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Chapter 5 - By learning how to have the right conversations at the correct time, you can develop your communication. You are likely to know that effective communication is the key to a great relationship. Yet coordination can be sadly missing when it comes to the relationship between juniors and managers. Research by Gallup shows that only about a third of workers agree that their supervisors know what tasks they are working on, and almost half say that their bosses send them input rarely a few times each year. This is an issue because studies indicate that their work performance increases when workers receive daily input and coaching. It all depends on what the researchers call 'coaching conversations.' The first discussion you should have is in the category of role orientation. It is the first conversation when a subordinate is getting a new role and can help you get an idea of his character, abilities, and priorities. Set some clear goals about results during this talk and clarify what achievement in this job looks like. The second conversation is called the quick connect by the authors and this is something you should have regularly. This is a brief interaction that you and the worker may have via email, on the phone, or even in the corridor, usually between one and ten minutes. A quick connection helps you to touch the center, address any problems casually, and give praise and appreciation for good tasks. It also decreases the likelihood of being overlooked by the staff, which is a big deal because research indicates that employees don't like to be ignored and would prefer to have a hostile conversation with a supervisor. At least once per week, try to have a quick connection with one of your teammates. A form of conversation known as developmental coaching is the last tool in your communication collection, and it's priceless. It would be just 30 minutes for a developmental coaching conversation but can change the direction of somebody's entire professional career. That's why, your manager offers you the ability to provide guidance, advice, and support. Try to use it to support the members of your team find opportunities for advancement or training to help them achieve their specific career goals. Chapter 6 - In the office, you can't tolerate any abuse. No ifs, no or but's, no excuses at all. It's simple to believe that the world of work has changed in a good way in the aftermath of the worldwide outcry against sexual assault and violence, defined as the #MeToo movement. Yet, for so many women, the journey towards workplace equality is far from over. Over 40 percent of American women have suffered sexual harassment at work, according to Gallup's survey, and almost 70 percent of Americans assume sexual harassment is still a massive issue in the workplace. As a leader and a boss, taking a zero-tolerance policy is the only path to do the right thing when it comes to reducing these troubling figures. The expression "boys will be boys" should not be a part of the language of any boss. At work, there is no room for violence, whether in formal or informal environments. Imagine a situation where a male boss is joking around with other male workers and a misogynistic remark is made by one of them. The manager must speak up and order the employee to stop, not laugh nervously or wait for the discussion to move on if that occurs. Even though at the moment it may not seem like it, it is in moments like this that the culture of an organization is formed. You will need to develop those structures in your company if you're going to root out the chance of violence. For example, the organization would need a reporting system so that workers can inform the management team of any concerns they may have confidently. You will need a procedure on how to manage these reports once you have got a structure in place. Think of the kind of cases that might be unintended and offer ways to teach workers how to do better about the topic versus the kind of abuse that would cause summary dismissal. Whatever the rules and procedures for sexual harassment are, the most significant thing is that you have one. It seems to be the worst thing your business can do is nothing. As entertainment industry staff have found, it can be dangerous to look the other way while abusers hide in clear view. When abuse goes public and it is revealed that almost everyone knows about it, everyone ends up being disgraced for their role in the atmosphere of toxic work. Chapter 7 - The conventional model employment model is broken by a modern army of gig employees. A new kind of economy has arisen in the aftermath of the Great Recession of 2008 and has pissed some people off. This new economy is praised by some analysts as versatile and worker-friendly while others call it exploitative. The so-called gig economy is divisive, that's for sure. The gig economy consists of individual contractors who do not have a traditional arrangement with their employers. This economy is also broad, encompassing everything from contract nurses to replacement teachers, and Uber drivers to freelance graphic artists. It's also big. It's composed of more than a third of the working American people. It used to be the situation that workers, even for their whole lives, were loyal to only one company. In exchange, companies had an obligation to look after them, and as workers retired, they got generous benefits. Today, workers often work for more than one company via online channels or temporary contracting companies and they are seeking their next position or gig online. The gig economy is here to stay, but the question stands: is this work style helpful for employees? It turns out, yes, the majority are pleased with that. A McKinsey Global Institute researchers reported that it is preferred by 70 percent of gig staff, with just 30 percent saying they had no option. Yet, there are disadvantages. Gig employees report having much less guidance and mentoring in conventional employment than their peers. They're much less likely to be paid for their labor at the right time or correctly. However, Gig employees are also much more likely to claim that their job suits their lifestyle. The way gig employees feel can depend on the kind of job they are doing. While freelancers and people on online channels report reasonably high levels of involvement and strong social connections, for those in the permanent or on-call sector, the opposite happens. There is a lot of things we don't know about the impact on workers and corporations alike of the gig economy. But, whatever the advantages and disadvantages, what is obvious is that to help their business grow in this modern world of employment relationships, leaders need to find a way to adapt. It's the Manager: Gallup finds the quality of managers and team leaders is the single biggest factor in your organization's long-term success. by Jim Clifton, Jim Harter Book Review Managers need to give their workers a sense and intent at work, as well as a paycheck if they want to prove themselves. The leaders of today must also get rid of sexual harassment in their offices, and eliminate racism from the recruitment process. And with the increase of freelance jobs, it's time for executives to exploit the advantages of the gig economy without losing the well-being of workers along the way. Start now to build great connections. Almost half of all US workers are predicted to be in danger of being automated in the next ten years. Any human workers remaining may be those that require real engagement and communication skills. In other words, the clients will expect your face-to-face interaction to be exceptional because robots seem to be doing everything else other than activities that necessitate social skills.