Team Taskmaster

I write here pretty regularly about how to manage your team better, how to improve your productivity, how to make your boss think you walk on water, and so forth.

You’d think I was really concerned with workplace and career advice, and you’d be right. But there’s one thing that always trumps work for me, and that’s the people you love.

This morning, my father-in-law had a massive stroke.

Within moments of being notified, every member of our family was en route to his bedside. Blog posts went unwritten, deadlines were missed, meetings were canceled, conferences were abandoned — all without a second thought.

And you know what? I think that’s the way it should be.

The business world will go on turning without you. If you can’t produce the work, someone else can. But you never get a second chance to be there when a loved one really needs you. In those situations, you, and nobody else, will do.

Today was a great reminder that no matter how much I’m invested in my work, it’s only a job, after all.

So kiss your kids, hug your spouse, call your parents and your best friends. And no matter how sucked into your job you might get, don’t forget that there are many things out there that are more important.

(My father-in-law is in intensive care tonight, and we’re cautiously hopeful.)

Fill in the blank: When the going gets tough, your boss gets _____.

What word or phrase did you choose — cranky? Stressed? Unavailable? More demanding?

Any one of those adjectives could apply to the lion’s share of bosses I’ve had. But there was one boss (yes, Mr. H-S, I’m talking about you) I’d have to describe with a different adjective:

Nicer.

Seriously. We were working insane hours getting ready for a site launch? He’d take the whole team out to an afternoon movie. Company going through a tricky merger? Surprise: free pizza in the lunchroom. Everyone freaking out about layoffs? He’d drop by with a joke, a compliment, a kind word.

Don’t get me wrong, he was also great when it was smooth sailing. It’s just that when work life gave us lemons, he didn’t get sour along with the circumstances. Not only did he make lemonade, but he served it to us in lovely mugs topped with decorative parasols.

Yes, I’m speaking figuratively, but that kind of inverse reaction is something that good managers work hard to create. They know that how bosses react under stress has a huge impact on a team. If a manager is feeling the heat and in turns sends flames toward the rank and file, employees become resentful, more detached, and less productive. This makes his job harder — and voila, more stress. What a vicious circle.

But if a manager practices counterintuitive generosity — that is, the worse things get, the better he treats his staff — he gets rewarded with employees who are loyal, engaged, and willing to slog through the mud with him.

So think about how you act on those tough days. And make sure it’s not as tough for your team.

I write pretty regularly in this blog about how to get things done better, faster, and more effectively. I’m a big fan of tips and techniques that boost productivity, and I’m constantly looking for ways to hack my own workday to get more done in less time.

But maybe I am neglecting the other side of the coin: getting less done — deliberately.

Leo Babauta writes on Zen Habits about the beauty of relaxing. He says,

There’s too much emphasis these days on productivity, on hyperefficiency, on squeezing the most production out of every last minute. People have forgotten how to relax. How to be lazy. How to enjoy life.

Babauta thinks we should occasionally stop being productive and enjoy ourselves. Doing less and loving it is a great option when you’re battling a non-productive day: take a nap, read a book, listen to some music, enjoy a long lunch.

If you have trouble learning to relax, here are three tips:

• At work, give yourself an hour off. Don’t try to be productive — just have fun.
• Take 5 minutes to go outside for a walk and breathe the fresh air.
• Take evenings off (no working!).

For more on Babauta’s thoughts, including more tips on relaxing, read his full post. Now, I’m off to a long lunch (and maybe a nap). I’m done being productive for this week.

(image by pawpaw67 via Flickr, CC 2.0)

If you read my posts regularly, you know I’m a huge, huge fan of telecommuting and flexible work arrangements. There are so many benefits — accommodating work/life balance, reducing your carbon footprint, saving time (no wasted commuting hours), saving money (less overhead), and so on.

But what if telecommuting is actually a productivity killer?

That’s the claim being made by VitalSmarts, a corporate-training organization that ran a study that found distance in the workplace does more harm than good.

