My Leadership Solutions

lead·er·ship: not only for those with a fancy title. High doses can lead to success. Side effects include courage and confidence

Stop Procrastinating and Start Accomplishing

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As a new year begins, many of us are thinking of the goals that we want to accomplish this year because we didn’t get to them last year.  Procrastination, the habit of delaying or avoiding tasks, is one of the most significant obstacles that holds people back from accomplishing their professional and personal goals.  Everyone has experienced it at some point in their lives and most people experience it on a daily basis.  However, getting into the habit of procrastinating can be detrimental to your career.  It can also take a toll on your health.

Studies have shown that people who procrastinate regularly on priority tasks have weaker immune systems, are more susceptible to flus and colds, and are also more likely to have problems sleeping.  In the workplace, a procrastinator’s habits will have a negative impact on teamwork and productivity.  Procrastination can cause our relationships to suffer as well.  If people are counting on us to get things done and we continue to put it off, they may end up thinking we are unreliable.

Putting off job searching or career development activities can also have negative consequences.  I have coached many people who lost their jobs due to the economic problems.  Many of them have said that they had sensed beforehand that they should have been working on their resume or job searching, but kept putting it off until it was too late.

The good news is that there are plenty of helpful tips to help us overcome procrastination and reach our goals.

  1. Identify what tasks you keep putting off.  There is probably a common thread.  You may notice that it’s more common when it comes to administrative tasks at work or job searching or eating healthy meals.
  2. You may be putting it off because it’s an overwhelming task or goal.  Break it up into smaller pieces to make it more manageable.
  3. Figure out if it’s possible to delegate it to someone else (this is only possible with certain tasks).
  4. Ask someone you to trust to hold you accountable for finishing the task(s).
  5. Brainstorm ways, to make it more enjoyable.  For example, listen to your favorite music while doing those annoying household chores or while exercising.
  6. In order to avoid thinking about it all day, schedule a certain time during the day that you will do the task and stick to it.  Give yourself a small reward for finishing the task.
  7. Keep a journal of how you were able to beat procrastination and refer to that journal for help on future goals.
  8. The mind frame that we have to do something perfectly can also hold us back. Realize that you are not expected to complete the task perfectly.  Then, break it up into smaller pieces and figure out a way to reward yourself with each step you take toward your goal.

Make 2012 the year that you procrastinate less and accomplish more.

Giving a Great Presentation at a Job Interview

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In order to gauge if you are the best person for the job, interviewers may ask you to give a presentation during the interview.  Asking top candidates to give presentations as part of the job interview process is common for positions in training and sales, but may also be called upon for other positions.

Typically the first and second interviews are designed to determine if you have the right skills for the position and if you would be a good fit for the company culture.  After this initial assessment, they’ll most likely ask you to put on a presentation in order to get an idea of your presentation skills.

Even people who have presented in front of hundreds of people get jittery about giving a presentation in front of a few interviewers.  Others are so confident that they can get the job that they put minimal time and effort into preparing for this interview.  It’s normal to experience these feelings, but don’t let them get in your way. Yes, you’ve made it far but chances are that they’re still interviewing other people, so it’s important to not let your confidence or lack of confidence get to you.

For the presentation, remember to:

  1. Have an attention-grabber at the beginning.  Keep in mind that it’s important that you impress them in the  beginning.
  2. Discuss the objectives of the training and what they will learn how to do.  Also let them know how the information will benefit them.
  3. If you’re using presentation slides such as PowerPoint, don’t overcrowd your slides with text.  Include a few bullet points and images, but you should not be reading off of your      slides.
  4. Don’t tell jokes.  If you use humor, keep it appropriate.
  5. Incorporate video and images into your presentation. People are visual learners and they will be more likely to remember  what you talk about if you include associated images.
  6. Be prepared.  The more prepared you are, the more confident and less nervous you’ll feel.
  7. Typically there won’t be enough time for you to conduct participant activities.  However, you should still ask questions  or find quick ways to encourage participation.
  8. Include a handout to supplement your training.  Remember to make sure that it looks professional and include the company logo if you have access to it.

Managers, Be Open to Receiving Feedback

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In addition to giving employee feedback, it is important to be open to receiving feedback from people you manage.  It helps employees realize that you truly believe that giving and receiving feedback is effective and that you’re willing to do what you’ve asked them to do.  It also helps you become aware of skills you need to further develop.

Tips for effectively receiving feedback

  1. Encourage employees to give you feedback and be open the feedback.  It’s one thing to pay lip service to the feedback and say that you want it.  It’s another thing to actually sincerely show employees that you appreciate the feedback and are willing to implement it.
  2. When an employee is giving you feedback, show that you are listening with your body language.  Lean forward, make eye contact, and give the person your complete focus.
  3. Don’t act in a defensive manner.  It’s difficult for people to give their managers feedback and if your reaction is defensive, they will think that you’re not open to it and be unwilling to give you feedback in the future.
  4. Listen completely to the feedback before responding.  Our nature is to jump in and react to what someone has said, especially if it goes against what we think about ourselves.  Give the person a chance to finish speaking before speaking up.
  5. Approach the situation with a positive mindset.  If you’re having negative thoughts, your demeanor will show it and the person giving the feedback will not be able to be as open with you.  Think of the feedback as a way for you improve your skills and give your career a boost.
  6. Ask for specific examples for clarification if you are unclear about any part of the feedback.
  7. Ask for suggested solutions to help you improve.  Not only will asking for solutions help you improve as a manager, but it will also show your employees that you value their ideas.  Also, it can help develop them to eventually mentor someone or move into a manager position.
  8. If the feedback attacks your personality and is not work related, tell the person.  Coach the employee on how to give relevant feedback productively.

Never Use Bribery in the Workplace

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It is never appropriate to ask your employees to do personal favors for you in return for promotions, time off, great projects or any other employment benefits .  Even asking for something seemingly harmless such as dog-sitting while you’re out of town or helping you paint your rooms in exchange for an employment benefit is not okay and can lead to lawsuits, high turnover, employee disengagement, and the termination of your employment.

I worked with a certain company, where a manager promoted four people after they did a series of personal favors that she had asked of them.  Favors included helping her move, painting her house, picking up groceries, and accompanying her to places.

As unbelievable and shocking as it sounds, this situation took place in a Fortune 500 company.  People who had been overlooked for the promotion figured out the reason that the others had been promoted and eventually went to Human Resources.  The company launched an investigation immediately and ended up firing the manager.

I know that there are many great managers out there and I don’t want you to experience a similar situation.   Never, ever ask for personal favors from employees in return for employment favors.