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POLITICS AND SUCCESS IN THE WORKPLACE

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

Over the years many of my trainees have complained that politics in their organizations plays a greater role in career success than competence to do the job. Well that may or may not be the reality however when humans gather politics will always be an important part of the equation and our personal success and even our existence will depend on our political abilities.

As Plato puts it: “One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”

Research shows that successful managers (those promoted) spend almost half of their work time networking while effective (do a ‘good’ job) managers spend only about 10%. When we add in time spent communicating, successful managers spend a little over three quarters of their time in what we may call “human relations activities” while effective managers spend a little over half of their time. This means to be successful only about 25% of time is spent doing ‘the real work’.

With out doubt as managers our role is to get things done through other people, so whether we seek success or effectiveness we must become human relations’ experts and I suggest, be our own best ‘spin doctors’. Wherever people are together politics will always play a part in group relations and in the interactions between individuals as each member attempts to satisfy their own needs and wants. We are all selfish after all.

So if we must all engage in the politics at our workplace how do we become more astute at the game?

Firstly we must publicize our successes. Learning how to ‘show off’ without appearing to do so can be a great asset. Try this… next time you have a win smile, whistle and dance around, show some enthusiasm… people will want to know why you are so happy and elated… well I’ve had a great day… I won this deal or I’ve cracked this problem or whatever, tell your story, (but don’t rave on, short is sweet).

POLITICS, IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT, OR CAN’T HANDLE IT… BEST BECOME SELF-EMPLOYED!

Secondly, look like a winner. View those around you that are at the top of your organisation and learn from their style. Don’t hang around with the ‘grumble group’, find out whether your company culture appreciates risk takers or avoiders, rule followers or breakers and live within these constraints. Learn the difference between form and substance, how something looks is often more important than how things really are. This even applies to dress and presentation. If the top wears dark blue suits, white shirts, red ties and clean-shaven faces you do the same. But I’ve always had a beard, my wife likes it… go work for your wife then.

Thirdly, why not make yourself indispensable. No one can do that you might say, however back to form and substance… you can appear to be. If the management believe that you can provide a service that is hard to replace you will gain a great political advantage. Example, if you have a strong relationship with a key customer’s senior personnel spend time to keep them more than just satisfied. If you are in close contact with, regulatory or government departments such as customs, tax, labour or industry, look after your contact (bearing in mind the ethics of your company). Again, if you are an astute computer operator in the IT department, fix the senior exec’s problems yourself, don’t delegate. Senior executives are too busy with the big picture to be experts in each field of the companies operation. So, pick a critical area that you have a reasonable level of competence in and make yourself the helpful expert in that field. Provide information on developments in your area and get the information to those that control your future… the bosses.

“I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT POLITICS ARE TOO SERIOUS A MATTER TO BE LEFT TO THE POLITICIANS” – CHARLES DeGAULLE

Politics, you won’t hate it as much if you become better at ‘the game’!

Powerful allies are important for political success. Bosses are formal leaders however all organisations have informal leaders that can come from any level of the company. Don’t ignore the informal networks in your organisation and make yourself valuable or at least a neutral when dealing with such groups and never place yourself in open conflict. Remember sometimes ‘it is better to say nothing and appear a fool than to open your mouth and leave no doubt’. Similarly avoid the fringe members or powerless individuals in your organisation. In one company I worked for they where known as ‘the lemons’, they always liked ‘the way it was in the good old days’ and proffered opinions on why everything the company is doing now won’t work. This group loves an audience, will give advice and will make friends easily. They will also laugh inwardly as they recruit another to their misery. Keep away at all costs.

Power is linked to control of resources so effort must be placed into gaining as much resource control as possible. Even secretaries know the value of the key to the stationary cupboard or how devastating they can be by holding a memo back for 24 hours. Successful politics and power are inextricably linked so if you see a chance to control any company resource (crucial contacts, physical assets, expert knowledge etc) you must take charge.

“TURN ON TO POLITICS, OR POLITICS WILL TURN ON YOU” – Ralph Nader

A final few thoughts on how we can become more successful in the critical success area of… politics.

Bosses can be a pain in the butt however in reality our relationship with ‘the company’ is no more than a reflection of our relationship with our boss (and perhaps his or her boss). When people think of working in a company in terms of ‘good’ or ‘bad’, they are trying to credit the company with possessing a ‘soul’, which it does not (and never will) have. Trying to humanise a company is dangerous and in fact borders on stupid. How we fit in our company is purely a reflection of the association we enjoy (or otherwise) with our immediate ‘superiors’. Obviously then we need to be politically astute in dealing with the boss which means we must make them look good every chance we get. To flourish we must give the bosses our full support and if they are under attack from others, always take their side. If you are seen as disloyal to your current boss you will be perceived as disloyal to all others, including those you may work for in the future. Remember bosses come and bosses go, learn from the bad and enjoy the good.

