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Dear Coworkers: Step Away From My Cube
Tweet Share on Facebook June 30, 2008 CommentIs it just me, or do offices never seem to have an adequate amount of space for all workers?
I'm not even talking about comfort. I mean literally having enough desks and chairs to go around. People always seem to be shoehorned into a corner near a fridge, or offices are shared when they should be solo. And let's not forget about the shrinking distance between cubicles.
At $100 a square foot in major metropolitan areas, I can almost forgive companies for dehumanizing us into sardines. However, what excuses do their suburban counterparts have? From urban centers to quiet suburbs, I've repeatedly seen this phenomenon, regardless of ZIP code.
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How to Take Criticism Without Getting Defensive
Tweet Share on Facebook June 30, 2008 Comment (7)If your manager takes the time to give you constructive criticism, responding defensively is the worst thing you can do.
I once managed a woman who responded to any constructive criticism by throwing up an impenetrable wall and insisting she knew what she was doing. As her boss, I knew her performance needed work—and her refusal to hear what I was saying made it impossible for her to get the help she needed to improve. I finally asked her one day: "When you picture yourself 10 years from now in your career, you probably picture yourself knowing more than you do now, having more skills, and generally having advanced, right? How do you think that happens if you don't let yourself learn things along the way?" She seemed genuinely shocked.
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10 Ways You'll Erode Trust
Tweet Share on Facebook June 27, 2008 Comment (15)One of the most important characteristics of a truly successful person is the ability to inspire and maintain trust. Many otherwise decent people erode trust by slipping into these habits:
1. Make a commitment to another person and later switch your position without giving that person timely and explicit notice. You may have a good reason for that switch, but that won't matter much if the other person feels betrayed.
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What a Scathing Exit Review Can Do
Tweet Share on Facebook June 26, 2008 Comment (4)I'm in HR, and when I quit my last job voluntarily, I put on the exit questionnaire for reason, 'Dishonest and deceitful practices by executive management,' and for suggestions for management, 'Practice what you preach about equal opportunity and nondiscrimination.' The company's disregard for the job posting policy led to my eventual decision to leave. (This time, it had affected me directly). In short, they were The Bad, Evil HR Organization.
My questions are: Could my blunt and honest responses haunt me in my search for a new job? Does employment blackballing exist? The company doesn't give references other than date of hire and last title, as a matter of policy, but I know good recruiters can get more info if they try, and following policy isn't this HR organization's strong suit.
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Lessons in Networking
Tweet Share on Facebook June 25, 2008 Comment (2)Your career will live and die on the relationships you create. Some relationships will help you get your next job; others will help you complete an important project. We learn early in college that networking is vital—and establishing the relationship can be the hardest part. Soon after we begin our career, we learn the importance of not burning a bridge.
But how often do we think about actively maintaining a relationship? Here are a few key points I've learned that are helpful to maintaining those connections vital to your career:
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How to Manage an Office Full of 20-Somethings
Tweet Share on Facebook June 24, 2008 Comment (28)In my company of nearly 100 employees, 75 percent of them are under 30. Can you imagine?
Not sure where I heard this before, but managing them is like towing your wagon with 100 cats—sure you can do it, but the reins management will kill you.
If managing the under 30 workforce is killing you, here are 10 tips:
1. Be authentic. Be yourself—don't try to be one of them, or someone you are not. They can smell insincerity.
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A Midyear Career Checklist
Tweet Share on Facebook June 23, 2008 Comment (1)I've always been envious of the fact that my wife is a teacher. It's not the summers off or the chance to "make a difference." What has my admiration is the fact that each school year has a beginning, middle, and end. Most professions work in a never-ending cycle without any sort of regimented time frame. That means it's important to create your own time benchmarks and hold yourself accountable to them. With half the year already over and out, I suggest the following midyear checklist:
• Plant seeds for a raise or promotion. Many people wait for the beginning of the year to make their requests. But by then it's too late, as most budgets are prepared months in advance.
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9 Ways to Start Your New Job Right
Tweet Share on Facebook June 23, 2008 Comment (11)How you handle your first few weeks on a job can set the tone for your entire stay at the new company. Here are nine ways to set yourself up right:
1. You might be overwhelmed by all the new information: Don't freak out about it. I have a theory that you can only retain one third to one half of the information that's thrown at you during your first day on a job if the environment is a fast-paced one. This is normal. Eventually it'll all come together.
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Workplace Wisdom Found in Fiction
Tweet Share on Facebook June 20, 2008 Comment (4)You can read the Management-Flavor-of-the-Month bestselling biz books and not pick up the insight found in many works of fiction. (Of course, some of those business books are works of fiction, but that's another essay.) Try these on for size:
Ethics: The Warden by Anthony Trollope. A good man gets trapped in an ethical dilemma.
Ambition: Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. It may be impossible to avoid feeling sympathetic as Brutus is led into betrayal.
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To Be Humble Is Good Except...
Tweet Share on Facebook June 19, 2008 Comment (2)We have been asked to complete, prior to our annual reviews, a questionnaire in which we grade our performance for the prior year and set goals for the future.
Should I be humble and minimize what I really think and feel I do for the company, or should I be honest in my response? I don't want to seem narcissistic, but I can point to many positive and money-saving "wins" that I have accomplished this past year.
