Skip to content

UXL Blog

“Creating Successful Leaders”

Category Archives: Organization

March 24, 2021 Spring Cleaning Your Home Office

If you’re among the many people who have been working from home for over a year, it may be time to spruce things up and clean your space. Papers tend to get shuffled into stacks, odds and ends tend to get crammed into drawers. It’s a good idea to take some time to pay attention to your work space.

Why tidy your home office?

For one, it will make things easier to find and keep track of. Though you may have to invest a few hours to clean your space now, you’ll save time in the future.

Secondly, having a clean work area can help put you in the right mindset. Decluttering your space can help to declutter you mind, reduce stress, and increase self-esteem. You’ll likely find yourself breathing easier once you’ve tidied up your space.

Where to begin cleaning?

Start by taking a good look at your work space and thinking about what needs to be improved. Are you in need of a new filing system? Could you benefit from a “to do” box? Would a large whiteboard calendar be useful for organizing? Are you thinking about swapping out your current desk for a standing desk? Identify your big-picture needs before getting to work.

Quick Tips for Home Office Cleaning:

  • Remove the clutter. It can be helpful to take everything out of your office before putting anything back in. That way, you can thoroughly clean the space and start afresh with your organization.
  • Sort papers efficiently! Create a recycling pile, a shred pile, and a filing pile. Once you have your filing pile, turn on some background music and get to work! Make sure your file folders are logical and well-labeled.
  • Make sure everything has a home. Even your paperclips and sticky notes deserve a place in your office.
  • Group similar items. For instance, you might create a letter station filled with envelopes, paper, stamps, mailers, and return address labels.
  • Buy drawer organizers. It’s easy to cram everything into a drawer and forget about it. Instead, shell out a few dollars for small, plastic drawer divers, like these by Madesmart.
  • Be logical. Keep the things you use the most (pens, notebooks, sticky notes, etc.) handy and within reach.
  • Commit to tidiness. Once you’ve revamped your space and reworked your filling and organizing systems, be sure to stick to them! Once per week, set aside time to take care of any filing or other organizational tasks that need to be done. If you keep up on the work, it won’t feel nearly as daunting.

Happy spring! Have fun reorganizing your space.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.

Tags: , , , , ,

July 22, 2020 Beyond Inclusivity in the Workplace

Multi-colored people in front of a mosaic of faces
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

As the U.S. goes through the biggest social justice movement since the Civil Rights Movement, it’s important to acknowledge diversity in the workplace. Systemic racism is deeply rooted within our society. Working to undo it won’t happen overnight, but we must commit to leading each other to a more equal future. Today’s turmoil is bringing up issues that were previously ignored by many. Workplaces have been known to use diversity as nothing more than a box to check off.

In reality, diversity allows for a variety of perspectives and new skill sets. 

Getting rid of diversity quotas is a good first step to take. Quotas can lead to tokenization. It’s important to make sure that your employees aren’t all similar people when getting rid of quotas. Giving women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people, disabled people, etc. a seat at the table where decisions are made can bring diversity to the rest of the company. 

It should be a no-brainer that employees with the same responsibilities deserve to be paid the same. Despite that, the gender pay gap still persists in our society. Addressing and fixing the pay gap at your company is an effective way to demonstrate that you value all your employees. It may not be an immediate fix, but it’ll provide long term and equitable changes.

Equal access is key to giving opportunities to everyone. Think about where you advertise your job openings. Does your advertisement feel targeted to a specific group of people? Is it posted on a website with a majority of white users? Also keep in mind your own biases when hiring. What does your selection committee look like? Recognize that not everyone can meet your job requirements. If a job requires a degree, integrate degree equivalency which includes equal work experience in lieu of a degree. 

You won’t know what problems your employees directly face unless you talk to them. Establishing a voluntary group to give feedback is a great way to hear about injustices within your workplace. Anonymous surveys can also be used to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard. 

Continue the dialogue in your workplace. Inequality is not going to magically disappear. These conversations may be uncomfortable, but they are necessary if we want to undo the systemic racism and biases that exist in our country and our workplaces.

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
NOW LIVE: CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.

Tags: , , , , , ,

June 17, 2020 The Case for Making Employees #1

Woman at desk

We have to turn a profit!

We need to grow and improve!

We have to serve our customers as best we can!

We have to improve our marketing and reach more people!

It’s easy to get wrapped up in big-picture company goals. These are the objectives that drive the day-to-day. They are provide direction for you and your team. However, they are NOT everything.

Even though company objectives are certainly worthy (your organization wouldn’t get very far without them), they don’t always consider the engine that’s driving change: the employees.

Those who work within the company walls, fill out paperwork, brainstorm, attend meetings…they are the ones who make the world go ‘round. They are the force behind any company movement. If you get right down to it, nothing can be accomplished without people power.

So…why do so many companies seem to put their people last?

I argue that employees—team members—should be prioritized. Instead of treating your people as an afterthought, start engaging with them. Find out what makes them tick, what motivates and excites them. Discover what new and out-of-the-box ideas they might have—ideas that could drive change and innovation.

On the flip side, it’s crucial to understand what does not work for your employees. What are their sticking points? What do they believe needs improvement? What is slowly down or impeding their performance?

As a leader, it’s your responsibility to make sure your team feels:

  • Listened to (keep an open line of communication, get to know them, and make sure all voices are heard)
  • Supported (with both people and resources)
  • Motivated
  • Worthy and Important to the overall company mission

People should not be afraid of approaching leadership with concerns or fresh ideas. They shouldn’t be scared of taking sensible risks. They also shouldn’t feel like their leadership is distant and unapproachable.

It’s time to start listening to and empowering employees. They are the backbone of your organization, and if they are motivated and working within a fully-supportive environment, they will thrive.

Want to talk more about improving relationships with and among your team members? I am an Insights Licensed Practitioner and have helped countless teams improve their communication and team dynamics. Let’s talk!

MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS® DISCOVERY (AND DEEPER DISCOVERY) LICENSED PRACTITIONER, AND FOUNDER OF UXL. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. 
NOW LIVE: CHECK OUT MARGARET’S ONLINE LEADERSHIP COURSE.

Tags: , , , , , , ,