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How to Conduct Efficient Brainstorming Sessions

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“Regular Brainstorming is as critical to an organization as regular exercise to your health. It creates a responsive and innovative culture.” ~Tom Kelley

You might be a manager at a company, an entrepreneur or a an employee organizing a meeting, you could be starting out on building a new app or an innovative tool or gadget. And you could be just another job hunter in a group trying to work through a plan on a successful career or job hunt.

What’s your first step – to gather ideas – to brainstorm.

There are several ideas that come to you as you visualize your product, or just the best possible solutions to your problem. Some of the possible solutions could be bizarre, some practical and some not-so-practical. But each of them excites you to a new possibility. How do you proceed?
Trial and error can be costly and time consuming; the most efficient way to bring your ideas to life lies in the success of brainstorming and planning on what the ultimate product or solution would be like.

Howsoever seldom you might have indulged in brainstorming, but you cannot claim that you have never brainstormed. Brainstorming is integral to our daily lives.
This article takes you in-depth on the “art of brainstorming” and how to make best out of it.

What is Brainstorming?

According to Wikipedia:
Brainstorming is a group creativity technique designed to generate a large number of ideas for the solution of a problem.
In 1953 the method was popularized by Alex Faickney Osborn in a book called Applied Imagination. Osborn proposed that groups could double their creative output with brainstorming.
So the keywords here are: group activity, ideas, solution to a problem. Other than this explanation, brainstorming promotes exchange and reinvention of ideas as well. It promotes team building, creative thinking and simply perks up the process of evolution of your idea!

When and How do we Brainstorm

Well almost every time we have a problem. You may need new ideas or solution to a problem and brainstorming helps you to branch out on the problem and find some effective and possible solutions of which you may choose those best applicable to your particular situation. Also note that brainstorming can be done on your won also when you research, categorize and analyze the solutions to a problem all on your own. However it is most effective when done in a group or with those you trust or are important to that issue. Brainstorming in a team brings out diverse and perhaps more qualified solutions to the problem since the people in your brainstorming session may bring in fresh, experienced perspective enabling you to find a better solution to the problem. Also it is fun to brainstorm in a group, you never know where one solution or discussion may take you – to a completely new idea or just a happy healthy discussion which freshens and lightens up your day! In addition many teams encourage brainstorming sessions in groups to strengthen teamwork and to spot the leaders (or movers or shakers) in the team.

Different Brainstorming Techniques

There are various different ways that you can brainstorm either on the individual front or in group meetings; always bear in mind the outcome that you desire and give freedom for discussion and even ready to accept crazy ideas sprouts during any brainstorming session. If you have never held brainstorming sessions then it is highly recommended that you read some tips here and the additional resources at the end of the article. If you already are a pro I would suggest that first you must prepare a plan without any help, there are various techniques around but what matters most is one that works the best for you and you may have a unique solution which no one has offered before. Let your creative juices flow first and then seek to polish your plan by using some ideas mentioned here.
Mush has been said around on the different brainstorming techniques so this article will not attempt to reinvent the wheel or restate the obvious, I suggest you read some tips mentioned below and also read some relevant topics in the resources section below.

 

Some Articles on Brainstorming Techniques:

 

Brainstorming Software and Tools

In world of apps and brilliant software that can or claim to manage almost every problem in your work life, there would be some brainstorming software and tools which assist us along the way.

  • Mindtools: A very informative article on brainstorming comes from the MindTools website and here you can also get the Brainstorming Toolkit for free. While on this website don’t forget to look up Mind Maps, very interesting and might make your brainstorming sessions productive and efficient.

 

  • Microsoft Visio is also one of the software available that enables you to transfer ideas on paper or computer. As the MS website explains: “You’re in a brainstorming meeting. You have a ton of ideas. Members in your team are contributing even more. How do you quickly capture these ideas while creating a record you can analyze, edit, and act on later? When you create a diagram in Visio while you meet or brainstorm, you create a visual archive of your ideas. The diagram can help you quickly recognize and order themes and hierarchies, making it a snap to pull a plan of action out of a chaotic idea-generating session.”

 

  • Mindjet: According to their website: MindManager uses a free-form visual format that mirrors the way your brain processes information, so it’s easy and intuitive to use.

 

  • ConceptDraw MINDMAP Brainstorming software – (according to their website) is ideal for effective brainstorming, creative thinking, idea generating, lateral thinking, creativity and problem solving. It provides powerful tools and versatile means for both personal and team brainstorming sessions.

