3 Steps to Make Your New Hire Productive

The traditional approach to "onboarding" — sitting your new hire down with a stack of reading or a series of trainings — doesn't do much to explain how the organization truly functions. Take these three steps to help your new hire understand how work gets done and what he can do to add immediate value:

1. Start early. Onboarding starts with hiring. During interviews, expose all candidates to the organization's culture. Don't oversell your company; be honest about who you are and how you work.
2. Introduce him to the right people. Identify key stakeholders that your new hire needs to know. Broker early introductions so that he can begin building relationships right away.
3. Get him working. This shouldn't be a sink or swim approach. Put him on projects where he is supported by others and can start contributing right away

Source: Harvard Business Review

Prepare for the Next Defining Moment

Every important meeting has a defining moment that can lead to breakthrough results. These moments are often preceded by uncertainty. When the group is not sure what to do next, there is an opportunity for someone to take action and move things forward. Before your next critical meeting, think about when those moments might happen and visualize what you would do. You don't need a detailed plan, just the mental alertness and awareness of the opportunities and how you would seize them


Source: Harvard Business Review

3 Cold Call Tactics that Increase Sales

In this era of social media and web-based marketing tools, it's easy to assume the cold call is dead. But especially in the B2B market, it is still a very popular — and effective — way to make sales. Here are three ways to convert a phone call into a sale:

1. Find a direct line. Calling the direct number for the person you are trying to reach doubles your chances of getting him on the phone.
2. Utilize online resources. Use sites such as LinkedIn, ZoomInfo, and Jigsaw to get more information about your targets or to make contact.
3. Know the difference between persistence and annoyance. Annoying someone will not make him buy what you're selling. Be professional when reaching out: personalize each message, alternate between voicemail and email so you don't inundate, and add value or provide more information each time you call

Source: Harvard Business Review

Use Words, Not Numbers, to Understand Your Customers

When it comes to customer data, many believe that multiple-choice surveys across large samples that can be statistically analyzed yield the most rigorous research. This type of analysis, however, only gives you a shallow understanding of your customers. To get more nuance, use qualitative methods to discover what your customers think about your products and services. Qualitative techniques, such as focus groups or open-ended questionnaires, let you delve deeper into the relationship between your firm and those who buy or use your products. They also allow your customers to express their opinions using their own words, not yours.


Source: Harvard Business Review

How to Build Better Working Relationships with Gen Ys

Working with someone from a different generation can be a challenging experience. Gen Ys can be particularly confusing to the generations before them. Here are three Gen Y characteristics and tips for how you can work with them, rather than against them:

1. They are immediate. This often comes off as impatience, but Gen Ys are used to things moving at a fast pace. Channel this energy into projects that are meaningful to them and need a flurry of activity to get accomplished.
2. They are informal. Gen Ys tend to be comfortable interacting with anyone at any level of the organization. Encourage this outreach but ask that they keep you updated about whom they're talking to and on what topics.
3. They learn with others. To figure out a new task, Gen Ys often like to talk it through, sometimes with people from another unit or a different company. When the task is sensitive, set the rules that this is out of bounds. For other topics, recognize that this collaborative instinct is a good one and don't discourage it even if it's not your style

Source: Harvard Business Review

3 Tips for Changing Careers Within Your Company

Making a lateral move inside an organization can be challenging. If leaders see you as an "IT guy" it can be hard to convince them you are a "marketing guy." Here are three ways to combat pigeon-holing and convince the higher ups that you're ready for a new challenge:

1. Make it a win-win. Position your proposal in terms of the value it will bring the company. For example, explain that you have underutilized skills or capacity that could be used in a different division or for an important task.
2. Cover your current position. Offer to train your successor or to continue to do the job part-time.
3. Think of others. Focusing on what you stand to gain will get you nowhere. Emphasize the learning and development opportunities the move will create, such as for the junior person who can take on some of your previous responsibilities.

Source: Harvard Business Review

2 Ways to Assess Behaviors, Not Just Results

When star employees churn out great results, it's tempting to pat them on the back and ask them to keep doing whatever it is they're doing. However, it's your job as a manager to understand the behaviors that drive those results and ensure they are in line with your company's values. Here are two ways to do that:

1. Give separate behavior and results ratings. When the two are combined, it is too easy to give employees a pass for bad behavior when they're producing positive outcomes. Assessing them separately also ensures that you can give fair behavior ratings without obscuring the business results.
2. Use a 360-degree assessment. These do a better job of getting at behaviors and their impact on other employees. Use the findings to set behavioral goals that each employee can work toward, such as "treat my team with respect.

