2011-1 Leadership Spring

LEADERSHIP Spring 2011

Setting Goals for Spring?

Follow our tips for success pg. 2

Learn to Improve Teamwork Skills Among Your Employees pg. 3 How to Cope with Workplace Change in Unsettling Times pg. 4 New Supervisor? Read our ‘MustHave’ Management Skills pg. 10

LEADERSHIP SPRING 2011

A word from your Account Management Team...

As we move into Spring, you may be welcoming new sports, new outfits, and even new roles; and with change comes the potential for new stress and new opportunities. The Account Management team is always here to lend a hand and provide guidance and support to you.

We are also welcoming Spring here at MINES. Earlier this year, BizPsych, our Organizational Psychology consulting sister company released a new website with priceless information and quick synopses of the many things that BizPsych can do to help you. If you find anything in this magazine that sounds like something you could use help with, the folks at BizPsych can be instrumental in identifying and assisting in meeting the demands of change. You can find them at www.

BizPsych.com.

Some things to check out today: Have you scheduled your training hours for 2011?

New programs for 2011 can be found in our Workplace Training Catalog under the Employees/ Members section of www.MINESandAssociates. com.

Experiencing organizational challenges? We all do from time to time. If you want an opportunity to inoculate your company from these problems, you should attend the BizPsych webinar series, continuing with Session II on May 16th.

2 LEADERSHIP Spring 2011

MINES & ASSOCIATES 10367 W CENTENNIAL RD LITTLETON, CO 80127 800.873.7138 www.MINESandAssociates.com

CREDITS Parlay International ©2011 Ten Tips for Improving Teamwork pg 3 Empowering Your Team pg 6 Do Your Employees Work for You or With You? pg 9 The Four Basic Management Skills 10 Krames Staywell Goal Setting for Everyday Success pg 4-5 Responding to a Changing Workplace pg 7 How ‘Healthy’ is Your Workstation? pg 8

TEN TIPS FOR

IMPROVING TEAMWORK Quality is a team sport. Someone once defined teamwork in a sentence: Together Everyone Accomplishes More. Ken Blanchard said the same thing a little differently: “None of us is as smart as all of us.”

Quality requires the integration of many individual efforts into a “whole.” Teamwork means that people work together in a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect. When one member of the team falters, it affects the outcome of the entire process. The development of teamwork is not just one of the essentials of a quality effort, but one of its greatest benefits.

Over the years, successful quality groups have identified the following activities team leaders can do to improve teamwork.

1.

Help people get to know each other and build trust.

2.

Provide structure for the group (but not too much).

3.

Encourage open and honest expression of ideas.

4.

Make sure the atmosphere is relaxed, comfortable and free of fear.

5.

See that everyone has an opportunity to participate.

6.

Keep the group focused on the present and not on the past.

7.

Invest leadership in all team members so as not to create a dependency on one person.

8.

Provide the group with feedback on its achievements as well as its problems.

9.

Remind the group that progress comes from the willingness to face problems and improve methods of dealing with them.

10. Help team members understand the consequences of their behavior by providing open, honest feedback when they ask for it.

Spring 2011 LEADERSHIP 3

Goal Setting for

I

Everyday Success

n a garden, you plant seeds, nurture them with water and fertilizer, work at keeping the weeds out, and trust the plants will accomplish your goal of growing strong and productive. The same processes can be used to plan for progress in your life and work.

“Setting goals gives direction to life,” says Jack Ensign Addington, author of “All About Goals and How to Achieve Them.” “If you don’t have goals, you have no direction. You’re going to drift and get nowhere. Setting a goal creates a mold into which the energy of life flows. It’s a law of the mind – that which you can conceive of, believe in, and confidently expect for yourself, must necessarily become your experience.”

Keep the following steps in mind and you’ll soon be reaping a bountiful harvest.

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PUT IT IN WRITING

Writing down your goals is like planting seeds.

To do so, write a detailed description of each goal – the more detailed, the better. Most goals fail to materialize because they’re too vague. So, instead of writing, “I want a new car,” describe your new red convertible with the black leather seats.

