31 Genius Tips for Making Your Workday Easier August 8, 2018 by Sonia Johnson We all know that work involves, well, work. Even if you love your job, it can’t always be easy, and it can’t always be fun. But, sometimes we want our jobs to be a little (or a lot) easier. We want to get our work done more quickly, to not feel overstretched or overwhelmed, and to have more time for the things we really love. The good news is, there are ways to do that (without being a total slacker). Check out our favorite tips and tricks below for being more productive, removing things you don’t need to be doing from your to-do list, and overall making doing your job a much more pleasant experience. 1. Don’t Plan on Doing Too Much Here’s a secret for you: Most to-do lists are way too long, which leads to overwork and stress when it doesn’t all get done. Instead, assume you can only get one big thing, three medium things, and five small things done a day (fewer if you have a lot of meetings). We’ve created a template to help you plan a more reasonable to-do list. 2. Focus on High-Reward Tasks Focus the majority of your energy on those tasks that are going to create the biggest results. You’ll look like you’re doing much more, but secretly with less effort. This is often called getting the low-hanging fruit—the rewards you can achieve with the least effort. 3. Work in Sprints It’s been said time and time again that the secret to getting more work done in less time is to work in bursts, with breaks in between. The intervals you choose will depend on your work and preferences, but, whatever you go with, set a timer, do your best to stay focused for that period of time, and then actually get up and take a break in between. You’ll feel more energized during your work sessions and ultimately be way more efficient. 4. Give Each Day a Theme Do distractions keep derailing you from focusing on the actual important things? Use Jack Dorsey—the co-founder of Twitter as well as the CEO of Square’s—secret and try giving each day a theme. That way, when distractions come up, you know to either punt them to another day or, if you have to, deal with them quickly and get back on track. 5. Start With the Most Difficult Task By getting the hardest thing on your plate out of the way first thing in the morning, the rest of the day will feel way easier by comparison. Plus, then you won’t waste mental energy all day thinking about this challenging thing you have to do. 6. Follow Your Energy Everyone has certain times of the day when they’re more or less productive. If you schedule big projects during your energy downtimes, you’re making your work way harder on yourself. Instead, try mapping out your ideal day based on your energy levels. 7. Don’t Fight it When You’re Feeling Useless Probably one of the hardest things to do at work is to force yourself to work hard when you’re really not feeling on top of your game. So, unless you have a pending deadline and absolutely can’t, put off that particular task and do something more suited for your mental capacity. Writer Katie Douthwaite suggests that this is a great time to get those boring, monotonous tasks knocked out. 8. Use Templates Whenever You Can Why reinvent the wheel every time you have to do something? Have an email you have to write often? Use a template. Need to create a presentation? Use a template. Redesigning your resume? Use a template. You get the picture. 9. Set Up Canned Responses Better yet, if you use Gmail, set these templates up as canned responses, so you don’t even have to leave your inbox to drop them in and send them off. 10. Set Up Auto-Text If you’re often responding to messages on the go from your phone, make it easier on yourself by setting up auto-text. For example, “pitch” could expand to fill in your elevator pitch—meaning you don’t have to type the whole thing out every time on your tiny keyboard. Read here for more on how to set it up. 11. Or Don’t Type at All You can also use your phone’s talk-to-text feature to more easily and quickly respond to messages. Productivity expert Alex Cavoulacos explains how she uses it to her advantage here. 12. Shorten Your Emails We’re going to take a wild guess that answering emails takes up a lot of your time and energy. What if you made it all easier for yourself by setting a limit on how long each response can be? Obviously, some messages necessarily have to be longer than others, but challenge yourself to keep them under five sentences long (or even shorter!) as often as possible. 13. Just Have a Conversation Long email chains got you down? When a conversation starts getting too convoluted, consider whether it would be easier to just hop on the phone or set up a meeting to talk it out. Sometimes a 10-minute conversation can eliminate hours of email messages. 14. Eliminate Follow-up Emails Nothing makes answering emails harder than your inbox constantly filling up with follow-up emails from people you haven’t gotten the chance to respond to yet. So set up an auto-responder that lets people know you’ve received the message and will respond in due time—hopefully dissuading the eager beavers from constantly emailing you back. You could even include answers to commonly asked questions, to potentially help the messenger help herself (and prevent you from having to answer at all). 15. Employ the OHIO Strategy How many times do you open an email, read it, and then leave it in your inbox to deal with later? Don’t do this! It’s actually taking up more of your time and energy to process it multiple times. Instead, follow the OHIO (only handle it once) strategy and deal with it immediately, whether that’s by deleting it, answering it, shooting it off to the right person, or, for larger messages that will require more time, parsing it out into tasks to put on your to-do list. 16. Get Rid of as Many Decisions as Possible Decision fatigue is real—and it could be making your days way harder. To keep it from affecting your work, eliminate as many decisions as possible. This could mean wearing a work uniform so you don’t have to pick an outfit every day, bringing the same thing to lunch for a week, or setting up a standing meeting with your boss so you don’t always have to reach out asking for one. Whatever it takes to put a lot of your decisions on autopilot. 17. Stop Multitasking This habit may make you feel like you’re getting more done, but it’s actually slowing you down and making your work harder than it needs to be. So do your best to focus on one task until it’s done, and then move onto the next thing. You’ll find your mind is clear and your work is better (and easier). 