Susan Scott's Blog, page 42

Fierce Tip of the Week: Create Self-Directed Learning Opportunities

Learning has always been a lifeline for me. Like many others in our digital age, I’m constantly looking for ways to learn throughout my day. When I ask my friend for a new workout at the gym, I’m learning something that will help me with my fitness goals. On my commute in, I watch videos and read articles on how to “up” my game in the latest digital marketing innovation. While thinking about what to cook for dinner, I search the web for a new recipe and watch short tutorials on how to prep. Throughout my day, the opportunity for micro-learning—small, bite-sized learning—shows up.

This micro-learning trend is showing up in the workplace too. We see a continued emphasis in the workplace for employees to drive their own learning, and more than ever in 2017.

Some of this is due to technology and ease of access, while some is a result of changing workplace demographics—millennials use technology to learn more than any other generation. Self-directed learning has been greatly explored by learning experts Towards Maturity. In their research, they found that 88% of participants learn more by finding things out for themselves, rather than through face-to-face training, and 87% know what they need to learn to do their job.

So I ask: are you discussing with your team members what they feel they need and want to learn? Are you encouraging them to find ways to do it?

This week’s tip is to foster the conversations necessary to make sure your team members are taking their learning into their own hands. For many leaders, this can feel overwhelming. And the reality is that many companies do not have the resources to create all the assets they would like for their employees’ learning. The upside? There are so many external access points to learning such as platforms like Udemy, meetup groups and professional associations events. Get curious and start to foster new thinking around learning.

Leaders who want to stay on top of this trend will need to put a greater focus on the conversations needed, and oftentimes, the skills to have these conversations need to be developed. We know this to be true from years of helping companies transform these conversations.

What will do you to increase learning opportunities this week?

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friday resource: How to Create an Action Plan to Achieve Your Goals

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by The Balance and talks about how to create an action plan that will help you achieve your lofty goals in 2017.

We all know that setting goals is important for personal and professional development. It can be much more difficult to identify specific tactics that work to move the needle towards achieving your goals.

For starters, try writing down your goals and placing them close to your desk. This may seem minor, but a surprisingly small percentage of people physically write down their goals. The act of writing the goal down solidifies it and forces you to revisit your goals every time you see them staring at you.

Leslie Truex, The Balance, offers six steps that can help create an action plan towards achieving goals. For starters, you must make sure your goals are SMART.

“Here is a basic definition of SMART goals:

Specific: Your goal is clearly defined. “I want to make more money,” is vague. “I want to make $10,000 per month,” is specific.

Measurable: You need to quantify your goal so you know you achieved it.

Attainable: It’s good to set goals that make you stretch and challenge yourself, but you set yourself up for frustration and failure if your goal is impossible.

Relevant: Your goals should fit within your ultimate plans in life.

Time: You’ve set a date by which your goal will be achieved.”

Another important step is identifying a realistic timeline. This is often where people run into trouble. A goal is hard to steadily work towards when the due date is so far off. By the time most people start to get the wheels moving, it is too late. Try working backwards from your end goal and setting milestones along the way that are feasible to achieve. These can be quarterly, monthly or even weekly tiny goals. This way you will know when you are off track and need to step it up a notch or two to keep pace.

Read Truex’s four other steps in the full article here.

The post friday resource: How to Create an Action Plan to Achieve Your Goals appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

How to Create an Action Plan to Achieve Your Goals

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by The Balance and talks about how to create an action plan that will help you achieve your lofty goals in 2017.

We all know that setting goals is important for personal and professional development. It can be much more difficult to identify specific tactics that work to move the needle towards achieving your goals.

For starters, try writing down your goals and placing them close to your desk. This may seem minor, but a surprisingly small percentage of people physically write down their goals. The act of writing the goal down solidifies it and forces you to revisit your goals every time you see them staring at you.

Leslie Truex, The Balance, offers six steps that can help create an action plan towards achieving goals. For starters, you must make sure your goals are SMART.

“Here is a basic definition of SMART goals:

Specific: Your goal is clearly defined. “I want to make more money,” is vague. “I want to make $10,000 per month,” is specific.

Measurable: You need to quantify your goal so you know you achieved it.

Attainable: It’s good to set goals that make you stretch and challenge yourself, but you set yourself up for frustration and failure if your goal is impossible.

Relevant: Your goals should fit within your ultimate plans in life.

Time: You’ve set a date by which your goal will be achieved.”

Another important step is identifying a realistic timeline. This is often where people run into trouble. A goal is hard to steadily work towards when the due date is so far off. By the time most people start to get the wheels moving, it is too late. Try working backwards from your end goal and setting milestones along the way that are feasible to achieve. These can be quarterly, monthly or even weekly tiny goals. This way you will know when you are off track and need to step it up a notch or two to keep pace.

