Made a mistake? Have a good laugh

February 24th, 2010

Have you ever done something embarrassing, said something unintentionally funny or just goofed up at work?  Did you laugh at yourself?  Let others laugh too?

Joellen was making a presentation to a major client – one that she’d been working to cultivate for many months.  Thanks to plenty of preparation, she was feeling confident and energized.  The presentation was going well; in fact, members of the client group had big smiles on their faces. Wow, they’re really into this information, Joellen thought to herself.

About 20 minutes into the talk, she happened to glance at her hands.  They were covered in ink from the purple whiteboard marker.  Just then, she caught her reflection in the nearby window.  Not only were Joellen’s hands purple, but she had blotches of purple on her sleeves and her face.

Instead of breaking down, Joellen cracked up.  Between peals of laughter, she said to the group, I’ve always thought that purple was my best color! After a few minutes of good-natured chuckles, Joellen got back to the subject, engaged her audience and won over her client.

We’ve all been there, done that.  The first instinct might be to find the nearest hole and crawl in. But what are the benefits of rising above our embarrassment and enjoying the moment?

Laughter, according to most people’s experience and even medical experts, is good medicine.  Laughter’s workplace benefits include:

Connects co-workers. Self-deprecating humor lets those around us know we are human.  Laughing aloud at oneself, and letting others laugh too, builds connective relational tissue.

Creates a lighter atmosphere by reducing stress. Laughter lowers the body’s level of stress-related chemicals, increases blood flow and reduces pain.  Laughter means we are not as uptight about the looming deadlines, the budget crunch or the recent change from three-ply to two-ply toilet paper.

Cultivates humility and courage. Laughter shows our co-workers and clients that we are not afraid of our mistakes.  And recovering quickly from our mistakes – through laughter – models humility and courage for the workplace.

Boosts confidence. When we survive these bumps in the road, we realize that we don’t have to be perfect to be great at what we do. We’re in a stronger position to face the next embarrassing moment.

Allows you to move on and get the job done. You laugh, they laugh. Everyone gets back to the business at hand.

If your goof-up has impact on others, follow up and apologize. If it only made you cringe, laugh it off.  To err may be human, but to laugh about it certainly makes life more fun.

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Easy = True, and Why it Matters to You

February 12th, 2010

abc-blocksDrake Bennett published an article in the Boston Globe’s online edition titled Easy=True: How ‘cognitive fluency’ shapes what we believe, how we invest, and who will become a supermodel. He cites psychological research on cognitive fluency, defined as the measure of how easy it is to think about something. This research indicates that fluency impacts what we buy, what we believe, who we vote for and how we feel about others.

Researchers believe that fluency is adaptive, that it helps us be successful as a species. For example, fluency includes a preference for the familiar. This ensured that we ate familiar (nonpoisonous) plants and avoided unfamiliar, dangerous creatures.

The problems with fluency occur when we don’t factor it into the ways we process messages and communicate with others. We can be unaware of the influence of fluency on our own judgments, and we can miss opportunities to utilize fluency when we want to share information with others.

How can cognitive fluency work for you?

To “sell” your message, keep it simple. Ideas that are easier to think about are more memorable and more believable. Use simple terminology that is familiar to your audience. People will not only remember it more easily, they will be more prone to believe it. Rhyming phrases are more believable than those that don’t rhyme, even if the words mean the same thing.

Use repetition. Seeing or hearing something multiple times helps people remember your message. This bias for the familiar also creates positive associations. People like familiar things, even if they really are no better than the alternative.

Be a better listener by “closing the loop” with clear, simple words. You’re listening carefully, but to be sure you are both on the same page, restate the message in your own words – using plain language to summarize your understanding.

To encourage deep thinking about an issue, use more complex or unfamiliar words. Use the opposite of fluency – disfluency – if you want people to think abstractly or profoundly on a topic. More complex wording, unusual word combinations or even a less readable font encourage our brains to get out of intuitive mode and think deeply.

