Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Progress is the Only Way Forward Dont Sabotage It

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Progress is the Only Way Forward Don't Sabotage It When undergoing process improvement, understanding your process from start to finish is the best way to prevent certain inevitable problems from occurring. Joseph Drasin is the director of University Process Innovation, Division of Information Technology, at the University of Maryland. In a recent article for Educause, Drasin described his dealings with the university department known for being inefficient and difficult to work with. “Their processes were perceived as cumbersome, costly, frustrating, and antithetical to their stated objectives,” said Drasin. “Several IT systems had been purchased and implemented to address these issues, which actually exacerbated the problems.” Drasin and his team worked with the department in question to develop an overarching process that improved service and reduced administrative costs. After ensuring that all practices were consistent, aligned, and adding value, the group was able to implement a complementary technology solution. Reflecting on the redesign process, Drasin shared words of wisdom that likely apply to most readers here. “When an organization buys a shiny new piece of technology and then tries to implement it without first having looked hard at its own processes and people, the vast majority of the time, the project doesn’t live up to expectations,” he said. “Even when successful, too many times the new technology looks a lot like the prior technology in terms of how it works.” Drasin went on to share process excellence lessons from his journey, some of which were inspired by Alec Sharp, the author of Workflow Modeling: Tools for Process Improvement and Application Development. I’ve cited several of them here and also included some additional gems from Velaction blog author Jeff Hajek. Issue 1: Getting ahead of yourself “It is easy to let the conversation go straight to the details before describing the environmental context and determining what the individual processes are and how they relate to one another,” said Drasin. “Everyone needs to be on the same page contextually, and you’ll need to emphasize the importance of discussion â€" or the project can derail quickly.” Issue 2: Decisions by consensus “You should never vote on a process or other business decision,” said Hajek. “Those should be grounded in facts, not popular opinion. If there are two competing choices, decide on the criteria you will measure them by, but let the options go head-to-head against each other on their own merit.” Issue 3: Placing stock in the law of averages “It is very uncommon for averages to help you improve processes,” explained Hajek. “For instance, the average ship time compared to your target time tells you very little about on-time delivery. The average size of the component may make it look like a part is in tolerance when in reality it has a high defect rate. Make sure you have some way of looking at the spread of your results rather than just the average.” Issue 4: All hail the artifacts Drasin described physical deliverables like diagrams and flowcharts as artifacts. Problems occur when teams focus on artifacts to the exclusion of the processes and conversations that build them. “If the tools themselves held the value, you could simply borrow flowcharts from a similar organization and implement them. But developing artifacts alone, without the necessary context and commitment, rarely results in effective recommendations,” Drasin said. Issue 5: Unclear rationale Nothing feels worse than when people start questioning your process after you’re off and running. “Stakeholders may be confused as to the objectives, begin questioning previous decisions, or ask if the effort is even a good idea,” said Drasin. “The answers to these questions may be vague, and there may be a lack of agreement about the real objective.” For the rest of the issues, check out the full article on the QuickBase Fast Track blog.

When to Follow up During the Hiring Process

When to Follow up During the Hiring Process There are several stages of the hiring process that each require a specific time to follow up. We explain when to follow up for each stage during the hiring process. This way, you will never come across as desperate, aloof, or disrespectful during your job search.1. You Just Submitted an ApplicationWhen: Wait between five and ten business days. However, if you applied through online applications you are very much at the mercy of the company’s discretion. They will usually send you an auto-email reading, “We have many job candidates and will reply to only those we are interested in”.Notes: This is what makes applying for jobs as a result of networking so important. You at least have a human being to contact. If you have a person to contact keep in mind things like holidays and/or the person who referred you. It’s always good to ask the referrer the best time to follow up.2.You Just Had a Phone InterviewWhen: If all things went well, follow up the same day and thank them for th e call. Do not worry. A “thank you for your time today” email is respectful and is a good chance to emphasize your interest in the company. You are also showing your written and interpersonal skills. If you do not hear back anything after the phone interview, follow up with an email asking for a status update and confirming your interest after 3 business days unless otherwise stated. Check out this template for a follow up after a phone interview.3. You Just Had the In-Person InterviewWhen: Congratulations if you made it this far in the hiring process! The next day, send out either an email or handwritten letter (people still appreciate this) and state your appreciation for the interview. Be sure to highlight your interest in the job and let them know you look forward to being in touch again soon.If you do not hear back after the in-person interview, follow up with an email asking for a status update and confirming your interest after 3 business days unless otherwise stated.Chec k out this template for a follow up after a phone interview.4. You Just Received the “We Will Let You Know” EmailWhen: You did numbers 1, 2, and 3 above. You followed up appropriately with your emails. And now you are told, “we will let you know”. It is not always the best feeling to get this email but it is not a rejection by any means. It is now time to be patient and continue job searching. Wait 5 business days before checking in again.Note: If you are in an active job search and receive an offer for another job during that time, it is professional and reasonable to reach back out and let the employer know. Letting them know may offer you leverage for a job offer or it may make it easier for them to remove you as a possible hire. Either way, it makes your life easier.Final NoteNever jump to conclusions, take things personally, or become impatient. The hiring process requires a combination of patience, professionalism, and respect for the time and efforts of others. The la st thing you want to do is manifest your fears into your reality by destroying job opportunities because you feared they would never call you back.

