Melissa Anzman's Blog, page 6

Commitment Phobia

Since Starbucks and I broke up, I’ve been trying out my local Panera. The coffee isn’t nearly as satisfying (or as caffeinated), but the food is waaaaay better. But Panera has provided so many fun observations – today, I’m sitting near a woman snapping (ok, yelling) at someone on the phone over the location of, wait for it… football tickets. She is demanding an aisle seat in the stadium and is worried that she will be stuck with awful seats for another year and have to beg, borrow and steal to get new ones next year. Whoa. Talk about “first world problems” yo.

She’s upset because her last set of tickets weren’t up to her level of satisfaction, so she’s nervous about committing to anything now. (I asked her). Which resonated with me, in a way that grappling over football tickets would never compute.

Committing is scary.

I’m sure I’ve alluded to my commitment issues before, but let me restate it – I can’t commit to anything. It’s not about people or relationships or long-term. Nope, it’s about picking something and going with it. I hate committing – it locks me in to something and then it seems like I can’t change directions later on.

Stupid really. Especially when it comes to everyday life things – a date to meet up with friends, the restaurant to meet at, a vacation location, my brand colors, and so on.

So it’s ironic that I have about five BIG commitments I need to make in the next… week (or sooner!). I didn’t plan this well, clearly it wasn’t intentional. But I need to commit to: my moving date; a moving company; a storage facility; a car (buy my current one, get a new one before lease it up); what to bring, store, or donate; and finding a place to come back to. That’s the condensed version people! Can you imagine my angst over this?

And then I thought back to my career and how difficult it was to pick a quite date; or a stop hating my job date; searching for a new job; accepting a job offer; or signing a short-term contract.

Being unhappy, or staying in the status quo at work is easy… committing to a different option is hard.

But to move forward, we have to commit to something. But we can commit in increments – instead of “forever” decisions. Which is pretty much how I get through daily life. I commit to small things that provide me with the flexibility to change my mind, or change directions on a dime.

These small increments can be applied to big items, like a home: I rent instead of buying – it’s not a money thing, it’s a commitment thing… and it has saved me some serious money with the housing market situation.

For my quit my corporate job date, I set a date that I will have the decision by – steering clear of the actual decision. I picked a date about one month away, so I could hem and haw over every decision. Surprisingly, I had settled my date well before the 30 day deadline – the pressure was off and I was able to make a choice, instead of a commitment.

Small steps can work, but only if you commit to tracking towards progress and not delaying the inevitable, or avoid making a decision altogether.

And with that, I make this commitment to you – I commit to have my above six decisions decided by the end of this week (March 22).

What do you do to help you commit to decisions? I’m putting together a tool and would love to include your best practices – let me know in the comments below or send me an email.

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Practical Tactical Thursday – Response to Performance Reviews

I have yet to come across an employee who is genuinely gleeful when it comes to discussing their performance review. Even if you are a top performer, there always seems to be zingers included that come from left field, hold no merit, or are completely unrelated to your overall performance.

We’ve all been there… how you respond to your performance review is critical for your long-term success at a company, and your career. Regardless if you perceive your review as good or as bad, here’s how you should respond to your Performance Review.

During the Conversation
1. Detach yourself from the situation – create some objectivity.

While having the conversation, treat it as though it were any other meeting. Remove any and all personal attachment you have to the discussion. If you need some help detaching, reframe the meeting in your mind around someone else’s performance. With someone else in mind, you are able to give yourself some space and distance and start hearing the words that are being delivered.

2. Take notes.

Give yourself the task of taking notes of what’s being said – good, bad, indifferent; to help focus you during the discussion. It will lessen the confusion later on and will capture more information that you will have thought you absorbed. We tend to get stuck on one or two comments during the discussion – and everything else can get lost in your own noise. So write the conversation/discussion down.

My trick – I like to write down verbatims. I try not to summarize like I would do during a normal business meeting and instead, focus on quoting things of importance from my boss. That way, there is no chance of me jumping to the wrong conclusion, or creating incorrect inferences from the conversation later.

