Susan Scott's Blog, page 36

Friday Resource: 8 Things You Should Do Before a Vacation to Avoid Feeling Stressed When You Return

This week’s Fierce resource comes from Business Insider and lists eight things you can do before vacation that will help reduce stress when you return to work.

Most of us look forward to vacation. But when we don’t plan accordingly for our time away, our return to the office can leave us feeling even more stressed than we did before we left.

The purpose of vacation is to relax, spend quality time with ourselves and our loved ones, and reconnect with what really matters to us. It’s important for us to maximize this time so that we can return to work a revitalized version of ourselves and take on the challenges that lie ahead. Fortunately, proper planning can help us receive the full benefits of time away.

Per Jacquelyn Smith, Business Insider, with insights from Michael Kerr, international business speaker and author of You Can’t Be Serious! Putting Humor to Work, here are some effective ways to plan for your vacation and reduce stress.

1. Be strategic with your schedule. “Many people complain about the stress of getting all their work done before a vacation, and then the stress of catching up and being overwhelmed when they return. ‘In fact, that’s why some employees avoid taking vacations altogether,’ Kerr says. ‘When I was a manager, I often left a day later than I announced, and arrived back at work a day earlier than scheduled. This gave me a free day essentially on either end of the vacation.’ If you can’t do this, then at least plan your schedule carefully.”

2. Create a customized autoreply email message and outgoing voicemail. “Upon your return, you won’t want to listen to 10 angry voicemails from the same person wondering why you’re not returning their calls. You also don’t want clients tracking you down at the beach with urgent questions and requests. To avoid this, set up an outgoing voicemail and autoreply email that say how long you’ll be out and who to contact in your absence.”

3. Contact high priority clients or customers a week or two before you leave. “Let them know you’ll be out, and ask if there’s anything they need before you leave. ‘It’s a great excuse to reach out to them; it demonstrates that you’re thinking of them; it gives them enough warning so that you can help them with any issues well before you leave; and it will give you peace of mind,’ Kerr says.”

Read the remaining tips here.

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3 Critical Questions to Ask Your Team About Vacation

Yesterday was the first official day of summer, and many employees are looking forward to planned vacations. Whether it’s hiking through Yellowstone, lounging around on a tropical island, or embracing a good old-fashioned staycation, talks of summer plans are taking over offices everywhere. Yet, the land of vacation relaxation is easier said than done based on the results of our new Fierce survey that launched earlier today.

We surveyed over a thousand full-time employees across the U.S. and found some surprising variances in employee experiences around paid time off (PTO). From managerial support to stress reduction, we investigated various dynamics with paid time off and what gets in the way of employees truly enjoying vacation. Bottom line: people are not getting enough value from their vacations. And because of that, leaders, it is time for you to step up and have the necessary conversations.

Research shows that vacation can improve health, productivity, and even increase chances of promotion. Our survey results reveal that these benefits are not being realized for over two-thirds of respondents. And, Americans have an awful track record of actually taking their allotted time off. A survey conducted by Nielsen research based on 2,068 adults aged 25 years or older found that 52% of people didn’t take all their paid vacation days in the past year, leaving an average of 7.2 days unused. At Fierce, we set out on a mission to learn more. As a result of our findings, we would like to offer some direction with addressing this issue that can be applied by leaders everywhere.

Below are three critical questions to ask your team members about paid time off, with tips to help navigate.

1. What is your preferred amount of time off and are you taking it? This is a great starting question to have with each of your team members. Get curious about their sentiments and assure there is clarity around company expectations. This sets a foundation for future conversations about paid time off.

In our survey, we learned that a third of respondents receive 20 or more vacation days each year, with one in every five employees receiving less than 10 days. The majority (45%) say the ideal number of PTO days would be 20 or more. Those 18-29, however, noted that their ideal number of vacations days is 16-20, less than those in older generations. 15% of respondents would like to take unlimited vacation each year, which is up five percent over the 2012 survey.

Learn about your team members’ desires and how they can truly hit their own goals around work/life blending. Some employees will not want to take as much and others will want to take more. Gain clarity around what taking time off means to each of your team members.

Fierce Tip: Use a PTO conversation as an opportunity to learn more about your team member, and make their answer to this question part of the individual’s overarching growth plan. Explore what the person wants to learn or where they want to go to further support their development. Progressive companies are investing in the whole person approach, where leaders learn where the individuals want to go personally and professionally, and create support for them to achieve it.