Source: Harvard Business Review

3 Ways to Boost Your Cultural Sensitivity

Globalization has set the expectation that employees collaborate and connect with people from different parts of the world. However, most people are not educated to work with those who are not like them. Build your cultural sensitivity with these three tips:

1. Join an international team. If you haven't already worked on one, seek out an opportunity that lets you collaborate with people from different countries and cultures.
2. Take a foreign colleague to lunch. Ask her how people earn trust in her country or what her culture values in a leader.
3. Take a vacation. Immersing yourself in a different culture will give you insight into how things get done there. Stay away from tourist destinations and be sure to talk to locals as much as possible

Source: Harvard Business Review

When Your Employee is Unaware of Unspoken Rules

It's easy to think that workplace norms are explicit and easy to obey — be at your desk by nine, don't ask superiors personal questions, and don't dress too casually, for example. Managing someone who doesn't follow these norms can be tough, especially if their lack of understanding reflects poorly on your management. Before you tear out your hair wondering why they just don't get it, try using these three tips:

1. Remain open. Some of the rules that we think are steadfast may actually just be our own preferences.
2. Delineate what's essential to business. It's unlikely that a too-casual outfit will stop the company from operating. If the employee needs to be presentable on client calls, that's one thing, but be clear about what truly matters to performance.
3. Communicate expectations clearly. Don't expect everyone to pick up on informal cues. Be explicit with someone who isn't getting it about what rules need to be followed and why.

Source: Harvard Business Review

How to Assess If You're Ready for a Global Role

Being a high-potential employee in your home office doesn't necessarily mean you can make it on a global scale. If you're looking for a job with a more international view or you're considering taking an overseas assignment, be sure you have these three components of a global mind-set:

1. Intellectual capital. This is your capacity to understand how business works on a global level and includes a strong grasp on how the industry operates worldwide, as well as the ability to piece together multiple scenarios.
2. Psychological capital. To be a global leader you need to have a passion for diversity, a thirst for adventure, and the self-confidence to succeed in a culture completely different than your own.
3. Social capital. You need to be able to build productive relationships with people from other parts of the world. To do this, you'll need intercultural empathy and strong diplomacy skills

Source: Harvard Business Review

2 Ways to Get Mentoring without a Mentor

A mentor is a great resource for career advice, feedback, and help building your skills and capabilities. However, it's not always possible to find one person who has the time or expertise to help you with all of the above. Try these two approaches to getting the mentoring you need:

1. Ask senior leaders for advice. Reach out to a leader you respect for advice or coaching on a specific work challenge. Busy people are more likely to have an hour to spend with you than to be able to commit to a long-term mentoring relationship.
2. Create an input board. Line up a group of colleagues who are willing to give you day-to-day feedback on things like the clarity of a presentation or whether or not you should take an issue to your boss. This type of quick, frequent input can be especially valuable when it comes from a group with diverse backgrounds and perspective

Source: Harvard Business Review

3 Tips for Giving Your Boss Feedback

Working closely with someone gives you valuable insight into that person's performance. This is especially true of your boss. But, knowing if and how to give your boss feedback is tough. Here are three tips to help you decide when to share your insights, and when to keep quiet.

1. Wait or ask for permission. Don't launch into a list of things your boss could do better. Given the nature of the relationship, it's better to wait to be asked for feedback or to inquire if your boss is open to feedback.
2. Focus on helping her. Give input that will help her improve her performance. Avoid telling her what you would do if you were boss.
3. When in doubt, hold your tongue. If you think your boss will not be receptive or if she has been known to lash out at constructive criticism, you're better off keeping your mouth shut. Find other, anonymous ways (e.g. 360-degree reviews) to give your feedback

Source: Harvard Business Review

Rid Your Organization of Email Dysfunction

An overcrowded inbox is an annoyance at best and a performance-hurting time suck at worst. If you suspect your employees are not making the best of this critical communication medium, do an email audit. At review time, ask your employees to choose two examples of messages they think represent productive email use. Coach them on their selections. Those who highlight their eloquent responses may need encouragement to initiate their own ideas. Those who forward large documents may need to hear that being "comprehensive" is not always a good use of colleagues' time. This process will be revealing to you and your employees as you uncover what bad email habits say about individual performance


