Blog ~ Page 19 of 38 ~ Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting

January 3, 2018

Steps to Take if You’re Put On a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)

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So you messed up at work – came in late too many times, missed an important project deadline (and not just once), or your behavior has become a bit aggressive, i.e. angry outbursts that others have begun commenting on. Your company has now decided they have had enough and have put you on a performance improvement plan (PIP) which, essentially, is a write-up that includes specific actions you need to take to improve in the area identified.

Typically, this is a final warning to you – if you don’t make desired changes, then you will be walked out the door. This is their message to you: get in the game or get out. But is this really the end?

This will depend on the manager and the company. For some, this is just a ‘going through the motion’ to satisfy HR or employment laws; they really don’t think you’ll make any improvements to make their required changes which may not be clear. For others, they know you have good skills and have added value to the company so they are giving you a chance to return to the good worker you were.

However, these situations are not always handled properly – bad behaviors that have gone noticed but nothing done, sometimes for years. No verbals – well, perhaps a ‘talking to;’ nothing written up to document the behaviors and how they have been handled. So, suddenly, you are now presented with a PIP – surprise!

But, is it really a surprise? Most times, employees know their behaviors are not appropriate but, because there has been no real action taken, they blindly feel that things are going well but feel blind-sided when this type of action is taken. But, I would tell you to calm down as there are steps to take to correct your behavior and become a good employee. It will take action on your part, so here are steps to take:

Don’t be defensive or indignant – this seems to be a natural response for many when confronted about their behavior; we don’t like to disappoint or to be embarrassed so the ego fights back. This is the time to breathe and absorb what is being said and the changes you need to make that will put you back in the good graces of your boss. Defensiveness is fought with more defensiveness and, in situations like this, you will lose as they have the upper hand. When you don’t adversely react, this will soften their position
Get clarity on their actions – don’t be afraid to ask questions and get specifics as to the behaviors they’ve noticed, which should include details (dates, times, circumstances, etc). Get clear on the actionable steps that your boss is asking you to take and in what time-frame; in other words, what is it going to take before they aren’t watching you or will trust you again. Without this, you will flounder, going about your day thinking you are doing the work to only be told ‘not enough.’
Mea Culpa – apologize for your behavior or missteps that have lead to the company taking this type of action, whether you think you have done ‘that wrong’ or not. Apologies go a long way to showing someone that you acknowledge your part and want to improve; in work situations, this is what your company wants to see. You can explain circumstances that may have lead to your adverse behaviors, such as car problems, focusing on another part of your job and not one that your boss needed you to focus on, or that you were dealing with an ill family member. While excuses are just that, it could help your case in how they feel about you.
Assess, Assess, Assess – your behavior. This is the time to go back and review the situation(s) you have been presented with that have led to the write-up. And honestly, including your attitude (which plays a big part in this). When you were late – did you leave on time or think ‘ it’s only 5 minutes.’ When you missed deadlines, were you distracted by other things (including your personal life) or were frozen in fear that it wouldn’t be good enough or get rejected. When you demanded your way, made snide comments to someone, or even yelled, not acting like a true team player, is this how you act in other situations or was there something you were upset about but didn’t acknowledge at the time. You can’t make corrections if you don’t look at your own behaviors, perceptions and expectations, taking full responsibility for them. This is what sets you free and when your change will occur.
Determine how you will go about making the improvements you have been presented with – it’s best to write what steps you have to take, in detail, and along with a timeline for each of them. Managing your time, being more present, and having a good attitude are concepts that are perceptual in nature but giving them concrete steps works towards better behavior: actions you will take first thing (‘eat the frog’); dates and times for deliverables; setting a time for leaving the house earlier; more networking with team members; regular check-ins for feedback with your boss; participating more in meetings and sharing of ideas -these are all considerations to include in your plan
Take action – TODAY! Sure, you will need to lick your wounds, but this is not the time to stay in ‘victim mode’ and wallow in your misfortune. A PIP is a big warning call – possibly the final one you will receive. So getting to work on making any improvements you are tasked with will lead to leaving this behind. It may be the wake-up call you need to determine if you have lost interest in your job, are not challenged enough, or need to work on your personal development to create new, positive behaviors and mindset. It could also show that it might be time to leave the organization behind.

Getting a performance improvement plan is not the end of you career. You have been given a second chance to be the great employee they hired and make a difference for your organization. The choice is yours to make so choose wisely.

Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting focuses on workplace happiness and organizational success. If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started! https://cyscoaching.com or barbara@cyscoaching.com. For more great tips, visit our other blog at https://allaboutcareersites.com

December 28, 2017

Choosing a Word or Theme for Your New Year

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Choosing a word or theme for your new year is a great way to keep focus on how you want the year to play out. Words are very powerful, as they can elicit emotions that feed drive and motivation. The more compelling the words are to you, the more connection you will feel.

The power of words are nothing new, as you can look at songs, poems. ad motivational quotes, which are all ways we feel an emotion which then creates an attachment to something o someone. The resulting emotions then lead to a behavior and taking action of some kind.

