It’s Go Time for Me Time: The Fine Art of Delegation
Many people strive to take “me time” in their personal lives. Doing so usually involves a relaxing, solitary activity such as a long, hot bath; a stroll on the beach or in the woods; or a weekend on the couch binge-watching a TV favorite.
But there’s such a thing as “me time” at work, too. In the office, it’s not so much about chilling out as it is focusing on the projects that really bring out one’s passions and strengths. Unfortunately, many of today’s leaders and key employees face major difficulties in finding “me time.”
Busy work
In a popular 2013 Harvard Business Review (HBR) article, “Make Time for Work That Matters,” researchers found that knowledge workers spend an average of 41% of their time “on discretionary activities that offer little personal satisfaction and could be handled competently by others.” This means you might be spending anywhere from a third to almost half of your workday on stuff that doesn’t really matter and someone else could do.
The solution, at least in part, is delegation. The HBR article found that 47% of desk-based work can off-loaded with relative ease. Activities related to “managing across” departments may also often be moved to someone else without too much operational disruption.
5 steps to delightful delegation
Naturally, handing off work-related responsibilities to someone else must be handled carefully to avoid confusion and conflicts. Here are five steps to making delegation delightful:
1. Choose tasks wisely. Selecting the right tasks to delegate is critical. Prime candidates are tasks that frequently reoccur, such as document sorting or management, and relatively small project-related actions. (Yes, micromanaging is ill-advised.) Also look for tasks that require a specific skill in which you have no expertise, such as, say, reconciling bank accounts. Could an accounting staff member, temp or intern better handle it?
Think about how long the task in question takes to accomplish and then balance the value you bring to doing it yourself vs. how you might otherwise spend that time. Always try to devote your time to projects that provide the most value to your organization and can best benefit from your talents. You may be tempted to say, “This will take me longer to explain than to do myself.” But if it’s a task that you perform often, training someone else will free up your time today and in the future.
2. Pick the right person. Before you delegate a task, consider the person’s main job responsibilities and experience. How do those correlate with the project or operational activity in question? Also consider the staffer’s schedule. Does he or she realistically have the time to do the job well?
Keep in mind that, even if the employee doesn’t have direct experience with the task, it may represent a welcome opportunity to test his or her wings in a new area or take on greater responsibility. In fact, it’s here that delegation can become a useful training and professional development tool.
3. Perfect the handoff. When handing off a task, be extremely clear about the goals, expectations, deadlines and details. Explain why you chose the individual and what the project means to the organization as a whole.
Also let the employee know whether he or she has any latitude regarding the task’s methods and processes. A fresh pair of eyes might see a new — and better — way of doing it.
4. Keep in touch (to an extent). Delegation doesn’t mean dumping a task on someone and walking away. Ultimately, you’re still responsible for its completion — even if you’ve off-loaded the work. So provide strong initial training and then stay involved for a while by monitoring the employee’s progress and providing coaching and feedback as necessary.
Remember, however, there’s a fine line between remaining available for questions and micromanaging. Constantly peering over the staffer’s shoulder is a sure way to signal distrust and build resentment. If you’re going to delegate, delegate. Half-measures will likely only lead to lower productivity for everyone.
5. Acknowledge the help. A good delegator never takes credit for someone else’s work. Be sure you generously — and publicly — give credit where credit is due. This could mean verbal praise in a meeting, a note of thanks in a newsletter or an email to the person’s manager if he or she works outside of your department.
If the project’s size and scope warrant it, consider offering a bonus, extra time off or a special gift. Such a gesture will not only thrill the staff member in question, but also motivate others to accept delegated tasks.
Many approaches
To be clear, delegation isn’t necessarily simple; and it’s not a be-all, end-all solution to time management. In some cases, unduly laborious tasks should be simply eliminated through operational streamlining or organizational realignment. In other cases, you may want to outsource broader functions that are preventing leaders and key employees from reaching their potential.
Nonetheless, exploring the possibilities of delegation is typically time well spent. Need some help getting started? Please contact us here. Performance Dimensions Group specializes in employee engagement measurement and management training, which includes helping your best workers get more productivity and satisfaction from their valuable time.
Process Improvement Doesn’t Have To Be Painful
Most leaders and managers would likely admit that all of their organizations’ processes don’t work perfectly. In rare best-case scenarios, there may be only a few minor tweaks needed to optimize workflow and productivity. But, in many other instances, a deeper need exists to review “how we do things” and implement major changes.
So why don’t more organizations revise their processes more regularly — especially as technology continues to evolve so rapidly? The short answer is: Because change hurts. It slows things down; people get confused and sometimes irritated; benefits don’t materialize immediately.
