Word-Of-the-Week #621: Understanding
June 29, 2016 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #621: Understanding
WOW Word-Of-the-Week #621
Understanding – having knowledge and awareness.
Have you ever thought you had understanding of something only to find out you really didn’t? How is your understanding of the generations younger than you? Do you have a lot of long term staff or does there seem to be a lot of turnover?
The Washington Post featured “MISUNDERSTANDING MILLENIALS. Generation looks for purpose, progress more than fun.”
“Working millennials ask a lot of their employers, but game rooms and rock walls are low on the list. In fact, baby boomers more than millennials seek out jobs that are fun and encourage creativity, according to a new Gallup report that identifies what employers get right, and wrong, about millennials in the workforce.
What that rising generation seeks is actually pretty simple: Millennials – those Americans born between 1980 and 1996 – just want to know where they stand and where they’re going.
“They want a workplace that helps them progress, but they also want to see their own value,” said Jim Harter, chief scientist for workplace management and well-being for Gallup’s workplace management practice.
The report – the results of surveys of tens of thousands of Americans – lays out six broad changes that organizations can make to attract and keep what is now the dominant generation in the US workforce.
- The first is a shift in focus from paycheck to purpose. When professional and personal lives were more cleanly separate, a paycheck was enough. But because of the erosion of the wall between work and play, millennials also expect to derive a sense of purpose from their jobs. Work is life.
- Job satisfaction still matters, but millennials are increasingly concerned with their development; they want to see their careers progressing. As a result, bosses should act like coaches, and rare, formal reviews should be replaced with ongoing conversations.
- “Giving out toys and entitlements is a leadership mistake, and worse, it’s condescending,” Gallup Chairman and chief executive Jim Clifton writes in the report. “Purpose and development drive this generation.”
- Employers should take note, especially because millennials are a particularly flighty generation. About 60% report being open to a new job opportunity – a full 15 percentage points higher than non-millennial workers. More than a third – 36% – said they will actively look for new work if the job market improves in the year ahead, compared with just 21% of non-millennials.
- But don’t mistake that flightiness for a lack of commitment. Millennials are just dissatisfied: 55% report feeling unengaged at work, five points higher than Gen Xers, seven points above boomers and 14 points more than traditionalists.
- “Many millennials likely don’t want to switch jobs, but their companies are not giving them compelling reasons to stay,” Gallup reports. “When they see what appears to be a better opportunity, they have every incentive to take it.” When they’re looking for new work, millennials want to see signs that bode well for their career developments. The top five things they consider, according to Gallup, are: opportunities to learn and grow, quality of their manager, quality of management in general, interest in the type of work and opportunities for advancement.”
This week’s focus is on understanding. Do you feel your staff or co-workers are committed to the organization? Do you work in an environment that allows for everyone to learn and grow? Is there opportunity for career advancement?
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Word-Of-the-Week #620: Worth
June 23, 2016 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #620: Worth
Worth – what is good or important enough for you to justify having.
How often do you feel a need to justify your wants? Have you ever questioned whether something was really worth it? Is utility or enjoyment more important than the cost?
I really like Carl Richards AKA the Sketch Guy from the New York Times and his article, “Is It Worth It? A Question Only You Can Answer” really hit home for me as I am in the market for a new car.
He writes, “In life, there are certain things we must have. Think food, water and shelter. Nobody will ask, ‘Is it worth it to eat?’
But deciding what to eat? That’s a different question. Will I eat the bologna or prosciutto? Drink tap water or bottled? And anything discretionary invariably deals with a question we ask ourselves all the time: “Is it worth it?”
Adam Ketcheson, the vice president for marketing at Arc’teryx, a manufacturer of high-quality outdoor equipment, was heli-skiing in British Columbia with a group of executives. When they learned he worked at Arc’teryx one said, “Man, I love your gear, but is it really better than all the other brands?”
The answer was: “Yes. Of course. One hundred percent yes.”
