Teamwork

You Texted What?

By Miranda Wilson on Wednesday, October 27, 2010

R u a txtr? Text messaging has become one of the most common ways people communicate. Research conducted by Nielsen Wire, found that more than 2.5 billion texts are sent daily in the U.S. And according to a recent article on MSNBC.com’s Technoblog, 87% of teens and 72% of adults are text messaging.

Today, texting seems to be the communication tool of choice for many because it’s easy to do and quicker than calling someone to have a conversation. For example, you can send a quick text to tell someone something like C U @ 545 instead of getting caught in a long conversation.

But, texting isn’t just for personal use anymore. It’s being used more and more in the workplace and becoming a common communication tool between managers and employees. Some managers are OK with allowing employees to text to discuss work-related issues like taking a sick day, reporting a family emergency, or dropping a quick line to say they’re running late. But, are there some things that shouldn’t be texted? In the survey conducted by Nielsen Wire, it was also discovered that 11% of college students and recent college graduates think it’s OK to text a manager when resigning from a job.

As technology continues to change and more generations entering the workforce, communication on the job continues to change. As an employee, it’s important for you to know what your manager’s thoughts are and what your company’s policies and preferences outline regarding text messaging on the job.

Does your job already have texting rules in place? Would you or have you ever texted your boss to say you’re sick or that you’re resigning? Share your thoughts with us!

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The iPhone Versus Workplace Etiquette: Take the Poll

By tiffany monhollon on Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Smart phones are once again the talk at the water cooler as co-workers chat up the recently-launched iPhone 4's features (and bugs) and compare notes on the latest in smart phone technology – from Android to Blackberry to iPhone and beyond. According to a recent ComScore study, over 45 million people in the U.S. own smart phones, the largest-growing segment of the 234 million-strong U.S. mobile phone market.

Now that mobile phone technology has advanced to the stage that people are carrying small, hand-held computers around with them on a day-to-day basis, the culture is definitely changing. From impacting e-mail habits to altering the way our brain processes information to changing the intrapersonal communication styles of a generation, mobile technology plays an important role in the digital age.

So this month, we want to know how smart phones affect etiquette in the workplace. Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below:

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Set the Example

By Miranda Wilson on Friday, March 5, 2010

It’s safe to say that everyone is tired of this economy. And, many of today’s workers are feeling the strain because of increased workloads, longer work hours, and decreased salaries. It’s no wonder everyone doesn’t always have the greatest attitude, right?

Although you can’t control how your co-workers feel or act every day, you’re in control of your own feelings and actions. YOU can be the example you want to see in the office. You can take the initiative to make your overall office environment better and be a good example for your fellow colleagues. How? Here are a few acts of kindness you can do around the office to help relieve tension and make the day a little brighter. And, the best thing about this is you don’t have to be in a leadership position to do this. Anyone can do this.

Send a word of praise. For this, buy a greeting card. You can write a kind note on it about someone you work with, telling them such things as they did a great job on a certain project, tell the funniest jokes, are a great cook, have a wonderful fashion sense, etc. This is just a little way of letting that person know you’re glad to be their co-worker. Then, present them with the card! After that, the person who received the card has to keep the good times going by writing another positive note to another teammate and presenting it to them.

Recognize the “Stars of the Week.” Every Friday, recognize a few individuals you feel have done a great job for the week. Each week, you can recognize different individuals until everyone has been recognized for something. Include in the e-mail why you’ve recognized them for the “star” award, and if it’s OK with management, send the e-mail to everyone on your team so they can check it out. If you want, you can also award small prizes.

Find out how things are going. Find out how your teammates are doing. What are their interests, how is their family doing, do they plans for the weekend? Make it a point to just chat with them and get to know them. If they don’t want to share information with you, that’s OK too. But, at least you made an effort to learn more about them and that will mean something to them.

Get away from the office for lunch. Plan a lunch outing for you and your co-workers. Take a vote on where everyone wants to eat, and go there for your ENTIRE lunch hour. It’s important to use your break to relax. Make it a rule for the outing that no one can talk about work during lunch.

Potluck, anyone? Everyone likes food, so why not have a potluck one Friday? You could either do a breakfast or lunch potluck. This is a cost effective choice instead of everyone going to a restaurant to eat.

Bring cupcakes, just because. Surprise everyone on your team with cupcakes just to help brighten their day.

Start a book club. Despite the economy, you and your teammates still have an opportunity to learn and advance your skills within your current job roles. Purchase books on leadership and strengths development and start a weekly book club. This gives you a chance to get to know each other more and grow your knowledge and skills.

