That old saying about one bad apple? When it comes to working in teams, it really is true. According to Benjamin Walker, a PhD candidate at the University of New South Wales’ Australian School of Business, the laziest member of a team actually has the greatest impact on its success or failure.
Academics have long thought that teams performed at about the average skill level of each of its members. So, at work, having a particularly skilled person on your team would help the performance a bit, and having a particularly unskilled or even lazy person would bring the performance down a bit.
That makes sense, but Walker’s study suggests it’s wrong. Walker first suspected this when he encountered a situation familiar to many of us. He and the other students were supposed to work in teams, and his team included, essentially, a freeloader: someone who did almost no work, but got the same grade as everyone else on the team. Then, when the team did relatively well, the freeloader did everything in his power to get assigned to the same team again.
So Walker designed a study. He gave 158 students a test designed to see how conscientious and motivated they were, and then sorted them into 33 teams. Each team was given a case study to work on, and was told that each team member would receive the same grade based on how well they did. He found that “the person who contributes the least has a huge impact. Even if the rest of the team is pulling their weight, they won’t be able to compensate for that member.” In the end, that single lazy person ended up with the most responsibility for team failure or success. Walker also ran tests to see if recklessness affected team performance, but found that the group mentality overrode the few impulsive people–in a way that it couldn’t do with lazy folks.
What do you do when faced with someone who just won’t pull their weight?
Sunday 9 October 2011
How Do Your Colleagues Really Feel About You?
Most managers want to be liked by their co-workers. It’s human nature to want to be liked by the people you spend your days with. And most of us spend more time with our office mates than we do with our families. Research also shows being liked will help your career more than even being competent.
So it stands to reason that as much as you may care about meeting company goals, and bottom lines, you also should care about how your co-workers and staff feel about you.
But how do you know what they really think? Very rarely will people tell you directly. So you have to be adept at reading their behavior–and your own. Here are four signs:
1. They often argue with you
This is a good sign. People do not argue if they don’t care. Workplace arguments are healthy because it means people are invested in outcomes.
If you haven’t had an underling push back in the last week, then you have staffers who are under-invested. They don’t care. You’ve ticked them off. They have decided that you aren’t worth their time.
The best thing you can do to remedy this situation is to show people you care about their opinion. How? By thanking them for their suggestions, admitting you’re wrong and changing your path. Do it now, before it’s too late and no one is ever willing to tell you you’re wrong.
2. You haven’t had to apologize in a while
If you don’t say you’re sorry once a week at work, then you’re not honest about your mistakes. And people are sick of it. You shouldn’t wait until some epic mistake–you’ve run over a child or poisoned a stray cat–until you apologize. Apologize for the for small, everyday mistakes as well. It’s a sign of respect and caring to say you’re sorry. Which is why you can be pretty sure your employees hate you if you don’t apologize regularly.
Start now to fix things. But remember that body language and tone matters. You can’t fake an apology and make it matter. A fake apology actually aggravates the situation.
So manage in your heart, first, to honestly believe you should have done better. And whatever you do, don’t say, “I’m sorry but–” An apology doesn’t have a follow-up clause. It doesn’t have a summation.
The most powerful thing to say after “I’m sorry”? Nothing.
3. You’re good at the details
Guess what? Management is not about details; it’s about people. You have to love people to be a good manager and trust those people to be good with details because they are conscientious, capable people who care about their work. If you are caring about details more than people, then you are treating people as if they are not capable, and then, of course, they will perform that way.
It’s easy to be incompetent when that’s what the boss expects. But look out, because
people who perform poorly feel bad about their work. And if they feel bad about their work, they probably resent you for that.
So here’s a suggestion: Trust people. Put faith in them. Manage people in a way that allows them to take care of details. If you don’t like how they manage details, fire them. But it does no one good for you to do the details for the people you manage.
4. You think you can be a better manager
If you think you could improve, you’re probably right. If you think you’re doing just fine, you’re probably wrong. This research comes from Tiziana Casciarofrom Rotman School of Management. Casciaro says that people who are focused on improving a given trait at work can almost always make good progress.
Also, if you think you can improve, you display the type of optimism that is contagious. Because optimism (and pessimism) are contagious and the manager sets the tone for the team. An optimistic team will like you even if you’re having a bad day - or month. A pessimistic team will think you stink, even if you’ve been putting in a decent performance as a manager for years. Perception of your team is what matters. But maybe you already know that.