You can choose a word, phrase or a particular theme for areas of your life, such as:

for your home: purge, simplify, cleanse
for your relationships: love, honor, closeness, respect, boundaries
for your mental clarity: great ideas, peace, gratitude, confidence, honor myself, carpe diem (seize the day)
for your career/business: focus, money come easily to me, connections, workplace happiness
for your relationship with money: abundance, savings, no more debt, freedom
for your health: eat clean, no excuses, or you can borrow from Nike – just do it

I think you get the idea; see what you can expand on in these areas, which you may have more than I’ve listed. The point is, we need to find ways to keep motivated on the goals and outcomes we’ve set – choosing a word or theme is a great way to keep motivated and in achievement mode. As an add-on, make a picture or visual representation of what you came up with.

Keep your word or phrase in places where you will see it: as a screen saver on your fridge or bathroom mirror, or on a sticky note you keep by your computer screen. The more you see them, the more focus and motivation you will have to keep working towards your new-set goals and finish the year out strong.

If you feel stuck on finding your theme, or setting goals for more achievement in the new year, let’s talk!

December 25, 2017

Christmas Greetings!

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As we celebrate this most joyous day, I wanted to send out wishes that you, and your family, enjoy this day and remember the meaning it represents, not matter how you celebrate. Enjoy your day!
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Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting focuses on workplace happiness and organizational success. If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started! https://cyscoaching.com or barbara@cyscoaching.com. For more great tips, visit our other blog at https://allaboutcareersites.com

December 22, 2017

It's Friday – Time to Review

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First off, TGIF! This is the last day of the work-week, for most, while also being a long weekend due to Christmas being Monday. While most are just trying to get through the day and get on with their time off, there is s till work to get done.
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A great exercise to do today, and every Friday, is to go back and review your week to see what your ‘wins’ were, as well as what did not (and why); there are several benefits to doing so:

it shows your accomplishments, as these often get forgotten in the busyness of the week. It’s important to see that you are doing more than you believe which elevates your confidence and motivates you to continue on
It shows what you did not get done – no explanation on this one but it’s important to see why they did not – did something get in the way (an outside source), was it you and some underlying fear, etc. Without knowing you will continue these patterns
It shows what’s important to you regarding where you place your focus, and what tasks align with your skills and strengths. Often times, without realizing it, you may place importance on activities that feel ‘comfortable’ or are non-threatening, and not tackle those that are important and create high emotion. Do you read emails when you should be writing that report?
It shows where your time-wasters are so you can make corrections – time wasters occur for reasons I just stated – there is some underlying fear that arises and takes over. The amygdala (fight or flight) actives, releasing cortisol which hits the executive functions in the brain leaving you to put them off or avoid completely. Understanding this will help you to create a schedule you can stick with and get more done and plan for pushing past when those times occur
Its shows you how to set goals and what you need to prioritize – reviewing the past week’s list can uncover patterns for how you set goals and how you prioritize those activities (if you do, which you should). Recognizing your work patterns can go a long way to reinforcing those that are having an effect and those you need to stop doing. Prioritizing tasks is another key element to accomplishment and gives you direction on how you plan your day; overwhelm occurs when you think all of your given tasks have to be done at once so giving them a rating number will alleviate this problem. You can give them a 1-2-3, etc. or an A-B-C rating so you have no doubt on which to work on first.
It shows you what needs to get done for next week’s to-do list – now that you’ve reviewed your current week, you can take any unfinished tasks and carry them over to your new list, giving them a priority rating, and then add any new items. You will be clearer on how to start your week and can rest easy on your days off. You won’t wake up in the middle of the night, suddenly remembering that you forgot to do something needed.

This exercise will go a long way to your productivity and managing your time throughout the day. Your days will go by smoother from planning better, which all starts with a review. Wishing you relaxing weekend!
Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting focuses on workplace happiness and organizational success. If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started! https://cyscoaching.com or barbara@cyscoaching.com. For more great tips, visit our other blog at https://allaboutcareersites.com

December 21, 2017

Membership Has Its Benefits (But You Need To Appreciate Them)

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Membership has its benefits; being a member of a networking group, or a professional association, definitely has its benefits:

you can network with like-minded people, who have your same interests and experience
you can get educated on the latest and greatest that is happening in your field that will enhance your professional development
you can volunteer to serve in a leadership capacity of some type; this raises your profile and you become memorable to others
you can speak, or serve on a panel, so that others can see your expertise
you can find a job, not just through networking but these types of groups have job boards that list postings
you can find a mentor, either formally or informally, who can help you in your career path or can connect you to the ‘right’ people’
you can find potential clients, or referrals to them

But, while membership has its benefits, it also means you have to show up to meetings and participate. If not, why join (and to put it on your resume doesn’t count). Associations and groups rely on your participation in their meetings and offerings; these are for your benefit, as mentioned above. But you also have to see the benefit and truly be a member – an active member; if not, these will fail.

Recognizing that there can be some challenges from actively participating. i.e. work schedules, time of day, location, time of year, etc. that do get in the way. Another factor is balancing time for business activities, such as client meetings or working with them. So adding your professional meetings into your calendar will become another appointment to fulfill.

Many connections and friendships can also ensure from going to meetings, which is what these are all about. How you capitalize on these opportunities is yours for the taking; but, from personal experience, they have led to:

speaking opportunities
being a published author
leading a mentoring program
business leads that turned into clients
referral partners
friends

“Membership has its privileges,” as the saying goes, so take advantage of a great way to enhance your career by becoming a member of a group in your industry. Be committed to the group and the benefits you receive will come back to you in ways you cannot imagine. Most allow you to visit before joining, so go to several and see what they’re about to ensure a good ‘fit.’ Focus on the benefits you’ll receive and the decision will be an easy one to make.