What Have You Done for YOU lately?

Regardless of the type or quantity of training and development that your company offers (and most offer zip squat nada) YOU are the one responsible for your own growth. Don’t be discouraged. Now that you know it’s part of your job description to get yourself trained, it’s easier than ever to make it happen.

You already know about the workshops, night courses and best sellers that you are avoiding. I understand completely. Instead, here’s a partial list of some other possibilities, and they’re not the same old same old. PICK ONE and do something.

RSS Feeds – easy-peasy. If there is management content on a website that you like, you can have that content sent to you, rather than visting the site daily. Go to Wikipedia and learn about RSS feeds. They’re like buttah. Take a look at http://fastcompany.com/homepage/index.html

Podcasts – sure, you’ve heard of them, but have you listened to one? Do you subscribe to any? If you listen to audio on any type of portable device or on your computer, you are almost a podster. Every single business magazine, newspaper and management site offers great content you can listen to. Wiki Podcasting to learn how. http://www.podcastdirectory.com/podshows/429943

Newsletters – How about an email you'd really look forward to, daily or weekly? I promise you - there are terrific management newsletters FREE, and all you have to do is opt-in. Pick one and subscribe. I like http://www.stevebalzac.com/

Craig’s List – get yourself a tutor for the specific stuff you want to learn about, such as reading spreadsheets or enhancing your computer skills.

Linkedin.com – It's MySpace for professionals. Do not hesitate. Go there. Register. Play around. It's great.

The Thing You Don't Say

One of the “Managers’ Ten Commandments” is: Thou shalt lead the way in saying the difficult things that need to be said.

Rachel is an art director and she is having trouble with Ross, one of the new graphic artists on her team. She is frustrated and confused about the hours that Ross works in the office versus at home. Yet she has not discussed this with Ross, even though his erratic arrival times at the office are becoming ever more frustrating to her.

One small detail: Ross has no idea that he is doing anything wrong. And after eight weeks of simmering Rachel just crossed over into flat-out furious.

Managers, please repeat after me: “I have to initiate the difficult conversations. I have to say the stuff that has to be said”.

At this point, Rachel has a number of excuses (she’s telling herself) as to why she hasn’t talked to Ross about his hours. But the real reason is that she doesn’t know how to have the conversation in a reasonable way. She is inexperienced, somewhat intimidated and just plain bad at conducting difficult conversations. So she rarely does it.

This management skill is called Mastering the Difficult Exchange, and it ought to be a part of Management 101. Because the only way to get good at it is to do it regularly.

Make a decision: don’t let a problem go on too long or too far. Don't let a question or conversation fester. Ever. Whether it’s between you and a direct report, your boss, another manager or someone down the hall, just spit it out. Ask the question. Bring up the problem. Identify the barrier. Say something.

Try this: decide to master the difficult exchange. Make this a behavior that you are known for. Become famous in your organization as the manager who is candid and forthright. Be the manager who never lets problems go too long or too far. Be the person who says the things that need to be said.