Busy Work: The Ultimate Illusion
At some point or another, whether during our education or career, we’ve all undoubtedly come across someone in a position of leadership who is insistent upon the merits of busy work. Professors who dole out countless assignments and superiors who readily make long strings of demands both fall into this unfortunate category. What many fail to accept is that this busy work does not amount to much progress.
A mentor once told me to “work smart, not hard,” and I initially pushed the thought aside in order to do just what he was cautioning me to avoid. It seemed like such an obvious and simple concept that I automatically assumed I was already applying it to my work. It wasn’t until that night as I was mulling over the happenings of my day before bed that I finally came to a realization: I wasn’t as “smart” as I had previously thought. I had spent my day working through tasks that could have been more easily completed by someone else. It will forever be a struggle of mine to delegate tasks to others and to further prioritize those that I am best suited to complete.
Taking on too much at once creates a sense of what John Kotter, chief innovation officer of Kotter International, calls “false urgency” in a contribution to Forbes’ website. This illusion of a critical situation is essentially a response to the stress created by an overwhelming amount of work looming in the future. We must learn to recognize legitimate urgency for what it truly is and to adjust accordingly. Too much activity is a breeding ground for anxiety, which can only lead to more substantial problems.
Some keys to working smart include:
1. Prioritize – Keep a complete list of tasks that you must complete. Even keeping track of the smallest duties can help you effectively plan your day. Try using word processing software or to-do list applications so you can easily delete and reorder items, and arrange these items in reverse order of due date. Especially crucial tasks should be highlighted and possibly moved to the top of the list.
2. Delegate – It is often horribly difficult to pass work onto others. We can only completely trust ourselves to get the job done correctly, right? While this may be true, certain tasks must be prioritized and entrusted to the care of others for the sake of time. It’s okay to keep a watchful eye out at first, but try to build trust with peers. Learn their specific strengths and make assignments accordingly.
3. Organize – An effective presentation is one that is structured and streamlined. Basically, get to the main point quickly. The minds of busy colleagues are likely to wander should you include heaps of meaningless “fluff” in your argument. Time wasted on an unorganized mess with an unclear objective can be better spent on issues that truly matter.
4. Evaluate – Take the time to step back from your projects, and ask yourself, “Is this really necessary?” Are you making progress? Is your work truly accomplishing something beneficial? By eliminating things that are irrelevant or insignificant, you can find more time in your hectic schedule to devote to what really matters. Remember, it’s okay to take shortcuts as long as you don’t let the quality of your work suffer.
In summary, keep things simple. Work smart, not hard, and never lose focus on the ultimate goal.
Adapted from, “Why Busy Work Doesn’t Work,” John Kotter, Forbes.com
Do Introverts Make the Best Leaders?
Filed under: Management, Tips & Tricks, Uncategorized
I have a friend that has moved quickly up the ranks of a major corporation. Despite his somewhat speedy transition to jobs with increasing responsibility, back-to-back performance reviews that hit the far exceed mark, and stellar leadership reviews from his team and customers, some of his “mentors” continue to advise him to “speak up more”. Despite a 20-year track record of successful results, my friend continues to receive this feedback which he continues to find confusing.
Okay. It’s no secret my friend is a bit of an introvert. He doesn’t feel compelled to fill silence with small talk just to hear himself speak. Nor is he a pseudo-intellectual who wants to dazzle you with his brilliance by spouting off facts and data he memorized. He’s just a very intelligent man with a wealth of knowledge and experience that is cushioned by a strong work ethic and a warm personality. He treats people the way he wants to be treated, and understands the importance of feedback…whether it’s positive or about an area that can be improved upon.
So does this make him less than a leader?
Having been a product of the corporate world for more than 24 years, I remember all too well the colleagues with the big titles who sat at the executive table and raised their voices (loudly) to make a point. Sometimes a fist would bang or a door would be slammed as they stormed out of meetings. Often a caustic remark was interjected as the decibels increased.
I’ll give you, that kind of behavior doesn’t speak well of the corporate culture, but these were the individuals identified as the leaders or high performers. That aside:
Did this make the individual a better leader? Did they get the results they wanted? Did it help the organization move forward or enable a team member to innovate or achieve on their own? I can confidently say, “No. It did not.”
I thought of my friend, and others I have met along the way, who fall under “the curse” of being on the quiet side as I read this article. I thought I would share so that we’re all reminded that sometimes introverts make the best leaders:
There’s good reason why 40% of executives describe themselves as introverts. From broker Charles Schwab to Avon chief Andrea Jung, “innies” possess these traits of quiet leadership:
1. They think first. Even in casual conversation, leaders learn by listening. They realize that their authority alone makes them visible, so they use their calm demeanors to make a statement. Just one thoughtful comment in a meeting can move a group forward.
