Записи с меткой «fair»

Keeping The Meeting Monsters At Bay — Preventing Personal Attacks

You remember these people for the wrong reasons.

They are the monsters who hurt others with insults, ridicule, and sarcasm. They bully. They threaten. They attack.

And that ruins your meeting.

Personal attacks are unacceptable because if one person is being hurt in your meeting, everyone else feels it. As a result, the participants retreat into making safe and generally useless contributions.

So, how do you respond to attacks?

First, take a big breath. Grab your courage. And then use one of the following approaches.

Approach 1: Speak to the group

Respond to a hostile remark by making a general comment. Look at the middle of the group and say:

«Just a moment. Let’s pause here to calm down. I can tell we’re upset about this. And we want to find a fair solution for everyone.» (Take slow deep breaths and relax to model calming down.)

After saying this, pause a moment to let the group respond. Often, someone else will support your request. Then continue as if everything were normal.

Avoid looking at the attacker when speaking to the group. Making eye contact acknowledges and returns power to the attacker.

Approach 2: Explore for the cause

Sometimes people throw insults from behind an illusion of presumed distance. You can respond by calling for an explanation. In this case say:

«Pat, you seem upset with that.»

«Tony, you seem to disagree.»

«You seem to have reservations about this.»

I realize these statements may sound like naive responses to an insult. However, such understated responses improve the situation because they sound less threatening, feel easier to deliver, and preserve the other person’s self-esteem. Realize the attacker may have viewed the attack less seriously than it sounded.

These statements also transfer the focus from the target to the attacker’s feelings. And this is what you need to talk about in order to resolve the dispute.

After you speak wait for the attacker to talk about what caused the attack.

If the attacker continues with hostile remarks, interrupt with:

«Excuse me, we need to respect each other. And I wonder what makes you feel upset over this.»

«Excuse me, we heard that. Now, what makes you feel that way?»

«Excuse me, I’m interested in hearing what your concerns are.»

Approach 3: Call a break

If the first two approaches fail to end the attacks, then call a break or end the meeting. This will give you a chance to meet privately with the attacker, rewrite the agenda, rebuild communication, and (if appropriate) schedule another meeting without the attacker.

You could say,

«We seem to be at an impasse. I want to take a break so we can calm down.»

«This hostility makes it impossible to get any work done. So, I’m adjourning the meetings. We’ll work on this later and then reconvene at another time.»

«We need to work on this outside of the meeting. So let’s adjourn.»

Note that some people use anger to intimidate others into cooperating with them. If you adjourn the meeting, you will have to meet with the attacker to resolve the conflict.

Meetings are a forum for finding solutions, making decisions, and reaching agreements. When you apply these approaches to disruptions, you will maintain the productive environment necessary to accomplish your goals.

This is the seventh of a seven part article on Monsters in Meetings.

How Companies Go About Offering Students College Jobs And Conduct College Recruiting

Most companies send representatives to attend college recruiting fairs in order to offer talented students college jobs. These companies are working on the assumption that students who take up internships in their companies are much more likely to take up the offer of a job from them should the company decide that a particular student would make a valuable employee once they graduate.

Companies understand that, in the highly competitive markets of today, the most important asset that a company can have is its employees. Machinery and equipment can be replaced, but it is the ideas and creativity of employees that determine whether a company sinks or swims when times take a turn for the worse.

For students, college jobs in the form of internships are excellent opportunities for them to learn exactly what it takes to succeed in the working world and to have something impressive to add to their resumes. Students who have gone through internships are more in demand by companies because they have proven that they have the initiative and willpower to work while other students are having fun on their holidays. Also, companies only give the brightest and most talented students the opportunity to work as interns, so this is another point in the students’ favor.

Employers also appreciate the fact that students who take on college jobs are able to juggle their schoolwork, leisure time, and proper work simultaneously. Of course, you will also have to do well at your schoolwork in order to impress a potential employer, but you should have solid grades before you even consider taking up an internship anyway.

Companies that attend college recruiting fairs to offer students college jobs are also offering students an excellent form of leverage which they can use to obtain jobs in the future or even to apply for admission to other colleges for post-graduate studies. Many post-graduate programs require that applicants have work experience, and the experience gained from working college jobs certainly counts as such.

