How Do We Live With Rigour In A Time of Pandemic? (Part 1)

Caveat: These opinions are entirely my own, and I share my perspectives with those with a sense of optimism and adventure. If we can't be hopeful, what's the point?

Over the weeks, I have been collecting perspectives from senior managers, entrepreneurs, and employees. The common thread is: Everyone is struggling in their own way and braving their private battles. We are faced with threats to our way of life, both work-wise and leisure-wise. The disruptions and chaos that has ensued may lead many to and review and revise the way we think. Here are three key areas to ponder over, and we will go into detail, shortly.

1) Working From Home (WFH): This is inevitable, and the flexibility of working one-day-weekly from home has expanded into a lengthy period of home-based work. This is no different where educators have to, occasionally, teach from their homes via webinars, and the like. WFH may be the ‘New Norm’ as we have to figure out how we can work best in-separation. In my interviews, many managers believe that their staff are, probably, working more productively in this situation. There seems to be more focus and concentration when employees are at their desk, whether conducting a project meeting, or attending an online workshop. When you exclude traveling time to/from work, and ‘water-cooler conversations’, the working day is better spent.

2) Competencies and Skill-sets: It would be opportune to begin planning strategically (firstly for yourself, then for your team) what your career options are. How much of your Job Description and Job Scope will change? Which skills may become obsolete? Which skills will be valued more? Which new skills will you need to adopt? If your profession and vocation runs the risk of becoming obsolete, or easily replaceable with digitalisation then which parallel professions do your current abilities and capabilities allow you to migrate to? If you were, unfortunately, subject to furlough and were laid off, what can you do to pitch yourself for your next job opportunties? Rest assured that if you have specific and endearing skills and are unafraid to venture into new pastures, you may shorten your incubation time before your next employ. Skills like selling, influencing, instructing, relationship, counseling, communication (reading, writing and mathematics, however up-sized and expanded) and negotiating, may still augur well for most industries and businesses. Now, if you are open to the ‘dirtiest and deadliest’ types of work, these will require specific training and an aptitude/appetite for such labour. You will also need to ‘fit’, and ‘fit-for-duty’.

3) Activating Your Values: What does this mean? You, often-times, hear the need to be resilient, enduring, agile, and creative. What do these values entail? Which knowledge, skills, behaviors and mindsets will you need to develop to keep you valued as an employee? Our DNA – core values – when aligned with a company’s can open doors of opportunity for us. In relationships, we need to build mutual trust and respect. We need to develop the tacit experiences and wisdom to work in/with teams? Our ability to manage conflict, confusion, distortions of the important messages, and rising expectations are points of consideration. Applying your knowledge is more valuable than gathering data and information. Almost anyone with access to the Internet can source information, but connecting to sources and resources require more than touching the keypad. We will need to remain connected with customers, partners, and collaborators and be able to appreciate the myriad ‘touch points’ that connect us with purpose and poise towards our collective future.  

I leave you with these considerations. Meanwhile, stay safe, be healthy, and decide to be diligent and discerning.

Valuing Oneself & Others

How do you measure performance and value your talents?

Have you 'actually' measured your value?

'Perceived value' translates into 'actual value'. That is why the best people are sought after by potential employers and executive search specialists. When these people value your skills, wisdom, experiences and competencies you get compensated more, are recognised and  valued even further. 'Pay for the best' is the truism when it come to employment and employability.

How do you appraise your value? How do you get valued like a precious diamond is assigned a price-tag, or your property/real estate is appraised?

Before your next performance appraisal, do a SWOT Analysis. Born of marketing, and used to assess the value of a brand, SWOT can be used to assess your valuable skills, and Unique Selling Points (USPs). SWOT is an acronym for Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. By identifying, in detail and exactness, your Strengths (abilities and capabilities) - you can project your Opportunities (including future value and potential). Your Weaknesses need to be reduced, and converted into competencies or your Threats increase to become your risks.

Do a SWOT Analysis before your next Performance Appraisal interview, job interview, or when updating your LinkedIn profile. 

Leadership Lessons: How do you value yourself? How do you value others? How do you answer questions relating to value, relevance and importance?

Lean Startups and Bartering Relationships (Part 3)

C) Build A Business That Will Offer Value

You cannot get rich, unless you offer people something of value.

People are attracted to things that they value, thus, they will treat it as valuable. 

How will your business benefit another?

Conduct two measurements before you embark on your business: Do a SWOT analysis, and a Cost-to-Benefit (CBA) analysis. These will give you a fair indication of what to prepare for. 

If you are investing into a business, avoid parasitic processes where you have to 'work' for somebody else's pot of gold. If you do, ensure you are higher up in the process. You can build your team, but ascertain that those you 'lead' will benefit just as much in their near-future. Avoid annoyingly-obligatory sales processes, i.e. selling to friends and family, and the  familiar. 

If it is a skills-based business, ascertain your skills, experience and wisdom. Identify your Unique Selling Points (UPSs) and uniqueness. Clarify this question: What makes you different that we should consider engaging you? Avoid the lowest-price trap (reflecting poor marketing competency).

