WorkPuzzle

Dueling Time Management Theories: The Right System or The Right State of Mind? Part 2

Last week, I briefly introduced you to two of the prominent time management theories that have become quite popular in recent years.  While both are valuable systems, they approach the topic from very different angles.

In today’s WorkPuzzle, I’ll summarize some of the highlights of both systems.  As you read through these principles and ideas, think about the flow of your activities over the last week.  How would things have been different if you had approached tasks in a different way? 

Getting Things Done System / David Allen

1.  The right system equips an individual to capture information and act upon it. 

“People don’t capture stuff that has their attention.  They don’t acknowledge it or objectify it.  And it keeps rolling around in the organizational psyche as well as the personal psyche, draining energy and creating incredible psychic residue.”

2.  The right system involves making lists and completing tasks.

“Your head is for having ideas, not holding them.  Just dumping everything out of your head and externalizing it is a huge step, and it can have a significant effect…  The problem is that everybody is multitasking and getting distracted by the latest and the loudest.  They fail because they haven’t captured, clarified, organized, or built in a regular review system they trust.”

3.  The right system involves breaking down big tasks into small “next actions.”

“What most people put on their to-do lists are vague things [that really represent a lot of work].  Instead, a to-do list should specify a smaller next action.  There’s actually a part of us that loves to produce, that loves to be complete.  Now I’ve created motivation:  I see a desired result, I have confidence I can get there, and I see the path.” 

The Energy Project / Tony Schwartz

1.   Having the right state of mind involves realizing your limitations as a human.

“It is humbling to discover that we’re creatures of habit, and what we did yesterday is what we’re going to do today.  We think that the way to make a change is to push harder, but our willpower and self-discipline are wildly overrated.  [Change can only happen if you] co-opt the process by which negative habits arise without your intention, and substitute what we call 'positive rituals' or deliberate practices."

2.  Having the right state of mind means reserving your most productive time of the day for the most important work.

“Another ritual I have is to always do the most important task of the day first thing in the morning, when I’m least distracted.  Ninety percent of people check their email as soon as they get to work.  That turns their agenda over to someone else.”

3.  Having the right state of mind means recognizing that there is a natural pull the brain has towards ineffectiveness.  This force must be met with deliberate practices that push you towards effectiveness.

“There’s a problem with making a decision based on how you’re feeling at any given moment.  Generally speaking, that doesn’t work.  Psychologically, we have two different selves.  One is very primitive and reactive.  The other is more evolved and reflective.  People need to recognize when the primitive, reactive self is taking over and influencing them to avoid things that are uncomfortable.”

As you can probably tell, one system is not better than the other.  In fact, being mindful of both approaches would probably do the most to improve your effectiveness.  Hopefully, you’ll become a student of how you do your best work.  This means both following a well-developed system and having your mind right as work through your tasks.

Quotations cited:   Allen, David.  Schwartz, Tony.  Harvard Business Review, May 2011.  Interview.  83 - 87.  Print.  29 Apr 2011.  <http://www.hbr.org>. 

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Ben Hess.  Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Draining the Meaning From Work: Are You Part of the Problem?

Last Friday, I re-published an excellent article written by Ron Ashkenas about how many of us don't look forward to returning from our weekends.  It is not that weekends should not be enjoyable--it is just that work should be enjoyable too.

One of the causes of this sense of work malaise, as Ron pointed out, is feeling  a lack of purpose at work.  It is well-documented that unless a person feels a legitimate sense of purpose in what they're doing, it will be difficult to sustain excitement and energy towards that activity.

Certainly it's appropriate to take inventory of your own work activities and make sure that you're working with a sense of purpose in your daily tasks.  But here is another important question:  

How would those you manage say they feel about their sense of purpose in your work environment?

Interestingly, Harvard Business Review (HBR) recently conducted some research on this topic and uncovered several surprising insights.  The researchers in the study were trying to figure out how work gets stripped of its meaning (I'm not kidding, people actually do study this stuff).  

The data in the study was collected by analyzing the work diary entries of 238 "knowledge workers" who agreed to be part of the project.  After compiling the data, researchers looked for patterns that related to the topic of meaning at work.  There were four common themes that emerged.  HBR called these themes the "4 Primary Ways in Which Managers Unwittingly Drain Work of Its Meaning."  Here's a quick summary:

1.  Managers dismiss the importance of employees' work or ideas.  This was the most common theme that was documented.  Managers ask someone to work on something, and then pay little attention to the results that are being produced.  The researchers cited one example where an employee went three solid weeks without any positive feedback from his manager on a project that he was told was critical to the company's success.  It is hard to feel like you're working on something meaningful when this type of disconnect happens.

