Susan Scott's Blog, page 30

Fierce Tip of the Week: Say It Out Loud

An old adage that I heard often growing up was think before you speak. This is a very valuable saying for me, because I am what you would call a classic “external processor.” While that phrase has saved me from saying things that could have a negative impact, it has also encouraged me to self-edit and sometimes hesitate to voice opinions or concerns.

This week’s Fierce tip encourages you to say it out loud.

This isn’t about indulging in stream of consciousness, rather, it’s about not over-analyzing. This week if you’re in a meeting and you have an idea that you think could really move the team forward – speak up. Let go of needing to have a perfectly formed thought and allow others to influence and build off your inspiration. If your idea is met with a luke-warm reaction, don’t get discouraged.

As Albert Einstein said, “If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it.”

The post Fierce Tip of the Week: Say It Out Loud appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Friday Resource: 6 Ways to Integrate Play into the Workplace

This week’s Friday resource comes from Inc. and offers 6 ways to incorporate play into the workplace.

In the workplace, play has long been regarded as the opposite of work. Instead of placing them on opposite ends of the spectrum, what if we combined them? What if we could get work results from prioritizing play?

Work that involves play allows employees to engage creatively, empathize, and experiment.

There are a number of ways to play, some of which can be integrated into not only the workplace, but also the work itself. Per Brendan Boyle, IDEO partner and Inc. contributor, here are types of play that employees and companies can introduce and reap the benefits.

1. Cooperative Play

Games spark healthy competition while also inspiring teamwork, camaraderie and fun. The same is true for a well-run brainstorm. And we all know that with better ideas, the entire team wins.

2. Risk-Taking Play

Kids are used to not winning the first time they try playing a game, so it doesn’t stop them from getting back on the field. Recovering after a loss allows you to learn faster and get closer to a win than if you never tried at all.

Read the full article here.

The post Friday Resource: 6 Ways to Integrate Play into the Workplace appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Believe it or Not…Goofing Off Produces Business Return

In our busy, fast-paced society, we run the risk of blowing off play as mere “child’s play.” There’s just so much to do, we say.

When important priorities need tending in the workplace, pressing pause to play a game or joke around with a coworker may seem like the very last thing you should be doing. The reality is that it may be one of the very best things you can do.

Play and productivity may sound like paradoxical terms, but research shows play can actually increase productivity, and leaders can leverage it for cultural and professional development.

Dr. Stuart Brown, author of Play and founder of The National Institute for Play, claims “the opposite of play is not work—it is depression…life without play is a grinding, mechanical existence organized around doing the things necessary for survival. Play is the stick that stirs the drink. It is the basis of all art, games, books, sports, movies, fashion, fun, and wonder—in short, the basis of what we think of as civilization.” He defines play as “something done for its own sake. It’s voluntary, it’s pleasurable, it offers a sense of engagement, it takes you out of time. And the act itself is more important than the outcome.”

Whether at work or at home, the benefits of play are limitless for our well-being. Here’s a closer look at some of its primary advantages in the workplace:

Engages employees. Although play includes more than just fun, fun is always part of play. At Fierce, “have fun” is one of our company values. Our culture committee and individual teams come up with creative activities for the whole company to look forward to throughout the year, including quarterly events. Some of our fun times have included a rainy-day scavenger hunt, costume contests, a cook-off, holiday parties, kayaking, and after-work sports events. Fun and play help dilute any day-to-day monotony and provide an opportunity to get to know each other on a deeper level. And that’s engaging!

Relieves stress. Play gets the mind thinking in a different way and releases tension. Playing a game is like pressing a reset button and stimulates creative, innovative thinking.

Helps prioritize what’s important. Pressing pause allows us to take a breather and reconnect with “being” so that we can remember why we are “doing,” and feel connected to ourselves and others while doing it. When we’re able to connect, it helps us prioritize and approach our tasks with a perspective of we rather than just me.

Play also builds relationships, strengthens connections, and unites teams. Unity between employees and leadership within an organization bleeds into all areas of business, including the client/customer experience.

