Executive Spotlight: Performance Review Dos & Don’ts

Executive Spotlight: Performance Review Dos & Don’ts

A performance review usually isn’t something employees or managers look forward to. But it’s an essential part of the business—to discuss performance and give feedback with the intention of helping the employee and the company as a whole. If you’re the one conducting the performance review, how can you ensure it’s a productive conversation?

We recently asked our executives what their performance review dos and don’ts are.

Here are their responses…

John Schembari, Senior Education Executive

Make the evaluation process as grounded as possible in evidence of practice/what is empirically observed. The use of performance rubrics that delineate and explain different levels of proficency can help to ensure that quality of work is being evaluated as opposed to personality.

If there are several individuals evaluating staff in similar roles of like function ensure that there is inter-rater reliability and, thus, equity in how performance is measured. Determine a common definition of quality performance and success across the organization. In the review, highlight both the practices that the employee should continue doing as well as those that should be refined. If possible, allow the employee an opportunity to discuss both their successes and determine how they will address practices to be refined as well as deliverables/due dates.

Don’t wait until the next review to follow up with the employee. Provide resources that address growth areas and check back on a regular basis.

John Schembari is a current K-12 teacher/school leader academic improvement coach and former school building and district administrator. He loves to draw, travel, swing dance, and read nonfiction.

Ana Smith, Talent Architect & Global Learning Strategist

Woman gets feedback on her career from her boss during a performance review

Top performance is the way in which organizations grow, evolve, and compete. The same goes for employees of all levels. Yet one key ingredient is delivering performance feedback, which for managers and leaders can feel quite difficult and filled with stress. And all of this in addition to the current inflation, burnout, and a hot talent market that has employees quitting in droves.

We know from vast research on feedback that if you don’t deliver tough, healthy feedback—if you just let people “skate by”—it has a demotivating effect on strong performers and team players.

One important trend which has taken place for the past decade or so is eliminating year-end reviews. The rationale behind year-end reviews is to understand and measure the accomplishments and quality of work from year to year.

Focusing throughout the year on having good, quality performance coaching conversations with a specific cadence is what makes the difference. If this is the approach, for the vast majority of people, the year-end review becomes just another good performance conversation—a summary of what you’ve talked about throughout the year.

Ana Smith helps people & organizations achieve their full talent potential by developing and co-creating people strategies and customized solutions, and turning them into impactful outcomes and collaborative relationships, using coaching as the “red thread.”

Michael Willis, Sports Business Operations Executive

performance review concept

A performance appraisal is an evaluation done on an employee’s job performance over a specific period of time. It is the equivalent of a report card on an employee and how their manager assessed their performance over the prior year.

A performance appraisal should motivate an employee to better performance by helping them understand why they need to move away from poor performance or toward critical objectives.

360 Feedback Evaluation

I like the 360 degrees form of appraisal where employees are evaluated by colleagues, customers, subordinates, and other connected managers. The 360 feedback allows the employees a glimpse of how others view their performance in various relationships critical to the job.

I think everyone’s work and evaluation should be aligned to 3 factors:

  1. A company’s mission
  2. A company’s goals
  3. A company’s competitors

This evaluation should factor in the company’s competitors:

  • Current competitors
  • Future competitors
  • New market entrant competitors

Michael Willis has 18+ years of experience working with accounting & sports organizations and has managed P&Ls of $10M – $125M+ with budgets of $3M-$50M+. He worked for the NFL for 22 1/2 years, mainly with the game officials working on the financial/accounting side of the business.

Melodie Turk, Learning Experience Executive

Boss meets with an employee for a performance review

Do not give surprise feedback during a performance review.

Do summarize all the accomplishments and the improvement work done throughout the year.

Many years ago I had a boss that set up quarterly development meetings with each employee. We were both expected to answer two questions about ourselves and the boss. They were: “What am I doing well? What could I improve on?” and “What are you doing well? What could you improve on?”

It’s a framework I continue to use to open up the conversation on both sides for constructive feedback that works both ways. The valuable conversation plus the frequency made it very easy to prepare for the annual performance review—and there are no surprises.

Melodie Turk is a learning experience executive with a unique background in the learning and development arena as well as change management. She is passionate about bringing change to the workplace—change that is meaningful and change that will last.

Don Schulz, Senior Operations & Commercial Real Estate Executive

career performance review concept

​In my experience in leading people and teams, the key to performance evaluations is to make them an ongoing process. They should not be a point-in-time event but rather a more regular occurrence, integrated into the normal rhythm of business. This maintains transparency and ensures there are no surprises. Use regularly scheduled one-on-ones as the primary forum for discussing it. Feedback should flow both ways between employee and manager as appropriate.

It is also worth mentioning the timeliness of this question. I just returned from a national veteran’s charity event in Florida where this exact topic came up in conversation with some veterans. While none of them expressed the least amount of joy in the administrative aspects of completing performance evaluations, all of them expressed one shared belief: the importance of regular, continuous, ongoing feedback and how it is critical to maintaining high-performing teams, effective alignment, and a collective focus on mission.

While the level of criticality in the military varies from the civilian work world, the principles still apply—people stay more properly oriented toward an organization’s collective goals, display greater engagement, and deliver better results through regular performance feedback and a more transparent understanding of their individual contributions, both positive and negative.

Don Schulz is a 25+ year commercial real estate executive & COO. On the personal side, he likes to ski, hike, golf, and run, and is an occasional homebrewer.

Kathleen Duffy, Founder, CEO, And President Of Duffy Group

measuring KPIs concept

Performance reviews should be a time of self-reflection for the employee and an opportunity to set professional goals for the upcoming year. We look at KPIs each month and have found when the employees look at them through the lens of their goals, the discussions take on a tone of continuous improvement.

Within our framework, here are examples of a few questions we ask:

  • What one or two skill areas are you going to focus on or continue to focus on to improve as a leader?
  • What will be the impact for you if you do improve in this skill?
  • What will be the impact on the company overall if you do improve in this skill?
  • What do you need to focus on doing/not doing, feeling/not feeling, to be a better leader in 202X?
  • How can I help you?

I don’t want to give the impression that we avoid tough conversations. We have them in real time and don’t wait until the performance review.

Kathleen Duffy is the founder, CEO, and president of Duffy Group. The company’s vision is to elevate recruitment research as an alternative to contingent and retained search. Since its founding, Duffy Group has been a remote workplace and a culture of work/life harmony.

Stan Hammond, IT Cyber Executive

Woman talks to her boss during her performance review

A performance review is official and engages HR. It is essential to treat your staff with respect and dignity. Two rules and/or ideas:

1. Never bring up a subject (especially negative) during the official performance review that you have not presented and discussed unofficially before the meeting.

2. Use the process to get to know your staff better and to build camaraderie. Ask about something they have accomplished this past year that you may not know about. Share positive feedback you have received from other leaders/team members. (This may take proactive work on your part to prepare for the review.)

Stan Hammond is an IT cyber executive with decades of experience leading billion-dollar corporations and government agencies, including ServiceNow, the State Department, Veterans Affairs, Charter, GKN, Baxter, Caremark, and Pfizer, with cutting-edge technology.

Lisa Perry, Global Marketing Executive

Professionals during a business meeting/performance review

Sixty-nine percent of employees say they would work harder if they felt their efforts were better recognized according to a survey by Officevibe. The truth is what makes the difference is the little things that you do throughout the year for your employees that can make an impact; from keeping track of your employee’s development, providing support to setting them up for success.