18. Leave Yourself a Cliffhanger Sometimes the hardest part of work is getting started on something. So, make it easier to jump into a task by leaving yourself a cliffhanger. This means, if you’re dragging your feet starting a project, just start, do a little bit of it (even if it’s not your best work), and then leave it unfinished to come back to the next day. Getting going will be way easier once you already have somewhere to jump in. 19. Remove Something From Your To-Do List Seriously consider each item on your to-do list to see if there’s anything that’s actually not important. This especially applies to things that keep getting put on the back burner. It’s worth asking yourself, “If I’ve been putting this off so much, is it really that necessary?” 20. Say “No” to Something In addition to removing something from your plate, consider saying “no” a little more often to new asks. Obviously you can’t do this all the time to just get out of work, but if you’re feeling overwhelmed or you get an ask for something non-work related (like doing an informational interview with a friend’s kid), suck it up and say “no.” Here are some suggestions for how to say it nicely to your boss and to your friends. 21. Constantly Question Meetings In case you haven’t heard, meetings can easily become a huge waste of time. Every time you schedule a meeting—even a recurring one—you should really be questioning whether it needs to happen at all, whether you’re alotting too much time for it, or whether you need to be in attendance. If you feel like the answer to any of these questions is “no,” consider adjusting (or talking to your boss to make sure you’re using your time as effectively as possible). 22. Have a “To-Don’t” List To help yourself say “no” more and cut down on decision fatigue, start a “to-don’t” list—a list of things you should never waste your time doing. Check out these ideas to get you started. 23. Delegate Some of Your Work Is there a task that you’re doing that you really, really dread, or that you feel like is really no longer part of your job description? Consider whether it would be worth delegating it to a more junior employee or, if you’re really drowning, whether it’s time to bring in an intern or new direct report. Here are some guidelines for figuring out when delegation is the right way to go. 24. Or Crowdsource It! Writer Jennifer Dziura suggests crowdsourcing as a way to “make less effort for yourself while making clients and users happier.” In essence, it’s working along with the client or user to make proposals, presentations, and the like. To learn more about how it can play out in your everyday work life, check out her article. 25. Do a Work Swap Have a task you’re dreading or really not sure how to handle? Ask a colleague in your department if she wants to swap! Basically, you send one of your least favorite tasks her way, and she sends one of hers to you. You won’t have to drag yourself through something you’ve been dreading, but the work will get done—potentially even better than you could have done it yourself; someone who hasn’t been aggravating over the assignment might quickly be able to see something you couldn’t. 26. Avoid Perfectionism (Except Where it Really Matters) Putting pressure on yourself to make all your work perfect is not only stressing you out, it could be slowing you down and causing you to procrastinate finishing things because you’re worried they’re not just right. In some cases (big end-of-year report to your boss, copy that’s going out to the world) this sort of attention to detail is critical. But in others (sending an email to your colleague, getting a first draft of a presentation to your team), focusing on perfectionism is making your life harder than it needs to be. 27. Look for Ways to Streamline Processes Is there a task that always takes you forever to complete? Something you feel like is way harder than it should be or something that is taking up far too much of your time? Rather than just trucking through it time and time again, see if there are any ways you can streamline these processes. Maybe it’s talking to other companies to see if they’ve found an easier way. Maybe it’s coordinating with other departments to see if they can help save you time or effort. (For example, is there something the engineering team might be able to quickly build you that would save you tons of time?) 28. Hire a Virtual Assistant for Small Things We all have those menial things that take us hours to complete but could easily be done by someone else. If you don’t have someone in the company to delegate them to, consider hiring a virtual assistant to help you out. They can do anything from scheduling travel plans to proofing your reports to doing the tedious design work on your next presentation—pretty much anything you dread starting and really don’t have to be doing yourself. Check out efficiency expert Marissa Brassfield’s advice for figuring out if something is worth outsourcing. 29. Get Everything Super Organized Your files. Your computer folders. The top of your desk. Your inbox. Take the time now to get organized so that finding the things you need is never the hurdle to getting started on a task. And hey, it can all be done in just 30 minutes! 30. Don’t Let Your Colleagues Interrupt You Your co-workers probably mean well, but their constant stream of IM updates, quick questions for you about the latest project, or chit-chat about their weekends can seriously mess up your flow of focus, making it way harder to get difficult tasks done. Set up systems that alert your office mates when you’re in the zone—whether it’s a do not disturb message on your chat or huge headphones that signify that you’re not to be bothered—and communicate them clearly. 31. Take a Nap See if you can sneak in a power nap during your afternoon slump. Even 20-30 minutes of shut-eye can give you more of an energy boost than coffee could, improve your mood, enhance your analytical and learning abilities, and banish stress—making the rest of the day much easier and more pleasant. So shut your door, sneak off to your car, or do whatever it takes to get in a quick bit of sleep. By Erin Greenwald
