La inercia que impide el cambio

If You Want to Change, Don’t Read This

by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic

There is a great scene in Godfather 2 where Kay (Diane Keaton) complains to husband Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) about his unfulfilled promise to make his business fully legit and quit being a mafioso. Michael responds that he is still working on it, reassuring Kay emphatically: “I’ll change, I’ll change — I’ve learned that I have the strength to change.”

Although most of us aren’t part of the mafia, we are still a bit like Michael Corleone in that we overestimate our capacity for change. In theory everyone can change, but in practice most people don’t… except for some well-documented changes that affect most of us.

For example, most people display antisocial tendencies during adolescence and slower thinking inlate adulthood, but these changes are by no means indicative of a psychological metamorphosis. Rather, they are akin to common lifespan changes in physical traits, such as gains or drops in height during childhood and late adulthood, respectively — they occur to everyone. Likewise, there are typical changes in personality, even within 5-year periods. A seminal review showed that we become more prudent, emotionally stable, and assertive with age, while our energy and intellectual curiosity dwindle after adolescence. In other words, as we grow older we become more calm and mature, but also more passive and narrow-minded.

A more interesting question is whether categorical changes are feasible. Can someone be extremely introverted at certain age, but super outgoing at another? Can someone transition from being a self-centred narcissist to being a caring and giving soul? Or from being exceptionally smart to being incredibly stupid?

On the one hand, there is no shortage of famous case studies to illustrate radical transformations in people’s reputation (their public persona). Sometimes these changes — like Miley Cyrus’s transformation from innocent Disney star to tongue-wielding twerker — seem more like carefully planned PR campaigns than true psychological journeys. But others do make us wonder if there’s something deeper going on inside. Bill Gates started as a stereotypical computer nerd, then turned into a talented entrepreneur, then morphed into a ruthless empire-builder, and then became the most charitable person on earth, giving away most of his — and his friends’ — wealth. The late Nelson Mandela, perhaps the least disputed moral figure of our times, had an arrogant, aggressive, and antisocial youth before inspiring everyone with his path of nonviolent resistance.

And yet scientific studies indicate that categorical changes in character are unusual. When there is change, it usually represents an amplification of our character. In other words, even when our patterns of change are unique, they are predictable: we simply become a more exaggerated version of ourselves. This happens in three different ways. First, we tend to interpret events according to our own personal biases, which only reinforces those biases. For instance, pessimists perceive ambivalent feedback as criticism, which, in turn, enhances their pessimism over time; the opposite happens with optimists. Second, we gravitate towards environments that are congruent with our own default attitudes and values. Hedonists seek pleasure and fun-loving people, which, in turn, makes them even more hedonistic. Aggressive people crave conflict and combat, which only augments their aggression. Altruists hang out with caring people and spend time helping others, which enhances their empathy and reinforces their selflessness. Third, our reputation does truly precede us: others (including strangers and acquaintances) make unconscious inferences about our character in order to explain our behavior and predict what we may do next. These intuitive evaluations may be inaccurate, but they are still self-fulfilling. With time, we morph into the person others think we are; their prejudiced and fantasized representation of us turns real and becomes ingrained in our identity. Reputation really is fate.

As a consequence, deliberate attempts to change are far less effective than we like to think, which is why most New Year’s resolutions are never accomplished — and why our long-term happiness levels are fairly constant and relatively immune to extreme life events (whether it is a painful divorce or the joys of winning the lottery).

Needless to say, some people are more capable of changing than others. Ironically, those individuals tend to be more pessimistic about their very chances of changing. Indeed, neurotic, introverted and insecure people are more likely to change, whereas highly adjusted and resilient individuals are less changeable. Likewise, optimism breeds overconfidence and hinders change by perpetuating false hopes and unrealistic expectations.