If you do, you’re probably already a manager people like.
So it stands to reason that as much as you may care about meeting company goals, and bottom lines, you also should care about how your co-workers and staff feel about you.
But how do you know what they really think? Very rarely will people tell you directly. So you have to be adept at reading their behavior–and your own. Here are four signs:
1. They often argue with you
This is a good sign. People do not argue if they don’t care. Workplace arguments are healthy because it means people are invested in outcomes.
If you haven’t had an underling push back in the last week, then you have staffers who are under-invested. They don’t care. You’ve ticked them off. They have decided that you aren’t worth their time.
The best thing you can do to remedy this situation is to show people you care about their opinion. How? By thanking them for their suggestions, admitting you’re wrong and changing your path. Do it now, before it’s too late and no one is ever willing to tell you you’re wrong.
2. You haven’t had to apologize in a while
If you don’t say you’re sorry once a week at work, then you’re not honest about your mistakes. And people are sick of it. You shouldn’t wait until some epic mistake–you’ve run over a child or poisoned a stray cat–until you apologize. Apologize for the for small, everyday mistakes as well. It’s a sign of respect and caring to say you’re sorry. Which is why you can be pretty sure your employees hate you if you don’t apologize regularly.
Start now to fix things. But remember that body language and tone matters. You can’t fake an apology and make it matter. A fake apology actually aggravates the situation.
So manage in your heart, first, to honestly believe you should have done better. And whatever you do, don’t say, “I’m sorry but–” An apology doesn’t have a follow-up clause. It doesn’t have a summation.
The most powerful thing to say after “I’m sorry”? Nothing.
3. You’re good at the details
Guess what? Management is not about details; it’s about people. You have to love people to be a good manager and trust those people to be good with details because they are conscientious, capable people who care about their work. If you are caring about details more than people, then you are treating people as if they are not capable, and then, of course, they will perform that way.
It’s easy to be incompetent when that’s what the boss expects. But look out, because
people who perform poorly feel bad about their work. And if they feel bad about their work, they probably resent you for that.
So here’s a suggestion: Trust people. Put faith in them. Manage people in a way that allows them to take care of details. If you don’t like how they manage details, fire them. But it does no one good for you to do the details for the people you manage.
4. You think you can be a better manager
If you think you could improve, you’re probably right. If you think you’re doing just fine, you’re probably wrong. This research comes from Tiziana Casciarofrom Rotman School of Management. Casciaro says that people who are focused on improving a given trait at work can almost always make good progress.
Also, if you think you can improve, you display the type of optimism that is contagious. Because optimism (and pessimism) are contagious and the manager sets the tone for the team. An optimistic team will like you even if you’re having a bad day - or month. A pessimistic team will think you stink, even if you’ve been putting in a decent performance as a manager for years. Perception of your team is what matters. But maybe you already know that.
If you do, you’re probably already a manager people like.
7 Simple Steps to Extreme Personal Productivity
Increasing personal productivity is big business: Stephen Covey, David Allen, Tony Robbins, 43folders… those and countless others have combined to turn improving individual productivity into a massive industry.
Forget them.
If you want to complete a major project, tackle a task you’ve been putting off, or just knock out a lot of work in a relatively short period of time, there’s an easier way.
And it’s free.
Say you need to complete a task you estimate will take, oh, 10 to 12 hours. Here’s how to pull it off in one day:
1.Tell everyone your plan. This step is an absolute must since interruptions are productivity killers. So is the, “How much longer do you have to work?” guilt trip family members sometimes can’t help but lay on you. At a minimum tell coworkers and family, but consider letting important clients know as well. Send a quick email a day or two before explaining you will be tied up on Thursday and will respond to calls, emails, etc. first thing Friday morning. Some customers will contact you before Thursday; others will mentally note you can’t be reached. Either way it’s all good. And you get an additional benefit from telling others your plan: People important to you know what you intend to accomplish — and will know if you don’t succeed. Peer pressure can be a great motivator. Use it.