Here are five dos and don’ts of performance reviews.

  • Define Objectives & Expectations: Don’t forget to define your objectives and expectations. I’ve used SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, results-oriented, and time-bound) objectives for years. But I’ve just started to now use OKRs (objectives and key results), a collaborative goal-setting methodology used by teams and individual employees to set challenging, ambitious goals with measurable results.
  • Provide Frequent Feedback: Don’t give feedback once a year. Provide coaching conversations that people welcome on a regular basis. This will help your employees stay focused, meet their goals, and grow professionally.
  • Two-Way Discussions: Don’t make the review process one way, top down, and behavior focused. Focus the performance review on results and make it as much of a 360-degree review as possible. Employees need to feel like they’re being heard and valued. Include the boss’s assessment, employee self-appraisal, and peer reviews in a meeting in which both parties can share their observations, perspectives, and comments about job performance.
  • Provide Facts: Don’t provide vague feedback. Provide well-documented facts for both good and not-so-good results. Everything should be backed by facts.
  • Action Plan: There is no follow-up to the performance review with an action plan. Develop an action plan with set goals, areas for improvement outlined, support detailed, and deadlines to evaluate the progress. Keep it simple and positive, and express your confidence in their ability to improve.

With these tips, your review discussions with your employees will be a natural extension of the coaching that they receive. Remember, your team should be supported and listened to. Be open to receiving feedback as well.

Lisa Perry helps companies build leadership brands, driving loyal customers & delivering profitability. She does this through a process that builds brands consumers love. Her goal is to help companies develop, monetize, and grow their brands.

What are some other performance review dos and don’ts? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily’s Executive Program.

Executive Spotlight: How Leaders Should Measure The Effectiveness Of Their Remote Workers

Executive Spotlight: How Leaders Should Measure The Effectiveness Of Their Remote Workers

As a leader in today’s modern workplace, you have to be prepared to manage hybrid, remote, and in-office employees. The success of a company depends on good management, which includes the ability to accurately measure the effectiveness of employees and make changes as needed. But the traditional ways of measuring an employee’s effectiveness don’t take into consideration how the workforce has changed since 2020 with the rise of remote work.

We recently asked our executives how they think leaders should measure the effectiveness of their remote employees.

Here are their responses…

Ana Smith, Talent Architect & Global Learning Strategist

Measuring effectiveness from remote employees can be very tricky, especially considering that 40% of leaders acknowledged in a study conducted by Harvard in 2020 that they were not prepared to manage remote employees and 41% struggled to keep their teams engaged.

Defining what’s a priority and what effectiveness looks like becomes fundamental. It has left managers and leaders unsure about how the best work gets done. Therefore, it is not a huge surprise that a lot of managers would prefer their teams to come back to work in the office.

Besides clearly defining what effectiveness looks like, its transparency to all involved, and how it is measured and improved consistently, it becomes key for managers to quickly figure out the best way to work with their employees, making them feel understood and supported and not micromanaged.

Ana Smith helps people & organizations achieve their full talent potential by developing and co-creating people strategies and customized solutions, and turning them into impactful outcomes and collaborative relationships, using coaching as the “red thread.”

John Schembari, Senior Education Executive

Professional woman works from home

​Ana is correct. Evaluating the effectiveness of remote workers comes down to whether or not priorities have been met. It’s less about doing time, say 9 to 5 Monday through Friday, and should be much more about impact whether that impact occurs over a long or short period of time, and whether at 9 am or 9 pm. When evaluating remote workers, organizations would be wise to, yes, define priorities but also determine what success metrics for those priorities will be. In defining success, for instance, I’m a big fan of goal setting and using SMART criteria—i.e., is the goal specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and/or timely?

Client/project management software can also be used when there are multiple remote workers working on the same initiative so that there is clarity around each person’s role and communication as to how each person’s part fits into the project as a whole. This is where benchmark/milestone data can also be recorded along the way to indicate how well remote workers are making progress toward organizational goals.

John Schembari is a current K-12 teacher/school leader academic improvement coach and former school building and district administrator. He loves to draw, travel, swing dance, and read nonfiction.

Miroslav Jasso, IT & Innovation Management

Remote worker on a Zoom call

​There are areas and positions where remote working was preferred for years if not decades. Information technology as an example serves well here. Measuring the effectiveness of IT service desk employees is easy. KPIs like number of tickets handled orfFirst instance resolution rate come immediately to mind. Your agile software developers can be measured based on the length of their sprints or the size of the backlog. In many cases IT teams are to a large degree remote and distributed among locations, countries, and even continents.

In general, any position with clearly defined KPIs can easily be measured for effectiveness, no matter the location. In-site, remote, distributed… numbers do the trick. Where remote working is leaving much room for effectiveness decrease is the soft side of work—relations, knowledge sharing, team spirit, willingness to help and support. Even if not immediately visible, those qualities have a decisive impact on overall effectiveness in the long run.

Miroslav Jasso is an information technology & innovation executive with 22+ years of experience in the development, continuous improvement, and delivery of state-of-the-art IT services across automotive, finance systems, and retail businesses. He has managed teams of 5-100+ with budgets of $1M-$15M+.

Michael Willis, Sports Business Operations Executive

Professional woman interviews a remote job candidate

Measuring remote workers’ effectiveness is no different from having workers present on-site. Having timely expected deliverables will be the most critical test of commitment. If you know the quality of the people on your team, you won’t have to worry about the work not getting done.

Sure there are monitoring tools out there to see log-in times and activity.

But as a business professional trying to run a business, I’d rather spend the time making the company better to raise revenues or creating new ways to compete with my competitors.

Michael Willis has 18+ years of experience working with accounting & sports organizations and has managed P&Ls of $10M – $125M+ with budgets of $3M-$50M+. He worked for the NFL for 22 1/2 years, mainly with the game officials working on the financial/accounting side of the business.

Andrea Markowski, Marketing Executive

Man on the phone works from home

​If you’re asking how to measure the effectiveness of remote workers, you’re asking the wrong question.

Go back and subtract the word “remote.” There. That’s the right question.

There should be no fundamental differences between how you measure the success of a remote worker vs. a hybrid worker vs. an in-person worker. Too many managers get caught up in the thought of a remote worker being somehow incredibly different.

If anything, remote workers most likely require more thoughtful management. That includes you as a manager keeping an eye on equity when handing out resources, social opportunities, and high-profile projects to remote vs. in-person workers.

Is the person meeting their goals? Are they growing in their role? Are they helping to move the organization forward? Remote or not, questions similar to these are what you should focus on.

Andrea Markowski is a marketing director with specializations in strategy development, digital tactics, design thinking, and creative direction. She has superpowers in presentations and public speaking.

Don Schulz, Senior Operations & Commercial Real Estate Executive

Manager talks to remote employees over Zoom

I appreciate and agree with people’s comments so far. The concepts of defining success, using measurable KPIs & SMART goals, and measuring workers in the same positions in a consistent manner whether they are remote or not all make sense. There is however a range of difficulty in assessing effectiveness depending on the specific function of each FTE and how quantifiable vs. qualitative one can make the measurement of their role. That said I would like to add to the discussion the concept of engagement which is often a leading indicator of one’s effectiveness and I’ve found much harder to measure.

