The "Don't" Interview Secret

Many good people have recently lost their jobs – and not because of poor performance. Your ad runs once and an email avalanche is the result. How do you decide who to interview? More importantly, how do you decide who you don’t interview?

Use screening questions. A short list of questions that quickly and effectively screens out candidates who just won’t make the cut. And screens in those who deserve the big interview. But the ‘don’ts’ come first.

The goal for the Screen interview is to be short and sweet. It's efficient. And it lasts ten minutes, max; fifteen for someone who is great. It’s a list of focused questions that require brief, specific answers. First, ask the essentials about geography, requirements for education or job-related experience.

Then the fun begins. Ask three questions that focus on the white hot core of successful performance in that job. Questions that require specific answers and illustrate the candidate’s ability to deliver excellent performance. The candidate’s job is to answer with specific examples. Your job is to settle for nothing less than specific examples.

Here's the "don't" interview secret that this post promised. If they have been doing the thing you are asking about then they can provide specifc examples. Dozens of them. If they aren't doing it, their answers will be vague. Doing=telling. Don't settle.

The screening questions have to focus on the results you want. Screening questions are not about skills. They focus on performance.

It's simple: define three results that represent great performance in the job. (And you should already have that list). After you’ve asked your white hot performance questions you'll know whether they should move on to the big interview. Some tips:

1. Time it. In the ten minute screening call you talk one minute and they talk nine.

2. Use a list of questions, in writing.

3. Write down what they say. Explain that you are taking notes and you might pause to catch everything. Or, ask someone else to take the notes so you can really listen. Or, you can use a great website called http://www.freeconfernececall.com/ to record the calls for free and download the sound files. It's all free.

4. Explain how it works: “this is a screening interview to determine whether you might be a good fit for the job. Please give short and specific answers, but long enough to answer completely. Be as specific as you can”. (And you'll learn whether they can follow directions).

5. Set aside an hour and do five screeners in a row. You will get good at it.

But before you start...what are the three white hot performance results that define great performance in your job?

Fantasyland is in Orlando

Here is the Fantasyland definition of management: expecting people to show up, memorize their job descriptions and “just do their job”. In other words, it's not real. And here is another pretend definition of management: any sort of nonsense that includes things like hitting the number or growing profit. Revenue and profit are the results of great management; hitting the number does not define anyone as a great manager. That makes you a great profiteer.

A more accurate, real-life definition of management is this: doing what is needed to help talented people succeed. It's kind of broad and certainly vague, I know, but it’s absolutely the right starting point.

You have to be very specific about the definition of success in your own management job before you can possibly help anyone else succeed. So, what is it that you actually DO to help people succeed? How would you explain your job to your grammy? Or a third grader? Or more interesting, how do you explain your job to your staff? How would your staff explain your job to others?

This is a really useful exercise…complete these five simple sentences. And then have your employees do the same.

1. I help my employees to DO the following:

2. I am responsible for my employees learning how to DO this:

3. I recently solved this important problem for my team:

4. My team is focused on this important goal:

5. The most important result my team will accomplish this year is:

You , and each member of your team should be able to finish those sentences. And all the answers should be the same.

How To Operate - YOU

Operating instructions come with every electronic item we buy. Even the simple stuff. The manual for an iron shows how to plug it into the wall. Flight attendants still show us how to insert the strap into the seatbelt clip. (Why do they still demonstrate that??)

We might not read the instructions but we expect to receive them. For everything. Those manuals are like tiny insurance policies: “I can read it when it breaks”.

You know where this is going. And it makes sense, doesn’t it? Managers should come with a set of instructions. Seriously. I recommend that you personalize the sample below and distribute it freely. Make it short. One page. Very user friendly.

USER’S MANUAL FOR (your name here). When you know how I operate – or, even better, how to operate me – I will function at my optimal level of performance & communication. Utilize me correctly and I can function at maximum wattage.

ON/Off SWITCH. When I’m under pressure, I get really focused. Intense. No jokes. I ask a lot questions and I expect answers. I will continue to ask “why”.

