Category Archives: Thrive at Work
September 30, 2015 When Your Team is TOO Similar
In a recent newsletter, I discussed the steps to take when your team is clashing. This week I’ll address a different problem: What do you do when your team is too similar?
On the surface, this doesn’t seem like much of a problem. You all get along, the work feels easy and natural, etc. But too-similar teams can be just as ineffective as clashing teams. Why?
- You might lack inspiration
- Your team might get distracted with friendly chatting or gossip
- You miss out on a variety of perspectives
- The end product might be geared toward only one specific type of person
But how do you add a little spice to your team? This may be more complicated than fixing a team that is clashing. The first step to diversify and brighten-up your team is to bring the problem to the forefront. If people aren’t aware there’s an issue (or they know something isn’t working, but can’t figure out why), then they can’t work to solve it.
Secondly, ask for diversity. Reach out to others who you think have a different perspective than your current team’s perspective. Go beyond gender and ethnicity. If your group is quiet and reserved, consider a more outgoing, energetic type. If your group is great at generating ideas, but lacks practical application skills, recruit someone you know who is analytic and process-oriented.
Third, gain inspiration! If adding new and different people to your team isn’t an option, there are a few ways your team can gain inspiration:
- Create a mind map (If you don’t know the basics, here’s a blog post explaining how mind-mapping works)
- Conduct surveys and market research (gather outside opinions to bring in new perspectives)
- Research similar projects and find out how those teams came up with a solution
- Turn to social media (Post about what your team is working on and ask for feedback)
Fourth: If your team is just a little too friendly, impose restrictions. You might decide to split up the group and work in pairs for a while. Or you might set aside chat time at the beginning of the day (say, half an hour to catch up with everyone), then buckle down and get to work. Sometimes it helps to have a supervisor check on your team from time-to-time in order to motivate everyone to make progress.
If you’re still struggling with how to make your too-similar team click, feel free to contact me for more ideas. Best of luck!
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, LICENSED INSIGHTS DISCOVERY PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: click as a team, homogeneous team, Margaret Smith, no team diversity, team lacks motivation, teamwork in business, too similar team, UXL
September 9, 2015 The Blue Moon Motivator
This past year was astronomically rare. We experienced two blue moons (a full moon twice in one month) in the same year. The next blue moon will not occur until 2018. When you think about this spectacular and rare phenomenon, you can relate it to your own life: What are you doing that is as bold and exceptional as a blue moon? What have you accomplished this past year that goes above and beyond the norm?
Maybe you’re thinking to yourself: “Gee, I’m not sure I’ve done anything too out-of-the-ordinary this year.” If that’s the case, don’t worry! You still have an entire quarter to accomplish some of your goals and make some extraordinary changes. Here are some tips for making the rest of the year shine:
- Re-focus your goals. Do you remember what your New Year’s resolutions were for this year? Did you have a list of things that you wanted to accomplish in 2015? If your list seems daunting right now, take a step back. Think about what you can realistically get done in the next few months and focus your energy on those items. Do NOT beat yourself up over things you can’t accomplish this year. That kind of negative thinking will only weigh on your shoulders as you attempt to refocus your goals.
- Make goals! On the flip side, if you didn’t really have any concrete goals this year, it’s not too late to make them. Spend a few quiet minutes jotting down ideas for what you’d like to accomplish in the next three months. Include work-related items as well as non-work items. Do you want to reorganize your closet? Get in better shape? Find two new clients? Master social media? Spend more time with your family? Once you’ve decided on a couple goals, outline a plan on how to reach them.
- Find an accountability partner. Sure, you might have good intentions when you set out to achieve your goals, but you might lose steam as the weather gets chillier and the nights longer (I know I do!). That’s where your accountability partner comes in. Find a close friend or family member who is willing to push you to achieve your goals. They should check in regularly to see how you’re doing. And hey, they might even want to participate in end-of-the-year goal setting!
- Don’t let obstacles stop your momentum. Sure, life happens. You might, for whatever reason, get derailed from your goals. Get back on the tracks and keep moving! Even if that means down-sizing your goal into something a little more manageable, that’s okay. This is a test in adaptability and mental agility. Do you have what it takes to compartmentalize your road blocks and focus on the bigger picture? I’m sure you do. If you need a little assistance in overcoming obstacles, please do not hesitate to reach out to me for guidance.
Good luck in the final quarter!
Tags: accountability partner, achieving your year end goals, be exceptional this year, blue moon motivator, refocus goals, what have you achieved
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- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Changing Your Life, Thrive at Work
September 2, 2015 Back to Business
Summer is winding to a close. Kids are heading back to school; vacation time is over. For many businesses, this is the time to buckle down and start ramping up for a strong fourth quarter. But sometimes it’s just plain difficult to switch back into work mode. What can you do when your head says, “You should work now,” but your heart is still enjoying lazy afternoons in the sun? Not toe mention, if you have children you have to completely revamp your evenings (from relaxed family dinners to homework/sports/after-schools activities time). How can you effectively deal with the dramatic shift? Here is a list of four suggestions to get Back to Business:
Set goals and make a plan to achieve them.
I’m all about goal-setting. Goals give you a concrete objective to work toward, rather than just “showing up” and expecting you’ll do something in the office today. When you set a goal, make sure you also set a deadline. Then, outline the steps you’ll need to take in order to achieve the goal on time. When you step into the office every day, ask yourself, “What do I need to do today to reach my goals?”
Visualize yourself working.
Seriously! This is a technique athletes use all the time: They close their eyes and picture themselves running down the field, breaking open, taking that game-winning shot. Visualization is a proven tool that helps bolster concentration and motivation. You can use the same technique! Just find a quiet space and spend five to ten minutes thinking about your day and what you’re going to do to make it successful.
Make a list.
Similar to goal-setting, a daily list will give you a set of tangible objectives that you can accomplish. Write down even the small stuff—it feels good to cross them off!
Use your summertime joy as fuel.
Even though you might be disappointed that summer is winding down, you can still hang onto the summer sunshine! Your summer BBQs, vacations, and walks in the sun hopefully helped you feel rejuvenated and relaxed. Use that extra bit of rejuvenation as fuel in the coming months. One thing you can do: Post a picture on your desk of a favorite summer memory and glance at it whenever you need to “find your calm.”
Don’t be sad that summer is over; celebrate the fact that it happened! And, if working is ramping up, don’t forget to appreciate the fact that you have a job and that you are a much-needed piece of the company puzzle.
Good luck this fall and please, reach out to me if you’re struggling to find your feet at work.
-Margaret
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, LICENSED INSIGHTS DISCOVERY PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: Back to Business, get back in gear, goal setting, Margaret Smith, Minneapolis career coach, transition from summer, use summer as fuel, UXL
