Let go of the illusion of control.  In the end, you control no one but yourself. 

Whether you employ one person or one thousand people, you need to find the right person for the job(s) you do have.  Here are some tricks we use in our office to increase the likelihood of hiring that right person:

1.  Write down the 5 - 7  most important characteristics for success on the job.  That’s characteristics, not qualifications.   People are far more likely to fail if they don’t have the characteristics needed to succeed in the job and your company culture.  If you’re looking for someone who thinks of their feet, is able to multi-task, and is great with customers be sure to prepare questions that will enable you to observe those behaviors.  For example, don’t ask, “Can you think on your feet” (who is going to say no?).  Instead, throw out several questions in quick succession and see how agile the candidate is in responding to them.  If they get flustered, they most likely won’t think on their feet in the real situation either. 

2.  When advertising, provide your company website somewhere in the ad (in your e-mail address is perfect) and request a cover letter along with a resume.  Now you’re looking for a few things:  did they go the extra mile and look up your company on the internet before responding? Did they provide the cover letter? If so, was it well written and geared toward your job?  If the answer is no to any one of those questions you may have someone who will only do what’s needed and not much more.  They go to the bottom of my list.

3.  E-mail a short pre-interview questionnaire to further narrow the field of those you have an interest in.  We ask questions like why does this particular job appeal to you, describe how you handled a difficult boss or customer, and how would your last boss describe you?  You’d be surprised how many people don’t bother to answer.  Cross them off my list entirely.  Those who do answer have now provided further evidence of their ability to write — and think. 

4.  Conduct initial telephone interviews.  Some people look great on paper but this way of blind interviewing gives you an idea of how they communicate verbally.  If possible, have them call you at a pre-scheduled time.  This will give you an idea of how punctual or responsible they are.  In my experience, one in four candidates doesn’t call at all.   The list is dwindling. 

5.  Observe and document behaviors, not just answers.  It’s true that actions speak more loudly than words.  If a candidate is lethargic, speaks so slowly that you want to pull the words out of their mouth, or so quickly that you can’t understand them it’s all grist for the mill.  If I have a position that requires one of those behaviors it’s a good thing.  Otherwise, behavior at the extremes rarely yields a valuable employee in the long-term. 

TAGS: hiring, interview techniques, Interviewing candidates

One thing I never did when raising my daughter was to help her to test whether or not she had the entrepreneurial personality.  Now Girl’s Inc. has a program whose purpose is just that - read about it on BusinessWeek’s small business blog.

TAGS: girls and money, Raising Girls

Replace initial skepticism with probing curiosity.

Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning Satan shudders and says, “OH SHIT - SHE’S AWAKE!”  [Submitted by Marilyn Ziemann, CPA, Pasadena, California]

We at the Thin Pink Line get feedback that readers like the combination of “news you can use” and commentary on current events from women’s perspectives.  You too can get positive feedback about your communications if you follow the same guidelines Carol, Kathleen, Liz, and I use:  balance the big picture and the details.  We know that some people like ideas, concepts and theory while others like practical tools and tips, so we mix it up.  Here are 3 easy tips for how you can do the same for more powerful communications in your work setting:

1.  Prepare for every presentation you make — and remember that every time you open your mouth or prepare a written communique it’s a presentation.  Think about the two or three most important things you want people to take away and keep your message focused on just those.  You’ve heard me say it before: short sounds confident. 

2.  Do your homework.  My 7th grade science teacher, Hans Selye, used to tell us, “Chance favors the prepared mind.”  I never forgot that (and that was quite a while back!).  Regularly reading professional journals, newspapers, and magazines (my favorite is The Week) keeps your mind agile and open to new ideas.  It also helps make for sparkling party conversation.

3.  Brainstorm ideas with people who think differently than you.  If you know you’re an “idea person” who has difficulty communicating the tangible benefits of your ideas, talk to someone who’s good at it and ask for help in synthesizing your concepts for crisp communication.  Conversely, if you tend to get bogged down in the weeds, look to those who are always coming up with new ways of approaching old problems for help in assessing the bigger picture. 

Make yours a great week-end. 

TAGS: business communication, Communication Skills, influence with impact

When speaking before a group, use index cards, not paper — it won’t be as conspicuous if your hands begin to shake. 

You can convey a sense of urgency and passion by using short sentences.  Go for it!  Let’s roll!  I’m on it!

We recently returned home from a two-week trip to find that, once again, our LA Times subscription had failed to restart from the vacation hold I set before we left. Because the message on the Times’ toll-free line urges you to handle your account online, I went to its Web site to report the missing papers.

But the site wouldn’t let me. Because I was trying reporting the missing papers after the Times’ “cut off” time for providing replacements, the online system wouldn’t even accept my complaint.

I didn’t necessarily need to get a paper that day–I could read it online. So by refusing to allow me to submit my problem, the Times managed to do three things: waste my time, tick me off, and remind me that I’m getting less and less attached to its product (at least in its paper version). In these days of shrinking circulation and upheaval, that’s probably not the message the Times wants to give its remaining loyal subscribers.

I’m guilty, too. It was only in the last few weeks that I added a search function to my own Web site. Folks who didn’t know how to make a site-specific Google search (using site:sitename.com, plus a space and the topic word, thus: site:asklizweston.com credit scores) often couldn’t find what they were looking for. Now (hopefully), it’s easier.

So, how are you irritating your customers (or your vendors, or your bosses)? What complaints have you heard more than once that have yet to be fixed…and more importantly, what can you do today to start to fix them?

TAGS: Customer service, fixing mistakes, loyalty

Take a lunch break today — even if it’s only to walk around the block, sit under a tree, or read a magazine in a quiet place.