 

Efficient Brainstorming Lead to Actions

Similar to the difference in making a meeting efficient or meaningless, brainstorming sessions can prove to be very fruitful or just go off tangent without any concrete results; it all depends on how efficiently you had planned and executed these sessions – either on individual brainstorming or group sessions.

“The ideas that come out of most brainstorming sessions are usually superficial, trivial, and not very original. They are rarely useful. The process, however, seems to make uncreative people feel that they are making innovative contributions.”
-A. Harvey Block

Always remember the main aim of the brainstorming session; it is to present a list of many possible solutions to your problem or idea.

    • Do not filter any suggestions in the first run. The idea is to have a mega list of all proposed ideas, trimming is not a priority now. Never cut short on any idea or presentation deeming it impossible, because there are very few things which are truly impossible. You can be pleasantly surprised how possible solution number 3 and 56 combined together can present the ultimate answer you were looking for.

 

    • Another tip: “Anyone can brainstorm”, you may be surprised by your 6 year old presenting a simple solution to your problem which your complex brain had never thought of before – so be prepared to be surprised and do not hold any preconceived notion about anyone – be open and receiving in your brainstorming session.

 

Now with the aim clear in the mind let’s explore some efficient ways to brainstorm.
Team brainstorming sessions: if you are holding team sessions ensure that each and every member of the team knows what they are expected to do during the meeting and what preparations must be done before they step in the room or telephone /web conference for the brainstorming session.

  • Templates or worksheets must be circulated within the team at least a week or 10 days before your brainstorming session, it gives them the time to set aside time for this task and not jeopardizing their own work deadlines. The bottom line is prepare yourself first; be clear on your expectations of the session and convey accordingly.

 

  • They must be clear on the time bound meetings expectations; if they can be given only 10 minutes to present their ideas and later on 15 minutes for general discussion – convey upfront.

 

  • Conducive Environment for your meeting is equally important. If the brainstorming sessions are going to be half day or day long, ensure that you give enough stretch time and meet other needs as good food, drinks and just relaxing-getting-to-know-each-other-time. Stressful situations most often do not result in creative results.

 

  • Tools and Software simplify the process. As mentioned above you may use some available tools and software to record and structure the session discussions. You may also poll others to find out what has worked the best for them before – if they had been in other brainstorming sessions.

 

  • Encourage the group members to form smaller groups and present ideas after certain time. Two heads together often can present a better idea when working together. The idea is to foster deeper creative thinking.

 

  • Encourage participants for follow-up. At times some of the best ideas strike to us after the session is over. Poll participants if a follow-up session would be beneficial to the group or if they would like to convey ideas individually to you later on. But make sure you have a date in mind, do not leave this proposal hanging to “any other future date”.

 

Resources on Brainstorming

    • A website dedicated to brainstorming Brainstorming that Works offers many other articles and tips on effective brainstorming (this webpage has a lot of links and with too much information there is a possibility to get lost in the information maze, so click on those that you really seek info on)

 

Brainstorming excites creative thinking, present opportunity to think differently and provide a new twist to the solution, through brainstorming sessions arise the possibilities of something new, your ideas may find new solutions or even new ideas may sprout thereafter. So, next time when you are ready to start something new, give brainstorming the utmost priority.

What are your thoughts and experience on holding efficient brainstorming sessions. Pls share in comments below.

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How to avoid the 5 Major Distractions at Work

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Emails, phone calls, a colleague drops in wants to go for coffee with you or just general conversations, an impromptu meeting, and again that email pop-up – 2 new emails in your inbox. You hardly realized but these little distractions have taken away around 2-3 hours of your productive time at the workplace.
The 5 major distractions at work are:
  • Constant Checking of Emails
  • Colleagues dropping in to Chat or discuss Problems
  • Distracting Noises – Coworkers talking in the nearby cubicle
  • Cell phones and messages
  • Social Websites – Let’s check what’s going on

Here are some tips that you can follow to avoid distractions at work:

Access Email only Thrice a Day
Yes you can do it if you practice so, also if you can cut down to only twice a day then nothing better! You might want to check your email the first thing in the morning since the itch to see what is in the mailbox would not let you get on with work. One of the best ways to get something done in the morning is to check your email from home and plan on your tasks for the day. Else if you are checking at work make sure you reply to only important ones (note the emphasis on important), now make sure you shut off your mail browser or application. It is not important to even open those that might need your immediate attention; you can read them in the next round. Now check again when you get back from lunch and the last time around half an hour before when you leave for home. Follow the same routine, the unimportant ones can wait until after your work time, reply only to those required. Close again (remember it is important to shut off the application else you will be tempted to “just checking” on and off).

