How to – Finesse the Office Party The seasonal mine field of the Office Party is upon us. While some adore them and others loathe them, the Office Party has become another professional opportunity that can be filled with potential. The question is: can you leverage the potential for good or evil!? Is it an opportunity for you or will the result be a missed chance, or even disaster?

Some suggestions:

No matter how much you try to make the Office Party an out-of-work function, it isn’t! It is an extension of work. The boss is always the boss. The relationship does not change just because the location does.

Party clothes are different that your office attire, but you are an employee, manager, or owner no matter what you are wearing. Don’t go too far in any direction: low, high, tight, or loose.

Watch your words. Conversation that has been lubricated with alcohol or too much informality and relaxation can get you in the same trouble as if you were at work. Legally, you may find judges who are lenient when it comes to sexist, racist, or harassing comments at an Office Party, but an offended employee can still bring a lawsuit. The rules that apply during the day, apply in the evening as well.

Liquor makes people more relaxed. People who are more relaxed tend to say things they might not ordinarily say. Confidences, company secrets, and non-public information can be exchanged because people are more comfortable. Know where the line is drawn between comfortable, and too comfortable.

Use this occasion as the opportunity it can be. Rather than spend time with the people you talk to every day, the more casual atmosphere can provide the chance to talk with people you want to connect with more. Create some conversation starters before the event and walk over to talk with the people you want to know better (or people you’d like to know YOU better).

The Office Party is a chance to celebrate the holidays with the folks you spend a great deal of time with throughout the year. It doesn’t have to be a test of your fortitude or the story everyone is talking about next week.

Labels: Office party

  4:35 PM •  0 Comments •

How to – Leverage the Younger Worker If you didn’t catch the recent episode of 60 Minutes on CBS that highlighted the challenge of the Millennial (born 1980-1993) workforce, then you might have heard people talking about the challenge of attracting, retraining and working with the newest entries into the workforce.

Many Baby Boomers winced when they heard how they would have to change if they wanted to leverage the skills and talents of these workers. Take heart, older workers – it does not mean you have to allow yoga class and parties to take center stage. You don’t have to change everything – but you do have to change some things. Select a few from the following list to get started:

• Break down the silos, functions and hierarchies that exist within your business and replace them with a talent marketplace: a free flowing, market driven work environment where your talent flows to where the customer need or the value creation potential is greatest.

• Replace your current systems with sophisticated systems that deploy your human capital with optimal efficiency and impact, and which give you the quality and responsiveness of data that you can act upon immediately. Upgrade and update your firm’s HRIS system, website, job posting and application process and have a speedy intranet that employees can access from home as well as the office.

• Celebrate the ideas of your people in relation to helping the business add value and grow. Recognize and publicize people’s contributions and accomplishments. Spread the applause around.

• Transform how you communicate with people. Utilize the technology people are using (can you underwrite some IPods?) It’s been said that a podcast has more potency, relevance and impact than any company newsletter ever has or will. Communicate in the ‘language’ of your employees and their medium of choice in order to be heard.

How do YOU feel when you come to work? If you are excited about the mission and see that the values of the company are palpable when you enter the building, there is a better chance that your workforce will too. Do you feel better by being a part of things? Do they feel cooler by being part of your team? Creating that sense of belonging and pride is one way to leverage the talent of the younger worker.

Labels: management, Millenial, Workforce, young

  9:55 AM •  0 Comments •

How to – HANDLE THE MEDIA A reporter calls! Suddenly you have the opportunity to raise the profile of your company, your services, your product, and your cause. Public relations can be a double-edged sword: the potential to increase a positively induced audience filled with prospective clients AND a mine field of bad impressions.

Some guidelines for dealing with the media effectively can help you further your cause and limit the opportunities for problems:

• Don’t be forced into saying something you don’t want to say. If you are uncomfortable with a question, answer the question you wish they had asked. Be clear about the point you want to get across. Always bring the focus back to the points you want to make.

• Never lie to a reporter. If you don't know an answer, simply say so. Add that you will be happy to find out and get back to them. If you can not talk about a specific aspect, again, say so, but never lie. A lie will be discovered and your chance at good visibility will turn sour.

• Put YOUR spin on YOUR story. If you know there is going to be something negative coming out, try to counter it before it gets out. When the second story appears, it has already been discredited by your story.

• A great deal of what you want to communicate gets lost. The quote people like to use is the one that is the most colorful. Make it count. Think in terms of a ‘sound bite.’ Almost everything else can become background.

• Find the hook that makes it interesting. You story is competing with lots of other stories. A half hour new program actually has only seventeen minutes of news! Your story has to be interesting enough to capture a few of those precious minutes.

• Your timing can be more important than anything else so be the one to say it first. The initial press about things is what the public remembers most. Everything else is catch-up and defense.

Nationally recognized consultant, trainer, author and professional speaker Joni Daniels has helped thousands of people become empowered about accomplishing their professional and personal goals. She is a sought after resource for Fortune 500 clients, professional organizations, higher education, and business publications. Sign up for her free quarterly newsletter at www.jonidaniels.com/newsletter.html.

Labels: media, reporters, timing

  3:25 PM •  0 Comments •