5 Keys for Effective Feedback

From performance reviews to customer service surveys, nothing is more frustrating than receiving useless feedback.  "I didn't like it;" "it sukd [sic];" "Wonderful!"  "Couldn't be better!" or "Nothing to note" are just a few examples of unhelpful feedback.

In order for feedback to be effective, it needs to be specific--what was not liked about the product?  Why did it suck?  What was wonderful?  Being specific allows the receiver to know what not to do and what to continue doing.  Statements such as "Couldn't be better;" or "it was perfect!" are not constructive--in fact, they're destructive.  Everyone can always learn something more or do something differently that will give a little extra pizazz.

There are 5 Keys to Effective Feedback.

1. Make a Sandwich.  People will remember negative comments at a general ratio of 2:1.  For every negative comment, you need to make at least two positive statements.  People also remember the first and last thing you say, so by making the first and last statements positive and encouraging, the feedback will become more valuable.
2. Be specific.  "Carl, your sales this month have been stellar!  You are 25% higher than your sales from last month at this time.  I can see that you're really grabbing the bull by the horns and tackling those telemarketing calls!  But, we do need to discuss your TPS reports..."
3. Be Encouraging.  In the example above, Carl receives positive reinforcement as well as encouragement; then receives his constructive criticism.
4. CONstruct--not DEstruct.  Construction is to build up; destruction is to tear down.  Simon Cowell is destructive.  "That is possibly the worst thing I've ever heard," is not at all helpful--and is also very subjective.  Iron Chef judges tend to be constructive in their feedback.  "This dish is amazing.  I really like how you married the garlic and the watermelon;" or "This is a unique mixture of flavors, but I think they're all trying to be noticed at once--like a palatalized cacophony."  Okay, maybe not the last one, but you get the point.
5. Be honest, yet objective.  Have a list of criteria for your feedback.  Did the person achieve the objectives?  What could they have done differently to make it even better?  It requires thought and hypotheticals.  Use them.  Use them both.  The more detailed you can be, the better--but don't go overboard.  You don't want to nit-pick.

By using these 5 key techniques in giving feedback, you will help your employees grow and mature--perhaps even blossom--into their full potentials.  For more information on helpful and constructive feedback, check out these great books!

3 Tips for Better Quality Speaking

One of my pet peeves in speaking is listening to a speaker whose voice is raspy--as in "I went to a rock concert last night and screamed my lungs out" raspy.

If you plan on speaking as a career, then you really need to preserve your commodity.  Vocal health is such an important factor in your ability to, well, speak that it will be a blog or podcast entry unto itself.

The beginnings of vocal preservation go deeper than just your throat.  They go down to your lungs--and actually, further, to your diaphragm.

When we're born, we breathe from our diaphragms.  Somewhere around the age of 2, we cease breathing correctly and begin breathing in a manner called "clavicular breathing."  The clavical is the shoulder bone.  It runs along the top of your chest--shoulder to shoulder.  Clavicular breathing is breathing from the upper part of your lungs, usually characterized by the raising and lowering of your clavical (shoulders).  Most people breathe in this manner.

Why is this bad?  A variety of reasons, including an insufficient intake of usable oxygen (meaning, you have to breathe more rapidly in order to attain the proper amount of oxygen for brain function), and unsupported speaking or singing.

When you breath shallowly, your voice becomes strained and your throat may begin to hurt after a duration of time (most likely an hour).  Your vocal chords are muscles that must exert force to create sound.  As your body works in harmony to communicate (the process is actually QUITE complex), you may find your voice getting tired or strained in some manner.  This is bad.  Very, very bad.

But!  There is hope!

