A basic tenet of motivational theory is that you delegate a project, but not the process.  Unfortunately, too many managers missed this point in their Management 101 class (if they took it at all) and de-motivate staff members by dictating not only what needs to be done but how it should be done as well.  By nature, human beings want to do a good job, want to use their fullest professional capacities, and — believe it or not – want to please their bosses.  Although women take this pleasing thing a bit too far if you ask me. 

So how do you keep up your enthusiasm and stay motivated with a micromanager boss?  Try one of these suggestions:

• Negotiate periodic updates.  Bosses often micromanage because they become anxious when they don’t know what’s happening and if a deadline will be met.  When you’re given a project, ask the boss how often he or she wants to be updated and in what format (e-mail reports, face-to-face meetings, etc.).  Set specific dates and provide those to the boss with the promise you’ll inititate the update without prompting.  Then deliver on your promise.
• Brainstorm strategies before diving into a project.  Nothing is more frustrating than eagerly taking off down one road only to have the boss say you’re on the wrong highway entirely.  If you know your boss is a micromanager, ask for time to first review the parameters of the projects then meet to discuss how you will go about achieving the deliverables.  Ask how he or she would do it and indicate your willingness to try out some of these suggestions. 
• Identify learning opportunities.  The good news abot micromanager bosses is that you can actually learn from them.  They may do things differently than you would, but that presents the chance to explore facets of a project that you may never have before considered.  If you can get yourself into a “learning” place, it will cut down on your frustration.
• Ask for the opportunity to try out new methodologies.   Bosses sometimes cling to old ways of doing things because they know they work and don’t like surprises.  Try it first on a project that has a long lead time — you can always say you’d like to try out a new method and, if long before the due date it looks like it’s not working, you’ll revert to the tried and trued.
• Find external outlets for your energy and creativity.  The workplace isn’t the only place you can take the ball and run with it.  PTA, volunteer efforts, and professional associations are places that value independent efforts. 

Of course you can always ask for a transfer or quit, but your best best in these situations is to wait out the boss.  Sooner or later most move on.

TAGS: employee motivation, managing up, micromanager bosses

Studying in Australia still ranks as one of the best experiences of my life. I’d also credit it as an early indicator that I wanted to work for myself: While I was abroad I discovered that I loved building my own schedule, meeting new people and constantly adapting to changing circumstances.

If you are considering studying abroad, check out this new video I recorded for FNC iMag on the campus of Columbia University. If you haven’t considered studying abroad, I hope it inspires some wanderlust!

TAGS: Education, travel

Eilene Zimmerman wrote a terrific article this week for CBS MoneyWatch about negotiating for a raise despite the tough economy.  She included my ideas about why you may be in a better position than you realize to ask for an increase:

• If you have picked up the work of colleagues who’ve been laid off, you are doing more work so are more valuable to the organization.

• Your manager may be under a hiring freeze which means that she may not be able to replace people who leave ─ so she’d prefer that you, as a current employee stay with the company, and more specifically, with the department.

• It takes time and effort to get someone ramped up ─ your manager may not want to invest what it would take to train someone else to take over your role.

Yet, you still have to plan carefully and proceed cautiously if you are going to ask for a raise.  It can be a “career limiting move” ─ or even worse ─ to use the wrong tone or approach.
Steps you can take to best position yourself to succeed:

• Figure out the right number – what are others with similar skills and experience earning? Consider the industry, the size of your company and geography.

• Carefully build a business case for yourself – what have you accomplished to deserve a raise? Have you increased revenue? Reduced costs? Mitigated risk? Be as specific as possible about the value you have produced; quantify your results.

• Ask without apology, but pleasantly. Never threaten unless you are prepared to make good on the threat – and even then, why burn bridges?

While it’s not a raise – and money in your pocket today, I also suggest people think beyond money. Consider things that don’t cost your employer money yet can benefit you. For example, a fancier title, more flexibility, more responsibility….these times can present opportunities that may not exist when things are good. 


You should also think about the things that may come out of another budget bucket, e.g. money for professional development/training may be budgeted centrally and easier to tap into than your own boss’s shrunken budget.


