Can I Interrupt You For a Minute?

We have all heard that phrase: "can I interrupt you a minute?", but we have learned the hard way that the interruption very rarely lasts just a minute. Then what happens when you try to get back to the task you were working on before the interruption? Have you lost focus or momentum? Can you even remember what you were working on before the interruption? Time yourself next time you are interrupted to determine how long you need to get back the focus for your task. Interruptions, therefore, can have a big impact on productivity.

What type of interruptions do you have? People you work with? Phone calls? Technology such as email, instant messaging, texts, etc.? Or do you interrupt yourself by stopping the important work you are doing with less critical work or fun things such as checking your Facebook updates? Sometimes if you are working on a task you dislike you look for people and things to interrupt you thinking: "Please take me away from this!"

I believe that most interruptions can be controlled. Here are a few ideas to consider:

Handle Visitors and Callers – The key to handling people who visit or call you with the famous phrase, "Do you have a minute?", is the ability to quickly access the urgency of their issue and how much time they truly need. Asking a few quick questions in a respectful way to determine the answer to these two issues will allow you to decide whether to handle the situation immediately or set a specific time later to give the person your full attention. Alan Lakein, author of How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life says to be ruthless with time, but courteous with people. If your employees feel like they cannot ever interrupt you they may handle a critical issue incorrectly which may create a larger issue.

Analyze Your Interruptions - By analyzing the who and the why of your interruptions you may discover a pattern. For example you may have one employee that interrupts quite often with questions he should be able to answer. Could it be he lacks confidence and needs more training? Or you may be interrupted by several people asking the same question. This could mean that you need to plan training for everyone or communicate more information to empower people to handle the situation in the future.

Set Electronic-Free Time Zones – All the use of technology has caused a conditional reflex of immediately checking every time you hear the tone of your email, texts and/or instant messaging. Ask yourself, "What would happen if I did not answer immediately?" If the answer is "not much", you can create an Electronic-Free Time Zone. Set one or two specific time periods every day that you turn off everything electronic and just use this time to complete projects and other work that takes your full concentration. It is a good idea to let colleagues and friends know about your E-Free zones to set their expectations.

Reward Yourself – If you are working on a tedious project or task and find yourself looking for interruptions, you can set up a reward system. Make a deal with yourself to focus on your project for a set period of time such as 30 minutes or an hour and then reward yourself for a few minutes with something more interesting or fun to do. By giving yourself a "brain break" reward you will feel more energized to get back to your project because you know you have another reward scheduled soon.

You can control interruptions, feel more productive, and have less stress in your life.

Tweet as reference http://bit.ly/cMztIO

Seven Signs to Avoid the Four Losses: Are You an Ostrich or an Eagle?

The story goes that when the ostrich wants to block out the world it sticks it’s head in the sand. If there’s nothing to see things can’t be too bad. Right?! The eagle on the other hand looks for a better and more strategic view. The higher it goes to a lofty vantage point the more it can see possibilities for food as well as potential threats. Are you an ostrich or an eagle?

Whether you’re a manager or an employee retention is a critical issue for your survival. Let’s review the four primary losses that accompany attrition and then we’ll look briefly at seven early warning signs.

Lost Productivity X Four

1. Here’s the first level of lost productivity. The typical team member begins thinking and planning about leaving from three to six months before they actually depart. This is a period of partial to full disengagement and can be very costly to the organization.
2. Secondly, there will be a loss of productivity when the person is gone because there will not be anyone who can quickly take their place. This vacancy could remain open from three to six months or longer. That adds to the problem and the loss of productivity.
3. Next there is a loss of productivity even after the replacement has been found during the on-boarding and training phase. This can easily take weeks or months before a return to full productivity is reached.
4. Finally, there is the time and energy drain on those employees who are involved in the recruiting, hiring and training of the new person which takes away from their normal levels of productivity.

This ripple effect can involve over a dozen people scattered in several departments and equate to the loss of tens of thousands of dollars or more. That is a huge and costly loss that can be avoided if you’re eagle eyes are open and trained to spot certain details.

Seven Early Warning Signals

If you find yourself described by these signals this might be your own personal wake up call. You may need to have a chat with your boss about your own level of discontent or discouragement and how it is impacting your behavior and productivity. Or you might be hearing from him/her if ‘ostrich’ isn’t their typical reaction to problems.