How Do I Make A Career Path? August 27, 2017 by Sonia Johnson Career pathing is the process used by an employee to chart a course within an organization for his or her career path and career development. Career pathing involves understanding what knowledge, skills, personal characteristics, and experience are required for an employee to progress his or her career laterally, or through access to promotions and / or departmental transfers. Career pathing requires an employee to take an honest look at his or her career goals, skills, needed knowledge, experience, and personal characteristics. Career pathing requires the employee to make a plan to obtain what is necessary in each of these areas to carry out his or her career path. You Owe Yourself a Career Path Plan Are you reaping the benefits of a thoughtfully developed, written, employer-supported career path plan? Creating a career path, or career pathing, is an essential component of your life-long career management. A career path plan is also a critical factor in performance development planning (PDP) in which a supervisor and reporting employee discuss and plan developmental opportunities for the employee. The PDP is important because it is written, shared with the supervisor, generally tracked by the organization for effectiveness, and reviewed quarterly (recommended) or regularly. The performance appraisal, in some organizations, is also an opportunity for career pathing. Career pathing is also perceived, in organizations with a formal process, as having institutional support. The career path encompasses both the employee’s desired destination and the steps, experience, and development he or she will need to make progress on the journey. A career path gives the employee a sense of direction, a way to assess career progress, and career goals and milestones. Developing a career path is easier, and more supported, in an organization that has a PDP process, or an effective performance appraisal or career planning process. You can, however, as an individual employee, make your own career path plan. You are the individual for whom the career path is the most important. You deserve a thoughtful career path plan. *** Article Culled From The “Balance”. Written By Susan M. Heathfield Contact the Society For Employee Relations To Learn More About Creating Your Career Path. Send Email To Services@SocietyForEmployeeRelations.com
Ladies, For Your Job Search, Be Confident And Selective June 10, 2017 by Sonia Johnson We live in a society in which many people, unfortunately, tie the full gamut of their individual self worth with their job or lack of thereof. Consequently, because of this odd attachment of self worth to a job, in the search for a good job, many job applicants are despondent and filled with despair at ‘rejections’, in the job search process which by its very nature will almost certainly involve job offer (s) and/or rejections. Here is the truth, no matter what the larger society espouses–you are more than the work you do, and even more, you are far more than the opinion of strangers that interview you. Even the grossly unprofessional silence by some organizations, in which you hear nothing and see nothing after applying for a position, should not affect you. What should you do? The best practice is to stick to your job search plan and keep it moving, please. Move on to the next application for a position that deserves all that you can bring to the role. Above all, never forget that you are more than the job even after you get hired. And always remember, no matter what, your life is richer and has other joys that include work, but are not restricted to work alone. I know some people that are grossly incompetent and yet got hired quickly during their job search, for good positions (many eventually got fired). Conversely, I also know some stellar performers that seek work for longer periods despite their undisputed expertise in their professions. Those who refuse to settle for less than what they deserve eventually do get what they want, if they are patient. From my 10-year research on hiring, top performers that seek employment for a longer period, unlike their inept counterparts that got hired more quickly, typically have long illustrious careers when they work with renowned and stable organizations. I hope you have the education, experience and expertise required to pursue the job that you want. If you do not, this is a good time to go back to school to obtain a formal education. Your education, experience and background will help you remain relaxed through your job search process. Surround yourself with like minded confident folks as you execute a well planned job search for a suitable position with an organization that deserves you. Never never settle for less than what you are worth, and do not hesitate to withdraw from consideration for a job if you see clear signs that the position will not be a good fit. You never want to settle for a role out of desperation, and spend precious years of your life wasted working with an organization you detest. The last thing I will address in this post is chatter and counsel. Do NOT be affected by negative opinions and naysayers. People will always have opinions about how you should take whatever you get, or why your job should define you etc, but so what? Realistically, why should you care about the chatter? Your self worth should never be affected by opinions of people, your job or lack thereof. Daniel Ocho, a respected international authority on the issue of Confidence as a critical characteristic for a successful job search, states that research shows that successful job searches first start with a consistent positive internal reaffirmation of the sum total of who you are as a person, and a commitment to remain true to yourself no matter the type of people, personalities or circumstances you encounter in the process. As a runner, I can tell you with conviction that only the confident, well trained and persistent, runners of any age group finish strongly in any competition. It is the same process to use in life, and especially for your job search. Prepare, be confident and do not stop until you get what you deserve despite the obstacles you might encounter. To get to the finish line in your job search, much like a runner, prepare, stay focused and never stop till you reach your goal. Use a good work search strategy, be selective, and reject any efforts by naysayers to make you desperate. So forge ahead with confidence and the certainty that a fitting organization will recognize your true worth. Be selective, analytical and refuse to settle for an organization or a position for which you are clearly unsuited. Seek that organization that will bring out the very best of who you are, since that will ensure your success in the long run. Stay confident and focused–that is the only way to ensure professional success in your quest for a new position! I wish you well.
