Even before the pandemic and the ensuing great resignation, one-third of companies did not have a structured onboarding process. Too often, onboarding efforts are about orientation and last 90 days or fewer. To ensure long term productivity and support employee growth and success, the authors suggest onboarding is a 12-month effort. Onboarding is a team’s job where … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – April 28, 2022
Last week’s most read posts Asian longhorned ticks are on the move. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Thursday, April 7, 2022. Link. =================================== Love is the key to career success: Marcus Buckingham Source: Harvard Business Review, April 15, 2022. Link. (video) Buckingham says you don’t have to love all … [Read more...]
How to stop procrastinating
Most of us procrastinate, writes Alice Boyes, who believes the problem probably stems from one of three things: your habits and systems (or lack thereof) your desire to avoid negative emotions (like anxiety and boredom) your own flawed thinking patterns (which can make a task seem harder than it is). Boyes shares simple strategies for managing each and getting off … [Read more...]
Managing pressure
Most of us can reflect on a few moments when we choked under pressure. Maybe you lost your voice or your ability to think straight when speaking with an important client, manager or audience. No one is immune. Source: Harvard Business Review, April 7, 2022. Link. Rehearsal is important, whether you’re alone in your office or in front of a camera or crowd. You can raise the … [Read more...]
Planned obsolescence in technology
Opinion Technology is responsible for driving more of the U.S. economy than any other profession than healthcare <Link>. The article revealing iPhone obsolescence prompted some juxtaposed thoughts about how often healthcare sustains dependence on fax machines in many situations. “All things must come to an end,” writes Cecily Mauran. Really? What’s the point for … [Read more...]
Unifying the old guard and new team members
The last two years have brought great change in employee makeup. Beyond the dynamics of four generations working together, there are camps of us versus them when new hires arrive. If your organization has become divided, Ron Carucci presents ways to start putting the pieces back together and reuniting people. The arrival of new faces can be unsettling, especially if those … [Read more...]
Balancing performance and compassion
In a recent worldwide survey of 300 senior business leaders across industries ranging from hospitality to automotive to biotech, 61 percent reported they’re struggling to balance employees’ need for support with their company’s drive for high performance. Source: Harvard Business Review, February 16, 2022. Link. Leaders need to find out what employees really care about … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – March 3, 2021
Last week’s most read post Alert! Highly pathogenic avian influenza now identified in 13 states and counting. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, Thursday, February 24, 2022. Link. =================================== Fake meat is bleeding money Source: PORK, February 23, 2022. Link. “Beyond Meat has been lauded as a disruptor … [Read more...]
How to interrupt someone’s workday without annoying them
As organizations shift to long-term hybrid models, it’s more important than ever to think proactively about how we communicate with one another at work. This increasingly complex landscape dictates we pay close attention to what it means to be a good interrupter. Research suggests that interruptions don’t have to be unpleasant. Elana Feldman offers six strategies to become … [Read more...]
No-cost coaching
Coaching is a valuable way to create clarity and deal with the uncertainty of an increasingly nuanced world of work. Source: Harvard Business Review, January 13, 2022. Link. Asking yourself insightful coaching questions will unlock your thinking and support you to identify actions that will help you make positive progress.” INSIGHT: The greatest coaching questions are … [Read more...]
HRB 2021 year in review infographic
Complimentary Commercial Content Harvard Business Review shares some intriguing metrics and factors affecting business and people today and looking forward. Here’s a sample: Over 200 million articles read Almost 17 million total hours on hrb.org 5 million podcast downloads Source: Harvard Business Review, January 18, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – January 13, 2022
Last week’s most read posts Workplace bullying, a growing concern for HR departments. Link. To hug or not. Tools to solve the conundrum. Link. Last week’s AHD Bulletin Animal Health Digest Bulletin, January 6, 2022. Link. =========================== So you cried at work Source: Harvard Business Review, January 4, 2022. Link. To minimize the impact of … [Read more...]
HBR Editors’ favorite management tips of 2021
Breaking the self-criticism cycle and the art of gracious follow-up are good reminders as 2022 gets going. Source: Harvard Business Review, December 30, 2021. Link. … [Read more...]
Tactics to keep meetings on track
This article covers 10 communication tactics that can help make sure critical points are raised and discussed as effectively and efficiently, so meetings accomplish their mission. The tips start with a premeeting plan and finish with identifying action steps. Source: Harvard Business Review, January 5, 2022. Link. … [Read more...]
Getting stuff done when you’re feeling down
If you’re depressed, your number-1 job is to look after yourself. Productivity is secondary to your mental health, says Alice Boyes. However, learning how to be productive when you’re feeling down can help with depression recovery. Source: Harvard Business Review, October 20, 2021. Link. Summary. When people are depressed their energy, activity, and mood levels decrease … [Read more...]
Set boundaries with chatty colleagues
You might think you’re being generous or patient by listening to a chatty coworker talk endlessly, but you’re simply letting resentment fester that’s toxic to your emotional well-being and productivity. Melody Wilding offers advice for setting boundaries with a talkative colleague in a compassionate, diplomatic way that still allows you to get your work done: Preempt their … [Read more...]
