Monday Mornings with Madison

Category Archives:
Personal-Professional Well-Being

June 9, 2014

Specialist or Generalist?

Issue #331

It seems that professionals and businesses alike are constantly pulled in two directions, like a rope in a tug of war. On the one hand, intense competition and increased complexity beckons for people and companies to specialize not only in a particular field, but to further specialize within that field to a subspecialty, and perhaps even a niche area within that subspecialty. The specialist is the authority on a given topic, with a depth of knowledge that far exceeds most others. The specialist may know very little about most things but knows practically everything there is to know about one particular thing.

On the other hand, because of the complexity of the world, there is also tremendous pressure to stay current with many different subjects. The generalist has a wide body of knowledge. While the generalist does not have deep expertise about any particular topic or area, he has a rudimentary (and perhaps sometimes even greater) understanding of a great many things. With this broader perspective, the generalist is able to see angles, connections, and big-picture implications that others might not see.

So which is better? This constant battle between specialist or generalist occurs in all businesses and for all types of professionals: accounting, law, finance, real estate sales, lending, finance, etc. What makes the most sense for today’s marketplace? Is it better for a professional to be a Jack-of-all-Trades or a Master-of-One? Should a company try to be all things to all people, or should it zero in on select services or specialties and do only that? There are solid arguments for either position. How does a person or company decide whether to generalize or specialize? Continue reading →

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May 27, 2014

Attention Deficit, Part 1

Issue #329

There is a famous line from the movie Karate Kid (the 2010 remake) when Mr. Han, the Karate teacher, tells his pupil — who insists he is concentrating intently — that “Your focus needs more focus.” Despite the student’s insistence that he was focused, his level of focus was lacking. It is a problem that possibly everyone grapples with today. With all the diversions and noise that compete for our attention and energy in today’s world, it can be very easy to fall prey to distraction.

Do these scenarios sound familiar? Three people are in a meeting and one or more are repeatedly interrupted by incoming calls or text messages. Two colleagues are speaking by phone and suddenly one person is distracted replying to an email. Outside, a person walks down the street but is so completely immersed reading LinkedIn posts that he is almost hit by a car. Indoors and out, attention is drawn to pinging smart phones, rotating billboards, ticker-tape scrolling news feeds, bus bench ads, flashing neon signs and more, all screaming “Look at me!”. The demands for attention are everywhere.

The truth is that, for most people, their focus does need more focus. The dictionary defines focus as “the concentration of attention or energy on something.” Attention and energy are essential elements of focus. Attention describes how well you can shut out all else in order to give one thing full consideration or thought. Energy relates to how much or how long you can sustain that focus. That begs the question, just how much and how long should a person be able to focus on something without being distracted (by choice or chance)? How deeply and sharply should someone be able to concentrate on one thing without redirecting or quitting? More importantly, what — if anything — can be done to improve focus? And, if everyone is being driven to distraction, just how much is this lack of focus — by employees and customers alike — affecting businesses? Continue reading →

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May 5, 2014

When to Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way

Issue #326

In every organization, business or department, there are times when a leader needs to step up and lead… chart a course, share a vision, give direction, motivate, encourage and guide. There are other times when a manager or director needs to listen to the wise counsel of one who knows more, hand the reigns over and follow his/her lead. And then there are times when management just needs to get out of the way and allow the company stakeholders to move forward… let a group function or allow a process to unfold.

It takes skill and talent to lead others. It takes earned trust and respect to follow someone else’s lead. And it takes faith to get out of the way and allow all the cogs in the machinery to turn as they should. The real challenge is to understand when to do each. That discernment is what differentiates great leaders from mediocre ones. So how does a team leader, department manager, division director or c-suite exec develop the discernment to know when to lead, follow or get out of the way? It takes practice, intuition, patience, trust and a sizeable measure of experience. Continue reading →

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December 16, 2013

Choosing the Right Employee Performance Review Method… or Methods

Issue #308

Every so often, the business world rethinks its methods for evaluating employee performance. Old approaches are replaced with new ones. Then, in time, those are tossed aside for yet newer methods of assessing worker efficiency, output, creativity, and attitude. Because employee performance is – by its very nature – tied to a company’s productivity and thus its bottom line and long-term success, methods for evaluating employee performance are constantly being considered and reconsidered… a pendulum swinging from one end of the spectrum to the other.

At one end of the scale are harsh assessment methods, such as the stack ranking approach that General Electric CEO Jack Welch employed in the 1980s. On the other end of the continuum is the “no evaluation” method in which employees are never formally evaluated at all. Between one extreme and the other, of course, are many strategies with varying degrees of rigor and results. If you’re wondering which method of performance reviews helps motivate and improve employee performance most, it depends. It helps to start by looking at what methods have failed or succeeded for other companies.
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December 9, 2013

Profiting from Mistakes

Issue #307

People make mistakes. That is why they put erasers on pencils. Sometimes those mistakes are small and can be easily erased or corrected. Sometimes mistakes have a bigger impact. And some mistakes are so big that they are considered failures. Regardless of the magnitude of the error, one thing is certain. While it is human to make mistakes and fail, no one is ever glad or happy about it. In the moment, no one thinks “Oh, I am so glad I made that error.” But what if failure is actually a good thing? What if failures and mistakes are actually necessary in order to succeed?