But the next question the skier asked was:”But is it worth it?”
This is a question Mr. Ketcheson gets a lot, and his answer is always the same. “I don’t know. The question is, is it worth it to you?”
Alas, there is no objective answer to that question. Mr. Ketcheson can say an Arc’teryx rain shell is better because it out performs others in testing. But whether it is worth it to you has no definitive answer.
I have three criteria that seem to help in identifying whether something is worth it: utility, enjoyment and cost.
Utility: Last year, I wrote about a $5000 road bike I bought. The purchase seemed crazy, but it was worth it because of how much use I got out of it.
Enjoyment: If you do not enjoy something, it’s not going to be worth it. If the choice is between a cheap can of sardines or some wild-caught Alaskan salmon, regardless of the price, if you don’t eat it, neither one was worth it.
Cost: It’s not always the most expensive stuff that’s worth it. It could just be the stuff that you have found incredibly valuable. For example, I have this ice cream scooper that I absolutely love. It cost me under $10. I’ve had it for years, and every time I take it out I get this big smile on my face because it cost me so little and it feels like a steal.
In the end, however, your answer is the only one that will count.”
This week’s focus is on worth. Do you tend to be impulsive? Are you easily influenced by what others think? How would it feel to evaluate the worth of something before you commit?
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Word-Of-the-Week #619: Enhance
June 16, 2016 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #619: Enhance
Enhance – to raise to a higher degree.
How strong are your communication skills, both oral and written? How comfortable are you at making presentations? Could you be a better listener?
This is the follow up to last week’s LA Times article written by Career Coach Joyce E.A. Russell, “Communication skills a must–have.”
To recap: “You have to be clear and concise and get to the point quickly or you will lose your audience. When speaking, you have to have a good strong voice and moderate your voice tone to keep listeners’ attention. Practice with friends and listen to their feedback if they tell you that your oral communication skills need work. Have them listen to you on the phone or Skype to let you know how clearly you come across because these are often tools used for hiring.”
The article continues by saying, “Writing skills are also important. Too often, students lack writing skills or are not given help to improve. They get feedback on the content of their papers, but not on the actual writing itself. Very few people get training on how to compose and respond to emails, and it’s clear that the messages are teeming with problems (such as using all caps, ignoring proper grammar and spelling, and lack of professionalism).
If you find out you need to enhance your communication skills, get the help you need right away. Take a course to correct your writing skills and join Toastmaster or Dale Carnegie clubs to improve your speaking. Or try taking an improve class.
If you are already employed, see if your company offers some training in these areas. Ask someone who has strong communication skills to mentor you.
Take a sales or negotiation course – those often will provide great opportunities to practice your persuasion and influence skills. Watch TED talks to get tips for how to make a presentation.
All of us can keep practicing and improving our communication skills – whether it’s writing, presenting, listening or simply conversing with another person
This week’s focus is on how to enhance your skills. Do you edit your writing to make sure you are using proper grammar and spelling before sending? Have you ever joined Toastmasters or Dale Carnegie to improve your speaking? How much time do you spend on continuing education each month?
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Word-Of-the-Week #618: Skills
June 9, 2016 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #618: Skills
Skills – developed talents or abilities.
How effective are your communication skills? Do you have a good strong voice? Do you moderate your voice tone to keep your listeners’ attention?
This week comes from the LA Times article written by Career Coach Joyce E.A. Russell, “Communication skills a must–have.”
“Arne Sorenson, president and chief executive of Marriott International, recently shared his views on leadership, his company and what employers are looking for in their new hires at an event at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. In the discussion, he mentioned that one of the most important things employers look for in job applicants is something that has always been core: strong communication skills, both oral and writing.”
“If you’re a master at running a spreadsheet or a financial model, but really don’t have the ability to understand the assumptions that are in it or debate the assumptions in it then you’re not going to go as far as you could go otherwise,” Sorenson said.