Please Do not Disturb
When on a deadline of just in full steam concentration it is best to hang thee “do not disturb” sign outside your office or cubicle, most people respect this sign and would not intrude unless absolutely necessary. It cuts down on the “just checking” colleagues and even those well meaning coworkers who want to discuss a problem with you, but taking that on gets you off tangent.
If you don’t have the sign and even if you do not need it now, it is advised that you get one anyway. You can get it from any local store or just make one up. You can be creative and personalize it as well. It is also diligent on your part to let your manager and other coworkers know that you prefer not to be disturbed during a certain time frame while at work, if there is any urgent matter to be discussed they can approach you close to lunch hour or whatever time you think you might be taking a break from work.

Cellphones and Messaging
You are at work and your wife/husband has called twice. You did not take the call because you just wanted to concentrate on getting this task done, but at the back of your head the voice is telling you, she/he called twice, is everything ok? I must call ASAP. Again a distraction that can be taken care of if you prepare for it and inform your kids and spouse that you prefer not be called during certain work hours, unless of course something very urgent comes up. Also it is generally a good idea not to use your personal phone at work. Switch it off and check if you need to during lunch hour or at a later break time during the day. Your family most certainly knows your office number or official cell phone number, if need be they can get in touch through these numbers only. All other personal calls can wait – the company pays you for your time at work, do justice to it in the best possible way. Same goes with messaging – avoid it. Your friends can wait to get that LOL from you and you should most certainly keep the chatting time after work. No distractions means efficient and faster work and you feel more satisfied when you shut down your computer and head home for recreation and relaxation.

Noises and Talking
You may have a noisy co-worker who is a perpetual chatterbox or someone in the next cubicle in development support who has to be on the phone most of the day. Noises, talking over phone and just chatting in the hallway are one of the major distractions at work. It may not be always possible to get away from them, then just deal with them. Use a noise cancelling headphones or listen to your favorite music (if you can work this way) using headphones only. Whatever works for you try to find the best possible way you can replace the sounds and noise around you with silence, white noise or something that relaxes you and helps you concentrate on the work at hand.

Social Website Menace
Alright it is not a menace but can be if you are an addict to twittering what you are doing every hour or checking your facebook page to get an update from a friend on the other side of the globe, and you are doing all this while at work. As with any addition the first step is to try to be away from it for a certain period of time on a regular basis. So there you go – no going to these websites while at work. Some companies block access to personal email and social websites so they are doing their bit to get the distractions out of your way but I think there is no way they can stop you from checking on our phones or blackberries; it is finally up to you how you deal with these distractions.


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5 Essential things to know when you start your First Job

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first-impressionCongratulations! You are on the way to join your new job, but do not do so before reading these very essential tips.

“Welcome Aboard” – Don’t Fall Overboard

As a new employee you may find yourself in a “honeymoon” period for some time when you join your new job – the time period varies for each one of us. In general terms it may last for a couple of days or a week or ten days.. seldom more. This period is all “welcomy” hand shaking and receptions with your colleagues getting introduced in the meetings and getting the new “goodies” for example a new laptop, PDA or other items pertaining to your industry. It is up to you how you make the best of this period. You can be all smiles and bright eyed enjoying the new found freedom and respect, but make sure you do your best to make a lasting impression – this is your first impression with those you meet. What would you do? Pause here; take time to write down your thoughts before reading ahead.

Once done, read on.
My suggestion in the first few days of your new work is to keenly and enthusiastically observe the work culture of your new workspace, your boss and your co-workers. Do not jump in with ideas and “I could suggest another way to get this done” even if you find the urge to do so. You will get plenty of time soon after. The first couple of weeks must be spent getting acquainted with your workplace, getting to know your boss’ work hours, how he conducts meetings and what are his expectations (if they have been conveyed to you already in a welcome meeting). The point is KNOW before you ACT. It pays to observe and plan your actions accordingly than to just go ahead showing how smart you are.