To help people feel confident, have them list only a few reasons they’ll be successful. Generating a long list of positive attributes gets challenging, and that difficulty encourages the person to think more negatively. Because they have to work hard, they subconsciously conclude that they’re not so great after all.

Resist the urge to manipulate using cognitive fluency. Cognitive fluency can be used for good or for less-than-honorable purposes. Be open and transparent in what you are doing and why. For example, tell people why you’re using certain terms – either to help them think deeply or to make your message more memorable.

Research continues to reinforce the idea that we make judgments and decisions based on more than just the cold facts. The moral of the story is to think critically about the myriad of inputs you process each day. Are your likes and dislikes well-reasoned, or are they simply a reflection of what is easy for you think about?


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Humanergy: Ten years of laughter

February 8th, 2010

pig-laughingTen years ago, Humanergy was created. The funny name (who can pronounce it right the first time?) was just the foundation for 10 years of guffaws. It’s possible that we aren’t as funny as we think we are. But we doubt it. Here are a few excerpts from CrazyLand:

First office. Don’t want to dis the first digs, which came with very low rent, courtesy of the Battle Creek Chamber of Commerce. But it was so small that when one person pushed back a chair, others had to be alerted. “I’m standing up now.”

First bathroom. We thought we were pretty cool because we had an adjoining bathroom. However, it had to be re-purposed as a storage room when we discovered that people on the other end of the phone could hear the toilet flush.

Moving on up. Although we’ve settled into a beautiful historic home, complete with two out buildings (no, not outhouses), we contemplated some zany office moves. One was a building in the middle of a cemetery. Another was situated very close to a(n eroding) dam. Our third option – four stories and about 20,000 square feet – represented either a wealth of opportunities or a giant money pit, depending upon your perspective. When we dream, we go for it.

Team fun. Whether it’s bronco kicks while team bowling, singing our own lyrics to “Centerfield” by John Fogerty or good-natured laughter over our many foibles,  we know how to have a good time. And we know how to give some gentle grief to our teammates, like the time one of them got “fired” (complete with commemorative “You’re Fired” coffee mug) for creating what turned out to be an amazing teambuilding event. (Let’s just say that it was initially greeted with groans and more than one expletive.)

John’s multiple run-ins with conference room furniture. He’s not a klutz. He’s just a deep thinker. Really.

David’s love of brown sweaters. If you’ve visited our website, perhaps you’ve seen our pictures in those fetching matching brown sweaters. Let it be known that David HATES those sweaters, the fact that we all had to wear them and the chest hair allegedly sported by some in their photo. Our next round of team photos is scheduled for 2050, when David might be over the whole brown sweater thing.

Jeopardy domination. We excel at Jeopardy, at least the kind that we play on our Jeopardy calendar. Some of us are random thought generators, others zero in (perhaps prematurely) on the “right” answer. The bottom line is that we netted over $5,000,000 in faux money in 2009. Wow, we know a lot of useless stuff.

If you are looking for buttoned up, suit-wearing, stuffy consultants, don’t call us. If you want creativity, intelligence, passion and authenticity, we’re the folks for you.

Many heartfelt thanks to all of you who have made our 10 years possible.

P.S. In lieu of throwing ourselves a party or spending dough on collectible Humanergy 1oth anniversary coffee mugs, we’re celebrating by making a difference. Find out more

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Trust and verify

February 1st, 2010

binoculars-adultMuch has been written about the importance of people trusting their leaders. Less attention is paid to the essential quality of trust in your direct reports (sometimes referred to somewhat disparagingly as “subordinates”). There is a sweet spot of trust, somewhere between not trusting them at all, to simply doling out tasks and washing your hands of the matter.

We want to believe that our direct reports (DRs) are trustworthy. Essential characteristics for trust are integrity, competence, transparency, reliability and commitment. When we see or even sense a waffling in any of these qualities on the part of a DR, trust is damaged.

Even when trust is high, you can’t delegate and walk away. You should verify progress:

At the point of delegation. Don’t assume anything, even if the person you’re delegating to has a proven track record of success. Make sure you align on impact, results, boundaries and mutual responsibilities. Include how and when updates on progress will be given.