Lastly, selling rather than telling is always the preferable option. If you need engage in arguments develop the skill to remove the perception of personal desire from the conflict (even though they will always be a factor). The ‘trick’ is to frame all arguments in terms of the company’s interests rather than our own. Stick to supportable facts, use your company knowledge to negotiate win-wins and never allow yourself to be seen as placing your self-interest above that of the company… even if you are. Failing in this area will lead to your ultimate demise. Lastly, always control you emotions and think with head rather than your heart.

POLITICS: THE THINKING PERSONS SPORT!

*Link for direct page viewers return to main career success blog to check out other posts!

If you are losing the political battle at work and it is time to go to a new employer take a look at the free blank resume form as you will need it if you want to enter a new political arena!

Twelve quick tips for improving your political astuteness

Don’t publicly complain about your boss or colleagues to your co-workers or to other company divisions or departments.

Remain neutral or detached from disputes between others

Don’t become part of the “rumor mill, what you hear about others from others should stay with you alone

When others complain about a boss or co-worker, don’t further inflame the situation by adding another layer of opinion

Don’t ridicule or scoff at others particularly if they are experiencing some misfortune

Question authority or policy decisions only directly to the authority or policy makers and definitely not to or through third parties… and do it with tact and diplomacy

Remember the old communication problem that what you say may not be what the other person hears and what you hear may not be what the other person means so seek clarification and ensure true understanding of the message

When you need to make a complaint or discuss a difficult situation, focus on the situation and facts and keep the resolution of the difficulty as your goal… separate the problem from the people or personalities

Don’t speculate to others on areas you know little or nothing about

Don’t claim credit for others successes nor belittle others successes

Avoid speaking when you are emotional or disturbed by a situation, go away calm down analyze the facts and when presenting the matter or reason for your of your discontent be calm factual and brief

Avoid, groaning, moaning, whining or being a “winger”, if you don’t like something come up with an alternative and suggest it to your workmates, team and/or boss

Posted in career advice, career survival, employment, human relations, life skills, politics at work, self preservation, success, workplace politics | No Comments »

A career lesson from Thomas Robert Malthus, Malthusian Law

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

One of the few things I consciously remember from my “school days learning” is a ‘law’ pertaining to human existence.

If my memory serves me well Malthusian Law went something like this:

‘The world will never be overpopulated as population growth is limited by war, pestilence, famine and natural disasters.’

From a personal or individual perspective this means that if you are to survive you need to protect yourself from all these natural forces by astutely being somewhere where these occurrences are not likely to happen.

Now for many this is not possible, however if you are by chance lucky enough to have some control over your existence you should consider these factors carefully.

From a work-life point of view lets see what you can do to give yourself the best chance of surviving or even thriving.

WAR: Often times in your career you will come across a war at work. Interdepartmental rivalries, battles for limited resources, personality clashes and straightforward power struggles. It is human nature for us in conflict situations to seek allies or to be sought out as supporters for one side of an argument or another. Can I suggest if you are put in a situation where you are being recruited on a position, where others are in conflict, at all costs stay out of the fray and remain neutral. Keep away from the combatants and focus on your own job role and performance.

PESTILENCE: The major disease I have witnessed in organizations is that of “poor cultural attitudes”. Every organization has cultural norms that have grown over time based on the personalities within the company and or the legacy that others have left. Often the cultural norms of a company can limit or even destroy its competitiveness in ever changing markets. Our fear of change, reliance on how things have been done in the past, power groups with vested interests in maintaining the status quo and being blinded victims of our own past successes can all create very sick organizations. If you find yourself in a company that is maintaining traditions that are out of step with current market realities don’t hang around, go out and find a more healthy place to work.

FAMINE: Old style companies, working in ever shrinking markets, trying to survive on outmoded products or services will over time starve to death and if you stay on working for one of them you may well suffer the same fate. I have had personal experience with this when in Australia the government deregulated the banking industry and finance companies as a result were starved of funds and business opportunities. I hung on for a few years however those that updated their skill set and changed industries early did best over the years that ensued. There are virtually no ‘real’ finance companies left in Australia today. Much of America’s traditional manufacturing is of course suffering, or has already suffered, the same fate.

*Link for direct page viewers return to main career success blog to check out other posts!

By the way if any of the Malthusian issues are currently impacting on your career you may like to take a look at the free blank resume form and take the law into your own hands by using the document to move on to less dangerous places of existence!