There are countless examples in history of people who made mistakes and endured failures – sometimes many failures… sometimes even big failures — on the road to success. But what if the idea that the road to success is littered with failure is not the exception to the rule but rather it is the rule. What if failures and mistakes are necessary elements to achieve success? Time and time again, we see people who experienced the disappointment and frustrations that come with failing, and then those failures ended up being not only instrumental to strengthening their resolve but key in directing their path to success. We see countless cases in history of mistakes that are important precursors to breakthroughs. In many cases, without those failures or mistakes, they would not have achieved their particular successes. Are mistakes actually road signs on the path to success? Can we actually profit from mistakes? Continue reading →

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December 2, 2013

Profiting from Mistakes

Issue #307

People make mistakes. That is why they put erasers on pencils. Sometimes those mistakes are small and can be easily erased or corrected. Sometimes mistakes have a bigger impact. And some mistakes are so big that they are considered failures. Regardless of the magnitude of the error, one thing is certain. While it is human to make mistakes and fail, no one is ever glad or happy about it. In the moment, no one thinks “Oh, I am so glad I made that error.” But what if failure is actually a good thing? What if failures and mistakes are actually necessary in order to succeed?

There are countless examples in history of people who made mistakes and endured failures – sometimes many failures… sometimes even big failures — on the road to success. But what if the idea that the road to success is littered with failure is not the exception to the rule but rather it is the rule. What if failures and mistakes are necessary elements to achieve success? Time and time again, we see people who experienced the disappointment and frustrations that come with failing, and then those failures ended up being not only instrumental to strengthening their resolve but key in directing their path to success. We see countless cases in history of mistakes that are important precursors to breakthroughs. In many cases, without those failures or mistakes, they would not have achieved their particular successes. Are mistakes actually road signs on the path to success? Can we actually profit from mistakes? Continue reading →

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November 11, 2013

Skills for Success – Part 4

Issue #305

When some people think about ‘attitude’ as a employment skill, they might think about a person’s demeanor and general disposition. An employee with a cheerful, smiling upbeat temperament might be thought to have a ‘good attitude.’ However, ‘attitude’ as a workplace skill is about much more than having a pleasant personality. When it comes to success, a winning attitude is about an employee’s mindset toward work and willingness to work, no matter what the job entails. As a skill, attitude can be defined as one who has a strong work ethic… a ‘can do’ approach to every task and a ‘whatever it takes to get the job done’ posture.

Most employers talk about wanting employees with a ‘positive attitude’ at work. Indeed, it is considered one of the top 10 workplace skills. And many employees think they do have a good ‘attitude’ because they are friendly and cooperative. Yet, at every workplace, there are those who are unwilling to do certain jobs. The argument might be that the tasks are tedious, boring, or menial. Or that the work is beneath the person’s abilities. Or that the job is a poor use of the person’s time. But those are all copouts. So what does a roll-up-your-sleeves, do-whatever-it-takes-to-get-the-job-done attitude look like?
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November 4, 2013

Skills for Success – Part 3

Issue #304

If you ask ten colleagues what is the most important skill a person needs to be successful, you will likely get ten different answers. That’s neither unusual nor wrong. There are a myriad of skills that contribute to success. Communication. Teamwork and cooperation. Enthusiasm (for your work). Strong work ethic. Responsibility. Efficient planning. Positive Attitude. These skills are generally considered by most people to be very important for success.

Indeed, The Career Center at the University of South Florida conducted a survey to determine the skills and abilities students need to succeed in the workplace of the 21st century so they could then infuse the teaching of these skills and abilities into the University’s classroom experience. They surveyed 130 participants attending the USF Career Center’s Fall Job Fair. Eighty-three recruiters responded, representing a 64.6 percent response rate. Top-ranking skills were then grouped into three categories, according to the percentage of respondents that rated a particular skill as being “Extremely Important or Very Important” to success. The results showed that many of the most important skills for success are not hard skills, such as the ability to do mathematical computations, but rather soft skills such as effective problem-solving or curiosity. Interestingly, one skill that made the A list as considered “Extremely Important or Very Important” by over 90% of all respondents was the ability to adapt. Adaptability, or the ability to adjust to new conditions, is a viewed by nine out of 10 people to be a key skill for success. Continue reading →

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October 28, 2013

Skills for Success – Part 2

Issue #303

Difficult conversations are some of the most awkward, tense, tie-you-up-in-knots moments in people’s lives… both their personal and professional lives. In fact, there are thousands of books, articles and seminars on the topic of how to handle difficult conversations. One large training firm that provides professional workshops started offering a seminar titled ‘Dealing with Difficult People’, and it quickly became one of their most well-attended and lucrative programs. While it is not really a skill that anyone wants to be good at, most people understand that is an important skill for success.

The first step is to consider “Why is it a difficult conversation in the first place?” Sometimes, it’s because of the relationship between the parties such as a subordinate speaking to a supervisor. Sometimes it is because of the content of the conversation, such as communicating a criticism or pointing out a harsh truth. Sometimes it is because the person on either end of the talk is a difficult or hostile person. No matter the circumstances, there are strategies on how to handle even the most difficult conversation. Continue reading →

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October 21, 2013

Skills for Success

Issue #302

The ability to start and maintain a conversation can be even more important to a person’s success in business than grades in school or college. In a study by Stanford University’s School of Business, students who had graduated with a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) were contacted 10 years after they graduated to gauge their success. The study found that the grade point averages of graduates had no bearing on their success — but their ability to make conversation did. The most successful graduates were those who could make conversation with anyone — from acquaintances to business associates and from total strangers to good friends.

To many, starting and maintaining a conversation comes as naturally as breathing. But for others, the art of conversation is just that… an art form they can recognize and respect, but not replicate. For those who struggle to hold natural, engaged conversations, the gift of gab is viewed like unattainable talent such as Van Gogh’s ability to capture movement on canvas or Beethoven’s ability to evoke emotion through music…. beautiful and uplifting but not doable. However, for many in the business world, the ability to communicate fluidly and effortlessly is an invaluable skill. Is it possible for someone shy, tongue-tied or insecure to become a masterful conversationalist? It starts by understanding the three reasons for conversations and the five rules that make for good conversationalists.
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