So, how can we change? The recipe for self-change is fairly straightforward — it is just hard to implement. In order to change, we need to start by building self-awareness, which is best achieved by obtaining (and believing) honest and critical feedback from others. Next, we must come up with a realistic strategy that focuses on attainable goals, such as changing a few specific behaviors (e.g., more eye contact, less shouting, more smiling, etc.) rather than substantial aspects of our personality (e.g., interpersonal sensitivity, empathy, and sociability). Finally, we will need an enormous amount of effort and dedication in order to both attain and maintain any desired changes — or we will quickly revert to our old habits. In short, change requires self-critical insight, humble goals, and indefatigable persistence. It means going against our nature and demands extraordinary levels of willpower.

So think carefully before you promise to change. And if you have tried to change and failed — well, you’ve got lots of company.

Harvard Business Review

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6 formas en que el trabajo en equipo falla

6 Surprising Ways Teams Fail 

BY THE BUILD NETWORK STAFF

Some of the dysfunctions you have to avoid.

Patrick Lencioni has written a bible on why teams fail (The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: ALeadership Fable), and the book is wildly popular: Of its 670 reviews on Amazon.com, a whopping 602 awarded four or five stars.

Naturally, many consultants appreciate this book. And one of them--Deborah Mackin of New Directions Consulting in North Bennington, Vt.--has even developed a list of six additional dysfunctions, complementing Lencioni's five (absence of trust, fear of conflict, lack of commitment, avoidance of accountability, and inattention to results).

Here's Mackin's list:

1. Wanting team-based results without constructing a team-based structure."What does a team-based structure look like?" she asks. "There is a gelling that happens when teams define their own goals and approach, pitch in to share roles and responsibilities, commit to core values and beliefs that reinforce the importance of every member, and demonstrate a willingness to hold each other accountable for results."

2. Overestimating the importance of the task focus and underestimating process and relationship. "In any team functioning, there are actually three things going on: task/content, processes and relationships. When project teams or cross-functional teams are formed, the emphasis is too often put on getting the tasks done (the 'what') and not enough attention is paid to the 'how.' As a consequence, the team never discusses how they'll communicate, run their meetings, make decisions, solve problems, or assign responsibilities."

3. The culture doesn't really encourage collaboration and cooperation."Sometimes, people will ask us to come in and do a half-day workshop on team-building. Exactly what can be accomplished in 3.5 hours that will significantly change behaviors that have existed and been tolerated in organizations for years?"

4. Still believing in the 'lone star' myth. "Despite the fact that we know the world is getting increasingly complicated and change is happening at the speed of light, we persist in believing we can do it better ourselves."

5. Neglecting the talent pool that resides in a team. "When we ask people in training if they feel that their organization taps into all their skills and experiences, no one raises his or her hand. So much knowledge is getting left on the table. Without a process for scanning the skills existing in the team, too many members simply show up to meetings and contribute only when solicited. They bring a functional mentality that limits contribution to those things that closely align with their job description. We have yet to figure out in organizations how to extract the sum total of talent on a team."

6. Insufficient training prior to launching the team's work. "Start-up teams need to be trained in the definition of a team, the behaviors associated with high performance teams, how to structure the team's meetings and processes, how to resolve conflicts and personality differences, when and how to use consensus, and how to share roles and responsibilities. The list goes on and on. Our modern culture does not teach these competencies as a matter of course. As a consequence, when a team experiences the first member who is bossy or doesn't pull his/her weight, no one knows what to do, other than talking behind the person's back or acting out in passive-aggressive behaviors."

Inc.com

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Tips de liderazgo para 2014

¿Quieres ser un mejor líder? Intente esto en 2014
BY MARC BARROS
Recargar su mente, cuerpo y alma, y ​​2014 será su mejor año.

How often do you find yourself complaining about being exhausted?

Almost every entrepreneur falls into the pattern of not getting enough sleep, working too hard, and not exercising, even though these things are scientifically proven to make you happier. Instead we come up with excuses for why we don't have the time for what matters.

When I was CEO of Contour Cameras, I was doing the same thing. Despite having a healthy foundation as a former National Collegiate Association athlete, I was running myself into the ground. My family received the brunt of the neglect, while my body took the rest. It got so bad that if I didn't feel exhausted, I worried I wasn't working hard enough.