2. They run deep. Leaders delve into ideas. Deborah Dunsire, a physician and president of a biopharmaceutical company, schedules walk-around time. “I would say, ‘Hey, what is keeping you up at night? What are you working on? Where can we improve?’
3. They exude calm. Because they are low-key, introverted leaders project reassurance and confidence in times of crisis. One executive tells himself before networking events, “I can do anything for 30 minutes.”
4. They write it down. Comfort with the written word helps leaders explain the reasons for their actions and also documents those actions.
5. They enjoy solitude. Introverts recharge by spending time alone. Regular time-outs fuel their creativity and decision-making. During high=pressure periods, this helps them stay reflective, not reactive.
Martin Schmidler, VP at a food service company, tells his people he needs time to absorb what he learns, and he is clear on how and when he’ll get back to them. He consistently follows through.
- Adapted from “Why Introverts Can Make the Best Leaders,” Jennifer Kahnweiler, Forbes.com.
What the Heck is the Durbin Amendment…and how does it affect my business?
Joe Willett, Bloomington Area representative with Chamber member Infintech, helps to answer some questions that local business owners may have surrounding the Durbin Amendment. Although this amendment is supposed to lower fees on debit/check card transactions – there’s still a question:
Will Your Business Get 100% of the Federally Mandated Debit Card Fee Reduction?
Let’s hear from Joe:
You may have recently heard about the passing of the Durbin Amendment through Congress. The Federal Reserve recently issued its final ruling on interchange, or swipe fees on debit card transactions. In a nutshell, this amendment will force the banks to lower interchange fees on Visa & MasterCard debit/check card transactions to near nothing, but not every merchant accepting Debit Card transactions will benefit from this historic interchange fee reduction.
What’s an Interchange Fee?
An interchange fee is the charge assessed on a merchant every time you swipe your debit or credit card. The fee varies widely, depending on the card and the merchant, and is levied to offset the cost of fraud prevention and processing the transaction. Fraudulent charges on a debit card are relatively small, so they command lower swipe fees; signature cards have the largest swipe fees, since they often have the highest credit limits.
What does this amendment mean for consumers?
Banks have already factored in the loss of interchange revenue, and many are levying new fees on checking accounts, raising minimum balance requirements, and ending debit rewards programs. Credit card swipe fees account for 65 percent of the total interchange costs, so the savings from debit swipe fees are unlikely to be noticeable for consumers.
Although this law, effective October 1, is going to reduce the cost to process debit/check cards, it does not necessarily mean that savings will be passed to you as a merchant. Many processors will be the only recipient of these margins, and whether the merchant pockets the savings or if the credit card processor pockets the savings will be determined largely on the type of pricing model the credit card processor has a particular merchant set up on.
The Chamber invites you to learn more:
To learn the facts about how the Durbin Amendment will impact your business’ bottom line, register online for a no charge webinars that Infintech is hosting that will help guide you through the complicated process of understanding the Durbin Amendment and its possible impact on your business.
Wed, Sep 21, 2011 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM EDT
To speak directly with the Bloomington Area Infintech Representative, Joe Willett, please call 812-568-6397 or email Joe at joe.willett@infintechllc.com
10 Management Lessons from Harry Potter – Kelley Brown/Leigh Steere
I’m a huge Harry Potter fan. I admit it. I read all the books right alongside my two boys as they were growing up, fighting the urge to read ahead after they fell asleep. Yes – I was the “that person” who cried in the movies and, of course, at the end of the final book. So when I saw this article, I was immediately drawn in. Who knew that our beloved wizard friend could also teach us so much about management!? Thank you to author Leigh Steere (and Harry!) for these great lessons:
To conclude this summer’s Harry Potter mania, it seems fitting to study the HR implications of J.K. Rowling’s seven volumes.
Her novels explore human nature, communication dynamics, moral dilemmas, and social issues, so why not use them as a source of business inspiration?
Consider this scene from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince:
Headmaster Albus Dumbledore gives Harry an urgent assignment. Harry makes one feeble attempt at completing it, but fails. He ponders other possible approaches to the task but postpones taking further action. (Sound like any employees you’ve encountered?)
Days later, Dumbledore asks Harry about his progress. After Harry describes his one measly attempt, Dumbledore sits in calm silence. He doesn’t yell or get mad. After a few moments, he simply responds, “I see. And you feel you have exerted your very best efforts in this matter? That you have exercised all of your considerable ingenuity? That you have left no depth of cunning unplumbed in your quest” to complete the assignment?