Stop Being Afraid, It Is Not Your Only Option May 24, 2017 by Sonia Johnson You are probably totally disengaged from your job, if you do not recognize the concern and undercurrent fear or concern of certain folks in the workplace. Human Resources Departments that have not conducted a culture and health check survey of employees in the light of new Legislation and the Social Media rumor mill, are close to committing professional malpractice in terms of their expected obligations to their employers and employees. Collection and review of cultural, performance and other related analytics, in times of internal and external change remains a mandatory practice, for effective Human Resources and Organizational Business success. The news media is replete with the usual sensationalism and hysteria. However, the underlying mood in many organizations has changed. And although the change is not immediately evident to some; the use of surveys and other methods of evidence analysis and related statistical review, will enable your organization to effectively prevent the permanent injection of this damage into the foundation of your workplace. A colleague with whom I have a great working relationship, a woman, recently wanted to know how I had made my way out of my family generational financial difficulties?? In addition, she also asked me about a litany of stereotypical assumptions, rife in some repeated sensational news cycles, about minorities of color. She assumed they applied in general, and specifically to me. She told me she thought that the wretched background sprinkled with a few successes, was the truth about most minority groups. We both laughed about it, after we discussed her untested assumptions and researched various verified statistical data, and robust evidence on the issue. She is a very kind and well-meaning colleague, but did not recognize how some repeated falsehoods from media outlets, and other untested generalizations, had crept into her implicit thought process. As we talked, I told her that both my parents are Lawyers. My grandparents were educated and very financially stable. Even further back than my grandparents, my family possesses a record of consistent and muscular education, hard work and documented financial success. My friends and I, many people of color, and large swaths of other minorities have such backgrounds. Interestingly, the lady who asked this question, with whose permission I am sharing her remark, is the first and only person to have graduated college in her family, to date. She was the one who needed accolades for struggling out of generational poverty. I celebrated her grit and determination for making her way out of rural and damaging poverty. She was appreciative of the recognition I gave her for her success. Based on our open and honest discussion, we continue to have a great and even closer working relationship. I am grateful that she permitted me to share our exchange on this topic, in this article. Thank you, L., I am sharing this experience to encourage employees to stop being hyper-vigilant and hypersensitive about the misconceptions of well-meaning people. The workplace is a microcosm of the real world. If someone has a misconception about you, don’t judge them, just correct it. Do not immediately label such a person as unthinking or ignorant, or run away in fear because you feel they are out to “get” you. If you do so, you are just as culpable in the whole implicit bias bonanza, and are a part of the problem. Instead, have an open dialogue about such matters. Consider each human as a person not as a group statistic. On another note– if you encounter malevolent and cowards and bullies, who attack you based on whatever distinguishing characteristics they perceive you possess, do NOT engage them. Their remarks are an index of their own inadequacies, as any seasoned Clinical Psychologist, and extensive research on the issue would affirm. On Social Media or elsewhere, use your energy to spread a positive and uplifting message about EVERYONE. Ignore the bullies, and refuse to be a target of the lack of self-worth, which many of them do not know they possess. It is worth noting, that we have seen a documented spike in the number of complaints received by many organizations, about harassment of Muslims at work. It is the job of organizations to be vigilant and ensure such behaviors are not tolerated. Most dynamic companies have notified their employees that anti-Muslim rhetoric and discriminatory behavior will not be tolerated. All organizations should do the same. It is not a remotely financially beneficial practice to discriminate against anyone based on religion (or anything else). Such anti-religion discrimination reminders, also limit the probability of legal action on religious and other discrimination against any organization. It is also a helpful reminder to all employees, that as humans we should do the right thing to others, always. Make your fear constructive, and use it to propel yourself forward in your life. Please buy and read these books that I frequently recommend for self growth and professional success: “Fear” by J. Ibeh Agbanyim and “The Happiness Advantage” by Shawn Achor. The information in these two books will help most people develop a better sense of self, and provide guidance and sustained confidence on how to navigate their lives positively, both personally and professionally. Do your part, and get additional knowledge on how to thrive. Eleanor Roosevelt stated: “You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give.” Live happy!