Make sure your goals are realistic and not in conflict with each other. You should believe they’re attainable.

Next to each goal, write the feeling you hope to get from reaching it. You might want excitement from the red convertible, for instance. A feeling of success or accomplishment may come from the purchase of your first home. Other goals might give you feelings of security, respect, social acceptance, love, fun, happiness, adventure, or power.

ACT AS IF

“Goals should be thought of as already accomplished. Never allow yourself to feel anxious about them. This will impede your progress,” warns Mr. Addington.

When you feel in your heart you deserve your goal and will do whatever it takes to achieve it, you have won the biggest battle – the battle with your mind.

Close your eyes and visualize yourself as if you already have attained the goal and are experiencing the feelings that go along with it. Feel the joy and satisfaction of owning your new home, the prestige of earning a higher degree, the excitement of driving a new car. Then start acting as if you already have achieved your goal. If your goal is a new home, start shopping for furniture.

If your goal is to become a lawyer, attend some trials and apply to law school.

MAKE DAILY LISTS

Now that you’re clear about your goals, nurture them. Decide which tasks must be done and the tools and training you’ll need to achieve them.

Each evening, ask yourself, “What can I do today to get closer to my goal?” Then make a list of six things to do and schedule time to do them.

Don’t beat up on yourself if you don’t accomplish them all in one day. Simply carry over the unfinished tasks to tomorrow.

If you don’t have goals, you have no direction. You’re going to drift and get nowhere.

Setting a goal creates a

mold into which the energy of life flows.

At the end of each day, write down what you accomplished in a notebook or calendar so you can track your progress.

BE CAREFUL ABOUT SHARING

Don’t discuss your goals with friends or family members who don’t share your enthusiasm.

They may cause you to doubt your goal, or they may feel threatened and subtly sabotage your success. Most of the time it’s best to quietly go about pursuing goals, only giving people information when a goal will affect their lives. That way, you won’t have the added stress of accounting to other people about your progress or making explanations if you change direction.

On the other hand, encouragement can be motivating. You can get it from the people who teach you the new skills you need. They have a personal interest in your progress and will be thrilled about your success.

Want more information?

Log onto MINES PersonalAdvantage at www.MINESandAssociates.com. You’ll find more resources related to goal setting, leadership skills, and much more.

Can’t remember your username and password? Don’t have online services?

Contact your HR Department today.

Spring 2011 LEADERSHIP 5

Empowering

Your Team

Unempowered employees have no choice in what work they do and when. They work alone, with little change in their work day or work week. Unempowered employees are less motivated and are expected to solve problems using set guidelines with no deviation or creativity. Unempowered teams produce less and have lower morale. So, how do you empower your team?

Transfer planning responsibility to employees.

Give projects as a whole to the team instead of small pieces at a time. Give the team the responsibility to plan when each step should be completed.

Result: Empowered employees have the right to choose what task they are going to do next.

Transfer scheduling of projects to employees.

Instead of daily meetings to check progress and discuss the next steps, give employees enough work to fill a week or more.

Result: Empowered employees complete jobs that have been divided up among the team by the team.

Transfer decisions to employees.

Encourage employees to be involved in the decision-making process. Impromptu meetings for brainstorming and problem-solving are good opportunities to do this.

Result: With practice, teams will make decisions quickly and effectively.

Assign work to the team instead of individuals.

Have the team, not you the supervisor, divide up a large project. The team can decide how to make the best use of individual talents and skills. This enables individuals to be trained in a variety of areas.

Result: Empowered employees are well trained and qualified to complete the job.

Look at the results, not the process.

A supervisor overseeing an empowered team will take the time to view the successful results, not the process. Decisions, scheduling, and planning have been effectively delegated to the team as a whole.

Result: Team members are highly motivated by opportunities to contribute and by the variety of challenges.

