Ever heard the expression that you should dress for the job you want, and not the one you have? I read this interesting little passage a few weeks back and just thought I’d share.

Today in business, “looking the part” has definitely resurfaced as a priority in the eyes of many decision-makers. Perhaps that’s why so many organizations are encouraging their employees to wear “business ready” attire. Dressing in a “business ready” mode means wearing clothes that ensure that you are one of the first individuals to come to mind when your manager realizes he or she is double-booked and needs an instant replacement for that upcoming meeting. “Business ready” means never having to say you’re sorry for how you look during a meeting. In short, “business ready” attire means dressing for the position you want rather than for the one you have. It’s the best (and most lucrative) approach to business attire, and it’s one you should adopt whatever formal style guidelines your organization promulgates.

Sabath, Ann Marie. Business etiquette : 101 ways to conduct business with charm and savvy -2nd ed. . Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press, 2002. Page 42.

Clearly, talent and hard (smart) work are the most important determinants of professional success. By pointing out this quote, I just want to acknowledge that there are also smaller, less subtle details that can weigh in your favor when all else is equal; among them being dress and personal appearance.

Originally posted on JonathanBabcock.com as:

Looking the Part

Obviously, there is a time for seriousness, and it is important to maintain a level of professionalism and to know and respect limits. However, I’ve found that one of the best ways to maintain my own sanity and to help those with whom I work to do the same is to try to look at the lighter side of things whenever possible.

As I was scrolling through my favorite feeds today, I came across a fun post entitled 10 ways to use humor on the job by Calvin Sun. It includes a few tips on how to incorporate humor in your daily activities, as well as some tips on avoiding trouble in the process.

A particular point I found interesting centered on the “rule of threes” in humor; something with which I was not familiar:

Have you ever noticed how many jokes involve a minister, a priest, and a rabbi? Or a member of ethnic groups 1, 2, and 3? An old saying tells us that “A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” Triangular structures are among the strongest ones possible. The number three represents symmetry and completeness. Therefore, when developing your humor, try to involve three elements.

I guess I hadn’t consciously noted that before, maybe that’s why my best stuff seems to bomb so often.

A point that I can especially appreciate is that of “using humor to diffuse embarrassment and tension.” I really think that sometimes we get so caught up in the daily pressures of the work environment and forget that, at the end of the day, it’s a job, and not the sole reason for our existence. Injecting an occasional dose of humor allows us to step back, cool down, and reset the internal stress-meter.

One of the goofy little things I’ve done in the past (and my posting about it probably won’t do it justice, but bear with me) is to go around at approximately 3 or 4 o’clock on Wednesday after noon with some techno-sounding ringtone blasting on my cell phone and high-five every one on the team and wish them a “happy hump day” and tell them what a great job they’d been doing at whatever they it is they do and that we only had 2 more days to go. Granted, that wouldn’t fly with just any team, but in the group I was with at the time, it became something of a tradition, and did work to change a few “game faces” to smiles and release some stress.

What are your thoughts on humor on the job? What are some of the things you do to lighten things up? I’ll be interested in hearing your comments!

Originally posted on JonathanBabcock.com as:

Does Humor on the Job Work for You?

I liked Malcom Munro’s post so well that I thought I’d just do some commentary on some of the principles listed in hist post instead of trying to reinvent the wheel.

1. Quit focusing on the outward appearance and concentrate on what’s on the inside.

Some may say that that sounds a bit trite, but I do believe that it’s true. Some individuals will be incredibly good at projecting an image. Evaluating substance over style is a good rule of thumb. Some of your most valuable folks won’t be your most socially skilled, or refined in dress, appearance or delivery. Focus first on character and performance, last on the thin shiny, and occasionally deceptive veneer.

2. Be a good listener.

This is oh, so true, but a lot easier to conceptualize than to actually do. I have become a solutions person. For a number of years I was paid to quickly analyze input and formulate options for potential solutions on the fly. That has tended to carry over into my interpersonal conversations as well, and at some cost.

If you want to establish relationships of trust with employees - or anyone for that matter, show them you care and are interested by hearing them out with an uncritical ear.

3. Put Yourself in Your Employees’ Shoes

Empathy is always a good thing. Even if you haven’t had similar experiences, try to put yourself in the other’s place. The key to building lasting working relationships is through the establishment of relationships based on trust. Showing empathy is a good way to build trust.

4. Be humble – nobody is good enough to be arrogant!

Amen, amen, and amen. You may be the pretty good at what you do. You may even be the bigshot in your little corner of the world, but even the best of the best are well served by a touch of humility. As a manager, a key component to your success and the success of your organization is the ability to have your subordinates want to succeed and want you to succeed. It is much, much easier to pull for someone who is humble.

Benjamin Franklin may have put it best: “To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness.”

5. Allow people to have some autonomy – don’t micromanage them

Spot on. Teach your people correct principles. Train them as to the right way of doing things, and establish some high-level standards. Once that is done, set them loose. Allowing for employees to have autonomy in their spheres of responsibility allows them to feel a greater sense of ownership of the work being done, which will enhance the quality of the end deliverable. Going back to the bullet on humility, a manager has to realize that the varied talents and experience of his/her subordinates are a great asset that should be leveraged.

