Build a Better Workplace

10 ways to jump-start that apathetic co-worker

June 27, 2010 · 1 Comment

By Tom Terez

You can’t use jumper cables, but there’s a lot you can do to energize your unengaged colleague. Here are ten steps for a sure start.

1. Adjust your own attitude. Instead of writing the person off, identify their one or two biggest strengths. Focus on these positives whenever the two of you are working together.

2. Tell them their strengths. That’s right, when you get an opportunity, pay them a constructive compliment that affirms what they’re good at. Don’t be surprised if they’re surprised, because most people go through life all too unaware of their greatest gifts.

3. Cite the importance of their role. When the time seems right, mention how their job contributes to a greater good. “John,” you might say, “if it weren’t for your great work on these applications, we’d never get these grants, and we’d never be able to serve as many people as we do.

4. Seek their input. When challenges arise, approach your listless colleague and ask them to weigh in with their thoughts. If their first few comments are meager, keep asking until they say something substantial.

5. Involve them in anything new. Got a new project or a new task force? How about a new training event or a new initiative to hear from customers? Get them in the mix, preferably in a role that taps their strengths or interests.

6. Give them more control. If you’re a manager and you find yourself frequently telling people what to do, stop being directive — and let them figure out their own approach. If several things need to get done right away, let them decide where to begin. If you can circulate information that will bring more people into the loop, start sharing.

7. Make a habit of it. All of the above actions work best when they’re done day after day. They’re like dental braces: You have to leave them on for a year or more before they work their change-management magic.

8. Have a one-on-one. If the apathy persists and you’re concerned about your co-worker, consider talking with them. Share your observations in a caring way, then ask if there’s anything you can do to make their work more engaging.

9. Know when to fold up. Some people seem hardwired for apathy. If your best long-term efforts with a colleague fail to generate a spark, direct your energy elsewhere. Just make sure you give it enough time.

10. Watch yourself. Are there days when your own attitude gets taken over by apathy? It happens to all of us at least some of the time, but know when it does and keep it from becoming a habit. Behavior is contagious, so follow that age-old advice and be the change you wish to see in your workplace.

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Constructive doodling: Add it to your skill set now

June 27, 2010 · 2 Comments

By Tom Terez

Don’t be fooled by their brevity. These three words are enormously important to workplace transformation: Make it visible.

Did you hear that? MAKE IT VISIBLE. The words are so crucial they call for extra volume.

During the past six weeks, I’ve been involved in three separate week-long Kaizen events. Each led to major transformational improvements, all of which were fueled by make-it-visible discoveries.

It happens in all Kaizen events, first when the team creates a big map of its current process. Participants struggle early on as they get accustomed to the process-mapping methodology, but when they end up with a detailed bird’s-eye view of their entire current process in all its delay-filled dysfunction, the lights go on in a big way.

“So that’s what’s happening,” one person usually says, looking in semi-amused shock at a tangled map of steps, decisions, and delays. Someone else observes: “I can see exactly where things are getting bogged down.” Others chime in: “This is why we’re getting complaints from customers.” “Those mysterious delays aren’t a mystery anymore.” “Why have we been doing it like this for so long?” And most promising: “Hey, I see a way we can make this process better for everyone!”

More lights goes on when participants “make visible” an entirely new process based on their discoveries and analysis. As they develop the future state on paper in visual form, they show how everything can fit and flow together in better fashion — something that written words and linear lists could never convey.

You don’t need a full-scale Kaizen event to leverage the power of making it visible. The next time you and your colleagues are anguishing over your suboptimal process, perhaps in response to some pointed feedback from your customers, add drawing to your talking. Have someone serve as a scribe, mapping out all the steps and decisions on a white board or flipchart as people verbally walk through the process from start to finish. This will take some time, but once the map is complete, the whole group will have a common level of understanding — and a much deeper understanding as well.

The same goes for developing better ways of doing things. Instead of relying solely on spoken or written words, craft a blueprint in the form of a future-state process map. Draw it for all to see and with everyone providing input.

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Want to produce like Edison? Then tap that nearby know-how

June 22, 2010 · Leave a Comment

By Tom Terez

If you could get four extra brains by sharing your own brain, would you?