TIMING. Don’t bring important issues to my attention in the hall. Or casually. I like knowing what to expect, and I expect you to be prepared with facts.

COMMUNICATION. I respect people who can explain their point of view and back up their decisions with information and data. Stand up for yourself.

MALFUNCTIONS. I am direct. I move fast. When I ask a question, answer it; “I don’t know, but I’ll find out” always works. I won’t tolerate blaming or lying. If you did it, admit it.

FEEDBACK. I don’t give enough. You’re doing fine unless you hear differently. Feel free to ask, but expect the whole truth.

BATTERY LIFE. I expect everyone to do whatever it takes to deliver results. Every employee willing to do every job. And do your own, to the best of your ability.

EXTENDED BATTERY LIFE. I don’t delegate enough. Lighten my load, do a good job and you will always have a place on my team.

If the Shoe doesn’t fit…

Here is the NOT definition of management: spending way too many of your coaching hours with under-performing employees. The ones who improve just barely enough to stave off the reality that they should be fired. Are you doing that? Why?

The wounded state of our economy is an opportunity to de-hire the employees who don't meet the standard of right person right job. The ones who are not meeting expectations. The ones who struggle with the skills they need to succeed. The ones who struggle.

Are you managing out of 'maybe'? As in, maybe she will improve when I explain this...again. Or maybe she will do a better job of meeting deadlines if you help write her schedule.

She probably will make some progress, but is improvement what you want? You just nodded, “yes, I want improvement”. Zzzzzz! Reject buzzer because the right answer is no, no no. You can’t – and shouldn’t – settle for some improvement. Aim for great. Or wonderful. Or fantastic. Aim for A level performance. With every employee

With continued coaching she probably will improve her performance. By some amount. But “improvement” won’t make the big sales. Improvement won’t finish the projects on time, every time. And as long as you settle for little bits of improvement, your definition of management will be more like a tutor than a coach. You'll get small fixes. Little adjustments. A bit of improvement. No greatness. No A’s.

Management skill #1 is the ability to put the right person in the right job and management skill #1-A is the ability to de-hire the wrong person at the right time. You put them in the job and now it's your job to take them out.

What’s True

Managers have to be completely committed to the truth. You set yourself up for great success as a leader when your people know that you will not accept anything less than the truth. And that this standard is applied to both the incoming and outgoing.
We are all incredibly busy. We get distracted by the little fires that spontaneously combust every hour of the day. We make poor decisions when we don’t take the time to determine what is really true. We invent perception, half-truths, denial and exaggeration. We guess. And we get good at making excuses.
As a manager, you set the standard for performance. Your team will follow your lead. Start by telling yourself the truth and insisting that those around do the same. No more enhancements. No wiggle room. No more great stories killed by an eyewitness. When you require the truth you can accept it, analyze it and do something.
Pick something that you have avoided dealing with. Uncover what is true about that situation. Do something and move on.

Better Communication.

'Better communication' is possibly the most overused phrase in business. And probably the #1 most desired outcome. How to do it? The answers fill thousands of books and websites, but here’s a new rule for communication that just might be an answer for you:

The person initiating the communication is responsible for the communication.

This is about style, not content. This is about what you can do to successfully communicate your message to the person receiving it. When you are the initiator you own the way in which a communication gets started. It's about the sender and receiver, and this is about the communications where you are the sender.

This new way of thinking requires a new behavior. One where you take a little more time to plan your communication. And if you think that this sounds too tedious, I suggest that a pattern of unsuccessful communications is even more tedious.

When Hector talks to Blanche to about a new sales idea first he plans the content and then he plans for Blanche's communication style. How does she like to receive information or new ideas? Does she like to hear the whole story or just the facts? Does she make quick decisions or will she want time to digest a new proposal? Think sender and receiver.

When better communication is the goal, rank doesn’t matter. So, when the Big Cheese talks to the sales manager about a new way to close business, the Cheese should mull over what he knows about the sales manager's communication style. And offer his communication for the best possible reception. Think sender and receiver.

For some, this is radical thinking. For some, rank matters more. For most, however, being outranked is not a magic key to better communication. The reason for the Big Cheese or any manager to do it this way is because it works. Think sender and receiver.