Even if you do all of the above as well as other actions we’ve suggested in other posts on this subject, be prepared for “no”. But remember, “no” is not necessarily, as Regis Philblin would say, you boss’s “final answer”.

TAGS: difficult economy, LinkedIn, raises

When it comes to money – what kind of saver are you?

Several years ago I came across a great, straightforward answer to that question.  It was in financial education literature from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas which is one of the network of twelve banks and their branches that make up the Federal Reserve system (http://www.dallasfed.org/ca/wealth/pdfs/wealth.pdf)

The publication outlined four types of savers:

• The planner saver – a person who controls spending and budgets to save.
• The struggler saver – someone who has trouble staying afloat financially and finds it difficult to save.
• The denier saver – a person who sees no reason for a budget because they don’t see themselves in trouble financially.
• The impulsive saver – a person who unfortunately spends today like there’s no tomorrow because their attitude is that tomorrow will take care of itself.

So, what type saver are you?

To accumulate, grow and preserve your money takes discipline.  While it’s important to have a savings account, don’t forget to get on track to also have an “emergency fund“:  3-6 months worth of living expenses (12 months worth if you’re self-employed) in an account where you can easily access the money if there’s a critical need. 

Regardless the type saver you are – you can improve your savings goal by remembering this bottom line:  you must always earn more than you spend.  Or said another way, let spending less be your goal.  That’s a healthy state of fiscal readiness and takes your savings to another level: investing. 

If saving to invest and investing to build wealth is your goal – http://showmomthemoney.com/personalgrowth/7traits.htm take a look at what’s described as the traits of very wealthy people and how those traits translate into building wealth and sustaining it. 

Wealthy people tend to be:

• Persistent.  For anyone, on the way to achieving a goal, you will face obstacles, right?  Wealth  is achieved by negotiating one’s way around or through numerous obstacles persistently.
• Businessmen and women or investors in businesses.  Think about it.  The richest people we’ve heard about all own companies and when asked say – to create wealth, you must involve yourself in business because that’s where the money is.
• Innovative.  Innovation ensures you’ll be among the ones who come up with new ideas and new ideas can create wealth.  They tend to do what they absolutely love and love it so much that they forget they’re actually working.
• Leverage.  They know when to let go and they know not to try and do everything themselves.

It appears that wealthy people also share the philosophy that to whom much is given, much is expected – and therefore share the trait of giving back by supporting causes in which they believe.   Finally, they value and participate in continuing education since extremely wealthy people tend to believe that the greatest asset in the world is your mind.

Here’s to your health and wealth!

TAGS: improving savings goals, saving money, traits of wealthy people, types of savers

One of the things that distinguishes men from women in the world of work is their genuine desire to build warm, friendly relationships with their colleagues, management, clients, and sometimes even outside consultants (like me).  Many women want the workplace to be an extension of their families and, as I’ve discussed before, in some ways the workplace does resemble a family.  But keep in mind that most families are dysfunctional in one way or another.  That’s why it’s important for you to distinguish between friendliness and friendships at work.  They’re two very different things.

Here are some tips for walking the Thin Pink Line between being friendly and expecting everyone to be your friend:

• Identify the quid pro quo in each workplace relationship.  Although they’re rarely openly discussed, in every relationship there is an exchange of what each person needs and wants.  You may want friendship but your male co-worker might only want a good sounding board.  Don’t expect the other person to want what you want — this is a set-up for disappointment and potential conflict. 
• Create healthy boundaries.  On the spectrum from you are friendly to no one at work to you expect everyone to be your best friend, good boundaries are found somewhere in the middle.  That means you shouldn’t pour your heart out to a co-worker who may be a good listener but isn’t really an intimate friend.  Nor should you feel responsible for solving everyone’s problems — maybe you just need to listen or direct the person to where they can get help. 
• Beware the workplace BFF.  People are thrust together into teams at work with others who they may or may not otherwise have chosen as a friend.  Friendliness is an essential ingredient for success on the job but forging a BFF relationship can lead to disaster and impact productivity.  Think Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchey.  
• Grow a thicker skin.  If you’re the kind of person who just can’t stand it if someone doesn’t like you — that’s your problem.  Don’t visit it on your co-workers.  Be realistic about how people at work interact.  This doesn’t mean you should tolerate being treated disrespectfully, but it also doesn’t mean everyone should have to dance around you because you pout if you’re not treated with kid gloves. 
• Make your primary source of friendships outside of work.  If you’re working so many hours that you don’t have time for friends outside of work, then something’s wrong.  Ask yourself whether you’re using work as an excuse to avoid “real life.”  Sure, most of us have people from work we may socialize with from time-to-time but that’s different than inviting them to Thanksgiving dinner. 
• Clarify workplace rules for truly good friends.  If there’s someone at work with whom you do have a deep friendship, talk about how you will ensure the relationship doesn’t interfere with work.  You don’t want others to feel like outsiders nor do you want to be accused of spending too much time socializing with one or two people.  Insider jokes, knowing looks, and having lunch exclusively with one friend won’t help your career. 

TAGS: Building workplace relationships, Friends at work, workplace boundaries

This week I’m pleased to share a new video I recorded on the beautiful campus of Columbia University. Click here if you’re looking for tips on how to find your professional passion.

TAGS: career advice

Now that the economy is starting to pick up, it may be time to get into the job market again. While networking is far and away the most productive way to find a new job, according to career expert Barbara Safani anywhere from 10% to 20% of job seekers find their jobs through a recruiter.

If you are considering working with a recruiter, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Find out how the recruiter will be paid.
  Some are retained (paid a fee by the employer to find the right candidate for the position) while others are paid on a contingency basis (paid only if they find the candidate who is ultimately hired).  As Penelope Trunk pointed out, if you are an executive or have a specialized skill set, you may be able to work with the former.  I’d add that certain professions  then to use retained recruiters, for example, law.   In either case, however, be clear that the recruiter’s first allegiance is likely to be to the hiring company, not to you. That means that you have to do lots of due diligence before and during the interview process.

• Try to get an introduction rather than simply “cold calling”.
  Referrals matter, particularly in a tough job market. If you have been recommended by someone whom they’ve placed, or, even better, by someone who’s hired them to perform a search, you have a much better chance to get their attention. If you can’t get a personal introduction, use social networking to search recruiters who seem like a good fit, for example, those who specialize in your industry or functional role.

• Recruiters are busy.
  They are not in the business of executive coaching, resume writing or image consulting ─ if you expect they will provide that kind of assistance, chances are you’ll be disappointed. I heard one recruiter say she spends an average of seven seconds looking at a resume, all the time deciding whether or not to read further. The truth can be brutal but better to know than not to know….

• Walk the talk.
  Treat recruiters as though they were interviewers at the hiring company ─ after all, they stand between you and the company. Prepare for the conversation, put your best foot forward and be sure to ask when and how (email, phone) to follow up. You want to stay in touch without becoming high maintenance.

• Recruiters may be friendly but they’re not your friends.
  Learn as much as you can from them but be sure to check the information they provide directly with the prospective employer.

TAGS: Job hunting, Job Search, LinkedIn, recruiters

Are debt collectors calling?  Are their threatening letters jamming your mailbox?  Are you being harrassed into just paying whatever it is they say you owe because the collection notices and tactics are wearing you out?

If you get a notice of debt collection in the mail don’t rush to pay it!  If you pay the bill too soon, you could actually lower your credit score because when you pay a debt to a collections agency it becomes “updated activity”.   That debt can then be reported to the credit bureaus, which can, in turn, knock down your credit score.

Another reason not to rush to pay it:  the collection notice could be illegitimate.

One of my favorite financial services resources is Greg McBride, senior analyst at Bankrate.com ( www.bankrate.com ).  He says if you get a collection notice, the first thing you should do is pull up your credit report from all three credit bureaus to see if the alleged debt was reported.

