ComputerHunter.org |
|
|
|||
|
 |
Building Performance Trust
You can have outstanding ideas, yet never leverage them into winning at working results. That's because the secret behind those ideas lies in performance. Yours. Getting the okay to pursue your idea is directly related to the level of confidence other people have in your ability to deliver it. And if you do, you will create for yourself opportunities on a regular basis. One successful idea delivery leads to another and another and another. Bigger and bigger ideas are entrusted to people who consistently turn ideas into reality. You see, not only does an idea need to be a good one, but the idea-maker needs to be a performer who can deliver the vision. That doesn't mean you need to have executed lots of ideas before getting one approved. It does mean the base quality of your work is a deciding factor. In twenty years of management, I've vetoed more good ideas than I've approved. Most were vetoed for one reason: performance trust. I didn't trust the person to deliver the idea they had. A mediocre idea from a strong performer will win approval over a great idea from someone with inconsistent follow-through and poor results. If you can't do the little things, why would anyone give you bigger or more important things to do? And while every idea might not be big, it takes energy, time and resources away from other work endeavors. Not all ideas that get approved turn out to be successful. That's OK. Lots can be learned from the ones that fail, too. Look at Edison and the light bulb. But if an idea fails because it was poorly executed, we only learn the competency quotient of the initiator. There is a mercenary side to idea approval. What happens with your idea is a reflection on the person who approved it. I know, for one, I'm not willing to risk my reputation on someone's half-baked or half-executed idea. That doesn't mean I don't take risks on individuals or ideas. I do on both. But, business decisions are about odds and risks. Make sure both are in your favor. Being a strong performer is the best way to get your ideas noticed and sell them to the powers that be. You can start enhancing your performance reputation by implementing ideas that don't require anyone's approval. Do what needs doing, what would be helpful if implemented or beneficial if created. Of course, this at-your-discretion work is always in addition to current responsibilities. People who are winning at working use ideas to build performance trust. And performance trust builds careers. (c) 2005 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved. Sign up to receive Nan's free biweekly eColumn at http://www.winningatworking.com Nan Russell has spent over twenty years in management, most recently with QVC as a Vice President. She has held leadership positions in Human Resource Development, Communication, Marketing and line Management. Nan has a B.A. from Stanford University and M.A. from the University of Michigan. Currently working on her first book, Winning at Working: 10 Lessons Shared, Nan is a writer, columnist, small business owner, and on-line instructor. Visit http://www.nanrussell.com or contact Nan at info@nanrussell.com.
Google News - Top Stories
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Effective Resumes A resume is normally the first contact point between an employer and a job seeker. It serves the purpose of providing a summary of why a candidate is suitable for a job (cover-letter) and his relevant qualifications/experience. 5 Tips for Customizing your Resume Gone are the days of the bland, generic one-page resume. Employers these days are more impressed by a resume that is customized and they tend to give jobs to interviewees that have a bit of knowledge about the company. Shades of Grey A paperweight sits on my desk, etched in silver the message: Life isn't always black and white. It serves as a reminder there are few absolutes at work (or in life). Yet, it would be easier if there were; if good ideas from bad, trustworthy people from non-trustworthy, and right paths from the wrong ones could easily be discerned. I've learned in twenty years in management that increasing one's perspective increases the grey, as words like always and never become obsolete for describing most situations and most people. But early in my career, I was convinced there were right ways and wrong ways to do things at work. Of course, my way being right and someone else's wrong. Dug-in positions that at the time seemed immensely important strike me now as limited in knowledge, understanding or perspective. Now, I'm as convinced there are often many ways to accomplish the same goal and many right answers to the same problem. Certainly some approaches may be better than others, but whose interpretation defines better? It is a subjective workplace and a matter of judgment if an idea is a good one, a performance rating accurate, or a decision correct. Sometimes that interpretation is based on quarterly profits, employee morale, company goals, personal filters, necessity, or a passionate champion embracing a challenge. But here's the thing. That subjective element often frustrates us. We think there should be a play book we understand or a standard method to judge an outcome so we can agree whether it's good or bad. Yet we have differing vantage points, information and criteria depending on our roles. There may be big picture, long-term, short-term, temporary, personal, best, best of the worst, and a long list of considerations. I learned this concept as I debated my boss over a decision he was about to implement. As a Human Resources Director, I was concerned the decision would impact morale. HR was the filter by which I judged the world at the time. He gently closed the discussion agreeing with my view point, "Yes, it's true employees will be unhappy. But they'll be unhappier if there are layoffs next year. My job is to make sure everyone has a job." Absolute