Job-Search Fumbles That Will Cost You the Game

Job-Search Fumbles That Will Cost You the GameJob-Search Fumbles That Will Cost You the GameDont get penalized for these errors this job-hunt season.Every Fall across the United States, avid sports fans organize their tailgate parties and incessantly check their Fantasy Football teams. Collegiate and professional athletes alike give it their all on the field, hoping to avoid a spotlight on ESPN SportsCenters Not Top 10. Playing football at this level requires hard work and dedication. Make one mistake and you could cost your team the game.The same can be said about the job hunt. Dont let a little mistake cost you a job offer. Learn from the football pros and avoid these job-search follies.Neglecting Your PlaybookLegendary football coach Paul Bear Bryant once said, Its not the will to win, but the will to prepare to win that makes the difference. tweet this In football and the job search, preparation is the key to success. Before an bewerbungsinterview, do your homework. Review the employers website and social media accounts and read that industrys latest news articles to get a sense of the companys culture and business. If you know someone who works at the company, set up an informational interview to get insider tips for the interview process. Prepare your elevator pitch based on the job description and practice your interview responses for the questions that make you most nervous. Its much easier to be confident in an interview when youre properly prepared.Throwing Hail MarysA Hail Mary is a football play made in desperation with a low probability for success, usually toward the end of a half when a team is out of range to score. Dont succumb to similar last-ditch efforts in the job search, such as applying to jobs youre unqualified for, disregarding social media etiquette and sending inappropriate messages to hiring managers, or mass emailing recruiters with a template message. These activities have a very small chance of success and are likely to damage y our personal brand in the process. If your anxiety levels are hitting an all-time high, take a step back and re-evaluate your job-search strategy instead of resorting to Hail Marys.Fumbling an OpportunityNothings worse than missing out on a great opportunity, whether youre on the football field or in the job hunt. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so dont drop the ball when youre networking and interviewing. Approach each opportunity with a confident and positive attitude, adjust your elevator pitch to suit the situation and audience, and make aya you follow up afterward. Connect with new contacts online and look for opportunities to pay it forward before asking for any favors. After an interview, send personalized thank-you notes to each person with whom you met.Being a Johnny ManzielIf youre a fan of college football, youve probably heard of Texas AM quarterback Johnny Football Manziel. While Mr. Manziel is a very talented athlete, his antics on and off the field are damaging his personal brand and could hurt his NFL draft position. If youre searching for a job, pay close attention to your personal brand. Dont bash your colleagues or employer online or during the interview process. Clean up your online presence and secure your personal social media accounts so recruiters wont find them. Make sure the candidate employers find online matches the person they meet in person and on paper.Click on the following link for mora information on setting the right job-search strategy.

The collaboration trap Why we assume teams like working together

The collaboration trap Why we assume teams like working togetherThe collaboration trap Why we assume teams like working togetherIt takes both sides to build a bridge.? FredrikNaelCollaboration is critical to thriving in an ever-changing environment it helps organizations solve complex problems in less time by bringing together various experts, accelerating go-to-market time, and responding mora rapidly to fast-changing environments.Failing to practice collaboration can put yur organization behind your competition in a fast-paced 21st century.Researchshows that 81 % of people believe that collaboration is critical and 71% think their managers are making it a priority.So, why do so many companies still fail to collaborate?Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moraSenior executives have an unrealistic vision of collaboration. They assume their direct reports are aligned with the strategic vi sion. Or have an idealized conflict-free image of what a highly collaborative team should look like. Pushing people to work together doesnt work.True collaboration canbedrngnis be imposed it happens from within.Thats the first thing I tell my clients. CEOs are frustrated with how their teams collaborate, but their approach is bedrngnis helping it actually backfires. They assume collaboration is a given. fruchtwein executives believe thatbuilding a high-performing teamrequires picking all-star people and let them figure things out.Research by Heidi Gardner, author ofSmart Collaboration,demonstrated that merely putting a team of experts or specialists on the same project is elend enough leaders must create the right conditions.A survey