Here’s the beauty of Dumbledore’s performance management technique: By staying calm, he keeps Harry focused on performance. Managers who lose their cool miss a teaching opportunity. Why? The employee’s focus shifts away from the business at hand to managing a volatile communication.
Here are nine other business lessons from the series:
1. Recognize your prejudices. In the Potter books, we meet “squibs” (offspring who lack magical skill), “mudbloods” (witches and wizards with non-magical parents), giants, and werewolves. Various people shun them just because of their “status.” Managers: Who makes you uncomfortable? Discomfort often signals a lurking prejudice.
2. Treat people as equals, and they will give their all for you. Dobby, the house elf, blows his nose into his clothes, instead of using a tissue. Luna wears odd jewelry and rattles on about far-fetched topics that cause fellow students to label her “Loonie Lovegood.” Harry steadfastly treats them as equals. He listens to them and genuinely considers their input. Do you treat everyone as equals, regardless of their job or salary? When you do, they’ll go to the mat for you.
3. Choose competence over pedigree. Some think Hagrid’s lack of credentials should disqualify him from teaching Care of Magical Creatures, despite his clear gifting with critters.Are you passing over great candidates, because they have diplomas from community college instead of Harvard?
4. Pause before judging an employee’s potential. Neville Longbottom can’t seem to get anything right in the early books. In one class, he ends up suspended from a chandelier. Physically clumsy and lacking confidence, Neville becomes fodder for pranks and bullying. Yet he emerges as a key hero later on. Have you written off any employees as “lacking potential?” Take a second look.
5. Speak up if you see what’s holding an employee back. Neville is extremely gifted in herbology. But his grandmother thinks working with plants is a “soft” occupation and actively steers him toward another career. He begins succeeding when Professor McGonagle encourages him to play to his strengths instead of his grandmother’s whims. Millennials with helicopter parents may be marching to mom’s and dad’s rotors. Help young workers break the tether and find their own flight path.
6. Avoid saying “shut up and follow the rules.” That’s oppression, not leadership.Dolores Umbridge shows what happens when you saddle people with layers of regulations. Some lose their motivation, psychologically “check out,” and continue plodding along with their heads hung low. Others rebel in disruptive ways. The Weasley twins’ exit in Book 5 is breathtaking. Are your employees plotting dramatic departures?
7. Be humble enough to change your mind publicly. Harry Potter has many reasons to hate Severus Snape, who constantly makes disparaging remarks about the young wizard. But in the end, Potter gets new information that reshapes his thinking. Harry names his second child Albus Severus Potter in the ultimate public reversal of sentiment. Managers: willingness to admit mistakes builds workplace trust and respect.
8. Foster collaboration. Discourage “lone cowboy” mentality. Harry and Ron would not have survived without Hermione’s textbook knowledge. None of them would have made it without help from Aberforth, Order of the Phoenix, and Dumbledore’s Army. Does your organization reward prima donnas or great team players?
9. Break the elder wand. Power corrupts. Succeeding in business isn’t about collecting power. It’s about serving others and improving the world in some way. How are you personally making a difference in the workplace?
“Protecting a Community’s Brand” by Jim Walton
How would a secret shopper respond?
The other day, I was reading an article on a newspaper web site and, as is often the case, it offered an opportunity for readers to voice an opinion about the article. I have mixed feelings about such forums. Some of the responders offer positive or constructive comments while a few others are folks who just love to stir the pot with negativity. You know them, they’re Cavemen. Citizens Against Virtually Everything. They’re never happy and they want the world to know it.
I was having coffee recently with a site selection consultant friend and asked him if he ever looks at such forums while in the process of evaluating communities for prospective jobs projects. “I sure do,” he said, “and I sometimes find alarming information.”
He told me that once he has narrowed his list of communities to a handful, maybe three to five, he’ll visit media web sites, looking for stories or forums that might reveal issues that could present challenges to his client. He said he will also listen to streaming television or radio broadcasts to hear which issues are being discussed. “Election seasons can be very revealing,” he said, “all of the dirt is in plain sight.”
He also said that he’ll go to the city or county web site and read the minutes of council meetings. In addition to learning how elected officials handle incentives and other issues, he finds out how they interact with the business community and one another. Do they work together in a positive, community-building manner or do the minutes reveal a tone of incivility that he might choose to avoid? In these days of internet connectivity, your community’s brand reputation is out there for the world, including prospective employers, to see.
Secret shopper site visits
Have you heard of secret shoppers? That’s when a company hires someone to go into a retail establishment, posing as a customer, in order to report back about their experience. Were the employees friendly and helpful or were they rude? Did they offer assistance or were you ignored? How was the food?