Try this: the management team meets to discuss each one's preference for communication. Think sender and receiver. Each person makes two lists about him/herself:
1.
How I usually send my communication. Make it specific such as concepts v. details or fast v. slow.
2.
How I like to receive communication. Facts v. story or directives v. options.

Discuss these preferences as a team. Ask questions. Get specific. Practice a little. Write each person’s preferences on some index cards and everyone gets a set. Laminate them. And use them.

Think sender and receiver. If you initiate it, you own it.

The Big Foam Finger

I think that every manager should go out and get one of those big foam fingers you see at sporting events. In the office, let’s call it the Flying Finger of Blame.

There is an epidemic at the workplace called the blame game, where blaming someone/anyone/everyone else is now the norm. And it doesn’t work, of course.

Instead, the next time something undesirable happens, grab hold of that big foam Finger of Blame and point it right at your own head. And say, “what was MY role in that event?” Or, “what can I do differently next time?” Or even, “what am I missing here?” Aim your first three questions at you.

The foam finger is kinda funny but pointing it at yourself is a seriously transformational act inside an organization. Think about your boss for a moment – it would just be great if she pointed that big ole finger at herself instead of your and yours. And your CEO – what if he opened the next staff meeting with something like, “here’s what I need to do better in the future to help us hit our revenue targets”. Wow.

Think of the last thing that went wrong. What was your first thought? If it had to do with anyone other than yourself then this is your moment. This is your opportunity to turn that ship around. Roll back to that event – what should have been your first thought?

What will be your first thought – and your first sentence next time?

NOT the Other Guy

Here is a suggestion for a really useful 2009 Resolution: from now on, whenever something happens (that you don’t like), here is a new/different question that you should ask first. And this is an easy resolution to keep because you ask this one question every time, no matter what has happened or regardless of “who did it”. This question never changes.

You ask, “What can I do to improve this situation?”

This is slightly radical because it is the opposite of what we often do, which is to find someone or something else to blame. This resolution offers you the opportunity to create a completely new approach where there is no blame. Just responsibility. And that would be yours. You get to be the one who takes responsibility for finding the solution.

Blaming is historical. Blaming keeps you stuck in the past and stops you from moving forward. This new question works because it is the opposite of blame. This question is completely about the future and what will happen next. This question will free you and your team to find a true solution.

Don’t wait for someone else to do it. Don’t wait for someone else to change their behavior or “get better” or do something differently. When you choose this new perspective of asking “what can I do?” you will see new solutions, new participants and new options. You will feel empowered (sorry for the cliché) because you will be the one to take action. Right away.

In just a few weeks our new President will certainly offer us some inspirational challenges on his inauguration day. But let’s not wait for Barack’s message; instead, let’s look back to JFK. He challenged us to “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”.

It’s corny, I know, but let’s take that message to ourselves and our teams and our businesses this year and “Ask not what your company can do for you, but what you can do for your company”.

Shoe Hurling

I saw some video today of George Bush in Iraq. In the middle of a press conference some nutty (or pissed off) Iraqi journalist threw his shoe at him from the back of the room. And then he threw his other shoe! Wow. It was easily a twenty-foot hurl. My first thought was, “that is truly an old school, basic method of assault”. No technology, no anthrax, no complex scheme. Shoes.

About a minute later someone asked what I “do”. I said, “I do that”.

That guy did two things right. Both totally basic.
First, if his goal was to get everyone’s attention he succeeded.
Next, he used what he had. A basic tool. Nothing fancy.

The Iraqi wacko was on to something. Let's follow his lead. Do something dramatic to get everyone’s attention. One thing that shows you are serious about growing your business next year.

Go to work in a costume. Or meet at a weird location and kidnap your team for the day. Or create a “wow” incentive program where everyone can choose their own reward if they hit their target. Or throw a shoe at your boss. (Symbolically, of course)

Once you have their attention, ask each person for their one “big hairy audacious goal” (BHAG) for 2009. Or, assign everyone a different skill to master by the end of 2009. In sales, ask each seller to a master one sales category.