Since you are trying to make your first impressions last, make sure that you talk cordially to your HR personnel, your IT staff – when they come to install your new equipment at your office/cubicle and the administrative staff whom you could be contacting off and on to know the whereabouts of a meeting room or just getting acquainted with the layout of the building or canteen. If you are not working in an office space spread out your cordiality and friendliness to the staff you are introduced to and show eagerness to learn not to tell them what you already know. Also most people liked to be asked, even if you are sure of how things work or operate it is good to ask just to be sure that you not mess up something and ruin your first impression. Asking does not make you look dumb, it eventually makes you more knowledgeable, you get to know that things can be done differently.

Know your BOSS – Time to set Goals and Expectations

Your first meeting with your boss to discuss your job description, expectations and the project you will be working on should be set in the first week of your joining the job. If not take on the initiative to ask your supervisor on when can the first meeting be set. Taking initiatives puts you your boss’ good books.

In this meeting – discuss with your boss on the short-term and long-term goals. Also feel free to ask during this meeting who all in the team you should consult in case you are unable to understand the task. And when you know are the go-to people ensure that you introduce yourself to them within the week itself and present your eagerness to learn from them (note: do this even if you have no problems yet). It pays in the long-run to be in the good books of the “go-to” people. What is more important these people can be your mentors and you learn from their experiences.

During the meeting with your boss take notes (both mental and written) and always follow up (soon after the meeting) with an email to paraphrase what has been said and also to confirm your tasks and deadlines. It is very important to know and set expectations upfront. You performance reviews and even your job might be at stake on this very important point!

Read more at: How to Talk to your Boss about your Career Goals

RESEARCHRead and Know your Company Policies

This again is a very important step and must be performed in the first few days (it would be awesome if you could get this done in the first two days itself, you will find it difficult to complete if you let it dwindle past these first few days). Research your company policies, read any company manuals and employee handbooks that you have been given by the HR or your manager. Note: if you have not received any manuals or links on the company intranet to read about general policies – you MUST ask for them. Ask your HR contact or your immediate boss. Do not ignore this step. You will soon find yourself overwhelmed by learning new tools and tasks at hand and getting to know the company code of ethics or sharing confidential data contract (that you do not even know you are signed for as an employee of that company) might fall in the back seats. To make you understand how important this step is let me try to scare you by saying this: if you are not aware of the company policies on how proprietary information or trade secrets information should be handled or even some small things as accepting or offering substantial gifts within or outside the organization, you may be in serious trouble if even you conduct a breach in confidence of these important policies. Disciplinary, legal and possible termination is very much the possibility thereafter.

Work Hard

In the first few weeks and months your new workplace you would have to work harder than others and also sometimes would have to put in long hours to complete some tasks. Prepare yourself mentally and physically for the same. There are new tools to be learnt and learning something new is always tougher at the beginning. You might of dreamed of having this new found freedom, your first paycheck, hanging out with friends and spending more when you joined your first job and not had given much thought about. But the reality is there is no shortcut to success. Work hard, sincerely and honestly and you shall find satisfaction and recognition at work.

It is your attitude that is on test now – how willing you are to learn new things and also how well you can ask questions around to get the help you need to accomplish these tasks. You career success depends on working smart and showing discipline and initiative at work. Pay attention to daily details – what did you achieve today, what was not working out and why, could asking others would have helped me complete on this task earlier? All such trivial questions and pondering can take you up the corporate ladder or to your definition of success day by day. Work on them every day else every week.

Again, be ready to work harder and long hours in the first few months of your job at least. Once you get a hang of things, your tasks will seem easier and faster to complete.

talk-peopleNever Eat Alone

Alright this one is the “cool” one! The first four points above have taken some time to digest and you have a lot to do, this 5th essential tip for new position holders is also very important and can be easily done. Do not eat alone. Your first few months in the new organization are also very crucial in building a good healthy network – of friends and those you can rely on for help when the going gets tough at the workplace.

Networking also enables you to find the “right” mentors; whom you can connect with easily and they can also benefit from your knowledge or company. It takes time to find “friends” and those you can trust, so consider your lunch time as the “networking time”. This also keeps you focused on the job when it is time to work and provides a “happy hour” meeting new people and making new friends.

Networking should also move on beyond your workplace, if you find a good Toastmasters group that you would like to join to improve your communications or presentation skills; do so. If you can accompany a colleague to a trade show or expo of your company – volunteer; these conferences and meetings present you with an opportunity to meet people outside of your organization and widen your network. The point is expand your network right from the start but do not be obsessed with it, your first task is to do your job well and having a healthy and knowledgeable network supplements your ability to do things well and think beyond the box.

These tips above might be useful for your friends or family who are soon to join their first job, don’t forget to send these to them – I am sure they would be very thankful!

