, which we’ve listed here in her words:
1. You balance emotions with logic
“Mentally strong people understand how their emotions can influence their thinking. In an effort to make the best decisions possible, they balance their emotions with logic.”
2. You choose productive behavior
“While it may be tempting to make excuses, complain about other people, and avoid difficult circumstances, mentally strong people refuse to waste time on unproductive activities.”
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3. You feel confident in your ability to adapt to change
“Mentally strong people know that although change is uncomfortable, it’s tolerable. They focus their energy on adapting to change, rather than resisting it.”
4. You face the fears that hold you back
“While mentally strong people don’t need to conquer fears because they have something to prove to others, they do strive to face the fears that hold them back.”
5. You learn fromyour mistakes
“Mentally strong people don’t hide or excuse their mistakes. Instead, they learn from them.”
6. You balance self-acceptance with self-improvement
“Mentally strong people accept themselves for who they are, while simultaneously recognizing their need for personal development.”
7. You genuinely celebrate other people’s success
“Mentally strong people cooperate — rather than compete — with those around them. They don’t feel as though other people’s success somehow diminishes their own achievements.”
8. You are comfortable living according to your values
“Mentally strong people make decisions with relative ease because they understand their priorities and they live according to their values.”
9. You focus on sharpening your skills, rather than showing them off
“While some people seek validation from others, mentally strong people are less concerned about gaining recognition. Instead, they’re intrinsically motivated to become better.”
10. You live an authentic life
“Mentally strong people are true to themselves. Their words are in line with their behavior.”
11. You view life’s hardships as opportunities for growth
“While hardship causes some people to grow bitter, mentally strong people let adversity make them better.”
12. Your self-worth depends on who you are, not what you achieve
“Mentally strong people feel good about themselves, whether they win or lose.”
13. You practice delayed gratification
“Mentally strong people view their goals as a marathon, not a sprint. They’re willing to tolerate short-term pain when it can provide long-term gain.”
14. You bounce back from failure
“Mentally strong people don’t view failure as the end of the road. Instead, they use their failed attempts as opportunities to gain knowledge that will increase their chances of success in the future.”
15. You’re a realistic optimist
“Mentally strong people are able to look for the silver lining and think on the bright side, but they don’t allow their optimistic tendencies to blind them to reality.”
16. You accept personal responsibility for your choices
“Mentally strong people don’t needlessly beat themselves up, but they do accept complete responsibility for their actions.”
17. You express gratitude
“Rather than exclaim they need more, mentally strong people acknowledge they have more than they need.”
18. You focus on what you can control
“Mentally strong people are effective and productive in life because they devote their resources to the things they can control.”
19. You engage in active problem-solving
“Mentally strong people don’t dwell on the problem — instead, they create solutions.”
20. You’re open to learning more from all that surrounds you
“Mentally strong people are constantly learning from their circumstances and the people they encounter every day.”
21. You work on your weaknesses, rather than masking them
“While many people work hard to disguise their vulnerabilities, mentally strong people invest their energy into improving their shortcomings.”
This is an update of an article originally published by Steven Benna.
Businessinsider.com | September 14, 2016
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You stressed over every little adjective on your resume (“efficient or productive?”). You wrote draft after draft of your cover letter. And now you’ve arrived at the moment of truth: the job interview, when you’ll be face to face with the person who controls your employment destiny.
Even the most charming of candidates needs to practice before stepping in front of a hiring manager. “If you try to wing it, you’ll miss your chance to make a strong case as the best candidate, and the interviewers could recognize that you’re unprepared,” says Lori Bumgarner, owner and coach at PaNash, an executive, career, and life-coaching service in Nashville. “They’ll assume if you didn’t put in the time and effort to prepare, you’re not that interested in the job.”
Getting prepped doesn’t have to make you sweat. Monster compiled these tips to help get you ready for the big day.
1. STUDY UP ON THE COMPANY AND INDUSTRY
The more knowledge you have, the better prepared you’ll be. Start by researching the latest trends and issues in the industry the job is in, Bumgarner says. This can include reading relevant industry blogs, trade publications, and professional associations’ social media pages. Commit a few noteworthy statistics to memory so that you can wow the hiring manager with your awareness of the current state of affairs.
Then, focus on learning more about the company itself. Review press mentions for the past few years. Look for both press releases issued by the company, as well as what traditional media reported. If you’re interviewing at a public company, you can also view financial statements and reports to shareholders to find out exactly how the company makes its money. All of this information will help you craft thoughtful questions to ask during the interview.