As with any "muscle sculpting" program, you can sculpt the muscles of your diaphragm and vocal chords to produce quality sound every time you use them.  Follow these 3 tips below for better quality speaking:

1. Warm Up.  When you roll out of bed in the morning, before even saying hello, warm up your voice.  Hum; do tongue twisters; stretch your face.  The more relaxed your muscles, the better quality speaking you will do.
2. Diaphragmatic Breathing.  This is a learned skill.  It does not take long for it to become a natural way of breathing, but it does take work.  Lie on your back and put three heavy books on your stomach.  Push those books upward as you breath in and keep them in the up position as you hiss the air out of your lungs.  Check out the DVD from Berklee Workshop for more information.
3. Home Remedies.  When in trouble, remember your voice box is a muscle.  It has been my experience as both a speaker and a vocalist that drinking Lipton Tea with a teaspoon of white vinegar and enough honey to kill that taste, vocal silence, mineral ice on the throat with a scarf wrapped around it, and rest have dispersed my laryngitis quickly (usually overnight).  Everyone is different, however.  The tea, I know, works for most people.  Avoid cough drops that numb your throat.  If you can't feel your muscles, you can't feel the damage being done to them.  Play it safe and just stay silent.

Just by following these three tips, you can extend the life of your voice by 10 years!  Enjoy and have a happy and healthy vocal day!

3 Ideas for Impromptu Talks

No matter how prepared you are for anything and everything at work, the one thing very few--if any--managers are prepared for is the on-the-spot talk.  Sure, we can wing it when we're speaking to our employees, but when our boss comes to us and says, "The owner is flying in tonight--I want you to pick him up and host him til dinner," what do you do?

I'm sure your mouth goes dry, your eyes glaze over and your heart starts screaming at you about that last...three...cups of coffee you had.  Stuttering becomes your new speaking disorder, and your palms become more like the Pacific Ocean than Phoenix.  After all that, though, what do you do?

You have a relatively short amount of time to come up with something.  Where do you start? Generally speaking, it's a good idea to avoid hot-button topics such as politics and religion; also, it would be best to avoid trite topics such as weather and that local sports team.

You know what to avoid, but what do you say?  Three ideas for you to latch onto would be as follows:

1. Ask.  Ask open-ended questions and get to know the person in a short period of time.  If the person your with is a high-ranking executive, he wasn't born into that position--and chances are, he'd love to tell you about his rise to power.
2. Listen.  If you're going to ask questions, listen to the answers and find commonality between the two of you.  Listen to what drives him, what irritates him, read his body language as best you can.  From there, you'll know what to talk about.
3. Speak.  Once you've asked the open-ended questions and listened to the answers, you've more than likely established some rapport with Das Uberbaus.  Keep in mind, however, that he/she is not your therapist, so don't delve into the recent debilitating rash you acquired and how it caused the bitter divorce you're going through.  Not only will the person look at you with some measure of disgust, you will also destroy whatever rapport you'd built.

Now, obviously, my last example was over the top, but you would be amazed at what comes from your mouth when stress and pressure is upon you.  I have watched confident and strong businessmen crumble and revert to their five year old selves in situations such as this.  Be strong!  Be confident!  But, most importantly, Be You!

For more ideas, check out Off the Cuff: What to Say at a Moment's Notice on Amazon.com!

5 Ways to Boost Productivity

We all agree: Productivity is a good thing.  Especially with today's economy, employers would love to see their productivity increase in a most cost-effective way.  But, how do you do that without spending scads (a technical amount) of money?  I have the answer!  In this case, answers... 5 Ways to Boost Productivity!

1. Provide Escape.  Windows with a view of the outside world--a breakroom that is conducive to relaxation and/or meditation--perhaps a breakroom that facilitates a team-building environment.  Whatever your industry or business, provide a way for the employees to escape the routine they're in, but keep them in their element.  Sudoku for engineers (we all know they're not creative!); anagram puzzles for the linguists, etc.  Provide something for your employees to do that keeps them engaged, but in a different manner than their work.
2. Play Music.  In the past (even as recent as the 1980's), psychologists insisted there were only 3 modalities (ways of processing the world around you): Auditory, Visual, and TK (or Tactile-Kinesthetic).  In recent years, however, educational psychologists have broken those three down even further--into as few as 8 different modalities.  Music is one of those.  Most everyone functions and performs better with soft music playing.  If you are seeking to energize the environment, play some charged classical music (like Wagner, or Beethoven's Last Night, by Trans-Siberian Orchestra); if you're seeking to inspire, perhaps Bach would be a good choice; for higher cognitive functioning, try Mozart.  If classical isn't your cup of tea, perhaps some soundtracks would be more fitting.
3. Make guidelines, not rules.  Rules were made to be broken.  Guidelines, however, are just that: guides to where the target is.  The more "relaxed" you seem to be, the more your employees will be relaxed--and relaxed employees produce better results.
4. Incentivize.  People are motivated by one of two ways: Intrinsically or Extrinsically.  Intrinsic motivation is something within the individual--"I want to do a good job because I will be proud of my work."  Extrinsic motivation is something that causes the individual to succeed--"I want to do a good job because I will win the $50 spiff."  Money is a motivator--but only for the extrinsically motivated!  When you run contests, try to mix them up--run them against each other within a group and run them against the individual employees.  For example, "The top salesman of the quarter will receive a $100 gift card to iTunes," is a competition among a group; "If you improve your productivity by 10% over last month's, you will receive a free gift of your choice," pits the employee against himself--and is a call for improvement!
5. "Corporate Entertainment."  Some corporations go all-out and spend money on sending their employees to a ropes course or some major event--but you can use corporate entertainment without spending a huge amount!  Once a month or once a quarter, throw an employee appreciation day--make it a pot luck!  Allow an extra hour for lunch and celebrate the work the employees have done. Without employees, a business would not function well, if at all!

