Tips & Co, #405 - Etiquette in the workplace … Advice no.4

Be inclusive – Avoid forming cliques that might exclude people, giving colleagues the silent treatment or speaking to people in a condescending way. Those are forms of bullying. Encourage healthy relationships in the office.
Be attentive – Don't check your phone in meetings or when someone is talking to you, not even a peek from time to time. Look at the person who is talking to you, stop texting or typing on the keyboard and turn away from your computer screen. Pay full attention to the person in front of you.
Be punctual – Demonstrate professional courtesy by showing up on time and respecting deadlines.  Being late sends the message that you don’t have respect for other people's time or schedules.
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  1138 lectures
1138 lectures

Tips & Co. #400 - Delegating in a good fashion

Here are different actions you can use regularly in order to establish an effective environment for delegation:

  • Allow others to make decisions and they’ll be more involved.
  • Make people feel that they belong, and they will commit to your vision and action plan.
  • Think and speak as “we”, not only “I”
  • Acknowledge that mistakes are part of the learning process.
  • Learn to know your personal strengths and limits.
  • In reports and other communications include the names of everyone who contributed to the projects.
  • Keep sharing and repeating why you are working together.
  • Be available to others; at the same time foster ingenuity, creativity and encourage commitment.

If you haven’t developed the habit of delegating yet, you will probably experience a discomfort when delegating tasks you used to do. Learning to delegate requires change s in behaviours and thought patterns that are often deeply buried.

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  1434 lectures
1434 lectures

Tips & Co. #395 - Long live diversity!

Today’s workforce is more diverse than ever. Reality changed. It’s no longer about knowing how to work with people like us, but rather being able to work with people different from us. It is no longer realistic to wish to work in a homogeneous environment, but rather to have the ability to thrive in a heterogeneous work environment. 

We don’t always realize the biases or prejudices we have towards our coworkers, or our customers, whom are different from us. And, it is possible we don’t understand how our behaviours affect others.

Learning to understand others can help avoid misunderstandings and prevent any confrontation that might happen in the workplace. Like in any other aspect of diversity, we must respect others and appreciate (which is more than to tolerate) differences to maintain a sense of community.

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  1303 lectures
1303 lectures

Visual supports | The analog tools’ advantages in the digital era

Before foreseeing a PowerPoint for your next presentation, and neglecting (even forgetting) white boards and flip charts, take the time to read this:

Visual supports

Visual supports help the audience remember key points, they clarify ideas, help you illustrate your words, and strengthen your arguments. They give a rhythm to your presentation and simplify some complexities.

People using visual supports are often seen as more prepared, more persuasive, and more interesting. They reach their goals more often than those not using them.

Studies have shown that a visual support makes a presentation more effective; a recent study from the University of Wisconsin shows that visual supports can improve comprehension and learning up to 200 %.

A visual support is a “support”. Unfortunately, I have too often seen visual supports being used to:

  • Impress the audience (with over detailed tables or graphs) ;
  • Avoid interacting with the audience (by reading slides word for word) ;
  • Fill a lack of planning from the trainer! (by using it as a crutch).

But that is another topic … let’s get back to our original one: analogs or digitals?

The advantages of the analog tools

Visual supports come in many different formats: hand-outs, white boards and flip charts, models, computer screenings and electronic medias, etc.

In our trainings, at Solutions & Co. we still use static writing surfaces such as textbooks, white boards, and flip charts!

What makes analog tools such amazing learning tools is the way they require both the use of the body and the brain in the learning process.

Researches on cognitive matching have shown that the physical process of writing, and doing diagrams helps people learn and remember the information. Using a writing surface like a whiteboard is both kinesthetic and visual, because writing and drawing engages the user both physically and mentally and fosters learning.

When we go through ideas visually, in a constant back and forth manner, in real time and in the same space, we offer a level of social connection different from the one offered by most digital solutions.

Proper use of writing surfaces can facilitate team work, improve commitment, and foster creativity and problem solving. Integrating analog tools in training rooms can allow participants to discuss, to communicate, and to share their ideas. And it helps us connect with each other by encouraging collaboration and sociability.

Conclusion? When we physically express our thoughts and ideas, and we progressively reveal the content, our brains are engaged in a way that release more potential for learning, ideas, solutions, and reflection.

Which ones are more relevant? Analog or digital tools?

Obviously, this not a “digital tools versus analog methods” competition. The ideal path of success is neither one nor the other, but knowing to pick the appropriate support in order to meet the audience’s needs and to reach its goal.

Studies reveal that 73% of teachers having used both connected and offline tools note a rise in students’ interest (Center for Digital Education), and 58% of students state learning better in an environment mixing both digital and analog tools (ECAR undergraduates survey).