Finally…

NATURAL DISASTERS: Perhaps one of the greatest natural disasters that can befall  most of us from a work perspective is a takeover or merger. In this type of scenario there will be all sorts of misinformation, false promises and spin floating around and you will have two choices, stay and be part of the rescue process to rebuild the new radically changed organization or head out on the first evacuation flight you can get. In the merger I was involved in I chose the former however after two years, even though I had a more senior and better paid position, I didn’t like the culture and business practices of the new organization and resigned. Some of my former colleagues from day one of the merger process resisted the change and were offered a handsome golden handshake. In retrospect I should have taken the same approach. Now you might find this to be counter intuitive however when you are part of a takeover/merger you should consider your future and your options very carefully and remember no matter how smart you are no one is indispensable. I guess if you can maneuver yourself into a position of getting enough money to live and study enough to gain new and more sought after skills in a new company, or perhaps even different career, you may well be better off over time.

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Posted in career advice, career change, career survival, change management, changing careers, coping with change, humanity, leading change, life skills, self preservation, success | 1 Comment »

Not Messing Up a Job Interview

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

Some undesirable behaviors and crazy complaints that will destroy a job applicant’s chances to being offered the job,

1.   Saying something like “wow it took me two and a half hours to get here.”
2.   “I had a problem finding your business premises.”
3.   “Of course I’ll take the job.  How much does it pay?”
4.   Answering a cell phone during an interview.
5.   Placing your hands behind your head during an interview.
6.   Folding your arms during an interview.
7.   Turning up in dirty shoes or an un-ironed shirt.
8.   Getting too “familiar” during the interview is a no no.
9.   Getting carried away with detailing every magnificent moment in your previous work.
10. Not rehearsing how to explain a personal area of weakness and being able to sell what you are doing about it.

According to BNET hiring managers say the most common and detrimental mistakes candidates have made during an interview are:

51 percent; dressing inappropriately
49 percent; speaking negatively about a current or previous employer
48 percent; appearing disinterested ranked
44 percent; appearing arrogant
30 percent; not providing specific answers
29 percent; not asking good questions

Having interviewed many individuals I would like to add, deferring interview appointments, being late, smelling badly of body odor and a wet or limp handshake. When you are going for and interview leave time to have a quick freshen up in the company’s bathroom so you can look fresh and ready. It is also best if your stand while you wait rather than lounging in reception. A polite smile when you are greeted can’t hurt either. Oh yes… please… no perfume or aftershave.

**Link for direct page viewers return to main career success blog to check out other posts!

While you’re here take a look at the free blank resume form!

Finally… a resume may get you the interview however many times I have said and will say it again here… you must research the company you are applying to and at least have a rudimentary knowledge about what they do when you get to the job interview otherwise it is likely you will mess it up.

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Posted in blank resume, career advice, curriculum vitae, employment, job interviews, job search, job seekers, life skills, resume form, success | 1 Comment »

Factors affecting communication and communication’s pivotal point!

Friday, December 18th, 2009

A pretty standard list of communication barriers usually includes such items as:

• unclear or incomplete messages
• jargon or words with multiple interpretations
• disabilities and other impediments
• age, gender or sexual orientation
• relative status or respect for the sender
• lack of empathy or concern
• stereotyping or prejudice
• conditions or distance
• lack of time or other pressing priorities
• poor spelling inaccurate sentence structure
• personality traits and levels of EQ

What I believe is the the major cause of communication breakdown is our poor listening skills. Lets face it most of us are eager to answer or comment on a message and are often busy preparing our response to the first part of a message even before the sender finishes transmitting. This propensity we all seem to have is a result of our natural and evolved need to quickly assess our situation (fight or flight response) and also the brains ability to fill in the missing bits to make orderly sense of our environment.

Now to over come this central barrier is no easy task and it will take constant and conscious practice to achieve this feat. Recent studies show that the brain’s plasticity means that strong neural networks are built up over time and that they basically hijack how we behave even before we become consciously aware of how we are reacting to a particular situation. If for example you have a very talkative friend who has bored you senseless in the past there is a fair chance that not much more than an automatic yeah yeah will be going on in your head.

So how do you teach yourself to listen and absorb (even to people you may have found boring in the past) what may be very useful information. Well some tell me I am a fairly abrupt person and perhaps one of the reasons is that I either tell or sell the other party on how to speak to me so I can listen more effectively. For example I have one friend that I just say to “you talk to much, slow down take a break and let me think about what you have said”. If the person jumps in again I just talk over them until I have finished my point.

Now what I have suggested above is considered as pretty rude however my friend is being trained on how I need to be treated if he wants to communicate with me. I may lose a friend however what value is a friend who prattles on in your ear at every opportunity and just wants to dominate every situation.