by Harvard Business Review cites no surprise that organizational silos are the key obstacle for lack of collaboration. However, those silos are not physical barriers but driven by peoples mindset and behavior. The culture, leadership, fear of control, a nd lack of time inhibit successful collaboration.Collaboration is a byproduct of culture it requires the right conditions, mindset, and tools.Heres how to avoid falling into the ten most frequent collaboration traps.1. Avoid the Collaboration BurnoutAlways-on cultures, demanding bosses, collaborating with a decentralized workforce spread across different time zones, and inefficient use of technology are draining people.Tech tools like collaborationplatforms have increased team communication and productivity. But overuse and inefficient practices create a collaboration overload.Also, newresearchhas uncovered another reason much collaborative overload is driven by peoples desire to maintain a reputation as helpful by trying to over-collaborate, they find themselves at a breaking point.When clients hire me to help their teams adopt new behaviors, the first I tell them is, What are you going to get rid of? New practices should replace old ones, not add more burden to your team.Thecollab oration abgeschlagenheitdrains teams. People are busy jumping from one thing to another at the expense of having less time for deep work, effective decision making, and to build strong relationships with other team members.Your team doesnt have an infinite capacity collaboration is time and energy consuming. If you ask people to engage in a new collaborative project, give them space toget rid of other tasks.2. Stop Idealizing CollaborationMany people naively see collaboration as a friendly approach style in which relationships matter more than the task at hand. Cooperation is not about consensus or getting along with others though those are nice-to-have.Effective collaboration should focus on the outcome, not on making friends. Tensions keep your team at theirtop of the game. Constructive conflict-management requires integrating opposing ideas and personalities, not to neutralize differences.Collaboration is a means to an end what the team delivers matters more than how they work. S ome groups are very friendly but are not effective.Also, avoid portraying collaboration as a magical solution for all organizational problems. The more manager focus on selling the upside, people focus on what they might lose people see things from their own reality, not yours.Collaboration is uncomfortable, more times than not. People must get used to working with people outside their team, to interact with folks they might not like or that work in other locations with the addition of time zones, technology, and language barriers.Portray collaboration in a more realistic, human way idealizing it will only backfire.3. Collaboration Is a Byproduct ofCultureKicking off a new team requires to build trust and understanding. People will resist, conflicts will arise theemotional culturealways gets in the way. It cannot be suppressed.Leaders must work to build a culture for collaboration they must provide a safe space.As Jacob Morgan, head ofThe Future Organization,said, Collaboration can only exist in an environment where people feel safe. If you dont have an organization where people feel the ability to be vulnerable, to be empathetic, to be themselves, then you are not going to have collaboration.Power is also a cultural thing that needs tobe addressed openly. When leaders dont want to give up their power, you cant expect the regular folks to give up theirs. People need to be clear about the rules of engagement and how the team will make decisions.Wise leaders are generous they enable people to do great things, rather than provide the solution themselves great CEOs act like a coach more than a general.To develop a collaborative mindset requires training people to open up about their fears, resistance, and objections. That requires ongoing conversations, not just a one-off meeting.4. Dont Take Alignment forGrantedVisionary leadership can blind executive they are so excited about their vision and assume everyone is on board.As thisHBR pieceexplains, the emphasis on visionary leadership relies on the assumption that managers outside the C-suite arealwaysaligned with corporate strategy. But, what if they arenot?Middle managers play a key role in change initiatives they are tasked to align their teams around a new strategy. CEOs take for granted that, because of their positions, middle managers are convinced about the new direction by default.Driving alignment is not about persuasion but an act of co-creation. Rather than selling your perfect vision, involve your middle managers at an early stage. Allow them, not only to provide feedback but also to share ideas and shape your vision.The meeting where the C-suite reveals their visionary approach and the rest have to buy into it are gone if that approach ever worked. Collaboration cannot be imposed it happens from within its a personal choice.Your team must be involved in not only driving but also designing change. Collaboration is not about selling something thats already been baked but inviting t hem to cook it as well.5. Groups Dont Want