3. Blank your face out.

I wear my emotions on my face… thank goodness for phone calls sometime! But the most important lesson I learned early on in my career, is how to prevent my emotions from showing on my face – particularly important during these discussions.

Before you walk into the room, take a deep breath and find your center (or whatever place makes you erase any emotion). Secretly, I make it a game in my own mind – how long can I keep blank; how awesome is it that my boss isn’t getting the reaction she thought she’d get; and so on.

After the Conversation
1. Review the document and match it up with your notes.

See, aren’t you glad you took notes in the meeting? Here’s when you go through and highlight (yes, use a real highlighter) sections that were discussed. Then use a system for items that were of interest to you – good or bad. You want to be sure that you fully understand the information that was delivered to you, so you can respond to it if needed.

Make sure that you do a good read on the document in its entirety. If there are comments, suggestions, or other information within the document that is of interest to you, make sure that you take note of that as well to be discussed/reviewed as needed.

2. Map out an agenda.

I recommend having a follow-up conversation even if you think your review was awesome or spot-on. It shows that you care about the process, and also provides you with additional insight into specific areas. And if you need to have a follow-up discussion because there were a few surprises in there… even better.

Before you have the conversation, make an agenda. At most, have three bullet points or areas/groupings to discuss. Make sure that you address anything that you feel isn’t represented accurately and/or anything that was a surprise. Have your questions written down and supporting evidence there, so you don’t forget anything during the discussion – trust me, this will come in handy. This way, you will make sure to cover everything you want – and you’ll do it with class and organization.

3. Escalation/rebuttal – only if necessary.

About 75% of the time, an escalation or rebuttal makes the employee look like a crazy, raving lunatic. BUT, the other 25% or so of the time, escalating the issue is necessary – and this is particularly important if you feel as though your review includes personal attacks, has any protected class information in it, or isn’t justifiably fair/based in fact.

It is up to you to follow the company’s proper guidelines and rules for escalation and rebuttals. One step off pace and you will not be taken seriously. Remember to remove all emotion out of the process – base your response in fact, provide specific examples, and stay away from personal attacks.

Don’t Forget…

Remember – while your review does stay in your employee file for eternity and can impact your prospects at that company, it does not travel with you to your next company. And it is only a reflection of your performance for one year.

This process can help move your career forward and help you grow in areas of need more than anything else. If you approach the process as a potential learning and development opportunity to help propel you forward and improve as an employee, it will be a more positive experience for everyone.

And if all else fails, it can make for a laughable experience years later… I promise, I have one of those in my that was ridiculous file.

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Mac’s List – Review of How to Land a Job

Did Daylight’s Savings through you for a loop this morning too? I am lucky in that I *could* linger in a bed a bit longer, but I feel like I’ve been behind all day. So you can imagine how excited I was to see this awesome review on Mac’s List!

Mac’s List is an awesome job resource, started primarily to serve the Portland, Oregon region, and has expanded to include experts, advice and goodies across the U.S. I am a huge fan and have often referred to their information as reference. And if you’re in the Portland area, they have the best local job postings around! I am truly honored to have my book, How to Land a Job: Secrets of an HR Insider, reviewed this week over on Mac’s List. Have you bought your copy yet? 

Here’s a snippet of the review:

Anzman has interviewed countless candidates for corporate jobs. Common frustrations she hears about seeking work with big companies include receiving no response to online applications, making it through several interviews without an offer, and being told you’re not a fit for your dream job.

How can someone whose set on joining Nike, Intel, or another large employer navigate the corporate recruitment maze? Anzman offers a “land a job” framework that shows how to compete with other candidates, leverage social media, and communicate with a human resources office.

Here are four of Anzman’s top job-hunting tips for working with corporate recruiters:

Continue on to Mac’s List…

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The Art of Creating Noise

That internal track you keep telling yourself about why you can’t do this, or why that can’t work out – it’s noise. We are all guilty of it, but perpetuating the drama and fake barriers are holding you back. Not only with your career but also your life.

