Surfing Internet at work – is Cyberloafing good or bad?

As it turns out that in balanced propotions it is actualy reviving break.

“Browsing the Internet serves an important restorative function,” say the researchers.

Students who spent 10 minutes surfing the web after completing a tedious task were then 16% more productive than those who had devoted their break to nonweb activities such as talking on the phone, texting, and e-mailing.

In addition, the web surfers subsequently reported higher levels of engagement and lower levels of boredom and mental exhaustion than the other students.

Maybe it would be not as effective as physical activity such as refreshing walk, but on the other hand “Surf Break” are much shorter so we could argue about efficiency of both. Long physical activity which last for longer, or quick snap in short intervals?

Whatever the policy is in your work place, authors of above research (Don J.Q. Chen and Vivien K.G. Lim, of the National University of Singapore) advise managers against blanket prohibitions on personal web use.

As old true is saying, it always brings more benefits to motivate people than try to control and micromanage them..

souce: http://hbr.org/2011/12/theres-no-shame-in-cyberloafing/ar/1

Interview in 3 questions that matter the most

The only three true job interview questions are:

1.  Can you do the job?
2.  Will you love the job?
3.  Can we tolerate working with you?

 

Can You Do the Job? – Strengths

Executive Search firm Heidrick & Struggles CEO, Kevin Kelly explained to me that it’s not just about the technical skills, but also about leadership and interpersonal strengths.  Technical skills help you climb the ladder.  As you get there, managing up, down and across become more important.

You can’t tell by looking at a piece of paper what some of the strengths and weaknesses really are…We ask for specific examples of not only what’s been successful but what they’ve done that hasn’t gone well or a task they they’ve, quite frankly, failed at and how they learned from that experience and what they’d do different in a new scenario.

Not only is it important to look at the technical skill set they have…but also the strengths on what I call the EQ side of the equation in terms of getting along and dealing or interacting with people.

 

Will You Love the Job? -Motivation

Cornerstone International Group CEO, Bill Guy emphasizes the changing nature of motivation,

…younger employees do not wish to get paid merely for working hard—just the reverse: they will work hard because they enjoy their environment and the challenges associated with their work…. Executiveswho embrace this new management style are attracting and retaining better employees

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Can We Tolerate Working With You? – Fit

Continuing on with our conversation, Heidrick’s Kelly went on to explain the importance of cultural fit:

A lot of it is cultural fit and whether they are going to fit well into the organization…  The perception is that when (senior leaders) come into the firm, a totally new environment, they know everything.  And they could do little things such as send emails in a voicemail culture that tend to negatively snowball over time.  Feedback or onboarding is critical.  If you don’t get that feedback, you will get turnover later on.

 

source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/georgebradt/2011/04/27/top-executive-recruiters-agree-there-are-only-three-key-job-interview-questions/

The Biggest Mistake A Leader Can Make

1.    Putting self interest first – Bill George, Professor, Harvard Business School and former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Medtronic

2.    Everything focused on the leader – Scott Snook, , Associate Professor, Harvard Business School and retired Colonel, US Army Corps of Engineer

3.    Becoming too enamored of their own vision – Gianpiero Petriglieri, Affiliate Professor of Organizational Behavior, INSEAD

4.    Acting too fast – Jonathan Doochin, Leadership Institute at Harvard College

5.    Failing to embrace uncertainty – Dr. Ellen Langer, Professor, Harvard University

6.    Arrogance – Carl Sloane, Professor Emeritus, Harvard Business School

7.    Lacking self-reflection – Daisy Wademan Dowling, Executive Director, Leadership Development at Morgan Stanley

8.    Failing to live up to their espoused values – Andrew Pettigrew, Professor, Said Business School, University of Oxford

9.    Being Inauthentic – Scott Snook, Associate Professor, Harvard Business School and retired Colonel, US Army Corps of Engineers

10.    Betraying trust – Evan Wittenberg, Head of Global Leadership Development, Google, Inc.

 

source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/trustedadvisor/2012/01/31/the-biggest-mistake-a-leader-can-make/

Two sides of the same business coin: Blue Ocean Strategy & Six Sigma Strategy

The basic idea behind the Blue Ocean Strategy is that an organization may experience higher growth and increased profits by creating new demand in an uncontested market space instead of trying to compete in a market space that is already overcrowded with competitors.