How to Launch Your International Career A Review of Stacie Berdans GoGlobal!

How to Launch Your International Career A Review of Stacie Berdans GoGlobal! If youve ever dreamed of building an international career, you must read Stacie Berdans Go Global! Launching an International Career Here or Abroad. I found myself nodding and smiling throughout this concise, convenient eBook. Stacie draws from her own experience to give practical, step-by-step advice. She worked for a top global public relations firm in Hong Kong for many years, during which she gained the skills and experience to skip several levels on the corporate ladder. This is her second book about international careers. Her first book, Get Ahead By Going Abroad: A Womans Guide to Fast-Track Career Success, was published in 2007. (And GoGlobal is only five bucks! Thats the price of one cocktail in a college bar! Consider it a cocktail with Stacie Berdan and her network of international professionals.) Some of my favorite tidbits from GoGlobal!:   You can launch an international career at home. You dont have to move to another country, since the modern world of work is packed with international connections. Take an honest look at your own personality, to make sure youre ready for the cross-cultural challenges of working in an international environment. To build your global mindset, study foreign languages, read foreign news, and watch movies from other countries. Avoid taking on debt. Debt limits your career options, at home or overseas. There are many ways to gain global experience without going into debt. As you prepare to apply for international jobs, begin by defining your global brand. From this you can craft an elevator pitch, cover letter, resume and online presence. I particularly like Stacies sequential, non-intimidating process, and suggestion to begin a resume with a Qualifications section that describes your value proposition and 4-5 memorable bullet points. Dismal events can lead to career opportunities. Uprisings in the Middle East led to   new opportunities for communications firms like Twitter. The tsunami in Japan created new opportunities for construction firms. Both good news and bad news influence the international job market. The book is packed with links to YouTube videos, personal anecdotes from about a dozen internationally-minded folks ranging from students to top executives, and invitations to email Stacie Berdan directly. The books final chapter, Navigating the Pathways to China, is by Rebecca Weiner, who has 27 years of experience as a Zhongguotong (China hand.) Rebecca describes Chinas bifurcated job market, which has plenty of entry-level opportunities to teach English and gain experience as a young professional, and plenty of jobs for experienced managers (some of which include drivers and villas, the full expat package) but fewer choices for mid-level professionals. Rebecca encourages anyone who aspires to work in China to: work hard and be ready to learn, adjust, and reflect differentiate yourself by emphasizing your creativity and innovation (these are obsessions of modern Chinese corporate culture, and they are not at all emphasized in the Chinese educational system) meet other expats, but dont exclusively hang out with them and more! I especially recommend this book because it outlines many of the steps I have taken in my own career. I majored in Latin American Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. As part of my degree, I studied abroad in Chile for a full year. This program gave me the opportunity to intern with a microfinance non-profit and volunteer in a shantytown library. All my classes were 100% in Spanish. When I graduated in 2006, I decided to move to China to teach English at a university in Jiaxing, a small town of a million people near Shanghai. This has been by far the most random decision of my life. Within three months, with no specialized training, I transformed myself from a student of Latin America to a teacher in China. I enjoyed leading debates and skits in the classroom, and I think I learned more from my students than they did from me. Over the next four years, I worked in a wide range of industries in Shanghai and Beijing advertising, consulting, corporate social responsibility, marketing, and more all while learning Chinese. In mid-2011 I was ready to revisit my interest in Latin America, and I found a wonderful opportunity. I moved to Chile in July of 2011 to join a solar energy startup and participate in Start-Up Chile, an entrepreneurship program sponsored by the Chilean government. Alongside this solar energy project, I have recently launched my own China-Chile-California consultancy, Tricontinental Advisors. I mention all of this to show you that it IS possible to build an international career. It all starts with developing a global mindset, learning foreign languages, and figuring out how you, with your unique skills and interests, can best contribute to the global marketplace. And the best place to begin is by reading Stacie Berdans GoGlobal! Launching an International Career Here or Abroad. Download it today!