At agreed-upon milestones. No news isn’t good news when it comes to a key assignment. If your DR doesn’t come to you, seek her out, reminding her of your delegation agreement.

If the DR requests time. There may be a hiccup you’re not aware of; be available for consultation and don’t shoot the messenger if the news is bad.

When changes will impact success. Get involved when plans need to be altered due to unexpected circumstances.

If you sense something is wrong. Your “spidey senses” are tingling. Maybe the DR’s demeanor has shifted or you have heard rumors that there’s a glitch. If you have a gut feeling that something’s amiss, follow up on it.

As soon as you realize that your delegation process was incomplete. Re-align with the DR when you realize you left out vital information the first time around.

If you find yourself verifying frequently, you’ll give the impression that you don’t trust the DR’s ability. Figure out why you can’t chill out and let the DR do his job. Are you a control freak? Is the project more fun than your own job? Do you really NOT trust this person, but don’t have the courage to say so? Face up to the real reason you keep checking in, and take steps to reclaim the “sweet spot” of trust and verify. Your direct report will grow more capable, and you can get back to the strategic responsibilities that need your attention.

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Stop talking, start doing

January 21st, 2010

no-talkingGreat leaders give inspiring speeches, restate the organization’s values and reinforce outstanding performance.  They also know when to shut up, to put it somewhat crudely. What situations should cause you to stop talking?

You need to listen. It’s all too easy to let our need to orate overshadow the vital listening function of leadership. Spend part of each day gathering information and listening carefully to your people. Hint: You can’t listen when your lips are moving.

You need to make a decision. When decisions are tough, we sometimes defer them by continuing the discussion. Figure out if you’re still talking because you just don’t have the guts to make a decision.

You can’t do anything. You don’t have the time, money or people to address the problem. Stop talking about it. Expend your energy on stuff you can impact.

It isn’t the best way to get the message across. Rather than lecturing, try setting up an experience that will make your message crystal clear. Often people learn better through active learning.

You don’t have credibility. Everyone knows you don’t handle negative feedback well. Therefore, you are not the right spokesperson for the annual performance review process. Defer to another team member until you can be a role model for the issue.

It’s all about you. The most influential leaders speak infrequently about their accomplishments. They make the people around them feel capable, interesting and important. Braggers are boring.

Now that you’ve freed up all this chit-chat time, think of what you can accomplish! Once again, Mom was right. Actions DO speak louder than words.

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Are you a Charlie?

January 13th, 2010

toolbeltCharlie, a retired engineer, is Humanergy’s on-call handyman. And he is so much more than that. Charlie can fix anything. Even more impressive than his multitude of abilities is his total commitment to our organization. From day one, Charlie has taken ownership for our physical spaces and our organization’s people.

Charlie doesn’t wait for us to generate a list of to-dos. If he sees something that needs addressing, he takes care of it. He anticipates problems and points out opportunities for more effective use of our resources, such as ways for us to be more energy efficient.

One weekend, an employee dropped by the office with her husband to retrieve her glasses. Charlie happened to be driving by, noticed an unfamiliar car in the lot, and drove in to investigate who was on the property. His commitment to his job isn’t constrained by the day of the week or the nature of the task.

Charlie also nurtures Humanergy’s people. It isn’t unusual to come in to find that Charlie has left us a basket of tomatoes from his garden or candy on Valentine’s Day. When one team member’s child came down with the flu, Charlie delivered a care package of treats to her home.

What can we all learn from Charlie?

Commit. Charlie has committed himself 100% to the organization and its success. While he is not here every day, and isn’t even an employee, he takes ownership for Humanergy’s mission.

Do it because you love it. Charlie has a passion for what he does and who he does it for. He’s here because he cares, not because he needs the work or the money. (As you can imagine, Charlie is in high demand – everyone wants him as their go-to guy.)

Pitch in. Whether it’s in your job description doesn’t matter. Be the person who’s willing to do what it takes.

Make it personal. Share some of your private life and connect with others on a personal level. Remember birthdays, offer support during trying times and never forget that coworkers are people too.

