Episodes

  • 10 Steps to Becoming a Bad Employee

    10 Steps to Becoming a Bad Employee
    Nov 22 2024

    10 Steps to Becoming a Bad Employee

    By Evan D. Baltz

    1. Always be late

    2. Always blame coworkers

    3. Backstab

    4. Give false praise

    5. Underestimate time to complete projects

    6. Be overly casual

    7. Use unprofessional language

    8. Always complain but offer no solutions

    9. Always make excuses

    10. Stay silent

    If you follow all of these tips, you too can become a bad employee!

    Thoughts? Did I forget some? Have you ever experienced any of these behaviors? Share your experiences in the comments.
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    5 mins
  • 10 Steps to Becoming a Bad Manager

    10 Steps to Becoming a Bad Manager
    Nov 22 2024
    Yep. You read that right. I’m going to tell you all the steps you can take to become a bad manager. A number of years ago I was fortunate enough to work for a large company and had a great manager for about a year. In fact, he was the best manager I’ve ever had. But then, as they do, the organization decided to restructure, and as a result, I was placed under another manager – the worst manager I’ve ever had. I learned a lot from that dramatic switch. I learned what it felt like to be under a great manager and how much being under an awful manager changed my world for the worse. But, through that pain, it brought me to a deeper understanding of what truly makes a bad manager and solidified in my mind all of the things I never wanted to become. Thus, I share with you 10 steps to Becoming a Bad Manager: Take all the credit and none of the blame Talk down to your employees Punish and stifle honesty and feedback Demand your employees put your needs above theirs Be stingy with time off Berate or embarrass employees in front of team members Gaslight employees about their work Use employee reviews as a method of punishment Micromanage Create emergencies And there you have it, 10 sure steps to make you a bad manager. If you can successfully follow these tips, you too can achieve this status. Now that you know what it takes to be a bad manager, maybe it will help you understand what kind of manager you want to be. Thoughts? Too harsh? Do you have some of your own tips based on your experiences? Share them in the comments.
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    13 mins
  • #5 Handling difficult situations

    #5 Handling difficult situations
    Nov 20 2024
    #5 Handling Difficult Situations An effective leader is able to navigate and address difficult situations. The first four skills I've discussed in previous posts all need to be put into practice when a leader is faced with a difficult situation. In fact, how you are remembered and/or perceived is often dictated by how you handle difficult situations. Think about world leaders. We remember them primarily by what they said and did in crisis, not by how they handled the day-to-day. Failure in a crisis can undo one's reputation quickly and permanently. The problems most leaders face aren't global crises, but rather personnel, performance, or process issues. One of the most common would be an underperforming employee. How you, as a manager, address that situation can often dictate how you are perceived as a leader -- for better or worse. When I was in the 7th grade, one day in history class a friend of mine and I were talking during class and were perhaps being a little bit distracting during a history lecture. At the end of class, after the bell rang, the teacher said in a very calm tone, "Hey Evan and John, can you hang back a second." Gulp. We sheepishly approached our teacher thinking we would probably be sentenced to clapping erasers after school (you might have to Google that one). Instead, our teacher said, in a very affirming tone, "Hey you guys have always been good in my class and I know I won't have any more issues with you guys talking during the lecture. See ya." Would you like to guess as to whether or not we ever talked during the lecture again? This teacher was authentic in that moment. He was compassionate but was holding us accountable. He was telling us what the standard was and how we needed to come up to that level. But he was also telling us we could do it and he was confident that we would. And here I am many, many, many years later, relating that story to you. That is handling an issue in a perfect way. He didn't embarrass us in front of the class. He could have, but he didn't. He didn't raise his voice or take an unnecessarily authoritative tone. He didn't lecture us and didn't punish us. Yet, he accomplished his goal perfectly. And in doing so, set for me a model of leadership and dealing with people. Keeping the end goal in mind is crucial. Is this an opportunity for you to exercise your authority and "show them who's boss", or is it your goal to elevate them to be more successful? Your end goal will often dictate your process and method. Being firm AND compassionate aren't mutually exclusive. My best advice is to be authentic. Be yourself. Be normal. Speak to someone the way you would like to be spoken to. Don't put on what you perceive to be "how a leader speaks". You aren't Colonel Jessup (some of you will get that reference). You are you. Don't change that persona when issues arise. Have you experienced a good "in crisis" leader in your career? . Share your experiences
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    6 mins
  • #4 Leaders must be compassionate