6 Sigma actually creates an infrastructure within an organization of people who are experts in various 6 Sigma principles. These people are recognized by colored belts, similar to karate.

Different businesses will find each strategy unique Due to its very basic and comprehensible approach.

 

The Best Ways to Praise Your Employees – {watch video}

Things That Motivate Employees More Than Money

1. Be generous with praise. Everyone wants it and it’s one of the easiest things to give. Plus, praise from the CEO goes a lot farther than you might think. Praise every improvement that you see your team members make. Once you’re comfortable delivering praise one-on-one to an employee, try praising them in front of others.

2. Get rid of the managers. Projects without project managers? That doesn’t seem right! Try it. Removing the project lead or supervisor and empowering your staff to work together as a team rather then everyone reporting to one individual can do wonders. Think about it. What’s worse than letting your supervisor down? Letting your team down! Allowing people to work together as a team, on an equal level with their co-workers, will often produce better projects faster. People will come in early, stay late, and devote more of their energy to solving problems.

3. Make your ideas theirs. People hate being told what to do. Instead of telling people what you want done; ask them in a way that will make them feel like they came up with the idea. “I’d like you to do it this way” turns into “Do you think it’s a good idea if we do it this way?”

4. Never criticize or correct. No one, and I mean no one, wants to hear that they did something wrong. If you’re looking for a de-motivator, this is it. Try an indirect approach to get people to improve, learn from their mistakes, and fix them. Ask, “Was that the best way to approach the problem? Why not? Have any ideas on what you could have done differently?” Then you’re having a conversation and talking through solutions, not pointing a finger.

5. Make everyone a leader. Highlight your top performers’ strengths and let them know that because of their excellence, you want them to be the example for others. You’ll set the bar high and they’ll be motivated to live up to their reputation as a leader.

6. Take an employee to lunch once a week. Surprise them. Don’t make an announcement that you’re establishing a new policy. Literally walk up to one of your employees, and invite them to lunch with you. It’s an easy way to remind them that you notice and appreciate their work.

7. Give recognition and small rewards. These two things come in many forms: Give a shout out to someone in a company meeting for what she has accomplished. Run contests or internal games and keep track of the results on a whiteboard that everyone can see. Tangible awards that don’t break the bank can work too. Try things like dinner, trophies, spa services, and plaques.

8. Throw company parties. Doing things as a group can go a long way. Have a company picnic. Organize birthday parties. Hold a happy hour. Don’t just wait until the holidays to do a company activity; organize events throughout the year to remind your staff that you’re all in it together.

9. Share the rewards—and the pain. When your company does well, celebrate. This is the best time to let everyone know that you’re thankful for their hard work. Go out of your way to show how far you will go when people help your company succeed. If there are disappointments, share those too. If you expect high performance, your team deserves to know where the company stands. Be honest and transparent.

How to build customer loyalty

1. Have a sales philosophy that emphasizes relationship building.

2. Define a unique niche and become the customer’s expert on it.

3. Help the customer build the customer’s own business.

4. Translate what you offer into the customer’s business results.

5. Value the relationship more than making your quota.

6. Think end-of-time friendships, not end-of-month totals.

7. Achieve a perfect job of delivering what you’ve promised.

8. Provide absolutely impeccable service after the sale.

source: http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/8-ways-to-build-customer-loyalty.html

Why Appreciation Matters So Much {secrets to motivate people}

The single highest driver of engagement, according to a worldwide study conducted by Towers Watson, is whether or not workers feel their managers are genuinely interested in their wellbeing.