Source: Harvard Business Review

Be Wary of the Downsides of Entrepreneurship

There are many rewarding things about being an entrepreneur: the autonomy, the recognition, the creativity, not to mention the fact that you are pursuing your dreams. But starting a business is never easy and not everyone is cracked up to be their own boss. Before you embark on a solo venture, remember that there are downsides too. Being an entrepreneur requires high risk, hard work, and many, many tradeoffs. The glamour of the got-rich-quick entrepreneur is often a far cry from what it's really like in the trenches. Take a hard look at your life and be sure you know what you are risking before you set up your own business.


Source: Harvard Business Review

3 Tips for Making Small Talk with the Big Boss

Having the chance to talk with someone high up in your organization can be a great opportunity to share your ideas and gain exposure. But it can also be nerve wracking — what if you say the wrong thing? Here are three tips for preparing for your next chat with a head honcho:

1. Do your homework. Find out what the senior team's priorities are. Work out a few key points about your projects or career as they relate to what senior leaders care about now.
2. Be brief. Once in front of the senior leader, make your key points succinctly.
3. Read the situation. If the senior leader is not interested, thank her for her time and move on. How you behave is more important than what you say. Yammering on signals a lack of self-awareness.

Source: Harvard Business Review

4 Tips for Speaking from a Podium

The podium can be an intimidating place. Even seasoned public speakers feel anxious when standing in front of a microphone. Here are four tips for making your next speech from the podium hum with confidence:

1. Keep your feet planted and stand up straight. This will convey poise and strength, even if that's not what you're feeling.
2. Don't memorize. Unless the speech is very short, the anxiety of trying to remember your lines will only make your task harder.
3. Find a place for your hands. Put your hands in one place — for example, on the sides of the podium — and then forget about them. You will bring them up naturally to gesture as long as they have a place to return to.
4. Practice, practice, practice. Rehearse as many times as you can, in an environment as close to the real experience as possible

Source: Harvard Business Review

What's Your Leadership Brand?

A leadership brand tells people what is distinctive about you as a leader and communicates what you have to offer. Summarizing your brand in a statement is a useful and often enlightening task. First, answer two important questions:

1. What do you want to be known for?
2. What results do you want to achieve in the next 12 months?

Take these two answers and put them into the following statement: I want to be known for ______ so that I can deliver ______. Once you have your statement, be sure that you are living up to it. Ask others for input on whether you are achieving your goals and whether they see your leadership brand in the same way you do.


Source: Harvard Business Review

Don't Cry Wolf to Motivate Your People

If you claim that every project or task is critical, it won't be long before your employees ignore your sense of urgency and do things at their own pace (which is likely too slow for you). If everything is important or urgent, then nothing truly is. Use relativity to convey when a project is truly critical to your organization or unit. Be selective about when you apply pressure or claim that something has high impact on your goals. The less often you raise alarm, the more likely your team is to respond how you want them to


Source: Harvard Business Review

4 Steps to Achieving Organizational Bipartisanship

Bridging the gap between warring parties (or factions as they are called in organizations) is a tough managerial challenge — but one that most leaders face at some point in their careers. Here are four steps for bringing disparate parties together:

1. Get consensus on the problem, but avoid getting into the solution right away since it's likely the source of the disagreement.
2. Identify multiple solutions. Bring the group together to brainstorm ideas. Encourage all ideas without judgment or analysis.
3. Assign cross-faction teams to assess solutions. This helps break down divisions while laying out the costs and benefits of each solution.
4. Get quick wins. Take one or two of the ideas developed by the teams and implement them right away. These shared successes will build momentum for future collaboration

Source: Harvard Business Review

Decide What's Worth Your Time

Most leaders are deluged with demands for their time, resources, and advice on a daily basis. Knowing which requests to take on is a critical skill and can be the difference between dragged down by extraneous commitments and having the time and space to do your job well. Before saying yes to your next request, ask yourself these three questions:

1. Am I the right person?
2. Is this the right time?
3. Do I have enough information?

If the answer to any of these questions is "no," don't take on the commitment. Pass it on to the right person, schedule it for a future time, or wait until you have the information you need


Source: Harvard Business Review