Unfortunately, the only thing that stopped this downward spiral was getting fired from my own company. It was only then that I realized taking care of my family and personal health was more important than all the rest.

Most leaders forget that their lifestyle sets the precedent for their company's culture. If you value quantity over quality, your team over family, or work over everything else, your team is going to feel stressed and deliver unimaginative work.

So as you think about the next year, I challenge you to make it one when you refuel and find your way back to the passionate, high energy entrepreneur your team once knew.

This transition won't be easy, but there are a few things you can work on everyday to be a happier leader in 2014.

Silence Your Phone

When you get home, unplug--especially during dinner and family time. Your significant other will notice because you won't constantly be checking your pocket and actually show up for the conversation.

If this sounds like too much, you can work up to it by putting your phone on vibrate, turning off updates, and leaving it at your desk during meetings. Being able to disconnect on command will help you get over the anxiety that no one can reach you all night.

Hit the Gym

Every week you should exercise most days. Yes, it does require to you schedule this on your calendar, but it can--and should--be done. If you have to wake up early, go to bed an hour earlier. If you're going after work, bring your workout clothes with you. And if you're on the road, wake up early to run a short circuit in your hotel room.

Be Vulnerable

The best leaders are incredibly vulnerable. They are willing to share their deepest fears, show their emotions, and tell stories that go well beyond the company to their heart.

You can practice this every day by writing a thoughtful sentence about how something made you feel in an email, or responding with something deeper than just "fine" when someone asks how you're doing. Learn to pause when you address large groups of people so you get comfortable with silence.

If you need more practice, try taking an improv comedy or theatre class that forces you to get up in front of random people. It's not enough to discuss work topics; you have to get to the point where you won't get nervous every time it's your turn to speak.

Get More Rest

This is by far the most neglected aspect of any entrepreneur's life, despite being among the most important. Buffer wrote a great piece about why taking naps and having a consistent sleep pattern matters. I suggest you read up on it.

Travel

A lot of us became entrepreneurs because of the freedom in lifestyle. But once we started running a company, we chose to work constantly. It may be agonizing to walk away from your office, but taking vacations is healthy for you and everyone in your life.

Weekends and three-day holidays don't count. Try taking at least a two week vacation in 2014, when you don't check email or make phone calls. If your team can't execute without you, your leadership is broken.

Remember, when you look back on your life, the stories you tell will be about your adventures--not the time spent in front of a laptop.

Find Things That Inspire You

If you want to inspire others, you've got to inspire yourself. This is hard to do when you're sitting behind a desk all day, thinking about business. But inspiration can come in any form. I personally find it through reading, writing, discovering pictures, and traveling.

Each day, try to find something small that you're inspired to share with your family or team.

Find a Mentor

Almost every leader neglects his or her own personal development. It's easy to value the hiring of topic experts, but of greatest value to the company is your strength as a leader.

I like to think of business leaders as athletes. Peyton Manning didn't become the best quarterback in the world without amazing coaches, a training regimen, and countless hours of hard work--and neither will you without the right support.

If you can't afford a coach, find a mentor you can visit on a regular basis. Ideally, you want someone you personally like who has experience leading people and some understanding of your business.

Inc

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8 arquetipos de liderazgo... 8

Leadership: 8 Archetypes Explained 

BY WILL YAKOWICZ

A company's success depends on putting together a leadership team that possesses complementary skills. That first requires identifying what type of leader you are.





Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries, the author of The Hedgehog Effect: The Secrets of Building High Performance Teams, says that many leaders fail because they do not have a team of top executives who complement their weaknesses.

Kets de Vries, a leadership development professor at INSEAD, the international business school, studies executives and their patterns of behavior, and has come up with eight different leadership archetypes. The skills associated with each archetype must be aligned with the company's needs, he writes in the Harvard Business Review."[A] lack of fit between a leader's archetype and the context in which he or she operates is a main cause of team and organizational dysfunctionality and executive failure." 

Below, Kets de Vries outlines eight of the most prominent archetypes:

The strategist believes in "leadership as a game of chess," he writes. This leader can deal with surprise developments and issues with vision and direction.

