Never let them see you sweat.

“As you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once the unknown and frightening becomes your new normal.” ~Robin Sharma

The first day at a new job – pretty exciting and terrifying, right?  You don’t know what the norms and rituals are.  You don’t know each of the new people’s strengths and weaknesses.  This stress quadruples when you’re brought in to lead a new team.  You wonder if you’re good enough, you wonder if THEY’RE good enough, it’s all unknown, new, exciting and terrifying.  Despite the stress, you can’t let them see you sweat!

6 months into the same job, and you’re humming along.  Sometimes it’s even BORING.  You start looking to take on more responsibility and look forward to new challenges.  You change things up to eek a little more efficiency out of some process.  Looking back at “the new guy” 6 months, ago, and you wonder why you were even worried about it.  Leaders, keep this in mind when asked to do something that you don’t think is even possible.  Not only is it possible, but you’ll look back through all that stress and wonder what the big deal was.

Speaking of  (para)normal…

Rubes cartoons used with permission. www.rubescartoons.com

Impress me with results, not face-time.

“If employees need to stay late in order to curry favor with the boss, what motivation do they have to get work done during “normal” business hours?  After all, they can put in the requisite “face time” whether they are surfing the internet or analyzing customer data.” ~Robert Pozen

You’re not impressing me if you are in the office before I get here (but few are), and I’m getting e-mails from your desk at 7pm after I’ve cooked dinner and did the dishes.  You’re doing the opposite –  I’m more likely to wonder how I can  help you be more efficient, or even worse, wondering if you have the chops to get the job done.  If one of your peers is working 8 hours per day, but hits their deliverables, deadlines, and, most importantly, “accomplishes the mission”, then they’re way more likely to be promoted than the person working 11 hours per day, but who can’t get me the deliverables I expect on time, and under budget.

If you find yourself buried under stacks of paper, or having an in-box that  you have to scroll down for 2 minutes in order to see what’s in the bottom, you’re working harder, not smarter.  Use technology to organize your day, use the SPAM technique to organize your in-box, and when you get up from your seat, plan your route through the building to maximize the time while you’re around.  (i.e. I’ll go pick up this contract from the printer, bring a pen with me so I can sign it at the printer, and scan the signed document back to myself, bring the original to compliance, ask Betty about her daughter’s birthday party, bring my cup with me so I can get a water refill, and pick up that document from Joe – all in one trip)  You might be surprised how many people could make 6 separate trips out of that (and take a half hour to do a 5 minute job)!

Speaking of “normal”…

Rubes cartoons used with permission. www.rubescartoons.com