Site selection consultants, under contract to find a new home for a prospective employer, sometimes do the same thing. Without the knowledge of the economic developer or elected officials, a person or team of people will show up, blend in, and observe. They’ll eat in your restaurants, stay in your hotels, visit your retail establishments, and interact with your citizens. Are they polite, friendly, and positive about the community or just the opposite?
A site selection consultant once told me about a secret shopper visit when he asked a young man, “What’s the one thing I should see while I’m here?” Without hesitation, the young man said, “The town in your rear view mirror.” Ouch!
While on a secret shopper mission, the team will report on any number of things, such as road conditions, your industrial park, schools, community entryways, the downtown area, and much, much more. Based on their findings, your community can advance to the next level of consideration or be cut from the list if they don’t like what they see and hear. And, here’s the shocker, you may never know they were there.
I’ve often thought there was an opportunity for a Chamber of Commerce to provide a program to inform retail members about how they impact such visitors.
So, who is responsible for a community’s brand? Everyone! It’s not just the job of the county council, the Mayor, or the economic developer. The hotel clerk, waitress, school teacher, store owner, and any citizen can make or break a major jobs deal. When your community is in the top three of five, a site selector has already crunched the numbers and done his or her homework about the financial or workforce aspects of the deal. Any of the communities on the “short list” would work. Now, they’re looking at the little nuances, any reason to take you off the list. It doesn’t take much.
Each person in a community is a keeper of the local brand. At Brand Acceleration, we are occasionally called upon to develop a community pride campaign. Working with local leaders, we develop ways to build enthusiasm and pride in the minds of citizens. We remind them that their town, city, or county is a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family. If such an effort results in one positive comment to just the right person, it could help result in the attraction of hundreds of jobs and a thriving local economy.
As with the newspaper mentioned above, you can share your stories and opinions by clicking here to go to my blog.
Jim Walton
CEO
Brand Acceleration is a full-service advertising, brand management and public relations firm operating from Indianapolis, Indiana and Charlotte, North Carolina. The agency’s focus is on economic development, architecture/engineering/construction and real estate.
Help us grow the collective voice of business! The Big Invite!
The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce its new initiative to grow the voice of business in our community — The Big INvite!
Believing that members are the foundation of our organization, The Chamber is looking to strengthen that foundation and increase the collective voice of business with this important membership initiative. The event will be held on Tuesday, June 28th at the Clubhouse at Cedarview Management’s “10th & College” Building.
Volunteers representing a cross-section of Chamber member businesses are expected to participate in The Big INvite, working on the premise that a phone call from a friend or colleague regarding Chamber membership is the best testimonial possible. More than 120 Chamber member volunteers will participate in the day’s activities that will include refreshments and friendly competition among the various teams of volunteers.
“The Chamber is a membership organization and many businesses believe they have to be invited to become a Chamber member. While this isn’t the case, an invitation to join from a friend or professional colleague is a wonderful way to become involved,” said Mary Jo Orlowski, account executive with The Chamber.
An “After Party” is planned for the volunteers and will be held immediately following the event at Grazie! Italian Eatery from 4:30-6:30pm with hors d’oeuvres, wine & beer provided.
Interested in being part of The Big Invite! Want to encourage your peers, business associates, etc. to join the Bloomington Chamber to grow our voice in the community, provide more services for all members and expand our community’s business network? Sign up to volunteer from either 8-11am or 1-4pm to compete for bragging rights and be a part of this important Chamber initiative!
Contact Mary Jo Orlowski at morlowski@chamberbloomington.org or 336-6381 to get INvolved in The Big INvite!
Incentiprizing
In a recently posted article from the Huffington Post called “’Incentiprizing’: The New Path To Business Breakthroughs,” the author, Naveen Jain, comes to an interesting conclusion about how to successfully grow your company from the inside. He begins his argument by noting that process most companies use to increase innovation and growth is to hire new employees. Jain then proposes that instead of going through this process, it makes more sense to create incentives for your current employees regarding innovative developments, investment ideas, and other such ventures. He quotes Sun Microsystems co-founder Bill Joy, who said, “No matter who you are, most of the smartest people work for someone else.” Jain notes that this very opinion gets employers stuck thinking they constantly need new talent in order to create new ideas.
This theory, Jain notes, is not so. He argues that there are employees at every company capable of thinking outside of the box for a company’s needs, and that the best way to tap into this hidden pool is through incentive contests, effectively singling out those employees who will be most useful for your business endeavors. To quote Jain, “Instead of looking for that needle in the haystack, let that needle come straight to you.”