And don’t forget to add your tips here on what other tips can make your first few months at the job fruitful and get some long lasting satisfying results at the workplace.


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How to be good Employee – lessons from SpongeBob

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If you have a young child at home you probably have seen many  SpongeBob Squarepants episodes over and over again. Yes, he may sound silly and act childish but SpongeBob has a lot to teach us on how to be a good employee..

Here’s how I found some lessons to be learnt from SpongeBob: (Do share yours too!)

SpongeBob is an enthusiastic and happy worker

SpongeBob has been the “employee of the month” for many months and takes pride in displaying his monthly photo to his friend Patrick. He is also a very happy worker, we often see him singing while working and that happy toothy smile is the most SpongeBob fans would remember.

Lesson learnt: You could be grouchy or grumpy at work or can be the happy chappy which our SpongeBob is, but just see Squidward – of the two who would you want to be? Do what you like and also like what you do (Do it this way – first do what you like and then enjoy doing it, enthuse others as well on the job!) Be enthusiastic at your job and serve your customers happily! If you lack motivation; seek one, it could be to get a pay raise or that promotion, strive to be the “employee of the month” in your eyes.

Always ready to “learn” new tools

In one of the episodes SpongeBob dreams of getting this new “high-tech” spatula, but realizes that all frills and glamour does not mean it is the perfect tool for the job.

Employee lesson: Learn new tools and skills at work but respect and be an expert on your old ones. Being perfect at some tool rather than getting lost in the new tools/tech maze is something you should focus on first.

Always protects confidential data

SpongeBob has been lured umpteen times by the “evil” plankton to give up on the Krabby patty formula but all attempts have been foiled so far. The formula is safe.

Lesson learnt- As an employee you must protect all company information and never trade in for money or other attempts from conspiring parties. Also please protect your laptop, you have lots of information on your company laptop and PDAs ensure safety at all times!


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Do you have any inappropriate Webpages or Posts we must know about?

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Yes of course, this is an interview question! And as the web evolves and how we use the social networking sites or some new applications which would be popping up in the future, the interview questions would add more such questions to the list.

If your answer is no, then there is not much to fear (assuming you are speaking the truth) but if the answer is yes or you say “no” to evade the question for now; you could be in trouble (trouble in the sense that you would not get the job offer if they find out you lied or face a later termination if you have a job contract which follows strict privacy, employee decency or non-posting of ‘undesirable’ content online).

Are there ways you can remove your online footprints?

If you really want to remove your previous postings which could be hazardous to a job offer, consider deleting your account first. There are ways of doing so and this article: How to Delete Accounts from Any Website tells you how. Now since most of the follies reported are from the Facebook account you may want to look at this tip from this website: How to permanently delete your facebook account

And of course now you are on Twitter too.. and your short not-so-cool responses might be retweeted and there are now in the tweetsphere. Before you ask: How to delete a tweet.

How to delete your undesirable comments?

Not only postings and videos there are many people who have posted many comments which on retrospective they hope no one will read. But the web is unrelenting; most of the stuff online can be searched and if you want your name not showing under the list of inappropriate content then follow these tips here:

How to Delete Your Own (YouTube) Video Comments

How to Delete Comments on MySpace

Do you have more tips? Share with us.


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Your Brain at Work

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What are your biggest challenges at work?
Time management, prioritizing, multitasking, staying cool under pressure, succeeding… and the list goes on. We all want a lot from ourselves and wouldn’t it be nice to know how exactly to achieve what we want.
Here is a review of the book “YOUR BRAIN AT WORK – Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day long” that attempts to explain how our brains work at work and teaches readers how to organize, prioritize, and perform better in the workplace – despite a daily load of overwhelming challenges (and of course the title says it all too!). Right at the introduction page one, the author, David Rock, tells you how this book can help you:
“This book will help you work smarter, be more focused and productive, stay cool under pressure, reduce the length of meetings, and even tackle the hardest challenge of all: influencing other people.”

isn’t that what we all are looking for?