There are real things that can get in your way – true roadblocks or challenges that will trip you up on your journey. But most of that BS “preventing” you from delivering on a goal, going after something you want, owning up to your own limitations – that’s all noise. And it’s time we turn the noise levels down people!

Acknowledging the Volume

Most of us can dig deep and admit, begrudgingly to ourselves, when we have manufactured excuses for not doing something. It’s just that we don’t usually dig deep enough. So let this be your own personal bullsh*t gauge.

If your thought process has the word “BUT” anywhere in it, it’s noise. Stop trying to excuse your way out of it and think that your reason is exempt from this, it’s not. Still not convinced? How about these examples:

1. I would have applied for that position BUT I don’t have all of the qualifications.

This one is my own personal biggest pet peeve. When I hear this noise, I cringe. I’ve said it before, but NO ONE has 100% of the job description qualifications. When a job description is created, it’s done with “dream fit” scenario in mind.

Stop lying to yourself – if you have 70% or more of the qualifications in the job description, then you are a match. APPLY. It is YOUR responsibility to show the hiring manager why that 70% is more than enough, not the other way around.

I will admit, I cannot relate to this particular example, at all. To cut yourself out of the running before even applying – huh? How would you ever be considered if you don’t throw your hat in the ring? But I have friends and clients, in which this thought is a driving factor. I am not sure if it’s based in fear of rejection or of achievement, but this thought is NOISE. Plain and simple. Apply for that damn job already, and give yourself a chance to actually fail or succeed – stop making excuses before the fact.

2. I would follow up with hiring manager BUT I don’t know who it is.

Ugh – I have officially shared one proven method of finding the hiring manager (and I know that there are other methods out there). The days of applying for a job online and sitting back hoping that your resume finds its way to the right person, are over – they have been over for a few years.

It is your job to get noticed – to stand out in a crowd of qualified applicants. Yes your resume *can* help you do that, but it’s not a fail-proof method.

This is noise – you clearly don’t want to do the work it takes to get you your dream job. Or you’re afraid you’ll be rejected by them. Either way, stop using this excuse. You can easily find the hiring manager – so with this noise, you are saying that you don’t really want that job. Capice?

3. The interview went well BUT I didn’t get the job.

If the interview went well, you would have received an offer. Not 100% of the time, but more often than not, if you were qualified enough to get an interview in the first place, and you weren’t asked to continue along in the process… this is an excuse (aka – a story you are telling yourself).

It’s never an easy pill to swallow, not being chosen for a job we really want. It’s an ego blow, it’s depressing, and it’s easy to pass the blame along wrapped up in noise. But you aren’t learning and improving if you are doing this – and more importantly, you’re lying to yourself.

Instead of reacting to it as failure, it can be one of the best (and most effective), learning opportunities. There is usually a turning point in the process in which the hiring manager makes a conscious decision that you are not a fit. Dig deeper into the experience and figure out where that moment was – and then learn how to do better next go.

Now What?

Don’t let one experience derail you from learning and growing… and going after what you want! That’s the ultimate noise – when your internal excuses paralyze you from moving forward at all.

Noise is our way to keep us safe – from preventing us from exploring our boundaries, from potentially failing, or from succeeding beyond our wildest dreams. You have to turn down the noise to think clearly – so stop dwelling in the BS excuses, and acknowledge them for what they are. Then move forward.

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Happy First Birthday to Loosen Your White Collar!

My good friend home-made this (6-tiered!) cake for my birthday this year as an experiment in color. How amazing is THIS?

One year ago this website and company was born… I had blogged a few times elsewhere, but it never stuck – until now. And I can’t believe that it’s already been one year (in fact, I actually forgot about it until I was going through some old documents yesterday – shhh, don’t tell).  This past year has been full of enormous change, growth, ups and downs, and amazing accomplishments.

But what I’m most proud of, is that I am finally a writer. This blog has opened doors for me, has pushed me past my mental blocks of sharing my work, and has helped me find my own voice in this world.

And having all of YOU to support me along the way, fills me up with gratitude every day.