2.  Managers destroy employees' sense of ownership in the work.  When a manager asks someone to work on an important task and then takes it away at a critical juncture, it's demoralizing.  The HBR research did not cite specific real estate industry examples, but I can imagine many cases where new agents are "micro-managed" at just the wrong time.  It is better to allow some mistakes to happen and then train around those mistakes.  This will put a new agent on the path to long-term ownership of their transactions and provide more meaning in their day-to-day tasks.

3.  Managers may send the message that the work employees are doing will never see the light of day.  How could this happen?  In many organizations, there is constant pressure to find innovations that will produce new business and help the company compete more effectively.  But, these innovations may be short-lived if they do not produce quick results.  As priorities change (a necessity in any business), managers need to be sensitive to the time, effort, and life-energy that individuals may have put into these projects.  Find ways to reuse the work accomplished on the shelved projects and be open and forthright with communication about the bigger purpose that may have emerged.

4. Managers neglect to inform employees about unexpected changes in priorities.  As noted above, communication goes a long way to helping people deal with disappointment.  While changes can sometimes not be avoided, it helps to explain the bigger picture.  Keep in mind that BSing someone on your team never works.  People want to be part of an organization that has a consistent and meaningful purpose.  If legitimate changes are necessary to respond to such things as market conditions, new technologies, and competitive pressures, the people you manage will understand.  But, if changes are being made because of bad strategy or management mistakes, things suddenly feel pretty meaningless.

Bottom line:  If you have the responsibility of managing, you also have a responsibility to ensure that those in your group are working with a sense of purpose.  By doing so, you'll not only have a more productive and engaged team, you'll be answering a higher calling of your own.

 Source:  Harvard Business Review, The Power of Small Wins, May 2011, p. 77

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Ben Hess.  Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Three Steps To Becoming A Better Manager

In the previous edition, I shared a true story that many of you found quite alarming.  In closing, I promised to next provide a no-nonsense path to becoming a better manager.  After all, becoming a true leader takes work - It doesn't happen accidentally.  It occurs mindfully and intentionally for most...and although it may appear to come naturally and accidentally for a few, it really doesn't.  Everyone has to work at it.  Research shows that it takes 10,000 hours of doing a task well to become an expert at it.  Management is no different.

To catch up, please take a moment to read the last posting if you haven't already.  In summary the question was posed:  If you were suddenly thrown into a position of having to count on a TRUE following - not an appointed following- would there be anyone following you?

If you're not quite sure, there is good news... By following a simple set of steps, you can begin to slowly build the behavior of a good leader. Here are a few of the essentials:

1. Find a mentor.  If you want to become a leader, it's imperative that you learn from a leader.  Don't put this off.  Assign yourself the task of finding someone now.  And don't just find someone who's getting the job done - Find someone who's hitting it out of the park.  Every time you are with this person, have a list of good questions, and ask them.  What are their habits?  What are their top priorities?  What they may see as second nature, you might find revolutionary.  Make their habits yours.
2. Listen to people and meet their needs.  Great leaders know what their people want and help them fulfill their goals.  They know what motivates each individual, what scares each individual, and ultimately what each person dreams of.  If you're simply fulfilling your role in order to exploit the talents and performance of the people you are leading, they'll smell it a mile a way.  Agents, whether you're recruiting them or motivating them to perform, are not objects to exploit, they are people to help.  And when they feel helped by you and inspired by you, they'll return the favor.  Make this a central focus every day.  Scott Nelson, owner of Comey and Shepherd in Cincinnati, sets a great standard:  "Our managers are required to 're-recruit' their own agents, at least one per week, and take them off-site to lunch or coffee.  I do the same thing, and usually have two or three such lunches per week.  I engage 125-150 agents per year, and it makes a big difference.  I also go to a branch sales meeting each week and keep in touch personally with email."
3. Coaching is Key.  What is the bottom line?  It's this:  If your agents don't perform well, you don't perform well.  Just like when a college basketball coach doesn't coach well, the team doesn't perform well.  There is a reason that most successful sports coaches develop slowly from coaching at the high school level--to college assistant--to head coach... They must gradually learn the skills of training and motivating a team to greatness.  Even the most talented young athletes who are recruited from across the country require consistent practice, direction, and motivation.  Learn how to build performance, and you'll always have a job.