Get everyone’s attention and focus on the basics.

Annual (?) Reviews

The idea of annual reviews makes no sense. Does an annual review really mean that formal, thoughtful, actionable feedback is provided to an employee once a year? Actually, sadly, it does. Yet, consistent research that says employees crave more frequent and specific feedback. (www.Gallup.com) Even when managers believe they are doing it right, the results clearly show that it needs to get better.

As mayor of New York City in the eighties, Ed Koch was famous for uttering one sentence consistently. Everywhere he went he would ask people, “How am I doing?” Koch said that by asking that question he knew what New Yorkers really thought about his job performance. And the answers to that question made him better.

Do you get consistent and specific feedback from your boss? Your employees? Your peers? How do you know what you are doing well? And not so well? If feedback is not consistent and specific then it doesn’t count. And annual feedback definitely doesn’t count.

The #1 management skill to be developed is the ability to put the right person in the right job. #2 is the ability to help your employees learn and grow. And that happens via consistent and specific feedback.

I offer you a slam dunk guarantee: when you consistently and specifically tell Sally how she is doing many good things will begin to happen:
1. You immediately ensure that Sally is working on the right things.
2. You and/or Sally can create a plan to correct what is not working.
3. You and Sally can find ways to help her utilize her strengths more often that her weaknesses.
4.You can quickly correct what Sally is doing wrong.
5. And most importantly, you will show Sally that you care about her, and that is likely to make Sally care even more about doing a great job.

Spend time consistently – weekly – giving employees specific feedback and performance will improve. It doesn’t matter that you haven’t been doing it. What matters is that you start. And you can start by asking your team, “how am I doing?”

Are you Brand X?

Companies spend billions trying to create compelling brands. Jello. Kleenex. Hellmann’s Mayonnaise. People have brands, too, and as a manager you surely have a brand in the eyes of your employees. Whether you know it or not.

I recently went to my official, well organized digital card storage file (actually, a pile of business cards in an Altoids tin) and I randomly grabbed five. I wrote down the first word that came to mind for each person:

Rude.
He is an insurance sales guy who continually calls me, despite the fact that I’ve told him to stop. He just doesn’t get it. Or worse, he probably doesn’t care. I would go out of my way to un-refer him.

RockStar.
My former boss; a guy I’ve worked for twice. Great guy, great character, brilliant, handsome and a terrific leader. (Not necessarily in that order).

SalesMachine.
Beth is the most talented salesperson I’ve ever met. She has it all: a love of people, great marketing know-how, original ideas and impressive follow through.

Emperor.
This CEO doesn’t get it. He orders people around, criticizes “just because he can” and although he means well, he causes eyeballs to roll and heads to shake in every meeting he runs.

Defensive.
A company founder who has great intentions but can’t take a lick of feedback if it doesn’t agree with her point of view.

Ouch. They surely wouldn’t want to be labeled with just one word, but branding is funny that way. One word can nail it. So what is your brand, according to your team? Even if you think you know, are you willing to really find out?

I recommend that you use one of the 360 assessment tools, widely available online. Or, use a free Web-based survey tool. Or, your management team can participate together in a “What’s My Brand?” exercise. Regardless of how you do it, it’s important to learn from your employees what you do well - and poorly - and how they really perceive you.

Once you know, you can develop an authentic management style that utilizes your strengths. One way to start is to clearly let people know what to expect when they work for you:

You’ll always know where you stand with me.
You can count on me to meet with you once a week, one to one.
I believe in a fun workplace, and here’s how we’ll do it.
I will invest time and money on learning and training for all of us.
We will give one another feedback formally, at least once a month.

Brand X is generic.
Instead, you can decide to be the Hellman’s Mayonnaise of management (my very favorite brand)…special, delicious and way better than all the others.

Performance v. Presence

I don’t understand why some managers resist hiring talented people because they want some form of flex time. Or want to work from home. If you've already jumped on the flex bus, that’s the right thinking. Because in this economy (and forever more, most likely) you have to attract and keep talent in every way possible.