But these downsides aren’t a given, and process improvement doesn’t have to be painful. By taking a measured approach, you can not only “do things better,” but also learn a lot along the way.
Do we have to?
If you fear the challenges of improving your organizational processes, you’re not alone. Many leaders reflexively ask “Do we have to?” when it comes to changing how things are done. They don’t want to rock the boat — especially in competitive business environments.
Yet there are valid reasons to undertake a process improvement initiative. And it’s generally better to do so proactively rather than reactively. In other words, you’ll likely be happier fixing issues in your own time rather than waiting for a crisis to force change. Some telltale signs that you should get started on updating processes include:
- Sluggish productivity; you’re just not getting as much done as you believe you should,
- Noticeable backlogs; you’ve got orders or projects in the pipeline but you can’t get to them, and
- Chaos (or something close to it); management is constantly fielding employee complaints, workers are inventing their own “workarounds” to complete tasks, new hires take a long time to get comfortable with procedures.
Talk Is Cheap, but the Right Interview Questions Are Priceless
Problematic employees can be costly. One bad apple can not only lower productivity and hurt morale, but also drive you to spend valuable time and resources trying to fix the situation. Sure, an underperforming worker can always be terminated. But doing so could expose you to a lawsuit — and even more trouble.
There’s no magic bullet to completely avoiding such dilemmas. But among the best ways to minimize your odds of employment difficulties is to simply hire better. And when does the hiring process really get going? During job interviews.
It’s here that you get your first look at what could be a great employee — or a costly, ill-advised hire. So a good interviewing process is indeed priceless. Let’s focus on some of the best and worst questions to ask.
Prepare to succeed
An effective interview doesn’t begin with a smile or a handshake; it begins with a well-written and up-to-date job description. Before you even post an opening, be sure the position in question has a description that reads precisely as it should in the here and now.
After you’ve received an adequate number of resumés, sorted through them and set up the interviews, more preparation is necessary. Train your managers and other hiring staff to carefully read over each resumé and:
- Flag any background or employment gaps,
- Highlight insufficient or inconsistent responses for further follow-up, and
- Note likes/dislikes, reasons for leaving previous jobs, and future plans.
- Age and birth date, except to ensure your state’s minimum employment age requirements,
- Citizenship and country of birth, though you may ask about legal eligibility to work in the United States,
- Disabilities and illnesses, except, in some cases, to confirm the candidate’s abilities to perform essential job functions, and
- Arrest record, though you may be able to ask about a criminal conviction if legally relevant to the position.
Understanding the Human Side of Wellness Programs
Any reputable organization wants to take care of its employees. Historically, this meant paying a fair wage and trying to ensure workers’ safety. Then employee benefits came to the fore and, to stay competitive, just about every employer had to start offering a competitive package starting with health care coverage.
Most recently, however, “taking care of your employees” has taken on a quite literal meaning. More and more employers are implementing wellness programs designed to support healthy behaviors at work and home, as well as to discourage illness-inducing practices such as tobacco use.
If your organization has taken this step, or is considering it, be sure you fully grasp the human side of wellness programs as you design or administer yours.
Recognize the savings
The initial inspiration for many employers to create a wellness program is, quite simply, money. Health insurance costs continue to weigh heavily on most organizations. By establishing an effective wellness program, the thought process goes, an employer can curtail medical claims and, therefore, save money on benefits costs.
What’s more, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes incentives for organizations to create formal wellness programs. Employers that offer a qualifying, “health-contingent” wellness program may receive a maximum reward of 30% of the cost of their health coverage. And the maximum reward for the prevention and reduction of tobacco usage is 50%. (Additional rules and restrictions apply.)
Embrace the benefits
So those are the dollars-and-cents reasons to create a wellness program. But, as mentioned, you’ve got to remember the human side of the concept, too. Leaping into an initiative looking only to cut costs could lead you to cut corners — or, at the very least, not get the full potential benefits of a truly effective program. These include:
More robust productivity. It stands to reason, doesn’t it? A healthier workforce should mean a reduced rate of absenteeism. In fact, according to a 2014 report from the National Business Group on Health and Towers Watson, organizations with strong wellness programs had had lower unplanned absence rates (3.3 vs. 4.0 days/year) than “low-effectiveness” companies.
And healthy employees on the job are more likely to have increased energy, physical endurance and mental vigor. Remember, even if an occupation doesn’t involve manual labor, the ability to think clearly and make good decisions is incredibly important in today’s information-driven environment.
