This week's tale of living with people focuses on Caleb, as told to me by his boss. But I suspect you'll think of several folks you know--maybe even yourself--when you read about Caleb.
Caleb works at Dean and Powell. He's married, with a couple of kids. He has a mortgage, his retirement accounts, college savings accounts. (You know where this is going, right?)
The months of depressing economic news have really taken a toll on Caleb. Or, more accurately put, Caleb has let the news depress him.
Here's what Caleb does to himself. He keeps a financial news network on his TV, has several financial news sites open on his computer, and checks the balances in his accounts several times a day.
It's no wonder he is losing it. He is constantly programming his brain with negative information.
He's making himself and everyone around him miserable. The quality of his work is probably tanking, too.
Watch Your Programming
It's the same for folks whose speech is laden with "the problem is…," "I should have gotten more done," "that's how it's supposed to be." It's all mental programming.
For Caleb to get out of the hole he has dug for himself, he needs to get different programming, different messages streaming into his brain. He needs to watch puppies at play. He needs to listen to soothing music. He needs to go outside and experience Mother Nature.
Will that change the state of the economy? No, of course not. But programming his brain with positive, relaxing thoughts and inputs will help Caleb relax some. And that will make Caleb better able to handle whatever challenges the world throws at him.
And remember: Each day, we're one day closer to the eventual turnaround.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
My Own Cry for Help
Usually I use this space to offer help for people problems you folks face. Today I'm going to ask you for help--actually beg you for help.
For the last month, I have been dealing with three individuals who won't make decisions. They are driving me nuts! They know they need X, they say they need X, they can afford to get X, but they keep debating in their heads over whether to get X.
Not only that, they can do anything and everything. Just ask them. Do they do anything and everything well? Not the point. From their point of view, they can do whatever needs to be done.
Except give birth. (These 3 are all guys--got 'em on that one!)
Blinding Flash of Insight
One morning this week I woke up with a Blinding Flash of Insight-BFI as one presenter called it. These guys are all the same personality type.
With two of them, I know their Myers Briggs type--they've told me. The other one, I am assuming his type, based on observations and years of experience with type.
They are all the same. People of this personality type have always been tough for me to work with. I like to work with folks who recognize they have a need and will decide to act to address that need.
I've even consulted with psychologists and experts in personality type about how to get these guys to make a decision and move. Usually I've gotten one or two suggestions and a lot of head shaking--as in "I don't know what to do with them."
Can You Help?
The personality type I'm talking about typically is very intelligent, often looking for new ways to do things, and doesn't really need data and facts to make a decision. They often are in leadership positions or the next tier of management. They speak with authority. They often are stubborn. And some of them have been known to annoy people, to put it mildly.
Please share your ideas on how to deal with this type. Post a response to this blog. If you're not comfortable doing that, send me your thoughts at WeKnowEngineers@gmail.com.
I really need your help.
P.S.: The three guys are not members of this online community. So, if you thought I was writing about you, I wasn't. But if the shoe fits . . .
For the last month, I have been dealing with three individuals who won't make decisions. They are driving me nuts! They know they need X, they say they need X, they can afford to get X, but they keep debating in their heads over whether to get X.
Not only that, they can do anything and everything. Just ask them. Do they do anything and everything well? Not the point. From their point of view, they can do whatever needs to be done.
Except give birth. (These 3 are all guys--got 'em on that one!)
Blinding Flash of Insight
One morning this week I woke up with a Blinding Flash of Insight-BFI as one presenter called it. These guys are all the same personality type.
With two of them, I know their Myers Briggs type--they've told me. The other one, I am assuming his type, based on observations and years of experience with type.
They are all the same. People of this personality type have always been tough for me to work with. I like to work with folks who recognize they have a need and will decide to act to address that need.
I've even consulted with psychologists and experts in personality type about how to get these guys to make a decision and move. Usually I've gotten one or two suggestions and a lot of head shaking--as in "I don't know what to do with them."
Can You Help?
The personality type I'm talking about typically is very intelligent, often looking for new ways to do things, and doesn't really need data and facts to make a decision. They often are in leadership positions or the next tier of management. They speak with authority. They often are stubborn. And some of them have been known to annoy people, to put it mildly.
