Work Smarter and Harder

The "quote of the day" on my site yesterday was "Nothing will work unless you do". I really like that simple statement from Maya Angelou. Simple, but powerful.

It got me thinking about another quote, "work smarter, not harder". I understand the point behind this one...if you use your brain and harness the power of the tools around you, it can make your life easier.

Do we need our lives easier?

I guess one can take that smarter and harder phrase, take it the way it was probably meant, and do great things.

Here's another question: do we need more productive lives?

In my life, I'm not looking for ways to make things easier; compared to a lot of folks in this country, and definitely around the world, I have an easy life already. What I want is for my hard work to be smartly performed. I want my smart work to be completed in an energetic, focused, diligent way always seeking out opportunities to be more productive. That's a good way for me to live. Smarter AND harder works for me.

What do you think? How do you interpret "smarter, not harder?"

"The Problem's at the Distant End"

This is the answer to the question, "what's the problem with the commo"?

"Commo" is slang for "communication" and the setting is the Army in the 1980s. Back then we used to run wire between positions in the field so soldiers and command posts could talk on antiquated hand-crank telephones (obviously, this was before the age of handheld computer devices -- the wire technology was pretty much from WWII). We also used antiquated FM radios for short-range tactical communications between units in the field.

When the radios broke or the crank phones couldn't talk, one of the soldiers would seek out the signal folks and ask "what's the problem with the commo?" You couldn't say "I don't know" so the obvious answer was "the problem's at the distant end". Of course, that answer was rarely allowed to stand and, if the problem was with a land line, the "wire dogs" would have to head out and figure out what was what.

When we talk about wire communications -- and that's wire hung on poles or in the trees, but more likely laying on the ground -- the first technique for troubleshooting the problem was to go about half way between the two parties, splice into the wire and see which way the commo was good and which way it wasn't. Then, you'd just keep dividing the offending part in half and repeat until the problem was found. This low-tech troubleshooting really does work and it's impartial...even though you say the problem's with the other end, this troubleshooting figures out for sure where the break lies.

How many times, when we're having trouble with personal communication between people, do we think the problem is at the distant end? How many times do we consider our end of the communication and if the problem could be with us?

Your Most Precious Asset...A Good Reputation

Potential Jobs: dozens

Professional Reputation: ONE, only one...and it can be good or bad

It seems like a person's reputation, is almost like a soul. It belongs to them, down deep. Some call it part of a person's identity, the way others see us. We can also think of it as our character, again as others see it.

"Bob is known as a hard worker who always puts others first. He is honest and open. If he says he'll do something, you can take it to the bank."

That's the reputation I want to have and work hard to display. It's how I think I ought to be. Do others see it? I hope so. I try to live up to the values by which I was raised.

How do I keep a good reputation? Be consistent and follow through. Whatever reputation you're trying to uphold, people need to see you exhibit the characterics of the reputation more times than not.

What if I have a poor reputation? As they say, it takes 100 "attaboys" to overcome 1 "aw sh**". So, if you have a poor reputation, you're going to have to work really hard to put it right. People have long memories. It's not impossible to rebuild your reputation, so don't give up if it's damaged. Just be patient and diligent. Do what you say you'll do, be honest and forthright, and be above board with your key stakeholders, letting them know that you want to make things better.

Employee Retention in a Bad Economy

Times are uncertain right now. Businesses are closing. Jobs are not safe. We all know people who have lost employment and it can make our people edgy. Employees are asking, "What's going to happen with my job?" People are looking for reassurance and some level of comfort.

Do we need to worry about employee retention at a time like this? Since there aren't many jobs, is it OK to feel that our people should just watch their butts because there's no place else to go? We're all being asked to do more with less and on top of that we have to get all "touchy-feely" with our employees because they're feeling insecure?

Employee retention is an important issue at ALL times, good economy or bad. Let's face it:

1. There are a lot of average workers in the world. That's why they're called average. If you've got a superstar or even an above-average employee, chances are that potential employers could feel the same way you do.
2. There are jobs out there. Not as many jobs are available as used to be, but jobs are there. If you have talented professionals working for you and their working conditions (security, pay, duties, leadership, etc.) are less than they think is optimal, they can patiently look for something that will be better. Then, they can surprise you one day with a "Sayonara, here's my notice".
3. I guess since other talented people are out of work, it's no big deal to replace a solid, trained performer in these economic times, right? WRONG. Many HR people will tell you that it can cost 30% of a worker's salary to find a suitable replacement. 30%! How many companies have the money to be doing that very often (more than they already are)?
4. Plus, you know all the hassle that goes along with hiring new folks...or combining jobs when your boss tells you that even though your "jumper" left a funded position, you're not going to be allowed to refill the position...things are bad, remember?
5. Don't forget employee morale for those who stayed...you don't want a potential stampede of workers out your doors. What about the whole "team" thing? It just keeps adding up.