Don't get in a habit of blaming poor performance on other variables--like for instance, "They're lazy or stupid."  Great coaches never do this.  Always view it as your responsibility to coach more effectively. 

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Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. Comments or questions are welcome. If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email. If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Why sitting at your desk will kill your business

I know we all have work to do.  And much of that work is at our desk and on our computer.  And yes, we shouldn't fall behind in the work that must be done at that location.  But, I would argue that most of us spend far too much time with busy work, and far too little time in the activity of strengthening relationships.  In fact, I would dare to say that many of you may be using "desk time" to avoid the work of building relationships, which is the vital nourishment to the ultimate success in the service industry.

Ben and I recently attended two conferences.  The primary reason for attending these conferences was to set up meetings with several interested, prospective clients in order to, hopefully, get them signed on as clients.  Secondly, we used this time to touch base with current clients and further build those relationships.  Unfortunately, we had several cancellations of set appointments, and were left twiddling our thumbs much of the time in the business suite we had rented.

I could have easily used this extra time to get ahead in my writing, catch up with email or numerous personal computer related chores. Fortunately, the very principle of this blog edition came screaming in my conscious mind:  "Nothing can happen if I'm in my room!"

As I ventured out with no particular plan in mind, day after day, I stumbled onto several very old and very new clients, in addition to non-client acquaintances.  Without going into too much detail regarding who I met and spoke to, I CAN tell you that many of these interactions were absolutely priceless.

Being around people, having conversations, asking about families, getting to know their challenges, and then actually helping them, and them helping you, is how most businesses are built.

• Howard Shultz, founder and CEO of Starbucks visits...drum roll please...25 Starbucks locations per week.
• Herb Kelleher, well known natural schmoozer and CEO of Southwest Airlines for 37 years was known to say, "You have to treat your employees like customers."  And by the way, the day of his retirement celebration, Southwest pilots took out a full page ad in USA Today thanking Herb.  That same day, American Airlines pilots were picketing their employer...

If you are a manager of people, or an agent trying to build a business, you cannot miss the importance of this principle.  The priority of rubbing elbows with the people that you coach, manage, hope to do business with, those you've already done business with, and hope to recruit... is irreplaceable.

How important?  I'll use an example in the next blog that might surprise you.

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn.  Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Seven Reasons Candidates Should Be Meeting With Your CEO

I have spoken recently with two of our clients who have implemented the hiring practice of having candidates meet with the CEO or President of the company.  As a result, in both cases, the companies are experiencing recruiting results significantly above other companies who use our service.

  While this is not the only factor leading to the success of these clients, they may have discovered a best practice that could benefit many more companies who want to improve their hiring results. 

I thought we had just serendipitously found this technique, but it turns out that many high performing companies use a meeting with the CEO to improve their recruiting effectiveness--especially with candidates who have a lot of potential.  Recruiting guru, Dr. John Sullivan, recently documented some of the reasons these meetings are so effective:

"If you’ve ever eaten at a high-end restaurant you know that it isn’t uncommon for the executive chef to visit the tables of VIP customers in hopes that he can influence them to refer their friends and return.  Using the CEO in recruiting efforts is very similar.  The act has been encouraged for years, but doesn’t happen nearly as much as it should.  Some of the reasons why this approach is so powerful include:

• CEOs are great salespeople (usually) — It’s hard to ascend to the role of CEO without being able to sell a vision and market your organization’s ability to attain that vision.  When effectively briefed about a candidate’s 'job acceptance criteria' most CEOs can close the deal.  In the rare cases where the candidate doesn’t accept, they often come back a month later.
• The feeling of a partnership and an impact — When I advise firms on this practice, I recommend that the CEO use a phrase similar to 'I need your help. I know that with you and I working closely together, we can build an exciting future for this company.'  The goal is to build the feeling of a partnership and a close working relationship that will directly impact the future of the company for many years.
• Straight from the horse’s mouth — Talking directly to the CEO means that the candidate will receive direct unfiltered messages.  That alone can be reassuring when they might not trust the word of a recruiter oblivious to the inside story.
• High probability of execution — The candidate knows that any promises that are made have a high probability of coming true because they are backed by the power, resources, and integrity of the CEO.
• Future access — The fact that the CEO will meet with a candidate now should leave the impression that they will have continuous access as an employee.
• Power by association — Because everyone at the firm knows that the candidate met with the CEO, they’re likely, at least initially, to listen to them.
• Bragging rights — Talking directly to the CEO is something notable that the candidate can tell their friends, even if they never accept a job.  It’s an honor merely to be invited."