More to follow. Best of planning and preparation!

Stop Being Invisible

The Invisible Man had a, unnoticeably, hard life. On one hand (when he could see it), he could operate undetected his clandestine tasks. On the other, he went about life relatively unnoticed. It is like you are a superhero, and nobody know you exist, or somebody more expressive steals your identity (and credit that goes with it). Thankfully, somebody noticed him eventually, too late for him to enjoy post-humous, Hollywood and publishing royalties based on his biography.

How many of you live your life invisibly?

I have heard the excuse of the recluse: ‘I just want to stay humble. It is the culture here: Don’t stand out too much. Avoid being loud.’ They sorely missed the point. Humility and humbleness are different values that you can exercise. Humble usually leads to grumble, in my observation.

Take the backseat, or drive the car! It is your choice. If you think somebody will steal your job, you are probably right – and because you allowed them to. If you think you are valuable and relevant still, you probably are. Back up that faith in yourself with concrete competencies and confidence. Nobody can MAKE you DO what you refuse to, unless you relinquished your decision-making ability!

My close friend, Kenneth last night shared with me this recent anecdote. He asked an interviewee for an administrative position: ‘How do you think you will add value to this company?’ She looked liked she had great difficulty with this question. She could not articulate herself clearly and lacked confidence. Most jobs evolve through time. Job descriptions and job scopes will expand and become distinct. Ken was patient and generous to spend some time coaching her for her next job. I hope she learnt to bag her next job interview.

Appear. Be noticed. Make your presence felt. Take on challenges. Be ‘salmon-like’ contrarian – swim against the river. You can be physically-challenged and take on physical challenges! My friend Adam, a one-armed runner has shifted from ultra-marathons to triathlons. He is planning to do the Ironman triathlon and Four Desert Challenges.

You can stand out with your actions. You can be spotted by your conviction. You will be noticed for your energy, enthusiasm, vigor and joyfulness. Stop letting other eviscerate you with their insults, sarcasm, and put-downs. Nobody can put you down unless you give him the permission. It is only after you have given them permission to offend you, that you pass on and pass up your power and authority. It is still your choice. It is your Personal Branding, or lack of it.

Better still – make your absence felt (in a good way, of course). Never fade out into the obscurity of the background. Play the foreground, sometimes.

Which Life Skills Will You Need To Stay Employable?

Is education important in life? Yes, however it is not critical. Relevant and useful skills are. Education does not, necessarily, translate into learning, and transfer of knowledge.

There is so much information out there, but how much of it is knowledge. Knowledge is power, so it has been said. How much knowledge do you possess? Of this, how much will be relevant to your value in the future?

Is experience important? Yes, only if it is related to your profession. Is working in a company about experience? Perhaps. Too many aging workers take length of service as experience, and they can be sadly mistaken. Unless they develop their skillfulness, resourcefulness, confidence and clarity of thought, they are merely practising loyalty to a job, or their company (or is this dead?).

We are not getting younger, and the young will push us to the back of the queue. Unless of course, you possess and apply skills that reflect your competencies, experiences, values and resourcefulness. Tweak your character. Respect others. Recognize them. Reassure others when appropriate. Build relationships instead of destroying them.

Which life skills do you possess? Which life skills will guarantee your existence? These will include: Interpersonal skills, written communication, influencing skills, presentation skills, conflict management, creative problem solving, decision-making skills, motivation, managing meetings, and leadership skills.

An openness to learning, staying broadminded, being involved and participative with others – these are useful attitudes to one’s profession and colleagues. What you know, who you know, and who knows you: these are properties worth developing in your human assets and capital. Be a lifelong learner. Actively apply what you have learnt. Be relevant. Be valuable. Be worthwhile. Make it worth your while to stay employed.

Arm yourself with skills, and capability. Forewarned is forearmed.

Can You Be Indispensable?

There is a prevailing belief, propagated and promulgated in large part by the management machinery. Nobody is indispensable! How true is that? Can you become indispensable?

Of course you can! The questions you need to consider are: how, and for how long?

Be a valued staff, and make yourself valuable. What can you offer beyond the achievements of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Key Results Areas (KRAs)? What do you do to add value? How do you multiply your value throughout your organization? How do you share value? Seriously give much thought into these value propositions.

Have you been asked to postpone your annual leave? Have you been told how the workplace was busier without you? If you returned after a hiatus, back to your job, then you are still valuable.

1. Have unique skills (be rare)

2. Be competent (so that you can compete)

3. Update your Job Description/Job Scope (scare the next person coming in!)

4. Do tasks that are not popular (writing minutes of meetings; editing; conversations with staff/management)

5. Lead, and be in leadership positions (include temporary ones)

6. Assume ‘acting’ roles (standing for a manager in their relative absence)

7. Reinvent yourself, and reduce your predictability

8. Shift that sense of dependability on you from a few days to a few weeks in a year (go from there)!