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2. INVESTIGATE THE INTERVIEWERS
If you know the names of the people who will be interviewing you, do an online search on them to learn more about their professional backgrounds and what they talk about on social media.
Maybe they have a particular affinity for a certain aspect of the company, like its outreach program. If so, make a mental note to express your enthusiasm for the way the company is dedicated to giving back to the community. (Avoid a brown-nosing tone, of course.)
If you discover that you’ve got something interesting in common—like a previous employer or a passion for thumb wrestling—you’ll definitely want to use that in your meeting.
3. NAIL YOUR OPENER
One of the questions interviewers most love to open with is, Don’t get caught blabbering your way through this seemingly straightforward answer.
“Have an elevator speech ready in case they want a brief overview of your career,” says Marlene Caroselli, author and corporate trainer in Rochester, New York. Practice delivering a 30-second pitch about past experiences and successes, your skills and abilities, where you are in your career and what challenge you’re seeking next.
4. FIGURE OUT YOUR SELLING POINTS
Now you want to think about the meat and potatoes of the interview: the questions that relate to the job requirements and your experience.
Remember, your goal in the job interview is to show how you can make a positive impact on the company. Your interview answers should reiterate your unique selling points, Bumgarner says.
To practice, review some likely interview questions and make notes about the strengths you can highlight.
“For every answer, you should be able to say, ‘For example,’ and tell a story about a time when you demonstrated the things you are saying you are good at,” Bumgarner says. “Never answer in generalities.” Specific, real-world examples are what will get you hired.
5. MASTER THE CLOSER
You also want to close the interview well. Typically, an interview will end with the interviewer asking, “Is there anything you want to ask me?” Regardless of how well-informed you feel, don’t get out of your seat until you ask some questions of your own. You should include questions about the company culture as well as the job itself.
Remember: You’re interviewing the company just as much as they’re interviewing you.
After you ask your questions, you’ll want to close with a firm handshake and a positive, enthusiastic statement like “I really enjoyed meeting you, Sue, and finding out more about this position. It seems like a great fit for my experience, and I’m looking forward to hearing from you about next steps.”
6. GET YOUR HOLLYWOOD ON
There’s no better way to practice an interview than actually doing an interview, so get a friend or family member to help you. Provide them with the details you dug up on the company, the job description for your position, your resume, and cover letter. Take the list of tough interview questions from hereand provide them to your helper. (Also take a bottle of wine to thank the person—and maybe another if you actually get the job.)
Caroselli recommends you film your mock interview, if possible. (If video isn’t a possibility, record the audio.) “Study your body language to see if it reveals confidence, poise, and enthusiasm,” she says.
You should also review your performance with your interviewer. Did they think you had good answers? Did you sound or act nervous? Did you seem arrogant? Get their feedback, and adapt as needed.
7. FOCUS ON WHAT YOU’LL HAVE FOR DINNER
Once you’ve done all this prep, don’t let last-minute jitters throw you off your game. In the moments just before the interview, try to think about something else entirely.
For example, “When you get to the interview site and are waiting to be called in to the interview room, work on a brainteaser,” Caroselli says. “It calms the nerves and takes your mind off the challenge ahead.”
Take some deep breaths and remind yourself that you put in all the homework required to make a solid impression. You’ve got this. And we’re pulling for you.
This article originally appeared on Monster and is reprinted with permission.
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In spite of a significant imbalance between male and female leaders in business, new research from the University at Buffalo’s School of Management suggests that in collaborative work environments where women are outnumbered, they often emerge as the natural group leader.
The findings fly in the face of the reality of the U.S. workforce, where many fail to recognize the extent of the female leadership gap. Women represent just 3% of new CEOs in the U.S., 5.1% ofFortune 1000 CEOs, and 4% of Standard and Poor’s 500 CEOs. A recent survey by the Rockefeller Foundation also found that nine in 10 respondents thought there were more female business leaders than there really are, and further research by the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University found that those women are more likely to be targeted by shareholder activism.
“We tend to see the man as more leader-like than the woman,” says lead author Jim Lemoine, in a video interview by UB School of Management. “What we were interested in in this research were exceptions to the rule.”