2.Decide how long you will work. Don’t plan based on, “I’ll work as long as I can,” or “I’ll work as long as I feel productive.” Set a concrete target. Commit to working 12 hours or whatever period of time you choose. Then the longer the time frame, the quicker the early hours seem to go by. When I worked in a factory we typically worked 8-hour shifts; time before lunch dragged and the last couple hours always seemed like death. During busy periods when we worked 12-hour shifts the mornings seemed to fly by. Something about knowing you’ll be working for a long time allows you to stop checking the clock; it’s like you naturally find your Zen (work)place. When you know you’re in for a long haul your mind automatically adapts. Trust me — it works.
3.Start really early — or extremely late. Have you ever taken a long car trip and left really early in the morning? Like at 3 or 4 a.m.? Those first few hours on the road fly by because you’ve stepped outside your norm. The same trick works with accomplishing a major goal. Start at 4 a.m. or indulge your inner night owl and start at 6 p.m. to work through the night. An extreme productivity day is not a normal day; set the stage by breaking free of your normal routine.
4.Withhold the fun, at least for a while. Some people like to listen to music while they work, others keep an eye on news. If you like to “treat” yourself when you’re working, don’t, at least in the early hours. When your motivation starts to flag that’s when a little music can provide a needed boost. Each treat is like a personal productivity bullet; shoot too early and nothing is left when you really need ammunition. Whatever typically carries you through your workday, hold off on it for awhile. Delayed gratification is always better gratification.
5.Recharge early. When you exercise, If you wait until you’re thirsty to drink it’s too late. The same is true when you work. Plan to eat or snack a little earlier than normal. If you sit while you work, stand before your butt gets numb. If you stand, sit before your legs start to ache. Any time you allow yourself to feel discomfort your motivation and resolve weakens. And speaking of food, plan meals wisely. Don’t take an hour lunch break: Prepare food you can eat quickly without lots of preparation or mess. The key is to refuel and keep rolling.
6.Take productive breaks, not rest breaks. Momentum is everything. Don’t take a walk, or watch a little TV, or goof around on the Internet. You will need breaks, but breaks should reinforce your sense of activity and accomplishment. Pick a few productive tasks you like to perform — and gain a sense of accomplishment when you complete — and use those for your breaks. Spending even a few minutes in the land of inactivity weakens your resolve.
7.Don’t quit until you’re done — even if finishing takes longer than expected. Stopping short is habit-forming. If you stop this time what will keep you from stopping next time? Success can be a habit, so make sure your first extreme personal productivity day is the start of a great new habit.
A great side benefit of an extreme personal productivity day: We unconsciously set internal limits on our output. A voice inside says, “I’ve done enough,” or, “That’s all I can do today,” or, I’m whipped — no way I can do more,” and we stop. But our internal limiters lie to us: With the right motivation, under the right circumstances, we can do more.
An extreme personal productivity day automatically ratchets your limits higher. After a few extreme productivity days you’ll perform better every “normal” day too — because you will have unconsciously raised your own bar.
Forget them.
If you want to complete a major project, tackle a task you’ve been putting off, or just knock out a lot of work in a relatively short period of time, there’s an easier way.
And it’s free.
Say you need to complete a task you estimate will take, oh, 10 to 12 hours. Here’s how to pull it off in one day:
1.Tell everyone your plan. This step is an absolute must since interruptions are productivity killers. So is the, “How much longer do you have to work?” guilt trip family members sometimes can’t help but lay on you. At a minimum tell coworkers and family, but consider letting important clients know as well. Send a quick email a day or two before explaining you will be tied up on Thursday and will respond to calls, emails, etc. first thing Friday morning. Some customers will contact you before Thursday; others will mentally note you can’t be reached. Either way it’s all good. And you get an additional benefit from telling others your plan: People important to you know what you intend to accomplish — and will know if you don’t succeed. Peer pressure can be a great motivator. Use it.
2.Decide how long you will work. Don’t plan based on, “I’ll work as long as I can,” or “I’ll work as long as I feel productive.” Set a concrete target. Commit to working 12 hours or whatever period of time you choose. Then the longer the time frame, the quicker the early hours seem to go by. When I worked in a factory we typically worked 8-hour shifts; time before lunch dragged and the last couple hours always seemed like death. During busy periods when we worked 12-hour shifts the mornings seemed to fly by. Something about knowing you’ll be working for a long time allows you to stop checking the clock; it’s like you naturally find your Zen (work)place. When you know you’re in for a long haul your mind automatically adapts. Trust me — it works.