According to the study (which surveyed 500 workers):

• 13 of 14 common workplace-relationship problems occur more frequently in virtual teams, whose members are in different locations, than with teams in the same building. (No specifics were given as to what, exactly, those common problems are.)
• Problems with remote colleagues are “significantly” more difficult to resolve, and last longer, than with on-site colleagues.
• When facing a challenge with a remote colleague, workers either use the silent treatment (screening calls, not responding to e-mails) or verbally attack them (criticizing them to others, gossiping or complaining).

The end result, say the study authors, is the effects of distance are destructive to working relationships and overall productivity.

And I say…pshaw.

I admit there are challenges working with someone you don’t see face-to-face on a regular basis. But let’s give workers some credit, shall we? Just because a colleague is on the other end of the phone doesn’t mean you’re less likely to get along with him.

I mean, look at the third point listed above. The alternatives for dealing with conflict are either the silent treatment or gossip? Who did they survey, a class of eighth-graders?

If you’re a reasonably mature adult, and you can practice proactive communications skills with at least a modicum of diplomacy and tact, I can’t imagine that working with a remote colleague is so much more challenging than working with someone in an adjoining cubicle.

In fact, I think you’re actually more apt to get annoyed by the people you rub shoulders with daily. Sally has that annoying laugh, Donald has horrible coffee breath, Keith is a shameless suck-up, and Daisy’s habit of dissecting each episode of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” is driving you mad.

What do you think?

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(image by blatch via Flickr, CC 2.0)

Are you ready to enjoy a promotion, more respect from your employees and peers, and a more rewarding work life? It’s easy: You just have to be tall — or think and act like a tall person.

So notes Penelope Trunk, writing about how tall people tend to get ahead in the workplace. At least, so claim experts like Arianne Cohen, the 6-foot-3 author of The Tall Book. Cohen found that tall people make $789 more per inch per year, and are 90 percent more likely to ascend to the CEO chairs of Fortune 500 Companies.

What’s tall? Over 6-foot-3 and over 5-foot-9 for women. But if you’re vertically challenged, so to speak, all is not lost; Trunk (citing Cohen) says there are six ways to act and think tall at work and reap the same rewards.

Her top three suggestions:

1. Be unforgettable. Ever notice that when a tall guy walks into a meeting, you automatically register that he’s there and remember what he says? Blame evolution for this effect, which really helps ambitious, talented workers. Your tall task: Make sure everyone in the meeting notices you, too. You can do that through interesting (but professional) clothing, cracking jokes when you walk in, greeting everyone by name, or even bringing doughnuts. (But please, don’t be obnoxious — that’s getting noticed in a bad way.)
2. Act like the boss. Tall children, from a very young age, are deemed the “leader” of their friends, says Cohen. Other little kids literally look up to them and often treat them as they would a slightly older child, and as a result, they’re more likely to function as the leader for the rest of their life. Even as interns, other office workers give them the physical space and attention usually reserved for a leader. So act like a leader.
3. Find a way to look down on coworkers. Literally. Casting your eyes downward onto someone when you’re interacting sends a physical signal that there’s a power imbalance in your favor. If you’re not tall, create the power imbalance by repositioning yourself: Stand whenever you can when coworkers are sitting, and avoid walk-and-talks and casual standing around the office where coworkers are looking down at you. Or use the old psychology trick: Make sure your visitors’ chairs are slung lower than your desk chair.

Check out the rest of Trunk’s post on Brazen Careerist for three more ways to get ahead by being tall. And if you have ideas of your own (other than high heels or elevator shoes), share them in the comments section.

Your clients are clamoring, your staff is surly, the deadlines are looming and the pressure has never been higher. Some days, just getting out of bed in the morning requires a major effort, and you’re getting short-tempered and stressed out.

What’s going on? It could just be a temporary thing, or you could be heading down the road to burnout.

Earlier this week, I wrote about the warning signs of burnout. If you recognized yourself in any of them — or in the brief description above — it’s time to take action before you cross the line from stress to true distress.