The change-catalyst is best at "turnaround activity." "These executives love messy situations," he writes. "They are masters at reengineering and creating new organizational 'blueprints.'"

The transactor makes deals. Kets de Vries says this archetype is "skilled at identifying and tackling new opportunities" and is a natural negotiator.

The builder is an entrepreneur at heart. This type of leader has the talent, creative power, and determination to bring ideas to reality, he says.

The innovator is creative and generates new ideas. "They possess a great capacity to solve extremely difficult problems," Kets de Vries writes.

The processor is all about efficiency. "These executives like organizations to be smoothly running, well-oiled machines," he says. This leader has a knack for implementing systems and company structures.

The coach is all about nurturing people's skills. "These executives know how to get the best out of people, thus creating high-performance cultures," he says.

The communicator is magnetic and articulates clearly. Kets de Vries says this type of leader is an influencer and has a big positive impact on the company.

The single omnipresent ruler is a thing of the past, Kets de Vries writes. Successful companies are led by a team of self-aware executives who band together with "distributive, collective, and complementary leadership." The starting point in effective leadership is to identify yourself as one of the archetypes and find where you need support, he says.

"Working out which types of leaders you have on your team can work wonders for your effectiveness as a group. It helps you to recognize how you and your colleagues can individually make their best contributions," he writes. "This will in turn create a culture of mutual support and trust, reduce team stress and conflict, and make for more creative problem solving."

Inc

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Nuevo marco para la gestión del tiempo

Este es un marco fascinante para la gestión del tiempo
Inc. Adam Vaccaro, INC


Todos sabemos la clase de sacrificio que se necesita para iniciar y dirigir una empresa. De largas horas y horas de la noche a la mañana temprano y por omisión de comidas, su empresa es su todo.
Este principio, sin embargo, choca con lo que sabemos que es verdad de otra cosa : el valor de una adecuada conciliación de la vida laboral. Asegurarse de que usted pasa una buena cantidad de tiempo de trabajo no se ha demostrado una y otra vez para llevar a los niveles más altos de productividad, el compromiso y la satisfacción.

¿Existen los fines de semana para los empresarios?
Este contraste fue el centro de una conversación iniciada por consultor Dorie Clark en Quora, que pidió, ya sea para los empresarios, existen los fines de semana ? Emprendedor en serie Michael Wolfe responde con un rotundo sí. Su creencia : El equilibrio no es sólo posible, sino necesario.

" Reglas como" no existen los fines de semana " son ridículas a menos que piense que morir una grasa, solo, perdedor o que usted quiere que su primera empresa a ser el último, " escribe.

Wolfe no niega que el emprendimiento requiere de mucho trabajo. Pero él va a detallar la forma en que maneja su propio equilibrio personal, abordar la cuestión en trozos.

Tu Día
Wolfe dice que cada día, elige un par de cosas que hay que hacer durante el día y se centra en ellos, poniendo todas las demás tareas en una lista de tareas para acceder más tarde.

Se pone un poco de ejercicio al caminar, correr o ir en bicicleta a trabajar, y él hace tiempo para cenar con su familia, a pesar de que a veces tiene que hacer un negocio o una comida de networking. Él podría conseguir un poco de trabajo adicional por hacer después de la cena, dice, pero no toma en cualquier cosa demasiado grande porque va a causar insomnio.

Su Semana
Wolfe admite a conseguir un poco de trabajo hecho durante el fin de semana. Pero la mayoría de los sábados y domingos se gastan con los amigos y la familia - incluyendo una noche de los sábados con su esposa. La familia también tiene una noche cada semana, y también se reúnen los domingos por la noche para discutir los planes para la próxima semana.

Su Año
Wolfe es capaz de hacer un poco de espacio para las vacaciones, con tiempo libre durante los días festivos y los horarios de los viajes de esquí de fin de semana en el invierno. También viaja con su familia en el verano, pero dice que trabaja mucho durante ese viaje.