With that, here is the year in recap…

Personal Milestones

I wrote and self-published TWO books! Stop Hating Your Job was my first foray into the book world followed up with How to Land a Job. I’m pleased as punch to say that both books have sold (to real people!), and continue to get exposure. Writing these books… changed my life.
I quit my corporate job (again), to be a full-time solopreneur. 10 months and going strong people!
In April, I traveled to New York to meet “my people” in person during the Make Sh*t Happen Weekend of Genius.
Despite my (ridiculous) fear of rejection, I landed several guest posts at great sites! You can see all of them on my As Seen In page, but some of the “biggies” are with Brazen Careerist, BlogHer, Business Insider, and American Express’ Open Forum. Like, whoa.
And beyond my wildest dreams, I am able to call one of my mentors, Jenny Blake, a friend and colleague – I am a contributor on the Life After College blog… something that was so big, I couldn’t even dream it. J

Clearly, that’s the condensed version… I would be here all day if I kept track of these things as they happen. Still working on the celebration piece of the puzzle (is that a new goal I hear?).

Posts, Posts, Posts

Most Popular Posts (in popularity order):

December: Holiday’s at Work… Decorations Abound (Part 1)
July: Goals, Goals, Goals – Mid-Year Check-in
March 2012: Master the Phone Interview
November: Practical Tactical Thursday – Interview Thank You Notes
June: You Are Not a Superstar – Inside Talent Management
July: Practical Tactical Thursday – 5 Warning Signs to Beware of an Open Position
September: Embrace Your Expertise – You Know Best (too)
June: 18 Kick-A$$ People Who Will Change Your Life

My Favorite Posts (in no particular order):

Starbucks & I Broke Up
Have You Thanked Your Problems Yet
5 Steps to Stop the “What If” Treadmill
My Sister the Fashion Designer
Just Follow Your Passion…Right
Move Your Career Forward
How to Lead as an Individual Contributor
Practical Tactical Thursday – Cover Letters Galore

And that’s just the beginning!!!! Thanks for joining me on this ride, it’s been awesome – and so much more is up ahead.

Best,

 

 

 

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Practical Tactical Thursday – Finding the Recruiter/Contact

It’s excuse busting time – you can forever more, no longer use the words “I couldn’t find a contact to follow-up with,” when applying for jobs. Finding a contact isn’t magic, it takes a few steps, but not a lot of time – and it will have a big impact on your candidacy.

Online Application Hell

Applying to a position online is easy – go to the company site, fill-in some information and hit submit. Easy breezy… and so impersonal. Recruiters are getting hundreds, if not thousands, of applications for each position, that your resume has to be stellar to stand out in the crowd… or you have to go the extra mile and follow-up.

And I am asked constantly (think: an average of 10 contacts per day), “do you know who the hiring manager is for this position? Could you find him/her for me?” Here are the steps I take to do it – so you can find your hiring manager/recruiter for all of the positions you apply to.

Start with LinkedIn. If the position was posted on LinkedIn, the person who posted the position is usually on the right-hand side of the page. Easy breezy – you can then ask to connect with them, or follow a few steps below to find their contact info if you feel uncomfortable friending them. If the position is posted elsewhere, LinkedIn should still be your first destination.

I usually start with a company search from the top bar. The default is a people search, so simply use the drop-down menu to select company and enter the company’s name. Once that search pops-up, select the company (if it’s a large organization, there will most likely be several different divisions that pop-up, so be sure you are selecting the correct one – refer to the job posting). Lists of people you know who have any association with the company, will populate. Then on the left-hand side of LinkedIn, start filtering to find the right person (image below).

The filters that I find most effective are location, if you can get city-specific that’s even better, and then select current employees (in the example on the left, this is shown by Abbott being highlighted in orange). The people that are remaining, will be your best chance at finding a contact.

The way that LinkedIn provides the people information is name and title – so you can easily see who is listed as a recruiter, or if you are aiming bigger, who could potentially be the hiring manager within the department.