Catching Up With the Chamber
It was a great crowd at the May hYPe event! Thanks to all who attended
On Wednesday, May 11th, we hosted a hYPe event at Oliver Winery, featuring some great networking activities, not to mention great wine and food provided by the Winery and local Bloomington restaurants. And this is just the beginning! With summer just around the corner, the Chamber is pleased to bring more exciting events to our members. In addition to the Oliver Winery Social Event, we have many more outstanding social events planned for members of both the Chamber and hYPe. Some of the events in the near future are:
ABC: Credit Card Processing 101
When: May 20th, 2011 at 11:30am
Where: The Johnson Creamery Building, Rm. 108
If you are interested in offering the benefit of credit card processing for your clients and customers, this presentation is a must-attend. All your questions about credit card processing will be answered! The seminar will cover topics including, but not limited to, the following: cost components of a transaction, factors that influence cost, and pricing alternatives. You can even bring along your current merchant statement for personalized review with an Account Representative!
You can register for the event on our website, here!
WEB Awards Ceremony and Luncheon
When: May 25, 2011 at 11:30am (Doors open at 11am)
Where: Henke Hall of Champions
We are so excited to bring you the 2nd annual Women Excel Bloomington awards ceremony and luncheon. During this luncheon, we will honor seven businesswomen from Bloomington who have gone above and beyond the call for bettering their business and our community. In addition, we are thrilled to have guest speaker Caroline Dowd-Higgins, the Director of Professional Development for the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, and an active advocate for women in business. This is an event you won’t want to miss!
You can buy tickets or sponsor a table by visiting our website, here!
hYPe Financial Health Professional Development Event
When: June 8th, 2011 from 5:30-7:30pm
Where: Bloomington Country Club
The hYPe Financial Health Professional Development event is a great resource for both newcomers and seasoned professionals alike! During this event, hYPe is happy to give you the opportunity to speak with a professional advisor and participate in discussions about topics like credit scores, strategies for debt relief, retirement, in addition to many more! The event will feature light snacks and a cash bar, and is free to attend, but registration is encouraged.
You can learn more and register for this event by visiting our website, here!
ABC: 10 Steps to Successful Social Networking in Business
When: June 10th, 11:30am-1:00pm
Where: The Johnson Creamery Building
This seminar is one for the modern professional needing to know about the best strategies for managing the social aspects of business. Rhonda Foster, the Human Resources Director with the Monroe County Government, will cover everything from how to manage projects, people, and time, to project presentation and research, and many more topics! The event attendees will also enjoy a lunch provided by Scotty’s Brewhouse, and is free to members!
Make sure to register for this event on our website so you can attend this informative seminar!
28th Annual Golf Scramble
When: June 15th 2011, with breakfast at 6:00am, and tee times at 7:00am and 12:30pm
Where: The Eagle Point Golf Resort
The Chamber is thrilled to present the 28th Annual Golf Scramble, which should be a fun day of golf with the chance to win amazing prizes! The tournament will be in Florida Scramble style with teams of four, offering more than $30,000 worth of cash & prizes up for grabs, including $1000 to the top 3 teams: 1st – $600, 2nd – $300, and 3rd – $100. Tee times are at 7:00am, preceded by a breakfast served at 6:00am, and 12:30pm, with a complimentary lunch for all players from 11:30am-1:30pm. Registration is required, so make sure to sign up early so you don’t miss what is bound to be a great event!
For more information and easy online registration, visit our website, here!
We hope that you are just as excited as we are about these events, and make sure to check our website for more information on events for our members. If you Like us on Facebook, you can get invites to our events directly so you will always know what’s going on at the Chamber!
Secrets to Success
Recently, Fortune Magazine released their top 50 Women in Business List for 2010 (which you can see by clicking on this link), and in an interesting feature, Time Magazine interviewed several of the women from Fortune’s list. The interviews are really interesting and the topics range from their best and worst business decisions, to the greatest challenges they met in the business world and challenges that they anticipate future businesswomen will face. We think this is a great resource for women in today’s business world, so make sure to read the full article!
Click here to see the full article!
“Taming the Data that Dominates Our Work Lives”
Fortune magazine recently posted an article written by Kishore S. Swaminathan, the Worldwide Director of Research at Accenture, about the way data is used in the business world today. His article asserts that the technological age has given today’s business people a greater advantage in that statistics, demographics, and other relevant data, are more easily accrued due to the Internet and online marketing. He takes an in depth look at the way data has been used throughout his career, and then makes note of the potential opportunities and pitfalls of data usage, and suggests ways that one can use data to its fullest potential.
Check the article out to learn how you can harness the power of your data!