I challenge you to ask yourself, “am I more comfortable hiring someone I will see in the office every day, rather than managing a talented person who is “out of sight?

There are thousands of talented people who have stepped out of traditional jobs (often to raise a family, etc.) who are available only to work flex hours. If you evaluate them on performance rather than presence you can create an entirely new kind of team.

Let’s troubleshoot this:

If you do it, will everyone want a flexible schedule?

Maybe. And I encourage you to consider it. Which positions truly require an employee to be in the office every day from 9-5? Which do not? Maybe it would be better to have your office staffed 7am-7pm, with a staggered schedule.

How do I decide who gets a flexible schedule?

You could offer flex as an earned privilege; as long as performance meets expectations the high performers retain the privilege of the flex option; For those positions where flex time is not practical, employees can be offered the opportunity to earn a different privilege. Based on performance, of course.

What if it doesn’t work?

This is a great opportunity to create group buy-in for a highly desirable benefit. And incredibly, it's a big motivator that costs your company nothing. Yes, it has to be well managed, but no more so than traditional teams. And it’s great for morale because flex teams often perform better in order to protect and retain the privilege.

Before you begin, set specific expectations with the group as to how you will evaluate the success of the flex. Initiate an open discussion an let everyone weigh in. Fears, concerns, the right stuff and the wrong stuff.

C’mon. Give it a try. You just need to be flexible.

Feedback: Outgoing

Outgoing feedback is what you offer your staff to help them to perform better. Frequently, it's delivered in a casual way and often unscheduled. Sometimes there’s an annual review. If that’s how you do it, then this is worth improving. Your team needs feedback that’s ongoing, specific and scheduled.

Maybe you think your feedback system is just fine. But, if you want to know whether this actually needs improvement, that’s great, because feedback is all about asking.

The purpose of feedback is to help your people be more successful. That’s a little vague, but you can get specific, fast. Your opportunity is to get started and ensure that it continues to happen regularly…and well done.

One caution: be careful that your feedback is more than criticism. It’s easy to get into that rut because managers sometimes think their role is to provide never-ending corrections. But there’s much more in the feedback bucket than criticism and corrections; there are questions, observations, praise, tweaks, enhancements, what-ifs, edits, revisions and more praise.

I have read over and over that (second only to money), the #1 thing that employees want at work is more time with their manager. Even if you don't like your manager I bet that you would like more one-to-one time with her.

I think that frequent, scheduled one-to-one meetings are practically holy. Their reason for being is feedback. In one-to-ones employees spend time with managers who are focusing only on them; their problems, successes, goals and wishes. Wow.

You’re a manager - and perhaps you’re also an employee who reports to a manager. Do you get enought time with your boss? Would you be more successful if you met one-to-one, frequently, with your manager? Would it help you?

Just say yes to feedback.

Are You Nailing Up Plywood?

"It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory."

W. Edwards Deming wrote that iconic line in the sixties and it could have been written last week. This was illustrated dramtically when Alan Greenspan recently apologized to America for not knowing that the cowboy bankers were ruining thousands of lives.

“Greenspan said that he (and others) had believed that lending institutions would do a good job of protecting their shareholders; they are in a ‘state of shocked disbelief at the outcome. They were shocked that when they removed the referees from the Wall Street hockey game and allowed the players to regulate themselves, the result was chaos on the ice!"

It occurred to me that management often plays the role of referees for their teams. We make the rules and when needed, we also need the foresight to change the rules. (A privilege that sports referees don't have, by the way)

When business is booming we keep zooming. We say far too often that we are “crazy busy”, and planning for the future is that thing we’ll work on tomorrow. Well, an ideal time to plan for the future is when everyone else is worrying about how to nail plywood on the windows and survive the impending storm. Put down your hammer, gather the team in the storm cellar and get to work.

I believe that our current economic condition is a gift for you and your team; it’s the gift of time. It’s time NOW to referee a different game. And you're the ref.

Let’s say you run a $10million business and your vision is to grow to $20mil.A bad economy does not have to douse that dream. Thousands of businesses will grow during a down economy and yours can be one of them. Yours should be one of them.

