Canned or Not, Layoffs Affect Everyone

 Whew! The good news is that you just survived the most recent round of layoffs. The bad news is that your job just got bigger. Your title hasn’t changed and there’s no raise in sight, just more work for you to do, since there are fewer employees.

Here’s our Take Five on how to keep up with your workload when more is being piled on:

 

 

 

1. Keep Things in Perspective — You may have more work to do, but at least you’re still drawing a paycheck. If that doesn’t give you comfort, it should. It’s better than the alternative, being laid off and trying to find a job in a tough economy. Another plus to taking on new responsibilities is that it’s an opportunity to increase your skill set, which can make you more valuable internally and externally.
2. Set Your Boss’s Expectations — Just like David Letterman has his “Top 10″ list, you and your boss should agree on yours. Meet with your boss and let him/her know that you are going to do your best under the circumstances. Have in mind your list of top projects and the rationale for why they are important. Get agreement from your boss on which projects can be assigned a lower priority. It’s likely that your boss is under additional pressure as well, and your approach to your new workload will be one less thing for them to worry about.
3. Be More Efficient — There’s a saying “work expands to fill the time allotted.” There’s also a saying “If you want something done, get a busy person to do it.” Land somewhere between these extremes. This is a great time to look at your job with fresh eyes. What can you do more efficiently? Are there reports that can be shortened, combined or deleted all together? Examine every component of your job — don’t take anything for granted, as there is always an opportunity to streamline processes.
4. Use Outside Resources — It’s not unusual for companies in the aftermath of a layoff, to allow the use of contract/temporary workers to pick up the slack. Even a part-time extra pair of hands can help. Only by asking will you find out if your company is willing to go this route.
5. Be a Nicer Co-Worker — Cut backs affect all departments and it’s likely that many other employees are doing more with fewer resources. Recognizing that your co-workers may be feeling the same psychological pressures that you are, make the extra effort to be even nicer to them. The nicer you are, the more they’ll do for you. After all, you can’t say “The hole is on your side of the boat.” You all succeed or fail together.

It’s all in how you look at things. More work doesn’t have to mean more stress. Just take a one-day-at-a-time approach and do your best. The old axioms in business don’t hold true anymore. Like Yogi Berra said “The future ain’t what it used to be.” Look on this as an opportunity to shine in difficult times.

Fred & Gladys
Whelan Stone
Executive Search and Coaching
www.whelanstone.com

Before You Procrastinate – Read This!

We all do it.  Put off those things we don’t want to do, but deep down inside know we should.  It’s easy to understand why we procrastinate, other things can be more fun.  But the price we pay is that we are never free from that inner voice that says “Hey, you better get that done!”.

 

Here’s our Take Five on how to stop procrastinating:

 

 

 

 

1. Keep Your Eyes On The Prize:  Sometimes you procrastinate because you just don’t want to do something. Assuming you have done a pros and cons list and decide this is something that needs to be done, the best way to get started and keep moving forward is to keep your reasons top of mind.  For example, let’s say you want to become a better presenter and there’s a series of workshops that you know would help.  You’ve been putting it off because you’re focusing on all the things that make it a chore:  you’ll have to drive out of your way; they’ll be work involved; you’d rather be watching CSI or doing something else that’s more fun.  Focus on the reasons why you thought you should do it in the first place.  Being a better presenter will give you more of the types of opportunities that are important to you.  By keeping that thought in your head, it will make it easier for you to move forward.   
2. Break It Into Bite-Sized Pieces:  Many people procrastinate because they see the project in its totality and believe it will take too long. A better approach to take is to break down your goal into manageable action items.  Paraphrasing David Allen in “Getting Things Done”, you can’t do a project, you can only do the next action.  By developing an action plan, it will keep you focused on what the next step is and make completing your project seem more doable.
3. Shoot For Good, Not Perfect: Sometimes we set the standards unreasonably high, which prevents us from even wanting to start. The pressure we put on ourselves can result in doing nothing.  Balance your desire for perfection with the need to get things done. Does it really have to be perfect to create value? 
4. Do It In spite Of Your Mood:  Don’t wait until you are “in the mood” to work on your project.  The mood may never come.  Sometimes working on it will help create the right energy and feed your desire to continue.  Even if you are not in the best mood, any effort you make on your project will still result in progress.  As long as you keep working on it, it will get done.
5. Overcome Distractions:  Let people know in advance that you are not available during the time you’re working on your project.  Turn off your cell phone, don’t answer emails and don’t go surfing on Youtube.  When you are doing something that you’ve been putting off, it’s especially easy to get distracted.  Remove all those distractions that will take you off point.           

 

You might have heard of the “termite revolution”.  Just like the biggest building that will topple as a result of termites eating away, so will any project no matter the size.  You know what it feels like to live with the burden of procrastination.  See for yourself how good it feels on the other side.  

 

Copyright 2008 Whelan Stone. All rights reserved.

