Archive for 'Attitude'
The Carrot Principle by Chester Elton — Book Brief
Posted on 29. Jun, 2009 by admin.
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Mindset (Part 2.5) How to Find Out Who You Are
Posted on 26. Jun, 2009 by Jerry Roberts.
Picking up on yesterday’s post and if we’ve done our homework assignments, we’re ready to get down to the task of figuring out what the market thinks of us, and how to make something good come from that.
The way people think about us determines whether or not we are promoted, make a big sale, secure investors, and yes — get a date, a decent table at a restaurant, and the list goes on.
People who get that warm and fuzzy feeling every time they come into contact with us choose us over others. It’s not necessarily fair but it’s reality, and we can influence the outcome.
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Mindset (part 2): How to Find Out Who You Are
Posted on 25. Jun, 2009 by Jerry Roberts.
Strange title for a post — How to Find Out Who You Are? Maybe, but when you understand where I’m going with this, I think you’ll realize the relevance.
I led a training session for the Chamber of Commerce today that focused on streetsmart marketing strategies, guiding about 50 people through exercises to increase their awareness of their personal market standing. One of the questions was “Who are you?”
I’m not sure that anyone was on the same page with me as I started, but they quickly picked it up. The answer lies in the minds of the people we market to — whether that marketing is external (customers and vendors) or internal (support staff and other coworkers).
Everybody has an opinion of us in both a personal and work-related sense and, like it or not, that’s who we are so far as the market is concerned. We don’t have to agree with how people see us but, as the saying goes, perception is reality.
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Mindset (part 1): They’re Not Out to Get You
Posted on 09. Jun, 2009 by Jerry Roberts.
It’s so easy to think that the people on our team must be screwing up on purpose. C’mon, admit it — you’ve had similar thoughts at least once.
“I don’t know how many times I’ve told him about ___________, and he still got it wrong. He’s got to be doing this intentionally.”
I’ve known a few people who have set out to mess with the boss, but it’s extremely rare. I still believe that most people want to do the right thing and will make their best effort if given the opportunity.
As I’ve written about managers, it’s the same with other staff members: About 5% are …
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Kids and Working: We Need to Get to Them Earlier
Posted on 17. Apr, 2009 by admin.
Most managers look at the generation coming out of school with a fair degree of skepticism that they’ll be able to make a serious contribution early on.
To a large extent, this view is accurate. Most young women and men aren’t adequately prepared to deliver even minimum wage value. Often times it’s a lack of basic skills but, too frequently, it’s the attitude toward work.
A lot of kids want money and know they have to work to get it, but they don’t care much for actually doing it. Work looks boring, tedious, repetitive, uninspiring, and generally uncool. Maybe this is because we’ve…
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It’s Time to Say Goodbye to Hello
Posted on 07. Mar, 2009 by admin.
Every year it is suggested that certain words be retired from our language. If it hasn’t already been nominated, I suggest we stop using “hello.”
No, I haven’t lost my mind.
This is actually a contextual thing.
I don’t want to take such a warm and wonderful word out of general use, one we use umpteen times a day when greeting people on the phone, in e-mails, or in person.
“Hello” has a permanent place in our language (and in my heart).
What I want to see become quick history is the other version:
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It’s a Great Time For Boomers
Posted on 04. Mar, 2009 by admin.
If you’re in the Baby Boomer generation I hope you feel the way I do — that it’s a great time to be in the workforce.
Sure, some changes are more difficult than others to accept, and technology can be a challenge, but the generational makeup is in our favor.
Jerry, reduce dosage
I can hear some people say, “Don’t abuse your prescription medicine, are you crazy — the generational makeup is against us.”
Well, it would be if the Gen Y (aka Millennials, Gen “We”) crowd was more like the Gen X-ers, but in reality they’re more like Boomers.
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For Zen Habits Readers…Some Afterthoughts
Posted on 21. Feb, 2009 by admin.
Welcome to the Zen Habits readers who clicked over after reading my post on Five Strategies For Surviving a Tough Boss.
Since finishing that article I’ve been thinking how the problem could be avoided from the very beginning. Would it be possible to create an environment where your manager would know — right from the start — that you would not be an easy target for unfair treatment or aggression?
There is. Like anything else, it will take some work but…
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Force Leadership on People When You Have to
Posted on 21. Feb, 2009 by admin.
Imagine that you own a business and have poured years into the development of a successor, but the closer you get to the transition of power this person shows only moderate interest in assuming the leadership role.
Add in that this is a family member so the thought of developing another person, just in case the heir apparent changed his/her mind, was an option seldom considered at all.
Yet, here you are at a time when you figured you would have your plan solidly in place and you could prepare for the next stage of your career and life — and it’s not even close.
What would you do?
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New Office Etiquette: Ear Buds (and the greater meaning)
Posted on 12. Feb, 2009 by admin.
Every day I go into the office I learn something new. Today was an office etiquette lesson.
Our admin manager is under 30, and I’m not sure if she’s a very young Gen Xer or an old Gen Y (aka Millennial, Gen “We”); while her assistant is definitely a Y. Two very nice young women, and both adding value to our company.
Like most other offices they sit right at the front and greet any guests who come in, but in our case there are few visitors and the bulk of their work is a mixture of tasks that the rest of the team requires. Much of this is database work and both like to plug ear buds into iTunes, and do the job with…