You’re getting close – the one (potentially) big block that LinkedIn has changed, is that unless you are a first or second connection, you will only see the person’s first name and last name initial. But, there are some sleuthy ways around that! The easiest way is to still click on the person to view their profile and then… scroll to the right-hand side of their profile to the section of “People Who Viewed This Profile Also Viewed…” And there, you will find the first and last names!

Click on one of the people in that section that has the closest title to the person you are really interested in, and then go to the bottom-right of their profile and see the “people who viewed” section again – voila! You will now have the first and last name of your intended contact.

Now is when you make Google your friend. This is the hardest part of the process – finding their email address. You can start by searching the person’s first and last name with the company in the search bar, and sometimes you luck out and their email address is there! If not, I then try a “first name last name @ company name email” search. Sometimes that’s the key… But sometimes, you have to dig even deeper.

Start on the company’s own website – they may have contacts posted, particularly in the Public Relations or Press section. From there, you can learn the company’s email convention – you know, how they set-up their email addresses. Melissa.Anzman@company.com or manzman@company.com.

But, if that’s still not the case, head back to Google and start digging deeper. You can use a site like Jigsaw.com or even Spoke or PeekYou to find their info. Either way, it is most likely out there – waiting for you to find it.

Success! You now have a contact behind the wall to follow-up with!

And the best part about this, is you can use the same steps to find contacts for various positions – it’s the best “one-size-fits-all” method I have been able to find to date.

Closing Thoughts

Why am I concentrating on email? Getting an email is preferable for the majority of recruiters/HR people out there. Phone calls are usually… annoying. I’ll leave it up to you to determine the best method of following up, but the same search methods will be effective for both email and phone.

Also, you may reach the wrong contact – it happens. There is nothing “bad” that will follow and unsolicited email… other than it will be deleted. This fear should be considered busted.

I mentioned that you should connect with them on LinkedIn if possible – and this is the best strategy  Once you are connected, you will have their email address from their profile, so you save yourself time and effort with searching. Oh, and use the email address in their profile – do not email them through LinkedIn.

Have you found an alternative contact-search method? I’d love to hear about it… 

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New on LAC: When to Wait it Out, When to Leave

My new post on the Life After College Blog (and yes, I’m still geeking out saying that!):

Working isn’t always glamorous. It can be downright miserable at times – isn’t that why the phrase, “work is supposed to be work,” hits home so hard? Leaving your job is big decision and shouldn’t be made lightly, regardless of where you are in your career.

One of the most common reasons people look to jump to their next opportunity is because they are ambivalent or downright unhappy with their job. But being unhappy at work is not always a sign that it is immediately time to move on to your next adventure. Here’s how to tell when you should stick it out, or when it’s time to go.

When to Cool Your Jets and Stay Put

We have an idealized view of how fabulous and glamorous our jobs should be. So when they are anything but exceptional, we complain about how miserable we are and start thinking about jumping ship. Staying put can be one of the best things you can do for your career, if your unhappiness is stemming from these things.

Read all of my reasons of when to stay in your job, or when to say peace out. 

Continue Reading…

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When HR Screws Up Royally

There are few things that I read these days that shock me into slack-jaw syndrome. But I had one of those moments yesterday, followed quickly with: “HR just effed that up royally. Whoa.”

Yahoo! sent an internal memo to every single one of their global employees, telling them that they will be enforcing a 100% butts-in-seats working model. All employees will need to show-up to work at a Yahoo! office beginning this summer. Um, what?

The news was delivered by the head of Human Resources, as a clear mandate from the new CEO, Marisa Mayer.

Here’s the thing – Yahoo! has been flailing for many years. I saw them lose a huge building campus because they didn’t have enough employees after rounds of layoffs, to justify the expense; they are not winning the search engine war; and were clearly in search of a hero when they hired Mayer last year.

But they do have talent working there still… and they just pissed them off, beyond repair.

Reverting back to a 1980’s work environment where personal interactions and water cooler discussions are valued over delivery, input and output, and achievements, is hysterical. Have you met anyone under the age of 40 in the workforce today? We are all looking for “work/life balance,” “flexibility,” “cool jobs,” and so much more.