The strength lies in the strategical use of your visual supports. Even if technology prevails in most professional environments and modern classrooms, analog tools remain an important and effective tool not to be overlooked.

No matter which visual aid you choose, do not let it overpower your presentation. Even UNESCO reminds us that digital is only to assist education not to replace it. Visual aids are used to enrich your presentation; they do not replace you.

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  1663 lectures
1663 lectures

Tips & Co. #390 - Which channel to prioritize when negotiating?

Is it better to send an email, pick up the phone or doing it face to face?You are right to be wondering, the way of establishing contact is important in determining the final outcome of your negotiations.Indeed, while negotiating both parties, try, ideally, to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement.

What is the best way? How much importance do you give to this exchange?

If you plan to convey a lot of information, opt for an email. However, if you have to reach an agreement on the project objective, timeframe or price, it would be better to plan a phone call or an in-person meeting.And if time is a crucial factor, consider these numbers from a Washington University’s experiment:

Required time to obtain an agreement in a negotiation:
  • 47 minutes through a web chat
  • 24 minutes through a video chat
  • 18 minutes over the phone
  • 14 minutes on face to face
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  1494 lectures
1494 lectures

Tips & Co. #385 - Professional skills of the 21st century

There is an international classification of the 21st century professional skills. Among them we find the famous 4 “C”. Those skills are not only "Soft" skills but are (at least today) the advantage of humans over machines.

Those 4 “C” are:

  • A Critical mind to solve complex problems and to challenge information not always reliable;
  • Creativity to offer innovative products and services or to find more effective new methods;
  • Communication to convey ideas fast and clearly, which involves factoring each interlocutors’ and environment’s own characteristics, for a pertinent communication;
  • and finally, Collaboration to learn with others, enhancing skills rapidly and fostering team effectiveness.

Source: OCDE (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)

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  1464 lectures
1464 lectures

Tips & Co. #380 - One more way to generate creative ideas when Brainstorming

Last month we saw the Reverse brainstorming as an additional way to generate ideas, and to come up with a creative solution to problems. Here is another approach to push your traditional brainstorming sessions a little further:

“Yes, And…” Approach

One method for inciting creative brainstorming is trying a technique used in improvisational theater: “Yes, and…”.

The approach encourages people to collaborate and build on everyone else’s ideas by first agreeing and then adding something to the discussion by replying “yes, and we can also…”.

Taking “no” off the table ensures all ideas are heard and avoids draining the team’s energy.

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  3745 lectures
3745 lectures

Tips & Co. #375 - A different way to generate creative ideas when Brainstorming

Many of us have taken part in traditional "Brainstorming" sessions. These are commonly used to generate ideas, and to come up with a creative solution to problems. But you can push your brainstorming sessions a little further by trying this approach:

Reverse Brainstorming

Reverse brainstorming can be used to provide a different perspective on a particular problem. This method helps you to solve problems by combining brainstorming and reversal techniques. By combining these, you can extend your use of brainstorming to draw out even more creative ideas.

To use this technique, you start with one of two "reverse" questions: 

  • Instead of asking, "How do I solve or prevent this problem?" ask, "How could I possibly cause the problem?
  • And instead of asking "How do I achieve these results?" ask, "How could I possibly achieve the opposite effect?"

Reverse brainstorming tries to solve the problem in a reversed way to the flow we already now. The method can influence the human mind to create better ideas and solutions.

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  1519 lectures
1519 lectures

Tips & Co. #370 - Understanding Creativity

 

If the idea of being creative at work makes you think of artistic talent, don't worry, you are not alone. To most people creativity is simply related to the Arts, where being creative is born of skill, technique and self-expression, that is Artistic creativity. But there is also a more technical type of creativity, where people create new theories, technologies or ideas, that is Business creativity.

Business creativity is about “Thinking differently” or “Thinking out of the box” - not relying on old assumptions and models. It is about finding fresh and innovative solutions to problems, and identifying opportunities to improve the way that we do things.

There are many techniques and tools available in order to drive Business creativity and trigger ideas that lead to imaginative solutions to problems. These techniques and tools provide structure and analysis and allow you to break out of rigid thinking… In a nutshell, they should allow you to:

  • Doubt everything and challenge your current perspective.
  • Probe the possible and explore options.
  • Diverge and generate many new ideas without filters.
  • Converge, evaluate and select ideas that will drive breakthrough results.
  • Re-evaluate regularly to avoid falling pray to a new status-quo.

Anyone can learn to be technically creative, and use these tools. They are designed to help you spot opportunities that you might otherwise miss. Anyone can be creative, as long as they learn to be comfortable with ambiguity, have the right mindset and use the right tools.