Su... década
Aquí es donde las cosas se ponen realmente interesantes : Wolfe escribe que él se asegura de tomarse un año sabático cada pocos años. Si bien esto es logrado por un emprendedor en serie que podría encontrarse entre los proyectos y al ras con el dinero después de que se ejecuta en una salida más fácil, el principio detrás de tomarse un tiempo prolongado fuera sigue siendo muy fuerte :

" Trabajar duro seguido por largo descanso es un modelo mucho mejor que el año / año a sudar tinta de una vacaciones de verano frenético por año hasta que se jubile o muera ", escribe.



Leer más: http://www.inc.com/adam-vaccaro/reasonable-working-hours-framework.html # ixzz2nfiCRgLC

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Las fases del cambio

Las fases que vivimos ante un cambio

Por: Pilar Jericó | 16 de diciembre de 2013

Nos cuesta el cambio y cuando ocurre nos adentramos en fases algunas incómodas. En la medida que entendamos cuáles son, podremos acelerar su proceso y por supuesto, la salida. Dichas fases son similares si nos enfrentamos a un nuevo trabajo, a una nueva relación afectiva, una enfermedad o a una pérdida, aunque lógicamente la profundidad de la curva y su duración será bien distinta. Lo hemos recogido en una bonito gráfico, pero por supuesto, nunca es tan lineal. Hay días que nos sentimos fuertes y avanzamos a paso de gigantes; y otros, parece que retrocedemos kilómetros atrás. Pero es normal. Así son nuestras emociones.

Lo que vamos a presentar son las fases para poder reconocerlas y lo más importante, poder acelerarlas. Todas ellas son similares a las que viven los héroes de las películas de guión “bien hecho” (Matrix, La Guerra de las Galaxias o las de Disney, por ejemplo). Se inspiran en el minucioso trabajo de Joseph Campbell después de estudiar la mitología, las religiones o las tradiciones antiquísimas, y las cuales recogen el proceso que requieren las emociones para ir deshaciéndose.

Nuestra mente va más deprisa que nuestros sentimientos. Podemos comprender la bondad de las cosas que nos ocurren o incluso el sentido de la muerte de un ser querido enfermo y muy mayor. Sin embargo, por mucho que comprendamos, no significa que no suframos o que no nos adentremos en desiertos emocionales. Por ello, cualquier cambio que implique una transformación y un aprendizaje vivirá fases con una determinada duración, pero si somos capaces de comprenderlas, al menos tendremos más recursos para atravesarlas y vivirlas desde una actitud de protagonista y no como víctima. Veámoslas a continuación con algunas claves:

Llamada a la aventura

Es el comienzo de cualquier cambio, el cual según la medicina tradicional china puede ser motivado por la llamada del cielo, cuando es algo buscado (nuevo proyecto, nueva relación afectiva, tener un hijo); o llamada del trueno, cuando es inesperado y desconcertante (un error, un despido, la pérdida de un ser querido). Los primeros lógicamente son más sencillos, pero no están exentos de pequeños o grandes truenos. En dicha fase lo más importante es decirse:

¿Cuál es la invitación que tengo para dar lo mejor de mí mismo o de mí misma?

Negación

No hay héroe que no tenga un momento de debilidad o de duda. El motivo es sencillo: la mente actúa como un parapeto para aceptar los cambios. En dicha fase están las quejas, los enfados, culpar al otro o caer en el victimismo, que busca evitar responsabilidades o simplemente, protegernos de emociones que a veces nos superan. Así sucede, por ejemplo, cuando vivimos algo doloroso, como una separación o un fracaso. En dichos momentos, existen personas que pueden creer que están bien, sin embargo, su humor es amargo o cae en estados iracundos. La negación "niega" la realidad, nuestras emociones o nuestras responsabilidades y es posiblemente, la fase más difícil de superar. En otro post, la analizaremos con más detenimiento dada su complejidad, sin embargo, las preguntas que aceleran son sencillas:

¿Qué papel he jugado en todo ello? ¿Qué puedo aprender? ¿Qué me está doliendo? 