Obviously this technique wont work with say your boss however the principle is correct. You can train bosses to give you information in lumps you can digest and at a speed you are comfortable with. The two best methods for doing this are asking questions which shows interest, slows down the prattle, gives direction and helps you build the information you need from the conversation. Remember the person who asks the questions controls the conversation.

The second great technique is to summarize what the other person says. This also shows you are listening (and forces you to do so), builds empathy and helps you control the rate at which the sender is transmitting information. A great way to do this is to say “just to confirm that I have got you meaning can I just summarize your points so far”.

The other point is to resist the temptation or habit of preempting what the other person is saying and being patient enough until they finish speaking to ensure you are getting the whole message. Stop just hearing, plotting a response and blabbing out some verbal garbage. If you practice waiting you will develop a different neural network pattern that will assist you in becoming a better communicator.

So if you want to improve your listening skills and hence your communication skills next time you’re in a conversation say to yourself… “wait – focus – summarize – question”. It is also as you are practicing these skills to take notes for important conversations.

Two other things; it usually doesn’t hurt when talking to others to tell them your working on improving your communication skills and secondly to let them know how or by what method you are going about it.

Interpersonal relations and how we communicate with those around us are the most important facets of our existence. Therefore I repeat… if you want to succeed as a human being this effort to learn a ‘new’ way to communicate, as difficult as may be, is still a most worthwhile enterprise.

Ric (orglearn) **Link for direct page viewers return to main career success blog to check out other posts!

Communication factors never going to improve with your boss? Time to communicate with someone more receptive? Take a look at the free blank resume form!

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Posted in career advice, communication, employment, human relations, life skills | 1 Comment »

How To Build Trust in Organizations with Peers, Colleagues and Bosses

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

Trust is an essential part of leadership and being trusted is of course hard to achieve whilst losing trust is easy to do.

The elements of trust and actions you must take to be trusted.

In your communications be specific and direct. Don’t avoid the “elephant in the room”, bring issues it to the fore early and often. If problems are occurring or others are not performing as you wish let them know with tact and in private. Use a calm and logical approach to your communication and avoid abruptness.

Share credit with those that assisted in wins you have had, even go to the point of slightly overstating their contribution or as someone said “when in doubt, share”.

Resolve issues or solve problems through direct communication at with person causing the difficulty, don’t bring in the boss or others. One to one is best.

If you are doubtful about your role in a project or proposed work related activity, tell other stakeholders of your concerns upfront. If other duties and work issues overtake you when engaged on an ongoing commitment, advise of the difficulties you are having, or going to have as soon as you believe problems will occur.

Spend non-work time networking with your colleagues, don’t just wander off alone during breaks and always be involved in any volunteer activities your organization sees as worthwhile.

Don’t ask loaded or rhetorical questions, ask only “non-assumptive” questions with couching them in any “spin” or as a way to push some secret agenda.

Make only promises you can keep and if events overtake you admit it don’t avoid the issues.

If your organization has a formal lines of authority responsible for particular tasks or to resolve issues don’t step outside the existing system and practice full disclosure of facts and potentially useful information.

Admit to your mistakes and never rope others into your problems, don’t try to share the blame by pushing your real difficulties onto, or by finding fault in others. NEVER discuss (read gossip) about another employee or department particularly if they are having difficulties… NEVER gloat or demonstrate that you are enjoying the demise of others.

Be on time, make decisions, don’t procrastinate and show the strength of your self-belief and character by being willing to be wrong and live with the consequences.

Don’t scoff at another’s opinions or efforts and add support to those in difficulty. Always look at the positive intent of risky approaches to new ways of doing things and if asked honest opinions or advice with support for the fact that others are willing to try a new approach.

Have enough self-control (and demonstrate it) to overcome immediate or short-term feelings in the interests of maintaining ongoing and long term associations.

Public communication and behaviour are a small tip of a very large personal iceberg of values and belief, be willing to question your belief system and grow as a person. Don’t dogmatically stick to what you were indoctrinated with as a youngster, be will to change your perspective.

TRUST IS ESSENTIAL FOR LEADERS

The following is a list of words that others need to be using when they describe you if you are to gain and maintain their trust;

committed, confident, fearless, communicative, predictable, reliable, correct, forgiving, clear, factual, unbiased, respectful, reasonable, confidential, contributing, even, defining, accountable, interested, calm, resolute, tactful, sincere, frank, listener, patient, answering, sharing, fair, timely, honest, decisive, neutral, competent, consistent, explicit, responsible, transparent, close (near), willing, collaborative, accurate, graceful, helpful

KNOW HOW YOU STAND? WHY NOT ASK YOUR FOLLOWERS TO RANK YOU (ANONYMOUSLY) ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 OR USE THE “NEVER/SOMETIMES/MOSTLY/ALWAYS” GRID FOR EACH WORD AND SEE HOW YOU DO!