Gather your team and declare that you will create a plan to solve the problems that you’ve been thinking about solving. You might start by replacing the people who are a bad fit for their position. Or, work to improve accountability. Create a set of definitive operational metrics or take your systems implementation to 99%. Pick one. Or more.It’s the season of budgets and planning, and you can create your clearest, strongest and most actionable plan.

Gather your team and your calendars and block out your planning sessions. Get a smarter before you start – buy a book, visit some websites or start reading blogs. www.timberry.com is a favorite.

Make time now to improve your operating plan. Do it carefully - with a method, with team participation and keep it planted in reality. Create criteria and use it. Then…get the team back in the room and ask the hardest questions you can ask.

It’s time to unwrap your gift.

Right Person Right Job

This is nothing new. You've read it, heard it, discussed it, debated it and you have surely tried it. Right person - right job. And sometimes you get it right. And sometimes you get it wrong. And wrong. And wrong. And wrong.

I say this endlessly, but I think the #1 skill that a manager must develop is learning how to put the right person in the right job. That is the definition of a great hire. And if you want to develop that skill, the first step you must take is to commit. Commit to making great hires as your #1 focus for skill development this year. Really commit.

Imagine that t's one year from today and I invite you to imagine the following accomplishment: you have become famous in your city or industry as a company that puts the right people in the right jobs. You became famous for right person-right job because word got around that management is great at exactly that.
You became famous for it because talented people want to work at a company where they are surrounded by other talented people.

This is difficult. And it takes a while. And you will have to face your current state of wrong person-wrong job in a number of areas. But wowee, the investment will be worth every hour and every dollar that you invest in this.

I offer a money back guarantee.

Talented people succeed in spite of the things that get in their way. That includes obstacles like ugly offices, run down buildings, lousy equipment, insufficient resources, old products and even crummy management. When people are doing the work they were meant to do they make magic things happen.

You know this is true: there really are project managers, secretaries, line chefs, customer service managers and salespeople who love their work. If you know one, ask about this. I think that's the answer you will get.

I implore you to go down this road. I beg you. In fact, I beseech you to BECOME that company. The one that's famous for right people - right jobs. Read these two classic books and you will be on your way to fame and fortune:

SOAR WITH YOUR STRENGTHS by Donald O. Clifton and Paula Nelson
FIRST, BREAK ALL THE RULES: WHAT THE WORLD'S GREATEST MANAGERS DO DIFFERENTLY by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman.

It starts with you. Are you doing the work you were meant to do?

#1

Pretend that it’s one year from today and you are throwing a party to celebrate the #1 accomplishment that your team pulled off this year. You are celebrating ONE GREAT THING….the #1 thing that you asked them to deliver. The #1 thing where you asked your team to put a crazy intense focus. And they did it.

Back to the present. You and your team have started working on that ONE THING and you will work on it all year. You’ve asked questions, planned, strategized, made lists and identified goals to make it happen. Below are a few more questions - of a different type - to make sure that party happens.

Do your key people know that this is your #1 expectation?

If you asked each one to talk about #1, would everyone give the same answer?

Does your #1 get “enough” focus, time, energy, learning, thinking and doing from each person?

Do you spend “enough” time talking to your people about #1; finding new ways to make it happen and doing all that you can to make it happen?

Does everyone in the company (division) know about #1?

Can everyone talk about #1 the way you want them to?

Have you spent time with everyone who has a role in accomplishing #1?

Have you allocated “enough” money?

If not, why not?

It’s a year from today. Time is running out.

Making Great Hires

It’s time to play that really fun business game called
“Making Great Hires”.

Question: do you know that hiring well is the most important skill that a managers must do well?
Answer: If yours is yes, then you will get all the money.

Making great hires means: matching employees and new hires with jobs that match up with their natural strengths. And it means hiring based on talent first, not just skills or experience. And it means setting the right expectations and defining outcomes you want.

If (when) managers become very good at making great hires the business can make mistakes in other areas and still be successful. Right person - right job means that people are hired to do the work they were meant to do.