In the study, researchers assigned nearly 1,000 participants to small groups and asked them to complete a series of tasks, later polling them on who emerged as the natural leader of their group. The study was replicated with participants of varying ages over both long and short-term periods.
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When the groups communicated a lot, or were more “extroverted” in Lemoine’s words, women were more likely to emerge as leaders. They were also more likely to emerge as leaders when the groups were predominantly male.
“When a group is composed of lots of extroverted people, they talk more,” he says. “They’re actually getting to understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses and who may be the better leader beyond this diversity demographics stuff.”
This getting-to-know-each-other phase is key to gender leadership balance, says Lemoine. “It makes the environment less masculine, more balanced, and gives everyone a chance to play on equal footing,” he says.
Lemoine adds that when he advises companies, he often encourages them to ignore strategy talk at first and instead spend some time getting to know the other people in the room.
“When we think of men, we think independent, aggressive, competitive risk takers, which is for a lot of people a stereotypical view of a leader,” he says. “When we think of women, we tend to think—true or not—more helpful, more cooperative, more caring.”
Lemoine explains that in spite of centuries of gender imbalance, he finally sees the tide beginning to turn in favor of female leaders. That is because when people are asked what kind of leader they want to work for today, the typical answer has evolved to describe stereotypically female characteristics. As he puts it:
People tend to answer this more now, ‘I would like to work for someone who is ethical,’ ‘I would like to work for someone who really cares about me, who understands me, who trains me, who puts me first, who’s very authentic. As our ideas of what a leader is changes, so do our ideas change of who a leader can be, so really the future is looking bright for more gender equality for who becomes a leader.
In other words, one of the key strategies for breaking the gender leadership gap in the workplace could be simple conversation between team members, in a setting that gives every member of the team a level playing field.
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/smileprofessionalwork.jpg360480First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2016-09-12 20:33:492020-09-30 20:50:46#Leadership : How Women Leaders Emerge From Leaderless Groups…Women are More Likely to Take Command in Collaborative Work Environments—Including Those that are Predominantly Male.
If, for example, you work in a hospital where your team changes every shift, then every time it disbands and re-bands there are new interpersonal dynamics to learn, new skills and competencies, new mindsets and fears that you must re-familiarize yourself with every time.
The problem is, in such fast moving environments, there’s no time to learn about each other’s backstory or practice working together. You must be able to work together before called upon because otherwise the patient (client) suffers.
However, it’s not simply up to each and every individual to “get there” but rather organizational leaders to set the right environment for such behaviors to occur. Here are three considerations for doing so:
Knowledge feeds knowledge. When you know more, you more you want to know. In a study conducted by psychologist George Loewenstein, subjects were divided into two groups. In the first group, each participant was placed in front of a computer whose screen was segmented into 50 different squares. Behind each square was a different animal, so every time a participant clicked on a square, a new animal was revealed. After a few clickthroughs the participants stopped clicking because they knew what to expect.
Now, compare this with the second group who faced similar computers with 50 squares on the screen again. Except this time, behind each square was a picture of the same animal. What happened? Every participant clicked through because their curiosity was heightened the more information they received. Information enabledprogress, just as it does for people in your team. That’s why…
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The increased rate of technology today beckons more subject matter experts to be able to “diagnose” technology, but the global dispersion of information warrants generalists who can assimilate those unique pieces of information and fit them into a larger puzzle. What this means is that people must learn how to team, how to share information and fill each other’s knowledge gaps.
Teaming is a skill. There’s a realization taking place in business today. Companies are realizing that the hierarchy in which they’re structured isn’t how work actually get things done. Instead, work is accomplished through clusters of relationships; through teams of people—it always has and most likely always will. This has profound impacts for competitive advantage because if these clusters aren’t leveraged for their scalability then that means the tacit knowledge held amongst these networks can’t be shared. Relationships are sources of intimate knowledge, which is a challenge for any leader to set a psychologically safe environment for people to share what’s on their minds with the team rather than at the bar, I mean, water cooler.
The ability to team is a learned skill–one that starts by sharing information and trusting each other to share.
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/free-Clock-Inside-Workings.jpg28324256First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2016-09-12 13:12:232020-09-30 20:50:47#Leadership : 3 Things Leaders Must Consider For The Sharing Economy…A Constantly Changing Landscape Needs People who are Willing and Able to Constantly Change with It —People who can Adapt Not Only as Individuals, But also as Teams. They Must be Adaptable, Resilient and Curious Enough to Learn So as to Embrace Change Quickly and Continue On.