thinking limits perspective, causes mistakes in judgment, misunderstandings, disappoints, conflicts, and frustration in the workplace. Most work issues are not black or white, right or wrong, win or lose. They are varying shades of grey. If you want to be winning at working, you need to adjust your eyes to see more grey and adjust your beliefs to understand, for the most part, people are doing what they believe to be right, for reasons they believe are right. If we could stand behind them and see what they see, we might even come to the same conclusion. (c) 2004 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved. Old Hiring Foxes vs. The Hedgehogs You are about to compete for the best people again. The recovery is happening. Labor statistics indicate over 280,000 new jobs were created in the U.S. last May. Is your company's hiring process a competitive weapon-or a ball and chain? If you're not sure, here are some places to look: Job Search 101 The whole job search effort is completely exhausting and at times just plain pathetic. It is what it is and if you are unemployed know that the job search experience is one familiar to everyone at some point and time, so don't feel alone. One of the major mistakes many job seeks make is not being able to keep the whole job search experience organized. Remembering who you spoke to on what day, concerning what job can be a true "mission impossible." The Inevitable Job Interview Question: ?Why Did You Leave (Are Planning To Leave) Your Last Position This is a question that you can almost count on being asked at your next interview What the interviewer wants to know is, "Why are you available?" Revitalize Your Recruiting for 2005 Happy New Year! The forecasts are in agreement: Hiring is on the rise. 2005 will mark the revitalization of our economy. In fact, hiring plans may rival 1999 statistics, when the economy was at its strongest. Age Discrimination is Alive and Unwelcome Here! Common sense appears to be a rare commodity these days. Why is this so? Are You Winning the Talent Wars? How many times have you heard or read, "Our employees are our greatest asset"? Searching for an Executive Job A job search for executives is far less complicated today than it has been in the past. Anyone who is looking for an executive job can simply look to the Internet where there are hundreds of employment websites, with many specifically geared towards executives. These websites offer individuals the opportunity to network with other executives in order to share ideas, offer communication about opportunities and support that can be useful during a job search. How to Be Prepared for a Layoff If you are concerned that your company might be planning a layoff, your best course of action is to be prepared. Employees often see warning signs that their jobs may be at risk. Such signs could include poor company performance, earlier rounds of layoffs, conflicts with their manager, increased manager intervention and involvement, and poor performance reviews. Employees see the signs, but aren't as proactive as they should be in looking out for their future. Here are steps you can take to be prepared for a layoff. Great Interview Skills Going for a job interview can be a harrowing experience. The reasons are varied: A job applicant may not have the necessary relevant working experience or may be worried about the inability to answer difficult questions. Even the pressure of needing a job to pay for the living expenses can cause a job applicant to "freeze" or go numb with anxiety during the interview. Employment Law: Unfair Dismissal - Employer Succeeded in Changing Terms of Employment Good News for Employers wishing to change the terms of employment of employees, however, employers must still take care. Phone Interviews: Prepare to Ace Them! More companies are saving time and effort by doing initial telephone interviews before committing themselves to hours of time assessing and evaluating applicants. They are doing this because, frankly, it's a good way to save a team's time from interviewing obviously unqualified people. From your standpoint, this means that you need to develop an additional interview skill. What is Mystery Shopping, and Can You Really Get Paid to Shop? Mystery shoppers visit businesses "disguised as normal customers," and do the things other customers do-ask questions, make a purchase, make a return-but with a twist. These undercover customers are there to evaluate the businesses and their employees. After a visit, the mystery shopper completes a report or questionnaire detailing what occurred. Death By Workers Compensation Excerpt of Death By Workers' Compensation How To Find A Job Writing Grant Applications Do you have what it takes to land a job doing grant writing? Many people are looking for ways to develop a freelance business, but unless you know what it takes to do so, you might as well stop trying. There are several fields in which you can learn and have many jobs waiting for you. But, in others, you will need to properly be prepared for them before they pass you by. Here, we will talk a little about how to find jobs in grant writing. Can You Actually Fail A Personality Quiz? Q. I didn't get a job that I interviewed for. The employer told me that I had "failed" the personality quiz. How is that possible? Does this mean that I have no personality? Why One Word Answers are Bad News at Job Interviews It takes a lot of time and effort to get invited to a job interview. Don't blow your chances by being misunderstood by the interviewer. Not many people are aware that giving one word answers to questions, substantially increases your chances of conveying the wrong impression. 50 Things To Do To Your Boss That Are Fun For You, But Not For Them 1. You're eavesdropping and you hear your boss has reservations at his favorite restaurant. You know, the one you can't afford. Call them back and cancel his reservations ? say you're his wife.
|
|
|
|
|