6 LEADERSHIP Spring 2011

Responding

to a Changing

Workplace

In a changing workplace, where downsizing and re-engineering are facts of life, you need to hold yourself accountable for your own job performance, morale, attitude, and behavior. “You need to take initiative to ensure that you will prosper when changes come to your department and the expectations aren’t as clear as they once were,” says Rosemary T. Salmon, coauthor of The Mid-Career Tune-Up. “And instead of waiting for your boss or the company to issue new guidelines, take the opportunity to initiate some personal action plans, so you can actively respond to recent developments.”

Strategies for Success...

Keep these strategies in mind when your company changes directions, objectives, or structure. They are proactive responses to managing your own performance and morale.

D

o your best to meet cost, time, quality, and quantity requirements. “Even as things around you change, keep your work moving along at a steady, predictable pace,” says Ms. Salmon. “You may need to interact more with others who can help you with the resources you need and you may need to keep others informed about new and unexpected obstacles or bottlenecks.”

A

djust to changing priorities. You should be able to shift from tasks that are comfortable, habitual, and easy to new activities that will help you meet new priorities. “It may be difficult for you to let go of routine actions that you’ve been doing for a long time,” says Ms. Salmon. “But the need to change your approach to accommodate new priorities is essential.”

T

ake the initiative in developing creative solutions to problems, and do what’s necessary to get the job done. Decide which is the better option - a thoughtful, analytical, data-based approach that leads to informed and tested conclusions; or an intuitive, creative, gut-feeling approach based on brainstorming and other imaginative techniques.

A

ccept responsibility for your work and for the consequences of your efforts. Accountability is an important concept for employers. Companies and their managers are looking for people willing to accept responsibility for whatever happens, even if the results aren’t as positive as they may have been in the past. “In times of rapid, unpredictable change, doing the best you can is a fair expectation,” says Ms. Salmon. “Plus, accepting responsibility when things fall short of your manager’s expectations or your own personal standards is the first step in learning how to make things better.”

S

et high performance standards for yourself. You know what you’re capable of doing, and you know how much time and energy you’re willing to invest in your changing job duties. Once you have defined your own performance expectations and made certain they meet at least the minimum required by your company at this time, you should be able to proceed with confidence.

M

aintain a high level of enthusiasm and an optimistic perspective about changes in responsibilities and directions. “Even if you feel that what your company has done or is doing isn’t in your best interest, you need to keep your end of the bargain by working as conscientiously and efficiently as possible,” says Ms. Salmon.

D

o your best to foster cooperation and teamwork with others. “Everyone is probably in the same situation, trying to figure out how things are going to develop and stabilize,” she says. “Some of your colleagues may have figured out approaches that can help you, and some of them may be able to benefit from your ideas.”

Spring 2011 LEADERSHIP 7

DESK TIPS

A user-friendly desk provides adequate clearance for your legs, allows proper placement of computer components and accessories, and minimizes awkward postures and exertions.

Keep the following in mind: • Avoid storing items under your desk that could keep you from sitting with your chair pulled in.

• Put frequently used devices (keyboard and mouse) within easy reach.

• Minimize stress on your wrists by padding hard desk edges with inexpensive materials, such as pipe insulation, or use a wrist rest.

• Adjust the height of your chair so that your feet are flat on the floor when you sit.

MONITOR TIPS

Placing your monitor in an appropriate position helps reduce awkward postures and overhead glare. This helps prevent fatigue, eyestrain and neck and back pain.

‘H ealthy’ is your Workstation?

How

P

eople whose job puts them at a computer keyboard all day have reported a variety of health problems linked to work habits and workstation design, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

You can prevent many of these discomforts by arranging your workstation and computer components to accommodate your body and work tasks.

8 LEADERSHIP Spring 2011

To place the monitor properly: • Put it directly in front of you. Monitors shouldn’t be farther than 35 degrees to the left or right.

• Place it so the top line of the screen is at or below eye level and perpendicular to any windows.

• Place it about 20 inches from your eyes.

• Sit at a comfortable distance from the monitor. You should be able to read all text with your head and torso in an upright posture and your back supported by your chair.

• Lower the monitor so you can maintain appropriate neck posture if you wear bifocals. You may need to tilt the screen up toward you.