to Sacrifice theirIdentityIn mandating and driving collaboration initiatives, leaders tend to focus on outcomes, processes, and logistic. However, they forget to consider how the groups interpret that request Lisa Kwan calls this thecollaboration blind spot.Each team has a culture of its own. When managers ask them to break down barriers, share information or resources, people feel threatened they worry about how this might affect their identity.As the executive coach explains, groups define and develop their sense of security along three main dimensions identity, legitimacy, and control.Group identityis what a group understands itself to be its purpose.Group legitimacymeans that a team is perceived as valuable outsiders value its contribution.Controlimplies that the group determines how it operates and implements change.Respect each groups identity. Not doing so can make people retreat into themselves and assume a defensive posture they wi ll become siloed instead of collaborative.To engage in effective cross-group collaboration, teams might feel safe and protected. Its better to start small than to expect groups to share all their secrets and resources instantly.6. Collaboration Must Be Purpose-DrivenOne of the reasons cross-team collaboration fail is that its not perceived as meaningful. Most leaders focus on the goals and why an initiative makes sense from an organizational and business standpoint but fail to connect it with something deeper.A team purpose is always more meaningful and relevant than a corporate one. When launching a new initiative, leaders must address the Whats in it for me?A collaboration purpose answers the Why are we supposed to work together? question. Not just what the team must achieve by working together the deliverables but the impact their work will create both on them and the organization.Our values and beliefs are supposed to bring us together, yet tear us apart, asI wrote here. Leaders must create a common ground. Focusing on a shared purpose will drive the team toward what everyone is trying to achieve collectively.Involve the different groups and let them craft the collaboration purpose. Also, they should define expectations, rules of engagement, and how each side will contribute.Team rituals are an effective wayto design and sto off a cross-functional team.Collaboration doesnt mean erasing sides but integrating them.7. Reward the Team, Not IndividualsConflicting rules send conflicting messages.Though most organizations encourage collaboration a collective practice their reward system is based on individual or specific performance. How can you expect the different areas to work together when sales, marketing, and customer service are measured by conflicting metrics?The same happens with performance reviews, bonuses, and promotions they encourage people to focus on whats best for each person not for the overall team.Also, always-changing or contradictory priorit ies confuse teams. Most people complain their priorities are moving targets they dont know where to focus their time and energy. Clarity and consistency are key to push a team in one direction.If you reward individual behaviors, dont expect people to pursue goals collectively.8. Technology Doesnt Solve PeopleProblemsMost managers now spend 85% or more of their work time collaborating via e-mail, meetings, group messaging platforms or on the phone that has increased by 50% over the past decade.The digital revolution has accelerated the ability to engage with other people. However, theres a difference between interacting with other people and effective collaboration its the outcome, not the time spent, what matters.Technology facilitates collaboration but doesnt encourage it. Having the right tools is essential to accelerate cooperation, but if organizations dont fix the people problems discussed above, technology wont be useful enough.Lastly, organizations must train their employees on how to use technology more mindfully. Today, many people are suffering from burnout they need a digital detox, not more tech.9. Collaboration is Not justH2HCollaboration is intrinsically a human function, but not limited to people.Technology will continue to play a bigger role in the future of collaboration. The rapid growth of AI will change not only what people do but also shape our way of working.Organizations must prepare their teams not just to become better at cooperating with other people, but also to collaborate with technology.As David Coleman, author of 42 Rules for Successful Collaboration said, Were moving into an era where collaboration is not just human-to-human but human-to-machine collaboration and machine-to-machine collaboration.Collaboration is a way of working it attracts and brings together people outside the regular structure, practices, and expertise to accomplish a complex shared goal. But its far from being smooth or conflict-free.A human-centered approac h can help avoid the collaboration trap. It requires understanding the challenges through peoples eyes. To develop a culture that is safe for teams to let go of being defensive and work together in achieving something more meaningful.Human beings are collaborative by nature but dont collaborate by default its up to you to create the right conditions for successful cooperation.This article originally appeared on Medium.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

