Bridges

Edition of 2/7/2008

[Bridges]

GOALS - NOT RESOLUTIONS
In January's newsletter I wrote that setting sound goals on a regular basis, say monthly or quarterly, would be more productive than those once a year resolutions. The February issue of Fast Company magazine had a great article along those same lines called "Make Goals Not Resolutions". The authors had a number of points that I thought were key. They wrote, "Resolutions feel good coming out of our mouths, but they lack enforcement". If we say our company will provide great customer service this year what does that mean? They went on to describe the goal setting process at Microsoft where employees set yearly "commitments". These are worked through with peers and supervisors and are shared across divisions, for example, the marketing director shares their goals with the IT director. The authors commented that a little pressure or at least some awareness goes a long way to helping people accomplish goals. And finally they wrote, "When people take the time to visualize exactly when and where they will do something,they meet their goals".

As you evaluate what success you have had this past month in accomplishing your goals, use the following questions:

-What successes have you had over the month identifying and accomplishing your goals?
-What roadblocks do you need to be aware of before they slow your progress?
-What is the one thing you have put off doing that would improve the chance of attaining your goals?

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In December I attended the New Jersey Society of Association Executives annual conference and went to a wonderful workshop called, "Four Generations, One Workforce: How to Keep Everyone Happy". If it seems that this topic is covered almost weekly in newspapers and business magazine it is for a good reason. Learning to bridge those generational gaps is now a key in most work places or as one article I read said, managing multiple generations in the workplace may be "diversity at its most challenging".

Over the next few months I'll write about some of those generational work place challenges. One pronounced area of difference is in communication. Pre-baby boomers and boomers alike are looking for lots of face time including meetings and in-person contact. Ask a Gen Xer, brought up in the technological age, and they will tell you all this face to face is a waste of time. They prefer to communicate on line via email and text messaging.

Another area of difference is feedback. The more mature workers operate on the premise that no news is good news. On the other hand boomers want lots of objective information at their yearly performance review. Xers and Yers, again brought up in the age of technology, want instant feedback, none of this once a year stuff.

Different styles, different generations. As the workshop presenters said, "Nobody's right or wrong. We're just different".

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OFFICE GOSSIP
While the word gossip has negative connotations, a recent article in the New York Times Career Couch column noted that gossip is another form of communication, one that fills an information void. Especially in times of change it is a way of keeping staff aware of what is happening. It may also be a warning to management that they need to do a better job sharing information with employees.
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For those who ask me what it is that I do, I offer coaching and business consulting in the following areas:

-Business Consulting & Executive Coaching - working as an independent sounding board providing advice on staffing issues, developing emerging talent and helping managers sharpen their communication and management skills;
-Career Coaching for career advancement, change or transition;
-Not for Profit Consulting - providing Executive Directors with independent sounding board, consulting on staff issues, board relations and staff development
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FINAL THOUGHT
Minds are like parachutes: they only function when open. - Lord Dewar

COPYRIGHT: 2008, Robin Fogel & Assoc., LLC. All Rights Reserved. May be distributed and reprinted in its entirety with copyright, subscription instructions, and contact information intact. However, you may not copy it to a website.