Redundancy and layoffs are typically worries for low-wage, blue-collar workers — at least these days. Technology and automation are creeping into the picture, and that has millions of workers on edge about the future of their jobs. But white-collar workers haven’t experienced the same anxieties, at least not to the same extent. Sure, white-collar employees face layoffs as well, but they’re typically less expendable and have a bit more job security.That may be changing, however, as some of the nation’s largest employers are starting to cut back not only on low-skilled workers but on those in the professional class as well. That is, it’s not only cashiers that may be on the chopping block. Accountants could be next.
White collar workers faced layoffs at Lehman Brothers in 2008, and now they face them at Walmart
For proof, you need to look no further than America’s largest private employer, Walmart. The company recentlyannounced the layoffs of 7,000 back-office employees, mostly those working in accounting and invoicing. These jobs will now be handed off to automation systems, which Walmart had been experimenting with in several hundred of its stores prior to deciding to make the call.Walmart did say that the fired employees would have chances to remain with the company in other capacities.
Walmart layoffs
A woman at a closed Walmart trying to make sense of it all | Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images
7,000 employees being fired by the nation’s largest private employer isn’t that big of a deal, really. The company has earned a reputation for being an adversary of the working man, in many respects, and has had little troubleclosing entire stores on a whim due to talk of unionization, or other perceived dangers to its business model.
Wal-Mart says the move is being made in an effort to expend more resources in its stores themselves. Walmart has earned itself a reputation with American consumers, and though millions love shopping there, a large contingency also avoids its stores for a number of reasons. Facing increased competition from online options — Amazon, mostly — Walmart execs are trying to make their stores more pleasant to shop in, to lure consumers away from their computers and into brick-and-mortar locations.
With that comes a cut down on back-office staff, or those who aren’t helping them achieve that goal. This, from what is being reported, anyway.
This is more or less standard fare for a changing economy, though. Jobs are created and destroyed when new technologies or businesses are created. But it can’t or shouldn’t sit well with workers who felt that they had job security.
White collar jobs on the chopping block?
A white collar worker receives a rude notice regarding layoffs | iStock.com
Let’s not lose perspective; we’re only talking about 7,000 jobs. In the grand scheme of things, that’s not an awful lot. But we’re not used to hearing about accountants or office workers getting the boot because they’ve been replaced by computers or technology — that’s something usually associated with fast food workers, or taxi drivers. Should white collar workers be worried?
Kind of. Sooner or later just about everything you can imagine will be automated to some degree. There are numerous jobs and industries that will soon be handed over to technologies, like long-haul trucking, for example. It’ll be a painful process, but people will find other jobs and other things to do. But the big difference here is that specialized skills — like those done by many white collar workers — are also being made redundant by technology.
It’s making the future seem a lot scarier, rather than awesome, for people who aren’t holding patents or intellectual property rights. How is one supposed to make a living in a future where human labor is widely unneeded? That, of course, is a bit hyperbolic, but it’s a conversation that needs to start somewhere.
The key is to stay ahead of the game and know what skills are going to be in demand in the future. You’ve heard it before, but here it is again: Learn a skill — a skill that commands value. As anyone can tell you these days, even a college degree isn’t going to get you much unless you can do something with it.
Your job — whether you’re a blue collar worker or from the professional class — will always be in jeopardy. Sometimes, like in the case of the recent Walmart announcements, those threats can come as a surprise.
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Layoff-Working-Hugging-Co-Worker.jpg548800First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2016-09-11 15:25:262020-09-30 20:50:47Your #Career : Walmart Layoffs; Troubling Signs For White Collar Workers…Your Job — Whether you’re a Blue Collar Worker or from the Professional Class — Will always Be in Jeopardy. Sometimes, Like in the Case of the Recent Walmart Announcements, those Threats can Come as a Surprise.
We tend to think of strong leaders as people with tremendous resolve, singular focus, maybe even stubborn to a fault. But this view diminishes leaders who excel because they strive to learn, improve, and grow alongside their teams. They roll with the punches. They’re fluid.
On September 11, 2001, I was working a low-level contract job at the Pentagon. In the aftermath of the attack that killed 184 people, I found myself thrust into a leadership position for which I was unprepared. Looking back 15 years later, here’s what that experience taught me.
