How to Hire the “Right” Person

KEY POINTS:

1. BE WELL PREPARED
2. WATCH AND LISTEN CAREFULLY
3. SELL THE JOB IF YOU LIKE THE CANDIDATE

IN A NUTSHELL

Interviewing candidates to fill a vacant position is an important responsibility for a manager. When done well, the result will be the successful recruitment of excellent employees.

Think about the questions you want to ask. ( I have a few suggestions at the end of this chapter)Review carefully the papers of the applicant so that you do not have to refer to them in the interview.

Watch the body language, the subtle messages that the person is communicating. They are part of the gut feeling that you have of the candidate.

At some point, you will know that this is a person you want or not. If you are interested, start selling the job. Talk about the attractive aspects of working with the company.

Based on my experience, I will now identify some useful tips on how to conduct professional level meetings with prospective candidates.

BE PREPARED

Review all the materials regarding the candidate beforehand. Have the file with you for reference. Be sure to include any other documents that you need to refer to such as the job description. You may also want to bring some materials for the candidate to review later.

Do not flip through the papers, reviewing the resume, while speaking to the candidate.

THE INTERVIEW LOCATION

Use a conference room or interviewing room if you have one. Do not use your office. It is useful to sit together with the candidate at a table. No interruptions should be permitted. This includes cell phones and assistants pounding at the door.

START WELL

Make the candidate feel welcome. Start with some small talk at first. Explain the process and then start with an open-ended question. “Tell me about yourself” is a very common one.

Ask questions about what he/she says like “Give me some more details on that.” Or “Could you give me an example?”

Strive for a relaxed, friendly conversational environment. I believe that you will learn more  when the candidate is relaxed and comfortable.

ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME

The length of time and the number of interviews depends on the importance of the position. In any case, plan to have adequate time to learn what you need about the candidate. Some thought about the pace and structure of this meeting is helpful.

SELL THE JOB

In the closing part of the interview, if you like the candidate, start selling the position: benefits, work environment, the nature of the position.

Your time is a commodity

KEY POINTS:

1. TIME USE COMMUNICATES STATUS
2. WHEN YOU ARRIVE AND LEAVE MATTER
3.  USE TIME WELL AND SO WILL YOUR STAFF

IN A NUTSHELL

Time is money. This is a common expression heard in the United States. Certainly we can tell a lot about persons by how they spend money. Employees can also learn about their boss by how she/he uses time. Just as we have a limited amount of money, we only have a limited number of hours in the day.

Therefore, you need to think about how you manage your time.

A MATTER OF STATUS

If you are important, you can keep some of lesser importance waiting. However, it will not happen the other way around without some problems arising. A manager who keeps the CEO waiting is in trouble. He/she  is less valuable to the company.

If you are important, you decide how long your subordinates will be with you. Thus the top manager controls the time of his/her underlings.

Sometimes a manager plays favorites among his assistants by inviting one to be with her/him much longer than the others. This is observed by the others, and may be resented. Therefore the hours spent with the top manager may indicate status in the organization.

ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES

When the boss arrives and leaves is always noted in the company. Some come in early, before anyone else, and others come in late and stay after most leave.

If the boss takes long lunches, it is noted. If the boss lunches at her desk, it is also noticed. The manager sets the tone.

If the boss arrives exactly on the dot for a meeting, it is noticed. Employees will make sure to be there by then. If they are late, they may drop in the boss’s favor. The boss, however, can decide to arrive early or late. The others, no.

The number of hours the boss works, will be noted. If he/she is lazy and works few hours, respect will fall for the manager and actually the employees, in my experience, will try to reduce their hours also.

If the boss works long hours, the employees will probably feel obligated to do so as well.

This depends somewhat on the culture of the company. Young lawyers are expected to work many hours more than their bosses in a law firm.

Where Are You Leading Your Team?

Let’s Do It!