Be yourself. One of Charlie’s best attributes is his authenticity. He is a “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” guy, and there’s a direct relationship between his values and his actions.

How can you help others find their “inner Charlie?” If you’re a leader, model Charlie’s attributes. After all, if you don’t take ownership, others surely will not. Allow people enough latitude in their work to make decisions and apply their skills to the fullest. Feed their strengths and encourage their individuality. Help them connect the dots between their future and the organization’s. You’ll be rewarded with a more creative, self-sufficient and dynamic team and a lot more enjoyment at work.

Every organization needs at least one Charlie. (Sorry, you can’t have ours. We don’t give out his name or his phone number!)

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Weeks Peaks and other great ways to celebrate daily success

December 28th, 2009

sparklerFriday evenings are wonderful. We’re usually taking a  breather after a hectic week. We’re enjoying a little time with friends and families. And for those of us lucky enough to be associated with Humanergy, we get to read Weeks Peaks!

Weeks Peaks is the creation of Karen, our fabulous business manager. Each Friday before she leaves for the weekend, she sends out an email that contains bullet points of news – rave reviews from a client, personal milestones, funny stories – anything that is significant in the life of our Humanergy “family.”

Weeks Peaks aren’t hard to put together. Because Karen’s the hub of our office, she is privy to the news of each day. When something notable occurs, she types that into her staged Weeks Peaks draft in Outlook. That makes constructing the email easy, since she doesn’t have to remember the highlights from the week. Most Weeks Peaks are about 7 bullet points – so no major creative writing is required.

For many of us, opening our email at 6:00 p.m. on a Friday is the highlight of the week. We look forward to it, even create rituals around it. We leave the family in the other room, sip a comforting beverage of our choice and settle in to revel in the stories of the week. We stay connected, learn more about each other and feel part of something meaningful, even if we’ve spent the whole week with clients away from the office.

How can you find ways to share and celebrate regularly, without making it an onerous task?

Ahhh….can’t wait for Friday!

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Managing multiple styles at work

December 21st, 2009

colored-flower1Your team is made up of hard-working, intelligent people. But that’s where the similarities end. Stan needs to think out loud, so he regularly gathers teammates to brainstorm ideas. Ivana prefers to do her thinking alone in a quiet room. When Jamal makes decisions, he prefers to “go with his gut.” Pat uses logical decision-making based on a careful review of all of the facts. Tara delegates whenever she can, and Carlos likes to manage all aspects of a project himself.

Is this diversity of styles a recipe for disaster? Not necessarily. As the leader of this team, you can’t just ignore differences in personality, temperament or style. What do you do when it seems that everyone approaches work differently?

Realize that you’re lucky. You have the raw materials for amazing innovation and results. Rather than approaching this mixed bag as a deficit, recognize its potential.

Figure out who’s what. There are some great assessments out there (MBTI and DISC, for example) that will help you discover the styles and working preferences of your people. A well-facilitated discussion will aid team members in understanding the nuances of their own style and learn how to build on these inherent strengths.

Help them work well together. Once each person understands his own characteristics, it’s important to figure out how best to work as a team – how you will optimize communication, planning and execution. This is where you start to reap the benefits of this cornucopia of styles.

Customize your leadership. Your diverse team requires more than a one-size-fits-all approach. Have an open discussion about what each person needs from you to be successful. While you probably can’t tailor your approach to fully meet everyone’s expectations, you can align on the important aspects – roles, goals, how you will communicate and how problems will be addressed.

A team composed of strong and different personalities can seem like more of a curse than a blessing. Songwriter Ani Difranco said, I know there is strength in the differences between us. I know there is comfort where we overlap. It may be more comfortable to surround ourselves with people who are like ourselves. However, here’s far more potential in bringing out the best in people who are very different from each other.

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You’ll never believe what [insert name] did!

December 17th, 2009

42-15652296Your co-worker is driving you nuts. You’ve tried subtle hints, but those haven’t worked. You know venting to coworkers is bad and makes you part of the problem. (Don’t you remember that from our post last week?) How do you constructively address the issue?