A couple of years ago I took on a new role as COO of a national real estate project management company one month before COVID-19 restrictions were put into place. I had to quickly adjust to managing fully remote in a company I had just joined and with people I barely knew. While we were able to successfully implement many of the effectiveness measurement tools mentioned above and felt we had a good feel for individuals’ overall effectiveness, we soon learned that it was people’s engagement we had to get our arms around. That took some time. We retained an outside consultant/survey company to measure the engagement of all employees and made it an annual occurrence.

My summary point is that while measuring employee effectiveness (remote or in person) is an ongoing, more daily requirement, complementing that with an annual or semi-annual measurement of employee engagement is often a good thing that can bring many insights when laid next to effectiveness data.

Don Schulz is a 25+ year commercial real estate executive & COO. On the personal side, he likes to ski, hike, golf, and run, and is an occasional homebrewer.

How do you think leaders should measure the effectiveness of their remote workers? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily’s Executive Program.

Executive Spotlight: How Leaders Can Motivate Employees During An Economic Downturn

Executive Spotlight: How Leaders Can Motivate Employees During An Economic Downturn

During difficult and stressful times such as an economic downturn or recession, it can be a challenge to stay motivated at work. A good leader naturally knows how to motivate employees when things are going well for the company. But when things aren’t going so well, how can executives and other leaders in the organization motivate their team members?

We recently asked our leading executives how they think leaders can motivate employees during an economic downturn.

Here are their responses…

Ana Smith, Talent Architect & Global Learning Strategist

As complex world events have unfolded more than we’ve experienced before, it’s understandable that your team’s minds are elsewhere. In uncertain and highly charged times, stress is a normal human reaction.

In addition to getting the work done, balancing compassion and empathy requires attention and skill, and care. As a leader, taking time to understand your own emotions is fundamental to getting started. If you acknowledge and manage any stress and anxiety you feel yourself, model self-care, and ask people what they need, you’re off to a great start.

Showing empathy, you want to connect with everyone in your team to truly understand what they think and feel, even if you don’t agree or feel the same thing.

Normalizing stress.

People managers can create a sense of relatedness, competence, and autonomy to help motivate their team(s) in uncertainty.

Ana Smith helps people & organizations achieve their full talent potential by developing and co-creating people strategies and customized solutions, and turning them into impactful outcomes and collaborative relationships, using coaching as the “red thread.”

Jim Black, Engineering & Technical Executive

Leader talks to her team during a work meeting

Motivating employees during an economic downturn is never easy. Short-term evidence usually contradicts your optimism.

When I have needed to inspire my team during slow periods of work, I focus on what we can prepare for the return. What can we do now that will make us better?

Consider this analogy…

You are running a fine-tuned race car, and it has logged dozens of laps. The car is running well, and you are making great lap times. The race stops, and you can work on your car during the stoppage. Do you simply sit back and start again when the green flag drops? No—you change the oil, fine-tune the timing, replace broken parts, and make the car even stronger than before.

Economic downturns are similar. Take the time to refine the process, improve workflow, and make yourself stronger for the return. Provided the company is fiscally responsible and does not need to lay off employees, motivate them with the opportunity to improve for the next phase.

Jim Black is an engineering professional focused on the development of technical professionals. He is also a professional bass player.

Carla Biasi, Personal Stylist

Executive talks to his team during a work meeting

Motivating employees should be a continual process in any organization.

Certainly, in a down economy, it’s even more important to keep employees pushing forward and staying positive.

I believe one of the most important ways to do it is through communication. When the economy takes a hit, people are concerned about their jobs. They wonder how the company will handle these rough times. Leaders should talk to their employees about the measures the company is taking to weather through it. It means so much, and employees will feel more secure and appreciated when this happens. Therefore, they’ll be motivated to stay with the team.

Recent studies show that the younger generation ranks transparency as one of the highest traits they look for in management. It fosters inclusivity and employees feel respected which counts for a lot.

Carla Biasi is a personal stylist living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She currently has her own business and works part-time at an upscale women’s boutique and as a virtual and kit stylist for a women’s specialty brand.

Andrea Markowski, Marketing Executive

Leader gives an employee a high five

Let’s get one thing straight. You cannot motivate anyone to do anything.

Ok, I lied. Usually, if the job is undesirable, boring, or made up of low-skilled repetitive tasks, the best motivator is—you guessed it—money.

However, for higher-skilled jobs that require smart decision making and a degree of autonomy, as a manager, you simply are never going to be the source of an employee’s motivation. It has to come from within the employee themselves.

An excellent resource is Drive by Daniel Pink. This book looks at the science behind motivation. After reading it, one bit that stuck with me is how any type of progress made can motivate someone to keep on keepin’ on.

With this reasoning, you might celebrate both big and small wins of the organization as a whole, right down to an individual’s contribution. An employee must feel that they added to the progress in some way to generate their own intrinsic motivation.

Andrea Markowski is a marketing director with specializations in strategy development, digital tactics, design thinking, and creative direction. She has superpowers in presentations and public speaking.

Lisa Perry, Global Marketing Executive

Employees celebrate, high five, and motivate each other at work

When organizations are in the midst of an economic downturn, keeping employees motivated becomes more challenging. The focus is to tighten budgets, implement hiring freezes, reduce salaries and workforces, and even layoffs, furloughs, to selling assets.

Here are eight strategies to keep your employees inspired and engaged:

  1. Stop Gossip: Rumors can run rampant about layoffs, pay cuts, and more if you don’t stop it as quickly as possible.
  2. Listen: Practice active listening skills: understanding, enjoyment, learning, and giving advice, or solace.
  3. Be Consistent: There should be a consistent approach to decision making. The organization should have confidence that decisions made and changed are for the right reasons.
  4. Provide a Sense of Certainty: In times of uncertainty, be transparent, keep people informed, and be as truthful as you can.
  5. Have Integrity: Many things become possible throughout an organization when people trust each other to do what they say they’re going to do.
  6. Understand What Motivates Your Staff: Once you understand what drives and motivates your staff, it’s easier to give them the opportunities to thrive.
  7. Give Staff a Voice: Create an environment in which employees feel safe to express their ideas and feedback as well as give them opportunities to have an impact.
  8. Power of a Thank You: Don’t underestimate the power of saying thank you for a job well done. A note, a personal outreach, or a public affirmation can make a huge impact on the person receiving it.

How do you think executives can motivate their employees during an economic downturn? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily’s Executive Program.

Executive Spotlight: The Cost-Cutting Measures That Occur In Different Industries

Executive Spotlight: The Cost-Cutting Measures That Occur In Different Industries

When companies go through hard times, they must do whatever it takes to stay afloat. This looks different in every industry, but the solution is always to cut costs. Executives and other business leaders within a company need to decide what expenses they should target.

We recently asked our leading executives what cost-cutting measures their industry takes when hard times hit.

Here are their responses…

Andrea Markowski, Marketing Executive

Marketing graphs and data, business reports

Generally, marketing budgets are usually cut first, no matter the industry. There are a few reasons for this, but one of the most probable is that marketing can be difficult to track and justify.

This is the nature of marketing—it can be intangible and thus hard to show that the work being done is benefiting the bottom line. For example, how much value does a new branding campaign bring to a company? There are ways to approximate this, but showing concrete results in dollars and cents isn’t easy.

The best way for marketing departments to hold on to their budgets and prove their effectiveness is through detailed (and time-consuming) tracking in a CRM system. If it’s possible to draw a clear line from marketing efforts to new customer acquisition, then it’s worth it.

