Mentoring

Think Creatively by Using Both Sides of the Brain

Creativity is not genetically encoded. Anyone can learn to think creatively. The key is to use both the left and right hemispheres of the brain: logical and intuitive, respectively. Start by immersing yourself in a problem. Use the logical left side of your brain to understand what you know about the topic. Then switch to the right side by distancing yourself from the issue and mulling over the information. Exercise is a good way to access the visual nature of the right hemisphere. It often leads to an "ah-ha moment" where you see a new solution. Then switch back to the left hemisphere to challenge your creative breakthrough with rational thinking.

Know Which Kind of Mentor You Need

Mentors help you advance in work and life. But don't wait for someone to take you under his wing. Seek out people who can help you. The first step is to figure out which mentor will best meet your needs:

· The co-mentor. This can be anyone—a colleague, a friend—who needs you as much as you need him. Find a co-mentor if you have a specific skill to learn and something to teach in return.

· The remote mentor. This is someone outside your organization who can offer objective advice. You may need a remote mentor if you are looking for a fresh perspective and you've already exhausted closer resources.

· The invisible mentor. You don't have to have a personal relationship with this mentor. You learn from observing and following her example

Prepare for this Critical Interview Question

Whether you are a new manager or a recently-appointed CEO, you have three months to make an impact. Begin preparing for the first 90 days as early as your first interview. Be ready to answer the question: "What do you hope to achieve in your first three months?" Don't cop out by saying that you will learn and observe before jumping in. Instead, prepare a thoughtful response. Start by stating what you understand about the role and the organization. Avoid being critical. Then make connections between this challenge and your experience. Wrap up your answer by delivering clear recommendations, with some caution, because you will need more detail before
implementing them.

Get What You Want with Indirect Persuasion

Getting people to do what you want is difficult, especially if you lack authority. When direct techniques like asking fail, try more subtle approaches:

· Talk less, listen more. Colleagues are less likely to resist when you've taken the time to acknowledge their concerns. Listen to their worries and make sure your solutions recognize them.

· Make them like you. It's hard to say no to someone you like. We tend to like people who share our background and interests, so play up similarities. Flattery also works. If your colleague does a good job, tell him.

· Do a favor. Doing something for someone gives you influence. Everyone understands the need to repay what another person has given them.

Give Your High Performers Boring Jobs

It's unorthodox, but to continuously improve your organization and get the most of your high performers, give them boring work. As companies grow, they develop mediocre processes that get work done, but no one wants to do these dull jobs. That's why they need your best people. Your high performers are likely the only ones who can come up with solutions that challenge the inefficiencies, reinvigorate the process, and create new opportunities. Your stars may not want to work on these issues, but it is your job to get them excited about transforming the dull, boring—and essential.

Taking on a New Assignment? Start with Phase Zero

Many managers know when their next promotion is coming, but few take advantage of this time to prepare. Instead of waiting for an official announcement, start with "phase zero." Use your insider status to become familiar with your new unit's people and performance and to discern the opportunities and challenges of your upcoming assignment. In the weeks leading up to the transition, carve out at least 30 minutes a day for this endeavor. Look through company documents, such as performance reviews and reports on services and operations. Identify problems and develop hypotheses for solving them. Turn to colleagues who have supervised the role, interacted with it, or previously filled a similar one. Ask them questions that will help you understand what to expect for the transition.

Help a Perfectionist Succeed

Managing perfectionists is tricky. They may be sensitive to criticism, but they need feedback to grow like everyone else. Here are two things you can do to help the stickler on your team:

· Be clear about expectations. Perfectionists may set unrealistic expectations for themselves. Let them know ahead of time what is most important. Be explicit so they don't waste time on aspects of the project that don't matter.

· Encourage regular check-ins. Perfectionists notoriously only share end products, fearing that a work-in-progress might be seen as the best they can do. Work on iterations of a project together to create a sense of collaboration and reduce the likelihood that the perfectionist will get bogged down in unnecessary details.

Take the Stress Out of Giving a Performance Review

Which is worse: receiving a performance review, or giving one? At least with the latter you have some control. When you're the one conducting the review, try doing these three things to make it a productive experience.

· Set expectations early. Make employee-evaluation practices clear at the beginning of the year with individual performance planning sessions.

· Set the right tone. Everyone hates the "feedback sandwich": compliments, criticism, then more niceties. Deliver a positive message to your good performers by mainly concentrating on their strengths and achievements. Confront poor performers and demand improvement.

· Avoid money talk. If possible, don't mention compensation during the review; but if you must, divulge the salary information at the start of the conversation.

