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The Importance of Listening and Asking While Being Interviewed

Posted: 01/11/2008  Category: Transformation, Career Transition,   ShareThis Article

Is it more important to listen or ask questions when I’m being interviewed?

As a job seeker, you want to learn about the company’s expectations and opportunities during an interview.  It is important to ask questions about the organization, the work environment, and measures of success.  It is also important to listen for what it is really like to work for the company:

• Listen carefully when employment policies and benefits packages are explained.  The details will verify whether or not your work style meshes with the company’s philosophy.
• Listen for the chance to ask follow-up questions.  Probing questions show you’re mentally engaged and enable you to validate information.
• Listen for what is not said.  As you ask questions, listen for underlying issues regarding the duties or expectations of the job. 
• Pay attention to key names.  Make note of information about people, industry challenges, or competitive issues to help you evaluate your acceptance decision.

Listen Carefully to Make Interviews a Success

Posted: 01/11/2008  Category: Sourcing, Assessing, General Management,   ShareThis Article

What types of answers should I listen for when interviewing a candidate?

Hiring managers spend almost 80% of the time talking during interviews.  Unfortunately, lack of listening can result in hiring the wrong person for the job.  Incorporate these listening tips to gain better information about the candidate you’re evaluating:

• Listen for comments that show the candidate has researched your company.  The best candidates do their homework and understand the issues you face.
• Listen for specific examples indicating the candidate demonstrates the behaviors you want to hire.  A person who responds with theories instead of examples may not be qualified.
• Pay attention to the level of excitement in the candidate’s voice.  Look for evidence that the potential hire is passionate about their work and your industry.
• Odds are a pessimistic person is not a team player and could harm company culture. Listen for negativity such as gossiping, overconfidence, scoffing a prior employer, or lack of assertiveness.

Using Workplace Stress To Your Advantage

Posted: 08/02/2007  Category: Transformation, Miscellaneous,   ShareThis Article

As an employee, how do I channel workplace stress to my advantage?

Statistics show that 40% of employees state that their jobs are stressful, and 25% view their job as the number one stressor in their life.  Prevent yourself from becoming a statistic by incorporating these tools:

• Take a break during the day. Professionals need an occasional time-out to recharge their batteries.
• Ask for input.  Even bad news is better than no news. Candid conversation will prevent yourself from drawing your own conclusions.
• Consider job sharing or telecommuting to prevent a strict 40-hour schedule from feeling like a prison sentence.
• Talk with employers about personal and professional goals so they can help plan your future together.
• Have some fun!  Coordinate social interaction to balance the work.

Revealing the Secrets of Motivation

Posted: 05/29/2007  Category: Retention, General Management,   ShareThis Article

I have a very diverse staff, but want to keep everyone motivated.  Do you have any tips for motivating employees across the board?

Developing one plan to positively impact all employees can seem like an impossible task. Some employees are inspired by accomplishing meaningful tasks, while others are fueled by a sense of stability and belonging. Here are five universal motivation tips to foster motivated employees:

• Communicate openly, honestly, and often. Solicit ideas, ask for input, and compromise between what is beneficial for your employees and your bottom line.
• Set clear expectations. Monitor the amount of responsibility given to each person and be careful not to overload anyone.
• Fuel their passion. Encourage people to share their ideas, challenge each other and brainstorm.
• Break down the barriers. Be careful not to stifle creative license and independence with too many rules, policies, or micromanaging.
• Reward and Recognize. Don’t overlook the benefits of some good old-fashioned recognition and genuine appreciation.

Superstar Candidates - What to do Before, During, and After an Interview.

Posted: 05/07/2007  Category: Recruiting,   ShareThis Article

How do I recruit a successful, well-educated, highly desirable individual who is satisfied in their current job?

Build a strong relationship with prospective candidates from the beginning.  It is easier to recruit, interview, negotiate, and close an offer when a strong relationship exists between you, your company and the candidate.

• Before the Interview: Send introductory information including a welcome letter, position description, annual report and corporate brochures to the candidate.
• During the Interview: Do your best to “sell” the company to the candidate and give them time to “sell” themselves to you.
• After the Interview: Continue courting the candidate.  Invite the spouse to visit the community, offer tickets to a community event, or take the candidate and spouse out to dinner to talk about next steps.