However, many beneficial marketing activities simply cannot be tracked or measured. For example, determining the effectiveness of a billboard in a highly-trafficked area is a challenge. No one can argue, though, that it is likely seen by the hundreds of thousands of people who pass by. Tracking results is ideal, but it’s nothing to obsess over.

Andrea Markowski is a marketing director with specializations in strategy development, digital tactics, design thinking, and creative direction. She has superpowers in presentations and public speaking.

Lisa Perry, Global Marketing Executive

Business professional calculates findings from data

Cost-cutting has become synonymous with corporate survival, and the marketing budget is typically the first to go. Unfortunately, most leaders see marketing spending as an expense, not an investment. This is a shortsighted approach as a strategically developed and executed marketing strategy is a source of revenue.

That said, there comes a time when we all need to figure out how to do more creatively with less. Here are five tips to consider when looking to reduce your marketing budget.

1. Define Measurement Strategies: Identify KPIs (i.e. conversions, cost per acquisition, ROI) across key marketing strategies to ensure you are focused on driving the bottom line.

2. Templatize Your Content: Create design templates that can help with reducing a more agile testing process, design costs, and improving efficiencies.

3. Repurpose Existing Content: Take existing content, make it relevant, and reuse it across multiple channels.

4. Go Digital: Going online with your marketing collateral can save time and money.

5. Vendors That Focus on ROI: Ensure the vendors you are working with are focused on giving you the most value for your investment, ensuring a positive ROI.

Making marketing cuts are never easy. Keep in mind that whatever cuts you decide to make, ensure that you are investing strategically in your business.

Lisa Perry helps companies build leadership brands, driving loyal customers & delivering profitability. She does this through a process that builds brands consumers love. Her goal is to help companies develop, monetize, and grow their brands.

John Schembari, Senior Education Executive

Education costs, money concept

In the wake of COVID-19, the Federal Government has provided ESSER funding (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) to schools which will continue through 2022. However, next year, all bets are off when it comes to how much money schools will have in their coiffures.

When public schools face financial downturn, non-discretionary costs come first. The biggest non-discretionary cost is usually salaries often followed by special education services that districts are mandated to provide students with individualized education plans. If schools cannot provide these services in-house, schools must pay to send students to outside programs that can support their needs.

Transportation also is usually a large expenditure for some school districts as is electricity, power, and heating (in colder climates—this is why some districts like NYC have traditionally had winter recess to cut down on expenses). Far from fixed, we have seen many of these inescapable costs rise exponentially during our current times of inflation.

Some private schools have endowments to weather financial storms. However, for public district schools, financial insecurity usually means that extracurricular programming and extra academic supports are on the chopping block.

This sometimes even includes professional development services for teachers like the services that I provide as a learning coach and consultant. While many school systems have used ESSER funding to provide post-COVID-19 catch-up tutoring that is still gravely needed, tutoring supports may also fall by the wayside in turbulent financial times.

In addition to a reduction in extracurricular programming, we also usually see a reduction in course offerings in non-“academic core” subject areas—like arts and music education—and field trips/excursions. Although controversial and perhaps not in line with healthy life choices, under duress, we may see some schools allowing certain companies (such as food/beverage companies) to brand/sell their merchandise in school, in exchange for financial compensation, so that extracurricular programming can continue.

John Schembari is a current K-12 teacher/school leader academic improvement coach and former school building and district administrator. He loves to draw, travel, swing dance, and read nonfiction.

Sarita Kincaid, Tech Media Executive

Tech executives talk during a work meeting

During economically uncertain times, many tech companies enact deep cost-cutting measures as an alternative to a reduction in force (RIF). Budget “downsizing” is a frequent topic of conversation these days among corporate communications leaders—what to cut and for how long are common discussions.

Aside from obvious OPEX cuts like freezing incremental headcount requisitions, reducing business travel, and canceling sponsorships, the following reductions should be considered with care:

AR and PR Agencies: While agencies consume a big part of most marketing budgets, reducing hours/scope of work should be well thought out. The impact that effective AR and PR have on a business is significant to supporting business and revenue goals. And, in smaller companies, an agency often serves as an entire department.

Influencer Programs: Co-marketing activities with influencers may seem like an easy place to take budget cuts, but these programs are high profile, touch a lot of buyers, and should be generating positive PR. It’s difficult to establish and grow brand awareness and preference, but taking your “foot off the gas” after establishing that momentum with influencers, isn’t a great strategy. And, remember, influencers need to make a living; if they aren’t working with your company, they may start working with a competitor.

Sarita Kincaid is a tech media executive with a demonstrated ability to build and grow award-winning programs. She brings a data-driven approach to influencer relations with a focus on developing strong brand advocates and aligning them with sales programs.

What cost-cutting measures are usually taken in your industry? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily’s Executive Program.

How To Reset Work Expectations With Your Boss

How To Reset Work Expectations With Your Boss

In my last article, I talked about an example of someone who was working 60 hours a week and then went through a big life event (like having a baby) and now only wants to work 40 hours a week. If you’re in the same boat, how can you reset work expectations with your boss and still get a good performance review?

Here’s my advice on how to successfully manage work expectations without hurting your career…

It’s Usually Easier To Get A New Job Than Reset Work Expectations

@j.t.odonnell Replying to @carolinecc1 How to reset work expectations with your boss. #worktok #careertok #jobtok #careertiktok #careeradvice #quietquitting #quietquittingmyjob #career #job #learnontiktok #edutok #worklife #work #workmode #boss #expectations ♬ original sound – J.T. O’Donnell

In my 20+ years of experience as a career coach, about 50% of the time it’s just easier to get a new job if you’re looking to reset work expectations at your current job. At a new job, you can set your ideal expectations from the get-go.

But if you really like where you are right now and want to stay there, follow the three steps below to reset your work expectations.

How To Successfully Reset Work Expectations With Your Boss (If You Want To Stay)

Woman tells her boss she wants to reset her expectations at work

Step #1: Do Some Homework

Get out a piece of paper and create three columns. In column #1, list all the things you were hired to do, looking back at the job description for your role if you have to. In column #2, list everything that you’ve taken on since then because if you’re working 60 hours a week, you’ve taken on a lot of additional responsibility. Then, in column #3, think of one or two things that you could take off your boss’s plate. Something that’s a real headache to them that if you took it off their plate, you’d be super valuable to them.

Step #2: Meet With Your Boss

Next, set up a one-on-one meeting with your boss. Type up your three-column list, sit down with your boss, and have a conversation. Here’s an example of what you could say…

“When I first started at this company, I was working 60 hours a week to get myself up to a level of value. But now, as you know, I’ve had this life event and I really want to stick to 40 hours a week but continue to give you a high level of value. So here’s what I figured out. Here are all the things I was hired to do in column #1. Here are all the additional things I’m now doing in column #2. And here are some things that I would love to do for you to make your life easier in column #3. But in order for me to do that, we’d have to take a couple of things off my plate in column #1 that maybe somebody else with more junior skills could handle.”

This is how you begin the conversation. Now, as a bonus, I would suggest you go through and list how many hours a week you do each task in columns one, two, and three, and add them up to show your boss how all of those tasks take over 40 hours to complete. And if you could move things around together, what would they want you to work on? What would be the highest payoff activities for your 40 hours?

Step #3: Update Your Boss On Your Progress

The final step is to give your boss some time to review this information. Then once they approve your new work expectations, you are going to regularly update them on your progress. Communicate with them about what you’re getting done in 40 hours. Market yourself because that’s what people forget to do. They forget to market their value and prove to the employer that they’re working smarter, not harder—without having to do it in extra time.