Read Truex’s four other steps in the full article here.

The post How to Create an Action Plan to Achieve Your Goals appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Have Goals for 2017? Here’s Why Planning is Paramount

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” —Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Whether you intend to grow revenue, improve your professional relationships, or gain knowledge in your field, one thing is for sure: planning is paramount. Without it, your desire will exist as nothing more than just that—a desire.

Coming up with a vision is the easy part, but acting without a plan can be a real sinker.

Would you chart the Atlantic Ocean on a sailboat without planning your route, equipment and provisions? You wouldn’t if you want to make it across. Individual and collective goals in the workplace are no different. Without a plan, both the vision and the action are without direction.

To avoid becoming stranded in the middle of the figurative ocean this year, apply the following tips to help steer the course of your goals.

Write it Down

Until we write something down, it exists in the cluttered recesses of your mind. And according to research, writing down your goals will make you far more likely to achieve them.

“Writing things down” could simply mean writing a bulleted list by hand, depending on the scope and complexity of your goals. For multiple goals that contain a lot of moving parts, a mind map or interactive calendar can help you keep all your ducks in a row.

Getting things down on paper (virtual or otherwise) is especially important for company-wide business goals that require participation from the entire company. In addition to company-wide meetings and emails, consider a whiteboard or similar place in the office where goals can be displayed prominently as a daily reminder.

For individual goals, try writing them down and keeping them in a place where you’ll see them every day, like near your computer monitor.

Plan the Necessary Conversations

To move the dial in the direction of your vision, conversations are essential. Conversations have the power to get multiple parties on the same page, address pressing issues and produce tangible results.

To figure out who you need to speak to, ask yourself:

Who within and outside my organization plays a key role in the fulfillment of this goal?

Is there anyone you need to have a conversation with related to performance, such as a feedback, negotiation or confrontation conversation, to get the ball rolling?

Regarding objectives, whose input needs to be considered and who needs to be informed?

Sometimes these conversations take place internally with yourself, but even individual goals can benefit from an external conversation. If you have a goal in mind for yourself, consider sharing your intentions with someone you work with. Expressing your intention will help make it real, and the person you shared with can help by holding you “able” to achieve it via follow ups and encouragement.

Once you’ve determined who you need to speak to, commit to following through. Conversations are one of the most bypassed steps in the goal setting process, yet having them can be one of the most effective ways to make things happen.

Set Milestones Along the Way

In order to create milestones, start out by determining the timeline of your goal. When does the work begin, and when will you know whether it’s been fulfilled?

Keeping track of progress throughout the year will give you important insights about your approach–specifically, whether or not it’s working. Set up electronic reminders to check in on progress regularly, which includes checking in with the people who are also working to meet the goal(s). Include key dates and key deadlines in these reminders.

If things aren’t going as you hoped during check-in, you’ll have the time to set a new course of action and make necessary adjustments.

Be Realistic

It’s not a detriment to aim high, but also remember that you and the people you work with are human.

Also keep in mind that focusing on too many things at any given time can lead to an accidental sabotage of your intentions. If you focus your energy on a few things rather than spreading yourself too thin, you’re more likely to reach the other side of the ocean.

What successful planning strategies have you used to accomplish a goal? Share your story with us.

The post Have Goals for 2017? Here’s Why Planning is Paramount appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

friday resource: Why Diverse Teams Are Smarter

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by HBR.org and explains why diverse teams work smarter and more efficiently.

Organizations must stop seeing workplace diversity and inclusion as a box to check off and instead truly understand the business impact that a diverse workplace can have on a business.

“A 2015 McKinsey report on 366 public companies found that those in the top quartile for ethnic and racial diversity in management were 35% more likely to have financial returns above their industry mean.”

Per David Rock and Heidi Grant, HBR, a few key reasons diverse teams perform better than homogenous team are:

They Focus on Facts.

The idea of diverse perspectives creating innovative ideas is nothing new. Working with colleagues that have different backgrounds and think differently tasks our brains to think of challenges and obstacles in a different light.

With diverse views come constant revisiting of facts that allow teams to remain objective and to continually hold team members accountable for their actions. Differing perspectives can bring to light our own personal biases that we were previously blind to.

They’re More Innovative.

Working with people that share a similar background may feel comforting but it does not breed creativity and innovation. By leaving your comfort zone, team members are forced to use other parts of their brains to creatively problem solve.

Ultimately, diverse teams can only exist and thrive in the right conditions. It needs to be a safe and open environment where inclusion practices allow everyone to feel as if their voice is heard. Without this, a diverse team can never reach its true potential.

Read the full article here.

The post friday resource: Why Diverse Teams Are Smarter appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Why Diverse Teams Are Smarter

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by HBR.org and explains why diverse teams work smarter and more efficiently.