You should therefore not waste the opportunity that college recruiting fairs provides you with, and you should do your best to attract the attention of the company representatives at these college recruiting drives. There are also certain things that you can do in order to maximize your chances of being hired for college jobs.

The first is to present yourself well. You should dress appropriately and smartly, because as they say, people judge you based on their first impressions of you. You also need to be as knowledgeable as possible about the companies that are attending your college recruiting fair. This entails finding out which companies are going to be represented at the fair and doing research about their activities and their industries.

By arming yourself with such knowledge, you greatly increase the chances that you will be able to have a meaningful conversation with a recruiter, who will probably be impressed that you know as much as you do about their company and what it does. Companies appreciate such demonstrations of interest in what they are doing, and you will stand a better chance of securing college jobs than if you were to traipse into the college recruiting fair without having done any preparations at all.

How to Create Loyal and Promotable Staff by Freeing Up More of Your Own Time

«There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly»- Buckminster Fuller.

Effective delegation is both a skill and an art. Having and using this ability has many significant benefits and is of the utmost importance. It is a vital component in the toolkit of any leader. And yet, time and time again I come across leaders who do not use it effectively or anywhere near enough.

I hear many ‘reasons’ (read ‘excuses’) for this:

* ‘My team already have too much on their plates. I cannot pile on any more. It wouldn’t be fair on them and they would resent it. So I do it myself.’

What evidence do you have that they would resent it?

How can you help them to empty their plates a little so that they can take on delegated work?

If you delegate the right task, at the right time, to the right person and in the right way, the more likely reality is that they will show gratitude. They will be happy at the increase in their sense of responsibility, they will feel empowered and trusted. And as they begin to act up rather than act down they will notice themselves becoming more promotable. All of this will inspire more loyalty not less.

* ‘It’s easier and quicker if I do it myself.’

This may possibly be true the first time and it may not.

It may take a little time to explain or teach a member of staff how to complete a particular task the first time, but once they’ve got it and can finish it unaided this can only save time for you.

And is this ‘reason’ completely accurate in the first place? Or are you just using this as an excuse because there is some other reason you don’t want to give the task to someone else?

Ask yourself ‘What is honestly stopping me from delegating this task?’

* ‘If I’m truly honest I just think I’ll do a better job of it than any of my team. So it’s best if I get on and do it.’

Well done for being this honest with yourself. It’s a tough one to own up to! But what evidence do you have to support that statement? How do you know for sure unless you give them a try? How sure are you that you’re not just finding another excuse to hold onto something that you now need to be letting go of?

* ‘I know it’s not my role to do that any more, but I really enjoyed that part of my job before I was promoted and I want to carry on getting involved to that extent.’

Mmm. As you continue to climb your career ladder it is imperitive for both you and your staff that you act at the level you have reached plus spend time acting up to the next level. If you act at levels below your position you use up time unnecessarily (which can result in severe effects on your work/life balance, plus stress caused by impending deadlines and overwork). Importantly it also inhibits the progress of your staff’s climb of their own career ladders.

So how do you delegate effectively?

Well that is too lengthy a discussion to go into here, but if I have raised your awareness and you have accepted that delegation, properly done, actually leads to more loyal and happier staff who have a willingness to go that extra mile; and you have also realised that you need to be delegating more effectively and more often, then that is a very good start!

How To Choose A Toddler Travel Bed

How to Choose a Toddler Travel Bed

Though it is fairly simple to pick out a crib for your infant when they are that size, or perhaps not even born yet, it can be a lot harder to pick out a toddler bed when your infant graduates to this stage. You can’t apply the same tactics and rationale for choosing a toddler bed as you did with a crib-as this stage requires something very different. Whereas a crib needs to be sturdy and hard to get out of-and most probably, aesthetically pleasing-a toddler bed has different needs. In this article we address the most important specifications of a toddler travel bed to help you buy one that is safe and convenient for you and your toddler.

