Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro, talks about communication in the workplace. (C) 2015 Laura Stack, All Rights Reserved. … [Read more...]
That Sense of Belonging: A Teamwork Necessity
Posted on 06/25/2015 by ·
"A deep sense of love and belonging is an irreducible need of all people."-- Brené Brown, American author We all want to belong, whether it's as part of a marriage, a family, a social club, a political party, a community, a nation, or some combination of the above. The best workplace teams also provide a sense of belonging. Well-established work processes, mutual respect, a deep sense of familiarity, and a commitment to group decisions and actions can all contribute to greater productivity. Perhaps most importantly, productive teams develop and live by a series of team norms. These represent the "rules" all team members work under, based on group consensus. They don't have to be unanimous; but like most group decisions, everyone lives by them for the good of the whole. The Evolution … [Read more...]
The Teamwork Quandary: Deciding When It’s Necessary and When it’s Not
Posted on 06/22/2015 by ·
By the time we're in grade school, our teachers heavily emphasize the value of teamwork: "there's no ‘I’ in team," "play well with others," "class participation is part of your grade." And there's nothing wrong with any of that—childhood is rehearsal for life. Play and education are a kid's jobs, because these activities socialize us into our culture, help us learn how to handle other people, and teach us what adults expect of us as we mature. They also prepare us for the reality of working for a living, where few of us accomplish anything entirely alone. On the other hand, some cultures also urge us to be self-reliant, to pick up the slack where no one else will, to be our own people, to work hard for our own goals. The U.S., Britain, Australia, Denmark, and Holland are a few examples … [Read more...]
Workplace Quality of Life: Making Yourself Happier on the Job
Posted on 06/19/2015 by ·
One measure of true professionalism is your ability to maintain a high level of productivity no matter your emotional state. But few of us can master this completely; we're neither Vulcans nor secret agents. It might prove easier if would could easily separate how we feel about our job conditions and the people we work with from the work itself, but few of us can. It stands to reason that job happiness affects productivity. In fact, you know it does. Think about the last time you had to do something you didn't like, whether it was a workplace task or a household chore. Did you really give it your all, or did you just rush through it as fast as you could, cutting corners when possible, not caring much about the quality? I suspect we've all done this at work at some point, and the result … [Read more...]
What If It’s You? How to Recognize If You’re a Productivity Killer
Posted on 06/15/2015 by ·
"A computer can be a useful and indispensable tool. But if we allow it to devour our time with vain, unproductive, and sometimes destructive pursuits, it becomes an entangling net." -- Joseph B. Wirthlin, American businessman and religious leader. Let me ask you a simple question: are you worth your pay? In other words, do you deliver the level of productivity your leader and team expect of you, or do you drag down team productivity like a lead anchor? I know it breaks the rules to assume MY readers are anything less than competent... but if your team's productivity has been flagging lately, consider the possibility that the problem is you. You may not mean to damage productivity; but sometimes, things beyond your control—or that you've let slide—can hamper the productivity level you … [Read more...]
Finding Your Personal Productivity Rhythm
Posted on 06/12/2015 by ·
Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro, talks about finding your own rhythm for personal productivity. … [Read more...]
Generalist or Specialist: How Can You Best Serve Your Team?
Posted on 06/11/2015 by ·
I recently read in a LinkedIn business blog (December 2014) that employers are having great difficulty filling specialist slots these days—even with new college grads. I find this ironic. During the Great Recession, most businesses had no choice but to require specialists to stretch themselves to do more and different work as team sizes declined. In the process, the business world developed a culture of generalists. Apparently, business schools noticed and responded appropriately—or so they thought. Even if this didn't happen, individual student no doubt took note of the trend and opted for a more generalized business education. Now that the economy has recovered, no one wants more generalists. Jacks of all trades remain useful, but we also need masters of specific functions—like … [Read more...]
Too Gung Ho: When Does Initiative Cross the Line?
Posted on 06/08/2015 by ·
"Employers and business leaders need people who can think for themselves -- who can take initiative and be the solution to problems." -- Steven Covey, American business writer. While I’ve always stressed the importance of taking initiative and owning your job, I'll bet there have been times when you've faced trouble for trying to do just that. Most managers and authority figures say they want initiative, and the majority really do. But the fact remains: some aren't as keen about it as they claim—especially when you color outside the lines. If you take too much initiative, you can become a bother, break their process, or run afoul of micromanagers. Ultimately, how much initiative you should take at work depends on a number of factors. So before you weigh in on something or just jump … [Read more...]