2. How can we set up your vacation time for success? This question pertains to before and after the employee takes vacation. According to our survey, for those that do take time off, the stress of work doesn’t stay away long, as returning to the office appears to offset any relaxation that may have occurred. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of respondents are either more stressed or have the same level of stress once they return to the office. The main reported cause of this stress is catching up on missed work, followed by having to readjust to a work mindset and needing to resolve major issues that arose while away. In addition, while on vacation, half of all employees check in with the office, with 13 percent checking in daily.

At Fierce, we argue that leaders set the tone and model the expectations for the conversations. Ensure that your employees have the appropriate dialogue with you and other team members before leaving and after returning from vacation. Make the conversation very actionable and set clear expectations. Some people may want to check in daily while others may want to disconnect completely. It does not need to be one size fits all.

Fierce Tip: Provide a tool and training, like our Fierce Delegation program, that equips team members to plan who will own what tasks and at what decision-making authority when someone is away. Create clarity around the communication. It is possible to help others develop and come back with a game plan. Here is a blog post that focuses specifically on how to develop others when you are on vacation.

3. How can I, and the rest of the team, support you better so you can relax? According to our recent survey, half of all respondents believe their managers support and encourage them to take time off. However, just 40 percent of employees believe the same of their co-workers.

When you ask this question, make sure to cover both areas of the question: you and the team. They may be different. And sometimes, to get the conversation started, it can be helpful to ask how the team works first.

Then, really dive into what works and doesn’t work. You can pan this question out to a larger support question, because if there are issues with how PTO is handled, there are likely other areas where your team member could feel more supported. Perhaps it is a mindset shift or perhaps you will uncover needed resources or attitudes to better support the person. As we talk about issues at Fierce, we often say, the issue exists whether you talk about it or not…so you might as well talk about it.

Fierce Tip: Be real and get curious. Avoid defensiveness. Your team members will gain more respect for you as a leader when you engage in authentic conversations about how they want to be supported. How you show up is critical in the success and outcome of the conversation. Do not make this about you, and instead, have this time dedicated to the people who are critical to your success.

As a leader, your job is to get it right for your people and organization, so check your assumptions at the door when entering these conversations. Ask your people these questions and really listen. To dig into more results, read the full release here.

What other questions should leadership ask about vacation? Please share your ideas!

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Friday Resource: How to Be a Leader People Want to Follow

This week’s Friday Resource was originally published by Business Insider and lists seven ways you can become a more inspiring leader.

Being in a position of leadership does not automatically qualify someone as a leader whom others trust or feel inspired by to produce their best work. The key to becoming a great leader is to first learn what makes a great leader and then carry out these qualities through actions.

Per Jason DeMers, Business Insider contributor and founder & CEO of AudienceBloom, here are ways to effectively become a “follow-worthy” leader.

1. Show respect to those around you (even when you don’t feel like it). “True respect doesn’t depend on the other person doing something (or not doing something). It means recognizing that all people are inherently worthy of respect; even people who drive you crazy or who haven’t done a single thing to earn it. It means treating people in a way that preserves their dignity and honors their humanity.”

2. Communicate (in a way that not only informs, but inspires). “Communication must be efficient and informative, but it can also be used as a way to inspire, motivate and persuade. When you can communicate in a way that a particular outcome is achieved or a certain action is taken, this is when the true impact of great communication shows. In the words of General Dwight Eisenhower, “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”

3. Be generous (with time, encouragement and responsibility). “When we think of being generous, we often think of monetary generosity; of keeping employees happy by giving gifts, bonuses and regular pay bumps. And while this is certainly one aspect of generosity, it can be far more…it involves being liberal with praise and encouragement; of giving employees the appropriate credit when they have a great idea; of being gracious when people make mistakes.”

Read the other four tips and the entire article here.

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5 Things Managers Say That Leaders Don’t

“Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

The terms “management” and “leadership” are used interchangeably. But there’s a definite distinction between what it means to manage and what it means to lead.

Managers are known to operate with authority, tend to have a fixed mindset, and focus on tasks, whereas leaders see themselves as partners with their teammates in a shared mission, tend to focus more on outcomes, and feel a sense of duty to inspire and motivate their teams. Leaders have a growth mindset and support autonomy.