Organizations must stop seeing workplace diversity and inclusion as a box to check off and instead truly understand the business impact that a diverse workplace can have on a business.

“A 2015 McKinsey report on 366 public companies found that those in the top quartile for ethnic and racial diversity in management were 35% more likely to have financial returns above their industry mean.”

Per David Rock and Heidi Grant, HBR, a few key reasons diverse teams perform better than homogenous team are:

They Focus on Facts.

The idea of diverse perspectives creating innovative ideas is nothing new. Working with colleagues that have different backgrounds and think differently tasks our brains to think of challenges and obstacles in a different light.

With diverse views come constant revisiting of facts that allow teams to remain objective and to continually hold team members accountable for their actions. Differing perspectives can bring to light our own personal biases that we were previously blind to.

They’re More Innovative.

Working with people that share a similar background may feel comforting but it does not breed creativity and innovation. By leaving your comfort zone, team members are forced to use other parts of their brains to creatively problem solve.

Ultimately, diverse teams can only exist and thrive in the right conditions. It needs to be a safe and open environment where inclusion practices allow everyone to feel as if their voice is heard. Without this, a diverse team can never reach its true potential.

Read the full article here.

The post Why Diverse Teams Are Smarter appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

How to Leverage Millennial Strengths

Statistics show that millennials now make up more than half of the current workforce.

And in case you haven’t noticed, millennials have received a wave of criticism recently in the workplace, in the news and via social media. This recent uptick in criticism is no doubt connected to the rise in working millennials who are mixing and mingling with individuals from previous generations.

Workplace friction has resulted. Older generations may be stumped as to how to accommodate and deal with the supposed millennial mentality, while millennials may be feeling frustrated, marginalized, and unappreciated by their employers.

A recent blog from Born Again Minimalist goes so far as to say that millennials are experiencing a type of cultural gaslighting: “Generations before us completely drove the bus into a lake and it’s somehow our fault everybody’s drowning…the millennial generation has been tasked with fixing the broken system we inherited and chastised for not doing it right or for daring to suggest improvements.”

You might’ve seen the viral video featuring Simon Sinek, who shared his take on the difficulty of managing millennials in the workplace. According to Sinek, millennials are perceived as lazy and entitled, but he stresses that their desire for meaningful work combined with their innovative mindset can be a genuine benefit. He argues that the millennial mentality has been largely influenced by unfortunate environmental factors outside of their control—including poor leadership and failed parenting—and advises corporations to make structural changes that nurture rather than alienate the younger workforce.

Whether you agree or not with Sinek’s advice to the millennial generation and to the companies they work for, it’s important to shift your perception to one that will allow you to work with what currently is the case rather than against what we’re observing about individuals in our work environment. The “one of us is right and the other is wrong” mentality will work against any positive result you’re trying to produce.

Regardless of which generation you identify with, here are a few ways you can take a courageous step in leadership and improve work relationships between generations:

Harness the creative vision.

In all endeavors, there is a gap that exists between where we are and where we want to be. Millennials often deeply feel the impact of this gap. Knowing that things can be improved and feeling passionate about that improvement comes with ideas for creative solutions to what may be painful problems, on both a global level and within the domestic workplace . An effective way to leverage this creativity and passion is to invite perspective–start the conversation that allows younger generations to share their vision of the future and the ideas they have that may potentially change the course of organizational decisions. Approach these conversations with the mentality that all perspectives are valuable and valid.

Request ideas for improving company culture.

As you probably know, a desirable workplace culture can boost company reputation in addition to recruiting and expansion efforts. If millennials now make up over half of today’s workforce, their input is crucial to creating the kind of environment that attracts and retains workers from their generation. Take actionable steps to gather their ideas—consider implementing a suggestion box, appointing a culture committee with millennial members, hold company-wide meetings that allow the opportunity to share ideas, and send out surveys or feedback forms prior to and following social company events.

Meet the desire for instant gratification.

The mentality of wanting results now rather than later is often associated with millennials. Fortunately, this can be an asset rather than a detriment. If this mentality is something you’re currently witnessing in the workplace, leverage it by delegating tasks that require the employee to develop efficient processes. The millennial “need for speed” can present plenty of opportunity for increased productivity, reduced spending, improved technology, and faster results. And for someone who wants instantaneous achievement, this type of delegation can be incredibly gratifying. Ask questions such as:

What technology is available that we aren’t using that could potentially improve our process?

Is there a way we could make a specific process faster or more efficient?

What are some benchmark goals we can set for the very near future?

As with previous generations, the younger generation has important insight and perspective to offer, particularly for organizations that want to grow and progress. Set the intention today to maximize rather than resist the unique millennial mindset.