In real estate recruiting, I believe that this technique can have an even stronger impact on younger candidates.  It is a big risk for many individuals to start a real estate career--this is especially true if you're young (not much experience yet), need a primary income (not the spouse who supplements the family's income while the kids are in school), and have talent (have options to work in other career fields).  If someone like this is on the fence, it is a great time to bring in the big guns.

What if your CEO is reluctant to play this role?  Dr. Sullivan offers some advice on this as well:

"Some CEOs are smart and automatically assume the role as 'the chief recruiter' for the firm.  In other cases it takes some convincing and building the business case.  Some approaches to consider include:

• Others do it — Demonstrate to her/him that other CEOs who they admire are successfully using this technique.
• Consider a pilot — Offer to run a small-scale pilot program for a month in order to judge the results and the ROI.
• Show the impact on recruiting — Show them the percentage increase in the number of difficult candidates who are hired as a result of the CEO being involved.  Also, during onboarding, ask new hires with CEO involvement to rank the factors that influenced their decision to say yes.  Report the importance of their involvement back to the CEO.
• Show the impact on performance — Periodically report the superior business results and innovations produced by individuals who were recruited using this approach.
• Place limits — Show them that you respect their time by setting a limit on the number [of meetings] they are requested to do each month.  Also limit it to high-impact jobs and hard-to-recruit candidates for those jobs."

Question:  Does your company's President or CEO meet with candidates?  If so, what has been the result of these interviews?

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Ben Hess.  Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Social Networking and Recruiting: 7 Guidelines for What to Share on Facebook

Yesterday, I pointed out that sharing too much in your social networks (quantity) is annoying to those who interact with you online.  It is a good way to get relegated to the spam box or simply turned off.  It is better to thoughtfully select the things you share (quality), and post less often.

The risk of taking this approach is that you may come across as shallow or having an agenda that is self-serving.  Having a clear focus can produce its own set of casualties. This is the classic problem with politics, advertising, marketing, branding, social media and recruiting.  Is there a middle ground that is just right?  I think so, and that place is called authenticity.

To help us understand authenticity, I'd like to share part of an article written by Heather Bussing.  Heather is an employment and business attorney who recently wrote Does Authenticity Make My Butt Look Big? In the article, she lays out some very helpful guidelines regarding what is appropriate to share professionally in social networks:

"I’ve been listening to sessions on employment branding at the Tru London conference.  The overall consensus is that companies should be more 'authentic'  But what does that really mean?  And how do you do it?  Asking yourself if you are being authentic enough is like asking if your what you're wearing makes your butt look big.  The questions are equally narcissistic and no one is going to tell you the truth.  (By the way, transparency always makes your butt look big.) 

 
To work on being more 'authentic' is to preclude the very possibility of authenticity.  Authenticity is not a destination.  It’s part of the sweat you work up taking a good hard run at life.  There is no way to 'be' authentic.  Authenticity is inherent in just being.  This is because being authentic is just being yourself.  If you are comfortable in your own skin, you will be authentic without trying.

For some, being authentic means revealing personal information.  For others, it means demonstrating their quirks and foibles to seem more human.  Still others want to be clearer in their communications and say exactly what they mean.  These things don’t always work, nor do they demonstrate authenticity.  The whole point of authenticity is credibility.  When we say someone is authentic it means that they are not fake, they are true and you can believe them.  As Jean Giraudeaux once said:

'The secret of success is sincerity.  Once you can fake that you’ve got it made.'

But,the reverse is also true:

'A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal'            - Oscar Wilde.
 