3.Start really early — or extremely late. Have you ever taken a long car trip and left really early in the morning? Like at 3 or 4 a.m.? Those first few hours on the road fly by because you’ve stepped outside your norm. The same trick works with accomplishing a major goal. Start at 4 a.m. or indulge your inner night owl and start at 6 p.m. to work through the night. An extreme productivity day is not a normal day; set the stage by breaking free of your normal routine.
4.Withhold the fun, at least for a while. Some people like to listen to music while they work, others keep an eye on news. If you like to “treat” yourself when you’re working, don’t, at least in the early hours. When your motivation starts to flag that’s when a little music can provide a needed boost. Each treat is like a personal productivity bullet; shoot too early and nothing is left when you really need ammunition. Whatever typically carries you through your workday, hold off on it for awhile. Delayed gratification is always better gratification.
5.Recharge early. When you exercise, If you wait until you’re thirsty to drink it’s too late. The same is true when you work. Plan to eat or snack a little earlier than normal. If you sit while you work, stand before your butt gets numb. If you stand, sit before your legs start to ache. Any time you allow yourself to feel discomfort your motivation and resolve weakens. And speaking of food, plan meals wisely. Don’t take an hour lunch break: Prepare food you can eat quickly without lots of preparation or mess. The key is to refuel and keep rolling.
6.Take productive breaks, not rest breaks. Momentum is everything. Don’t take a walk, or watch a little TV, or goof around on the Internet. You will need breaks, but breaks should reinforce your sense of activity and accomplishment. Pick a few productive tasks you like to perform — and gain a sense of accomplishment when you complete — and use those for your breaks. Spending even a few minutes in the land of inactivity weakens your resolve.
7.Don’t quit until you’re done — even if finishing takes longer than expected. Stopping short is habit-forming. If you stop this time what will keep you from stopping next time? Success can be a habit, so make sure your first extreme personal productivity day is the start of a great new habit.
A great side benefit of an extreme personal productivity day: We unconsciously set internal limits on our output. A voice inside says, “I’ve done enough,” or, “That’s all I can do today,” or, I’m whipped — no way I can do more,” and we stop. But our internal limiters lie to us: With the right motivation, under the right circumstances, we can do more.
An extreme personal productivity day automatically ratchets your limits higher. After a few extreme productivity days you’ll perform better every “normal” day too — because you will have unconsciously raised your own bar.
Is It Really Necessary to “Brand” Yourself?
Whether you like it or not, you have a personal brand. When you come in contact with people, they will “brand” or typecast you based on the image you project. Why? Human brains are wired to do this as a “short cut” to make sense of the world. Without short cuts, life would be too confusing, complicated, and in some cases dangerous. The brain simplifies as much as it can so that it can focus on those things that really matter. Your brain needs to decide if another person, animal, or thing is a friend or a foe that will help or harm you. It does this by categorizing everything according to symbols and patterns that are hard-wired or learned from experience.
Brand Yourself Before Others Brand You
It is useful to think of branding as having two components - the lock and the key. The lock refers to the target audience that has a need, and the key is the image of the product you create to fill that need. In the case of your personal brand, you are the product. You have more control if you create your own brand image (key). If you don’t, others will create one for you. More often than not, the image they create will not be flattering or helpful because they may have a negative agenda, lack branding expertise, or have a natural inclination to compete with you by highlighting your weaknesses.
Elements of A Successful Personal Brand
To be successful, you need to project the image that fills the needs of your target audience, which typically includes a group you want to join, a prospective employer, or an audience you want to sell. Your key has to fit their lock better than your competitors. If it does, you will reap the rewards of being selected or followed.
Steps to create your personal brand.
To create a personal brand that works for you:
1.Identify your target audience (your lock)? Determine the audience you want to target and what they want or need from you.
2.Determine the image you project now (your key). Ask the people you trust to honestly tell you what image you project. You have to be open to listening to their answers even if they tell what you may not want to hear.
3.Is it the image you want? If their answers are consistent and represent the image you want, your personal brand is working. If not, you need to make changes related to your appearance, behavior, name, personal symbols, or other branding elements in a way that you are true to yourself. Unless you are a fine actor, trying to be what you are not rarely works.