And that was one of my reasons to read this book – the title captured my attention –“Your Brain at Work”; I truly believe that anything is possible if we train our brains that way and if this book helps me understand how I react and how I should react in certain circumstances than this is a must-read book for sure. To be successful one needs to go through a lot of thinking (read brain work) – to get organized, to plan, to execute, to manage, to dream success, to deal with failures and many other things that come along. It is the brain at work that manages it all and how well it manages depends on how well we have trained our brains.
The book is structured in a form of play, the characters are introduced upfront and through the acts I got to know them more and soon became a participant in the analysis of their situations and their reactions to them. It is through vivid examples that we learn much better; and this book has successfully accomplished what it initially took upon.
One of the main problems we all face – time management – has been presented well and some thoughtful suggestions we breeze through the lives of the characters brings in new ideas to avoid being overwhelmed. David rightly summarizes; “As the world digitizes, globalizes, unplugs, and reorganizes, having too much to do has become our biggest compliant.”

Who is this book for?
I would say everyone who wants to understand how to improve performance at workplace or in day-today life. Won’t you?

Some of the tips from this book that you can use right away:

  • Schedule the most attention-rich tasks when you have a fresh and alert mind.
  • Group information into chunks whenever you have too much information.
  • To stay in a positive state of mind, find ways to keep coming out ahead of your expectations over and again, even in small ways.
  • Playing against yourself to improve your understanding of your own brain can be a powerful way of increasing your performance.
  • Practice using solution-focused questions that focus people’s attention directly on the specific circuits you want to bring to life.

For more tips and to know your brain more, get this book at: Amazon.com

See here to know more:

(Please Note: I have not been paid to write this review, it is a sincere opinion and my wish to present the readers of this blog to get to know good books that bring value to day to day work life and overall improve our strengths)

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I don’t get recognized for what I do

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“For many years I have put in long hours, including many weekends. I have put my energy and soul into my job and the organization. I have brought profits to the team; but I have never been recognized for it.”
AJ said and was almost ready to quit working for those who didn’t care what he had done for them; but of course is ready to change with some advice.

You could give a quick advice saying “hey, it is the self-marketing era; go toot your own horn.” But it does not work for everyone, some people are not good at it and some too shy or uncomfortable to do so.

Before you barge out of the job or barge in your supervisors’ office, it is a good idea to first evaluate and assess the situation (alright, you have been doing it all along; how about doing it in a different way now?)

First Self Assessment
Is it you?
What type of a person are you, timid, introvert or outgoing and a self-marketer. Chances are you are well described or close to the first two descriptions in the sentence above. (Note: there could be other reasons so if you think it is not you then skip to the next point). During this self assessment, take time to answer the following questions:

If the answers are “yes” to all or most of them, then move on to the next point else TRY to get convert your “nays” to yes on all of the above (How? Follow the links to read the relevant articles)

It is them

“As companies tighten their belts during tough times, it’s important to remember that money isn’t always what matters most to employees. When it comes to encouraging employees to pour discretionary effort into their work, the chance to make a difference and be recognized for their contributions can provide a much stronger incentive. Unfortunately, only 49% of non-management employees report that their contributions are recognized by their company when they perform well.” – Hay Group Insight, September 2008

There are some tough managers and especially if you somehow have fallen in the bad books of yours, it is quite imperative that you are not in the list of “deserving/to-be-recognized” employees.
Also note this very interesting observation from Bob Nelson (on Workplace911):
911: Who is the worst at recognizing employees?
BN: The research tells us the older someone is, the more likely they are not to believe recognizing employees is important. They grew up in a different era and thus often hold different values about work, such as the belief that “people should be glad they have a job” or “we thank people every two weeks: it’s called a paycheck.” Yet 77 percent of today’s employees say that recognition is very or extremely important to them.

Step 2: Ask your Colleagues
It may be the company culture that recognitions are present but not so evident. Ask your co-workers if they are generally awarded pay raises or bonuses or other incentives post-performance reviews or in other ways in their divisions. You can get a better idea on different managerial practices and thereafter plan appropriate action items. Your action items could be meeting your own expectations towards gaining recognition or initiating meetings with your boss to inform why your expectations for recognition are not being met.

In the end it is your responsibility on how you want to be treated by others, there are many self-help articles on this blog and others as well where you can find ways to steer closer to recognition at work.

How recognized do you feel at work and what do you think helps in getting recognition?


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What are Performance Reviews or Appraisals

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Be it the year end review or the beginning of the year goal setting meeting, you might feel as if it is just another meeting to get done with.

Think again, your performance management, appraisals and reviews impact you in different ways.

It could mean a higher raise, an opportunity for a promotion or even that very important meeting that can protect you from a possible layoff further down the year.

If your performance reviews tend toward on the negative front; it could very well mean that it is time to deal with it and get it right else the time to say goodbye to the company is not far along.

