by Michelle Geromel | Human Capital, Productivity
I was recently talking with one of my 1-on-1 coaching clients about imbalances in their team, and how that had negatively impacted their best and brightest people. Our best resources deserve to be elevated and honored for their loyalty, commitment and rock-star status. But often, especially when we are so busy doing the day to day, they are not. This includes hiring the best person for the job – period. There is a lot of talk these days about doing the opposite. And honestly, that isn’t going to net you the best outcomes. I’m not saying don’t cast a wide net, with open arms for all possibilities. But let’s make sure we hire based on capability, not something else (including desperation). Because when we hire for other reasons, everyone suffers (including your new hire). The other part of this equation is: If you allow sub-par resources to remain sub-par (by refusing to help them reach their potential; refusing to manage them and give them direction; refusing to give heart-centered accountability and definitions of success people crave; or refusing to admit you made a hiring mistake) then you will loose your best people. I know in the past few years, there are pockets of our economy where employers were desperate to have anyone work for them. However, to state the obvious – desperation is never a good long term strategy. And while it is understandable in the moment, that energy will harm a business faster than anything else. Yes, that can mean some difficult conversations and difficult actions. Yes, that can be painful in the short term. And yes, a...
by Michelle Geromel | Achieving Goals, Productivity
1) Turn Off Distractions So You Can Be More Focused a) Set your phone to Do Not Disturb Mode (you can allow favorites, so your family and even key clients or co-workers can still contact you) b) Use a plug in to make seeing your news feed inside Facebook impossible, while you get your work done on your business pages and in Facebook groups. (See our recent blog here for details.) 2) Get Clear On What Actions Are Creating Results a) Look at your metrics. What went well for last quarter and also the year? What did you improve? What did you learn? How does progress line up with your key targets for the year and the quarter? b) Whatever your key or only project focus was for the month and quarter, how did that go? How is it going? What went well this past month or months. And what can be improved? c) If you don’t have a definitive 1 thing you are focused on for the quarter or the month, what would it take to be more focused on making defined progress on 1 key business improvement? What steps can you take from today through the end of the quarter to bring about change? Remember to be honest with yourself about what you can really achieve. And also remember that you need to measure success. So how are you measuring improvement? How will you know if you succeeded? 3) Create A Plan To Achieve Your Targets For The Year And This Quarter a) What are 1-2 sub goals you can achieve each month? If you already have...
by Michelle Geromel | Productivity, Social Media
If you are like me, you go to jump onto Facebook to use the email feature, or to schedule a post, or interact with those on your page.. and then you get distracted. That little red circle with a number on it telling you what you are missing keeps calling. And you jump on for just a minute and 15 minutes later… Or, you want to use Facebook as a Sales Tool, because you keep some great pictures in albums there, but you are afraid that if you bring up your Facebook on your page, that you will have that 1 friend from High School posting something massively inappropriate.. and you might loose a sale. Well, there’s a way to block your Newsfeed when you need to. I used this one tool to do work on my Facebook Business pages, while never logging onto and being distracted by my Facebook Newsfeed even once in the past 3 days. I’m not even kidding. :)? Yes its possible, even for a Facebook addict. There are Facebook Newsfeed blockers you can use that simply block your personal Facebook Newsfeed while enabling you to continue to work and view your Business Pages, and also your Groups. (As many of us use the Groups for business as well.) If you have Chrome here’s a popular plug in: Newsfeed Eradicator: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/news-feed-eradicator-for/fjcldmjmjhkklehbacihaiopjklihlgg If you have Safari, use: Newsfeed Blocker For Facebook (in the Ap Store) Both are free. Simple install on your computer, and then turn off or on with a click of a mouse. I found that after about a month of using this tool...