HR Could Become Irrelevant …If It Does Not Embrace The Global Economy April 8, 2017 by Sonia Johnson Old Human Resources and Employee Relations (HR/ER) is dead. Modern HR/ER has become the front-line global HR/ER practice. HR/ER encompass all people business related procedures from hiring to retirement. However, this great profession might continue to be marginalized in more organizations, unless the new scientific HR/ER processes are embraced by more HR/ER departments. It is a new global era, and every profession has been impacted by the effects of technology, global competition and the redefinition of work. HR/ER is no exception to the continued evolution enhanced by technological advancement. Successful HR/ER departments are expected to create measurable financial profit and growth for organizations and employees. Transformative HR/ER principles are a vital part for becoming a high performing HR department in this era.(For more information, See video clip at the end of Article) There are numerous HR tools and systems with valid algorithms to show the nexus between HR/ER functions and organizational success. The assertion that HR/ER departments are mere support departments, continues to lose credibility among successful and dynamic companies. There are many organizations in which their HR/ER departments are a key part of creating and executing successful organizational goals. Therefore, the argument for HR/ER departments to remain in a support and non contributory financial role continues to falter, and will probably be resoundingly rejected by more global leaders– as the corporate evolution and definiton of “work” continues to grow. The repeated and odd request by some HR/ER executives to be provided “a seat at the table” is an empty one for the most part. The reason it continues to be ignored by boards of organizations is because most of these requests for relevance, are typically unsupported by vigorous evidence based outcomes.When a valid case for HR/ER inclusion is made about the strategic role of HR/ER to dynamic organizational leaders, they typically grasp the critical function of the department. HR/ER departments provide the needed connection for execution of corporate goals, through the use of scientific methods. HR/ER executives that successfully communicate the role of HR/ER in the global economy, and the manner in which the department is used by progressive organizations, are usually given flexibility to restructure their departments. Such departments hire HR/ER staff with muscular disciplines in Law, Psychology, Finance and Economics. In my work as a Corporate Performance Improvement HR/ER professional, it is sometimes challenging for our organization to convince senior executives and boards to retain their HR/ER staffers in the event of corporate restructure or a financial downturn—-if the HR/ER department is engaged in performing purely anachronistic/reactive HR functions. At other times so much harm has been done, that HR/ER employee roles are considered almost toxic, and unwanted by the executives and employees too. In those instances, such organizations tend to outsource their HR/ER functions– especially their Recruitment/Talent Acquisition function. It is refreshing to know that HR/ER departments can be restructured by changing the qualifications required for their employees, and the methods they utilize for organizational effectiveness and success. To create a successful and profit generating HR/ER department, two critical policies and processes should be implemented: Hire HR/ER professionals who have strong backgrounds and experience in muscular disciplines such as Law, Finance, Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Economics etc. Such professionals must also be experienced in scientific and data driven HR/ER processes. In addition, it is mandatory to provide consistent training for existing HR/ER employees within your department– especially for those employees who do not have a foundation or experience in the needed muscular disciplines. All progressive HR/ER professionals must understand and interpret HR/ER analytics, and be able to connect them to the people business processes required for organizational and employee success. HR/ER must execute and provide measurable and tangible financial growth and returns for organizations and employees. It is an expected deliverable by dynamic and high performing organizations– such as Google and Starbucks. Progressive organizations of all sizes, expect measurable financial profit and growth from their HR/ER departments. Google continues to succeed in employee engagement, healthy cultural initiatives and employee satisfaction using modern algorithms, within a potent and well staffed HR department. The Google HR/ER (People Operations) mantra is: “ All people decisions at Google are based on data and analytics.” Their goal says Google is to “bring the same level of rigor to people-decisions that we do to engineering decisions.” The HR/ER profession has come too far, and professionals have worked to hard and must remain relevant in the fast changing global economy. The changes required to create success within organizations, have been achieved by many HR/ER professionals. These committed, knowledgeable and experienced HR/ER professionals are an asset to the HR profession, and we applaud their hard work and successes. The work of such professionals, no matter their level within HR departments, continues to enhance the gravitas of HR/ER work. Consistent learning, change management, and a strong shift from a continued reactive HR/ER function, continue to support the advancement of 21st century HR/ER professionals– in this new and competitive global economy. We believe that more HR/ER departments will continue to embrace the new global expectations of the profession. Only the use of modern and scientific 21st century HR/ER practices will prevent the marginalization of the vital role of Human Resources to employee and organizational competitive advantage, growth and success. I wish you well.