Once you shift this perception, you’re going to see great results. A lot of times managers don’t realize how much you’re doing and, upon seeing this list, will reset your work expectations for you. But it’s on you to bring up your concerns and try to find a solution where both of you are happy.

Need more help with your career?

I’d love it if you signed up for Work It Daily’s Power Hour Event Subscription! I look forward to answering all of your career questions in our next live event!

Executive Spotlight: The Biggest Misconception About Your Job

Executive Spotlight: The Biggest Misconception About Your Job

There are misconceptions about every job. And the longer you stay in the same line of work, the more misconceptions you’ll hear from those not familiar with what you do. Executives in particular have had many years to discover the misconceptions about their work.

We recently asked our leading executives what the biggest misconception about their job is—to gain some insight about their profession.

Here are their responses…

Jim Black, Engineering & Technical Executive

Engineers work on computers

I am an engineering executive, and I am very technical in nature. I also admit I am a NERD. My job expects me to be a nerd, and I know many things. I lead a highly specialized aviation testing group with over 100+ years of experience. These men and women are the best in the industry. I work every day to keep up with their expertise as an outsider.

The misconception about my line of work is simple… I rarely have all the answers. I need to rely on my team, my peers, my network, and my friends to share ideas. By collaborating with my team, I can find solutions. By working with peers, I can help guide the group to improve. Friends and colleagues often lead me to new insights and better ways of thinking.

Engineers come off as “know-it-alls” and experts in their field. We did not get there overnight. We worked with many people and collaborated over time to gain this expertise. Very, very few engineers and scientists are like “Sheldon Cooper.” Many of us work with great people to share ideas and develop new solutions for today’s problems. Our secret weapon is our ability to collaborate and combine experiences. Rarely do we work alone or have brilliant ideas given to us by divine intervention. Our solutions require hard work and sharing with others.

Jim Black is an engineering professional focused on the development of technical professionals. He is also a professional bass player.

Andrea Markowski, Marketing Executive

Marketing team does a market and audience analysis

Some people may think that marketing executives spend all day placing advertisements. Advertising is certainly an important ingredient in the overall marketing pie, but it is only a small slice.

The supporting crust of the marketing pie is an in-depth understanding of the target consumer and how to best communicate to them the value of a product or service. This is done through loads of research and data analysis (the ingredients) that inform strategies (the recipe) and, ultimately, actionable tactics (assembling the pie).

One of those tactics is often paid promotion in various channels, AKA advertising, which is viewed as the whipped cream and cherry on top!

Outsiders usually only see that delicious pie topping and don’t realize all the work that went into baking the pie that supports the topping and makes it appealing enough to eat. Bon appétit!

Andrea Markowski is a marketing director with specializations in strategy development, digital tactics, design thinking, and creative direction. She has superpowers in presentations and public speaking.

John Schembari, Senior Education Executive

Man on laptop listens to a teacher

Since schools tend to seek out consultants during periods of challenge, they often are looking for quick fixes to their problems and expect education consultants to direct them accordingly. While expedient, client schools won’t grow in their expertise around best schooling practices and/or systemic processes if consultants “tell” schools how certain opportunities for school improvement should be addressed. Consultants aren’t the people necessarily doing the day-to-day implementation work; long-term positive change happens best, therefore, when staff is consulted/vested in the next steps.

An education consultant serves as an outside thought partner when looking at school/community-based data, listening to stakeholders about wants/needs, and helping schools develop effective strategic improvement plans. Yes, education consultants should share knowledge of best practices gained from having worked within many school settings but, ultimately, the chosen course of action needs to be owned by the school. It is the consultant’s responsibility to follow up consistently with the client, throughout the length of the contract, to ensure that improvement milestones are being met. Good education consultants work themselves out of a job.

John Schembari is a current K-12 teacher/school leader academic improvement coach and former school building and district administrator. He loves to draw, travel, swing dance, and read nonfiction.

Lisa Perry, Global Marketing Executive

Digital marketing concept

Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about marketing. Too many to list here. The biggest misconception about marketing is that it is an external activity. For example, if you have a campaign, advertising campaign, or email campaign, these are external activities. Marketing is an internal process of exploring, creating, and delivering value to meet the needs of a target market in terms of goods and services. It’s the strategic work you do, figuring out who your customers are, what their needs are, where they are, and how to communicate with them. Make no mistake, marketing is a leadership function that, when done correctly, will develop the strategies that drive lead generation, conversions, fulfillment, and revenue.

Lisa Perry helps companies build leadership brands, driving loyal customers & delivering profitability. She does this through a process that builds brands consumers love. Her goal is to help companies develop, monetize, and grow their brands.

Dr. Hannah Hartwell, Learning & Development Executive

Learning and training concept

​One common misconception about learning and development is that “everything” can be solved with training; that is, offering training is the only way to solve business problems. It’s empowering for professionals to think training can have such amazing business problem-solving skills. However, training is not always the solution. I would need to ask more about the business problem, including the direct impact, the audience, the resources available, and the desired timeline. Often when I meet with clients and colleagues, we figure out more appropriate solutions—sometimes it’s training but not always.

Dr. Hannah Hartwell is a learning and development executive and change management practitioner with 15+ years of business transformation experience in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, higher education, and professional services industries.

Carla Biasi, Personal Stylist

Personal stylist helps a client pick out some clothes

The biggest misconception is that we shop all day. While we do shop to learn about current trends, merchandising ideas, and services, we study trends and learn how to incorporate them into everyday living. We study color and body type analysis so our customers look and feel their best.

We understand the human psyche and how to work with people of different backgrounds and personalities. Stylists help individuals build confidence and self-esteem. We work with their concerns and create images that propel people forward.

Our financial skills include creating budgets and how to save our customers money.

We are professional and can earn certifications.

Personal stylists can truly wow the executive community.

Carla Biasi is a personal stylist living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She currently has her own business and works part-time at an upscale women’s boutique and as a virtual and kit stylist for a women’s specialty brand.

What’s the biggest misconception about your job? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily’s Executive Program.

Executives Care About 2 Things: Money & Money!

Executives Care About 2 Things: Money & Money!

(NOTE: This message is laced with sarcasm to prove a point. Reader beware and enter at your own risk.)

One of my mentors taught me a very valuable lesson the hard way. He told me I had great ideas, and my sales approach was crap. He even sent me to “Sales Training” to get better at making my point.

I admit I was terrible. I have gotten better over the years and by making mistakes. One good idea after another thrown in the circular file until I learned an invaluable lesson from my mentor.

Executives only care about two things…

#1 – MONEY

And

#2 – MONEY!!!!

Money #1 – How Much Will This Cost Me?

Cost concept

One of the first questions after someone poses an idea to an executive is: “What will this cost?”

Money #1 is about how much outlay of cash, time, or effort this idea will cost me. Is this idea an investment of hundreds of thousands of dollars? Capital? Expense? How long will it take? Who needs to be involved?

Everything in business comes with a cost. If the executive decides to put effort into something, she needs to know what it will cost her. Do I need to change the schedule on another project making it late? Is she hiring someone to complete this project? Does she need to pay overtime? Invest cash? Take out a loan? Everything comes with a price tag.

When presenting your ideas to an executive, make sure you have these details ready at a macro level. Too much detail, you lose their interest. Not enough facts and you will be sent back to the drawing board. What is the right level of detail?