Obviously, people want to be led, not managed. And if you’re not sure why that’s so important, here’s an eye-opener: a Gallup poll of over 7,000 people revealed that 50% of employees “left their job to get away from their manager to improve their overall life at some point in their career.” The quality of the relationship between manager and employee has an enormous impact on retention and engagement. People are largely leaving their managers, not their companies.

Managers and leaders tend to show up differently in conversation. Being in the field of leadership training, we at Fierce have observed first-hand what works—and what doesn’t—when it comes to succeeding in leadership. Here are five things managers might say and what leaders are likely to say instead.

1. Managers say: “Here’s what you should do.”

When coaching their teams, managers tend to act as an authority and primary source of knowledge. On the contrary, leaders see value in self-generated solutions and insights. They avoid taking an authoritative stance or dishing out advice. Instead, they let silence do some of the heavy lifting and allow the coachee to draw their own conclusions. Creating this space to explore can lead to higher amounts of intrinsic motivation, a vital component of employee engagement. According to an article from Fast Company, “Intrinsic motivation is what drives a person to do something without any expected reward or external motivation. They are guided and rewarded by their own incentive.”

Leaders say: “What do you want to do?”

2. Managers say: “You’re wrong.”

Discounting another person’s thoughts or feelings can cause them to react defensively. People want their emotions and perspectives validated rather than discounted, even if their perception is the result of a misunderstanding. The concept of right and wrong can be applied practically and objectively when hard data is present (for example, we can safely conclude that the earth is round and not flat), but when it comes to our preferences, our experiences, and our individual opinions, trying to force your own perspective on another person and making them wrong is a surefire way to cause a riff in the relationship. Leaders respect the perspectives of their teammates, even when there’s disagreement.

Leaders say: “I see why you might have that perspective. Here’s how I understood it…”

3. Managers say: “Here’s where you need to improve.”

Managers see feedback as a one-way street. Leaders, on the other hand, understand that they can learn from their team members and that receiving feedback is essential to their growth as a leader. At Fierce, we have these conversations and walk the talk when it comes to giving continuous, two-way feedback, regardless of position within the company, and leadership often requests feedback directly. Although a leader and an employee may have different roles and titles within an organization, leaders perceive themselves as equals on the “human” level and can see beyond titles and labels. They also understand that the feedback they give is a matter of their own perspective rather than a statement of fact.

Leaders say: “Here is the feedback I have for you…now what feedback do you have for me?”

4. Managers say: “Leave your emotions at the door.”

Leaders know that emotions are an important part of both relationships and achieving optimal business results. Emotions are part of our internal guidance system, helping us make better and smarter decisions. A workplace culture that welcomes the expression of emotion also leads to greater levels of trust and transparency. Leaders assist in creating this culture. Charles Duhigg, author of Smarter Faster Better, has found that “high-performing teams offer both emotional safety and ways for their members to productively disagree: No one wants to leave part of their personality and inner life at home. But to be fully present at work, to feel ‘psychologically safe,’ we must know that we can be free enough, sometimes, to share the things that scare us without fear of recriminations.”

Leaders say: “How are you feeling?”

5. Managers say: “You’re going to have to do better than that.”

Leaders set their employees up for success by finding out what’s needed and how they can assist with meeting those needs. With an air of compassion, they investigate to discover the reasons behind issues such as poor performance to determine the origin of the issue. For example, a miscommunication may have occurred that resulted in a lack of clarity around expectations, or perhaps an employee is facing difficulties outside of work and needs a bit of time and space to take care of the issues at hand.

Leaders say: “How can I support you? What resources do you need to succeed?”

Have you experienced being managed versus led, and vice versa? Likewise, have you managed or led others? Share your experiences with us.

The post 5 Things Managers Say That Leaders Don’t appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Fierce Tip of the Week: Take It Personally

In Fierce Conversations, we believe the phrases “Don’t take this personally” and “Don’t take yourself so seriously” are misguided suggestions. Do take it personally; do take yourself seriously.

Work is deeply personal. And so is leading others. Leading anything in your life, for that matter.

Instead of turning the other direction when your idea is rejected or something doesn’t go your way, stick with it. It is important to lean into those situations. Don’t shut yourself down or brush it off.