The longest sentence I have ever written… trust me!

The trust sentence…

To be trusted followers need to understand your intent and believe they can find a worry free, suspicion-less, environment where they are not taken for granted, their faith in the leader is confirmed and supported by a consistent track record, where mistakes are forgiven, miscommunications and misunderstandings are corrected, beliefs, differences and privacy are respected, sweeping opinions based on assumptions or stereotypes never occur, fear of loss is minimized, being betrayed or feeling burnt does not happen, abruptness, shock, knee jerk, emotional reactions, cynicism or anger are not permitted, vulnerable and naïve people are protected, solace is freely given, they are never disabled, over-reaction does not occur, they are never categorized, forced or excluded through prejudice, avoiding or omitting truth or facts is not permitted, interruptions, restlessness, frowning, negative gestures are discouraged, success, action and effort are acknowledged and credit given, neutrality, togetherness, flexibility, directness, informative, non-assumptive opinions and perspectives are sought by a leader who keeps promises, is willing to be wrong, extends themself, overcomes short-term feelings, avoids harming others, shows trust, risks being let down, makes amends and who also promotes, togetherness, closeness, full disclosure, open dialogue, speaking the truth, does what they say they will do, doesn’t do what you say they won’t do, develops others and their ideas, able to have fun, seeks solutions to problems, win/win agreements and closure and lives up to followers expectations through thoroughly understanding that power equals responsibility.

Phew… get me a headache tablet!

Ric (orglearn) **Link for direct page viewers return to main career success blog to check out other posts!

While you’re here take a look at the free blank, trust me it’s a good one to start with :-) resume form!

A final thought on trust… always seek win/win solutions. Understanding the elements of trust and being able to sincerely build trust is essential for effective leadership. Trust me!?

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Posted in building trust, career advice, communication, human relations, leadership, life skills, management, management leadership, trust | 1 Comment »

Why WW III is Inevitable for Our Kids and Other Management Issues

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

In his book The Human Brain That Changes Itself Dr Norman Doidge explains how the human brain is as malleable, not only in infancy as previously understood but well into adulthood and old age.

In classical neuroscience, the adult brain was considered an immutable machine, it was all about evolution and genes, what you got you were stuck with. Additionally it was believed that every part had a specific purpose, none could be repaired, IQ was fixed and that was that. Great news IT’S NOT TRUE!

Myths of the Brain

Old theory: Different parts of the brain control different parts of our body. Wrong.

Past belief: After a serious stroke, a person was crippled for life with minimal improvement likely. Wrong.

You have been told: That mental decline in old age is inevitable and if you are predisposed to it’s just bad luck. Wrong.

The Positive Side

Today’s much more sophisticated equipment and modern experiments have proven that the brain is malleable and able to change and grow. Not only is it able to respond to injury with amazing functional reorganization, it can actually respond to changes in input by coming up with a new anatomic configuration. It’s a “use it and grow it” versus ‘use it or lose it” deal, pretty much the same rule that applies to every other organ and muscle in the body.

Knowing this we, if we are smart can come up with various methods that we can consciously apply to reshape and ‘improve our brain. Dr Doidge’s book “The Brain that Changes Itself” gives insights about learning and shaping our mind and if applied in a positive way how we can help us improve our chances for a more successful rewarding and even happier life. The book is very uplifting as we explore all the possibilities we can exploit because of the way we can improve our brains performance and even repair it through mental exercise if it is damaged. ‘Doidge is positive in his outlook presenting ideas on how our thoughts can switch on specific genes and alter our brain anatomy.  He presents a sound case for how intelligence can be improved with brain exercises, how we can improve our cognition, perception and talents even by allowing our imagination shape our minds’. I guess this is similar to the old idea of imagined performance which is all positive in outcomes and how mental practice can be a great adjunct to actual physical practice which creates varying inputs based on actual outcomes that will range from poor to excellent.

There are many therapies explained in the book however the one that stands out for me is the story of the amputee that has 10 years of excruciating “phantom” pain in his missing elbow. When he is assisted by putting his good arm into a box lined with mirrors his brain is fooled into thinking it is his missing arm and he does some stretching exercises and the within a month his brain reorganizes its misfiring brain circuits and the illusion of the arm and its pain vanishes. Pretty powerful stuff.