What if you’d quadruple your energy in the process? Would you share your brainpower then?

Elena Tsinman and Jim Mermis have their answer. It’s a resounding yes, and they’re backing it with their own bucks.

They’ve launched a co-working workspace called ION. Based in Columbus, Ohio, it’s for solo entrepreneurs, freelancers, and independents who are tired of working by themselves. ION is filled with offices of all types, conference rooms, conferencing technology, open space, a lounge, and a kitchenette — so people who’ve previously worked in isolation can now get extra ideas, energy, and community from others who share the space.

As the minds behind ION, Elena and Jim bring a get-in-done orientation to their work. Elena leads a translation company that she built and grew after moving to the United States from Russia. Jim co-leads a government relations and business development firm.

I’ve known Jim since the 1990s. Whenever we get together, he brings something significant to the table: an interesting story, a worthy quotation, a new angle on an old challenge, a bright idea. The guy gets me to think.

With ION, he and Elena are getting me to think yet again — about what works best when it comes to working smart.

What about you? You know that two heads are better than one, but are you turning that important adage into action?

Do you work in an ION-like environment where you can mingle with many other people? Are you seeking out and taking in the knowledge and expertise that your co-workers bring to work each day? Are you sharing your own know-how? Are you drawing energy from others and building community with all?

If you’re a solo practitioner (and that’s a lot of people nowadays), are you reaching out to meet and learn from other people? Do you have a network that can regularly recharge your battery with ideas, insights, and inspiration? Are you getting perspective from a truth squad that can give you objective input?

Long before Elena and Jim opened ION, Thomas Edison built his “invention factory” in New Jersey. He filled it with people who brought diverse sets of knowledge, skills, and backgrounds. It may have been his greatest invention: the world’s first research and development lab. The incandescent lamp first flickered in this workspace. The first recorded sound bounced off its wooden walls.

Edison knew a thing or two about bringing people together to create great things. So do Elena and Jim. Are you working in your own invention factory?

If you live in Columbus, Ohio, and are looking for a great workspace, check out IONcoworking.com, or visit in person at 4889 Sawmill Road. Feel free to contact Jim Mermis at jmermis@ioncoworking.com.

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Raising the (taco) bar on customer service

June 9, 2010 · 7 Comments

By Tom Terez

Matt Hite serves up a lot more than tacos and burritos at the downtown fast-food restaurant where he works. He also dishes out a friendly manner, a keep-it-moving efficiency, and a care for customers that sets a new standard.

I rushed into the restaurant one day, eager to escape the rain and grab a quick lunch. It was my third visit in two months. Matt prepped my food each time, and though I didn’t know his name then and hadn’t talked much with him, I enjoyed his easy rap and sunny-side-up demeanor.

While I was eating, the rain stopped. And when I hurried from the restaurant to my next stop on a busy schedule, I left behind my umbrella.

I didn’t realize it and didn’t think about the umbrella for three weeks — not until the moment I returned to the restaurant for another lunch.

There was Matt, standing at his station behind the counter, holding aloft — surprise! — my umbrella. He had been keeping it for me, waiting for me to return at some point, somehow remembering a total stranger and his lost possession three weeks and thousands of customers later.

“Here you go,” he said without fanfare. “What’ll you have today?”

It seemed like no big deal to Matt, but it was to me. I left with a huge takeout order of inspiration.

Matt reminds us that no matter where we work, what we do, or how quickly our customers pass through, there’s always a chance to slow down and do something exceptional for people. Thanks, Matt!

If you live in Columbus, Ohio, you can meet Matt Hite and get great food at Cinco, on the southwest corner of Broad and High.

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5 cures for the common blah blah blah

June 9, 2010 · 1 Comment

By Tom Terez

If you’re a nonstop talker who fills every conversation with your own ideas and observations, please hear this: PEOPLE ARE TUNING YOU OUT.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a full-throttle genius, a gifted orator, a high-titled leader, or a beloved figure who’s respected by all. Anyone who can’t turn it off at least some of the time will be turned off by most people all of the time.