Women at work. Leaders to learn from.
HBR’s Emily Caulfield interviews four women who model leadership excellence. Plus, Muriel Wilkins shares advice on how to take care of yourself while taking care of the people you manage. Source: Women at Work, Harvard Business Review, Season 7, Episode 2. Link. 45-minute podcast found in the WILMAH newsletter, October 27, 2021. … [Read more...]
How to say NO after saying YES
We started a post last week with, “Sometimes, the best answer is ‘no,’ and doesn’t have to come at the cost of your workplace relationships or reputation.” However, we often find ourselves caught because something has changed and we’ve already said yes. Melody Wilding offers six tips to help you say no after you’ve already said yes with tact and professionalism: Consider … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – August 4, 2021
Last week’s most read posts – we have another tie Modeling fierce self-compassion. Link. Lincoln Memorial University pilots new advanced degree option for veterinary professionals. Link. Baby boomers can’t stop looking at their phones Source: Vice, August 3, 2021. Link. While stereotypes paint millennials and Gen Z-ers as phone and social media-obsessed … [Read more...]
Start your day with silence
We live in a world full of noise and chatter. It can be hard to find a break from it all.” Feeling overwhelmed? This author suggests giving this mindfulness exercise a shot. It's called the Sphere of Silence, a 60-minute routine to help you collect your thoughts, stay grounded and decide how you want to enter your day. Source: Harvard Business Review, Management Tip of the … [Read more...]
Mentorships help professional and personal advancement with mutual benefits
Mentorship is a two-way street and both parties find growth and value in the relationships that form. Wendy Hauser, DVM, and Heather Kvito-White, DVM, DACVIM, share highlights from their mentorship journey. The mentee gains invaluable insight, and the mentor gets joy from helping another person succeed.” Source: Today’s Veterinary Business, June 2021. Link. INSIGHTS: Note … [Read more...]
Managing your energy
The science of stamina has advanced to the point where individuals, teams and whole organizations can, with some straightforward interventions, significantly increase their capacity to get things done. Source: Harvard Business Review, October 2007. Link. Improve your physical energy. Manage your emotions. Focus. Create meaning and purpose.” INSIGHTS: Stop multitasking. You … [Read more...]
Words and phrases to avoid in a difficult conversation
Sometimes it is hard to get out of our own way. When you’re in the middle of a difficult conversation, it’s common to focus solely on yourself: your ideas, your viewpoint, your feelings, writes James Detert. A “me-centric” approach can backfire. To achieve your goal, you need to think beyond yourself. Detert has found that people often forget when navigating a difficult … [Read more...]
Why should I care?
In an ongoing crisis, clear communication is more important and more difficult than when things are normal. Employees and customers are hungry for information, so we are tempted to pull together presentations and communicate with urgency instead of with careful planning. Source: Harvard Business Review, May 6, 2021. Link. If they do not know why a new action is necessary, … [Read more...]
What workers’ attire communicates to customers
Research found that shoppers were almost twice as likely to interact with a formally dressed employee as one who was informally dressed, believing that the more formally dressed employees had more expertise than their casually dressed peers. This raised their expectations of getting better service. Dust off the lab coats and sport jackets.” Source: Harvard Business Review, … [Read more...]
Listening without getting defensive
Hearing is physiological. Listening is psychological. We listen to acquire knowledge and receive information. But it is easy to get distracted. One of the main distractions is how we respond to something we hear. Are we triggered? Are we half-listening while preparing to talk about our agenda? Or are we listening on autopilot? Jennifer Wolkin says we need to practice … [Read more...]
Deal with jargon problems
Jargon is a staple of the modern workplace. Sometimes jargon has a legitimate purpose, but overreliance on it and acronyms can make people feel excluded or lead them to disengage. If you’re concerned about possible negative effects of jargon on your teams, clients or organization, consider the following: Know your audience. There are times when using jargon can help you … [Read more...]
Beyond burned out and beyond self-care
Today’s level of burnout is the result of an existing problem made exponentially worse, says Jennifer Moss. The pandemic was an accelerant. Combating burnout may feel like an impossible task, especially after months of emotional fatigue, but if you’re armed with the right tools, it can be easier than you might think. Despite how massive the burnout problem is, it’s never too … [Read more...]
How to respond when an employee discloses a mental health condition
It takes a lot of courage for an employee to disclose they have a mental health condition. Navigate the conversation carefully. Start by thanking them for telling you, but don’t make a big deal about the disclosure. It’s important to treat it like you would any other medical issue. It’s important to keep in mind that the employee likely had to overcome a lot of fear to talk … [Read more...]
Slow down, write better emails
We’re sharing from this article verbatim. It is concise, actionable and central to our personal lives. Erica Dhawan says reading carefully is the new listening and writing clearly is the new empathy. So many of our exchanges today happen in written (or typed) form such as email, text and IM. This means that listening in its traditional sense has been replaced by reading text … [Read more...]