Please share your ideas on how to deal with this type. Post a response to this blog. If you're not comfortable doing that, send me your thoughts at WeKnowEngineers@gmail.com.
I really need your help.
P.S.: The three guys are not members of this online community. So, if you thought I was writing about you, I wasn't. But if the shoe fits . . .
Thursday, October 2, 2008
What to Do With Henry
An executive team and I were sitting at their conference table talking about people's communication styles and abilities. Joe chuckled to himself. Fred looked at Joe, smiled, and said, "I know who you're thinking of, right?"
"Yep," said Joe. "Henry."
At that, they all chimed in with stories about how Henry can't communicate. It seems Henry is one of those folks who writes really long emails and apparently believes people read them--all of them, all the way to the end.
Highlight Action Items
Any action points get buried in the middle of paragraphs on pages 4 and 9 of 12. Henry also shares his thoughts and opinions-he does not censor himself in any way.
"Henry's really a great guy," Joe said. "He just doesn't know how to communicate via email."
It's like the case at a utility company a few years ago. A junior staffer needed a specific piece of information from a VP. She wrote him an email asking for that info. He didn't respond. She waited a few days and re-sent the email. The VP still didn't respond. She tried it a third time with the same results.
After the third email, she finally walked into his office and asked why he didn't respond to her email request. "I saw what the email was about, and since it didn't apply to me, I didn't read it all," the VP said.
I couldn't blame the VP when I saw the email. It was long, it was disorganized, and the action item for the VP was buried in the next-to-last paragraph.
More Tips for Effective Email
Here is what I suggested Joe tell Henry, just like I told the junior staffer at the utility company.
1. Think before you write an email. Who does it need to go to and what outcomes do you want?
2. Realize no one will read your email past the first screen. Some folks won't go more than a paragraph or two into the message.
3. Highlight action items at the top of the email. If the message needs to be long, point out at the top that Sue needs to read paragraph 6, Bolly needs to see paragraph 9, and Sam needs to see paragraph 13. If your message is that long, you also need to number items so folks don't have to count paragraphs.
4. Don't use email as a forum to vent or share your thinking. One client received a 15-page single-space email from a very angry and concerned employee. What a rant! That is not the action of a smart professional.
5. Finally, if you're using email to capture minutes of a meeting, just put the important points in the email. Don't write it chronologically, the way minutes are typically written.
With any luck, Henry can apply these tips and save everyone time and help them respond when they need to.
"Yep," said Joe. "Henry."
At that, they all chimed in with stories about how Henry can't communicate. It seems Henry is one of those folks who writes really long emails and apparently believes people read them--all of them, all the way to the end.
Highlight Action Items
Any action points get buried in the middle of paragraphs on pages 4 and 9 of 12. Henry also shares his thoughts and opinions-he does not censor himself in any way.
"Henry's really a great guy," Joe said. "He just doesn't know how to communicate via email."
It's like the case at a utility company a few years ago. A junior staffer needed a specific piece of information from a VP. She wrote him an email asking for that info. He didn't respond. She waited a few days and re-sent the email. The VP still didn't respond. She tried it a third time with the same results.
After the third email, she finally walked into his office and asked why he didn't respond to her email request. "I saw what the email was about, and since it didn't apply to me, I didn't read it all," the VP said.
I couldn't blame the VP when I saw the email. It was long, it was disorganized, and the action item for the VP was buried in the next-to-last paragraph.
More Tips for Effective Email
Here is what I suggested Joe tell Henry, just like I told the junior staffer at the utility company.
1. Think before you write an email. Who does it need to go to and what outcomes do you want?
2. Realize no one will read your email past the first screen. Some folks won't go more than a paragraph or two into the message.
3. Highlight action items at the top of the email. If the message needs to be long, point out at the top that Sue needs to read paragraph 6, Bolly needs to see paragraph 9, and Sam needs to see paragraph 13. If your message is that long, you also need to number items so folks don't have to count paragraphs.
4. Don't use email as a forum to vent or share your thinking. One client received a 15-page single-space email from a very angry and concerned employee. What a rant! That is not the action of a smart professional.
5. Finally, if you're using email to capture minutes of a meeting, just put the important points in the email. Don't write it chronologically, the way minutes are typically written.
With any luck, Henry can apply these tips and save everyone time and help them respond when they need to.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