KEY POINTS:

1. THE LEADER IS IMPORTANT
2.  CLEAR GOALS HELP THE TEAM
3. EACH TEAM MEMBER NEEDS A ROLE

IN A NUTSHELL

What does it take to be a good team leader? If you have just assumed this position or are wondering how to do it better, I have a few suggestions

THE LEADER IS IMPORTANT

It seems obvious, but it is necessary bring this out. It doesn’t mean that you are a dictator. That won’t work anymore. You need good communication and listening skills plus some empathy for the other person.

CLEAR GOALS

Clarity is essential. So the first thing that has to be done is work together until you are clear about what the task is and how to achieve it. That is your main responsibility as a leader at this point. It would be unwise to go further until you are certain that everybody understands what the end goal is.

TRANSPARENCY

Communication must be honest, consistent and without a hidden agenda. Trust among team members is the result.

ROLES OF TEAM MEMBERS

Select team members for the skills that they can contribute. Although each will bring different abilities, each should feel that his/her contribution is valued. In this regard, it is essential that each member of the team have his/her voice heard. You need to be sure that  those who are silent need to be encouraged.

CONFLICTS

Work with team members to place harmony and cooperation above conflicts which interfere with the successful completion of goals.

 BE A GOOD LISTENER

A good leader is a good listener. That means that you talk less and listen more. The result is that you get good ideas and team members feel valued.

Do You Pass The Leadership Test?

KEY POINTS:

1. Be a positive role model.
2. Take responsibility and give credit.
3. Communication is the top priority

IN A NUTSHELL

What is it like to work for a person with good leadership skills? With a good leader you are inspired to work hard and perform well for that person. You feel respect and function smoothly as a team to produce excellent results.

A good leader is a role model for his/her employees.

BE A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL

Employees watch what the leader is doing. It could be good or bad. For example, if the supervisor arrives late for work every day, some night think that it is OK for them to copy this behavior. Others would consider this to be a negative behavior. Sometimes it is easy to forget that people are looking at your every move.

WORK HARD AND WELL

Again, you need to set the example. If you work hard, it is likely that they will too. If you work well, you set the standard for them. Laziness and incompetence are bad traits for a manager.

BE AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON

Keep up with developments around you. That includes those above you and below you as well. The policy of “no surprises” is a good one. At the same time, be on the alert for jobs well done and tasks poorly executed. Let your people know that you know

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND GIVE CREDIT

Take the responsibility when things go wrong. Do not get into the blame game. Mistakes happen. Work to correct what is wrong without getting angry and blaming others.

On the other hand, for successes, make sure that the credit is distributed generously. Don’t take credit for what others have done. Make it clear who deserves the praise. Your people will love you for this quality.

COMMUNICATE,COMMUNICATE,COMMUNICATE

You primary job may be to communicate clearly and honestly with those around you.

LOOK FOR TALENT

Your employees can be a rich source of skills and talents. It is up to you to mine this resource by knowing your people well.

How to Keep in the Loop

Connect!

KEY POINTS:

1.Give and get information

2. Be careful about rumors

3. Don’t isolate yourself

IN A NUTSHELL

The result of your being in the loop means having timely and useful information. You are part of the information system within the company. If you never seem to know what is going on, watch out! Here is what you need to do:

THE IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION

It is important for your career to know what is going on in the company. Is there a big new contract coming up? Is the CEO leaving? Are big changes in your department under consideration? This is  just a sample of what you need to know. If you are in the loop, you have a good idea of what is going on. Sometimes your boss will keep you informed, but not always.

BUILD YOUR NETWORK

Ask people from your team or others to lunch or for a coffee. Attend company sponsored social events. Go to the break room at least once in a while. Stop and chat with people on your way to your office.

STUDY THE POLITICS AND CULTURE OF THE COMPANY

Your networking should offer some good tips about the structure of the culture of the company. Look for people who always seem to have valuable information. Sit back and think about who are the people who have the CEO’s ear, who get the prize assignments, or who seem to get promoted.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Read the annual report of your company and any other articles that may appear in journals or other publications about your industry and your company. Find out about the background of the top people- check out their biographies. Ask yourself some questions like “Where is this company going in the future or what new products/services are being introduced?” Then ask around to see if you can get some answers.