Take our fictional friend Marcus as an example. While he’s droning on about his latest strategic philosophies, his colleagues are hearing this: “What we need to do as an organization is blah blah blah blah. We also need to blah blah blah. It reminds me of the time when blah blah blah blah blah….”

Marcus could be unveiling the greatest strategy of all time, and people would hear that blah-filled refrain and nothing else. Talk about a missed opportunity.

In your case, you might be a full-fledged Marcus, or you might have Marcus-like tendencies. Who knows. It’s hard for any of us to evaluate ourselves.

So play it safe and do the following:

1. Resist the urge to speak first or last at meetings. Both slots are an invitation to discussion domination.

2. Make a point of asking questions to get input from your colleagues. If it doesn’t come naturally to you, prep for meetings by writing a few questions on the topic at hand.

3. For an entire week, make it your mission to speak less and listen more. Think of it as your own strenuous personal-development exercise. Don’t announce it, just do it. And when it gets impossibly difficult, keep doing it. Reserve 10 minutes at the end of each day to review your progress.

4. Pick out one person in your workplace who speaks less and accomplishes more. Watch their approach and uncover the three or so things they do that make a difference. Then do the same in your own interactions.

5. Whenever you get the sense that you’re talking too much, you probably are. End your comments promptly with four simple words: “What do you think?”

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Finding strengths you don’t know you have

June 9, 2010 · Leave a Comment

By Tom Terez

Quick now, name your greatest strengths.

Got ‘em? Are you sure? Really sure?

Most people think they know the standout strengths they bring to the workplace. But the fact is, most people never get a full and accurate accounting — and many people go through life never knowing the best of what they bring to the table.

Why? Because people are too close to themselves to be objective, because they can be too self-effacing, because their strengths may have morphed into habits that they now take for granted, and so on. The reasons are many and varied.

So try something different. Ask three or so co-workers what they see as your strengths.

You don’t need some special meeting for this. Keep it informal and just ask. You’ll be pleasantly surprised and thoroughly informed by their answers.

Will they think your inquiry is strange? Sure they will, at first. But within five minutes they’ll be asking you to tell them their strengths.

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The curious case of the project manager who turned a weakness into his greatest strength

June 1, 2010 · 2 Comments

By Tom Terez

On his first day as a project manager at an IT company, Steve had a serious case of nerves. He was starting the job with a little secret — a secret that everyone has at certain points in their career.

Steve spent his first week filling out paperwork, meeting new co-workers, and settling into his office. Piece of cake.

Then came the second week. Assigned to lead a troubled project, Steve asked the team members for a briefing. They went on and on, expounding on their technical woes in ways that far exceeded Steve’s IT know-how.

He did his best to maintain a mask of understanding, but he could sense that some in the room were uncovering his secret. They were figuring out that their brand-new project manager knew way too little about all things technical.

Steve pointed to the clock, ended the meeting, and raced to his office — where he closed the door, fell into his chair, and began to panic.

If you could meet Steve, you’d have trouble picturing him in panic mode. He has a laid-back manner, an easy smile, and an entertainer’s ability to put people at ease. He also has superb guitar skills and an easy-listening voice that goes great with ballads.

After college, Steve worked for an environmental firm. That’s where he learned project management. Then he signed on with a telecommunications company, where he became the resident expert and go-to guy on a key software product.

It was there that overloaded project managers began asking Steve to fill in for them at meetings. He happily obliged, exuding charm while effectively facilitating the teams. He often knew less about the technical details than anyone else in the room, but no one caught on or seemed to care. Steve began thinking that his technical deficits were actually a strength — because they kept him from getting sucked into arcane project details and allowed him to focus on process issues and interpersonal dynamics.

Steve soon became an official project manager, and largely through his facilitative guidance, his teams always got the job done.

But two weeks into his new job at the IT company, while sitting behind his closed door, Steve faced a moment of truth. This good musician had achieved success as a project manager largely through improvisation. With the stakes now higher and the technical issues more complex, he would have to be more composed, more thoughtful, more strategic.

What did he do? Five things, all of which you can do too, especially when you’re in over your head.

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And now for something completely different

June 1, 2010 · 1 Comment

By Tom Terez

Help! Sameness is taking over our workplaces!

Offices look the same. Cubicles look the same. Break rooms look the same.