Talent retention is a key role of every boss regardless of the economy...bottom line.

Who Loves Ya, Baby?

Really, in your business life, who can you count on to take the absolute best care of you? There should be only one answer: YOU!

I'm not talking about having a dog-eat-dog perspective on your work life where it's just about "me and mine" over the common good. All I'm saying is that -- bottom line -- when you have tough decisions to make that affect you and your life and your family, you are the only work person you can truly count on.

That was a hard lesson for me to learn. My parents raised me to trust others and in my leadership training my Army instructors taught me that my people should be able to trust me and I should be able to trust my bosses. I believed that.

I've had a few (very few) bosses who've betrayed that trust and the rest of my bosses did their best for me. I have always tried to do my absolute best for the people I oversaw.

Still, as much as they work to have an empathetic spirit and walk in their peoples' shoes, the best bosses don't know their teams' personal finances, family dynamics, stresses, etc. Only each individual does.

When it comes down to it, regardless of how much of our lives we put into them...our jobs are still just that...jobs. I only have one family, but I have had several jobs. Even among the military careerists where "it's not a job, it's a way of life" we still used to say, "it's not if you separate from the Service, it's when".

Let's stop at this: Be the best team member and leader you can be...while Taking Care of You.

The Rights of a Leader...Why Be a Boss?

We read and hear and talk about employee rights from time to time. There are patient rights (HIPAA - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), too. Animals have rights. Shoot, I even saw dozens of web pages discussing whether dead people have rights.

Going back to employee rights, there are lots of them, especially in the Western world. Employees have the right to be treated fairly regarding any number of things like:

• Pay
• Hours
• Vacation
• Safety
• Taking care of their families
• Privacy
• Not to be harassed or discriminated against

All of these rights seem fair, don't they?

Well, what about managers or leaders? What rights do they have? Sure, they should have the same rights as any other employees, but do they have any rights that are specific or inherent to them as managers or leaders?

I can’t think of any…and I’ve been trying.

Certainly bosses have some level of power and that power allows them to do things like hire, fire, maybe promote, or discipline. But are these rights or responsibilities?

We’ve heard it said that rank has its privileges. What privileges are they…having nicer offices (they have a door instead of being stuck with the cube rats?), staying in nicer hotels on business trips, eating at fancier restaurants or getting paid more than their employees? Are these rights?

Is it all much ado about nothing? Should my post just go in the trash?

I’m just wondering because it makes me think being a manager or boss sure has a lot more responsibilities than it does perks.

Why are people bosses, then? Is it just for the money? Is it for the power, you know, getting to tell other people what to do? Does it make them feel special? Is it that, as I read in an article, it’s just a further expression of living a service-like life? Is it just better than having other people boss you around (although I’ve never met a boss who didn’t have another boss of his or her own in one way or another)?

Why do you think people choose to be bosses? And what rights do you think bosses have specific to them?

Reality Filters...here, take one

Wait, you already have one. So do I.

Reality filters are the way human beings see themselves and the world around them (you can also call them "points of view"). They are like snowflakes where every one is different from the others even if minutely so. Filters are comprised of many things, like results of:

• Upbringing and influence (manipulation) of others
• Environment
• Significant events in life
• Likes and dislikes

One could argue there are multiple realities, you know, that everyone has his or her own reality (this may be the genesis of the "perception is reality" phrase; I don't know).

The other possibility that I think of is that there is one reality, but none of us see it totally clearly and definitely not the same as anyone else around us. That's because we see reality through our unique filters.

If we look at it from a leadership or teamwork view, filters can be good when we use them to create, like in a project team, because each of us can bring our own perspective to the group. Filters in the form of wisdom can be great as we act as teachers and mentors imparting our perspective on a problem, issue, or challenge.

However, filters can be bad when our views and outlook diminish those around us. Filters can hinder progress when they halt or slow down creativity. Filters can cause us to discriminate. Filters can cause us to think more or less of ourselves than we should and can have the same effect as we look at those we lead, collaborate with, or even work for.

Filters aren't going away. We'll always have them. So, how can we ensure our filters are used only for good? Is it enough that we are aware of them, so we may try to understand how they affect our views and ideas? Can "suspending our assumptions" like I mentioned in my last post help us overcome the negative aspects of our filters?