    #4 Leaders must be compassionate
    Nov 20 2024
    #4 Compassion Strong leaders must be compassionate. What saddens me is that many might tacitly agree with this but then nullify that with their actions. Your employees and co-workers are human beings. They aren't perfect. They aren't soulless robots. They have families and pets. They have feelings and concerns. They have good days and bad days. They get sick. They have questions. Some are introverted. Some are extroverted. They come from different backgrounds and different experiences. But all of them are human beings. As a leader, your responsibility is not to squeeze every last ounce out of them for your benefit, or the benefit of the company. Your responsibility it to help them be successful. That has to be your top priority, and it starts with being compassionate. I've had employees come to me and ask if it was okay for them to take a couple of hours off in the afternoon to go to the doctor or take their child to the doctor. Wow, what kind of workplace experiences have they had in the past that make them feel like they need permission for such things? My response is, "Of course it is okay, you don't need to ask." I am not a parent or a babysitter or your commanding officer. I am just a fellow human being. "Is it okay if I take a day off next week?" Nope, you should take 2. "I might be a little late returning from lunch because I need to pick up a prescription." Why don't you just take the rest of the afternoon, so you don't feel rushed. "I'm sorry my kids walked through the background just now in our video conference." If they need your attention, please take whatever time you need to assist, we'll be here when you get back. No worries. Imagine the impact those kinds of statements have on your employees! They build trust and security. They feel heard and cared for. Your words are backed up by actions. Who would you rather work hard for? The manager in the examples above, or someone who berates or commands you like a prison guard? Showing true compassion demonstrates that you are committed to your employee's long-term success, not to some temporary objective. This is the difference between building a successful team and building a disgruntled chain gang. Here's the question I get sometimes: But what if they abuse this compassion? That is the topic for the next post -- handling difficult situations.
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    4 mins
  • #3 Leaders must be accountable

    #3 Leaders must be accountable
    Nov 20 2024
    #3 Accountability Leaders must be accountable. Accountability is a huge problem in the workplace. Well, let us be honest, not just in the workplace, it's a huge problem in society. There is almost nothing more demoralizing or frustrating for employees than when leadership is not accountable for their decisions and actions. Too many leaders and managers hold to the "accountability for thee, not for me" mentality. So, as a leader, how do you ensure you don't fall into that trap? First, state your intentions to your team. And do so, without hesitation or equivocation. "I am accountable" "It is my responsibility" "I will assume the blame if something goes wrong" "You will receive the credit when something goes well" Harry Truman said, "The buck stops here." That is the attitude. Ah, but attitude is just the start, not the end. Others within your organization will respect this level of maturity and leadership, as long as there is consistent follow-through and your actions match your words. Some examples of actions: You are in a meeting with your team and other members of the organization. One of your team members is called out for missing something or for not following through. Speak up on behalf of your team member and state, "That is my responsibility to see that it was done and done correctly, I will improve my efforts to ensure these requirements are satisfied." The worst thing a manager can do in that scenario is to say, "Yeah Dave, why didn't you get that done?" Accountability takes bravery and self-sacrifice for the betterment of the team. And, accountability is infectious. When others see you demonstrating these higher EQ qualities, they will want to emulate you. Don't talk about your corporate culture unless you and all your leaders are actively and consistently demonstrating accountability. Have you ever experienced leaders who were not accountable? How does that impact your work life? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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    3 mins
  • #2 Listening

    #2 Listening
    Nov 19 2024
    Leaders must listen. A great leader listens. You've heard it before, two ears, one mouth. Listening is the key to communication, understanding problems, and understanding people. A manager who isn't a good listener isn't a good manager. Keys to being a good listener: • Make it okay for every person to speak their mind - truly. No judging or punishing people for their thoughts and opinions. Tell each person how important their input is and that you need it. • Be patient. Especially with introverts. Give the conversation time to breathe, allow them time to collect their thoughts and express them. Just listen and stop talking. • Ask follow-up questions. If someone is being over specific, allow them to, but also direct them back to the bigger picture. Ask questions about "why" they think what they do and assure them all feedback is valuable. • Actually consider what they are saying. You aren't listening just to pretend to be a listener. They may have a viewpoint you disagree with, and that's great, it might sharpen your own understanding. • Keep their confidence. See #1 about being authentic, share your thoughts openly and allow them to do the same but build trust. • In meetings, wait until the end to speak. Nothing shuts down discussion faster than the highest-ranking person in the meeting stating their opinion first and aggressively. Listen to everyone in the room. Encourage each person to speak. Ask those who are less likely to share for their opinions and thoughts. If the group doesn't address a particular issue or idea, then raise it at the end of the meeting. • Acknowledge when you hear something good. Admit when you learn something and accept that you might be wrong. • Listen to each person equally. Don't grant special attention to other leaders and ignore team members. • Implement the ideas of your team. Don't just ask for input and do nothing. Update them regularly on how you are taking their feedback and applying it. Ask them to hold you accountable. Accountability is the next topic. Do you have your own listening tips? How do you feel when you are heard? Post your thoughts in the comments.
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    12 mins
  • #1 Leaders must be authentic

    #1 Leaders must be authentic
    Nov 19 2024

    Leadership must be authentic.

    Have you ever had a manager who, in your one-on-ones (1:1), seems to be reading from a "how to be a manager" script? They ask questions that seem forced, formulaic, or worse, like trick questions. They use catchphrases more than Bart Simpson. They sound like a semi-human version of ChatGPT.

    Don't get me wrong—management training courses and books can be helpful on some levels, but they often produce inauthentic results as the trainee falls back on the talking points rather than engaging in an authentic conversation that connects with the employee.

    This is a huge mistake. Employees want to be able to trust and communicate with their managers on a human level -- a meaningful level. And most people can tell when they are being talked down to, lied to, or manipulated. They can also recognize when the person on the other side of the desk or the other Brady Bunch box in Zoom is just going through the motions -- wearing a manager's costume.

    Be yourself, and just talk. Or better yet, just listen. That's the topic for the next post.Have you had experiences like this, for good or bad? Share them in the comments (but maybe leave out the names) 🙂

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    8 mins