OCTOBER 5, 2001
It was early in my career, and I was helping run public relations for the architecture and engineering firm that was managing the Pentagon’s the first-ever major renovation. On 9/11, American Airlines Flight 77 struck the area of the building we’d just finished renovating, with the damage extending into the wing where new work was just beginning. The impact, explosion, fire, smoke, and water damaged nearly 2 million square feet of space—twice the size of the U.S. Capitol Building. From the exterior of the Pentagon, though, you’d never know just how bad it was.
That’s where my team came in. In the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks, security was a top priority. As a result, very few members of the news media had been allowed inside the damaged areas as FBI gathered evidence. But on the day the FBI turned control of the crash site over to the Department of Defense, I was responsible for organizing the first press briefing of the area, which would let the media see for the first time the true scope of the mess before demolition and reconstruction work got underway.
So on the afternoon of October 5, 2001, the Pentagon Police opened the gates to the crash site. I waited in a small clearing that allowed a good view of the airplane’s point of impact. I was accompanied by Lee Evey, the Pentagon Renovation Program Manager. We’d put together a few presentation boards to help tell our story—but nothing else. No riser, no microphone, no prepared statement. After all, this wasn’t a press conference, just a photoshoot for maybe a dozen reporters in the Pentagon press corps.
That’s what I thought, anyway, until the news media machine stormed through the gates.
I estimated there were at least 50 reporters, camera operators, and photographers, but it was impossible to get a clear headcount as they pushed and shoved each other, fighting for the best position close to Lee. After a few moments of chaos, he put his fingers between his teeth and silenced the horde with an ear-piercing whistle.
At around the 0:35 mark of the C-SPAN video from that day, Lee says, “Normally when a group comes up here, we give them a little briefing. That may not be what you want to do. What is it you’re expecting here?”
They expected a briefing. They expected a tour. They expected a voice of leadership in a time of fear. I’d failed to prepare Lee for this opportunity, but he rolled into his pitch, taking a pen from his pocket to point to the presentation board. He was knowledgeable, personable, and in charge. He answered questions and we took the group—still pushing and shoving—inside the Pentagon with a warning to watch their step and look out for falling debris. We finished the day with no significant injuries and positive media coverage of the work we were about to undertake.
From my perspective, it was a disaster. I had unintentionally set my boss up to be embarrassed on national television. Lee shined in the spotlight anyway—despite my fumbling the ball PR-wise, not because of it. I thought this might be my first and last press conference. I waited for Lee to come down on me.
Instead, he said, “Next time, prepare as if you’re in charge.”
1. “PREPARE AS IF YOU’RE IN CHARGE”
I know now that to prepare as if you’re in charge is different than to pretendas if you’re in charge, which suggests you just start telling people what to do. It’s also different than simply over-preparing, like you’re cramming for a final exam. To prepare as if you’re in charge requires anticipating risks and opportunities as though you’re the only person accountable for what happens.
It would be years later before I understood all of this deeply, but I internalized at least the gist of Lee’s advice right away. So the next time I was asked to prepare a media opportunity, I prepared as if I would deliver it myself. I confirmed the data and understood it well enough to defend the figures. I rehearsed what I would say to make sure the timing was on point. I asked questions of colleagues to understand the benefits of design-build contracting.
I prepared as if I myself were Lee Evey, about to stand in front of reporters, and I made sure I knew who they were and what they expected. And sure enough, just few weeks later, I was the one in front of the cameras. This time, I was ready to be.
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2. IF YOU’RE GIVEN A CHANCE TO LEAD, EMBRACE IT
At the time, I assumed Lee simply had more important matters demanding his attention than hiring someone to replace me. Only years later did I realize that by empowering me, he’d pushed me knowingly into a leadership role.
Soon enough, I was empowered to represent the Pentagon Renovation Program as the keynote speaker at national conferences, and to give briefings and tours of construction activity to members of Congress, foreign ministers of defense, and celebrities on USO tours. The enormity of my responsibility was never lost on me.
I learned that people who are already inclined to lead still benefit from the explicit permission to do so—even if they aren’t 100% prepared for it at first. If you’re given that opportunity, embrace it.
3. ADAPT, ADAPT, ADAPT
Bruce Lee famously said, “Be water, my friend.” Lee Evey said, “What is it you’re expecting here?” Both understood the power—and necessity—of adapting.