Try incorporating any or all of these 5 ways to boost productivity and see how much your employees can do!  For more ideas and suggestions on boosting productivity, check out some of these resources from Amazon.com!

5 Keys to Successful Management

Most managers have a Type-A personality.  For those of you uncertain what that is, they need to be in control of everything.  As both a manager and a Capricorn, I love to step up and take charge and have some modicum of control.

There are 5 Keys, however, to being a successful manager.  They are as follows:

1. Delegate, delegate, delegate.  Despite your best efforts, highest hopes, and deepest wishes, you cannot do everything yourself.  Know your limits and delegate the work to those you trust to get it done--just make sure those you trust to get it done are also those that would get it done right and get it done well.  You are still ultimately responsible.
2. Mentor.  You're not going to be where you are forever.  If you have a say as to who your replacement will be, train that person to do what you do.  Teach them the in's and out's of your job--give them tips and techniques (like this blog or podcast!)--ask for their feedback and suggestions for solutions.
3. Listen.  The old adage, "We have two ears and one mouth; use accordingly," is ever so important in management.  Listen to what your employees are telling you.  Listen to their suggestions.  Listen to their ideas.  You may find that the less you speak, the more productive your team will be.  When people feel like they are actually contributing to the whole, they will step up to help more frequently.
4. Praise.  Hand-in-hand with listening is praising your employees.  Praise them for taking initiative.  Thank them for doing a little extra here and there.  And don't do it secretly all the time.  Public recognition boosts an employees self-esteem and confidence.  "Hey, Sandy, I wanted to thank you in front of the group for going the extra mile and printing this report off in color--at the last minute.  The color really helps to demonstrate the profit-loss of the previous month."
5. Be real.  This may seem to go without saying, but there are countless managers (and I'm not just talking supervisors--I use the term "manager" for every level of management) who treat their employees as if the employee were somehow a lesser person.  Be real.  Your receptionist is just as important as you are.  If you don't believe me, go without yours for a day and answer your own phone.  Your janitor is just as important as your receptionist.  If you don't believe me, let him skip a night of cleaning.  People are fallible.  There will be mistakes made--but, they will not cause the Archangels to blow their trumpets, triggering the Apocalypse.  Everything will be just fine.  If you must reprimand, do so in a constructive fashion rather than a destructive fashion.  Hmmm....sounds like a topic for a future post--or a podcast!

No where in any of this did I say "motivate your employees."  That is because, it is my belief that your employees will be plenty motivated if you follow these five key steps, first.  Simply by praising and listening to your employees, you'll see your productivity rise.

Check out Amazon.com for some helpful books, CD's, and DVD's about being a successful manager.

The Importance of Research

"What.  Is your name?"
"Arthur, King of the Britons."
"What.  Is your quest?"
"I seek the Grail."
"What.  Is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?"
"Is that African or European?"
"What?  I...I don't know tha---!?!"

If you've seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail, you remember this exchange.  Graham Chapman (as Arthur) defeats the bridge keeper by stumping him with his own question.  How embarrassing!  With a little extra time and research, this situation could have been avoided, entirely.  If the Bridge Keeper had just used Google, he would have found out the answer for both species.