4.Make adjustments to your key. Make the adjustments necessary to project the personal brand that enables you to realize your objectives and better fill the needs of your audience.
5.Create branding elements. You need to develop branding elements that help you to create and reinforce the image you want to project. People typically employ names, logos, slogans, hairstyles, or clothing items to help their personal brand. Name. Biz Stone’s real first name is Isaac. Bernard Schwartz became Tony Curtis. Kirk Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch. Some people use initials or a middle name if their given name does not fit the image they want to project - F. Scott Fitzgerald, F. Murray Abraham, I.F. Stone. Logo. Prince created a symbol that he used as his logo. Signatures are often personal logos that enable personal brands to stand out from the crowd. Slogans. Steve Jobs loves to say, “this changes everything.” Paris Hilton trademarked “That’s hot.” Donald Trump has popularized “Your fired” along with the accompanying hand gesture. Charlie Sheen has many but the one that many are using to represent him is “Duh… Winning.”Hair. The Beatles mops tops, Justin Bieber something similar, Albert Einstein absent-minded genius, and Donald Trump Yikes! Clothing. Pee Wee Herman, Steve Jobs, Hillary Clinton, Spike Lee (hat and glasses), Lady Gaga, Muammar Gaddafi.
6.Execute performance. Your product has to deliver on the promise of your personal brand. A bad performance or poor execution, unless your brand is deliberately based on this, will undermine your personal brand.
7.Measure results and take corrective action. Repeat steps 3 and 4 and the others if necessary.
What steps have you taken to create a personal brand?
Brand Yourself Before Others Brand You
It is useful to think of branding as having two components - the lock and the key. The lock refers to the target audience that has a need, and the key is the image of the product you create to fill that need. In the case of your personal brand, you are the product. You have more control if you create your own brand image (key). If you don’t, others will create one for you. More often than not, the image they create will not be flattering or helpful because they may have a negative agenda, lack branding expertise, or have a natural inclination to compete with you by highlighting your weaknesses.
Elements of A Successful Personal Brand
To be successful, you need to project the image that fills the needs of your target audience, which typically includes a group you want to join, a prospective employer, or an audience you want to sell. Your key has to fit their lock better than your competitors. If it does, you will reap the rewards of being selected or followed.
Steps to create your personal brand.
To create a personal brand that works for you:
1.Identify your target audience (your lock)? Determine the audience you want to target and what they want or need from you.
2.Determine the image you project now (your key). Ask the people you trust to honestly tell you what image you project. You have to be open to listening to their answers even if they tell what you may not want to hear.
3.Is it the image you want? If their answers are consistent and represent the image you want, your personal brand is working. If not, you need to make changes related to your appearance, behavior, name, personal symbols, or other branding elements in a way that you are true to yourself. Unless you are a fine actor, trying to be what you are not rarely works.
4.Make adjustments to your key. Make the adjustments necessary to project the personal brand that enables you to realize your objectives and better fill the needs of your audience.
5.Create branding elements. You need to develop branding elements that help you to create and reinforce the image you want to project. People typically employ names, logos, slogans, hairstyles, or clothing items to help their personal brand. Name. Biz Stone’s real first name is Isaac. Bernard Schwartz became Tony Curtis. Kirk Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch. Some people use initials or a middle name if their given name does not fit the image they want to project - F. Scott Fitzgerald, F. Murray Abraham, I.F. Stone. Logo. Prince created a symbol that he used as his logo. Signatures are often personal logos that enable personal brands to stand out from the crowd. Slogans. Steve Jobs loves to say, “this changes everything.” Paris Hilton trademarked “That’s hot.” Donald Trump has popularized “Your fired” along with the accompanying hand gesture. Charlie Sheen has many but the one that many are using to represent him is “Duh… Winning.”Hair. The Beatles mops tops, Justin Bieber something similar, Albert Einstein absent-minded genius, and Donald Trump Yikes! Clothing. Pee Wee Herman, Steve Jobs, Hillary Clinton, Spike Lee (hat and glasses), Lady Gaga, Muammar Gaddafi.
6.Execute performance. Your product has to deliver on the promise of your personal brand. A bad performance or poor execution, unless your brand is deliberately based on this, will undermine your personal brand.
7.Measure results and take corrective action. Repeat steps 3 and 4 and the others if necessary.
What steps have you taken to create a personal brand?
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