Business Without the Bullsh*t

by Geoffrey James

  1. ADDRESS PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIORS QUICKLY.

  Criticism is best given in real time or immediately after the fact. If you wait until problems fester, you only end up making those problems worse, because the other person becomes accustomed to the problematic behavior.

  For example, suppose an employee shows up in an outfit that’s inappropriate for your workplace. If you let the matter slide, there’s a good chance the employee will dress similarly in the future and be all the more embarrassed when you finally object.

  2. IDENTIFY THE BEHAVIOR YOU WANT CHANGED.

  Because your goal is to change a behavior, it’s counterproductive to bring up and discuss the personality issues that you might believe lie behind the behavior. When you attempt to address personality issues, you’re making a direct assault on the other person’s self-image, thereby guaranteeing a defensive reaction. Example:

  You: You’re unreliable! You’ve been late three times this week!

  Employee: I’m not unreliable! That’s not fair!

  Criticism of behavior is easier for people to accept and act on when it’s accompanied by some praise. You do not do this to sugarcoat the criticism but to recognize that the other person had good intentions, regardless of the behavior.

  So start with some praise and then segue to the behavior you want changed using the conjunction and rather than the more commonly used conjunction but.

  WRONG:

  “You’re a big contributor to our success but you’re exploding in anger when people question your ideas.”

  RIGHT:

  “You’re a big contributor to our success and you’re exploding in anger when people question your ideas.”

  Note that the use of but turns the praise into a backhanded insult while the use of and tends to reinforce the compliment.

  3. USE QUESTIONS TO MOVE THE DIALOGUE FORWARD.

  Now that you’ve surfaced the behavior you want changed, you want to get the employee involved in, and committed to, changing that behavior. That’s possible only if you know the deeper roots of the behavior you want changed.

  When you listen to somebody and acknowledge what he or she has to say, you learn about the world from that person’s point of view, which helps you better analyze how to help an employee change his or her behavior. Example:

  You: You’re usually a great employee and you’ve been late three times this week. What’s up?

  Employee: I’m having problems with my child-care provider.

  You: You’re obviously committed to being a good parent, and I need you here on time or everyone else’s work falls behind. How can we address this problem?

  4. GET COMMITMENT ON AN ACTION PLAN.

  Resolve any differences between your perception of the situation and the employee’s perception of the situation. Gain agreement on the area where there is a gap between the employee’s performance and what’s required.

  Ideally the employee will come up with a plan to address the behavior. If not, or if the solution seems insufficient, provide your perspective on how to address the problem. Decide together what needs to be done in order to change the behavior. Example:

  You: You did a great job on that test program and I’m hearing that you’ve been expressing some anger in your e-mails to the programming staff. What’s up?

  Employee: It really pisses me off when the programmers blame the errors on the test program rather than their own inability to write good code.

  You: I can tell you’re passionate about eliminating the errors and I think you’d get better cooperation if you dialed down the anger a bit. Any ideas?

  Employee: Well, I suppose I could drink less coffee…

  You: Good idea. Maybe you could commit to waiting a day before sending any e-mail that you write when you’re angry. Can you do that?

  Employee: Yeah, I guess so.

  You: Great.

  5. FOLLOW UP CONSISTENTLY.

  It takes time for people to change their behavior because old habits die hard. Unless the other person is very motivated to do something different, it’s likely that he or she will slip back into the problematic behavior.

  Continue to reinforce the new behaviors by monitoring performance and providing additional coaching as necessary. Don’t give up until the person you’re coaching has achieved his or her potential.

  SHORTCUT

  CRITICIZING EMPLOYEES

  ADDRESS undesirable behaviors when they happen.

  OFFER praise, then identify the behavior you want changed.

  ASK questions to understand the “why” behind the behavior.

  AGREE upon a plan to change the behavior.

  MONITOR and reinforce the changed behavior.

  SECRET 20

  How to Redirect a Complainer

  In an ideal world, employees would spend more time solving problems than grousing about them. But the real world, unfortunately, contains many people who would rather complain than take action.

  Complainers make it more difficult for everyone to get their jobs done. They not only waste their own time in complaining, but they eat up your time whenever you get stuck listening to their grievances. Here’s how to handle them:

  1. SCHEDULE A CONVERSATION.

  If a known complainer (and you know who they are) comes into your work area and indicates that he or she wants to talk, do not interrupt what you’re doing in order to have the conversation.

  Instead, explain that you do want to hear what the person has to say, but that you can’t give the matter the attention it deserves while your mind is on your current task. Schedule a specific time in the not-too-distant future.