BE CAREFUL ABOUT RUMORS

In some companies information is tightly held. Then employees may fill the vacuum with rumors. These may be false, partly true or totally true. Analyze what you hear, be skeptical and try not to forward any rumor that you suspect to be untrue.

BE AN INFORMATION GIVER

This can be a little difficult. If your job allows you to have certain confidential information, you need to honor that commitment. On the other hand, you can share information that you know to be true of a more general nature.

How to Say “No” to Extra Work

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo……

KEY POINTS:

1. Be Clear about your agenda
2. Explain why you are saying “No”
3. Practice

In a Nutshell:

You can’t say yes to everything. Nor can you say no all the time. There is a balance and in business it is important to know when to agree to do something and when you can say that you can’t Here are some suggestions:

1. Check your calendar

Before you agree, tell the person that you have to check your calendar to see if time is available. Respond quickly and explain why, if it is no, you cannot take on the assignment.

• Be clear about your boundaries

Establish in your mind your priorities and limits. Let people know what they are.

• Know the areas of competence of your colleagues

It may well be that the assignment is within the scope of someone else. Point that out. This also prevents you from invading the territory of another person and causing problems.

• Ask for time to consider the request

Train yourself to say “Let me think about it,” or “I’ll get back to you.” Most reasonable people will give you time to consider the offer.

• Negotiate.

Make it clear that if you take on this assignment, you will have to give something else up.

• Consider who is making the request

Does this person have the right to ask you to take on an additional assignment? If it is not your boss, tell the person that you will have to consult with your supervisor before you agr

Giving Bad News As A Manager

KEY POINTS:

• DON’T TELL STORIES
• DON’T BLAME OTHERS
• DO SUGGEST POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

You have to tell your boss the bad news: you missed the deadline, a bad mistake, you lost the contract, etc. It is critical to do it well—your career might just depend on how you handle these situations. Here are some suggestions:

START OFF WITH THE BAD NEWS

The very worst thing you can do is tell your boss a long story ending with the bad news. Start with “I have some bad news….” Then get right to it, “we lost the contract,” “we are being sued,”” we can’t meet the deadline,” and so on.

DON’T WAIT

It is tempting to put off doing something painful or unpleasant. Do it as soon as you have all the information.

DON’T BLAME ANYONE

Avoid criticizing members of your staff or other departments.

ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY

You are much wiser to take responsibility for what happened. Your boss, if he or she is any good, will know exactly why it happened and who did it.

SUGGEST SOME SOLUTIONS

Have some ideas on how to resolve the problem. The focus of your discussion with your boss should be on what to do next.

How to Avoid Conflicts in Your Office

BE A PEACEMAKER

KEY POINTS:

1. Conflicts are  inevitable.
2. Be  alert to conflicts among your staff
3. Be ready to take a role in resolving them

Conflicts are inevitable in the workplace. However, if they continue without resolution, they will damage staff morale and affect productivity. To ensure a smoothly running department, it is important that you pay attention to these matters. You have to be alert and keep your ears to the ground.

Therefore, as a manager, you may need to take a role in helping your employees manage the conflicts that arise. You need to communicate very well and be sensitive to the personalities of those involved and the culture of the workplace. Here are some suggestions:

Act quickly to resolve the problem

It is easy to postpone getting involved in settling a conflict. You hope that the parties will work it out themselves. That doesn’t usually happen. Instead, it is better to deal with the problem sooner than later, especially if you can arrive at a satisfactory solution.

Investigate and get all the facts

Try to get as much information as you can before you start the process of resolving the conflict. You may find that some people will come to you voluntarily to offer information and opinion. Use your observation skills to keep track of what is going on.

Get the parties to agree as to what is the problem

Meet the parties first on a one to one basis. Your purpose is to get a clear view  of what the problem is from both sides  without conflict and emotional outbursts. From these conversations, you are trying to get each side to define the problem.

Brainstorm different solutions

By now you should have lots of information. Now bring the two parties together in a neutral and private location where you will not be interrupted. State the problem as you see it and ask both sides to brainstorm possible solutions. Make it clear that this situation cannot continue and the alternative would be a more drastic solution imposed by management.