What has been your experience working with millennials? Share your story below, and let us know whether you’re a millennial or from another generation.

The post How to Leverage Millennial Strengths appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

Fierce Tip of the Week: Be Inclusive

One of our Fierce predictions this year is that diversity and inclusion initiatives and programs will continue to grow. With the current global and political climate, it is becoming known that the convergence of competing views can be volatile when the skills are absent and the expectations are not set. The goal is to foster inclusion in the workplace, and furthermore, to ensure individual workers do not feel marginalized, unsupported, or unwanted.

In addition to the cultural and emotional benefits of inclusion, there are bottom line implications. McKinsey research Diversity Matters examined proprietary data sets for 366 public companies in various countries. They found:

Companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.Companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 15 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.Companies in the bottom quartile both for gender and for ethnicity and race are statistically less likely to achieve above-average financial returns than the average companies in the data set (that is, bottom-quartile companies are lagging rather than merely not leading).

While hiring decisions may not be the way you influence your organization’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, their implications live everywhere. Ask yourself these questions, leaders. Are you including people who are different than you on your project teams? Are you discussing decisions with the people who are impacted? Are you checking in on your emotional wake?

It is key for leaders to not only maintain the well-being of their employees, but to ensure that their workplace is one that fosters acceptance and diversity across the board. This starts with you.

This week’s tip is to be inclusive in your conversations. This is not just through one conversation, but through everyday conversations. That means open and honest discussions with colleagues, employees, or your boss…with everyone.

How this comes to life is often very simple and can be overlooked. Reminders:

When you don’t agree with someone, get curious and ask questions.When someone is talking, actively listen. Check for understanding.Don’t assume anything about others. If you don’t know, ask.

When someone around you is not being inclusive, it is important to address issues head on when there are individuals being excluded. It can be uncomfortable, and those conversations truly can enrich relationships.

To bring the diversity and inclusion concepts to life, I am thrilled to announce that tomorrow, Fierce is kicking off the 2017 NW Diversity Learning Series, by the Institute for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion’s (ISDI). ISDI is a non-profit organization established for the purpose of educating, supporting and collaborating with key stakeholders on ways to leverage differences and practice inclusion to enhance individual and organizational success. Our Vice President of Learning, Clark Witten, will be leading the first session on conversations. Specifically, the session is meant to assist in building the courage to have disruptive conversations, and highlight the role these have in our ability to engage with others in ways that enrich relationships and produce results.

The post Fierce Tip of the Week: Be Inclusive appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

friday resource: How to Creatively Celebrate Your Team’s Wins

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by Forbes and shares different tactics to creatively celebrate your team’s wins and sustain motivation.

In a business environment that is continuously gaining momentum and moving at a torrent pace, it can be difficult to slow down and celebrate the team victories and milestones.

Much has been written about what truly motivates our changing workforce, and the answer is not a monetary value. A study by Glassdoor found that more than half of employees would stay longer at their company if their bosses showed more appreciation. Although it can be difficult to find time to stop and take notice of the little wins, it could be the difference between one of your all-star performers hunkering down for the long-haul or leaving.

Chris Myers, CEO of BodeTree, believes that intangibles are a huge motivator for retaining his top performing employees. Money will always be a motivator, but the ability to recognize an employee publicly, or empathize with them privately after a brutal month can make all the difference.

Regardless of the reasoning, people need regular and positive reinforcement. So, slow down, and celebrate those big (and small) wins. Who knows, it may just prevent your best employee from burning out.

Read the full article.

The post friday resource: How to Creatively Celebrate Your Team’s Wins appeared first on Fierce, Inc..

How to Creatively Celebrate Your Team’s Wins

This week’s Fierce resource was originally published by Forbes and shares different tactics to creatively celebrate your team’s wins and sustain motivation.

In a business environment that is continuously gaining momentum and moving at a torrent pace, it can be difficult to slow down and celebrate the team victories and milestones.

Much has been written about what truly motivates our changing workforce, and the answer is not a monetary value. A study by Glassdoor found that more than half of employees would stay longer at their company if their bosses showed more appreciation. Although it can be difficult to find time to stop and take notice of the little wins, it could be the difference between one of your all-star performers hunkering down for the long-haul or leaving.

Chris Myers, CEO of BodeTree, believes that intangibles are a huge motivator for retaining his top performing employees. Money will always be a motivator, but the ability to recognize an employee publicly, or empathize with them privately after a brutal month can make all the difference.

Regardless of the reasoning, people need regular and positive reinforcement. So, slow down, and celebrate those big (and small) wins. Who knows, it may just prevent your best employee from burning out.

Read the full article.

The post How to Creatively Celebrate Your Team’s Wins appeared first on Fierce, Inc..