These are just as few examples of things you can do to help create a more positive work environment and help generate some happiness. Do you have other ideas of things to do around the office to increase morale? We want to know!

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Professional Lessons from the Barnyard

By Brie Hobbs on Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Some days, the hustle and bustle of cube life doesn’t seem all that different from a barnyard full of animals. The gossip group around the water cooler sounds like a henhouse full of clucking chickens. Your cube-mate’s laugh breaks your concentration like the hee-haw of a mule. And, the papers stacking up around your desk make you feel like a tired work horse. But, despite the negative attributes your daily routine may share with a brood of barnyard animals, if you look closely, there are also positive characteristics you can learn from all creatures – great and small – to improve your work environment and career.

Not sure where to start looking? Follow theses examples to be a whole different kind of employee that companies need to lead the pack.

Be loyal like a dog. Learn an old trick from man’s best friend and be a loyal and dependable employee to your company, your supervisor, and your team. Employers know that loyalty can be a hard thing to come by, so they value trustworthy employees with devotion. By being loyal, you will stand out as top dog. You can prove your loyalty by keeping confidential information confidential, ignoring and avoiding harmful office gossip, and being a dependable employee everyone can count on.

Every dog has its day. So, choose to be reliable and faithful in your daily tasks, actions, and attitude and your loyalty will be rewarded with the affection and respect of your employer and your entire team.

Keep cool like a pig. Pigs don’t have functional sweat glands, so when things get hot, they have to cool themselves down with water or mud before they overheat. Losing your cool at work can be a career killer. So, it’s important to always maintain your composure in the office. When you’re faced with stressful situations, don’t sweat it. Instead, take a deep breath and take everything in stride, because reacting inappropriately or unprofessionally will only add fuel to an already hot fire.

Since rolling around in a mud hole is not an option, if you’re having trouble staying calm under pressure at work, take a break, find someone outside of work to talk to, or listen to music to improve your serenity and keep your cool.

Rule the roost like a rooster. No matter what your title or job position, you can be a team leader who motivates your co-workers to succeed. Start every day by rousing your colleagues with a positive and energetic attitude and outlook that is contagious. Be sure to crow loudly about your co-workers’ accomplishments and triumphs with sincere praise and celebration. Protect them from the sly predator of negativity by carefully guarding your own outlook and approach to life, work, and your company.

So, next time work gets a little crazy and messy like a pig sty, keep your cool, be a loyal and dependable employee who motivates your team, and you will be the needle in the workplace haystack.

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Before You Go On PTO (Paid Time Off)

By Jennifer Kenley on Friday, January 22, 2010

Coming back to work after taking some time off is never fun, especially if you’re coming back after a fabulous vacation. But, as sure as the morning sun rises each day, going back to work is inevitable. What you do before you go on your paid time off however, will be the difference between coming back to a mountain of work and sliding back into your normal work routine with ease.

Recently, I had to take some time off for a tonsillectomy. I know, not necessarily a stay at the beach, but still a planned event that required a number of necessary days off from work. So, I made a plan ahead of time to get as much work done as possible so I wouldn’t be bombarded with projects when I came back and my co-workers didn’t hate me for pushing work onto their already full plates. When you have a scheduled vacation or any other upcoming event that requires time off from work, try following these tips to help your transition be an easy one.

Work ahead. If you work in a job where you are able to work ahead on tasks, do so. Don’t procrastinate and wait until the last minute to complete them. Figure out task deadlines that need to be completed while you’re out and those that are due when you first come back, then make sure they are done before you leave. This will ensure that your co-workers don’t have to add your additional work to their heavy workloads. If you can’t work ahead on job assignments, make sure you keep your scheduled paid time off on your boss’s radar and co-workers’ minds so they aren’t surprised when it’s time for you to leave.

Create points of contact. It’s always good to assign someone to be the point person on specific tasks in case anyone outside your department has questions while you’re away. Create a cheat sheet for the project officers you’ve assigned tasks to help them easily access information. A cheat sheet should include background information on tasks, where they can find file folders if necessary, deadlines on tasks you were unable to meet prior to your leave, and important phone numbers.

Inform those who need to know. Make sure you let your department and contacts know the dates you will be unavailable. This will help keep the lines of communication open and allow questions or concerns to be addressed prior to your time away from work. Also, create an assigned task list with the name of the project officer to give to your supervisor to keep them apprised of who is working on what. If you work with people outside of your department, let them know who will be able to help them on specific items in your absence. Always remember to leave an out-of-office message on your e-mail and voice mail so you don’t leave people wondering why you haven’t responded.