What it Means for Managers Insights from: Agile Advice Dot Com

Agile Brains – Agile Teams

http://www.agileadvice.com/archives/2007/07/the_brain_that.html

‘Insight: Practice and practice. The method here is to follow an exact and complete set of rules until they are perfected and only after that try variations. By perfecting the rules, we allow our brains to demonstrate that we have truly internalized (or mapped) the knowledge’ i.e. put it into long-term memory and created a habit.

‘Insight: Practice as it relates to time and frequency. Shorter iterations allow for more repetition of the basic rules and structures, which allows for more effective internalizing. Under the right conditions, brain maps change quickly (minutes), but in order to “stick”, the changes have to be reinforced over the course of months.’

‘Insight: The importance of practice when we are delivering training (rather than when we are coaching a team). Instruction will be much better if it is simply packed with a mini project that is executed over multiple extremely short iterations.’

The Learning Mind has a Downside

Doidge also explains how the plastic nature of the mind affects mental mind maps in even mundane daily activities.  Societal and cultural differences and behaviors can have as much impact on the mind as trauma and physical injury which means our attitude and abilities are constantly changing in line with our personal experiences, indoctrinations, social differences or environment.

As one reviewer of the book put it: “These implications of rewiring the mind however, are also to be cautioned.  The brain is actually so malleable it is also quite vulnerable to its surroundings and seemingly little impact input to the mind can make a drastic change to the way we perceive and handle the world around us.  The impact of media and television are showing significant impact and damage on the mind leading to disorders become more and more prevalent in today’s young people. This is something to be cautious of as people can highly influence and shape the mind as well.  Parents, peers, and leaders all make a significant contribution to the structure of our brains and while it can be changed, it is not always easy to do so.”

From this still relatively new experimental data,  “the entirety of human experience: creativity, love, addiction, obsession, anger” and particularly the all important issue of human empathy and compassion “can be seen as a series distinct electrical associations are manipulated by the brain itself and of course by the brains, thought and actions of others… for better or worse”.

Neuroplasticity well may prove a curse as the brain can also as Doidge puts it “think itself into ruts”, ‘with electrical habits difficult to eradicate’.

So here’s the reason for the headline: ‘the implications for external re-engineering of the human brain are ominous, for if the brain is malleable it is also endlessly vulnerable, not only to its own mistakes but also to the ambitions and excesses of others, whether they are misguided parents, well-meaning cultural trendsetters or despotic national leaders’.

The real cruncher comes in the Appendix which is a must read where Doidge explains the indoctrination techniques of North Korea and how the brains of the North Koreans have been physically altered to such an extent that no reasonable use of logical argument will ever change their attitude to the outside world. So what you might think… then ask yourself what is happening to home schooled kids in America or Madrassa indoctrinated single view kids in Pakistan or single view of the world children of some other Middle Eastern countries.

Suddenly your optimism may dissipate.

Doidge’s book tells us that our brains are remarkably flexible, malleable… plastic and provides an enlightening and hopeful portrait of the endless adaptability of the human brain, until you think about the ramifications of the information presented in the Annexure.

This “neuroplastic revolution,” (or discovery) has dramatic implications for the future of our children in a more and more polarized and violent world. There is great potential for misuse of the brain’s plasticity – brainwashing being the assumption – Doidge leaves speculations about the future of neuroplasticity to us, the readers.

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Posted in change management, coping with change, entrepreneurial management, entrepreneurial organizations, humanity, learning organizations, life skills, management | No Comments »

Why doing one thing at a time, correctly, will help you get the job done!

Friday, October 9th, 2009

“You might think a lot gets done when you multitask, however a study conducted by Stanford researchers Eyal Ophir, Clifford Nass and Anthony Wagner says it isn’t so.”

“People who are regularly bombarded with several streams of electronic information do not pay attention, control their memory or switch from one job to another as well as those who prefer to complete one task at a time, a group of Stanford researchers has found.” (from Adam Gorlick)

From a BNET report:

Filtering out irrelevant details: Researchers asked participants to ignore certain pieces of data. The non-jugglers had no problem following this instruction, while the multitaskers could not filter out this information and, as a result, performed poorly.

Remembering information: An experiment asking people to remember a sequence of letters, Ophir said in a Stanford press release, “The low multitaskers did great. The high multitaskers were doing worse and worse the further they went along because they kept seeing more letters and had difficulty keeping them sorted in their brains.”

Switching between tasks: Though this is what multitasking is all about, those who do so regularly have trouble focusing on the purpose and information associated with each discreet undertaking. Said Ophir, “They couldn’t help thinking about the task they weren’t doing. They can’t keep things separate in their minds.”

