Posts Tagged ‘get connected’

Got Journal?

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

I work with executives and people who want more out of life. I want the same for me. And in the process of helping people achieve their greatness, one of the most valuable tools is journaling.

Life now moves at the speed of blur. Most days we fall into bed nearly unaware of all that happened in the day. Information moves through our heads so quickly that it rarely registers as it passes over our brains. So, slow it down for a minute. Get out a journal and write.

Here are some amazing things that happen when you start to spend some time with yourself and record your thoughts:

1. You start to notice details you previously did not notice; you improve your vision and awareness.
2. You start to see how you behave, what you think and what you feel with greater clarity – you start to better understand yourself.
3. You become more connected to your world, your relationships and your sense of self.

Journaling is a great reminder that you own your life and your responses. Journaling helps you to sort through feelings, emotions, ideas and perspectives. Journaling asks you to talk to yourself, to see what you really believe, what you really want, and what you really feel. This is what makes journaling difficult for many people. But the benefits – the awareness it creates – is priceless – in both work and life situations.

To get started journaling, I recommend the following:

1. Buy a lined notebook. I like handwriting instead of using a computer, but do what makes you feel more comfortable.
2. Commit a time each day to journal. Spend 10 minutes in that time period and write whatever comes to mind. The first week is difficult. But once you get your groove, you will look forward to journaling.
3. Start by recording a statement, then journal what you think about it. Examples:
a. I am most happy when I am …..
b. Something that I thought would be difficult, was easy…
c. Two great people I met today were…
d. I feel my most capable when I am doing…
4. Allow yourself to write whatever comes to mind. Don’t edit.
5. Once you get in the habit, spend time reviewing what you write. What information does it tell you about you – your talents, strengths and passions?

Get reconnected to the greatness that is in you. Start by writing down what you think and feel. Start to tell your story. Journaling… it does a body good…

Watch for my new book, The Greatness Zone – Know Yourself, Find Your Fit, and Transform the World, due out this September.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in For Employees, For Individuals, For Managers | No Comments »

Get Connected to Your Employees

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

I refuse to use standard employee surveys to gather feedback about how I manage and what employees need to be great in the workplace mostly because I don’t think the standard answers of “agree,” “strongly agree,” or “strongly disagree,” really tell anything.

Today’s managers need information to help them engage and inspire employee performance, but the survey process used by many companies rarely generates meaningful information. Don’t do without this critical information – instead change how you gather it from your employees. You need to know what they know.

In today’s intellectual world, it is important for managers to create a strong working and personal relationship (contact) with each employee. This personal connection allows them to solicit information, share feedback, and help in development; this personal connection is key to inventing a new “share information” process. Try this new approach to gather the information you need to help your employees perform at their best:

Weekly, ask all employees one question – a question that will give you feedback about their attitude, the workplace, their engagement level, their skill level, your effectiveness as a manager, etc.

Then consider the following ways to ask the question:
• E-mail it to the team.
• Post it prior to a staff meeting and ask for responses at the meeting.
• Ask it personally to each employee during the week.
• Post it on the company or department intranet – and ask for responses by a particular date.

Take Action: Each week, ask a new, meaningful question; ask it in a different way. This helps you connect in a more meaningful and personal way with your employees and gather critical information to help them maximize their performance.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in For Managers | No Comments »

Can all employees be fired up?

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

There are some employees that, even after a Herculean effort to put them in the right job and get them personally connected to their work, still seem disinterested, disengaged and distracted. What to do next?

Remember that in today’s workplace, how you respond to your employees (your emotional intelligence) is critical to your success. So, to deal with the employee who seems to have trouble getting fired up, first look at yourself and be more self aware and socially aware (try the little softer side of management). Consider the following:
1. Sit down for an honest and open one-on-one conversation. Ask about how they “feel” about work (not what they “think” about it).
2. Sense their emotions and see if you can uncover any area of discontentment. Deal with it up front, with empathy and attention.
3. Invite the employee to create a response to improve things. Establish another meeting to review the plan. Set dates and action items. Assess changes to employee attitudes. Be open to changes in your behavior as they may be what is impacting the employee’s response.

In most cases, employees who are not fired up are working in the wrong jobs (they don’t feel capable or confident), they don’t love what the do (there is no passion) or they feel disconnected from the manager and workplace. Address each and employees quickly become excited, passionate and engaged. To solve this you have to get real, get human and get connected.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »