Tag: employee engagement

This is the Way We Have Always Done It

I learned a new expression recently. “Jumping the shark” means holding on to an idea that has run its course.  It originally referred to the TV show Happy Days where one particularly silly plot device is now viewed as the moment when the show’s writers officially ran out of ideas.  Rather than give the show a dignified send off, they

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Book Review: Why Motivating People Doesn’t Work

I wish I could have read “Why Motivating People Doesn’t Work…and What Does” by Susan Fowler at the start of my career. It would have been helpful to not only learn the concepts but also to be coached in their practice. I have gleaned some of this information from mentors and coaches, such as: “money is only a de-motivator”. and “when you

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Gift Cards Anyone?

The short answer – just say no! Here’s a thought experiment.  Imagine I want to give you a bonus of $100 as appreciation for your hard work and dedication to education.  I cannot just do it because: You are in a union.  This payment has to be bargained. The board of education has adopted a salary schedule.  If

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You are Worth my Time

Much has been written about disengaged employees. Right now they could even make up the majority of your company’s workforce and they are impacting your productivity and your bottom line. Some employers simply blame the employee.  They approach this problem by hiring slowly and firing fast. All well and good, and I support it.  But

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Reputation: a Matter of Trust

Today I recommend thinkpurpose’s post Why I Don’t Care About the Reputation of my Organisation. …If you aim for a good reputation, trust takes a back seat. Spin, presentation and image are the easy ways to a good reputation but trust is made from simpler and sterner stuff. It has to be based on something

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The Job Interview and The Unwelcome Question

First, I introduce everyone in the room.  Then I quickly review the hiring process. Then I say “Unless you have anything you want or ask or say, we will begin.”  Mostly the interview then gets underway. Occasionally, though, I will get this: Before we begin would you tell me what you are looking for in a candidate?

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A Different Approach to Hiring?

Over the years I have hired a some stars and some near misses as well.  Upon reflection my hires generally fall into four groups: Intelligent, motivated, with great interpersonal skills (IQ, MQ, EQ).  These are our stars, who are promoted quickly. Intelligent, motivated, with poor interpersonal skills (IQ, MQ).  Despite their talents and eagerness, they irritate their fellow workers. 

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Professional Development: it’s Tricky (Woo)

I recently saw a coaching app that uses the slogan “closing the accountability gap”.  It is an app designed to be used by professional athletes and their coaches.  This really resonated with me.  In education we talk about various types of gaps.  Achievement gaps and opportunity gaps are mentioned in terms of what we adults are not providing to

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‘Tis the Season for…the 14-15 Budget

The California Budget Project has posted a useful article on the 14-15 budget debate, which begins with the release of the Governor’s budget on or before January 10.  Also of interest on the CBP blog is their post on the budget process. And when I say that these links are useful and interesting, I mean that

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Of Gerbils and Groundhogs

Supposedly Mark Twain said “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”  The meaning being, of course, that it is easy to produce a lot of words and hard to condense them into something pithy, meaningful, and interesting. I have been writing a presentation on career development. 

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