What can you do? Plenty, actually, and all of it is good advice even if you’re not on the verge of a breakdown. Pick some or all of these tips to get your mental health back on track and rekindle your enthusiasm for your work.

• Get plenty of sleep. And that means quality sleep — no catnaps in the office to make up for all-night work sessions. Skip the late-night TV and turn in at a reasonable hour so you start each day fully charged.
• Take breaks. Turn off your cell phone, step away from your computer, and give yourself regular 5- to 10-minute breathers. If you can, take a quick walk (or drink a glass of water or cup of tea) outside; the natural light will help rejuvenate you.
• Exercise. Yes, I know it’s hard to squeeze into an already packed day, but I’m not necessarily talking about a 90-minute gym extravaganza here. Just adding a brisk walk around the block at lunchtime can help. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park at the far end of the lot, bike to work instead of drive…every little bit helps.
• Eat better. Skip the vending machines and fast food and eat a real lunch and healthy snacks. Fruit and nuts make energy-dense, nutrient rich snacks. Stock your desk with granola bars and dried fruit and stash cut veggies in the fridge. In a pinch, a whole-wheat bagel smeared with peanut butter is quick and better for you than a Big Mac. The better nutrition will help keep your body and brain operating at optimum levels.
• Don’t skip lunch. Speaking of eating, one mistake busy professionals often make is working straight through the lunch hour. Seems like you’re being more productive, but you’ll see diminishing returns if you’re hungry or tired. That lunch break is there to nourish both your body and mind. Even if you can only spare 20 minutes, use them every day to change your focus.
• Take your PTO. Take a mental-health day to get grounded, spend a long weekend in the country, or use that hard-earned vacation time. You don’t have to go somewhere exotic to enjoy the break; even staying home and puttering around the house can help you reset from the stresses of the office.
• Say no. If you’re overburdened, there’s no harm in telling someone that you just can’t accommodate another request at the moment. That counts on the home front, too.
• And if all else fails…consult a professional. Your HR department might be able to provide you free or low-cost counseling to help you deal with work stress; if not, scheduling some time with a psychologist can help you learn techniques for handling your stress better.

How else can you prevent burnout? Share your suggestions in the comments section!

Yes, times are tough. We know this. And it’s especially hard on organizational leaders, who are being asked to pull their companies through crisis after crisis and somehow keep their teams motivated and productive in the face of layoffs, uncertainty, and a generally crappy economic climate.

But when the going gets tough, the tough go…ice skating?

Yes, says Celia Irvine, ice skating. Taking up the sport was one of the leadership tools that helped her navigate a time of significant change at her company. How did it do that?

“This activity—like yoga or raising orchids—requires total concentration. When you’re moving fast on a hard, cold surface wearing razor blades on your feet, you tend to pay attention to what’s around you. The payoff is that, like Zen, you forget about everything. Afterward I always felt more focused and relaxed. And that well-being rubbed off on my colleagues, family and friends. I knew I had to stay on an even keel to keep up my end for everyone.”

The key for leaders right now, she says, is to embody three important traits: empathy, trust, and collaboration. Anything you can do to make yourself more relaxed, more authentic, and more “in the moment” can help you deliver these qualities for your team.

So find yourself a Zen activity — whether it’s meditation, ice skating, raking a Zen garden or my personal favorite, surfing — and watch the benefits spill over at work, even when you’re in crisis mode.

What activities can you recommend that make you a better leader? Share your ideas in the comments section.

(image by Olivier Bruchez via Flickr, CC 2.0)

Are you guilty of occasionally judging a book by its cover? By assuming the strangely dressed Gen Y admin is a slacker? Or figuring that the dowdy accountant lacks imagination? Or assuming that your uptight boss doesn’t have a human side?

It’s well worth remembering that all of us have hidden talents, and that allowing yourself to be cynical about your team can blind you to the treasures they might be able to offer.

If you need a reminder, or a few minutes of inspiration, watch Susan Boyle performing on Britain’s Got Talent. I guarantee it’ll make you see those around you in a whole new light.