Either way recognizing these signals will be a red flag you don’t want to ignore. Retaining those who are engaged and productive is more critical than ever in this weak economy.

Some of the early warning signals you might see are:

• Increased sick time
• Arriving later or leaving earlier than normal
• Increased web browsing and personal calls
• A drop in productivity either in quantity or quality
• Frequent disagreement with management and company policies
• Stops volunteering for projects
• A non-complainer expressing discontent
• Refers to departed team members

There are other potential warning signs but this list gives you a smart starting place to recognize those who are planning their departure. In the coming months and years of the ‘new economy’ knowing the value and importance of how to avoid the four losses will be one of the three top reasons for your personal success and that of your organization.

Tweet as reference http://bit.ly/beon8k

Wize-Up To Business: Specialists? No, we just want generalists...

Check out this great blog post from a UK business and leadership Blogger, David Cotton.
Wize-Up To Business: Specialists? No, we just want generalists...
I'm sure you will enjoy his other posts too! I found David on Twitter at WizeUpLtd.

Readers: If you like the idea of linking to posts in other great blogs from this blog, let me know with a comment on this blog to encourage me to do more in the future.

If you like David's post and want to comment on his text, please do so on his blog so he will see it.

Bloggers: If you are a Blogger user too and would like to make post links like this from any of the posts on this blog, be sure you are signed in. Then use the "Links to this post" option next to comments at the bottom of the desired post, then choose "Create a link" below the comments form.

You can find me on Twitter too! I'm meetingwizard. Announcement of new blog posts also are Twitter. Just follow 2bproductive to get them.

Lessons in Leadership from Undercover Boss

This post is a simple review of the February episodes of the television show Undercover Boss, along with opinions by viewers. From this show upper management learns how their attitudes and policies can affect the company bottom line and lower rungs of the career ladder. It is meant to make managers think and acknowledge the value of employees at all levels of the business. The primary episode summaries here are merely my expressed opinion using a little more text than available for 2bproductive tweets. Also includes a few comments from other people on Twitter regarding their feelings as they related to a particular episode.

If you want to check out someone who made a Twitter comment, please click on their Twitter name at the beginning of the tweet to view their profile. If you want to see a longer review of an episode, please click on the company featured to link to an on-line story featuring the company’s participation on the show. If you missed an episode of the show Undercover Boss, check out video clips and reviews at
http://www.tv.com/undercover-boss/show/76698/videos.html?tag=page_nav;videos

Episode 1 = Waste Management story was about the guys who pick-up our garbage and recycle the stuff we put out on our curbs. This show emphasized breakthrough improvement ideas and true customer service come from the bottom up and that C-levels should listen. This show was very popular although no one who commented on it mentioned the “green” aspect related to the recycling part of that business. We got to see that the COO thought recycling was important, but it is an expensive and labor-intensive business to be in. Has our appreciation for the man on the back of the truck increased? I hope so…
What a few people said on Twitter
KellyFerrara: #UndercoverBoss - perhaps my new favorite show! Featured Waste Management President and COO Larry O’Donnell...like reverse Apprentice.
BGdoesPR: Same here, would work for the COO of #WM after watching #undercoverboss. He is ethical and real, qualities rarely seen in todays exec
SoSoulfull: *wiping my eyes* It’s so sad how companies will work the life outta folks. This Waste Management Exec really gets it! Kudos #undercoverboss
ginavergel7: Especially multitasking. This Waste Management CEOs mind is blown! #undercoverboss

Episode 2 = Hooters story was more on the people aspect of the business. The CEO had the right idea that employees were a key part of the brand. If mutual trust/respect exists between employees and managers, it can motivate work performance and company loyalty. Customer service and employee attitude says a lot about the business the people are working for. However, the show seem to take a different turn than what the CEO said for his main goal of changing minds about the brand and hopefully resulting in broadened customer base. Did being on this show accomplish his goal since it spurred a Blog and Twitter campaigns to fire one of their managers? Would promoting that they have more than wings and beer on their menu have been a better way to get in new customers? How about specially-priced quick-lunches to attract professionals working nearby like many of their competitors are doing?
What a few people said on Twitter
mrobin032009: Anyone else disappointed w/ how the Hooters CEO handled the inappropriate manager on #UndercoverBoss last night? Even hubby said "fire him"!
mariva: #Hooters CEO may not be able to #FireJimbo because of corp. bylaws/contract w/franchise. Maybe franchise OWNER is the prob.? #UndercoverBoss
404techsupport: Hooter’s #UndercoverBoss instead of just giving the female manager a vacation, should have built a mgmt class from her style.
worknclassbunny: This new show is an amazing insight on American companies. Every CEO/President should do this #UndercoverBoss