Aside from establishing a proactive culture committee…what are some other ways to play?

Virtual banter. Sending funny emails or memes to brighten someone’s day can go a long way in relationship building. In the chaos of a busy day, sometimes it’s the small things that give us an extra boost of energy to keep at it and remind us why we do what we do.

Brain breaks. Although brain breaks or “downtime” may not be a direct form of play, many of the same benefits apply. Downtime might entail anything from creating whitespace, texting a friend, reading an entertaining article, or taking a short walk. When our mind has an opportunity to take a break, creative ideas are more likely to come to us. According to an article from Scientific American which includes a large bank of research related to downtime, “Epiphanies may seem to come out of nowhere, but they are often the product of unconscious mental activity during downtime.”

Games. Games provide an opportunity for friendly competition and give the mind a chance to function in a different and challenging way. Games can be work-related (such as sales competitions) or recreational such as cornhole, video games, ping pong, or even collaborative crossword puzzles, a recent break room favorite here at Fierce.

Chit chats. We can get to know our colleagues better when we have conversations unrelated to work. One of the best ways to “team build” is to get to know your colleagues on a personal level. Knowing each other personally helps us move from working as a lone wolf to working together as a pack.

Anything that shakes up your routine. What could make today different than yesterday? It might be taking a different route to work, taking a risk, approaching a project in a new way, or simply sitting at a different desk. Changing our environment in small ways can change our outlook in big ways.

It’s not just beneficial to play—we need play, even in adulthood. But how do we make sure it doesn’t go too far? After all, not much would get done if we just played our days away. Here’s a leadership tip for establishing healthy play parameters for yourself and your team: base your expectations of employees on their ability to meet goals and objectives.

As a leader who is held accountable and holds others accountable, you may be skeptical about play if you feel irked or even worried when you notice employees goofing around or seemingly “off-task.” In any business, the bottom line, timelines, and goals should be collaboratively decided upon and communicated so that everyone is on the same page regarding expectations. Each person has a different method for getting things done—some work faster than others, some like to take more frequent breaks, and some require more playtime throughout the day to keep spirits up. And as far as how we play, Brown says it is “as unique to an individual as a fingerprint.”

As long as expectations are clear and goals are being met, there’s plenty of wiggle room for how we arrange the minutes in our day.

When it comes to integrating playtime into the work day, how would you rate your organization? Chances are, there’s an opportunity to add play in ways that could bring its advantages to your workplace. Have a personal vision conversation with people central to the success of the company and its culture. Have people bring their passions to the workplace and talk about what makes them tick. Be willing to open up with others and share your personal life.

At this very moment, consider playing a game or goofing around, and encourage others to do the same. Aside from the perks of business return, it just makes life and work a lot more enjoyable.

Play is just one way to improve your company culture. Check out our whitepaper “Six Key Trends that Increase Employee Productivity and Engagement” for more insights. Free download available here.

 

The post Believe it or Not…Goofing Off Produces Business Return appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Fierce Tip of the Week: Have Fun Together

“Never, ever underestimate the importance of having fun.” – Randy Pausch

In our connected world with constant emails and social media, it is easy to never truly break away from work. Given that, you better have fun along the way. Or what’s the point of all this work?

Having fun is not only good for your health, but it makes your team’s discretionary effort rise. The catch to having fun is…as a leader, you can’t force it.

This week’s tip is to give your team a set budget to plan something fun together.

Don’t put tons of criteria around it. It could be a happy hour, a lunch, a secret costume for team members to wear… whatever makes your team tick. It is a mistake to choose the events and outings for your team members.

Let them own it. And go along for the ride.

The post Fierce Tip of the Week: Have Fun Together appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Friday Resource: Ten Unmistakable Signs of a Fear-Based Workplace

This week’s Friday resource comes from Forbes and lists 10 ways you can tell if your workplace is operating from a place of fear.

Motivation can stem from worry and fear, or it can stem from being in an environment where trust and strong relationships flourish. The source of motivation has a drastic impact on workplace culture—if motivation is coming from fear, culture suffers. The best leaders know fear-based motivation is the least-effective way to get the job done and leads to higher turnover and unhappy employees.