Who Are You, Where Are You Coming From, And Where Are You Going? January 29, 2017 by Sonia Johnson Every New Year people come up with New Year Resolutions. One of the greatest reasons people fail in following up on these resolutions, is because their resolutions are based on external motivations with NO in-depth knowledge of themselves. Most times, they do not create plans based on any real and tested desires. Instead, such resolutions are based on societal “expectations” of physical appearance, erroneous beliefs of the “drudgery of work” and general lack of robust knowledge about self and change. One lady told me recently that she was going to lose weight and get a new job as her two New Year Resolutions. However, in probing further, I found out that she had no strong or in-depth reasons for desiring these changes, and had no long term plans or methods of reaching her goals. She just did not like her weight or her job. Despite the fact that weight loss attached to appearance goals consistently fail, and leaving jobs without assessing your skills and abilities also fail, she repeatedly asserted that she would succeed. She could succeed, but her chances are very slim for any long term success. I did share with her the following ways to change one’s life to have meaning, purpose and joy: 1. Read BOOKS often. Read Good books on success, achieving professional improvement and self development etc. I always suggest a minimum of two books per month. The reason is simple. People, who write good books, spend time in providing information, guidelines and examples for success in your life or profession, in these books. The information in good books is mostly based on research and experience. Therefore, they enable you use such tested information to effect changes or improvements in your own life. Remember, year after year, you remain the SAME for the most part, except for the books you read (and a few other parameters). Nothing replaces learning for anyone who wants to be a success personally and professionally. Read good Books! 2. Assess the company that you keep. If you surround yourself with happy focused people at work, and away from work, you will probably have the same attitude as they do. Do not associate with toxic people whether they are overtly or covertly toxic, flee from them. I frequently assess my friendships and decide if they are working for me. Friends can bolster the quality of your life or decrease it. If any friendship, or relationship, does not provide mutually beneficial FOCUS and satisfaction to you both, it will not propel you forward to a life of meaning and joy. Assess it, and determine if it is worth retaining such relationships. 3. You cannot have lasting success at work, have good relationships, pursue your dreams, or live joyfully, if you do not know who you are. Trite as this may sound, it is critical to know yourself even as you improve your life— for you to have success and live a good life. Where do you start, if your perceived strengths and weaknesses are based on your upbringing, or rooted in the mindless societal screams spread by technology without basis in truth or fact? The quest for self knowledge is a consistent and constant one, and it is linked to a peaceful but determined commitment to examine your thoughts, knowledge and desires. Only people who know who they are can effectively determine where they will go and be successful. Your goals are strategically designed by you, based on your knowledge of you. So know yourself. Who are you? More than ever, we live in a society that is mob and conformity driven. This is because of the social media obsession with minutiae, lack of study and analysis of matters by many folks, a sensationalist media with little robust evidence based direction, and personal life styles which create little room for pursuing lasting purpose and meaning. In the midst of a society that sometimes is “zombie like” in behaviors, be brave, dare to be courageous in your quest for living a life of meaning, and affect others positively in the process. It is great to be different if you doing what you know is best for you. You will make mistakes, and have challenges, BUT your knowledge of you will give you the strength to regroup and move forward. It is okay to be visible, it is okay to think differently and it is okay to be analytical and focused. Quite simply, it is NECESSARY to be comfortable with positive behaviors, and meaningful use of your skills, that are uniquely you so that you can set achievable and meaningful goals for your life. Making a difference in the world starts with you. Let me end with this reminder. Everyday will run its course whether you decide to enjoy it or not. At the same time, your life is concomitantly running its course for the TERMINAL end, which all humans share. Is it not worth taking steps to know yourself, set professional and personal goals, and pursue the best life you can live? Can you not reject the mob cries and walk your own path? Is it not time to start reading good books regularly to craft a path for your life? Is the time not now? What are you waiting for? “The type of life you live daily, your daily happiness, sadness, and the quality of life you enjoy, are all defined by the choices you make in your thoughts and actions– every hour, every day.” Quote by Sonia Johnson Esquire—2010 (Law and Psychology Seminar—Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Arizona State University) Best wishes to you!
Political Fear Mongering At Work– Do Not Do It. Do Not Be Afraid Of It Either November 22, 2016 by Sonia Johnson A while back, I wrote an article about the irrationality of limiting political and religious discourse at work. The general reason for this workplace restriction on political and religious speech, I found during my research on the subject, is based on a largely held and irrational belief, that such topics made people lose impulse control. In addition, through research I discovered that historically, this limit on political and religious speech especially, evolved as a method to control those considered the “uncivil” and “common” folk among us, from becoming uncontrollable and wild, during political, religious, labor conditions and other such discussions. Such persons were considered by the wealthy elite at that time, to be too too uncouth and unpolished, to hold civil discussions on issues they, the working class, considered sensitive. Since that time, the notion that people of a lower economic status, education or other level of “refinement” were incapable of having civil discussions on certain subjects has been debunked. Everyone is capable of impulse control and civility unless they have a mental health or or other behavioral problem. Yet, just as the case with certain beliefs held with no basis in logic or rationale, some organizations continue to restrict free and civil political and religious speech, at work and elsewhere. The culture of TOLERATING crass conduct regarding political and religious behavior, WRONGLY encourages people to believe that it is impossible for them to discuss politics or religion, civilly and respectfully. Many are also deluded into believing that having a different political view from someone else means they are different