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5 ways to leverage your introverted networking energy
Michelle Tillis Lederman Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWhy do we have a visceral reaction to the word networking? I often hear the mental machinations that hold us back like, "I have nothing to say." or "They don’t want to talk to me." The other roadblock is how it feels… yucky! I have heard people refer to networking as manipulation, pasting on a smile, or schmoozing. Our energy ebbs and flows during different times of day, in different situations, locations, and atmospheres. Once we understand the nature of our networking energy, we can use it to create opportunities that work with our natural and preferred style.
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4 tips for onboarding a new project team member
Deborah Ike Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementMost projects that last more than a few months will involve onboarding new team members as you move into a new phase of the project. Part of your role as the project manager is to ensure that new team members acclimate to the project as quickly and as smoothly as possible. That won't happen without planning for their arrival in advance. Here are several tips for how to get new team members onboard and into a productive mode ASAP.
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Who sits next to you at the board table?
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementThe caliber of directors serving on the board impacts governance and outcomes. I asked a leadership class, "What qualities do you expect of fellow directors when you join an association board?" One of the participants offered, "You are the average of the five people you associate with." These future leaders said they wanted to be surrounded by board members who exhibit the specific qualities listed in this article.
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Let’s not kid ourselves: The real reason for employee turnover
Roberta Matuson Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementI recently received a call from a CEO who was concerned about the sudden increase in employee turnover in his organization. He couldn't understand why anyone would leave his firm. He then went down a laundry list of perks he recently added. I let him speak and then said, "Tell me something. Is this turnover happening throughout the organization or is there a particular area where you've noticed a spike?" He thought about it and said, "It seems most of the turnover is taking place in Bob's department. There are a few leaders in his operation who can be a bit abrupt at times — maybe even a bit abusive, but they're hitting their numbers." Boom! There you have it.
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Gap analysis improves associations
William D. Pawlucy Association ManagementThe dictionary defines a gap as an incomplete or deficient area. A gap analysis is what an organization conducts to identify these incomplete or deficient areas in order to move from its current state to its ideal and desired future state. Every nonprofit can benefit from a gap analysis annually and in conjunction with reviewing its strategic plan. So, how do you perform a gap analysis while integrating it into your organization's strategic plan?
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The ‘juniorization’ of organizations: Why this idea should…
Roberta Matuson Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementBlatant discrimination against older workers is illegal. Yet, it happens every day. David Neumark, a professor of economics at the University of California, Irvine, and two other economists published a study in 2017. They sent out 40,000 resumes for thousands of real jobs. The resumes for any given job were identical except for age. "The call-back rate — the rate by which employers contact us and say we'd like to interview you — drops from young applicants to middle-aged applicants and drops further from middle-aged applicants to older applicants," Neumark says.
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Training is an investment, not a cost
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe race to attract skilled labor is on. Productivity may be slowing but it is still moving in a positive direction, and new unemployment applications are still declining. And according to a recent analysis by The Economist, American manufacturing, particularly among "agile smaller firms using advanced techniques" may be expanding. While this tight labor market may look different than the one before the recession, one thing is consistent: the most challenging staffing shortage is in skilled labor. Because of this, organizations across industries must recognize that training is an investment, not a cost.
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What every leader needs to know about goal setting
Roberta Matuson Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementHave you ever had a goal that you thought was unattainable? How’d you feel? Demoralized is the word that comes to mind. Yet companies continue to set what they call "stretch goals" thinking that if they set the target slightly out of the reach of an employee, employees will miraculously muster up the energy to hit these targets. This sort of thinking is entirely wrong. If you’re like most people, you look at a task that seems like a stretch and think, "I stand a better chance of reaching the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro than I do scaling this goal. Why bust my butt on something I know is out of my reach?"
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Do candidates really accept job offers based on an employer’s brand…
Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementCompanies often search a job applicant's background before deciding to extend a job offer. A less than favorable background has caused many employers to shy away from an applicant. However, the results of a reputation management study by MRINetwork reveal that job candidates are also checking an employer's background. According to the study, 59 percent of job candidates believe that an employer's brand strength is either important or very important. Compensation and opportunities for advancement are seen as positive factors influencing the employer's brand.
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Don’t let wrong assumptions ruin your business
Simma Lieberman Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementEveryone has some kind of bias. Our biases are based on how and where we were raised, what we heard growing up, and images and depictions of different groups in the media. I've spoken countless times on how to prevent or break through conscious and unconscious bias. Too many people still believe we can't do anything about them, but we can. Once we become aware of our biases, the next step is to reframe our internal messages and look at people and situations in different ways.
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