But, what do swallows have to do with you?  Simple, my friend.  As Arthur states to Bedivere (who is impressed by his knowledge of swallows), "One must know such things when one is King."  And one must know such things when one is speaking.  Especially if one is a manager conducting a meeting.  In fact, one should have--or, at least appear to have--all the answers hidden neatly within one's pocket.  To give such an appearance, one must be a researcher.

And I don't mean Wikipedia.

Use more reliable sources, such as trade magazines, journals, industry-specific websites.  In fact, it may behoove the manager to invest in a library card (I hear they're free in most places) and become intimately familiar with their reference area.  It is always better to know "too much" information about your topic than not enough.  That way, if someone asks you the question, "When did they lay down the law?" you can answer with authority.

5 Ways to Energize Your Next Staff Meeting

Remember back when we were kids and had no responsibilities?  We formed up clubs--babysitter clubs, pirate clubs, swimming clubs, search-the-beach-for-lost-change clubs--and those clubs had officers (usually the one who dictated the forming of the club) and meetings. Those meetings were fun!  They were energizing!  They were exciting and we couldn't wait to go!

Then we went to college.  A lot of us joined fraternities or sororities, many others had sports clubs or drama clubs, glee clubs, whatever.  We still joined up for something fun and in those cases, too, the clubs had officers and meetings.  We still loved going--if for no other reason than getting us out of doing homework for a few hours.

But, then something dreadful happened.  We graduated and entered "Corporate America."  Meetings ceased being fun.  We stopped looking forward to them.  In fact, we started finding work to do to keep from going!  What a 180!  Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could go back to the days long gone and enjoy meetings again?


You can!


Here are 5 Ways to Energize Your Next Staff Meeting:

1. Icebreakers.  Icebreakers don't have to be anything big and grandiose--something simple is completely fine!  A couple ideas, depending on group size, would be to give the group 2 minutes to fill in as many different names as possible on a list "People who have..." (people who have been to the top of the Eiffel Tower, people who have been in all 50 states, etc); or give them 2 minutes to work on some puzzles (like the traditional incaughtthe [caught in the middle], or oholene [hole in one].  Gradbook.org has a good one, and Amazon.com has The Big Book of Icebreakers: Quick, Fun Activities for Energizing Meetings and Workshops.
2. Agendas.  They're a pain in the butt to do, yes, but they are very worth your while.  They let everyone know what's going on and in what order--they can see the activities and remember them.  Add some clip art--just remember, less is more.
3. Movement.  If you're planning a meeting that is going to be longer than 20 minutes, make sure to have some scheduled time for movement.  Let people stand and stretch--in fact, work it into your presentation.  "Let's see...we're in a growth industry, so lets all stand and take a deep breath!  Hmm...no, no, maybe it was sit down with a sigh.  No, I was wrong, definitely stand and reach for the stars!"  
4. Music.  With the advent of the iPod and smart phones that play music, just having a docking station is all you need.  Plug in your mp3 player of choice and beam some energizing music into the room.  Use soundtracks or, for commercial events, use loops from any of these sites.
5. Participation.  Get people involved.  Ask open ended questions.  What's an open ended question, I hear you cry.  An open ended question is one that requires more than just a yes or no answer.  "Will you go to the store?" is a closed question.  There's no room for creativity.  "How will you get to the store?" is better.  It gives the person a chance to elaborate and explain.  

Apply one or more of these techniques to your next meeting and relive your childhood of enjoying your "get togethers."  Check out Amazon.com for more energizing meetings information!

Winning Your Audience

If you think back through history to some of the greatest speeches ever delivered--speeches by Patrick Henry, William Jennings Bryan, Abraham Lincoln--they all had something significant in common.

No, not politics!  Though, that was a common thread among the three listed.  What I'm talking about is audience analysis.  They knew to whom they were speaking and they knew with relative surety how that group would react to them.  Because of this seeming "insider knowledge," they were able to craft their words in such a way to develop three separate aspects: logos, ethos, and pathos.  We'll discuss those in a future entry (or entries!).  For now, let's focus on winning your audience.