Episode 3 = 7-Eleven story appeared to result in the goal stated at the start by their CEO. He noted that employees are the key to the business and their attitude supports the business processes and affects customer service and support. He recognized his best workers at the end of the show and emphasized how many people are loyal customers based on how they are treated by the employees at the store they visit regularly. It wasn’t just about how many cups of coffee and donuts are sold, it was about building customer relationships. Isn’t relationship selling the new buzz in business? What is your company doing to build the best customer relationships possible? Can customer service and better relationships be what turns the tide in the success of a company?
What a few people said on Twitter
ChareeKlimek CEO Joe DePinto of @7eleven is the real deal. Humble, genuine, passionate about EE's - the heart of every successful biz #undercoverboss
melindamusil: This #undercoverboss show is so moving! I mean- he improves his company, he gets some free pub, but most of all he improves PEOPLE!
childsplayx2: The secret to greater sales is creating relationships. Dolores at 7-11 knows that. #UndercoverBoss
jingstri: I LOVE Igor on #undercoverboss. He’s so passionate and upbeat about his job. It’s nice to watch. Igor: "Big boss comes to the plain worker. Only in America."
JLWNEO: Imagine how many great employees with real capabilities who go unchallenged/unrecognized everywhere. Every boss should be an #undercoverboss

Episode 4 = White Castle story where the owner looks to the youth at his restaurant to find new leadership as well as ideas for future business improvement in various areas of the business. Hopefully the new managers don’t forget where they came from, like one on the show seemed to, and will continue to look to those who work for and with them for process improvement. After all, the people on the front-line know the business the best and can find quick, easy improvements that save time and money. Every business can benefit from building teamwork between peers and supervisors as well as encouraging upward movement and career planning within the corporation to keep the talent and get return on their investment in training employees.
What a few people said on Twitter
tericee: Kudos to @OfficialWC for pursuing corporate change instead of just individual employee solutions! #undercoverboss
cindybutts: Lessons after 60 min of #undercoverboss: have employees write the procedure manual, have wellness program
genochurch: I guess I’m a helpless romantic… but it’s great to see regular folk getting the limelight for just doing their jobs #undercoverboss
teresamhauck: Thank you Dave for putting faces on the numbers! Others should do the same! It’s the people #undercoverboss //agreed

If you want to see another nice boss story, view the ABC News video story where Red Mill Natural Foods owner gives company to 200 employees at
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/boss-company-workers-9881720.

Tweet as reference http://bit.ly/dCbJmb

Leadership - Learning from a Maestro

I recently listened to an interview on National Public Radio (NPR) with conductor Lorin Maazel. This child prodigy, now 79 years old, imparted some remarkable insights on leadership. Take a minute to learn from the maestro.

It shouldn’t be surprising that a conductor would have keen insight on leadership. The definition of a conductor is “a leader of a musical ensemble.” Maazel likens a conductor to a stage director: “Actors know their parts, but the director is responsible for the overall picture.” A conductor has 100 players spread out over a stage, and each knows how to play his instrument. But an oboist does not know what a violinist is playing. The conductor brings it all together by knowing the extent each instrument can be pushed to achieve an interpretive goal.

Likewise, a leader has employees, most likely not even all on the same stage. Virtual teams use the instruments of the mobile workforce (cell phones, laptops, Web conferencing, Wikis, etc.). Leaders develop collaborative relationships that benefit from boundaries and structures generated by a manager’s positional power to achieve success.

Command is about respect and firmly establishing credibility. But a leader cannot command respect. The way a conductor earns respect is by knowing the musical score and understanding the problems the players will encounter playing it – just as a leader earns respect by knowing the business and understanding the problems the employees will face. With respect comes the willingness and eagerness to be guided or led. According to Maazel, earning respect is not the same as earning friendship. A leader won’t last long if she takes the people out drinking at the local bar. Maazel says, “You don’t have to curry favor by being nice; you’re just nice because you are nice. If you’re affectionate and have friendly feeling towards people trying so hard to do their best, then you will win their affection, too.”