So the key is to be yourself but stay focused on your purpose, audience and topic.  Here are some practical tips I’ve learned as a trial lawyer on where to draw the line with your genuine, sincere, authenticity:

1. Avoid TMI:  Too Much Information is not the same as being authentic.  People don’t want to know about your medical conditions, particularly anything involving a rash or oozing.  They also don’t want to know about the toilet training of your children, how you cured smelly feet or other such personal information.
2. Avoid Public Heartfelt Disclosures:  It absolutely works in private and is essential to close relationships.  Most people are really uncomfortable with that level of disclosure with people they don’t know.  So avoid public discussion in business or professional settings of the epiphanies you had in therapy, church, a personal discussion with your spouse, or any combination thereof.
3. Self deprecation only works if it’s funny.  Irony doesn’t come through in writing unless you are a really talented writer with room for context.  Even adding an emoticon just doesn’t cut it.  If you say, 'I’m such an idiot,'  people will just think you’re an idiot.  On the other hand, you can push the line a lot farther if it’s funny.
4. Be your 'professional' self.  Put things out there you would share with a new boss or colleague.  If it’s someone who would get less than 70% on your Facebook How well do you know me quiz, it’s probably TMI.
5. Do not post anything online out of anger, fear, after more than one drink, or after 10 pm, whichever comes first.
6. Righteous indignation, no matter how passionate and heartfelt, always comes off closer to raving lunatic.
7. If you are uncomfortable, you’ll never pull it off.  Don’t even try to overcome it.  So just be uncomfortable and move on.  It will pass as soon as you let it.

The real key to communicating authentically is understanding what you are saying really well, then saying it as clearly and simply as possible.  This takes a lot more work and a lot more time than knocking off a few lines at the keyboard or flying by the seat of your pants.  It often requires editing, polishing, feedback and rethinking—all things that are often absent in online publishing."  

Bottom line:  Authenticity is both knowing what you are talking about and saying it really well.  The power of social networks--as a viable recruiting and business tool--will not be realized until we learn this lesson.

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Ben Hess.  Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Social Networking and Recruiting: Stop the Social Vomiting

Dave and I had the opportunity to attend two national real estate conferences last week in San Diego and Las Vegas.  While we attempt to stay connected with our clients year-round, there is nothing that replaces making the personal, face-to-face connections that happen at these types of venues.

I'm always amazed at how much we learn by talking with those who run businesses on a day-to-day basis.  The school of real life is a relentless taskmaster, but a faithful teacher of truth.  Gleaning these truths from our interactions and passing them on to those who read WorkPuzzle is one of the things I enjoy most about my job.

One area that remains to be of keen interest among many owners and first level managers is the topic of social networking as it applies to recruiting.  It would seem that this arena has so much potential, but the benefits have been very difficult to capture, measure, and scale.  We're really in the infancy of how social networking can be used to benefit the recruiting process.

Of course, the only way to learn is to experiment.  And many of these "experiments" have produced disasterous results.  In fact, there is a trend emerging where candidates are pushing back on clumsy attempts to use social networking for recruiting.  I've read several articles in the last week or so on what NOT to do when trying to promote your employment brand and recruit in the social networking arena. 

One of the best articles was written by Kathy Rapp, the Managing Director of hrQ.  Kathy recently took three months of maternity leave and was able to use that time to be a third party observer of the social networking state of affairs.  Here is what she noticed:

"I can't tell you how many people I've now hidden or turned-off because of the immense amount of social vomiting they do on a daily basis.  You know what I'm talking about.  There were those who continuously self-promote; those who posted every semi-humorous you-tube video of commercials, bands or cats; or those who simply retweeted everything they could without a single comment as to why I should take time to click on the link.

On the flip side were people who were extremely thoughtful in their posts, blogs or commentary.  Those who produced informative reads or insights that made me want to learn more.  I really, really came to appreciate the QUALITY of the communication.

When you are trying to establish your personal brand, company presence, networking reach, or just responding to a post, remember quality over quantity.  While I may know your name because of the number of tweets you are tied to, if I associate your name with 'annoying' I doubt it is the message you want to deliver.

An example of a company that gets the quality concept: HomeAway.  Two years ago they jumped off a big cliff and produced a Super Bowl ad with the much talked about return of Clark and the Griswold family.  This year, it was the introduction of the Ministry of Detourism.

They've tiptoed into other social media realms, and as such whenever I see the clever blue birdhouse, I tend to read what has been posted.  Excellent example of company branding that emphasizes quality communication over quantity, which also happens to be one of the concepts they are selling to their customers."

Take an inventory of what you're sharing on your social networks.  Are you guilty of a little "social vomiting" of your own?  I hope not, but it sometimes is difficult to tell what's inappropriate to share.  It's a little like trying to figure out if you have bad breath--you may not be able to tell, and others are uncomfortable letting you know.  Next time, I'll cover some guidelines on what is appropriate to share and how you can turn your social network into a professional asset. 