 

Whelan Stone

The 5 Things You Should Do Before You Start Your Next Meeting

Oh no, someone’s called another meeting and you have to attend.  That racks up 10 so far this week.  How are you supposed to do your work if you’re constantly in meetings?  The most common complaints about meetings are that they are too long, not always productive and often a complete waste of time.

 

While you may not have influence over how other people run their meetings, you certainly can do something about yours!  

 

Here’s our Take Five on what to do before starting your next meeting:

 

 

 

 

 

1. Have An Agenda – Your meeting should have a clear goal.  What’s the purpose of the meeting and what outcome do you want?  Organize the meeting with the various topics to be discussed and what the desired outcome is.  It should be clear when a decision is expected, as opposed to providing a status on the project. Each topic should have an allotted time (e.g., 10 minutes) and you should lead with the most important things, like what decisions need to be made.  People are freshest at the start of the meeting and you’ll want to take advantage of this. 
2. Invite The Right People – More things tend to get done at smaller meetings.  Only have the people necessary to achieve your desired outcome.  Make sure the people included have the knowledge to discuss the issues and the appropriate authority to make agreements.  You might want to structure the meeting so that decision makers can leave when they’re done.   There’s no need to invite an entire department when one person can represent the group. 
3. Discuss Issues Beforehand – Share the agenda and the issues with the key people beforehand.  The more they know about what will be discussed and what decisions need to be made, the more productive the meeting will be.  Make sure everyone knows what information they need to bring. By having a brief conversation with them prior to the meeting you will know what they may raise at the meeting.  The more you know in advance, the better prepared you will be.
4. Decide How You’ll Manage – Will you make an opening statement that reiterates the purpose and objective of the meeting?  Will you summarize along the way (recommended) or at the end?  Who will take the notes?  How will you keep people on track and draw the meeting to an end?  All these should be decided beforehand so that you are managing the meeting and its not managing you.
5. Keep Them Engaged – We’ve all sat through seemingly endless meetings, where someone droned on and on.  To the extent that you can, engage people so they are actively participating.  After all this is not a lecture, it’s a meeting.  If you notice someone is particularly quiet, ask for their input.  Every voice in your meeting should count or why else would they be in the room?  In the spirit of being inclusive, you’ll want to create an atmosphere in which people feel free to express their views.  Not only will this keep the energy level high, there will be more solutions offered for consideration.

 

Meetings are a necessary part of business and the most effective ones are those in which the best planning was done prior to the meeting.  The planning that you do upfront is a compliment to the people in the meeting, because it shows you care about their time.   Just like you, they have lots on their plate, so help them get back to work soon.

 

Copyright 2008

 

Whelan Stone

Your High Impact Week

It’s Monday and you have high expectations about what you are going to get done this week. 

There are millions of things that need to be done, but we all know that it’s those “high impact” activities that make a difference. They are the ones that get you noticed and rewarded. 

You have the best of intentions, but as the week progresses you get sidetracked by too many meetings, too many emails, and too many of “a lot of things” that don’t add up to a productive week.  You end up falling behind and feeling frustrated. 

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. 

We all have days that get away from us.  Unexpected things can wreak havoc with your goals.  So, how do you go about managing those things and still have a high-impact week? 

Here’s our “Take Five”: 

1.  Plan Next Week This Friday – The best time to plan your week is NOT Monday morning, when you are mentally transitioning from the weekend.  Create your plan on Friday afternoon when you’re still in synch with the work week and are energized by the upcoming weekend.  Friday afternoons tend to be quieter, with people leaving early or working remotely, so it’s a perfect time to plan.  An added bonus is that by planning you free up your mind for the weekend, knowing what’s in store for the following week. 

2.  Front Load Your Week – When you plan your week, “front load” it so that you accomplish 70% of your work by the end of Wednesday. It’s not as hard as it sounds. By pushing a little harder Monday – Wednesday, you can squeeze in an extra half day’s work and make the rest of the week less stressful.  You’ll also feel energized because you’ve done so much early on.  This will spur you on to accomplish even more.

3.  Focus on High Impact Activities – Make sure that you are working on the activities that will have the greatest impact on your career.  We all have “maintenance” things that need to be done.  Whenever possible, delegate as many of these things as you can.  For things you can’t delegate, think of ways to do them more efficiently.  Doing your routine things is expected.  Doing the high-impact activities are where the real rewards are.

4.  Be Highly Accountable to Yourself – Make a realistic schedule and stick to it. Monitor your plan a couple of times a day to see if you’re still on track.   Taking this approach is an effective way to focus on the things that matter.  Do the most important things and try not to get derailed.   

5.  Only Attend Meetings That Make Sense – This had to be its own bullet point because of the “meeting mania” that happens in too many companies.  It may be flattering to be invited to meetings, but you have to pick and choose which ones deserve your time and attention.  For those you have to attend, don’t stay longer than necessary.  Whenever possible, send someone in your place.  This will free you up to do other things and give that designated person a chance to grow.

By planning ahead you can hit the ground running on Monday morning.   Keep focusing your energies on the things that matter most and you’ll have a high-impact week.

  

 

www.whelanstone.com