How often have you experienced really great customer service? Or been sold something in a way that felt right? Or had a teacher who made learning fun? Or a boss who made work effortless? Those are examples of right person - right job.

Heresy: your #1 job as a manager is not to simply make money. That is the outcome of your job. Your #1 is to put the right people in the right jobs.

Do you know how?

Are You Popular?

This topic is often debated with fire and brimstone (what is brimstone?) And I seem to hold a minority opinion. Here it is: I absolutely believe that a manager can be both popular AND effective.

There's an old saying; “management is not a popularity contest”. Au contraire, dear managers. It is a contest, but it's also true that popularity is not the only thing that matters. There are additional ingredients in the management soup, as well.

The definition of popular literally means to be regarded with favor, approval or affection. It means that people like you. And popularity matters a great deal if you want employees that are truly engaged in their work.

It matters because people rarely do excellent work if they don’t "want to". And they surely don’t do outstanding, over-the-top work if they don’t want to. Ergo, if they don’t like you, the “wanna factor” plummets.

Important disclaimer: this is not about the popularity to be gained from buying lunch, drinks or their affection.

Let's go real life here. Think about a favorite teacher from your distant past. Or a great manager for whom your worked. Somehow, almost magically, did they make it so your "wanna factor" was high? I bet they helped you become the best version of yourself.

One of my tenets for managers is "Thou shalt remember that people don't work for companies; people work for people" Bash the Manager is a favorite workplace game, but you can change that game. One way to grow your popularity is to deliver on the basics.

And in case you’ve forgotten, here are a few basics :

• provide specific feedback on a regular basis
• set clear performance expectations and put those expectations in writing
• the right person in the right job.
• make sure that people know they have the opportunity to learn and grow.

Your style can be low-key, socially inept, introverted, not adorable and even un-charming. But I promise that you will be a popular manager if you deliver on those basics every day.

Tim Russert

I was stunned by the way so many people across our country were broken-hearted over the death of Tim Russert. I surprised myself as I became weepy every time I saw or heard a reference in those first few days. It can’t be just because we were both born in Buffalo, (even though Tim made it ok for me to come out of the Buffalo closet). Tim made Buffalo kinda cool. I stress kinda.

I have a theory: I think that so many people experienced Russert’s death as a personal loss mostly because he was the real deal. Yup, he was smart, really great at his job, funny, reliable, respectful, relentless, clever in the right way and so much more. But Russert formed a rare kind of connection with millions of people right through the damn TV. Almost as if he was a real friend. From high school maybe. My friend. Your friend.

I believe that Russert's remarkable connection came from his genuineness. It just poured out of the guy. I think we are all starved for people who are the real deal, and not just on TV. He gave us the best version of himself everyday, so let’s take a few management lessons from Tim.

Are you vigilant about being respectful to everyone?
Are you willing to do a sufficient amount of prep every week so you have all the info you need to do your job?
Are you relentless about the things you and your team need to get the job done?
Do you keep your word?
Do you ask (many) questions in order to fully understand any situation?
If you happen to be the smartest person in the room do you ensure that others never feel less smart than you?
And do you go to work every day in service to others?

Ask For Help

It is just so difficult to make even the smallest changes in our behavior…and to make them stick. There's loads of research on this topic and in real life, I think it’s almost impossible to truly change anything unless you are willing to ask for – and accept some help.

You know this is true. We have to ask for help is because awareness alone doesn’t magically cause unwanted behavior to change. Which is so globally unfair. I've always like the tenet, “the truth shall set you free”. Unfortunately, awareness of the truth doesn’t guarantee that anything will change. In fact, that new truth or that new awareness…it’s only the beginning.

Ongoing debate: I hold the opinion that it’s extraordinarily rare when a person truly changes an aspect of himself. Behavior can surely change and rational thought changes, of course, but most of us will always fight against some strands of DNA that push hard towards unwanted behavior. We are wired to do it. We don't really change.

However, in the name of change I offer a small challenge: write down this question and tape it to your computer: What am I doing differently? And hey, that's the first something different you can do).