in every other way. Again, these erroneous beliefs are based on conjecture, and have been proven to be false by easily obtainable and available research, over a 20-year period. There is more to every human than politics and religion, just as we are more than our jobs, looks and hobbies. All should view other humans as a part of themselves, as we are entwined in our common humanity, and our inevitable journey of birth and inevitable death. Note: Organizations that provided forums for employees to civilly share their concerns during these elections, continue to have an easier time in maintaining a less fearful, and more transparent and engaged employees.Their cultures also remain strong with no undercurrent of distrust. Based on our research and feedback from employees and organizations– it appears there is an atmosphere of fear that is being bred and encouraged by the grapevine in some workplaces. In several instances, it is openly expressed invective, and is aimed at specific folks by unsavory and undesirable elements at the workplace. We encourage strong disciplinary measures should be taken against any sort of hate based language, invective or acts used or threatened against anybody or group in the workplace. If any organization does not take steps to protect its employees against threats and abuse, they leave themselves vulnerable to agency investigation, litigation or more. As for anyone who has chosen fear, as opposed to strength at this time– We call on you to make your concerns constructive, not fearful. Turn your fear into strength and belief in all that is the best IN you! It is the most cowardly and the weakest among us who use threats, invective and nonintellectual conduct in an effort to intimidate others. People who act in discriminatory and callous ways against others, are the cowardly and fearful ones. It is a waste of your time, and everyone’s time to continue to focus on the ramblings or acts of such individuals. If you feel threatened, take immediate action to protect yourself. Otherwise, living in fear of some errant individuals categorization of you, in his or her limited/stilted world view, is not a useful expenditure of emotional energy. Dismiss such limiting persons and their vile chatter from you, and eradicate their dialogue from your mind. Living in fear of anyone or anything is a waste of your life and time, do not do it. Take steps to stop your fear at work, and away from work. No one can determine how you live and feel about yourself but you. Make NO room for fear in your life. Your life is what you make of it. It is wrong to allow anyone define your life and how you choose to live it. The choice to take control of your life is yours, always. Read this book on Fear… click HERE— the book is a useful read on managing and converting fear into a constructive emotion. A life of fear is a life of mediocrity, loss of choice/control and cowardice. Stop anyone or anything from injecting fear into your life. Don’t be limited or shaken by the fears of others expressed in their guile against others, or against you. Live fully, proudly and contentedly at all that you are, as you continue to pursue your goals without pause. This is your life, and you only have one go at it– live on your terms. Remember that YOU are enough. Go forth with strength. I wish you well.
How To Thrive In A Toxic Work Environment October 24, 2016 by Sonia Johnson One of the things that I do in the course of my work is to restructure Human Resources departments, upgrade the performance of Employee Relations and Compliance professionals, Resolve Conflicts, review and use HR analytics, and do all that is required to make these (and related) departments provide measurable financial returns and growth for the organization and employees. In the course of my job, I am sometimes hired in to work with very toxic executives, and/or within incredibly toxic environments. I thrive on the challenge of making these organizations become healthy and profitable for all, so it is a great fit for me. Within the toxic organizations, some employees, despite the chaos and unhealthy culture, thrive and remain happy and optimistic. Conversely, some employees fall apart in such environments. In some instances they fall ill, get depressed and are perennially sad. It is important to note that over time, toxic environments, for the most part, have a very negative effect on most employees, and affect the organization as a whole, negatively. Over the past 15-years, we have documented many of the methods used by individuals that continue to thrive despite the utter toxicity in their workplace. We have listed three successful guidelines for thriving in a toxic environment: 1. Create an Exit Plan first. Keep learning new courses, participating in different projects, and staying current and engaged in your profession. Continue to bolster your resume, and stay active in professional organizations within your field. In addition, stay connected virtually and in person with individuals within your area of expertise as you continue to work on your exit plan. Your exit plan is needed for your psychological health. The knowledge that you created, and continue to create strategies and viable options to enable you leave the toxic environment reduces your anxiety, and provides you with confidence even as you work within such toxicity. 2. Whether you are an executive or not, you can be a part of the solution. Being a part of the solution will enable you feel less helpless and more in control. Create your safe zone in which you can craft your work to the best extent that you can, in a manner that works for you. Seek out interesting projects to work on, and take care of your physical and mental health. Avoid the naysayers and those that constantly remind you of the “horror” you are enduring. If the conversations about a toxic manager or your toxic environment are not solution based, do not participate in it. You are doing yourself no favors being a part of such discussions, as they create a greater feeling of desperation and helplessness. Discuss solutions and not the problem. 3. Determine if you are a part of the problem, and if your are, change your attitude. I once worked with a very senior executive, a Chief Operations Officer, who spent a lot of her time sharing intimate information about her supervisors and subordinates with us. She was very saddened, at least according to her, that the organization was full of disengaged staff, and was failing financially. Yet she was a major contributor to the continued chaos and instability within the company. She worked with us on some projects and discussed employees lives with disregard, shared damaging, defamatory and destructive information, and all the time when cautioned, insisted that she was just giving us a “heads up”– she was not. This very senior executive promoted and encouraged an environment of gossiping and infighting within her rank and below. The executive team was a mirror of her conduct; gossiping, maligning and undervaluing employees was an integral part of their mode of operation. They were destroying the very employees they sought to engage. Once we identified this executive was the primary driver of this toxic and odoriferous culture, we