There is a debate among leadership experts about whether corporate leaders are born or made. Maazel, who possesses absolute (perfect) pitch and a photographic memory, believes that one is born with potential – be it playing chess, tennis or writing: “In theater, there are actors who walk on stage and don’t do anything and have a commanding presence. Others walk out screaming and tearing their hair, and you want to yawn because it is so boring.” Your full potential can be achieved only with discipline. You have to have both to be successful.

On the topic of making a difference, Maazel’s sage advice is, “If you want to make a difference, never say anything that’s not going to make a difference. I want to improve things. I don’t just stop the orchestra to hear myself talk. If I say something that will not make it sound different, I’m wasting my time and I’m wasting their time.” In the rapidly changing business world of today, time is critical and is not to be wasted.

When you began reading this post, you may have conjured up the mental model of a conductor who is a long-haired eccentric, flaying his arms, madly waving a baton and yelling at the players. Maazel agrees that there have been abusive conductors who did a disservice to the reputation of the profession. Losing your temper is a non-energizer. Likewise with a business leader, the best approach is to carry authority with honor, maximizing each employee’s potential with caring words and positive reinforcement. If an employee is not reaching his full potential, a constructive conversation should ensue, affirming the employee (I know you are a good employee) and then probing for collaborative next steps (I know this is not the impression that you want to give. How can we work this out together?).

Before taking his final bow, Maazel’s concluded the interview with six tips:
- Earn respect. Remember how difficult it is to follow someone you don’t respect.
- Strike a balance between confidence and humility.
- Don’t be nice to curry favor. Be nice just to be nice.
- Speak when you have something valuable to say. Otherwise, shut up.
- To lead, energize.
- Don’t demand perfection. Demand passion.

Thank you maestro.

Tweet as reference http://bit.ly/cLm5HP

Productivity...What We Can Learn From the Olympics

Are you watching the Olympics? The accomplishments of these young athletes are always impressive. The Olympic motto is "Citius, Altius, Fortius." These three Latin words mean "Swifter, Higher, Stronger." Just when you think you have seen the best, someone breaks a record. You hear words such as amazing, incredible, and astounding. So what can we learn about productivity from the Olympics? Here are a few things we can consider:

Training: A person doesn't just wake up one morning and decide "I think I will compete in the Olympics." It takes training. It is estimated that world class athletics train an average of 23 hours a week. It takes constant updating of skills to improve your personal best. How many hours a year do your employees attend training? Is the training targeted specifically to improve skills? When you create your training plan each year, consider how you can assist each of your employees to be the best they can be. Training is critical to continuous improvement.

Feedback: Every sport has feedback and every sport is different. It may be how high you jump or how fast you skate but every athlete has a method to measure how well they are doing. They can compare their personal best and try to beat it or they can compare their results with other athletes. Do your employees know how well they are doing? Do they have a measurement method that gives them feedback on their personal best as well as how others are doing in similar positions? Do they learn how they are performing in time to correct problems or do they have to wait for their regularly scheduled review? I have a saying I use in my training classes, "nothing new on the performance review."

Reward and Recognition: At the end of every Olympic event, athletes are immediately recognized in a medal ceremony. They climb to the top of either the gold, silver, or bronze podiums and are rewarded in front of their peers. They don't have to wait six months or a year to learn how their performance is related to a bonus or a raise in salary or a higher performance review. How do you reward your employees? It may be unrealistic to provide daily monetary rewards or construct a three stage podium in your office but verbal and written recognition is certainly doable. It feels good to be recognized and they say that "success breeds success." Having been recognized once, it encourages people to try to achieve success again.

Ethical Conduct: The Olympics have a code of conduct. Although this is a competition and athletes all want to win, the code ensures that cheating to win does not occur. In the business environment where for-profit businesses compete for market share, ethics still should matter. It has become necessary to enact laws to require business to report accurate financial data but truly ethical businesses have always known that winning at business unethically is really a false sense of achievement.

The spirit of the Olympics can also occur in the workplace. We can take lessons this week and apply them in our daily lives. Your employees can consistently reach for their personal best and their performance can also be described as amazing, incredible, and astounding.

Tweet as reference: http://bit.ly/c0Hbj5