  There are several advantages to this:

  1. It limits the impact of the complainer on your productivity.

  2. It prevents the complainer from using your sympathetic ear as a way to avoid doing his or her own work.

  3. It conveys respect for the complainer and a willingness to listen… at the appropriate time.

  When the scheduled time rolls around, there’ll be a chance the complainer has been distracted by something else, in which case, problem solved. But if not, go to Step 2.

  2. SET THE AGENDA.

  Start the scheduled conversation with this question: “As we discuss this, do you want me to suggest solutions or do you just need to vent for a while?” This question is essential for three reasons:

  1. It recognizes the fact that some people can’t begin to think about a solution until they’ve complained about the problem for a while.

  2. It establishes that there is probably a solution to whatever the complainer is complaining about, even if this isn’t the right time to surface it.

  3. It sets a time limit for the complaining, thereby making certain that it doesn’t become a productivity hole.

  3. LISTEN TO THE COMPLAINT.

  Regardless of whether the complainer claims to want a solution, once he or she begins complaining, resist the urge to provide a solution (at least for now). Remember, complainers above all need to feel that they’re being heard.

  Even if the complaints seem ridiculous and pointless, do not roll your eyes, fidget, or check your e-mail. Instead, nod your head and say things like “I hear you,” or “That must be really tough.”

  In most cases the complainer will peter out in five minutes or less, as long as you don’t add fuel to the fire by prematurely suggesting a solution. When the complainer falls silent, ask questions that address how he or she feels:

  “When you think about this, what else comes to mind?”

  “What drove you to bring this to my attention now?”

  “Are you ready to consider a workable solution?”

  These questions help the complainer start visualizing a way to solve the problem, rather than merely complain about it.

  4. ASK WHAT THE COMPLAINER PLANS TO DO.

  Getting the entire problem onto the table usually helps the complainer see what he or she needs to do to address it, even if it’s just something as simple as
sucking it up and moving on.

  Most complainers already know what they need to do to address the problem—but can’t motivate themselves to take action until they’ve moaned about it for a while. So sometimes complainers will say, “I don’t know what to do.”

  If this happens, respond with, “Well, if you did know what to do, what would that be?” This restatement of the question can often short-circuit self-induced helplessness.

  If the complainer has an idea, listen quietly as before. If the complainer remains stuck on “I don’t know what do to,” say something like, “I can tell you’re really frustrated.” Then move to the next step.

  5. CONFIRM THAT YOUR ADVICE IS TRULY WANTED.

  Once the complainer has vented and wound down, ask, “Did it help to get that off your chest?” Whether the answer is yes, no, or maybe is irrelevant. This question is intended only to establish that you’ve listened to the complaint.

  Because you listened to the complaint, the complainer now owes you. That’s both good and appropriate, because listening to complainers is hard work. Now ask the all-important question: “Do you want my perspective on the situation?”

  If the answer is no, let the matter drop, feeling secure that, by listening, you’ve done what you could to help the complainer get back on track. If the answer is yes, move to the next step.

  6. PROVIDE YOUR BEST ADVICE.

  Start by saying something like this: “I’m going to give you my opinion on how you should address this problem. After I do, I’m willing to answer questions about how you might implement it, but that’s all.”

  Provide your best advice, incorporating (when practical) whatever suggestions the employee surfaced in Step 4. Phrase the advice from your own point of view. Say something like, “If I were in your situation, I might…”

  Then ask, “Any questions?” If the complainer starts explaining why your advice won’t work (aka “Yeah, but…”), hold up your hands, palm outward, and say, “That’s my best advice.” End the meeting.

  If the complainer responds with implementation questions, answer them to the best of your ability. And congratulations, because you’ve turned a complainer into a problem-solver.

  Note that by following these steps you’ve shown not only respect for the complainer (or ex-complainer, as the case may be), but also that you’re not willing to participate in a whining session.

  SECRET 21

  How to Fire Somebody

  The hardest job for any manager is firing somebody (even if that person isn’t right for the job) or, worse, laying off multiple employees when they’ve done nothing to deserve it. There’s no way to make this process easy, but here’s how to make it less traumatic:

  1. DON’T USE WEASEL WORDS.

  Words such as downsizing and rightsizing are intended to make managers feel better because they tend to mask the fact that real human beings are involved. It’s like when military organizations say collateral damage when they mean dead civilians.

  Even phrases such as letting people go exhibit management gutlessness. It’s as if the managers are pretending that the “people” were champing at the bit to leave and management is finally giving them what they want.

  If you’re firing somebody, say, “I’m firing you.” If you’re having layoffs, call them layoffs. Tell it like it is, even if the truth is hard to say. After all, the truth is going to be even harder on the people who are losing their jobs.