Provide freedom with some basic operating parameters that allow for freedom and creativity. Then, sit back and watch as the morale of your team and the quality of their deliverables reach new heights.

6. It’s Not Always About the Money

7. Ranting, raving, yelling, and screaming at employees won’t motivate them. They’ll actually think you look stupid and immature.

I’ve heard nightmare stories, but have been fortunate to not have to work for any real hotheads. I agree, though, that there are right and wrong ways to motivate and drive people to their best effort. I doubt the drill sergeant approach makes the top 10 in many lists outside the Army!

8. Understand your employees have outside concerns. They can’t just turn off their personal lives at work.

I’m a bit touchy on this point, although I think I understand why it is on the list. Here’s my point of apprehension: when I go home from work, I try to leave work at the office. I work to live, I don’t live to work. For this reason, I would expect that while “on the clock”, folks will do their very best to focus on their work responsibilities. However, it is incumbent upon a good manager to be human and to understand that folks will have good days, and some not-so-good ones, and that occasionally people just need a little slack.

9. People are emotional beings. Deal with them accordingly.

I’m not going to go into this point as I’m sure full books have been written on the topic without fully covering it. I think that a few of the previous points have supported this one, though.

To the list above, I would add one or two more (which are probably actually only subdivisions of those Munro has listed). The first of which is to be positive. I received the following quote via e-mail, and don’t know to whom it is attributed, but it is good and true:

“The king had two sons — one an optimist, the other a pessimist. The king gave the pessimist everything he desired, and he gave the optimist a room full of horse manure. The pessimist was despondent because he no longer had anything to look forward to. The optimist was as happy as he could be. ‘With all this manure,’ he said, ‘there must be a pony in here somewhere.’”

Sometimes you have to dig through a lot of manure to get to the pony. It is incumbent upon a manager - especially in scenarios where it is abundandly clear that there is no shortage of manure - to set the tone and communicate a “can do” attitude.

My last point would be to never pass up the opportunity to build your people up; to commend a job well-done, and to acknowledge the worth of each member of your team. Bonnie Jean Wasmund stated, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

When people feel that their best efforts will be recognized, they’ll be more inclined to repeat that type of effort. It is basic human nature to repeat behavior that is rewarded.

Anyway, this post got a little longer than I had originally intended, but I hope it provides value and a little more insight into the art of managing and dealing with others professionally. Again, thanks to Malcom Munro for the fine source material.

Originally posted on JonathanBabcock.com as:

Timeless Management Principles

I’ve devised a list that I think provides a broad but helpful guide that, if followed by meeting attendees, will result in a quality meeting where objectives can be met, and the tearing out of hair by its roots by participants can be greatly reduced, if not eliminated.

• Be on time - In fact, don’t just be on time, be early. There are few things that can keep a meeting from getting on track better than having new attendees filing into the room (or “beeping” on as they join the call) throughout the course of the meeting. Granted, sometimes things beyond one’s control may lead to a rare punctuality “hiccup”. That should be the very rare exception. If you have to travel to the meeting, make provisions for bad traffic or other potential delays.

• Be prepared - It is so utterly frustrating to try to lead a meeting or even attend a meeting for which folks have not completed their assignments. In the case of a review meeting for a project deliverable, ALWAYS review the document beforehand and come to the meeting prepared with any questions or comments that you feel you need to raise. Don’t use valuable meeting time as your first pass.

• Be attentive - If at all possible, turn off the cell phone. Quit answering pages and text messages. Don’t use meeting time for napping and daydreaming. It is very unprofessional and evident to others when someone is spacing out during a meeting, or working feverishly to pay attention to everything but the flow of the meeting.

• Be concise - No one enjoys meetings that go long. Let’s get in, accomplish what we need to, and get out. When participating in discussion, try to be sensitive to the amount of time allotted for the meeting, and the amount of material that has yet to be covered. Try to restrict comments and discussions to specific matters pertinent to the meeting agenda. Don’t try to turn a 30 minute status meeting into a personal deposition on how to solve world hunger.

• Be courteous - Hear other meeting participants’ ideas out. Listen first for a change. Don’t be the guy that just has to dominate the discussion with no apparent regard for the thoughts and ideas of others.

• Be real - Listen, in most cases the meeting is not going to be all about you, so don’t approach it that way. You’re just another cog in the machine. You’re as valuable as anyone else - don’t get me wrong - but the value of the group setting is in pooling ideas and taking advantages of the synergies of multiple able minds working toward a common end.

Obviously, there is more to be said about professional courtesy in meetings than 6 high-level bullets can provide. There are probably books and seminars the subject, but that’s not my game. I do hope that you’ll find these useful, though.

Feel free to drop a comment if you have additions or suggestions.

Originally posted on JonathanBabcock.com as:

The 6 “Be’s” of Meeting Etiquette