We tend to think of strong leaders as people with tremendous resolve, singular focus, maybe even stubborn to a fault. But this view diminishes leaders who excel because they strive to learn, improve, and grow alongside their teams. They roll with the punches. They’re fluid.
After the Pentagon was rebuilt and the renovation was back on schedule, I was asked to create a new communications function for the Director of Administration and Management for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, a position colloquially known as “The Mayor of the Pentagon.” Since I was starting from scratch, the opportunity required adapting as I went along.
That October morning, Lee Evey showed me what adaptation looks like. It was in the weeks, months, and years afterward that I learned how to do it myself.
Brett Eaton is the Associate Vice President for Communications and External Relations at Wake Forest University. Follow him on Twitter at @bretteaton.
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Pentagon-after-9-11.jpg7201280First Sun Teamhttps://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpgFirst Sun Team2016-09-11 13:48:502020-09-30 20:50:47#Leadership : What I Learned Working At The Pentagon In The Days After 9/11…Brett Eaton Took some Missteps as a Young PR Hand Managing the Media’s First Look at the Pentagon Crash Site. This is What it Taught Him.
If we build positive daily habits, we create ourselves in a positive and thoughtful direction. If we build negative daily habits, we find wake up in deep holes while at the same time wondering how we got there in the first place.
The key, then, is to understand how these habits come to be — and having the awareness to spot those that prohibit larger, more positive growth.
Here are some of the most common “bad habits” that tend to sneak under the radar and cause more harm than good.
1. You don’t follow through
Yes, this is a habit. Whether you’re promising to take out the trash or you’re promising to get the merger deal signed and delivered by Friday end-of-day, both are a function of the same habit — you have to follow through.
And what you don’t realize is that in not following through, you end up creating more work for yourself on the back end.
2. You ride instead of run
A metaphor and a literal translation of one’s work ethic, “riding” the bus is a very different experience than running alongside it. Be the runner, not the rider.
Contrary to popular belief, you will feel much more alive when you are part of the experience and the collaboration rather than just tagging along. If you’re tagging along, you’ll feel groggy and disposable. Get involved.
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3. You don’t make time to sleep
This whole “I work more and sleep less than you” competition is pretty much a charade. Humans have to sleep. We all have to sleep.
You’ll fall asleep sometime, regardless. So make it a schedule, make it a daily priority, find your rhythm, and leave it at that.
Being a Negative Nancy does nothing but suck the energy out of everyone — including you. Find the positive and focus on that.
5. You “have to be right”
There’s nothing quite like an endless argument.
6. You forget to breathe
I mean this in the most literal way — if you don’t make time to get back in your body and actually feel yourself breathe, then you aren’t just busy. You’re coping. Get back in touch with your core self, ASAP.
7. You check your email every three seconds
Nobody is going anywhere. No one is dying. Relax.
8. You eat lots of sugar carbs
Health lesson here: Sugar carbs spike your insulin. If your breakfast is a fruit bowl, that might explain why for the first hour you feel great and the second hour you feel like you want to take a nap. Eat less sugar.
9. You drink too much coffee
The gray area between moderation and addiction lies somewhere between a Grande dark roast and a Venti black eye.
10. You only work and never play
Especially if you’re in a creative industry, you have to make time for input, not just output.
11. Your circle of friends is one dimensional
This can be exceedingly exhausting. Come on, branch out a bit and surround yourself with people who will make you think differently.
12. You don’t exercise
Again, it’s contrary to popular belief, but standing still doesn’t make you feel energized and alive. The body wants to be pushed, challenged, torn apart, and rebuilt again. Give it that freedom.
13. You don’t study your craft
Energy is earned. We have more energy about the things we feel good about. And you can’t feel good about something unless you work at it. Put in the work, and you’ll feel energized.
14. You try to do too much at once
It is an art learning how to take on just enough so that you’re comfortably busy, but not so much that you’re constantly drowning.
15. You don’t practice appreciation
Living a happy life has far less to do with what you achieve or earn, and far more with how much you can appreciate. It is a practice, and deserves attention every single day.
16. You don’t listen
By not taking the time to listen to others, you make them feel disrespected. In turn, they react negatively toward you, and on and on the cycle goes. Take the extra minute and lend an ear.
17. You aren’t doing what you love
The ultimate energy-suck is not doing what you are completely and utterly obsessed with. Do what you love, and you’ll have more energy than you know what to do with.
Businessinsider.com | September 10, 2016 | Nicolas Cole, Inc.
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