Archive for 'Blog'

The American Dream

The businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The businessman complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied only a little while. The businessman then asked why he didn’t stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support ...
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28
AUG
0

Developing Better Emotional Intelligence: Part 1

In the drive for results, sometimes we don’t focus enough on our work relationships.  This is one facet of  emotional intelligence (EQ): how we manage ourselves and interact with others.  We know that once you have the skills and knowledge to perform your job, EQ is a key to business success. Are you the hard-driving analytical type, very intelligent and well-educated, who does not connect well with your employees?  Or has your reaction to constant stress at work and home ...

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28
AUG
0

Some Thoughts on Careers and Life

Over twenty years ago I resigned my job and announced my intention to move to another
state to pursue an MBA. What surprised me was the number of people  who approached me to tell me about their lost dreams: to go to law school, to move to another area of the country, to get another job. One person, quoting Thoreau, stated that I was moving ahead while leaving behind others who were ” leading lives of  quiet desperation.” It was then ...

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13
AUG
0

Grading on a Curve: Does it Work?

Forced or stacked ranking is a performance evaluation  method where managers grade on a curve. Remember that from your school days? Even if you did “B” work, you may be at the bottom of the ranking if most everyone else did “A” work. In the August issue of Vanity Fair, the author identifies Microsoft’s forced ranking evaluation process as one HR policy that  contributed to it’s decline. See: “How Microsoft Lost Its Mojo: Steve Ballmer and Corporate America’s Most Spectacular Decline”.

This ...

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7
AUG
0

Manners, Please: Workplace Civility

How imporant is it to have a workplace culture that values civility?  And not just in a written statement of organizational values, but in practice?

I have heard many stories of screaming matches, and other demeaning and rude behavior in workplaces.  If employees are focused on emotional reactions, they are not focusing on their work and the organization. And this can affect the organization’s bottom line.

According to a recent article by Joyce E. A. Russell, a lack of civility drains productivity as employees deal with the stress caused ...

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26
JUL
0

Money as a Resource: Gaining Perspective

I often watch my clients who make healthy six figure incomes, yet are miserable, struggle with the thought of earning less. In the US many of us measure our self-esteem and career success by how much money we make. So money becomes who we are, our being, and our worth in society.

Some endure jobs or companies that provide little satisfaction, and/or work in conditions that are dehumanizing and demoralizing. But their addiction to the salary, perks and prestige offered by ...

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18
JUL
0

Do Companies Use Social Media Sites for Hiring?

A  survey this year by the Society of Human Resource Management ( SHRM) found that 56% of companies use social media  for recruiting, up from  34% in 2008.

The site most commonly used is LinkedIn ( 95%)

52% of recruiters believe that these sites are efficient for recruiting executive/upper management (CEO, CFO), up from 22% in 2008. 58% also believe they are efficient for recruiting other management positions, up from 13% in 2008.

84% of recruiters say it is the best way  to recruit passive job candidates, ...

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14
NOV
0

Is Your Boss Wrong About You?

Performance reviews are supposed to be an objective evaluation of an employee’s performance, based on measurable criteria.  But how often does that happen? And how often does a job lend itself to actual  objective metrics?

Samual Culbert, a professor in the Anderson School of Management  at UCLA,  is the author of  “Get Rid of the Performance Review!  How Companies Can Stop Intimidating, Start Managing-and Focus on What Really Matters.”

He asserts that performance reviews are subjective and based on how comfortable your boss ...

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7
MAR
0

Employee Turnover: A Positive or Negative Metric?

Employee turnover is often a metric organizations view as having a negative impact on the organization.
But in a recent  article in HR Magazine, Shari Lau discusses the potential impact of employee turnover in various situations, and how often it can have a positive impact on the organization.

If a poor performing employee quits,  there is no risk of a wrongful discharge claim.  But it can also be an opportunity for positive change for the organization.

In this scenario, the organization can:

1.  Promote a current employee
2.  Hire someone ...

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25
JAN
0

Four Tips for Motivating Employees in Uncertain Times

Motivating employees properly is always important.  But it is particularly important in an uncertain economic environment where people fear losing their jobs and have less loyalty to the organization.

1. Provide Pay for Performance: Provide incentive pay for top talent to motivate them to perform in their roles.

2. Offer Non–Monetary Rewards: Employees have different needs and values and so it is best to ask employees what kinds of non-monetary rewards are the most meaningful for them. Some may value telecommuting, unpaid time ...

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14
OCT
0
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