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Ben Hess.  Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

The Case Against Passion

There are two frequently used words that tend to make my blood boil:  (1) issues, as in, "She is dealing with some issues;" and (2) passion, as in, "Pursue your passion."  Now, it's not that I never say these words, but, because they are overused, they have almost lost their meaning.  This is especially true when it comes to the way the concept of "passion" is used to find one's calling in life.

A great deal of the obsession around the concept of passion has to do with America's obsession with being happy.  If you haven't figured it out by reading my articles by now, I'll tell you that the science is fairly clear:  The happiest people are not the ones who are actively pursuing happiness.  They receive it as a bi-product of doing the right things every day to build a life of meaning and purpose, contributing towards something much greater than themselves.

Why is this topic important to a recruiter?  Read the following words from Daniel Pink's recent article "Think Tank: Ever Felt Like Your Job Isn't What You Were Born To Do?  You're Not Alone, And You'll See Why."

"When we find ourselves in the midst of a career change or feel a dull sense that what we're doing now isn't what we should be doing forever, our friends and families – along with every mentor, advisor, and consultant – will smile knowingly, lean in tenderly, and pose this question:  Tell me, what's your passion?  The idea is that if we simply acknowledge what fires our soul, if we just pull out our metaphysical arthroscope and examine our hearts, the path will reveal itself.  With a voice that quavers in expectation and an inflection that italicises the final word – they ask us again, 'What's your passion?'

Ladies and gentlemen, I detest that question.

When someone poses it to me, my innards tighten.  My vocabulary becomes a palette of aahs and ums.  My chest wells with the urge to flee.

Oh my.  The answer better be amazing – not some fumbling, feeble reply.  But I know the responses I've formed in my head aren't especially good.  Worse, they're probably not even accurate.  And I'm not alone.

So, as the economy comes back, and people begin pondering new opportunities, maybe we can take a break from this daunting and distracting question and ask a far more productive, one:  What do you do?

I learned the wisdom of this alternative from Gretchen Rubin, who lives and works in New York City.  After graduating from law school in the early 1990s, Rubin served as a law clerk for the US Supreme Court.  This job is perhaps the sweetest plum in the American legal orchard.  It practically guarantees a career of high-level positions in law firms and government.

But during her stint, Rubin's eyes wandered away from the law.

'When I had free time, I never wanted to talk about cases or read law journals, the way my fellow clerks did.  Instead, I spent hours reading, taking notes and writing my observations about the worldly passions – power, money, fame and sex,' Rubin says.

'Finally, I realized -- Hey, I'm writing a book.  And it dawned on me that some people write books for a living.  This project didn't have to be my hobby; it could be my job.'

She wrote her first book – Power Money Fame Sex:  A User's Guide – and soon she realized that she wasn't a lawyer.  She was a writer.  Now she has four books to her name, including her latest, The Happiness Project.

Rubin might have felt an occasional bolt of passion while writing.  But that didn't offer much guidance.  Instead, she took a step back and watched what she did.

Emma Jones is the founder of Enterprise Nation, a London company that supports small businesses.  She has discovered that people who notice what they do when nobody is watching them, or even paying them, often end up as entrepreneurs.

As it happens, I can testify to the power of de-emphasizing passion and re-emphasizing doing.  Beginning about two decades ago, I worked in some very demanding, intensely stressful jobs in American politics and government. But throughout – on the side, usually for no money – I wrote magazine articles about business and work, and formulated ideas for books.  At one level, it was foolish.  I lost sleep, sacrificed leisure, and probably distracted myself from my paid employment.

But after many years, it finally hit me:  This – not politics – is what I did.  And now, as a result, that's what I do.

Am I passionate about it?  Sure, I guess.  Maybe.  Some days.  But passion isn't something I much ponder.  I'm too busy doing what I do."

Having pondered the above, do you have any ideas how your interviews might change in the future?  Certainly don't throw candidates out of your office for using the word "passion."  But, do drill down more thoroughly on how the candidates spend their free time.  They may not even think to tell you much of the really interesting stuff...stuff like: "I basically like talking to my friends 24/7 and have about 1,000 phone numbers of people I stay in contact with..." or ... "I spend a great deal of time on the computer, following stories, stats, information..."