“He said communication skills are fundamental in reaching an audience, influencing them and sharing your message. Having analytical skills are important too, but you still have to be able to articulate in a clear and concise manner. These skills have remained important over time for all workers, and he doesn’t think that will change any time soon.
Skills, Knowledge, Abilities
One of the most crucial communication skills is listening. You have to focus (eye contact, head nodding, asking questions) to really understand what other people have to say. Some people don’t know how to actually look at other people and give them their undivided attention, yet eye contact and demonstrating that you are truly paying attention to another person is pivotal to helping him or her feel heard. If you are fiddling with your phone, communication will break down.
When speaking, you have to have a good strong voice and moderate your voice tone to keep listeners’ attention. Sorenson emphasized that his experience as a trial lawyer probably helped him develop his strong speaking skills. You have to be clear and concise and get to the point quickly or you will lose your audience.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “Be sincere, be brief, be seated.”
Practice with friends and listen to their feedback if they tell you that your oral communication skills need work. Have them listen to you on the phone or Skype to let you know how clearly you come across because these are often tools used for hiring.”
This week’s focus is on your communication skills. Are you able to articulate in a clear and concise manner? How effective are you in influencing others? When looking at another person do you give them your undivided attention? Stay tuned….more to come next week!
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Word-Of-the-Week #617: Buoyancy
June 2, 2016 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #617: Buoyancy
Bouyancy – the ability to recover quickly from setbacks.
How easily do you recover from setbacks? Are you able to “stay afloat” knowing that not all areas of your life are bleak? Do you go to sleep worrying about all the things you messed up during the day?
This week contains the final excerpts from the LA Times article written by Jessica Roy, “Sandberg to Berkeley grads: Stay resilient” Facebook executive shares life lessons after husband’s death. To recap “Sheryl Sandberg said her own resilience after her husband’s death came from the “three Ps,” as identified by psychologist Martin Seligman. Personalization “is the lesson that not everything that happens to us happens because of us” and Pervasiveness is “the belief that an event will affect all areas of your life”.
The article continues with, “Permanence is “the belief that the sorrow will last forever.”
“For months, no matter what I did, it felt like the crushing grief would always be there. But it wasn’t true,” she said. Her rabbi encouraged her to “lean into the suck” of feeling bad – “good advice, but not really what I meant by ‘lean in’,” she joked. Accept your feelings, but know they won’t last forever.
Toward the end of her speech, Sandberg talked about the times earlier in her life when she wished she’d known about the three Ps: When she thought she’d get fired from her first job because she didn’t know how to use the spreadsheet software on the first day. When boyfriends broke up with her and she blamed herself. When her first marriage ended in divorce.
“The three Ps are common emotional reactions to so many things that happen to us – in our careers, our personal lives and our relationships. You’re probably feeling one of them right now about something in your life. But if you can recognize you are falling into these traps, you can catch yourself. Just as our bodies have a physiological immune system, our brains have a psychological immune system – and there are steps you can take to help kick it into gear,” she said.
The speech came to an end with a reminder to be grateful. She said she learned to truly appreciate her children, her friends and her family after her husband’s death.
“I have a huge reservoir of sadness that is with me always – right here where I can touch it. I never knew I could cry so often – or so much. But I am also aware that I am walking without pain. For the first time, I am grateful for each breath in and out – grateful for the gift of life itself. I used to celebrate my birthday every five years and friends’ birthdays sometimes. Now I celebrate always. I used to go sleep worrying about all the things I messed up that day – and trust me, that list was often quite long. Now I try really hard to focus on each day’s moments of joy.”
Finally, she told the audience, “Appreciate your own capacity for resilience when you’re sad or disappointed. You are not born with a fixed amount of it. Like a muscle, you can build it up, draw on it when you need it. In that process you will figure out who you really are – and you just might become the very best version of yourself.”
This week’s focus is on buoyancy. Can you picture yourself recovering quickly from any setbacks? Can you accept that a setback won’t last forever? How would it feel to figure out who you really are and become the very best version of yourself?
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