Arrive at a solution that solves the problem and, hopefully, is win-win.

Both parties should be motivated. You want to make sure that each side is at least moderately satisfied so that the conflict will not interfere with operations.

Make Feedback Your Friend As a Manager

Communicate

KEY POINTS:

1. Give Feedback  in many different ways: verbally and non-verbally.
2. Feedback affects performance
3. Watch carefully for opportunities to give feed back

Feedback is communication. In the business world feedback refers to the information that is received from a supervisor to a subordinate regarding performance either of a particular task or in general.

This information could be passed in various ways, verbally, non-verbally, as feelings or as fact. If you are a supervisor, it is important to remember that your employees are always looking  for some sign of approval or disapproval. Take this into account when you are in their presence. This may have an impact on their performance.

Be particularly careful with negative feedback. If you observe something that you do not like, discuss the matter with the employee in private. Criticism in front of other employees is bad for morale, but also for your image.

Good feedback on the other hand builds trust and reinforces the belief that you notice when good work takes place.

GIVING GOOD FEEDBACK

Keep it simple. Make sure your message is easily understood. This is important when you are dealing in English, which is not your native language. Use words that are appropriate to your audience. For example, do not use technical words when talking to a non-technical person.

Negative communication

When you are not happy with someone’s performance, try to criticize his/ her behavior, not the person. In addition, do so in private so that the person is not embarrassed in front of his/her co-workers.

Observe Carefully

In this case, your eyes are your best friends. Observe carefully what is going on. That way you will know who is deserving of praise, and who needs correction. This will help you build trust among your employees. Watch the body language of your employees.

Ask Questions

A good question is worth a lot. It shows your interest in what is happening. It gives you some vital information, and it shows that you understand what is going on. Be ready with some good questions.

Hold Back

Sometimes it is better to stay silent. You may observe behavior that makes you angry and the first impulses to jump in and tell the person off. It is better to back away, cool off, and handle the situation more professionally. But, it does need to be dealt with right away.

Be Impartial

It is natural to like some people more than others. Even so, this should not influence your use of this tool. Remember, it must be even handed. Praising a favorite while neglecting the good work of someone you don’t like will diminish your credibility.

How to Ask for a Pay Raise

I Want More Money!

KEY POINTS:

1. Know how to approach your boss.
2. Do your research.
3. Organize your presentation

It may well be that you deserve more money than you presently receive. Many factors come into play when you ask your boss for an increase in your salary. Just as with any other business decision, you will have to be ready to prove that you deserve more money. You have to prepare well. Here are some suggestions to consider before you ask.

TIMING IS IMPORTANT

Most companies have a cycle for making annual increases. If you want a pay raise above  normal, you need to contact your boss well beforehand.

DO YOUR RESEARCH

Before meeting with your boss, find out what is the going rate for people in your position. You can use resources such as Payroll, Glassdoor and Salary.com on the internet. In addition, you could inquire of recruiters and others in a similar position.

PREPARE YOUR PITCH

It is important to be ready to make your case to your boss. You need to show that you are producing well beyond the expectations for someone in your position. In other words, you have significantly added value to the company. For example, you earned more profit, cut costs significantly, got a fat new contract, etc. In this regard, it is useful to keep a record of your significant accomplishments to use when you need it.

PRACTICE YOUR PITCH

This is important. You need to prepare by practicing what you will say in this meeting.

ASK FOR A PROMOTION INSTEAD

It may be that you are performing functions well out of the requirements for your position. Therefore, instead of asking for a raise, you could ask for a promotion to a new level or a new position.

KNOW HOW MUCH TO ASK FOR

Find out what is the normal increase that is given every year. This could come from fellow employees. For example, maybe everyone receives a  2% increase. You want to ask for more than this, perhaps a 5% increase depending on the situation.

BE PREPARED TO RECEIVE A “NO”.

There are many reasons why you may receive a negative response to your request. If that happens, don’t argue, but do ask what you need to do to receive a pay raise for the next time.