In either case, you can use that information to better coach those candidates on how to turn what they do into a more personally derived business plan that resonates with what they already do, naturally.

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn.  Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Curiosity: Three Ways to Refresh Your Outlook as a Leader

While reviewing a recent blog entry by Daniel Pink, I stumbled across the work of Dr. Todd Kashdan, a professor at George Mason University.  Dr. Kashdan is the Director of the Laboratory for the Study of Social Anxiety, Character Strengths, and Related Phenomena.

I know that’s kind of a mouthful (how would you like to introduce yourself at a party with this as your job title?), so here is some more detail on what his group actually does:

"The Laboratory for the Study of Social Anxiety, Character Strengths, and Related Phenomena is committed to conducting basic research to better understand the nature of social anxiety and positive psychological processes (e.g., curiosity, gratitude, mindfulness, savoring, purposeful living) and applying this knowledge to better people's lives….  We are focused on discovering, applying, and sharing psychological knowledge to better understand components of human functioning, improve the treatment of psychological problems, enhance well-being and character strengths, and promote this work at the individual and societal level."

Isn’t this a great purpose statement for Dr. Kashdan’s work?  He seems to be working (from a research perspective) on the issues that many of us would consider critical for developing thriving relationships and experiencing a consistent sense of well-being.

I look forward to exploring more of his published work, but I thought I’d give you a little taste of what I’ve already discovered.  One of the topics he tends to focus on is the “positive psychological process” of curiosity. Here is a summary of Daniel Pink's recent interview with Dr. Kashdan regarding the topic of curiosity:

1. Thrive on uncertainty.  We rarely look forward to the tension that accompanies uncertainty, but research shows that these feelings lead to the most intense and longest-lasting positive experiences.  New and uncertain activities make people happier and create more meaning than familiar routines.  Re-train your brain to benefit from the pleasures of surprise and uncertainty.  And do the same for people around you.  For instance, every week, give a free lunch away to someone who best embodies a strength valued by the business (Compassion?  Leadership?  Gratitude?  Humor?).  Let the person who wins pick a lunchmate whom they don’t know as well as they should.  Use the pleasures of uncertainty to build satisfaction and commitment inside your organization.

2. Find the unfamiliar in the familiar.  As soon as we think we’re experts, we stop paying attention and start falling back on scripts, labels, and categories.  That’s especially true in the workplace.  Yet scientists have discovered the value of attending to what we don’t know about people and how they differ from us — instead of relying on what we already know and how they are similar to us.  Encourage your team to make this mindset switch.  You’ll develop stronger bonds, squelch prejudice, and help your star players avoid being blinded by their expertise.  For instance, when you go out to lunch with colleagues, ask them about something that interests you but that you never talk about. What are their top 5 places to travel to in the world, and why?  What movies do they like but are often embarrassed to share?  And don’t always spend your time with people you know.  Seek out strangers at work who intrigue you, who are different from you, and who expand your horizons.

3. Be a safe haven for the risks and joys of others.  To take risks and experiment with new ways of thinking and acting, we need to feel secure. If you want workers to be creative, be responsive when they share past explorations or future plans.  If they feel uncomfortable, let them know that anxiety is natural when trying new things.  Share a story about the last time you felt anxiety and self-doubt.  You might be surprised how comfortable it will make them to take on tough challenges.  And respond genuinely when they share what is intriguing and going right in their lives. Don’t just ask, “How was your weekend?”  Ask them what their peak moments were on Saturday and Sunday.  And when they share, follow-up with questions, ask for details.  You might become genuinely interested in their interests and create a safe haven for the sorts of breakthrough thinking that changes companies — and sometimes the world.

If you’d like to learn more about this topic (or, maybe now you’re just curious...), you may want to pick up Dr. Kashdan’s book:  Curious?: Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life.

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Ben Hess.  Ben is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.

Five Elements of a Great Business Vision: Guest Blog

Last edition, I recommended that you peruse Dan Foster's blog site to see an example of someone who brands well.  Below is a guest post by Dan, a Branch Manager for Prudential Northwest Properties in the Portland metropolitan area. In addition to being a Branch Manager and active blogger, Dan is also a Life Coach, husband, and father of two children. If you're interested, he can also be followed on Twitter.