Meetings are virtual reruns. So are those templated presentations. So are so many everyday interactions. So are the little walks we take from one place to another in our immediate work areas.

From grand boardrooms to gritty factories, from super-sized multinationals to sole proprietorships, it’s the same deal. It all boils down to one big ditto.

What about you? Are things pretty much the same for you workday after workday? If so, are you okay with this? Might you be letting it happen in a way? Are you wearing sameness like some old comfy cardigan?

I can ask because I’ve been there, wearing that same cardigan. Some days I’m there all over again. Sameness is easy. That’s why we call it the comfort zone.

But is sameness as fun as different? Does sameness inspire? Does it instruct? Does it energize? Does it hold our interest? Does it engage our curiosity? Does it spark our creativity? Does it fuel us to do our best? Does it transform our work into something more?

The truth is, different is easy too. Take one small step once a day as an antidote to sameness, and you’ll start feeling better immediately.

Walk over to a different work area and start a new conversation. Skip email and pick up the phone. Skip the phone and meet in person. Read a book or magazine on a topic you’ve never considered. Map out your part of the work process and make an improvement.

If you conduct meetings, change them up to get more people talking. If you tend to be a talker, conduct your own test day of forced listening. If you’re always holding back, marshal your courage and speak up.

And if you’re the kind of person who reads these posts without acting on them, well…you know what to do.

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How many days have you been alive?

May 28, 2010 · 1 Comment

By Tom Terez

The question stopped me in my tracks: “Dad, how many days have you been alive?”

My youngest daughter, 9 years old at the time, was just asking. She had been working on multiplication in her math class that day.

“Let’s see,” I said, trying to work out the numbers. They seemed awfully big. “Somewhere around 15,000, I think.”

Later that evening, I thought more about her question. Even now, three years later, it shakes me up in a good way.

It seems like we’re talking about two very different things. There’s being alive in the physical sense — waking up, heading to work, going about our tasks, heading home, checking off the chores, and repeating.

Then there’s being alive in a way that transcends the physical — where we’re curious about possibilities, engaged by challenges, ready to learn, inclined to reach out to others, willing to have some fun, and determined to make the most of our day.

There’s a huge difference between the two. Our challenge is to do both.

My daughter is 12 years old now, far beyond multiplication and fast approaching young-adulthood. Maybe it’s time. Maybe I should deal with the likely pre-teen eye roll and tell her my nuanced answer to her long-ago question!

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Needed now: Supervisors with super vision

May 24, 2010 · 2 Comments

By Tom Terez

The word supervisor is used so often, we seldom think about it. But we should — because that seemingly innocent word can have two very different meanings.

With origins in Medieval Latin, supervisor is a combination of super (Latin for above, beyond) and videre (to see). So in its most literal sense, a supervisor is someone who oversees other people.

The dictionary defines it this way: a person who supervises workers or the work done by others; superintendent. Supervise: to oversee (a process, work, workers, etc.) during execution or performance; superintend; have the oversight and direction of.

This is indeed the case in many workplaces. The supervisor is someone who oversees, making sure people are doing what they’re supposed to be doing. He or she serves as an ongoing inspector of sorts, correcting people as necessary. Taken to an extreme, the supervisor is an enforcer.

Now, let’s look at the same word from a much different angle.

The most effective supervisors are the ones with super vision.

  • They can see the big picture, and they help others do the same.
  • They can see how different roles and tasks fit together to create a system.
  • They can see into the future, at least enough to foresee some of the knowledge, skills, and tools that will be needed down the road.
  • They can see themselves with greater honesty, understanding their unique styles, strengths, and improvement opportunities.
  • They can see the nuance in different situations, which allows them to adapt and respond in constructive ways in a wide range of circumstances.

The “supervisor as overseer” approach takes less thinking because of its one-size-fits-all nature. It’s largely reactive. Because it places one person above others, it reinforces hierarchy and division.

The “super vision” approach requires much more thinking. It calls for extra time, patience, practice, flexibility, and self-change. It’s entirely proactive and inherently unifying.

Let’s send the message to workplaces everywhere: We need more supervisors with super vision — and fewer who cling to that outmoded role of overseer.

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