Way back quote: In 2005, the BBC reported on a research study, funded by Hewlett-Packard and conducted by the Institute of Psychiatry at the University of London, that found, “Workers distracted by e-mail and phone calls suffer a fall in IQ more than twice that found in marijuana smokers.” end quote (The New Atlantis Journal)

If you are bedeviled by a Blackberry, masses of irrelevant email and a boss that thinks you should be multitasking, its time to take your life back. Lets be honest you may look impressive in the short term or hip or up to date, cool, “with it”… or what ever the apt description is today, connected perhaps, however that’s just “FORM”. What employers need from you is “SUBSTANCE” or competence if you prefer. So its time to rethink your attitude and work style before your productivity and value to the organization (or lack of it) makes you uneconomic and redundant. Not only that, if the research is correct, you may just save yourself from becoming an unemployable total scatterbrain.

Remember if you need to deal with the boss on this issue you can refer him or her to this post or directly to the research itself. You could I suppose based on the BBC statement go only half way in destroying your IQ and just sit back and relax with a “joint”… not recommended! I wonder if there are any dope smoking multitaskers… what would they work like… come to think of it I think I’ve met a few at work.

Ric (orglearn) *Link for direct page viewers return to main career success blog to check out other posts by Ric of www.orglearn.org!

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Posted in career advice, employment, leader selection, life skills, management, planning, success | No Comments »

Four more Key Competencies for People Leading People at Work

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

To round out this series on competence the four ‘final’ people oriented competencies defined through our teams research.

ORGANISATIONAL COMMITMENT

A) Understands and follows the organization’s ethical rules, policies and regulations and works actively towards its vision, mission, goals and aspirations.

B) Shows concern for the image of the organisation and talks positively about the company, its personnel, objectives and goals.  Helps and cooperates with others to ensure the best possible results.

C) Actively seeks knowledge about the organisation’s, values, systems, products and personnel and particularly the relationships of own work unit with other work units operations.

D) Is prepared to set aside personal priorities and willingly strives to achieve the organisation’s overall vision and mission in addition to his or her own work units goals, objectives and strategies.

LANGUAGE SKILLS (A MODERN REALITY)

A) Speaks and writes own language at a high level and can verbally communicate in at least one other relevant language at a competent level.

This is a minimum requirement however if individuals truly want to excel in the international business arena and globalized economy it will be reasonable to expect them to achieve B, C and/or D below.

B) Speaks and writes and fluently at least one other regional language/dialect.

C) Speaks and writes fluently at least one other appropriate foreign language.

D) Speaks and writes fluently in at least two other appropriate foreign languages preferably assuming English as “mother tongue” one Asian language (Chinese or Japanese) and one European language (Spanish or Russian).

AN EXPERT LISTENER

A) Is attentive.  Displays an interest in matters being discussed without being distracted by mechanical/electrical communication devices.

B) Asks appropriate questions and summarizes other points or statements to clarify meaning and confirm understanding.

C) Has developed skills of hearing, interpreting and understanding and is able to use appropriate gestures, body language and verbal responses to signal understanding.

D) Able to maintain attention for long periods and is able to avoid preconceived ideas and feeling about a topic or the message sender.

AN IMPACTFUL PERSONALITY

A) Has a high level of personal energy and a happy disposition and is readily listened to and respected by others.

B) Has a high level of personal confidence and presents a positive posture, bearing, mannerisms and communication styles.

C) Presents logical arguments soundly based on facts, knowledge and proven experience.

D) Is a recognised leader and or expert in his field and able to command respect amongst people of high calibre in both his/her own and other fields of expertise.

Competence modelling and development is one of my areas of expertise and I have only covered here (and in number of the past few article posts) the “people oriented” side of the equation. I have not posted on either the basic work/job competencies or customer orientation needs. If you need help with this type of analysis please contact me through the website.

ps For other blog posters: If you blog or post articles you can get paid for them, below is a great way to become your own media boss and make some money whilst increasing your blog or site’s exposure.

PyraBang has eyes on your media!

I’ve looked at a lot of stuff on the net however this is one of the best programs I have found! More bang for your buck as they say!

Ric-orglearn

Ric (orglearn) **Link for direct page viewers return to main career success blog to check out other posts!

pps: While you’re here take a look at the free blank resume form and perhaps you can insert some new competencies in your resume!

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Posted in career advice, communication, employment, finding managers, human relations, inspiring staff, leader selection, leadership, life skills, management leadership, success | 2 Comments »

What does the content of your resume say about you?

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

Is your resume merely a self-serving autobiography or does it present a solution to your readers’ problems?

These are questions asked by Phil Rosenberg of “reCareered” sometime back, the answers are however probably even more pertinent in today’s business climate. I receive many resumes on my free resume form page and I am astounded by the lack of understanding that most resume writers have about the purpose of their resume and how a resume needs to be presented.