Feeling genuinely appreciated lifts people up. At the most basic level, it makes us feel safe, which is what frees us to do our best work. It’s also energizing. When our value feels at risk, as it so often does, that worry becomes preoccupying, which drains and diverts our energy from creating value.

1. As the Hippocratic oath prescribes to physicians, “Above all else, do no harm.” Or perhaps more accurately, do less harm, since it’s unrealistic to do none. The costs of devaluing others are so great that we need to spend far more time thinking than we do now about how to hold people’s value, even in situations where they’ve fallen short and our goal is get them to change their behavior for the better.

2. Practice appreciation by starting with yourself. If you have difficulty openly appreciating others, it’s likely you also find it difficult to appreciate yourself. Take a few moments at the end of the day to ask yourself this simple question: “What can I rightly feel proud of today?” If you are committed to constant self-improvement, you can also ask yourself, “What could I do better tomorrow?” Both questions hold your value.

3. Make it a priority to notice what others are doing right. The more you work at it, the better you’ll get at it, and the more natural it will become for you. For example, start by thinking about what positive qualities, behaviors and contributions you currently take for granted among the members of your team. Then ask yourself, what is it that each of them uniquely brings to the table?

4. Be appreciative. The more specific you can be about what you value — and the more you notice what’s most meaningful to that person — the more positive your impact on that person is likely to be. A handwritten note makes a bigger impression than an email or a passing comment, but better any one of them than nothing at all.

source: http://blogs.hbr.org/schwartz/2012/01/why-appreciation-matters-so-mu.html

Productivity Paradox – how get more by demanding less

Solution:

Energy management trainin implemented by Sony Pictures seems to be giving great results in this area.

- establish rituals-such as shutting down your e-mail for a couple of hours a day so you can focus on priorities

- taking a daily 3 p.m. walk to get a breather-that renew your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energy

- change of behavioral to set a tone where people feel safe taking time out of the day on a regular basis

Results:

- 88% of participants say it has made them more focused and productive.

- 90% say it has helped them bring more energy to work every day.

- 84% say they feel better able to manage their jobs’ demands and are more engaged at work.

Problem:

- crisis in employee engagement

- pressure companies are putting on employees to produce

- workers are trying to get more done in less time-and are burning out

- workers energy is not finite; people can increase their reserves of personal energy.

source: http://hbr.org/product/baynote/an/R1006C-PDF-ENG?referral=00505

 

 

If You’re An Average Worker, You’re Going Straight To The Bottom.

The way we do business is changing fast and in order to keep up, your entire mentality about work has to change just as quickly.

Unfortunately, most people aren’t adapting fast enough to this change in the workplace, says marketing guru Seth Godin in an interview with the Canadian talk show “George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight” (via Pragmatic Capitalism).

According to the founder of Squidoo.com and author of 13 books, the current “recession is a forever recession” because it’s the end of the industrial age, which also means the end of the average worker.

“For 80 years, you got a job, you did what you were told and you retired,” says the former vice president of direct marketing at Yahoo! People are raised on this idea that if they pay their taxes and do what they’re told, there’s some kind of safety net, or pension plan that’s waiting for them. But the days when people were able to get above average pay for average work are over.

If you’re the average person out there doing average work, there’s going to be someone else out there doing the exact same thing as you, but cheaper. Now that the industrial economy is over, you should forget about doing things just because it’s assigned to you, or “never mind the race to the top, you’ll be racing to the bottom.”

However, if you’re different somehow and have made yourself unique, people will find you and pay you more, Godin says.

Instead of waiting around for someone to tell you that you matter, take your career into your own hands. In other words, don’t wait for someone else to pick you and pick yourself! If you have a book, you don’t need a publisher to approve you, you can publish it yourself. It’s no longer about waiting for some big corporation to choose you. We’ve arrived at an age where you choose yourself.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/if-youre-an-average-worker-in-this-forever-recession-youre-going-straight-to-the-bottom-2012-1?utm_source=twbutton&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=warroom#ixzz1kUKnXsaC