Higher morale. Although they may not always show it, employees enjoy being productive. So a healthier workforce that gets more done — and does more good work — is going to be happier as well. As evidence, a 2013 survey by Virgin HealthMiles Inc. and Workforce Management Magazine found that 77% of employees surveyed reported that their employers’ “health and wellness programs positively impact[ed] the culture at work.”
A ready-made recruiting tool. In just about every industry, the fight for talent goes on. As you look to hire the best and brightest, the ability to offer a fully realized wellness program could be a critical negotiating tool when it comes to Millennials.
Consider the 2014 Consumer Health Mindset Report, a survey of more than 2,700 U.S. employees and their dependents carried out by Aon Hewitt, the National Business Group on Health and The Futures Company. More than half (52%) of responding Millennials said “living or working in a healthy environment” influences their personal health. Compare that with only 42% of responding Gen Xers and 35% of responding Baby Boomers.
Beware of the risks
Of course, let it not go unsaid that wellness programs have their risks. To begin with, a program embarked upon only to cut business costs can conceivably end up driving up expenses. How so? Lack of participation. Organizations have spent months, much money and considerable resources debating and developing a wellness program — only to see it flounder with participants and eventually fail. Typical causes of such failure include:
• A lack of management buy-in (in other words, “if the boss don’t care, I don’t care”),
• Cultural misalignment (that is, the program’s tone and the nature of its activities don’t mesh well with organizational culture),
• Excessive complexity and confusion (for instance, written materials are garbled and unclear; or program incentives are unfair or too hard to achieve), and
• Bad vendors (not every guest speaker or exercise coach is cut from the same cloth; a single incompetent provider can ruin the experience for everyone).
Another major risk is compliance. As mentioned, the ACA incentivizes employers to boost participation in qualifying wellness programs. But, at the same time, the federal government actively discourages employers from doling out wellness-program financial incentives in a discriminatory manner. (Some employers do so by making it unduly hard or impossible for certain people to meaningfully participate in the program.) Be aware that recently finalized regulations on wellness program incentives, issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, will take effect on January 1, 2017.
Exercise careful forethought
Are wellness programs all they’re cracked up to be? Not always. But if you exercise careful forethought in creating one, and diligently maintain the program, your organization could very well see excellent results. For help with all aspects of performance management, please contact us here at Performance Dimensions Group.
Clearing the air
How to optimize your organization’s work environment
They say that we are all products of our environment. The point may be debatable philosophically but, at work, everyone is only as productive as his or her working environment allows. Your organization’s day-to-day success and ongoing growth depends, at least partly, on being a pleasant place for your employees to perform at their best.
Many management groups tend to assume that their working environments just sort of take care of themselves. But this can be a dangerous assumption. Problems may fester without your knowledge, and you may lose good employees without ever really knowing why. An important part of strong leadership is not only helping employees individually, but also creating a healthy work environment as a whole.
Recognize the physical world
When many of us hear or read the word “environment,” we think of the physical world. Indeed, the air around us and the walls within which we work play a key role in productivity. For example, it’s important to consider the sound of your workplace. Is it too loud — or too quiet?
A noisy environment can disrupt focus and irritate employees. Many organizations today require employees to wear headphones while using the phone or listening to audio. And there’s a growing trend toward designating quiet rooms where someone can work in silence to really concentrate.
Then again, the opposite can also hold true. A workplace that’s too quiet may indicate that employees are disconnected and keeping too much to themselves. This can lead to estrangement that may trigger conflicts or even motivate good workers to depart for competitors. To nurture connectivity, allow employees to have friendly conversations at reasonable volume levels. You might also:
- Conduct team-building exercises,
- Form project-specific groups, and
- Hold regular social events and celebrations.
Turning the Tables – Reverse Mentoring
Reverse mentoring offers a variety of benefits
What do you envision when you read the phrase “workplace mentor”? Perhaps you see a nervous young worker sitting in a seasoned vet’s office, anxiously waiting to learn many “ancient” secrets of success and career longevity. You know what: You’re not wrong. This remains a tried-and-true approach to mentorships.
But there’s another method that’s gotten some attention in recent years. Under “reverse mentoring,” as it’s popularly known, the younger or newer employee mentors the older or more seasoned one. In some cases, a new hire might even teach things to the company owner! As odd as it may sound at first, reverse mentoring offers organizations a variety of benefits.
Background on the concept
The origin of reverse mentoring is commonly attributed to Jack Welch, the groundbreaking executive of General Electric Co. and, later, best-selling author. The story goes that Welch told hundreds of his high-level managers to reach out to a lower level employee to … better understand the Internet.