Your review could have been positive or negative, but would help you a lot if you take time to understand what it is all about.

 

What is a performance review?

In simple terms performance review at your workplace is similar to what grades were at school. In other words, it is a process to review mutual (company/manager’s to yours as well) expectations on your past and current work performance.
Through a performance review you can figure out how you are being “graded” for your work and if/if not the goals set by your manager or expectations as per your job descriptions are being met.

Performance reviews are a great way to provide feedback to the employees and for the employees to know how well they are performing their assigned tasks and duties.
However performance reviews differ with company policies so they now apply universally to all industries, the format and frequency also varies with different companies and in different countries.
Your HR policies or intranet pages have (most likely) good and detailed information on how the review works for your particular org. (if not, ask your HR or manager directly to apprise you on the details, do not wait until the last moment).

 

What does a performance review cover in general?

Whether it is the 360 degree feedback to the employees or the managers or the personal one on one performance appraisal, it is time to revisit your goals and perform a detailed work analysis at the middle of the year. If you are working towards a bonus, salary raise or just being in the “not-in-the-layoff” list, continuous self development and keeping track of your performance is the key to success and ensures no surprises jump on you at the time of the appraisal.

Do not wait for the year end review as the main measure of your performance, it needs to be done regularly.

 

Employee Role in Performance Management

It is very important for the employees to be responsible for their own performance management rather than the pull or push coming solely from the HR department or management team.

Steve McMohan of SuccessFactors says:

It definitely needs to be a two-way street of communication. While management should provide a forum for employees to participate in their career development and the tools to facilitate growth, at the end of the day an employee is responsible for his or her own career.

With SuccessFactors, we aim to bridge this line of communication, teaching managers to engage in constructive conversation with their team, while allowing employees to feel empowered in determining the course of their career path.

SuccessFactors is a leading provider of Performance & Talent Management solutions to small, mid-sized and large businesses.

Also you may or may not agree to your performance review but it is to your benefit to be proactive towards this important process. Consider it an opportunity to enhance your career and an essential step towards your professional development and prepare well for your next performance review.

 

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Filed Under: Career Self-Help, Work Smarter Tagged With: , ,

How to Negotiate Flexible Work Hours

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check_it_2Many working women think about going part-time due to work-life balance issues, dependent care responsibilities or due to personal problems or preferences. Part-time works or flexible working hours gives many a working mothers a considerable choice to not opt-out of the workforce after having a baby.

According to the US Office of Personnel Management, The courts have also ruled that flexible and compressed work schedules are fully negotiable. In Bureau of Land Management v. Federal Labor Relations Authority, 864 F.2d 89 (9th Cir. 1988), (Bureau of Land Management), the court held that “[i]n order for employees to have the flexibility and choice envisioned by the [Flexible and Compressed Work Schedules] statute, both the overall contours of the employees’ available choices and the manner in which an individual’s choice is exercised within those contours, must be subjects included within the terms of the collective bargaining agreement and hence negotiable.”

Here are some of the terms and their definitions that you must be aware of before proceeding with the negotiations.

Flexible Work Hours
This is the part of a flexible schedule during which employees may, within agreed upon limits, choose their arrival and departure times.
Credit hours
These are hours–in addition to the basic work requirement–that employees elect to work so as to vary the length of a workweek or a workday.
Other-than-full-time employees (includes Part-time employees)
Work hours are lesser than the regular 40 hours per week as defined for a full-time employee. Because these employees work fewer than 40 hours a week and fewer than 80 hours a pay period, they are not always entitled to the same treatment/benefits as full-time employees.
Compressed Work Schedules
A compressed work schedule means that an employee’s basic work requirement for each pay period is scheduled for less than 10 workdays. Compressed work schedules are always fixed schedules. Another difference between flexible and compressed work schedules is that an employee on a flexible work schedule may be credited with a maximum of 8 hours towards the employee’s basic work requirement on a holiday or Sunday, whereas the number of holiday or Sunday hours for an employee on a compressed work schedule is the number of hours regularly scheduled for the employee to work on that day if not for the holiday.

For more details on the definitions see, the Handbook on Alternative Work Schedules.

The Part-Time Employment and Job Sharing Guide, has some interesting tips on how to make your full-time job a part-time job.
Here they are:

Keep a detailed record of what you do.
• Could all your most important tasks be done in fewer hours?
• Could less important tasks be discontinued or done by someone else?
• Could your job be shared with another part-time employee?

