The Focus Of The Performers In Your Circus

Where is the focus of the performers in your circus right now? For example, we are seeing report after report stating that the marketplace is full of disgruntled workers (some reports say as high as 50% of workers are not happy with their current employment). Employees that are saying to themselves, "When the economy turns around, I'm out of here! I'm going to get a better job and quit." With unemployment numbers remaining high and recovery looking like it is going to take awhile, maybe this is not such an immediate concern. Or is it? What is an unhappy employee's energy level like day in and day out while they are waiting for that new job? What is the commitment level? How is the quality of work?

Having "unhappy performers" in your circus is an immediate problem. How about the non-work related performers in your circus? Are there others that are saying, "When something better comes along, I am out of here!"Here is a quick and helpful exercise that might help you. Grab a blank sheet of paper and create a "Performers Review." Make three columns on the paper. In the first column list all of the relationships that are important to you-both at work and in your personal life. In the second column, rate the level of focus and commitment to your relationship with a scale of high, medium and low. In the third column consider what you can do to either recommit or address a "low" rating or, reinforce and reward a "high" rating of someone that is really making a difference in your relationship with them.

Once you have completed your review, take the actions that you have listed in the third column and incorporate them into your daily "line up." Remember, Every member is important and has to be fully engaged on the rights acts to make the team successful. – Juggling Elephants, page 76.

Key To Being A Best Place Work?....

Glassdoor.com has just published its 50 Best Places To Work. The results are based on employee feedback and input provided anonymously. The top 5 companies were:

• Southwest Airlines
• General Mills
• Slalom Consulting
• Bain and Company
• McKinsey and Company

One effective feature of the list is that you can click on a company and see what makes it a best place to work. There are a number of recurring themes, including:

• Employees are given opportunities for growth.
• The workplace environment is fun and positive.
• My ideas are valued.

If any part of your job includes managing other people, I strongly encourage you to spend a few minutes going through the list and finding some fresh ideas to help improve the performance of your people. Who knows? One day your company may make the list.

The Ringmaster And Managing Different Ages In The Workplace

I came across an article in Ladies Home Journal (I was in a doctor's office and needed something to read) that gives a good overview of understanding the multiple generations that are now in the workplace. Carol Mithers article got my attention with the overview that reads:

In offices around the country, Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers are trying to figure out how to get along. Sure, they all feel lucky to have a job in a bad economy, but that doesn't make the culture clash any easier.

Click here to see the article.

Ringmaster-Do Your Job!

While on a flight yesterday I overheard the conversation behind me. A group of people were on their way to some type of conference. I'm not sure of the purpose of the conference, but it was part of their work responsibility. Here's the gist of the conversation. We'll call them Attendee 1 and Attendee 2:

Attendee 1: Do you know what we're supposed to do at this conference? What sessions do I have to go to?
Attendee 2: Well, you are required to go to the opening reception tonight, and tomorrow night they have a real neat off site dinner planned. I try to go to several of the sessions. Sometimes they are interesting. I normally sit in the back, and if they don't keep my interest I just leave.

I shuddered. Two people attending a conference, probably at the expense of the company, and one is clueless while the other's priority is a good meal. What a tremendous return on investment the company will get for sending these two people.

My question is, "Where is their manager, supervisor or boss in the equation?" If I were sending (or allowing) two people to go to a conference on company time, there are a few things I would do as their ringmaster to insure that the experience was of benefit to them and the company. They would include:

• Reviewing the agenda with the attendee. Most all conferences post their agenda, including breakout sessions, on their website. At least request it from the attendee even if you don't review it with them in person.
• Reflect on the best "acts" for the attendee. Review sessions that have will have content specific to the attendee's job responsibilities and/or company strategic interests. You don't have to choose all of them, but at least give them some guidance-especially if they have not attended a conference like this in the past.
• Remind them to take advantage of networking. So many good ideas at a conference come from table discussions at meals, breaks and at informal moments.
• Encourage them to enjoy some "self ring" time. If you are familiar with the area suggest an activity they could do during some of their free time-or direct them to someone who could be of help in knowing the local area. Web information is plentiful, but an individual's first hand experience is sometimes the most efficient way to garner insights.
• Follow up when they return. Talk with them about the experience. Let them share information from the conference that is of benefit to the company and their coworkers. Ask how, as their "ringmaster," you can help with any new directions or initiatives that grew out of the conference. Perhaps even set the follow up time with them PRIOR to their attendance at the conference. Accountablility in today's business climate is a necessity, not a luxury.

Conferences just offer too much benefit to an organization to be missed because a ringmaster didn't take the time to effectively prepare a performer for this act in their work ring.

For Those Looking For A New Work Ring

Liz Ryan has offered a fresh perspective on an essential tool for those looking for a new lineup for their work ring (i.e. a job). There are so many people now looking for jobs that last typed out a resume on a computer that was thrown out (or recycled) years ago. Like those computers, today's resumes should look and perform much differently than ones from the past.

In 10 Boilerplate Phrases That Kill Resumes, Ryan encourages us to have "human voiced resumes" instead of the cold, institutional ones of the past. One of my favorite parts of the article was the 10 phrases that kill resumes. They include:

-Results-oriented professional
-Cross-functional teams
-More than [x] years of progressively responsible experience
-Superior (or excellent) communication skills
-Strong work ethic
-Met or exceeded expectations
-Proven track record of success
-Works well with all levels of staff
-Team player
-Bottom-line orientation

She gives several good tips and even an example of how a resume should reflect a warmer tone.