Nowadays, it’s probably safe to assume that most execs know how to surf the Web. But among the most popular uses for reverse mentoring is to allow younger, more tech-savvy employees to teach older staff members about the latest technology tools and social media platforms. Many midlevel or C-suite managers may have a Facebook page to keep in touch with family and friends. But do they know the power of a hashtag on Twitter, or the reach of a striking image on Instagram?
Since Welch first introduced the concept at GE, a wide variety of organizations large and small have tried reverse mentoring. For example, a top exec at online payment platform PayPal enlisted younger employees as mentors to help him better understand new hires and changes in the global workforce. Software developers Cisco Systems Inc. started a “Gen Y Reverse Mentoring Program” several years ago to bridge the gap between its older and younger employees. And even smaller organizations, such as Ogilvy & Mather (a marketing firm) and Allen & Gerritsen (an ad agency), have used it with some success.
Advantages and risks
In many ways, the advantages of reverse mentorships mirror those of traditional mentoring arrangements. Both the mentor and mentee benefit from the opportunity to build interpersonal skills and see, first hand, that the organization values their knowledge and contributions. Giving workers a way to grow and develop internally can lead to greater engagement and help stem turnover. Plus, reverse mentoring programs can help alleviate generational differences between employees.
As mentioned, the trend in reverse mentoring has been to apply it to technology initiatives. For instance, an organization that wants to get its execs or managers more active on social media might pair each one with a younger, social-media-savvy mentor. Or, if you’ve ever considered changing a major part of your mission-critical technological infrastructure — a major software system or piece of hardware — a younger (or simply more technologically inclined) worker could mentor higher-ups during the implementation.
But this doesn’t mean every reverse mentoring program has to be based around technology. There are some organizations that simply have a gap between older, established employees and younger, newer ones. Physician practices and law firms, as examples, often struggle in this area. Reverse mentoring can provide a formal structure for bridging this gap.
And the risks? Some organizational cultures simply aren’t ready for reverse mentoring. The effort can seem forced and might end up frustrating the exec/established worker while alienating and disappointing the would-be mentor, who’s likely eager to impress. The program might also become a distraction if too much time and energy are spent on mentoring, undercutting the productivity of both parties involved.
Best practices
Here are some best practices in making a mentor-mentee relationship work:
Ensure engagement. Both parties have to fully and equally commit to the process. Mentors must be willing and able to listen, share knowledge and provide feedback. Meanwhile, mentees must be willing and able to absorb and act on the input they receive.
Set expectations. Mentees and their mentors should have similar expectations for the scope of the relationship, including the time commitment each will make, and the short- and long-term goals. Reverse mentorship tends to work best with specific, practical skills or tasks rather than applied to broad, indistinct growth efforts.
Structure. Frequent, regular interaction is required to establish a good working relationship between the two parties and to maintain momentum. Ideally, reverse mentoring programs involve a predetermined schedule, which can be as simple as a weekly phone call or as elaborate as a series of longer meetings featuring presentations and Q&As.
Trust and transparency. This may go without saying, but it’s best to establish it clearly and openly anyway. The two people involved in the mentorship must trust each other and be transparent in their actions. Each should practice open listening and provide both positive remarks and practical criticism.
Better than expected
Whether reverse mentoring will work for your organization will require some careful thought. But it’s thought well spent — a carefully structured and thoughtfully executed program could boost morale, increase productivity and enrich your culture in a way you may not have ever expected.
If you’d like some help on improving your organization’s leadership and team development — including creating a mentoring program (reverse or otherwise) — please contact us. Whether the goal is to improve overall team communication, cohesion, effective organizational management or accountability, Performance Dimensions Group can help you meet that goal.
Leveling Up Your Organization
3 keys to designing a performance management system
If you’ve ever played a video game, whether on your phone or a full-blown console, you know that “leveling up” is a big deal. No one wants to stay on Level 1 forever. The higher you go, the more you’re invested and, ideally, the greater the payoff in satisfaction and knowledgeability.
So it should go with your organization. You’ve got to keep pushing upward to reach that next level of success, hopefully keeping your distinctive challenges at bay and competitors beneath you. So how do you get there? One important step is creating a performance management system — that is, a systematic approach to enabling your leadership and employees to work effectively toward accomplishing your strategic goals.
There are many ins and outs to a performance management program. A variety of things could go wrong when trying to execute one — though, at the same time, many opportunities also exist to get it right. Here are three keys to consider when designing a performance management program.
- Picking the right people
- Communicate well,
- Can devote sufficient time to the process, and
- Elicit respect throughout the organization.