Yahoo!’s HR department clearly showed that they don’t understand their audience. And even more, reports are saying that they are doing this as a “voluntary attrition” method, so they don’t have to do layoffs.

Their competitors are adding in more benefits, creating a more “effective” culture for their audience… and Yahoo! is reverting. Yikes.

And HR delivered the news.

I’m not sure if this was a case of punting to HR to take the blame, being the message deliverer, or if they came up with this ridiculous plan… but regardless, they are the bad guys here now.

They don’t “get” what makes their employees tick. They are so out of touch with their own workforce, that they honestly believed that an internal memo of this magnitude would remain internal only. That instituting a one-size-fits-all rule GLOBALLY, will solve their people issues. Their key talent players are just going to fall into line and move their lives, reshape their working norms, to satisfy a butts-in-seat approach.

The problem with HR making these types of demands on their employees, is that they have unintended consequences. Other than being a laughing stock now (even more now than before), they have forever changed their available talent pool – globally. They will lose good employees, and their competitors are already lining up to woo those employees over.

Why should you care?

For starters, it’s a good reminder to check-out the culture of any future companies that you are interested in. But more than that, it’s time for you to check-in with your management – especially if you are working remotely or on any type of flex schedule.

Most tech companies and start-ups are most likely not going to use this as an example of what to do – in fact, many will use this as a differentiator as to why you should work with them. But bigger companies? Larger corporations? This could be the “leader” that they have been waiting for to institute their own “efficient” and “conversational” work environment.

Many of you asked me if this is legal. Can they force you to change your work expectations, demand relocation, and commutes? While I’m not a lawyer… yes, it’s legal, unless there is alternative language in your contract (and even then it’s probably debatable). As an employer, they are able to change things up and make these kinds of requests of you – as you are (most likely) an employee at will. Especially with so much advance notice. Something important to note – if you do not adhere to these requests, you are essentially giving your resignation.

While HR may finally have a “seat at the table,” they clearly aren’t driving the bus over at Yahoo!.

Has your HR department made these kinds of stumbles?

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Friending a Foe?

I had an “arch-enemy” in one of my previous roles. I loathed working with him, he probably hated working with me just as much, and it was an unfriendly deal all around. I’m fairly easy to get along with, I think at least, but I admit that I have absolutely zero patience for incompetence.

And “Doug” was nothing if not incompetent – but what really severed any possibility of working together smoothly, was his response to mistakes. I can overlook errors, brush past dropped balls, and even down-right incompetence. But what I cannot handle, is when someone doesn’t take responsibility for a situation and make it right.

We are all human, we all make mistakes – I make them all of the time. But I own up to them, fix them, and move on. But Doug – ugh, he refused.

His team dropped a BIG ball with an employee training program – he forgot to confirm the details, so our room was double-booked, over-enrolled, and the trainer was a no-show. Oh, and this was a training for senior leaders. Can you just imagine my reaction?

Bottom line – from that moment on, we weren’t friends. Higher ups got involved, managers took sides (ahem – his manager took MY side), we created several workarounds, and it wasn’t pretty.

Um, what? Why are you friending an enemy?

So you can imagine my surprise (ok, my eyebrows raised higher on my forehead than ever before), when I received a LinkedIn friend request from him.

I know that LinkedIn suggests people for you to add to your network. And I have to admit that there have been several people that have been suggested that I may have had a run in or two with (me, I know – you are shocked!). But that’s why they are suggestions – not automatically friended.

When would you friend a foe?

I firmly don’t believe in collecting friends for the sake of adding connections. So if you are planning to friend a foe, it better be for a good reason.

You want to make amends. I’m all for repairing relationships and moving on. If this is behind you reaching out, you need to make your intentions clear. In your friend request, delete the pre-populated LinkedIn message and add a mea culpa in there instead. That will put the receiver at ease and turn the heat down on any residual ill-will.

Yep, that ends my list. I wanted to provide you five reasons to friend a foe, but honestly, if it’s not to create a better impression or mend fences, then skip it! When you add someone as a connection, they become “open season” for future hiring managers and recruiters to associate you with. And you don’t want your foe to be a “trudged up” reference for you, or gasp, someone who you are associated with. So unless you clear the air, nothing good can come out of it.