Phil’s main points:

FACT: ‘IF your resume gets seen by human eyes (97% get pre-screened by a database search), you have an average 15 seconds to capture the reader’s attention.’

So how do you grab your reader’s attention? Write about what is important to them. [You need to read the advertisement and match what you offer to what the ad and employer are seeking!]

FACT: “Most resumes don’t address an employers’ problems? Most are written for the job seekers own pride or ego.” [My own research unfortunately bears this out, even when the advice on my free blank resume form specifically states what bad practice it is.]

Phil then asks: “Do you think it matters much to your audience what you are most proud of? Will your reader care enough to read your resume in detail to get an idea of who you are and what you can do? Or does your audience care more about rapid solutions to their problems?”

If you want even half a chance at getting an interview you will need to heed Phil’s advice.

So: WRITE FOR YOUR AUDIENCE – the hiring manager.

What’s important to hiring managers? Hiring “people who can solve their problems without much ramp-up time or training.”

The full original article is at:

http://www.recareered.blogspot.com/2008/02/your-resumes-audience-cheers-or-silence.html

ONE MORE TIME “Please for your own sake remember if you ‘write your resume to solve an employer’s problems you’re likely to get interviews. Discuss how you can an solve employer’s problems in an interview, and you may even receive a job offer’

ps from Yahoo hotjobs: (http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles)

What to leave off your resume:

The Unquantifiable Accomplishment

e.g. “I am the most talented employee my company has ever had.”

The Not-So-Notable Accomplishment

e.g. “I get along with coworkers.”

Offbeat Accomplishment are also a waste of space:

e.g. “Set record for eating 45 eggs in two minutes.”

“Make sure any accomplishments you place on your resume will impress a potential employer. Your ability to do average work or fulfill the most basic requirements of a job does not warrant special mention.”

Ric (orglearn) **Link for direct page viewers return to main career success blog to check out other posts!

While you’re here and this post is fresh in your mind take a look at the free blank resume form and perhaps start to build yourself a better resume!

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Posted in CV's, blank resume, employment, free blank resume form, job search, job seekers, life skills, resume examples, resume form, resume key words, resume samples, resume samples and tips, resume writing help, resumes, résumé | 2 Comments »

OCC staff: Its not Me and Pauli its Pauli and I Interpersonal Relations and Leadership

Monday, October 5th, 2009

Yes well perhaps it just modern speech in the case of OCC staff… or is it maybe a verbal symptom of a very selfish attitude… me first, me first…

Three more desirable personal competencies for modern leadership, or for just being a better team member for that matter!

INTERPERSONAL UNDERSTANDING

A) Shows respect and concern for the beliefs and feelings of others and is prepared to accommodate those attitudes within the success operation requirements of his/her work unit.

B) Recognizes that individual’s abilities and capacities differ and makes appropriate allowances, assumes nothing, coaches where needed and permits different approaches to tasks without losing sight of the organization’s requirements.

C) Demonstrates the skill of a good listener and correctly interprets the message and seeks to understand the unspoken or partially expressed thoughts of others by asking for appropriate clarification.

D) Varies the strategies and communication styles to suit the situations and people involved and is able to accurately judge mood, character and capacity of those around him to ensure understanding and acceptance of his position and attitudes

HUMILITY

A) Acts and presents him/herself in an appropriate business manner (including dress and grooming) when representing the company and is not prone to making boastful and outlandish statements.

B) Shows respect for those with legitimate authority at all times and if is in disagreement with decisions uses tact and diplomacy to resolve issues.

C) Publicly acknowledges the contribution of others when being rewarded for good efforts, successes or results.

D) Is prepared to put the well being of colleagues, team and/or company before one’s own chance of reward.

INFLUENCE

A) Explains the overall vision and mission factors and big picture reasons and logic behind the decisions taken that affect others.

B) Directly persuades others by appealing to reason, data or the other person’s interest and motivation in a discussion.

C) Has undertaken relevant education or training or had experience that supports credibility and is able to associate effectively with own work group immediate superior and colleagues.

D) Able to have others make a commitment and take action by socialized use of the “five bases of power” and forms coalitions and networks to build support for ideas.

As for Paul Senior… perhaps you need some serious help!

Ric (orglearn) **Link for direct page viewers return to main career success blog to check out other posts!

While you’re here take a look at the free blank resume form! Now how would you fill out a resume if you were applying to OCC, which competencies would they be looking for?

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Posted in career advice, choosing managers, communication, ego states, employment, human relations, inspiring staff, leadership, life skills, management leadership, success | No Comments »

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