Set Goals Before Meeting With
Your Mentor

Knowing what you want from a mentoring relationship is critical. Before you sit down with your mentor for the first time, decide what you hope to learn. Ask yourself what you want in work and life. Which assets will help you get there? Identify the strengths that will best serve you. Then, honestly examine the roadblocks, challenges, or weaknesses that are slowing you down. Once you do that you're ready to articulate your goals and share them with your mentor. Keep it to no more than five goals, so they don't detract from what your mentor has to offer.

Don't Avoid Office Politics

Many managers hate office politics. But avoiding them altogether may hold you back. If you've ever worked for a boss who lacked clout or credibility, you understand the risks. As a manager, you're responsible for building productive relationships throughout the office so you can influence people beyond your immediate sphere. But you can avoid "playing politics" while building the influence you need. Keep your efforts clearly focused on the ultimate good of the organization. Work with others for mutual advantage, not just your own. And always conduct yourself according to your personal values, no matter what others do.

Prepare for Unintended Consequences

Unintended consequences are common in business. Well-meaning managers often implement new policies only to find that in addition to what they envisioned, they've also created problems. You can't predict the future, but you can help mitigate the negative with these two steps:

· Plan ahead as much as you can. Gather the people the change will impact and scenario plan to see what might happen, keeping in mind that there will always be something that surprises you later.

· Test the waters. Conduct short, focused experiments to see how various parties will react, and use the results to rejigger your plan. You can't eliminate all negative possibilities but you can get ready to deal with them.

Know What Your Boss Expects of You

Even if you know your annual targets and goals, you may not always know everything your boss expects of you. Every manager has unspoken expectations. Here are three things you can do to meet them:

· Collaborate. Bosses want people who cooperate. Overcome differences with others and work together effectively—even if you don't like each other.

· Lead initiatives. Those who raise their hands climb the ladder faster. Don't be reluctant to take on new initiatives, even if they may not pan out.

· Stay current. Bosses rely on their people for information. Regularly consume the news to stay informed about your competition, your customers, and what is happening in the marketplace.

Stop Emailing and Pick up the Phone

Email has fundamentally changed the way we interact. But, it cannot replace live conversation. This especially applies when resolving a conflict or communicating an important business decision. Far too many people try to do sensitive business via email. This is problematic because tone and context are easy to misread. In a live conversation, how one says something is as important as what they are saying. Without inflections and intonations, it's hard to understand the feelings behind the words. In fact, email-based conflict often escalates because you aren't forced to be as thoughtful as you would be in a one-on-one conversation. Next time you have a delicate or complex issue to discuss, take your hands off the keyboard and pick up the phone.

3 Questions to Ask Before Taking on a Mentee

It's rewarding to become a mentor. But you can't take every young upstart under your wing. Ask yourself these three questions to choose the right protégé:

· How motivated is the mentee? Assess the junior person's drive to advance. Your mentee has to be motivated if you're going to have a successful relationship.

· How far is there to go? Where is the mentee in terms of experience versus where she wants to be? You should take someone on with developmental gaps that you can help fill.

· Do I have the relevant experience and time? You never want to shortchange a mentoring relationship. Be sure you can effectively support the mentee in terms of knowledge and effort.

2 Things to Do After Your Project Meeting

Ongoing team projects frequently require regular meetings. While you can accomplish a lot in the meeting room, the real work often happens when people go back to their desks. To make sure your team makes the most of the meeting, do these two things:

· Send a follow-up. Distribute a note summarizing the meeting's outcome and next steps. People will appreciate your thoroughness and feel encouraged by the progress you all made.

· Offer help. Support anyone who may be overwhelmed or struggling with their assigned tasks. It stalls progress when team members hesitate to ask for assistance.

Think Before You Reorganize

Managers love to reorganize, but few employees like being reorganized. Structural changes provoke anxiety and confusion. Before you decide to redraw the org chart, consider these two things:

· What problem are you trying to solve? Are you trying to focus more on customers? Do you want to reduce costs? Has structure become overly complex? There might be good reasons, but before you leap into a reorganization, be clear on the goal.

· Is reorganization the only solution? Reorganization might solve many problems but it's rarely the only solution. Consider alternatives first, especially ones that entail less cost and risk.

Giving Tough Feedback? Sleep on It

Many people advise that you should give difficult feedback immediately, preferably within 24 hours of an incident. But next time you have to provide constructive criticism, consider sleeping on it first. Your input will be far more effective, and better received, if you aren't feeling agitated. Put some distance between the offending action and the feedback to gain perspective. You may need to calm down over several days. This will give you time to prepare, consider the other's point of view, and deliver the message in a calm and helpful way.