TELEPHONE TIPS Using the telephone efficiently will help prevent pain and fatigue.

To do so: • Use a speakerphone or headset for long conversations.

• Don’t place the telephone too far away, which can cause you to repeatedly reach, resulting in strain on your shoulders, arms and neck.

Do Your Employees

Work for You or with You?

• Do you give orders and expect them to be followed?

• Do you distance yourself from your employees personally and professionally?

• Do you feel the need to push your employees to meet goals?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, then your employees work for you.

• Do you explain to employees the logic behind your decisions?

• Do you act as part of a team?

• Do you involve your employees in goalsetting?

• Do you involve your employees in decision-making?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, then your employees work with you.

C

hances are, employees who work for you will just meet your expectations of them.

However, those who feel they work with you as a team will work harder to meet or exceed your performance expectations.

By distancing yourself from your employees, for instance never dining with them during lunch breaks, you are encouraging a counterproductive us-against-them attitude. Knowing your employees will give you a clearer picture of their strengths and weaknesses. This information will be invaluable when delegating projects or tasks.

Morale is an important issue where productivity is at risk. Barking orders without communicating the why and how can confound employees and compound mistakes.

Assuming that employees are neither interested in nor able to give constructive input is a mistake. Encouraging problem solving within a team will often yield more creative and successful solutions.

Spring 2011 LEADERSHIP 9

THE FOUR BASIC MANAGEMENT SKILLS PLANNING - Setting goals

• Choose company goals and department objectives • Develop plans and budgets to reach goals

ORGANIZING - A blueprint for achieving goals • Identify any group work to be done • Choose the right type of organization for the work

LEADING - Motivating & working directly with people • Select the right people to fill positions • Train and develop employees for their tasks • Motivate workers to achieve

CONTROLLING - Making sure goals are achieved • Set standards of performance • Evaluate performance against established

10 LEADERSHIP Spring 2011

and objectives • Establish policies and procedures

• Delegate responsibilites • Determine working relationships among people • Communicate with staff • Make necessary decisions

standards • Take corrective action as required

2011 HR Webinar Series H��� ��� ���� �������� ���� �� ����� ������ ���� �� ����� ���� �� ���� ����� ��� ���� ������� �������������� ����������? C�� ����� ������� �������� ���� �� ��������?

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This webinar series will give you an up-close look, using real case studies, at what is involved in effectively resolving these types of organizational challenges.

Each webinar will focus on one aspect of the organizational development process using case studies to illustrate the tools and methodologies that are used. Participants will be asked to actively engage in each webinar by way of sharing their stories, challenges, perspectives and asking provocative questions.

Session One: Series Introduction

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16TH

Session Two: The Art of an Effective Organizational Development Assessment WEDNESDAY, MAY 18TH

Session Three: The Fine Art of Report Writing WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17TH

Session Four: The Action Plan

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19TH ALL SESSIONS TAKE PLACE FROM 11AM - 12PM MST QUESTIONS? Reach us at 800.873.7138 |

Brought to you by BizPsych and MINES & Associates Fall 2010 Balanced Living 11

. . . s r o ervis

p u S o t e ot An F

rom time to time, situations arise when a supervisor is not sure how to respond to a particular behavior. The EAP is available on a 24/7 basis for consultation on issues such as: referring an employee to the EAP, how best to respond to and manage difficult behavior in the workplace, and whether training or some other form of group intervention (such as an organizational intervention or a conflict resolution) may be helpful for a particular situation. The EAP can serve as an ally to anyone who is working with a troubled employee.

• 24/7 supervisor consultation regarding problems in the workplace • Assessment of behavioral risk on the job • Return-to-Duty conferences • Advisory services in writing, revising, and implementing policies • Supervisor and Manager training • Unlimited formal Work Performance Referrals • Coaching for management and leadership skills • Conflict resolution for supervisor-employee problems MINES believes that employees are an organization’s most valuable resource.

Your EAP is always available to provide you and your employees with support.

The MINES Team

800.873.7138 www.MINESandAssociates.com