For example, when one of my team’s marketing concepts is scrutinized, it is impossible to not feel some emotion or level of disappointment. Instead of becoming apathetic, acknowledge that the work is personal. And that we want to get it right, because we all care. (If we didn’t care, there wouldn’t be emotions.)

And then the next step is to get curious and ask questions.

This week’s tip is to take your work fiercely personal.  

Having purpose and meaning are greatly tied to our happiness. Where can you apply this most?

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Friday Resource: 3 Ways to Clear Barriers to Development for Women Leaders

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by The International Public Management Association for Human Resources and shares three ways to clear barriers to development for women leaders.

As women assume more leadership and management roles in today’s workforce it becomes increasingly obvious that they bring with them different experiences, perspectives, and competencies that their male coworkers have not historically provided. And while providing specific leadership programs for women to continue their professional growth meets diversity initiatives, it is also a smart business move. While many workplaces have begun women-specific professional development and leadership programs, many barriers still remain, especially in male-dominated industries.

According to Marcie Mueller, three ways to remove barriers and develop women leaders include:

1. Initiate Ways for Women to Gain Corporate Exposure. The old adage of “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” can be applied to corporate development and professional advancement within an organization. Who knows you and can trust you can determine if you are considered and selected for new opportunities and promotion. By focusing development opportunities on how women can expand their network and gain visibility within their department and office can go a long way in helping this issue.

2. Encourage Women to Speak Up. This can be particularly difficult when there is a disproportionate amount of men to women in an office. Creating specific training programs for women that focus on building confidence and assertiveness allows women leaders to feel more comfortable sharing ideas and brainstorming within a male dominated team.

Read the entire article here.

The post Friday Resource: 3 Ways to Clear Barriers to Development for Women Leaders appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Fierce Tip of the Week: 3 Ways to Clear Barriers to Development for Women Leaders

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by The International Public Management Association for Human Resources and shares three ways to clear barriers to development for women leaders.

As women assume more leadership and management roles in today’s workforce it becomes increasingly obvious that they bring with them different experiences, perspectives, and competencies that their male coworkers have not historically provided. And while providing specific leadership programs for women to continue their professional growth meets diversity initiatives, it is also a smart business move. While many workplaces have begun women-specific professional development and leadership programs, many barriers still remain, especially in male-dominated industries.

According to Marcie Mueller, three ways to remove barriers and develop women leaders include:

1. Initiate Ways for Women to Gain Corporate Exposure. The old adage of “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” can be applied to corporate development and professional advancement within an organization. Who knows you and can trust you can determine if you are considered and selected for new opportunities and promotion. By focusing development opportunities on how women can expand their network and gain visibility within their department and office can go a long way in helping this issue.

2. Encourage Women to Speak Up. This can be particularly difficult when there is a disproportionate amount of men to women in an office. Creating specific training programs for women that focus on building confidence and assertiveness allows women leaders to feel more comfortable sharing ideas and brainstorming within a male dominated team.

Read the entire article here.

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4 Barriers to Personal and Professional Growth (And How to Tear ‘em Down)

“You will either step forward into growth, or backward into safety.” —Abraham Maslow

Throughout life, we experience moments of momentum where we feel like we’re expanding, moving upward, and spreading our fierce little wings. Other times, we feel like our own growth has become sluggish or blocked in some way. When stagnation occurs, it’s an indication that it’s time to get curious and shake things up.

Stagnation can be safe and comfortable…at least in the beginning. I like to use the analogy of a dirty house when thinking about this concept. It feels nice sometimes to ignore chores. But after a while, the dishes in the sink start to smell bad, dust piles up on the shelves, and you can’t seem to find where you put anything. Growth works much the same way. We can get comfortable in our routines, but eventually the stagnation weighs on us. The longer we’re stagnant, the more uncomfortable it becomes—and if we don’t take action around things that aren’t working, we may end up losing something or someone that matters to us.

If you’ve become aware that you’ve stagnated and want to step into a place of growth, you may find yourself running into some unwanted barriers as you try to move forward. Here are some of the most common.

1. Infrequent Feedback

According to Workboard, 72% of employees think their performance would improve with more feedback. And as a leader, receiving feedback is just as essential as giving it. Feedback serves as a direct catalyst for growth by showing you what you didn’t know and revealing your “blind spots” so to speak, granting you the awareness you need to improve in these areas. If feedback is infrequent, so are your opportunities to grow.