In a workplace culture where fear is the dominant energy, employees feel anxious and frequently worry about unwanted consequences including job loss. On the contrary, in a workplace culture built on trust, employees feel a sense of security and meet their objectives out of desire rather than fear.

Here are a few signs your workplace is operating from fear:

1. “In a fear-based workplace, everyone is focused on their daily goals. They have to be because if they miss a goal, they could lose their job. You won’t get collaboration or innovation out of people who are scared to death!”

2. “In a fear-based culture, managers and HR people specialize in assigning work, measuring results, punishing infractions and maintaining order. In a healthy culture, managers and HR people specialize in listening to employees, problem-solving with them, celebrating successes and envisioning even greater successes!

3. In a fear-based environment, people are afraid to tell the truth because they already know no one wants to hear it. How do they know this? It’s obvious, because the biggest truth of all – namely, “Our culture is horrible, but bad things happen to people who say so” is never acknowledged. It is the elephant in the room.”

4. “In a fear-based company, people talk incessantly about who’s up and who’s down in the company stock index. The rumor mill is more credible than official communication. In a healthy company, managers and employees talk about sticky topics. They don’t avoid them just because they are awkward to address.”

5. “In a fear-based company, employees wonder whether they’ll still have a job next week. A great performance review or an on-the-job triumph does not guarantee anyone another week of employment. People work under a cloud of fear and suspicion. Managers are afraid to recognize and reinforce their teams, because they might get in trouble for doing so.”

Read more tips and watch the accompanying video here.

The post Friday Resource: Ten Unmistakable Signs of a Fear-Based Workplace appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

3 Ways to Take the Scare Out of Your Conversations

Think of a conversation that you need to have that scares you. Perhaps it is a conversation with your boss about something she is doing that is not helpful. Or a conversation with a peer about what you are noticing that is not working for him. Or taking it home, perhaps it is a conversation with your spouse or family member to discuss something that you do not feel the other is willing to talk about.

Ok, do you have a conversation in mind?



Does the thought of this conversation make you want to evaporate? Or run out the door? Or go on vacation? If so, that’s a good sign. These are the conversations I am talking about.

I do understand the fear. There are legitimate reasons to be scared about having these conversations. Some people do not react well when confronted, regardless of how eloquent and thoughtful you are. Sometimes, certain discussions are not career-enhancing, depending on your colleagues and boss. These are realities.

What is equally a reality is that the cost of not having the conversation is much greater than the risk of it going badly. No one will die in this process. And your mental health and wellbeing are at stake here. These needed conversations weigh you down. You know this. Science tells you this. We all know this, yet we justify our way into carrying unneeded weight around.

So, here are three tips to overcome the scary nature of some exchanges: 

Embrace the nervous energy. One of my prior bosses once told me that the butterflies you feel before a tough conversation are an indication of how much you care about the person. I like to think of it that way; put a positive spin on it. Ultimately, if you don’t care about a relationship or a person, you wouldn’t bother having the conversation. So come to terms with the way you feel and expect some nervousness. See it as a good sign instead of wanting to flee.


Prepare accordingly. Whether it is a feedback or confrontation conversation, preparation is key for having the conversation align with your intention. Here at fierce we teach the preparation piece for various conversations, and oftentimes, people tell us that it is our magic. The goal is to make your conversations authentic and drive the results you want. So, prepare by scanning some of the tips from this blog. Set aside some unadulterated time to focus and think through the conversation. Take some notes.


 Practice with someone. Many conversations do not go the way we want them to, because we are not clear and direct. Once you have done some preparation, find a friend or partner to practice with. Ask the person how they felt with your delivery. Ask for feedback. It is not necessary to do a role play situation, but rather, use the practice time as an opportunity to make sure you are not laying blame or using inflammatory language that could trigger just about anyone.

These tips definitely can help you stay focused. Ultimately, though, you are the one that has to make the choice to have the conversation. 

And for your own sake, I really hope you do. You have more to gain than you can imagine.