Finally, the hardest part for many of us is simply asking for help. There are thousands of pages of research proving that behavioral change is far more successful when the changee asks for help. So, start by asking for help from just one person at work. Someone who likes you and wants you to succeed.

You might use some version of this, “I have become aware that I interrupt people far more than I ever thought. I know that it’s rude and I now understand that it makes some people feel bad. I want to stop but I need some help to keep my awareness high. When you see me interrupt, please signal me. We’ll come up with something”.

The truth shall set you free.

What is too close?

Why do employees so often feel like management is on one team and they are on another? As if they live in two different countries and each is speaking a different language?

A truly unproductive idea that many of us have been taught is that managers should never get too close to their people. I think that one is really wrong thinking. What exactly is too close? What would that really look like? Does that mean you would care too much? What bad outcome would occur if you were too close?

I have heard this answser: “if I get too close to my people they’ll forget I’m the boss”. Really?? Is that what you really believe?? I have never known or heard of an employee who was confused as to who their boss it. I think that everyone knows who their boss is every single day.

It is a widely documented fact that employees work harder and better when they believe that someone cares about their growth and performance at work. (http://www.gallup.com/consulting/52/Employee-Engagement.aspx) And that someone is almost always a manager.

Get close to your people. Talk to them. Often. Create genuine rapport. Ask questions. Listen to the answers. Ask more questions. Take action on their answers. In that way, you will naturally inspire people to “want” to do their best. And then some.

CH-ch-ch-changes

Do you think of yourself as a manager who skillfully leads the team through change? If your answer is yes, what is the last change you led? And how do you know whether you did a good job.

It’s really hard to lead or manage change, regardless of whether you “like” change or not. Lots of managers will say that they like change, but in real life, it’s the act of changing that they resist. To me, a true change agent is the manager who leads the staff through the desert of change. And hopefully, it won’t take 40 years of wandering.

Managing change requires a mountain of skill. And the “Don’ts” are as important as the “Dos”. A few “Don’ts” for change management:

Don’t tell people “you gotta find a way”. When I used to hear that my first thought was always, “YOU find the way and tell us about it”. It’s your job to work with your team and offer them HOW to find the way.

Don’t suggest that you have all the answers. Ask for feedback and help.

Don’t forget that the staff experiences the change very differently from management. Increase the level of communication so you understand exactly what they are going through.

Don’t be rigid. Change management requires you to change…along the way.

Don’t lie. About anything. Tell people every shred of information you can. Tell them consistently. And tell them what you don’t know.

Hiring is Hard

Hiring is always hard. Hiring well is even harder. Really hard.

One of our clients has finally committed to radically changing the way he hires and step one is the use of hiring tools such as DISC. Actually using the info from DISC is hard, too. Because the results often tell him something he doesn’t want to hear: the candidate is not a fit for the job.

Hiring tools have been used for decades. The good ones are expensive and worth it. They are the real thing. When they are used well they absolutely improve your ability to hire someone who is the RIGHT FIT for the job.

Hiring well is everything. If you aren't working to develop your hiring skills, start now. Go online and start googling.

I'd like to write a Mastercard ad for hiring tools:

Help wanted ads: $1000
Management time spent interviewing: $3000
Tools that prevent you from hiring the wrong person: priceless.

Just Like the Scouts

Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts each have a motto. A motto is a set of behaviors that can be counted on. A motto is a foundation that scouts (or managers) can rely on if they get off track or lose their way. The Scouts’ motto is a promise and a motto is not vague.

We grow up…get a job…and we change it from motto to mission statement, but it’s really the same thing. Even if your business has a mission statement I think that every manager should have a personal motto. It’s what you stand for. And when you are clear about your foundation your staff benefits from that clarity. Everyone benefits.

I like mottos better than mission statements. Mottos are personal. A motto tells others what you can expect of me.

A company says:
“Our mission is to deliver the best customer service possible and to strive for happy customers. We really care!” Sorry. That means nothing to me.

A manager’s motto might be:
I promise to tell you the truth, provide sincere feedback and to help you grow your skills.

Every manager should identify their personal motto, hang it on the wall, talk about it and deliver on the promise of your motto.