- Stating clear, actionable goals
- Keeping everyone in the loop
Lessons about leadership, teamwork, and alignment from the Seattle Seahawks
After making back-to-back trips to the Super Bowl the past few years (and winning it once ), the 2-time defending NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks fell just short of an epic comeback against the Carolina Panthers in this year's NFL playoffs. Without question, Seattle has emerged as one of the elite teams in the NFL over the past 5 years, and their resiliency showed even in this recent playoff loss, where they fell down 31-0 on the road by halftime, only to score 24 unanswered points in the second half.
What has made the Seahawks so special? Some people attribute the success to the defense that allowed the fewest points for the fourth straight season. Others credit Quarterback Russell Wilson's highly effective passing game with fierce competitors like Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse and rookie pro bowler Tyler Lockett. But the truth is no one player really stands out more than any other. You can’t win a football game without every single position—offense and defense.
When it comes to teambuilding, what is most critical is getting everyone to think of themselves as a whole. It’s about creating a culture that thrives on working together, being the best that you can be. It’s about the WE. Pete Carroll’s leadership style of competiveness—identifying and maximizing the uniqueness of every player and coach, and thriving on a nurturing environment—allows his players (the Seattle Seahawks) to be themselves. And, most important, it focuses on accountability to the team. This idea of team building can work on any level, including in your own organization.
Build around your leadership
Inc.com recently published an article entitled “5 Things Smart Managers Know About Building Teams.” These are the 5 things that were listed:
- Play to individual strengths: Is the employee in the right place so he or she can shine?
- Encourage transparency: Talk through issues and make sure team members understand each other.
- Establish ground rules: Make sure the team knows your leadership style and know what goals are set.
- Let them know you have their back: The team needs to know that they have unconditional support.
- Provide an incentive: Everyone enjoys a reward for achieving a goal. Sometimes the reward is achieving the goal itself and being recognized by one's manager. Regardless—communicate what it is.
Positively Positive
Positive. What does it mean to you? The Merriam Webster dictionary defines it as “thinking about the good qualities of someone or something; thinking that a good result will happen; hopeful or optimistic”. How important is positivity in your workplace? Do you believe that having a good attitude brings more productivity from employees?
A recent article in the Harvard Business Review tells us that there is PROOF that positive work cultures are more productive. Read it here. The article states that a negative, high-pressure environment leads to disease and death from heart attacks. It also says that disengagement is high in these types of cultures. Disengagement creates high turnover and lack of motivation. What can you do about this?
As a leader you can create a positive atmosphere for your team. We believe that leaders have to the power to cultivate positivity in the workplace. This results in a happier, more productive team. Here are a few simple ways to keep your team and work environment in a happy state.
- Be kind and courteous. Mother Teresa said “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”
- Be grateful. Say the words “thank you” often and recognize your team members’ Feeling appreciated can inspire people to do their best work.
- Be flexible and listen to new ideas. If you are faced with a challenge, generate new ways of thinking to manage them. Team members will appreciate this when faced with an unexpected obstacle.
- Respect your team’s time and efforts. Acknowledge those around you so they feel valued.
- Demonstrate a good, positive attitude. This shows others how well you complete projects and also affects how others will perceive you. It invites an open door policy, which keeps the lines of communication open.
- Engage your team with positive workplace interactions. Create a quick, fun game that will get people talking and engaging with one another.
- Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. Work can be stressful at times. Try to focus on the issue at hand and slow down. This will show your team how to handle issues with control and optimism.
- Continue to learn. Give and ask for feedback. Teach your team members what you know so they are comfortable and confident.
- Create a friendly and inviting workspace and encourage your team members to do the same. It always feels good to work in an organized and welcoming space.
- Smile, laugh and enjoy your job more! Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. And it’s contagious – let your team see you laughing and in good spirits.
4 Myths About Employee Engagement
There may be trouble a-brewing. In the years following the 2008 recession, statistics indicated that employee engagement improved — possibly because of the express need to rally against the economy’s downfall. But, according to the 2015 Employee Engagement Trends by Quantum Workplace (a consultancy specializing in “workplace awesomeness”), engagement declined from 68% to 65.9% in 2014.
Engaged employees are highly motivated and committed. They bring a great deal of enthusiasm to work every day, and feel positively about their managers and employers. Does this sound like most of the workers at your organization? Or are you suffering from the slight decline in engagement indicated in the survey?
If you fear that the number of unengaged — or even actively disengaged — employees on staff is growing, you may be falling prey to a number of myths about employee engagement that plague many organizations. Here are five to consider.
- This is serious business!
- The tougher, the better!
- Awards solve everything!
- It’s all about them!