  2. YOU MIGHT BE NEXT.

  Because firing people is such an unpleasant job, it’s not at all unusual for a big boss to ask a lower-level manager to do the dirty work, and then fire that manager. From the big boss’s perspective, this turns a series of hard tasks into one relatively easy one.

  Treat your soon-to-be-ex-employees as decently as possible, if only because you may run into them in the unemployment line.

  3. GIVE HONEST REASONS, IF POSSIBLE.

  You owe your employees a real reason they’re losing their jobs. Don’t dance around the truth. By the way, most of the time, the real reason for a layoff is “Your management, including me, screwed up.”

  That being said, you may not have the option of acting like a decent human being, because of legal restrictions and government regulations. To keep yourself from being caught in the middle and possibly making things worse for yourself and everyone else, follow whatever corporate policy has been made in terms of what you can say to the people you’re firing.

  4. BE QUICK AND THOROUGH.

  Firings and layoffs should be handled like a life-threatening operation at a hospital. You want the patient (i.e., your firm) to get through trauma as quickly as possible, not bleed the death of a thousand cuts.

  Do the firings or the layoffs quickly, so everybody can move past them. This is very much in your interest because if the process is drawn out, your best people (the ones you would never want to fire) may get nervous and find employment elsewhere.

  In any case, your remaining employees (especially the top performers) will feel weird and uncomfortable because they’re still employed while their erstwhile colleagues have departed. Make certain the survivors know they’re valued, and help them make the transition.

  SHORTCUT

  WHEN FIRING OR LAYING OFF

  TELL it like it is without the biz-blab.

  SHOW empathy for your coworkers.

  EXPLAIN why it’s happening, as far as you can.

  CUT quickly, heal, and move on.

  PART IV

  How to Manage Yourself

  Of all the relationships you’ll have at work, the most important is your relationship with yourself. Your success in the workplace depends directly on how well you manage the only two things over which you have any real control: your mind and your body.

  Companies now demand that employees to do more in less time, and those who survive are often tasked with carrying the workload of those who have been laid off. As never before, it’s up to you to make your own future.

  This part of the book provides the secrets you’ll need to consistently and easily advance your career:

  “How to Achieve Career Security” explains how to make yourself more valuable to your current employer and better able to find another job, thereby making yourself more effective in dealing with bosses and coworkers alike.

  “How to Have Enough Time” contains the surprising secret to managing time, thereby creating less stress at work, and providing yourself with the breathing room you need to pursue your highest goals.

  “How to Find Your Dream Job” provides a system for finding the kind of job and career that will suit you best. You’ll learn why most people never achieve a dream job and what you’ll need to do to be the exception to the rule.

  “How to Land a Job Interview” explains how to get the inside track and separate yourself from the crowd of job seekers. You’ll also learn exactly why sending out hundreds of résumés never works.

  “How to Ace a Job Interview” shows how to prepare yourself and conduct yourself so job interviewers see you as an ideal candidate. It also explains why the questions you ask can be more important than the ones you answer.

  “How to Make Failure Impossible” provides a step-by-step process for using every bit of your work experience to lead you toward your goals. While no method can guarantee success, this process does guarantee that you’ll never be a loser.

  “How to Become More Optimistic” gives easy tips and techniques to create an attitude that will keep you motivated and positive, both when things are going your way and when you’d prefer they go differently.

  SECRET 22

  How to Achieve Career Security

  In a world of globalization and outsourcing, nobody can achieve job security. However, it is possible to put yourself in a position where (1) your employer will be reluctant to fire you and (2) you can easily find another job. I call this career security, and here’s how to achieve it:

  1. GET INTO A DEFENSIVE FINANCIAL POSITION.

  If you’re
barely keeping the proverbial wolf from the door, you’ll feel trapped in your current job, because losing it would create instant hardship.

  Because of this, career security means being in a financial position where you can be totally unemployed for at least six months without having to greatly change your living arrangements.

  I fully realize that this is difficult for some people to achieve, especially if they’re already loaded down with student loan debt, mortgages, and so forth. Even so, it’s essential because you want to accept the best possible job (rather than the first job that comes along), and you don’t want to be distracted by moving, bankruptcy, etc. while job hunting.

  It may take some time to get yourself into this position, but it’s definitely worth it, even if it means living with a roommate or at your parents’, never eating out, shopping at thrift stores, etc.

  2. MAKE YOURSELF LESS REPLACEABLE.

  No company employs people at a financial loss. Chances are that you’re producing far more value for your company than it’s spending on your compensation (salary, bonuses, commissions, perks, etc.).

  In a financial sense, you can best calculate your value to your firm by looking at how expensive it would be replace you. (I discuss how to do this in “Secret 5. How to Ask for a Raise.”) It’s very much in your interest to increase your replacement cost.