set about changing her conduct, and that of the other senior executives. The good news is that with coaching and training, today, she has limited her gossiping, and the culture of virulent backbiting, gossiping and disengagement has been largely limited, as the organization continues to try to build its trust among its employees. There are many other ways of surviving in a toxic environment. However, the most critical of these methods lie within YOU. You must daily resolve not to become a part of that culture. Once you recognize that you have been hired within a toxic and damaging organization, accelerate all your self awareness and self efficacy abilities. You have to be true to yourself, and preserve your mind so it does not become sullied by the stench and ravages of corporate dysfunction. Do not subject yourself to more than two years of working within such environments, if nothing changes for the better. After two years, we have found that employees begin to accept this very low quality of their work life as their new normal, and many become despondent, or full of loathing for their jobs. You deserve a good and happy work life. Over the years, I have lost count of people whose health and lives improved “magically” once they left the toxic environments and started work in more functional environments. Your life and time should be spent in an environment in which you are valued, and with people with whom you share similar professional goals. A functional environment should be paramount on your mind when interviewing for a job. You deserve the best life you can possibly get for you. Don’t waste too much of your life fighting toxicity. If things change, be a part of it. If things don’t change despite your efforts, and you have tried your best, be courageous, make plans and leave. You can live a happy life. Do it. I wish you well. *No Permission to reproduce in full or part granted without the Approval of Author
Gagging Political and Religious Discussions At Work. Why?? September 20, 2016 by Sonia Johnson Religious and political discussions are a part of cognitive diversity. There is no sturdy evidence or body of work that supports the perplexing belief that religion and politics are emotional topics, that provide employees permission to act savagely and without respect for other people’s ideas.Cognitive, emotional and other forms of diversity, have been repeatedly shown to improve workplace financial profits, growth and creativity. It is therefore unproductive and damaging at work to gag political and religious discussion, under the unsupported and tolerated premise that it is emotional, and could result in “riotous” banter. Cognitive diversity and diversity in general, typically increase corporate profit and employee engagement. Twenty First century organizations interested in obtaining tangible financial profit from diversity and inclusion, must invest in promoting healthy diversity initiatives. Restricting opportunity for expression of cognitive diversity by limiting proper expression of diverse ideas, leads to tension, untested assumptions by employees of one another, and stymies creativity and productivity. This is hardly surprising as tense or hostile workplaces have low producing employees. Recruiters that make adverse hiring decisions based on polite political discussions (or reject applicants based on vocalized party affiliation, or vigorous religious disagreements as expressed on LinkedIn or other social media) are suppressing employee/applicant freedom in sharing ideas, and could be exposing themselves and their employers to loss of creativity, employee attrition and even discrimination claims. It is important to note that a hiring manager can reject a job applicant who is a bloviating and disruptive online boor. If such an applicant’s lack of control is evidenced in political/religious outbursts, name calling and general brutish communication— there is ample justification and legal protection for rejecting such a job applicant. There is a bright orange line that differentiates barbaric hysteria, from polite and civil intellectual disagreement, and courteous discussion of religious and/or political issues. To enable your organization promote cognitive, emotional and other diversity— and inclusivity, healthy expression of ideas— and to avoid abridging employee rights to Free Expression without good reason, the following best practices are beneficial: Do not provide any cover for employees who use invective, abuse and other animal like conduct in political and religious discussions. These unwarranted outbursts affect the sharing of ideas in a healthy manner, and could quell a healthy debate of ideas in a creative environment. Consistently train all employees on the benefits of inclusivity and diversity. Remember not to use outdated training material which do not fully cover the girth of 21st century diversity. Diversity training should always include the consequences of acting against employees who express their religious or political beliefs in a civil manner. Conduct regular tests on implicit and explicit bias for all employees, with more frequency for hiring managers and recruiters. Implicit and Explicit bias tests are necessary safeguards for sustaining the benefits of cognitive, gender, racial and other forms of inclusivity within organizations. Guidelines should be provided to all employees on how to manage and overcome biases. Learn more about implicit bias by clicking HERE. Employees who show minimal impulse control when issues or religion and/or politics are discussed should be supported with employee relations coaching and other 21st century tools. Such employees that lack impulse control could have larger emotional or other related problems, problems that are less obvious, but still damaging and could be harming your organization and other employees. Diversity and inclusivity according to extensive, muscular and continued research, increase workplace engagement and profits. Political and Religious differences are components of cognitive,emotional and broad diversity and inclusivity, and should be encouraged and effectively managed. Meaningful discussions of political and religious issues, advance part of a needed cognitive and intellectual exchange which enhance a healthy and knowledge based, successful workplace. Despite the much touted divisions and hysteria fanned by the media, politicians and religious extremists— understanding differences in opinions, culture and behaviors enrich our minds, encourage creativity and enhance a healthy work environment. Politics and religion are part of a cognitive exchange of ideas in the new global workplace—a workplace in which knowledge and creativity of employees, provide needed competitive advantages and bolster organizational financial profit. “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it”— Aristotle I wish you well. ****The Society For Employee Relations (SFER), a successful non-profit organization, offers a free course to members and non-members on conducting Respectful discourse at work. The free course includes how to conduct successful political and religious discussions to promote cognitive diversity. For more information contact us at info@societyforemployeerelations.com