Announcing My Brand New Female Leadership Academy!

Announcing My Brand New Female Leadership Academy! In case you missed my big announcement on the webinar last week (you can still watch the replay here through Friday night), I am starting something pretty exciting in March only for ambitious professional women! Its my 6-Month Female Leadership Academy! You dont want to miss this! Heres the link to check it out sign up: CLICK HERE This program is limited to only 8 participants and will be offered virtually so you can join wherever you live.  This  training program is specifically designed for mid to high-level professional women and will improve your professional ability to: Respond strategically to demands of your role and competitive pressure Capitalize on your innate leadership strengths to achieve high-impact results with greater ease Build new levels of confidence to take on greater roles and excel as you advance in your career Gain respect working with men Emerge with stress and time management techniques so you can operate at peak performance and clarity Increase your energy and enhance your effectiveness at work and at home Expand your network and establish a career strategy plan If you register by tomorrow, January 31st, you will get a $500 discount and you’ll also get a private coaching call with a Gallup Strengths Coach.  And if you are one of the first 5 to invest, you will receive a private coaching call with Anna Runyan  while there are spots available â€" we’re over half sold out.  (A $250 value!) I created this program especially for ambitious professional women and leaders who are currently working in a career but are wondering what that next move is and those of you who are ready to make your leadership career bigger and better so you dont stay stagnant. And, those who want to build more confidence for their future career moves and move away from stress, anxiety and worry. Here is what I am hearing back from women who are already signed up: Thank you for all the information.  Im so excited! I cannot wait to start this journey! Heres the link to check it out sign up: CLICK HERE Email me if you have ANY questions! -Anna P.S.â€"The Female Leadership Academy tools have already helped hundreds of ambitious professional women take their leadership career to the next level… and you can do the same.   Let this be the year you take on greater roles and excel as you advance in your career.  Join us for the $500 discount and bonuses only through Friday.  CLICK HERE

Using Catering Resumes To Build A Good Reputation

Using Catering Resumes To Build A Good ReputationCatering resumes help a company get past the scuffles that commonly come when hiring new staff. Also, these CVs serve as a great tool for the company to draw attention towards their talents and skills. By making use of these CVs, it helps in building a good reputation for the company.These CVs can help you in preparing your resume. In this, they can be the foundation that will serve as the key to the success of your business. These resumes are easy to write, and should also be able to highlight all of your abilities and qualities.One of the most important components of the CVs is the cover letter. It serves as a way of shortening your CV, while giving a detailed outline about you and your abilities. It should highlight your skills, your past jobs, and even the organizations that you have worked for.While writing the letter, make sure that you keep it short, yet very professional. This will be a good tool in the recruitment process and will help in highlighting the worth of your services. It should also provide a detailed account of your previous work experience. This includes the details such as your training, education, and of course, your skill set.Once you have finished writing your resume, there are a few other aspects that need to be taken into consideration. These include your references, your career objectives, your achievements, and of course, your knowledge of the position. Take note of all of these elements and you will be on your way to getting your dream job.These CVs can help you in the job interviews. It serves as a means of shortening the duration of the interview and helps you create a favorable impression over the other candidates that are looking for work. By making use of this tool, you will find that you have many advantages to going for the interview.Lastly, make sure that you use these CVs in an organized manner. This helps in creating a competitive edge and helps you get that dream job. The y can also help you build up your networking circle, which will be very useful in the future.These CVs can help you in making the right impression. There are a number of ways in which these can be used. You just need to look at the many different aspects and make your choice accordingly.