First explore internal resources. Find out what organizational policies may apply and how/if your human resources department can help to resolve the issue.

Consult a trusted adviser if necessary. You can seek feedback about how best to move forward. That’s not venting. It only becomes venting when you complain to someone else with no intention to resolve the issue. So get advice if you need it, and then talk directly with the person involved.

Here are some tips for “the talk.”

Schedule a time. Don’t prolong the agony by asking to meet next week. Try, Do you have some time today (tomorrow)? I’d like to discuss the PDQ Project.

Find a good location. Go to a quiet location where you can speak in privacy. No cubicle conversations, restaurants, lobbies or other areas where you may be interrupted or overheard.

Align on mutual goals. We both want the PDQ project to succeed or We both value worker safety. Near the end of the conversation, What steps can we each take to achieve our goals?

Stay focused on behaviors and facts. Use recent examples and connect the dots between the person’s action (or lack thereof) and results. Share the impact on others and on the organization.

Listen well. Don’t just passively hear what the other person is saying. Restate it in your own words to make sure you’re getting it right.

Be balanced. Talk about strengths, too, and how those might be applied to correct the situation.

What if “the talk” doesn’t seem to work?

Bring in help if you’re stuck. A neutral third party is sometimes necessary to peel back the layers of issues and help you address the root cause of the conflict. (Your Human Resources department may be able to help you out.)

Know when to involve the boss. Talk to the boss if you’ve taken these steps , there’s no resolution AND the situation has a negative impact on success.  Keep the focus on how the person’s actions are impacting the organization and what productive steps should be taken.

At the end of the day, you may not fix the problem. After all, you can’t make anyone change their behavior. What you can do is make choices about your behavior. Choose to be honest and sensitive when confronting thorny issues. You’ll not only have a better chance at resolution, you’ll face the mirror with greater comfort too.

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To vent or not to vent

December 7th, 2009

steamMy boss is a controlling jerk. The project manager is an idiot. My assistant can’t think his way out of a paper bag.

Venting about work seems to be on the rise. Maybe it’s because we’re afraid to make waves by bringing up problems directly, for fear of losing our jobs. So we resort to releasing our frustrations via whispered complaints by the coffee machine.

Social networking has also given us new ways to vent our frustrations in cyberspace. We can whine on Facebook, Twitter or any one of the numerous sites designed for that purpose, like jobvent.com and iworkwithfools.com. (No, we’re not giving the links. We do not advocate voicing your fury in such a manner.)

Let’s just say your boss really is a jerk, and you don’t feel that you can rectify the situation. How do you manage your frustrations appropriately?

Don’t suppress your anger. Medical experts warn that internalizing your frustrations can be bad for your health, contributing to high blood pressure, digestive problems and heart attacks.

Don’t express anger frequently. Studies show that people who are angry a lot suffer from the same health problems as those who quietly seethe. If you’re often outraged by daily life, get help.

Don’t vent with coworkers. Venting does nothing to improve your situation, and regular whining labels you as a negative influence. Even if your colleague is also a trusted friend, you are much better off taking the high road. Never say anything to a coworker that you wouldn’t want repeated in public.

Talk to someone outside of work. Talk to your significant other or non-work friends. Monitor the frequency, though. Patience will run thin if you vent with no intention of taking steps to resolve the issue. Use that person as a sounding board to help you develop positive next steps and coping strategies.

Don’t vent online. We’ve said it before; once it’s out there, it’s public. Just say no to email and social networking when you’re mad.

Unless you’d like to leave your job, don’t vent to your boss’s boss. Maybe this seems obvious. But there are people out there who think that if the boss won’t listen, it’s time to move up the chain of command. Unless your boss is breaking a law or violating important company policy, think twice before going over her head.  Never, never whine to higher-ups just because you don’t like something.

You have a choice. Do you use your frustration as fuel for constructive action? Or do you vent, and just allow your anger to feed upon itself? If you have time to whine, you have time to do something to make your life better.

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