Ask 3 Questions Before Taking on a New Project

Ask 3 Questions Before Taking on a New Project

Being proactive at work is generally a good thing. But if your initiative isn’t channeled in the right way, it can backfire — squandering resources and even damaging your reputation. That’s why it’s important to think carefully before taking on a project. Ask yourself three questions to help. First, “Am I the right person to lead this?” Consider whether you have the personal interest and professional expertise needed, as well as whether you can commit enough time and resources. Remember, not every problem is yours to solve. Second, “Whose support will I need?” Consider who will be affected by the project and who you’ll need on board for it to succeed. Make sure you’ll be able to get the blessing of key stakeholders. Last, “Do I understand how important this project is, or isn’t, to the company?” If an idea doesn’t align with your goals or the organization’s mission, pursuing it is likely to be a waste of time.

This tip is adapted from “When to Take Initiative at Work, and When Not To,” by Sharon K. Parker and Ying (Lena) Wang

Ask Your Employees to Give You Feedback

Ask Your Employees to Give You Feedback

Managers, your employees usually know where you need to improve. That’s valuable information for you to have as you keep growing and advancing — but are you encouraging your team to share it? Make it safe for employees to give you feedback. At team meetings, for example, you could take a moment to report on your recent work and ask people to rate your efforts. They may hesitate at first, but they’ll get more comfortable with it over time. You can also ask a candid direct report to be your coach. Meet regularly to request feedback, and be public about the commitment to show your sincerity. Whatever method you use, give examples of when you’ve gotten tough feedback in the past, to show it’s OK for employees to give it now. You might say, “I’ve heard from Marlon that I am often inaccessible because I spend a lot of time out of the office. I’m working on a plan to fix that. What else can I do to improve?” HBR

The Management Tip Get Your Employees Talking to Customers

The Management Tip

 

Get Your Employees Talking to Customers

Jul 23 2019

Customer experiences can provide you with powerful insights into how to improve your products. Many companies outsource this research, but you should consider having employees collect it instead. This can save time and money and will give employees a better understanding of the people they serve. Start by identifying who would most benefit from hearing feedback directly from customers. For example, you might choose managers who make the decisions about projects, designers who plan them, or individual contributors who carry out their day-to-day work. Next, consider how these employees will interact with customers. You could assign each person to join a sales call once a month, or to spend a few hours talking to clients with customer service reps. Capture their insights, and then share the most valuable ones with the rest of your team. This process should be repeated often so that your team stays up to date with what customers are thinking about.

Adapted from “How to Keep Employees Connected to Customers,” by Alessandro Di Fiore

If Your Employees Can’t Unplug from Work, They’re Probably Getting Burned Out

If Your Employees Can’t Unplug from Work, They’re Probably Getting Burned Out

Your employees may be closer to burnout than you think. If they can’t set healthy boundaries between work and their personal lives, or call in sick or take a vacation day when they need to, burnout probably isn’t far off. Leaders need to institute policies that show they care about employees’ health and encourage workers to find a good work-life balance. Let people use flexible hours, take breaks and mental health days, and ignore late-night emails (which no one should be sending anyway). Talk to your team about your expectations. Tell them that resting and unplugging helps us recover and recharge, which makes us more effective at work. Create a company culture that inspires and motivates people, not one that exhausts them. Your employees shouldn’t have to work around the clock to prove how dedicated they are.

Adapted from “When Passion Leads to Burnout,” by Jennifer Moss

Is Your Board Setting a Good Example for the Company?

Is Your Board Setting a Good Example for the Company?

The CEO sets the example for how employees should act — and board members should be setting an example for the CEO and senior management. If board meetings start late or have discussions that devolve into personal attacks, those behaviors can cascade throughout the company. That’s why boards and senior leaders need to model how they want others to act. A good first step is to create an “operating agreement” that lays out the CEO’s expectations of the board and vice versa. The agreement might include, for example, running meetings in which everyone has a chance to voice their opinions, providing monthly reports on the state of the business, and treating each other with respect. Think about what kinds of cultural norms you want to establish, and what you want business as usual to look like. Review these expectations annually during performance reviews and board self-assessments. Evaluate whether senior leaders and board members are sticking to the agreement, and remind everyone of their commitments.

Adapted from “How to Make Sure Your Board Sets a Good Example for Your Company,” by Kenneth W. Freeman