Leave an emergency number. It’s always a good idea to leave an emergency number in case something comes up. Most times, your co-workers will value your time away from the office and will not bother you. But, if a crisis happens in your absence, it shows great consideration and dedication to your team if they can contact you if needed. If you’re concerned about being contacted often, set expectations that have been approved by your supervisor on when co-workers can call.

Preparing a plan before you go on your scheduled leave from work and completing the necessary steps outlined above will help ensure your transition back to work is a smooth one. Not to mention a smooth work environment for your co-workers who have to help you in your absence. Plus, when it’s time for your co-workers to take time off from work, they may follow your example and remember how you prepared.

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Who’s Your Boss? – Understanding Leadership Styles

By Miranda Wilson on Tuesday, September 29, 2009

In every work environment, you encounter different leadership styles among managers. Some might have exceptional leaders, but others might experience a manager with not-so-great leadership. Leadership styles vary broadly from one manager to the next and from situation to situation. So, how do you know what type of leadership style your manager has? Here is a list of the most common leadership styles and a description of what they are to help you identify the type of manager you work for.

1. Authoritarian.

The authoritarian leader exudes extreme power over their employees. This leader calls all the shots and does not leave much decision making up to the team. They have a vision they want to achieve and know exactly how they’re going to get there … no matter what. With this type of leader they won’t ask employees to do something – they will tell you to do something. If so, to keep the peace, do what is asked without griping or complaining.

Leaders who fall under this category are also classified as transactional leaders. Basically, these are no-nonsense leaders who lay down the law to their employees from day one. Team members have no say and the manager doesn’t really focus on helping the team grow and develop – they just want the work done right.

2. Bureaucratic. This individual is a rule follower and makes sure that the team sticks to the rules. They don’t allow for team brainstorming or coming up with creative new ways to accomplish work. To stay on this leader’s good side, make sure you are following the rules. Over time, this leader may become comfortable with new ideas that you propose – just remember to relate them back to the company and show how they follow the rules and meet company standards.

3. Democratic. A democratic leader is the exact opposite of an authoritarian. They involve the team in decision-making processes, and take all suggestions into account when making the final decision. Also, a democratic leader is considered to be a transformational leader because they focus on the future and on positive growth at work. They want to help others become better leaders as well.

With democratic leaders, feel free to voice opinions or suggestions that you might have. Tell them why you believe in an idea or support or dislike something in the workplace. They will respect your interest in the business.

4. Laissez-Fair. A leader with this style tends to be hands off and allows the team to make all the decisions. In French, laissez-fair means “leave it be” or “let it be.” Basically, this leader leaves everything alone and puts the team in charge. However, this can create a stressful, chaotic environment that lacks direction and goes nowhere.

Unfortunately with this type of leader, they are not very interested in an organization, and there is little that an employee can do to improve the situation. An organization needs leadership to survive. If your organization is dealing with a laissez-fair leader, it might be in the best interest to elect someone into the leadership role who will be involved in the organization.

As you can see, the top leadership styles vary widely and range from the good to the bad. Apply this information to find out what type of leader you work for and to make the best of your workday.

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Bad Boss of the Week: A Christmas Carol’s Ebenezer Scrooge

By Brie Hobbs on Friday, July 17, 2009

Ebenezer Scrooge – the self-centered, tight-fisted, hum bug in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol – is this week’s bad boss. His constant malice, degrading demeanor, and entire lack of work/life balance make him the classic bad boss.

While there’s a great deal to be said for hard work, knowing how to balance business with life is an important and necessary skill that eluded Scrooge for much of his career. He spent most of his life at work and expected his employee, Bob Crachit, to do the same, only reluctantly giving him Christmas day off.

Have you found that your work/life balance can be more work than life? In order to keep pace with a workaholic boss, here are three things you can do to reprioritize your life and still meet their expectations.

1. Discuss and understand your employer’s expectations
2. Take time to evaluate your goals and priorities
3. Establish an agreed-upon plan in advance, including deadlines and time off.

To view a clip of Ebenezer Scrooge in action, click here.

Share your bad boss stories at www.worstbosses.com. For more information about 100 Worst Bosses – Learning from the Very Worst How to Be Your Very Best and the Movin’ on Up Bad Boss of the Week, click here.