Top 10 Tips to Maximize Results from Face-to-Face Networking Events

Top 10 Tips to Maximize Results from Face-to-Face Networking Events Top 10 Tips to Maximize Results from Face-to-Face Networking Events It’s true: face-to-face networking events can be awkward, phony and, well, boring. Maybe 3% of the people who are there really love the notion of exchanging introductions over and over again, trading business cards with total strangers, and having a good time. The other 97% wish they could be home with the family, watching the latest basketball game, or taking off their shoes to relieve the aching feet. People go to networking events for all kinds of reasons. Leads for their businesses, to learn more about that common area of expertise such as an industry or profession, or as part of a job search. Whether you are employed or unemployed, you will need to go to face-to-face networking events regularly to build your network for the future. When you do go, you will get as much out of it as you put into it. And you CAN meet business or personal objectives, too. Have a goal prior to going. Do you have a target list of companies you would like to work for and you want to find people who either work there or know someone who does? Are you an entrepreneur who wants to find other entrepreneurs you can learn from or share experiences with? Are you a sales executive looking for leads? These are my Top 10 Face-to-Face Networking Tips to get you started on a networking journey that will last you a lifetime. (HINT: Give as well as get! Don’t make it one-off or one-way, then it’s called USING instead of NETWORKING.) 1 Bring: Business cards Professional or personal â€" just have plenty. 2 Bring: Pen and small pad Take notes about people you meet. 3 Arrive early! Maximize the time; better quality conversations. 4 Nametag: Right side and high up Tie a knot in the back of the lanyard so it sits higher; turn around your blank tag. 5 Have at least one hand free Check coats and briefcases; have a free hand to shake and write notes. 6 Separate from colleagues …Unless they are introducing you to someone or vice versa. Then split up after introductions are made. 7 Have a network goal, set a # goal Rehearse answer to “What brings you here?” and target meeting 5-10 brand new people who can help you. 8 Shake, smile, make eye contact Keep all 3 going at the same time. 9 Turn off your phone, no texting Unless you’re the President of the United States! 10 Close: Ask for a follow up “May I follow up with you after this event?”

Dealing with unpopular employees - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Dealing with unpopular employees - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Heres a recent question from CNN Money: One of my employees is pretty capable, but she lacks people skills. No one in the office likes dealing with her. Recently she called me at home at 9 P.M. on a Friday, crying and saying she was typing up her r?sum? because the entire staff was against her. I listened, and then hinted that it wasnt the time or place to discuss this. Now office tension is high. Can I tell this woman that, because she said she was updating her r?sum?, I assume shes given notice? (source) Thats a good question but heres an even better one: if that employees behavior is so bad and her social skills so atrocious, why hasnt the manager reacted a long time ago? This is one of the most important things we have managers for to make sure that counter-productive behavior in the workplaces is stopped. I read an interesting quote the other day (though Ive forgotten where) that said that any behavior by employees that is not stopped by management becomes de facto legal. Bad behavior includes gossiping, badmouthing co-workers, constant negativity, unconstructive criticisms, bullying, not helping co-workers and not sharing information. If managers see this and do nothing its now OK. And it shouldnt be! One manager from a company Ive worked with, took this responsibility seriously. One of his employees, a lady in her 50s whos been with the company for many years, had become habitually negative. Shed end most phone calls by slamming down the receiver and blurting Idiot! whether shed been talking to a customer or a co-worker. She would criticize all suggestions and plans she was consulted on. Co-workers respected her knowledge and competence but didnt dare ask her any questions because of her demeanor. Finally the manager had a meeting with her. He explained exactly how he viewed her behavior and why it was making him and her co-workers unhappy at work. He then gave her the rest of the day off. When she called in sick the next day, he was pretty sure he was going to lose that employee. She returned to work the day after and asked for a meeting with him. And this is when she amazed him. Shed spent some time thinking about this and talking to her husband and shed come to agree that her behavior had become much too negative. The scary thing is that she hadnt done any of this consciously it had become a habit. One she now wanted to break. Shes been working on it since and both the manager and her co-worker have noticed a marked shift in her behavior. So, by the way, has her husband. This is exactly how managers should handle this type of situation. Employees who exhibit this type of bad behavior need attention and help to break out of it. If their behavior improves excellent. Then its time to follow up and make sure the change is lasting. If it doesnt help, then its time to fire that person. Letting people stay in jobs where they dont fit in, where theyre not happy and where theyre not pulling their weight is a mistake. Managers may think theyre doing them a favor theyre not! Remember, just one unhappy, unproductive employee can pull down the whole department. And whats worse this attitude is contagious. It spreads and infects others and if youre not careful, youll end up with a hard-core little clique of dissatisfied, cynical employees who make everyone around them unhappy. Your take What do you think? Have you seen a manager take responsibility and address bad behavior in employees? Have you seen this behavior ignored and be allowed to spread? Related posts Top 10 reasons why constant complaining in the workplace is so toxic Top 10 reasons why happiness at work is the ultimate productivity booster How to deal with anger at work Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related