Each executive will have different motivations. See if you can identify them before the conversation and leverage their preferences. Going to a CFO with highly complicated technology will confuse him. Seeking financial support from the Director of Engineering without discussing the details? Good luck. Determine their preference and use it!

Money #2 – What Is The Revenue Or Cost Savings That Comes With This?

Executive/businessman saves money

The second question: “How much can we make off this idea” The corollary question: “What are the savings?”

Money #2 is more about what is in it for me. How much will we profit from this exercise? Will it increase revenue? Can it save me money elsewhere in the business? What do I get from my investment?

If an idea is simply for an idea’s sake, you better have a flawless argument to get approval. Asking for money (#1) without stating what is in it for me (#2) is suicide. If you approached your mother for $100, would you simply get it? Sure, she’s Mom, and she loves you. Dad on the other hand wants a mowed lawn, clean garage, or something in return. (NOTE: This is a stereotype. See warning above.)

Executives need to know their investment will pay off. Some want immediate results, and others may be playing the long game of two to three years out. Either way, for their $100 today, they want something in return in the near future.

How can you save the business? Will the idea drive more revenue and improve cash flow? Is your production line 30% more efficient saving time and labor hours? Can we make and sell more widgets this month?

Approach your executive with some idea of what is in it for them. Show the way your idea can help meet (or exceed) their goals. If you ask for $100K, demonstrate the return of $200K, $300K, $500K, or more for the investment in your project.

Subjects like safety, risk mitigation, and even simply making a product right for the customer may not have hard dollars in return. Focus on cost avoidance when you cannot provide hard cash. Avoiding litigation and the lawyer fees associated to defend your product liability can be worth millions. Saving a person’s life is immeasurable. These costs are indirect, and they are potentially real.

In order to get Money #1 to begin your project, you must show how Money #2 pays itself back. Without it, your idea is nothing more than a dream.

Wrap It Up… This Is Costing Me!

Two businesspeople shake hands after a meeting

I learned this lesson early in my career. As stated, my mentor saw potential in my new ideas. He knew I put a lot of effort into the concept and how it could help the business. I had opportunities to drive real change.

My presentation sucked. I spoke of the technical merits. I showed efficiency gains. I described in detail the plan of implementation. I knew generally what the “cash” costs were in the conversation. I could give him more detail than he needed.

In the end, he asked me what it would cost. I had the cash value of the idea, and I neglected the time and human capital. His second question: “How does this affect the bottom line (the return)?” I did not always have this level of detail.

Business is supposed to be simple. I sell something for a price (Money #2) while making it for a cost (Money #1). When #2 is greater than #1, business is good. If #2 does not exist and you continue to spend #1, your business will not last.

Approaching an executive with these two concepts well prepared will serve you well. In everyday negotiations with my team, I often ask, “How much effort will this take?” and “Why should we do this?” In a way, my mentor is perched on each of my shoulders (like the angel and devil) reminding me of two things…

MONEY and MONEY.

Go forth and sell your ideas better than I have in my past. Use the Money #1 and Money #2 tricks to your advantage. Get your paradigm-changing concepts implemented and improve your world!


3 Benefits Of Outplacement Services

3 Benefits Of Outplacement Services

Sometimes businesses are forced to restructure and cut staff. We’ve seen this during the COVID-19 crisis, but it can happen at any point of time.

While sometimes unavoidable, the decision to layoff employees can be one of the toughest decisions a company has to make. These are never easy conversations to have, but it’s possible to show both commitment and compassion to impacted employees.

“How?” you ask. By providing them with outplacement services.

Providing outplacement services is an essential step that benefits the impacted employee and the business! Here’s why…

1. It Helps Employees Take The Next Step

Getting laid off is a gut punch and one of the first questions an impacted employee asks is, “What do I do now?” As an employer, you can’t answer that question. But one thing you can do is give the employee the resources to help them answer that question.

Outplacement services typically help people with resumes, LinkedIn profiles, cover letters, and job search and networking strategies. These services are particularly beneficial to those impacted employees who have been with the company for a long time. A lot has changed in the job search game, and these employees have a lot of catching up to do.

Nothing is ever guaranteed, but studies have shown that people who receive outplacement services get hired two times faster than those who don’t. Providing these services shows the impacted employees that, even though you are laying them off, you still care about their professional futures.

Being unemployed is tough, but employers can make it easier by helping their former employees get the resources they need to help them move through the stages of career grief faster and get their job search going in the right direction.

2. It Will Help Morale At The Company

A manager holds a serious discussion with employees following a layoff.

When a company goes through layoffs, thoughts are naturally with the impacted employees. However, layoffs impact the entire company.

The workforce just lost trusted colleagues and friends. In addition, some people are about to see their job responsibilities change as a result of the layoffs.

The workforce is shaken, perhaps even scared about their own futures at the company, and some will have survivor’s guilt.

Many of the remaining employees will talk with those who are laid off. If the company showed compassion and offered outplacement services to those impacted employees, this will get communicated to the current workforce.

While it doesn’t make the situation any easier, the fact the company did what it could to help the impacted employees can slightly improve the morale of the remaining workforce.

Another thing the company can do to ease the concerns of its workforce after a layoff is to over-communicate. Be as transparent as possible and give them what information you can about the decision and the future of the company.

In order to rally the remaining workforce and move the company forward, these employees need to know the vital role they play in helping the company achieve its goals. These employees need to feel a part of a team.

All of this plays a huge role in the company keeping the trust and respect of their employees.

3. It Reflects Well On The Company

Company leaders discuss how to move forward following a layoff.

The company’s employer brand and reputation are two things that may get put on the back burner when a business goes through tough financial times. But, eventually, these things will matter again, and the way the company navigates a crisis or restructuring will impact its reputation.

Just because a company lays off employees, doesn’t make it a bad business. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown numerous businesses for a loop, but even in normal conditions, businesses have to make adjustments in staffing based on a number of ever-changing factors.

Ultimately, it’s the way the business handles the layoffs that will impact its reputation.

Employees who feel that they were mistreated or shown a lack of compassion during the layoff process will post a review on job review sites like Glassdoor and Indeed.

Job seekers use these sites to research your company’s employee experience, and negative reviews about employees not being treated well during layoffs could cost the company talent in the future.

Giving outplacement will lessen the odds of a former employee writing a negative review about the company. It may even lead to some positive reviews.

Being able to say you made sure every single person got one-on-one job search coaching will show just how much you care for your employees and will reflect well on the company’s reputation.

How To Get Outplacement Services

Man on laptop works with an outplacement service after getting laid off

Cost has always been a point of contention for companies considering whether or not to use outplacement services. However, over the last few years technology has made outplacement services more efficient—and cheaper.

Many essential outplacement services such as resume reviews, LinkedIn and cover letter advice, and professional networking are now built into virtual platforms that eliminate the need for in-person services.

And the good news is, Work It Daily is one of them!

Learn more about Work It Daily’s outplacement services and give impacted employees a fighting chance to find work faster in this competitive job market.

For pricing inquiries, please contact [email protected].

Corrective Coaching: What It Is & How To Do It

Corrective Coaching: What It Is & How To Do It

Thirty-plus years ago, I was an officer cadet in the Royal Navy. On one occasion, we were lined up on the parade ground and took turns in telling each other off under the supervision of a Royal Marine Drill Instructor.