Do you have any tips for our audience about dealing with fear around conversations?

The post 3 Ways to Take the Scare Out of Your Conversations appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Fierce Tip of the Week: Face Your Leadership Fears

As a leader, it can be alluring to let fear dictate your decisions. No risk = no failure, and in the short term, that type of thinking might seem easier. However, the nature of fear can be debilitating and oftentimes can leave you stuck in the same place. As a savvy leader you know that in order to progress, innovate, and accomplish your goals – forward movement is necessary.

This week’s tip encourages you to look at what your leadership fears are and to ask yourself: What scares me to my core about being a leader? About achieving my goals?

Take this opportunity to begin to have conversations around those fears. If you think your fear has inhibited your and your team’s progress in any way, go to your team and call that out. Then ask them how they might move forward.

You may have someone ready to solve that scary problem for you.

The post Fierce Tip of the Week: Face Your Leadership Fears appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Friday Resource: The Most Overused Negotiating Tactic is Threatening to Walk Away

This week’s Friday resource comes from Harvard Business Review and discusses the impact of threatening to walk away during a negotiation.

A “walkaway” outcome to a negotiation occurs when one or more parties involved are no longer willing to consider other possible outcomes or alternatives. In walking away, perspective is limited and power is exercised in a way that eliminates opportunity for the needs of both parties to be met.

In any negotiation, each person holds a relative amount of power to influence the circumstances of the other party. However, there is a time to walk away, such as when the other party will not budge or accommodate any aspect of a request. But hastily walking away before reaching an alternative deal is to walk away without a solution and create a dissolution of the relationship. It is possible to find common ground with the mentality that enough resources exist to meet the needs of everyone involved.

Per Jay A. Hewlin, HBR, here are a few ways negotiators can produce the best outcomes:

Think mutual dependence, not just alternatives. “Ascertaining why and how deeply one’s counterparty needs what you’re offering is central when it comes to relative power—the greater his need for you and/or your product or service, the greater your power, and vice-versa. You and your counterpart would do well to spend your efforts focusing on the power inherent in your mutual dependence. Mutual dependence is determined by the sum or the average of Party A’s dependence on Party B, and Party B’s dependence on Party A. The connection between mutual dependence and power is direct, and it exists in every negotiation.

Focusing on mutual dependence draws your attention toward inquiry and exploration, advancing the conversation from: ‘How much can I get out of this deal above my best alternative?’ to ‘In how many ways can I demonstrate my company’s value to this person based on their need(s)?’”

Find power in your context, not your feelings. “You’ll often hear the following statement: ‘When I feel I have more power in a negotiation, I negotiate better, but when the situation is reversed, I don’t do as well.’ Limited research has been done on the issue of negotiators’ perceptions of power and how those perceptions affect outcomes, providing some evidence of a positive relationship between negotiators’ perceptions of their power and the degree to which they engage in integrative bargaining.”

Focus on learning, not buying or selling. “Three priorities during a negotiation should be:

• learning as much as possible about the person with whom you are dealing;

• learning as much as possible about the entity with which you are dealing; and

• ascertaining as much as possible about his/her/its circumstances.”

Read additional tips and the full article here.

The post Friday Resource: The Most Overused Negotiating Tactic is Threatening to Walk Away appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

The Secret to Successful Business Negotiation

“The most important trip you may take in life is meeting people halfway.” – Henry Boyle

On the surface, negotiation can seem more complex than it really is. There are usually a lot of factors to consider on behalf of everyone involved, and our psyches can quickly lead us into the shaky territory of power plays, manipulation, or even fearful submission. Negotiation conversations can present themselves on small and large scales, and deal with anything from individual salary negotiations, to closing a sale, to transitions during big B2B mergers or acquisitions.

A Fierce Negotiation is a conversation between people trying to reach an agreement which yields the best deal and enriches the relationship. There is a way to stand your ground during these conversations without having to take anything away from someone else. The secret to successful negotiation is: meeting needs. That is, meeting the needs of all parties involved. Negotiating in the workplace is no different than negotiating at home with children, a relative, or a spouse. The topics at hand may be different, but fundamentally the process is the same.