How Job Seekers Can Assess Company Culture

How Job Seekers Can Assess Company CultureHow Job Seekers Can Assess Company Culture6Every organizations culture has a tremendous impact on its employees and contractors. And yet the term is vague, the evidence is elusive, and, perhaps most confusing, the actual culture of an organization might not match what its leaders say about it. Luckily, there are a few tips on how job seekers and freelancers can assess company culture to make sure it is a good fit.According to BusinessDictionary.com, an organizational culture consists of the shared attitudes, beliefs, customs, and written and unwritten rules that have been developed over time and are considered valid. In other words, it is the way things are done around here, which may or may not match the written rules. It shows up in the way customers and employees are treated the way decisions are made the way power is used the way issues are treated the way performance is evaluated the way people work together the way employees and freelan cers are chosen, developed, and promoted the physical environment the benefits and perks and the way work and life are balanced.So, how is a job seeker or freelancer to discover whether or not the culture is a good fit and avoid making a costly mistake? They can assess company culture Lets break it down.How to Assess Company Culture as a Job Seeker or FreelancerAssess Your PreferencesFirst, you need to assess your own preferences and priorities for cultural elements. Is having a fun and casual workplace important to you? Do you work best in teams or alone? Are you irritated when micromanaged or do you welcome the structure? Do you thrive at a fast pace or do you perform at your best when able to work at your own pace? Make a list or use a self-assessment tool available online.Assess the Company Culture OnlineNow put on your detectives hat to uncover how well the organization you are considering matches your priorities. Your second step is to look at external sources such as their we bsite, LinkedIn profile, Facebook page, and Twitter feeds. Dont forget that just because an organization says it values something doesnt make it so.Salary.com and Glassdoor.com both offer employee reviews, which can be helpful (and thanks to our partnership with Glassdoor, if a company in our database has Glassdoor reviews, youll see them right here on). If you have any contacts at the organization, a quick phone call can yield much insight. Find out what they like best and least about the organization and ask specific questions about your priorities and how they might fit.Assess the Work EnvironmentThe third step is to do some sleuthing at your interview. As you wait in the lobby and move through the halls, observe the surroundings. Does it look like a place you would like to work? How are people greeting each other? Are office doors open or closed? How are people decorating their spaces? Is there evidence of community events or social gatherings? Is there a low hum of conversation or is it quiet? Are people rushing around? Any raised voices? Laughter?Assess the Company Culture Through QuestionsFinally, prepare some questions for your interviewers based on your cultural priorities because you can bet that theyre assessing you at the same time. You can flat out ask what the culture is like and evaluate the reaction you get. Ask for examples of how they have seen the culture operating.Depending on the role of the interviewer, here are some mora subtle questions you might askFor HRHow is performance evaluated?How are employees developed?How does the company view flexible work arrangements?Are there defined career paths?How are employees evaluated for promotion?For your potential managerWhat do you feel are the most valued traits among the leaders here?How do you help your employees succeed?How are performance goals set?How much work is done in teams versus individual work?How do you typically communicate with your staff?Why did you choose to work here?For peersW hy did you choose to work here?What do you like best about the working environment?What would you like to change about the working environment?What traits do you think are most valued by the manager?What typically happens when errors or issues are discovered?Now that you have a pretty good picture after assessing the company culture, you can make a judgment about how closely you fit into the culture, where the issues may lie, and whether or not you can live with them. Put that together with the offer you are presented with to make your decision to accept it or move on.Lisa Mullen is salzbildner Softwares manager of corporate human resources and has 14 years of experience working in HR. Lisa is focused on recruitment and providing practical insights that help HR positively impact business performance. Halogen Software offers an organically built, cloud-based talent management suite that reinforces and drives higher employee performance across all talent programs- whether that is recr uiting, performance management, learning and development, succession planning, or compensation.Find Freelance Jobs