The three credit reporting bureaus are:

• Equifax P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374    1-800-685-1111  
• Experian P.O. Box 2002, Allen, TX 75013    1-888-397-3742  
• TransUnion P.O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022    1-800-8884213  

If you find the debt listed on any of your three credit reports and know or believe it’s not yours, you should dispute it through those agencies.  It’s never a good idea to dispute directly with the actual creditor or collections agency.

Once you’ve sumitted a dispute or request, the credit bureau will contact the creditor or collections agency and they have 30 days to validate what they’re reporting about you.  If it is not validated or if there is no response, the debt will be removed from your credit report.

If after receiving a collections notice, you don’t find it on any of your credit reports, you should request that the collections agency proves you actually owe this debt.  According to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), you have the right to dispute a debt notice and to request proof that the obligation is legitimate.

You can request:

• the name and address of the original creditor
• verification of the original debt amount
• to be told whether the collections agency was assigned the debt or if they own it (in many cases, if the collections agency does not own the debt they cannot prove that you owe it to them)

If the collections agency can’t furnish proof – according to the FDCPA – they must  cease collection of the debt until they provide you the proper verification.

Proving validity of a debt could be a complicated process, and many consumers dig themselves into a deeper credit hole by trying to handle collection agencies on their own.  If faced with this dilemma, you could use the services of an accredited credit repair agency to help get creditors off your back.  An excellent resource for what you need to know about finding one, is The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs27-debtcoll.htm) which says while there is no federal license or registration required for collections agencies, in some states debt collectors must register or apply for a state license. 

 Here’s to your health and wealth.

TAGS: collection notices, credit bureaus, Debt collectors

First, a quick shout-out to our new bloggers from Frito-Lay.  It was a pleasure meeting you at the WIN Women’s Leadership Conference last week! 

WHEN YOU NEED A RELATIONSHIP IT’S TOO LATE TO BUILD IT.  You’ve heard me say this dozens of times in this blog, in my books, during interviews, and on the keynote platform.  If ever there was a time for you to take these words to heart, the time is now. 

A very clever client shared how she’s staying connected during this difficult economy.  She knows that this is not the time to make a job change, but there will come a time when she’s ready to make a move and wants people to keep her in mind.  Here are a few of the strategies she’s following:

• Continue to meet colleagues for breakfast, lunch, or a cup of coffee.   It’s easy to say nothing’s happening on the job front, but don’t be lulled into complacency.  Maintain the relationships you have and seek to build new ones. 
• Ask how you can be of help to others — not vice versa.  My client wants to be known as a valuable resource.  Down the road this  will parlay into having collected enough “chips” to entitle her to ask for a favor when it’s most needed. 
• Be a broker of relationships.  Connect people who might be able to help one another or who share areas of professional commonality.
• Circulate information — articles, websites, conferences, etc. The caveat is to do it judiciously.  No one needs more e-mail to wade through, but if you know someone has a specific interest in a topic send the link to them. 
• Volunteer for community assignments.  If your company is active in the community, being a representative for it gives you more visibility, hence the opportunity to build more relationships.
• Help to keep your professional association alive.  Many wonderful organizations are struggling to stay afloat because membership is dwindling.  Don’t just attend meetings, serve on a committee to increase membership or raise the association’s profile. 
• Stay in touch with colleagues who leave your company.  You don’t have to invite them to Thanksgiving dinner, but forwarding a job posting to someone who’s been laid off or picking up the phone to see how someone is doing who took a separation package enables you to maintain your professional network.

Most important, is that you do these things with a generous spirit, authentically, and not just because you hope to get something out of it.  Give more than you ever expect to get back.

TAGS: building relationships, Job Search, Networking, strategic networking

Welcome to the second installment of a new regular video segment with my friends at CareerTV. I’ll be chatting via Skype each week with host Sean O’Grady about timely career issues.

In this week’s episode, we talk about the recently released film Post Grad. The movie stars former Gilmore Girl Alexis Bledel as a recent college grad who is forced to move back home with her family while she attempts to find a job and a direction for her life (a plot that probably sounds pretty familiar right now).

Watch the four-minute video here.

TAGS: CareerTV, Generation Y