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"There is an ancient Hebrew Proverb that states 'Where there is no vision, the people will  perish.'  The more I talk to people in this economic season the more I am convinced this proverb is true.  This week my team and I will be focusing on the story of our business – our vision.  Some will be developing a vision for the first time and some will be reconnecting with the vision they created in the past.  All of us will be thinking about the story we want to tell our clients, coworkers, community and loved ones in the years ahead.

My friends at Building Champions have helped me layout five key components of a meaningful and effective business vision.

1. Convictions:  Vision begins with identifying the values and guiding principles that you are willing to hold true to no matter the consequences.  They should represent the core of who you are as a person.  People often use words like honesty, integrity, and great customer service.  This part of your vision statement must go deeper though by identifying not just the conviction but the behaviors associated with living out that conviction.  For example:

Life-long Learning:  Passionately pursue lifelong learning and personal development through reading, attending conferences, and networking with other professionals.

2. Purpose:  Your vision statement must answer the question, why does your business exist?  We all have to know the deeper reason behind why we do what we do each day.  Is it all just for money?  Is it just about making widgets or providing some service?  I believe your purpose is what gets us through challenging times and reminds you to keep fighting the good fight even when nothing seems to be going right.  For example my personal business purpose statement is:

To coach and train professionals to be purposeful in their business and life.

That statement motivates me and reminds me that what I do each day is more than just the supervision and oversight of real estate transactions, more than just training classes, and more than just answering the 'got a minute' questions.  It’s about helping people conduct their business with purpose and intentionality each day so they can reach new levels of success both personally and professionally.

3. Envisioned Future (Story):  Your envisioned future is your description of who you want to be and what you want to achieve over the next 5-10-20 years.  Remember you must be able to see your vision if you are going to achieve it.  This part of your vision statement takes the emotions, dreams, and motivation you have for your business and puts it into words.  The following is an excerpt from my team’s vision statement and talks about the culture of our office:

When you walk into our office you will find a warm and engaging environment that will be the beginning of a real estate experience.  Our administrative staff will understand they are on the front lines as directors of first impressions.  We will create a culture that invites our team members to be the best they can be in all areas of their lives.  Our team will consist of highly trained and passionate real estate agents that are driven by purpose in their life and business.  We will be a diverse group of sales leaders unified by our convictions and purpose.  We will be purpose driven brokers.

4. Key Areas of Development:  The key areas of development flow from your envisioned future and become the areas of your vision for you to start developing over time.  As I wrote the vision for the Sherwood and Newberg teams at Prudential Northwest Properties I identified common themes in the areas I was writing about and soon had my list of key areas of development:  Customer Service, Training, Coaching, Culture, Marketing, Recruiting, etc.  I spent time writing about what each of these areas would look like, how we would be perceived by our clients, and what it would feel like when we were fully developed in this area.  For example:

Our Community: We will actively participate in our community through service to our clients and through charitable donations and event sponsorships.  We will engage our communities by offering relevant and real time information on their real estate investments.  We will utilize the latest technology and best practices to serve our clients and community.  We will be known for our convictions and purpose.

Training:  Recognizing that people grow from interacting and learning from each other, our team members will regularly participate in various training experiences.  These training experiences will be relevant, market sensitive, and provide an opportunity for team members to learn from their peers, develop new skills, and perfect their natural talents.

Coaching:  Our culture will be one that is fueled by our convictions and accountability.  100% of the team will be involved in a coaching experience on a bi-weekly basis.  We will model service and balance.  We will hold each other accountable to living our Life Plans and will not allow our careers to take us off track.  Coaching will be the cornerstone experience for a team member’s individual development.

5. Compelling Ambitions:  Your compelling ambitions must be clear and motivating.  They will become the unifying focal point of your efforts and the catalyst for team spirit and motivation.  They must also be measurable and have a clear finish line so you know when you have reached them.  These goals should be big enough that people doubt whether they can be achieved but attainable with you and your team giving your entire heart to the cause.  For example:

Achieve the #1 position in overall market share for both active listings and closed units in Yamhill County, the city of Newberg, and the city of Sherwood by 2013.

Be patient as you go through this process.  It can be challenging and even awkward.  However, I’m convinced the reward is worth the hard work.  If you would like a copy of the tool that I use for creating and revising my business vision please contact me.

Question:  Do you have a business vision for your career, the people you lead, or the company you own?

Make it a great day!

Coach Dan"

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Editor's Note:  This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn.  Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle.  Comments or questions are welcome.  If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email.  If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.