Best Practices for Holding People Accountable

Do you ever have trouble holding people accountable? To ease any discomfort, it's best to set a foundation and manage to the agreement versus the personality. Remember, we can only hold people accountable for what they have agreed to do, so make sure to adhere to the following best practices:

•Establish a clear agreement
•Agree on a time frame to co...mplete the task, project or objective
•Confirm that the employee has what he or she needs to achieve the task or duty
•Ask for direct confirmation of the commitment so you both know you have an agreement
•Determine together how and when you will follow up

We are motivated by managers that challenge us to grow and that take the time to give us the opportunity to succeed.

Enjoy your week!!

Managing Diversity and Creating Commonality...

Generational and cultural differences create challenges and opportunities. Trying to account for all of the differences can be overwhelming. To simplify what can be complex, let's take a moment and look at what we all share in common. Regardless of age, national origin, or religious affiliation, as human beings we are all motivated by 3 key desires:

•The need to be challenged
•The desire for fairness
•The yearning for community

So, the next time you think about diversity, think about commonality. Tap into one of the three motivators listed above and watch how quickly differences disappear.

The Elements of Conflict

Conflict is an inevitable and potentially productive part of life at home and at work. Conflict is an inevitable result of social interaction. Conflicts occur in our lives because we engage in social interaction with people with different goals, values, and backgrounds.

Like stress, conflict is inevitable, and it can be either positive or negative. Constructive conflict... can help make you more focused on the work at hand. Disruptive conflict can make you resistant and defensive. In conflict, usually the harder you push, the harder you get pushed against. However, you can still engage in conflict without having it be a negative experience.

One way to reduce discomfort with conflict or disagreement is to identify and use common steps to manage conflict in a positive way. Effectively dealing with conflict is one of the most difficult aspects of getting along with other people. When faced with conflict, we often react without realizing that we have constructive, healthy choices available to us. We unconsciously start pushing back. It is important to remember that you can’t always control conflict. However, you can control your response to conflict.

Reverse Delegation

Many people find that their plates are full because they are not only doing their own work, they are also doing the work of others. This can occur for many reasons, but a common one is related to a little known phenomenon called reverse delegation. Reverse delegation occurs when you assign a task to a coworker who then proceeds to come back and ask you a question or makes the t...ask more complicated than needed in hopes that you will take it back. You may then quickly assume it is just easier to do it yourself, and wham!...the task is back on your plate. To avoid this from happening to you, keep a few key principles in mind when delegating to others:

* Establish a clear objective. What needs to be done?
* Agree on a deadline or time frame to complete the objective
* If your assistance is needed, answer the questions or direct the person to a source where he or she can find the answer
* Follow-up on the day of the deadline. Keep the responsibility for completing the task where it belongs -- with the person you delegated it to

Keeping tasks where they belong not only help develop the skills of others, it gives you the ability to focus on activities that provide you and the highest rate of return on your time. Now that's productivity!

True Sense of Confidence

A true sense of confidence not only helps us forward our careers, but it also has a positive effect on others. But confidence doesn't come by chance, it comes by being aware of who we are and what we do best. This week, consider the following to strengthen your self-perception and the impact you have on the co-workers around you:

• At the end of each day, review what you have accomplished. Write down at least 3 things to help you recognize your efforts. 

• Keep a journal of all the things you do that help others. You will be amazed how much this little tip can build your sense of self-worth. 

• Align your actions to your values. One of the biggest confidence-stealers is when we do things that go against our truths.

The most confident people are those who look inward for recognition, not outward. So do a little self-reflecting this week and enjoy the boost it will bring to your energy.

Mid-Year Goals Review

We've just entered the second half of 2014, which makes this a good time to revisit your goals and refocus your efforts. Take a moment this week and ask yourself a few key questions to help you acknowledge your accomplishments and set clear goals for the rest of the year.

• What have you accomplished so far this year?
• Do your goals still make sense, or do you need to change them based on new priorities?
• What else would you like to accomplish before 2015?

 

To put a little extra commitment into your goals, consider sharing them with a friend or co-worker and ask him or her to inquire about your progress on a monthly basis.

Visual Messages Pt 3

TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION

What happens when communicating on the phone? How do we determine if people are believable? We may take into consideration how they say what they say and the tone of their voice. The phone is a good substitute for face-to-face communication for quick, straight-forward conversations or when getting together is not convenient, but for discussing complex or emotional issues, it is best to meet face-to-face when practical. 

 Videoconferencing or Skype can be a good alternative when distance is an issue, but it is also important to understand that there are limitations to that technology also. For example, interviews conducted remotely may miss some valuable non-verbal communication that may be picked up in person.

 

EMAIL COMMUNICATION

When communicating via email or text messages, we have only the words on the page and maybe "emoticons" and/or photos to consider. This can make email seem like a simple communication tool, but as we all know too well, it is often difficult to determine the sender's true message because we do not have the context of tone of voice, body language, or facial expressions. When an email message goes back and forth more than a couple of time, it is usually best to pick up the phone or schedule a face-to-face meeting to make sure the message is understood and any issues resolved.

Developing effective communication skills is a challenging but rewarding effort. It helps to understand the communication process and to be aware of our responsibilities as a communicator. Developing our skills takes time, effort, and practice. Creating a performance plan that defines actions for improving communication skills is a good first step.