Confrontation is part of leadership. Most of us are brought up at home to be “nice” and “polite.” We have a problem, as leaders, confronting our staff over poor performance. Nobody wants to be the “bad guy,” so s/he does not know how to handle these discussions. Either s/he gets aggressive, then abuse is exchanged, or s/he avoids confronting the person and the poor performance continues.

Military-style reprimands are not appropriate in civilian life, so what can a civilian leader do?

“Corrective Coaching”

Leader talks to her colleagues during a work meeting

One method is an extension of my “four questions” approach to problem-solving. See “further reading” below for the original article.

The “4 questions” – a recap:

This is my personal twist on the GROW method. GROW is an acronym. This is how the four questions fit into the acronym.

  • “What are you trying to do?” = Goal – This helps your colleague to define what she is trying to achieve. You will probably ask more questions to define the goal in more detail.
  • “What’s stopping you?” = Reality – This builds a bridge between the current reality and achieving the goal. If you want to build a real bridge, you have to know how wide the river is. To solve a problem, you have to understand its size.
  • “What are your options?” = Outcomes – This encourages your colleague to produce as many ideas as possible. Follow-up questions help to assess which are practical.
  • “What is your plan?” = Will – This leads your colleague to make decisions and formulate a concrete plan. These conversations must end with a plan, even if the plan is to do more research.

“PRO-GROW”

Man writes something down while working

How do we adapt the GROW method for “Corrective Coaching”?

We add three stages to the front end. The “PRO” elements set the conversation up.

P = Present: Present your colleague’s poor performance as factually and as unemotionally as possible. Describe actions taken or not taken with dates, times, and other measurable data.

Keep your presentation as unemotional as possible. Your colleague may be feeling defensive. If s/he interprets any language or behavior as emotional or judgmental, s/he will attack.

R = Response: Give your colleague the chance to respond to the issue presented.

Ask your colleague to respond. I would not recommend asking: “What have you got to say for yourself?” This is aggressive, arrogant, and cliched. Try asking: “Would you like to comment?” or “What are your thoughts?” Make your invitation to respond as neutral and non-confrontational as possible.

Now say nothing! Their silence will feel uncomfortable. It will be a lot less comfortable for your colleague. Let the silence do its work. Listen very carefully to what your colleague says and the way s/he says it.

If s/he admits that it is his/her fault, skip the “O” stage shown below. If s/he gets defensive or blames other factors or people, proceed to the next stage.

O = Ownership: Ask a question to get your colleague to take ownership or responsibility for the issue. Here are some examples:

  • How is this going to affect the business/team/company etc.?
  • How do you think your colleagues will feel about this?
  • How would you deal with this situation if you were in my position?

Having asked the question, wait silently for the answer.

When your colleague replies, don’t just consider the words, but also how they are spoken. Does s/he look like s/he means them?

If your colleague continues to be aggressive, then you may need to escalate to higher levels of management.

If s/he does admit responsibility, move on to the following adapted version of the GROW questions.

  • What are you going to do to fix this? = GOAL
  • What’s stopping you from fixing this now? = REALITY
  • What are your options? = OPTIONS
  • What is your plan? = WILL

The first two questions have been slightly adapted to focus on the issue to be solved.

Your colleague may see this as a way to regain your trust and respect. The result should be a plan with a concrete timeline and actions that you can follow up on.

General Principles

Man talks to his colleague at work

Whatever happens, keep control of this conversation. That means:

  1. Your aim is to present the issue and agree on a plan to address it.
  2. You represent your employer or your business. Personal relationships are off the table.
  3. Do not respond to your colleague’s provocations or emotional outbursts. Stay calm and silent.
  4. Control the conversations by asking the questions. Don’t let your colleague lead you astray by answering his/her questions.

The Ball’s In Your Court!

Women talk at work

Confronting people can be quite scary. This is what builds your colleagues’ respect for you as a leader. If you feel like it, contact me in a private message and let me know how you get on!

Further reading…

Here’s the original article on the four questions: 4 Steps To Solving Problems


Test-Teach-Test: A Quick And Effective Way To Plan Training

Test-Teach-Test: A Quick And Effective Way To Plan Training

Introducing new technology is part of a change management process. Change management coordinates technical implementation with awareness raising and training activities to prepare people to use the technology effectively.

Large companies can afford to run full-blown change management projects.

Smaller and medium-sized companies do not have these resources.

They buy the technology and let managers train their staff to use it.

Now you’re the manager. Someone has sat down and shown you the basic workflow. You have to get your team trained by lunchtime. How do you plan it? How do you make sure that your staff are engaged and that the training is successful?

Inputs And Outputs

Woman trains employees a new technology

A good training session requires “inputs” and “outputs.”

“Inputs” are where knowledge is passed from the trainer to the trainee.

“Outputs” are where trainees demonstrate that they have absorbed, understood, and can use this knowledge.

The “outputs” are often more important than the “inputs” because a good training plan is designed to prepare trainees to successfully complete the “outputs,” while the “outputs” demonstrate that trainees have achieved their learning objectives.

Some people might call these “outputs” “tests.”

A good trainer sees this as a test, but not of the trainee, but of him/herself. If trainees fail to complete the “output” activity successfully, then is it the trainees’ or the trainer’s fault?

Why “Test, Teach, Test”?

Manager teaches her employee a new technology

​The “teach” is the “input” while the “test” is the “output.”

The first “test” is where we run the “output” or test before we have trained the trainees.

It might seem like a strange idea, but there are two good reasons for doing this:

  1. To get trainees’ attention. Your trainees may think they know everything because it is a refresher course or because they are very confident teenagers. Give them the completion test first and let them fail. That will show them that they have something to learn.
  2. You may not know your trainees’ level of knowledge. This often happens in business. Training is often hastily organized. Some trainees may need to learn everything from the beginning, while others only need to brush up on their knowledge.

How Should We “Test” Our Trainees?

Man trains his employees a new technology

​This depends on the content, and how much time you have to plan and conduct your training.

If you are training staff to follow a workflow, then the obvious test is to have them follow this workflow on their own computers, or describe it in some way, or answer questions on it.

If you are training staff to follow new rules, then you can present them with cases and get them to explain how the rules apply, or have them answer questions on the rules.

Where we are talking about a “refresher” training session, then the work sample, description exercise or test questions will reflect the new version of knowledge. The test could include a request to describe the main differences between the old version of the workflow/rules and the new one, to ensure that they understand the difference.

How Would I Plan This In Real Life?

Woman leads a training at work

Let’s say that there has been a change to a workflow your team uses on an IT system. The cutover to the new system is next Wednesday.

Your training objective is to train them to follow the updated workflow. Follow the steps below:

  1. Master the workflow yourself and find out both the main route and the likely “diversions.” (e.g., What happens if a customer forgets his membership number?)
  2. Decide how you are going to test how they follow the new workflow. (e.g., They log into the training environment and follow the workflow by role-playing with a colleague.)
  3. Decide how you are going to train them to follow the workflow. (e.g., You will do a step-by-step demo backed up with a step-by-step written description. This “input” session should take no longer than 20 minutes.)
  4. Book the room, test the computers, and conduct the training. Deliver the “test” first, telling them you want to see how much they already know, then “teach” the content, then deliver the “test” again and see how the results have changed.

Over To You!

Professionals attend a business training at work

No doubt you will be providing a “knowledge transfer,” training a new team member, or giving your staff a “refresher” on some new rule or technology “upgrade.” Try using this method to plan your training! Let me know how you get on!