In order to win your audience, you need to know to whom you're speaking.  Is your group a group of managers during a management meeting?  Is it your general staff?  Are they political figures you're trying to sway to your favor--or, are you trying to sway the populous to your way as a budding politician?  In any situation, before you even sit down to craft your three to five main points, introduction, conclusion and transitions, you must sit down and analyze your audience.

By way of example, I will use this blog.  My target audience is those folks who are in a cold sweat the day before (or day of) a major presentation at work.  So, business professionals who may not want to admit their scared or nervous (it's okay, I won't tell anyone).  But, also reading this blog are students who are looking for supplements to their speech classes for college, or ideas for how to create their oral book reports; speech-interested folks who have a basic knowledge and are looking for more; curious folks who happened by at random; and, of course, my loyal and supportive friends.  As you can see, there is a wide range to my audience.  But, knowing who is reading helps me to determine the language and tone I use.  I need to be professional and on-target for the business-minded folks, but laid back and relaxed for the casual readers.

If you are presenting a highly-technical presentation to a mixed group of engineers and public relations people, you need to keep the interest of both--you need to win your audience.  Perhaps open with humor; xkcd.com has a plethora of statistical humor that even those not entrenched in technical data for a living can appreciate.  Conversely, open with pure statistical data and lead into a comfortable conversation.  Whatever is natural for you--just make sure you're reaching 90% of your audience.

That's right.  Ninety percent.  There will always be those that, no matter how hard you try, cannot be won over.  Perhaps there is something about you that is distracting to them--that is fine and natural.  As the adage goes, "you can please some of the people some of the time, and most of the people most of the time; but you can't please all the people all of the time," so stop trying!

I added the last bit.  But, it is a good reminder to us.  Know your audience and get them engaged and involved.  Most people like stories, humor, quotes, and trivia.  Use these throughout your speech and employ the 3 Tips for Overcoming Stage Fright, and you will find that your audience warms to you rather quickly.

Top 3 Tips for Overcoming Stage Fright

Everyone's been there--the uncomfortable position of standing in front of a large group of people and being forced to talk to them about a subject.  The topic once known intimately, seems to slip sleezily from the brain and the speaker is left stammering and looking quite like a deer in the headlights.  "I am NEVER DOING THAT AGAIN!" I've heard time and time again...and three weeks later, the person's back in that same, vulnerable position.


In today's job market, public speaking and presentation skills are highly desirable.  Stage fright is as common as breathing and, though paralyzing as it is, there are ways to "get over it."  Here are my Top Three:

1. Practice!  Practice!  Practice!  You may not like it, but getting up in front of people, repeatedly, is the best way to overcome stage fright.  The more you do it, the less intimidating it is.  There are many organizations out there that are inviting and welcoming to the beginning speaker.  Or, you could take a course at a local community college or adult school.  Simply practicing to yourself in a mirror or to your pets will not help you.  Practicing with your friends can be equally bad as your friends may think themselves funny and try to heckle you.
2. Center and focus.  Whether you believe in "spiritualism" or not, it believes in you.  The universe is not simply a static entity that does not function or interact with each of us.  It is a living, breathing thing.  So is the energy within your own body.  We refer to how much energy we have--and are constantly seeking ways to boost it!  When you're preparing to speak, your energy needs to be focused and centered--that is when you are most at peace.  Simple meditation five minutes before you begin will help to achieve this state--take more time, if you need.  Close your eyes, shut out the world, take a few deep breaths and envision yourself having fun.
3. Cast Ridikkulus!  In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban, Harry's new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher instructs the students to think of the thing that is their greatest fear, then, staring that fear in the face, cast the spell Ridikkulus! which would turn their fear into something funny.  Without running onto the stage in your wizard's hat and robe, do the same thing to your audience.  Don't see them as judgmental harbingers of death--see them as invisible bicycle riders or maybe even piratical ninjas!  Whatever will make you more at ease.

There are other great ways of deferring your fright to "fight" while on stage.  A small amount of nervousness is good--not only does it mean you're human, but it means you're alive.  You need to transfer that nervous energy into your speech--but that's another topic for another time!  In the meantime, check out some of these titles from Amazon.com: Search Amazon.com for overcoming stage fright