3 Tips for Managing a Perfectionist

A perfectionist on your team is both a blessing and a curse. He may have high standards, but will likely fixate on every detail of a project. Here are three ways to harness the positive qualities while mitigating the bad:

· Give the right job. Don't put a perfectionist in a role that is overly complex or requires managing people. Find positions that have a relatively narrow scope.

· Increase self-awareness. Help your direct report recognize when his standards have negative outcomes. Explain the impact on those around him.

· Don't shy away from feedback. Perfectionists may have a hard time hearing criticism of their work. This doesn't mean you shouldn't try. Ask for the perfectionist's advice on how to best give him feedback.

To Teach, Show and Tell

How many times have you trained a colleague in a task, only to have that person come knocking on your door every five minutes with a question? People learn by watching others, so instead of telling people how to solve a problem, show them. Take them through each step, explaining the reasons behind each. Then allow them to ask as many questions as needed. This will not only give them the foundation they need to do the task, but will prompt you to master the task more deeply as you provide a justification for each step.

4 Steps to Delivering Helpful Feedback

Feedback is problematic. Managers often dislike giving it and direct reports rarely get enough to change their behaviors. But feedback, both positive and negative, is an important tool for learning and career growth. Next time you have to talk with someone about their performance, follow these four steps:

· Be specific. Feedback needs to be actionable. Use concrete examples to back up your conclusions. Avoid generalized character attacks. Instead, describe the behavior.

· State the impact. Tell the person how his behavior is affecting you, the team, or the organization.

· Prescribe. Be specific about what needs to change. Often employees won't know what to change unless you tell them.

· Do it often. Get in the habit of praising good performance and identifying troublesome behavior.

Don't Worry About Your First Job

Graduates, take note: Few people start their work life in the right place. So don't stress about your first job out of college. Chances are it's not going to predict your future field, income, or career path. Instead of looking for the perfect job, look for these three things:

· Opportunities to learn. Whatever job you take, you should acquire new skills and experience.

· Enough money. You don't have to be a banker. Waiting tables is perfectly respectable if it affords you the time and flexibility to do what you care about.

· Chances to contribute. Everyone wants to feel a sense of purpose. Find a position that allows you to be a force for good. If you can't find a job that fits the bill, volunteer on the side.

Set the Stage for your Next Meeting

From the moment you send a meeting invite, as the meeting organizer you are responsible for setting the right tone and making the meeting a success. Here are three things you should do before people get in the room:

· Clarify the objective. Make sure people know why they're invited. If it's to make a decision, give participants the time and materials they need to prepare.

· Prep important people. Talk with key participants about agenda items ahead of time. You may hear insights that could change how you run the meeting.

· Expect full participation. Ask attendees to do their homework, come with relevant materials, and show up ready to contribute.

Skip the Mr. and Mrs.

Forget what your parents taught you, it's not always prudent to use a formal salutation, especially in today's more informal business world. Addressing people by their first name is now the norm in corporate America. Use first names to address colleagues, clients, and bosses. If you are a junior employee, this will level the playing field so that you are perceived as more of an equal. Confidently addressing people by their first names establishes you as mature and self-assured. If you are a seasoned manager, it will convey accessibility. Today's workers see hierarchies as stiff and outdated. Demanding that subordinates use a formal title comes off as pompous. Note that this informality is not the global norm—learn the local customs before you travel.

Don't Stay Late. Go Home.

Do you control your work hours or do they control you? More people are staying late at work and suffering because of it. Before you have dinner at your desk (again), do these three things:

· Know your priorities. When deciding whether to stay and finish a task or put it aside until the next day, remember what your priorities are. If the task furthers your professional and personal goals, then it may be worth putting in the extra time.

· Agree on expectations at home. Discuss your work hours with the people closest to you—your partner, spouse, or friends—to be sure your expectations are aligned.

· Talk about it at work. Make it clear that you are willing to stay late if there is a legitimate reason, such as a client deadline. But emphasize that this should be the exception, not the rule.

Drop Your Mask and Be Authentic

Are you hiding from your employees? Too many leaders try to conceal their flaws and present a polished façade. Or they try to behave like they think "great" leaders do. When you try to be someone else, it erodes trust and effectiveness and causes people to question your true identity. So drop the mask and be who you really are. This can enhance your relationships, foster trust, and create better business outcomes. Be honest about your imperfections and ask others to help you determine how to bring more of your authentic self to work.