Further reading…

If you’re training your staff to use a computer system, then you might find this article interesting: Explaining How Things Work: How To Do It And Why It Matters

All Successful Leaders MUST Have These 10 Characteristics

All Successful Leaders MUST Have These 10 Characteristics

When we are asked to think of a leader, someone who inspires us to do our best every day, a wide variety of different people come to mind. Maybe someone in your personal life, someone from a television show or movie, or a historical figure whose personality you greatly admire.

While the type of person can vary immensely, more often than not, they will all have a certain set of skills and personality traits that make them a good leader. According to recent surveys, many groups find that a good business leader will often have several or all of these characteristics.

1. Honesty

A good leader will be able to establish an honest connection with their peers. A relationship based on trust and reliability makes the team know that their leader is always there for them, which in turn inspires them to be there for their leader.

2. Ability To Delegate

A great leader showcases her ability to delegate

Each person in a group will be able to bring something different to the table, and a good leader will work with each member’s strengths and weaknesses in order to make sure that the best is being done.

3. Ability To Communicate

A manager displays her ability to communicate effectively

By clearly describing their idea to their team, the leader will be able to create a sense of ease and understanding with their peers. When every member of the team is striving towards a common goal, then there is nothing that cannot be accomplished.

4. Sense Of Humor

Leaders laughing together during a meeting

Negative situations will always arise, but a good business leader will know how to diffuse them and help give their team peace of mind. A stress-free work environment often garners the most results, and sometimes all that is necessary to help push your team forward is a healthy dose of humor in the face of difficulty.

5. Confidence

A good leader speaks with confidence during a meeting

A good leader will show confidence in the face of challenges and will inspire confidence in their team by reminding them that obstacles are just there to be overcome. The confident leader will keep their eye on the goal and will not allow anything to deter him or her, or their team, from success.

6. Commitment

A manager is committed to doing his job right

Some leaders may drive their teams to work hard, while others will constantly be at their sides, giving every task one hundred percent. The latter is the type of leader that can expect to achieve more. Teams work better when they see that the one that they answer to is right by their side, sharing their struggles and triumphs.

7. Positive Attitude

A woman is promoted to manager for her leadership characteristics

Motivation is the key to success, and it can be hard to stay motivated in a negative environment. By keeping your team’s spirits up, you will be able to motivate them to achieve more, and not let them be bothered by minor setbacks.

8. Creativity

A respected leader showcases his creativity

Sometimes a difficult situation will arise that will require you to think outside of the box and help your team do the same. At such crucial movements, a good leader will be able to demonstrate a unique type of creativity that can help their team push through any situation.

9. Ability To Inspire

A manager displays his leadership characteristic of having the ability to inspire others

Inspiration can take many forms, but a capable leader will be able to demonstrate their ability to lead and inspire by motivating their team to share their vision.

10. Intuition

An intuitive manager explains something to his colleagues

Finally, a good leader will have intuition. Sometimes obstacles will arise that nobody will know how to handle, perhaps even you. In such situations, it is important to be confident and make a decision.

No matter what the decision is, if you show that you are giving the problem everything you have got, it will inspire your team to do the same, which can often be all that is needed to help get past the situation.

All successful leaders have these 10 characteristics. If you want to be a great leader, make sure to develop these traits and skills, and you’ll be sure to find your own success!

Need more help with your career?

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Executive Spotlight: How These Leaders Have Changed As A Result Of The Pandemic

Executive Spotlight: How These Leaders Have Changed As A Result Of The Pandemic

The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic spurred change across every industry. Businesses had to change, and so did workers—especially leaders, who also had to facilitate change within their organization. We recently asked our leading executives how they have changed as professionals as a result of the pandemic.

Here are their responses…

Jim Black, Engineering & Technical Executive

Man leads a virtual team meeting

At the beginning of quarantine, I hated working from home. I put in extra hours, I disliked people instant messaging me all day long, and I loathed the isolation. Even me as an introvert. After about 12-16 weeks, my entire demeanor changed. I found my stride. I enjoyed virtual team meetings with my engineering staff. I found ways to keep myself engaged and involved despite my physical location. I worked to be productive despite being alone. I found an interesting fact: I was more productive in this environment.

Since returning to work, I spend the majority of my time in the office. We have a policy where employees can work from home up to two days a week. I cannot every week; however, the weeks where I can work from home now are so enjoyable. I get many tasks accomplished, I remain connected, and I avoid my commute. I actually miss the quarantine occasionally.

Jim Black is an engineering professional focused on the development of technical professionals. He is also a professional bass player.

Kathryn Marshburn, Music Program Manager

Executive looks out the window while working from home

From my recent work at a major music streaming corporation, I have observed changes within the Gen Z and millennial co-working spaces, where there is an openness to talk about mental health and work-life balance issues. These groups approach work differently than generations before them. These two groups work extremely hard and are overachievers; however, they are acutely aware of wellness after the pandemic.

For example, as a program manager, I had the pleasure of managing eight cross-functional teams, and part of my responsibilities included gathering teams to share results. As I looked at each team member’s availability on their calendars, I often saw time blocked off for “Therapy” or “Counseling” and even “Workout Time.” These did not exist pre-pandemic, and I love this shift. Almost a more vulnerable type of communicating is now encouraged by executives, complemented by shifting company priorities, and it has created a more open form of comms exchange. Successful teams are paying attention to their own wellness and taking control of their mental health as a community.

Kathryn Marshburn has spent 12+ years in the music and gaming industries guiding teams on identifying targeted goals with an agile approach resulting in driving revenue and reducing risk.

Lisa Perry, Global Marketing Executive

Woman works from home with her dog

The most significant change I’ve experienced as a marketing executive due to the pandemic is that I feel like I get to have it all. Prior to the pandemic, I spent on average three hours a day in LA traffic driving to and from work. I left for work at 6:30 am and got home at 8:30 pm barely getting any time with my girls and husband. The cost of gas, the wear and tear on my car, the frustration. It takes a toll. A typical day included greeting my team, back-to-back meetings, and lunch with co-workers.

Life post-pandemic is very different. I am home! I see my girls, husband, two labs, and my cat every day. If my girls have questions or need me, I’m there for them. If I need to take my girls or my pets to the doctor, I can do it now. I can manage my work and my family life, no problem. My days are full of Zoom meetings, blurred background with kids and dogs scurrying behind me as I work. I still go into the office two days a month and interact with my co-workers.

Lisa Perry helps companies build leadership brands, driving loyal customers & delivering profitability. She does this through a process that builds brands consumers love. Her goal is to help companies develop, monetize, and grow their brands.

Percy Leon, Digital Media Content Executive

Digital content creator records a video

I’ve always been a professional content creator/filmmaker, but the pandemic has really changed the way I work. I used to be very reliant on in-person interactions with friends and family to help me come up with ideas and film new videos. However, since the pandemic started, I’ve had to get creative with my content. I’ve started using my family and friends as resources for new ideas, and I’ve also started filming new videos by myself. I also started doing a lot of micro-learning on subjects that would help me in my career (video editing for YouTube, TikTok, professional development [Executive Online Presence]). I have also been learning as much about Web3.

This has been a big change for me, but it’s one that I’ve really enjoyed. I’m much happier with my work now, and I feel like I’m more fulfilled as a content creator. The pandemic has definitely changed the way I work, but it’s also made me a better professional.

Percy Leon is a digital media content producer specializing in educational technology and entertainment. He is interested in web3, metaverse, and the use of virtual reality for storytelling.

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