Remedy: Break down this barrier by directly requesting feedback from your team. Annual reviews are old news, and giving feedback is best as a two-way street, regardless of your position within your organization.

2. Lack of Clarity Around Goals

Much of what we do we consider necessary to do. Unfortunately, necessity doesn’t do much for us in terms of growth. In order to grow, we have to have a vision. Having a desire outside of necessity and a clear vision of what you’re after is essential in order to know which direction you want to go and grow.

Remedy: Ask yourself essential questions. What do you envision for yourself? In what ways do you want to grow? Where do you see yourself in six weeks, six months, six years? What resources do you need to make this vision become reality? Once you have a plan in place, you can start taking action, and growth becomes inevitable.

3. Fear of Failure

Sometimes growth requires us to take on new challenges, and new challenges can be scary–especially when succeeding or failing might affect others on our team. But the reality is that it’s better to try and fail than to not try at all. In fact, research suggests that failure can actually be a motivator and lead to higher amounts of success in the long run.

Remedy: Cultivate compassion for yourself and inquire about your own intentions. Think about why you want to try or pursue the thing that you’re also afraid of failing at. What about this endeavor do you consider important? Let the positive answer be your motivator rather than opting out due to fear.

4. Unsupportive Environments

An unsupportive environment is one that lacks the essential resources needed for development. This barrier is a bit general in that it focuses on the big picture, but looking closely at your environment can reveal real opportunities for change. Ask yourself: Do the people in my work life and at home support my growth? Do I have the resources I need (whether they be emotional, structural, or technological) to grow in the ways that I want to? If the answer is no…

Remedy: Commit to seeking out the resources you need. Have tough conversations with your loved ones or coworkers who you feel may not be supportive of your growth. Seek out people who do support you. Have a conversation with colleagues to request the kind of resources you think would present growth opportunities in the workplace.

These are just four of the most common barriers of many. Aside from this list, what else might be holding you back? A bit of self-inquiry can give you valuable answers.

We want to hear about your own development. What have been your challenges, and how have you overcome them?

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Friday Resource: Benchmarking Human Capital Metrics

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by SHRM and explains how organizations can benchmark human capital metrics.

There are dozens of reasons why organizations use benchmarking. With sales roles that deal exclusively with numbers, it can seem a lot easier to benchmark progress and use the data to support business strategy and goals. The Human Resources function at companies is no different and benefits from the same ability to align their human capital metrics to support overall business strategy.

Benchmarking is quickly becoming a necessary tool that all HR professionals must equip their departments with to accurately measure processes, practices, and results within their industry. When used correctly, benchmarking can show how an organization’s HR strategies can influence and shape organizational performance and company culture.

When a company decides to roll out a new human capital initiative, it is important to understand the expectations of what that program should accomplish by looking at competitors and similar organizations in their industry.

“Benchmarking can also create momentum for organizational change. For example, making changes to existing compensation practices may be difficult, unless objective benchmarking data are available that can support modifications.”

Read the entire article here.

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An Event for All Fierce Fans: 3 Reasons to Attend

The Fierce community has spoken, and the resounding advice to us was: bring us together! Tell us what you are thinking. Take a stand on how our organizations and world can become more fierce together.

Given that, we are very excited to announce the launch of the Fierce Summit, a learning event for the fierce community and fans. It will be in Seattle, WA on September 13th and 14th. Here is the official site with more details. If you are a Fierce facilitator, please join us September 12th for a special day to take your facilitation to the next level.

It is an investment of time and money, and it will be worth it. Here are three reasons to attend:

1. Network with a worldwide Fierce Community.

The Fierce Summit is a rare opportunity to network with new and long-time Fierce community members from around the globe. You will make connections that will last beyond the event.

2. Learn how you can build a better organization, one conversation at a time.

Speakers will share thought-provoking insights on topics relevant to organizations today including performance management, inclusion, and navigating change. You will walk away with tangible takeaways to apply immediately to your leadership.

3. Gain insights about learning innovations to bring to your organization.

Fierce is focused on strengthening learning through innovative technology solutions and dedicated partners. You will learn about resources that can bring new and improved methods of learning to your organization.

To learn more about our upcoming event, subscribe on the site. Additionally, feel free to comment with any of your questions, and I will respond.

Hope to see you in September!

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