Managing When You Don’t Want To
Do you suffer from too much work, not enough time, and (heaven forbid) your employees need your help?
Good news, bad news, the same news: Get used to it.
Tag: leadership
Knowing When to Say “Yes”
We often talk about the importance of knowing when to say “no”, especially if you’re someone who says “yes” almost indiscriminately.
When you focus on when to say “no” your decision is tactical. You’re typically managing your time – and yourself – so that you don’t over commit.
“I’ll Take Care of It”
To succeed in today’s workplace, people need to demonstrate their value and curtail any hint of dispensability. At a minimum, they need to at least act the part.
Here is a personal example to illustrate the point. I needed help to remove a piece of furniture from my apartment. I asked Joe, who works in my building, if he’d like to make a little extra money by assisting me.
Create Your Own Momentum
Have you ever gotten so wrapped up in a project that you completely lost track of time? It feels great when that happens – you’re working “in the zone” and are usually in a peak productive state.
But how can you replicate that feeling on a regular basis? You need to learn to create your own momentum. What you’ll find is that although it’s a little different for each person, certain factors are universal.
A Deeper Dive
Have you ever faced a problem that was so complex that you found it difficult to solve?
Of course, you have. Everyone goes through this from time to time. I’ve noticed that people go into a state of spin as they try to solve them. This is because typically they only address the issues on the surface. They don’t take that “deeper dive” to get to the core issue.
Management Myopia
Have you ever faced a situation where you’ve clung to an old “story” about an employee even if the circumstances have changed? For example, let’s say you’ve been dealing with a “renegade” employee for at least a year.
You don’t want to loosen your grip over him, because you believe this old scenario is still current. From your perspective, “He’s still out of control” or “I don’t want the management headache”.
Struggling With Feedback?
Many managers wrestle with how to give feedback to their employees, and as a result they aren’t successful in conveying what they really want to say. Consequently, delivering feedback can be one of the more stressful parts of their job as manager.
At one end of the spectrum are managers who are so brutally blunt that the sting of their harsh words is more powerful than the underlying message. At the other end are managers who couch their feedback in overly positive and flowery comments so that their employees completely miss the message.
Clear the Noise from Your Head
I had just settled into my seat on a crowded Amtrak train, when I realized that the public address speaker was uncomfortably close to my head. I discovered this because it was sputtering an annoying static sound.
It seemed like a long time before a conductor appeared, and of course, for every moment that passed, the noise seemed to get louder. Eventually, someone responded to my request and took care of the problem.
Mix Up the Pace
Fast. Faster. Fastest. We live in a world where speed is valued highly. If you’re not going fast enough, how can you stay in the race?
I’m all for speed; in fact, if you don’t pay attention to it, you can be left behind in a heartbeat. I also know that you need to manage speed, because if you whiz along constantly at high speed without taking a breath, someone else or something else will slow you down.
The Post-Labor Day Energy Surge
Even though many schools return to the fall semester in August, traditionally, the week after Labor Day in the U.S. signifies the return to school. It’s an exciting time for students: fresh school supplies, seeing old friends, making new ones, and return to the business of learning.
It’s a little different in the workplace. Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer, after which people return to business as usual. Goodbye to the more relaxed office environment and early Friday departures.