Toddler Travel Bed Assembly

If you were trying to buy a toddler bed that was just for your home, and certain not to be moved for a time-until your toddler graduated into the next stage of his/her development; than you would not need to worry about how much assembly was necessary. If, however, you will be buying a toddler travel bed, you need to make sure-for your own convenience and sanity-that it is easy to assemble and disassemble when traveling to and then bunking down for the night. As we all know, a parent who is watching a toddler doesn’t have much time before they are into something else, and this is why having a toddler travel bed that is easy to assemble is key.

Toddler Travel Bed Sturdiness

Another necessary component to a good toddler travel bed is sturdiness. Though this can often be overlooked when looking for a bed that can be transportable, it is necessary to spend more money so that your bed is not just transportable, but also, sturdy. The last thing you want is your toddler spilling out of the bed in the middle of the night and getting into something unsafe. The toddler travel bed you select should contain some built in safeguards to keep your child safely snug throughout the night.

Toddler Travel Bed Size & Depth

Another good thing to look for-though this should be secondary to the last two-is a toddler travel bed that is compact and hopefully, somewhat lightweight. If you aren’t likely to travel that much while your child is a toddler; then perhaps, it does not matter; but if you will be staying over at their grandparents’ or your friend’s houses often; it is worthwhile to spend a bit more and get a bed that is large enough for your toddler, but still compact enough to move and transport in the car.

Another key component to a travel bed for your toddler that will be safe and transportable is the depth. Just like a crib, you need to be able to have a bed that is deep enough in so that the toddler cannot get out without your help.

Toddler Travel Bed Comfort

Lastly, it is very important that your toddler be comfortable while away. It is hard enough on a toddler sleeping in a new place-as we all know-without the bed they are sleeping on feeling like cardboard. This is why you should look for a toddler travel bed that has a well rated mattress to go in it. It doesn’t have to be that thick-just thick enough to provide some cushion on a platform or floor.

How To Properly Care For Your Pool

Copyright (c) 2010 Michael Atma

A whole lot goes into owning a pool. There are many supplies and different kinds of equipment that you need to keep handy in order to maintain it properly. If you’re relatively unversed about how to go about maintaining your pool, it helps to connect with a reputable pool shop for assistance.
Summer is in full swing in Australia, and that can only mean one thing for many of us: pool time. If you own a pool, or are thinking about it, it is critical that you keep up on its maintenance so that it’s clean and safe for people to enjoy. After all, there’s no point in having a swimming pool if it’s not well maintained. Having the proper pool equipment is a huge part of maintaining your pool.

Keeping Your Pool Clean —
If you think that maintaining a pool is as simple as flipping a switch on its filter, think again. Even with the most advanced technology, owning a pool is going to involve a lot of work on your part. That work can be vastly simplified by owning the right kinds of supplies and equipment. As a pool owner, you’re going to need to keep a constant eye on chlorine and pH levels, make sure that the filter is working properly and perform regular cleaning from time to time. Are you ready to do all of that?

Do You Have The Right Stuff?
An unprepared pool owner isn’t going to have a usable pool. When chlorine or pH levels go awry, you’ll have to have a ready supply of the appropriate chemicals to correct the situation. That means that you’re going to have to keep a decent selection of things on hand in order to take the necessary steps, regardless of when they occur. Otherwise, your lovely pool will be unusable and will simply take up space.

Getting What You Need —
Contingent upon the experience you have in maintaining your own pool, you may or may not already know what to keep readily available at home. Reading up on the topic is one good way to get a feel for things, but paying a visit to your local pool shop is an even better idea. When you visit a local pool shop, you can let the staff know what kind of pool you have; from there, they can inform you about what sorts of things you should absolutely keep handy in order to maintain it properly.

Swim Every Day This Summer!
By keeping your pool in tiptop shape, you can enjoy it on every single fair-weather day this summer. It’s not difficult to get into the groove of things when it comes to your pool maintenance, particularly when you start going to a high quality pool shop. The more you learn around your pool maintenance, the more actually doing it will become like a natural and easy practice to you. There’s no doubt about it: Pool ownership can be a wonderful thing. You just need to be willing to devote the time and money to take care of it properly.