When Doug recently friended me on LinkedIn without any additional information included, it left me dumbfounded. Buddy – do you not remember the drama you caused? Why in the world would I want you back in the sphere of my life? Yeah, connection requested denied.

Are you being friended by foes?

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Starbucks & I Broke Up

I love Starbucks. I know, start throwing stones or telling me that I’m a sellout – whatever. I have been a recurring feature at my local Starbucks in every city I’ve lived in. No, it’s not the coffee I love (although I love me a venti iced coffee with sugar free vanilla), it’s the atmosphere.

Working from home, I often need a change of scenery and be “around” people and still being able to get work done. Tall task, I know. So Starbucks became my go-to place every morning – to get out of the house, retreat into my own world while amongst others. And I was a regular – the baristas knew my name and my order, and I knew them.

But We Broke Up A Month Ago

I wish I could say something huge went wrong and there was a huge fight where coffee was spilled and beans were thrown. But it was a lot less dramatic – they forgot who their audience is.

Plain and simple, I broke up with them because it became a chore to go there. People were literally fighting over seats, racing each other to grab a table by an outlet, hovering over others to force them out. It became Darwinian.

And all I wanted was a cool place to hang out and get work done, while getting my caffeine fix.

Knowing and understanding your audience is paramount to success in any aspect of business. I learned that the hard way early on in my career (think: being condescending to the president of the company because he was being a moron), and have witnessed it being the downfall of many others along the way.

Knowing When It’s Game On

Having a true understanding of who your audience is makes playing to it, easier. And don’t kid yourself – playing to your audience will make your rise to the top a lot easier. You don’t have to be “playing” 100% of the time at work, but understanding your audience when it’s critical will go a long way.

Emailing a higher up.

I can’t tell you the number of complaints I’ve seen from managers who loathe getting emails from their direct reports because they don’t know how to email a superior properly. Regardless of who you are emailing, if they are above you in the rank and file – you need to adjust your email style.

You need to be concise, to the point, and avoid any extraneous details or pleasantries. Think: executive summary or bullet point the message. Cut out the fluff – no one has time to weed through it. Share only the relevant details, review the email to ensure it makes sense, and send it.

Delivering a report, training session, or “materials.”

Game on people – this is one of the best ways to play to your audience. But you have to fully understand who will be receiving the information. You should create these documents with information that IMPACTS the desired audience.

Example: training session about new pay procedures. For line-employees, my focus will be on how it will impact their pay, their schedule, how to use the new process/procedure, and consequences. For my peers, I would be sure to add in any questions that they may encounter, create an FAQ/resource guide, and provide them with talking points. For senior leaders, I would top-line the information – how much the company will be saving, how it will impact any daily operations, and expected push back.

See the difference? When you are crafting materials, it’s easy to want to tell the WHOLE story without considering your audience, which leads to information overload and a poor reflection on your communication skills.

Creating your office culture, mission, vision, etc.

Most of us don’t have the influence to actually create the company’s culture, mission, and so on. But we all have the ability to influence our local experiences. A lot of times “Corporate” creates their vision of what is important for the company – often, without understanding the actual people who will be living with their decisions.

Figure out what the people on your team, department, floor, local site, etc. value – and then leverage that when you are trying to get things done.

Example: I worked in a local office that valued collaboration, even though “the company” valued silo-decision making. So when rolling out new programs, instead of just executing them like corporate wanted us to do, I got others involved so they felt as though they were part of the process and shared in the roll-out.

I’m hunting for my new Starbucks.

To be honest, I’m a little bummed about the break-up – still, a month or so later. I miss the atmosphere and the feeling I got when I walked through those doors and got to work. I miss having “a place” to go that felt like a second home. But I refuse to fight the flow of the people who now regular my Starbucks.

So I’m searching out a new place and hoping that I can find a new “home” that will cater to this audience – at least for a month or two.

Photo taken (by me) at the first Starbucks in Seattle, WA

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