(direct URL: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8yowi_susan-boyle-47letnia-ypiewaczka-z-b_music)

(Today’s post is a guest column from Dov Seidman.)

I am often asked, “Who do you believe is an ideal example of a 21st-century leader?”

Let me introduce you to a man who I believe embodies the leadership characteristics we all need to adopt in a more complex, global, connected and transparent world.

On October 15, 1981, professional cheerleader Krazy George Henderson realized a vision for an unbroken wave of human energy, which would give his team a sustained competitive advantage. In a playoff game between the Oakland As and the New York Yankees, he inspired more than 40,000 fans to join together, rise out of their chairs in unison, throw their arms up in the air and lend their voices to one, thunderous and perpetual cheer.

On that day, Krazy George led the world’s first stadium human wave.

After a few false starts, “I started with three sections and it went about five or six sections down,” Krazy George told me. “I did it again and it went 11 and then all the way around. It was insane.”

It wasn’t just the season ticket holders who stood up. It was everyone in the stadium that day. The wave was so powerful that even fans of the opposing team joined in.

Krazy George didn’t coerce his fellow fans to stand up. He didn’t motivate them with $10 each to join with him. What Krazy George understood is that the best means to get a wave to happen, to get people to follow you, isn’t to have power over them, rather to find power through them.

The wave is a powerful metaphor to today’s leadership challenge. Leaders and leadership is all about behavior. It’s about using power and influence to get people to do the right things and in the right ways — both individually and collectively.

I believe there are fundamentally three ways to get people to do things: You can coerce them, motivate them, or inspire them.

Historically, business has used carrots and sticks to get performance OUT of people. Today, we need to become leaders who can INSPIRE performance IN people.

Carrots and sticks are necessary and will always be; however, 21st-century leaders also recognize their limits and disadvantages.

Coercion requires an ongoing investment in a bureaucracy of rules, processes and enforcement.

Motivation is expensive, particularly in a down market where money does not flow as freely, dollar-based performance targets are more difficult to achieve, and bonuses are more difficult to pay out. Plus, motivation cannot be shared and rarely connects individuals to a higher sense of purpose.

I believe that we are in an era of inspiration, where great results will come from employees who are bought into not just the company’s potential for success but also its underlying mission. They work not just for the pay but also for their ability to achieve something they find inspiring. For the cynics, inspirational leadership is also a lot more efficient.

What makes a company sustainable is not when it adds more coercive rules and regulations to control behaviors. It is when its employees or citizens are propelled by values and principles to do the right things, no matter how difficult the situation. Laws tell you what you can do. Values inspire in you what you should do. It’s a leader’s job to inspire in us those values.

When you are inspired you act on something you believe in; you are in the grip of ideas; you are compelled by a deeper purpose and propelled by values you hold fundamental.

Unlike carrots and sticks, values are free — and they can be shared. Because they can be shared, they spur collaboration and serve as the glue that keeps people aligned and energized.

Dov Seidman is the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of LRN, a company that helps businesses develop ethical corporate cultures and inspire principled performance, and the author of “HOW: Why HOW We Do Anything Means Everything…in Business (and in Life).”

(image by agu2000_de via Flickr, CC 2.0)

If you’re a demonstrably loyal employee, would you be spared during a layoff?

That’s the premise tackled by Jack Welch in a recent column on his The Welch Way blog. Welch writes,

“For starters, we can certainly tell you when loyalty feels like the most important thing in the world: during layoffs. Under such fraught circumstances, longtime employees very naturally tend to think of all the years they’ve served, all the hours they’ve toiled, all the times they’ve ‘been there’ for the team or company. And they wonder: ‘Didn’t my loyalty mean anything?’ ”

Sure it does, says Welch — but not in a vacuum. Loyalty that isn’t matched with strong performance won’t get you very far.

Writes Welch,

“(W)hen the going gets tough and staff reductions become necessary, the vast majority of managers act in the best interests of the company. Their top performers will stay, loyal or not. And marginal employees—again, loyal or not—will be asked to move on.”

The takeaway for employees? Be loyal — but be good at what you do.