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  2593 lectures
2593 lectures

Tips & Co. #359 - Learn to adapt

Given that their kind has been roaming the oceans for over 200 million years, you might say six-gilled sharks are the senior citizens of the marine world. One of the reasons they’ve been around so long: Though they typically stay in deep water, they’ll periodically head to shallower waters to locate food and mate.

In other words, they’re willing to move beyond their comfort zone to find what they need to thrive. We should be as bold.

Christopher Lowe, PhD, Director of the California State University Long Beach Shark Lab

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  1449 lectures
1449 lectures

Tips & Co. #354 - A common code for headphones

In an open work environment, it is sometimes difficult to focus. Put on noise-canceling headphones for times when you are working on a task that requires concentration. Earphones serve as a visual cue to your colleagues so they do not bother you unless absolutely necessary.

Have a common "code" that symbolizes the unavailability.

Example:

  • Two earpieces mean "Leave me alone. I'm focusing."
  • Only one earpiece means "Ask before interrupting me."
  • Without earphones means "You can interrupt me."
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  2238 lectures
2238 lectures

Tips & Co. #349 - Why is teamwork so effective?

The human mind is an outstanding problem solver but a less impressive storage device. We can hold, according to some estimates, about 1 gigabyte of memory, maybe as much as 10. But our minds are not computers. They don’t rely entirely on memory and objectiveness, as a machine must, but on pattern recognition and insight.

Most of our knowledge resides outside of our heads -in our bodies, in the environment, and most crucially, in other people. In other words, the world is part of our memory.

We don’t necessarily have all the knowledge, but we know where the information is, and we know how to access it or retrieve it.

We have a social brain, we are not built to rely on a single mind. We have succeeded as species because of how well communities of brains work together and of how we share intentionality. We are collectively capable of brilliance.

If we can’t make use of other’s people knowledge, we can’t succeed. We can barely function.

Psychology Today 2017

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  1544 lectures
1544 lectures

Tips & Co. #344 - Culture is...

Geert Hofstede, a social psychologist, defines culture as follows: “We are pack animals. We use language and empathy and work together and engage in competition as a group. The unwritten rules that govern these aspects differ from one group of humans to another. 'Culture' is how we describe this set of unwritten rules that defines how to be a good group member.”

Communicating with different cultures can be difficult. When we deal with people from unfamiliar cultures, it is easy to misinterpret meanings and intentions. This can lead to confusion, unhappiness and frustration. For communication to be successful, we need to understand the meaning and the intent of what the other person has said. The better one understands the influence of culture and its unwritten sets of rules, the more effective communication will be.

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  1985 lectures
1985 lectures

Tips & Co. #334 - Tips for Working with Every Generation

Today’s workforce requires cooperation from five generations. One of the biggest workplace challenges is getting these generations to see past their biases and learn to work together toward common goals since they tend to differ on everything from work hours, etiquette, working remotely and inter-office dynamic.

The following tips are useful for working effectively with ANY generation.

  • Recognize that generational differences influence our ideas, expectations, values and behaviors at work.
  • Don’t make assumptions.
  • Acknowledge that everyone wants to be treated with respect—and recognize that respect might look and feel different, based on differing experiences and perspectives.
  • Know that you have different life experiences and can learn from others’ experiences and perspectives.
  • Find ways to create shared values and common ground.
  • Give your colleagues specific suggestions on what they can do to help you perform your best.
  • Focus on what really matters—productivity, teamwork and customer relationships.
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  1741 lectures
1741 lectures

Tips & Co. #294 - Great team members don’t stay in the shadows

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Everyone wishes to be part of a great team in their workplace. Because great teams have the energy, drive and means to strive for excellence and succeed. 

But if you want to be part of an awesome team, you have to be, first and foremost, an outstanding team player.

Team players are genuinely committed to their organization, to their team and its members. They involve others and are involved. They show up and are generous with their knowledge and skills. They come prepared and are problem-solvers.

It is not enough to just sit quietly and get your work done… and it’s definitely not in your interest if you want to be part of a great team.

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  2028 lectures
2028 lectures

Tips & Co. #286 - Team communication

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Be careful in how you communicate your expertise; you don't want others to see you as arrogant or as a know-it-all. Stay humble about your accomplishments, and develop your emotional intelligence, so that you can communicate in a sensitive way and be truly appreciated (and not only needed) by your team members.

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  2109 lectures
2109 lectures

Tips & Co. #277 - Decisions, decisions, decisions

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It is estimated that an adult makes approximately 35,000 decisions a day. That doesn’t leave much headspace for the rest of our day-to-day existence.

Cut out all the decisions that create white noise in your head and you might be struck by how free, clear-headed and determined you feel.

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  2278 lectures
2278 lectures

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Xavier Aymé, Chef des opérations | Mercator Canada Inc.

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