Choosing an Effective Compensation Plan

Posted: 04/11/2007  Category: Transformation, Career Transition,   ShareThis Article

Does the compensation plan that I offer really make a difference in retaining top talent and increasing performance?

Yes, in an increasingly competitive market, corporations must provide an environment in which its employees can thrive.  One way of doing this is by offering a compensation plan that works specifically for you and your staff.  Here are four of the most popular rewards based plans used today:

• Skill-Based Pay: As employees gain mastery of essential job skills, their compensation is increased accordingly.
• Competency-Based Pay: Compensation is based on the extent to which employees display character skills such as leadership, observance of details, and multi-tasking.
• Variable Compensation: Employees receive a below-average base salary, but earn additional bonuses by meeting or exceeding set goals.
• Profit Sharing:  Employees receive a base salary, and receive quarterly or annual profit sharing in the form of stock options, contributions to a 401K plan, or a bonus check.

Shake off the water cooler gossip

Posted: 03/20/2007  Category: Transformation, Miscellaneous,   ShareThis Article

I hear a lot of rumors from my co-workers that worry me and make me feel doubtful.  What can I do to ignore the water cooler gossip and focus on my work?

Whether global, local, or personal, fear shakes our confidence, causes stress, and keep us awake at night. Yet as scary as these situations may be, we often over-estimate the negatives and under-estimate our ability to deal with them.

• Rumors quickly become unspoken truths, which cause you to make decisions based on false data.  Unmask your fears by making a list of worst-case scenarios.
• Review personal resources and strengths, along with organizational competencies, that could be used as tools to combat the issues.
• Develop contingency plans based on your list of strengths to help you feel prepared in the chance that your worst-case scenarios come true.

Keep Your Head on Straight In the Midst of Crisis

Posted: 03/08/2007  Category: General Management,   ShareThis Article

I find that my employees often look to me for answers…especially during times of uncertainty.  How do I react?

Your job as a leader is to eliminate fear and doubt by providing the vision and leadership your organization needs. Here are a few suggestions to help you manage risks, deal with uncertainty, and continue to prosper for years to come. 

• Take Stock of Your Situation – Clearly state the current fear and brainstorm emergency plans to alleviate concern.
• See Where You Can Be of Service – Determine how your business can help create a more enriched, positive, supportive community.
• Imagine the Possibilities – Envision what the future can become.  Don’t be bound by the confines of today’s reality.
• Brainstorm Opportunities – Determine tangible action plans to solidify your visions.
• Align Your Vision with Your Action – Put your plans into action with crystal clear directives.

Manage Work Stress

Posted: 02/15/2007  Category: Transformation, Organizational Improvement, Miscellaneous,   ShareThis Article

Sometimes I find work to be very stressful and find myself getting upset and frustrated.  Do you have any advice on how to manage work stress?

When you become frustrated, angry, or upset, you are exhibiting an innate Fight or Flight Response.  The response was designed to protect you from bodily harm, but concentration is difficult when you are stuck in this survival mode.  Regain a focused, relaxed, positive attitude in three easy steps:

1. Acknowledge that you are in survival mode. When you become conscious of the state you are in, you have an easier time getting out of it.
2. Actively elicit a relaxation response. Use exercise, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or yoga to calm yourself.
3. Find a new perspective. Think about your best outcome, action steps, or helpful qualities to diffuse the situation.

Mental Exercise is the Key to Success

Posted: 02/01/2007  Category: Training, Transformation, General Management,   ShareThis Article

We are ramping up for an eventful year and I want to help my employees prepare. Is there anything I can do to ensure they perform at their peak?

Achieving peak performance means becoming mentally fit.  Make sure your employees are ready for the challenge by preparing them mentally, just as you would prepare them physically if you were training them for a marathon.  Encourage them to exercise the following traits:

• Maintain exceptional concentration. Peak performers’ focus on what they want to happen, not what they are afraid will happen.
• Remain relaxed despite outside factors. High achievers quickly recover their balance in the face of stressful circumstances.
• Learn quickly. Top performers welcome feedback and integrate it rather than getting defensive.
• Make goals that include personal value. Greater fulfillment is obtained by people who choose clear, inspiring, and personally meaningful objectives.