Get information about your salary and benefits.
• Assess changes to salary, leave earning, health insurance cost, and retirement and life insurance benefits.
• Could you afford to earn less pay and pay more for insurance?
• Could you do with less leave and potentially less retirement?

Research policies and practices
• Study Government wide policies in this guide.
• Consult your supervisor about your agency’s policies and programs.
• Talk to part-time employees about their experiences.

Devise a strategy
• Propose restructuring your full-time job into a part-time job.
• Find a partner and propose a job sharing arrangement.
• Apply for any part-time/job sharing vacancies.

Make a written proposal
• Propose a schedule and explain how your duties would be handled.
• Focus on employer’s needs, not your own.
• Suggest a pilot test where managers, clients, and co-workers could assess the arrangement.

The above tips were adapted from Flexibility at Work … 5 Steps To Get You Started, a brochure produced by the Association of Part-time Professionals.

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Filed Under: Career Insight, Career Self-Help, Work Smarter

5 Essential Tips to Influence and Persuade Others at the Workplace

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Influence

Influence

Persuasion and influence are your stepping stones toward success, whether at the workplace of in our personal lives — we are influencing and persuading others in different ways.

How good are you at this essential art of having tasks done your way?

Before you head on to persuade others, mark the following checklist and see how well you are prepared before others listen to what you have to say.

1. Get in the Shoes of those you wish to Persuade

Always think why the other person would be influenced by you, it is now always about how good you are at persuasion but first think about what they want and how they would want to be influenced for a particular work or situation. Do the ground work first – always do your research on how would they benefit from the solution you have to offer.

2. Get Credible

Before you are able to persuade others think how credible you are to that person or situation. Why would they listen to you? Work on this question the other way – think of a seminar you are invited to – Why do you want to attend? Being an expert at something always excites interest and respect from others. Credibility is a must for effective persuasion and influence. Are you knowledgeable enough to persuade others to act according to your idea? If not, first act on this checklist item before approaching others. Credibility comes from your experience – your past and present achievements. Work on how you can present these before the persuasion ”session” or meeting and during your presentation.

3. Be an Effective Communicator

Note I did not say a “good” communicator. Being good and being effective are two different things. How effectively you persuade others depends a lot on how smart and effective you are at your communication skills. Polish your soft skills and learn the art of tact before you walk the path of influencing others.

4. Be a Good Listener

Influence and persuasion are not a one way street. You must know your audience well to see what areas you must work on to hone your persuasive skills. Listening and knowing the receiving audience is a must-perform research. And note that not only the words that are exchanged but the body language says a lot about how you finally get persuasion and influence to work. Show patience and empathy towards what others have to say and change your persuasion style accordingly. We all are different and there is no universal style of persuasion that works for everyone. Prepare your presentation or the final solution after you assess and understand how others respond to your ideas.

5. Practice Persuasion in Real and Hypothetical Situations

Do not assume that on day one you would head out and persuade anyone and everyone and get things done your way. The art of persuasion and influence is a hard nut to crack. It takes practice and experience before you can master the act. Practice and rehearse how you will present the situation and create all possible “or-if” possibilities and how to best present your proposal which is mutually beneficial.

The following is adapted from INFLUENCE: Science and Practice (Allyn and Bacon, August 2008). In this new edition Dr. Robert B. Cialdini, one of the world’s leading experts in the field of persuasion, reveals six universal principles that everyone needs to understand for business and personal success. The six principles include:

  • Reciprocation –
    People feel indebted to others who do something for them or offer them a gift. That’s why free samples are so effective. Getting something for nothing makes buyers feel obligated to purchase.
  • Commitment and Consistency –
    People are more likely to follow through with something if they have committed to it, verbally or in writing.
  • Social Proof –
    Whether they realize it or not, people look to others for cues on how to behave and what to believe.
  • Liking –
    “People prefer to say yes to individuals they know and like,” says Cialdini. Research shows that people attribute talent, kindness, honesty, and intelligence to people they find attractive.
  • Authority –
    There is strong pressure in society for people to obey authority figures and experts. Authority comes in many forms. Dressing in a business suit makes one appear authoritative at work. Size – being tall – and status – such as a high-ranking job title – also increase one’s authority and makes it easier to influence others.
  • Scarcity—
    According to the scarcity principle, people assign more value to objects and opportunities that come in limited quantities or are more difficult to obtain.

 

What tips can you share on how to influence and persuade managers, employees or co-workers at your workplace? Please comment.

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