What do we mean by needs, exactly? And how do they apply to negotiation?

When a negotiation is underway, it means one or more people have brought a need or desire to the table. It is to say, “You have something I want, and I have something you want.” When this takes place, the question to ask is, how can the needs of both parties be met? How can these needs be fulfilled without one party winning and one party losing? The objective is to reach what we call in our Negotiations program “The Zone of Possible Acceptance”—the sweet spot where there is common ground.

Think of needs as the hub of a wheel on a bicycle. Everything and anything else related to the negotiation revolves around the needs of those involved in the negotiation.

Negotiation is not about one person or group winning in the end, and it goes beyond persuasion. It determines what is needed and wanted, looks at the issue holistically, and assesses the capacity or ability to fulfill the request(s).

Knowing how to negotiate effectively is an important skill to have in business. Take Time Warner Cable’s negotiation with CBS in 2013 as an example of what not to do. Their conflict with CBS (over cost disagreements) led them to black out the channel from its product offering, causing them to lose 306,000 of their 11.7 million cable subscribers. Although the conflict was eventually resolved, Time Warner’s initial attempt to hard ball the station and CBS’s unwillingness to back down backfired, and the results were costly.

If navigated skillfully, your negotiation conversations can lead to big gains for everyone involved. Once reality has been interrogated and needs have been brought to the table, here are some tips that can help the conversation run smoothly:

Make sure you’ve prepped before entering the conversation. Going into a negotiation conversation with no planning, emotions are more likely to run high and you’re more likely to get derailed from your intention. Determine your intention and what you would like to walk away with.

Get clear. Do you fully understand what the other party is requesting? Make sure that what you’re hearing is what’s intended. Listen closely. Ask questions to gain clarity.

Allow silence. Don’t expect an immediate yes or no from the other person, or from yourself. You may have to take emotions and logistics into consideration before making a deal. Grant time for processing as well.

Notice your emotions, but don’t let them take the wheel. Our emotions give us important information about what we want and need, but if we become reactive, it can cause a rift in the relationship. Be the master of your emotions, not their slave.

Remain assertive yet flexible. Don’t allow yourself to be overpowered, but don’t overpower, either. Also keep in mind that your needs or desires may fluctuate or shift as you learn more about the other person’s position.

Acknowledge small wins. Having the conversation is itself a small win. Negotiations can take time and may require multiple conversations before a deal is reached, especially when budgets and other logistics are involved.

Here are some things that can put the relationship in jeopardy during negotiation:

• Threats of any kind

• Withholding the truth

• Turning the negotiation into a competition

• Giving up on your own needs—easily giving in

• Dismissing the needs of the other party

• Taking “no” personally

When meeting needs is the focus, negotiation can be a win-win. It allows everyone involved to approach the situation with understanding and the desire to reach a workable deal that enriches the relationship.

Skillful conversations, including negotiation conversations, enhance the bottom line and yield a measurable ROI. Download our whitepaper The ROI of Skillful Conversation to read more about the return.

The post The Secret to Successful Business Negotiation appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Fierce Tip of the Week: Engage with an Opposing Point of View

One of my favorite Bob Dylan songs is “A Satisfied Mind.” In the lyrics he says, “How many times have you heard someone say, if I had his money I’d do things my way.” I often think of this line when I look at leaders, and make a judgement of what I might do if I were in their position.

When you look from the outside in, it can be easy to pass judgment when it’s all hypothetical.

This week’s tip challenges all of us, whether you are in a formal leadership role or not, to participate in one of the more difficult aspects of being a leader: Engage, with an open mind and heart, with an opposing point of view.

Leadership is more than a job title – it’s a state of mind. We can all participate and see how we handle the pressure of being someone who chooses to lead by going deeper. We can all ask: Do I only surround myself with “yes-people”? Or do I engage with those that challenge me?

At the end of the week look back and ask yourself: What kind of leader have I been?

The post Fierce Tip of the Week: Engage with an Opposing Point of View appeared first on Fierce, Inc..