Miedo

Es la emoción reina en nuestra vida y que siempre nos acompañará. Sin embargo, cuando dejamos de echar culpa al mundo que nos rodea y miramos un poco hacia dentro, aparece el miedo con gran intensidad. Existen dos tipos de miedo: el sano, que es la prudencia y el tóxico, que es el que nos lastra. El desafío no es no tenerlo, puesto que neurológicamente es imposible, sino que al menos no nos impida seguir adelante. La reflexión que nos ayuda es:

¿Qué es lo que no quiero perder? A pesar de mi miedo, ¿qué decisiones podría tomar?

Travesía por el desierto

Cuando caemos en la frustración o aceptamos una pérdida surge el desierto, del que hablamos en otro artículo. No existe héroe ni en los cuentos ni en las religiones que no atraviesen su desierto metafórico. Es el momento de rendición, de aceptar el dolor y de tocar con nuestra humildad. El desierto siempre es un lugar de “intercambio”. Perdemos cosas para ganar otras. Es imposible abrirnos a aprendizajes nuevos si no desaprendemos otros. Pueden durar minutos o meses. Lógicamente, cuando nos enfrentamos a una pérdida dolorosa el desierto se convierte en una noche oscura, con profundidades emocionales mucho más complejas. Por ello, si queremos salir del dolor el único camino es aceptarlo y no negarlo. La mirada positiva es válida solo cuando se ha abrazado lo que nos duele, no cuando se niega. De ahí, la fuerza transformadora de los desiertos. La reflexión en esta fase es:

¿De qué tengo que despedirme? ¿Y qué nuevas posibilidades se abren?

Nueva realidad y nuevos hábitos

Todo el mundo sale del desierto en mayor o menor medida, excepto casos de pérdidas extremas, que siempre dejan una cicatriz difícil. Es entonces, cuando aparece una nueva realidad, que se acompaña de unos nuevos hábitos. Aceptamos un despido o un fracaso profesional cuando hemos transitado por el dolor y comenzamos a hacer cosas diferentes. En dicho momento, hemos integrado el proceso y vamos experimentando con una nueva realidad. Para acelerar la curva, existen algunas claves de las que hemos hablado en otros artículos o lo haremos en un futuro, como: 

1.  Visualizar el nuevo proyecto: Definirlo en objetivos concretos y planes.
2. Poner pasión. Un gran antídoto ante el miedo es el disfrute y la ilusión.
3. Aprendizaje a través de la frecuencia.
4. Transformar emociones negativas en positivas, aprender a relativizar y a tomar distancia.
5. Apoyarse en las personas que nos rodean.
6. Confianza en uno mismo.
7. Compromiso hacia los otros

Y cuando termina la curva comienza otra. De hecho, cada día vivimos al mismo tiempo diferentes curvas tanto a nivel personal como profesional, y que es el gran síntoma de que estamos vivos. La vida es algo a descubrir que no a someter en hojas de Excel, donde todo deba encajar. En cada paso que damos entran en juego emociones que nos superan y realidades que también nos sorprenden. En la medida que desarrollemos nuestra curiosidad y nuestra capacidad de aprender, podremos acelerar ese potencial que todos tenemos y por supuesto, sentirmos con más serenidad. 

Fuente: Jericó, P (2010): Héroes Cotidianos, Planeta.

El País

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Liderazgo: El satánico Dr. NO

La Integridad del No 
Por Brian Evje

Muchos líderes no saben cómo decir no . Otros dicen que casi un acto reflejo . Cómo conseguir el equilibrio adecuado .


Los líderes a menudo tienen dificultades con el proceso de decir "no" cuando se comunican con sus equipos y tomar decisiones.

Algunos dicen que con demasiada facilidad no por miedo a la aprobación de las cosas malas, o debido a un falso sentido de lo que significa estar en control. Algunos dicen que no por costumbre. Algunos carecen de un método para buscar alternativas, y simplemente ver "no" como la opción más conveniente.

Luego está el problema opuesto . Algunos dirigentes no quieren ser percibidos como negativos , por lo que nunca dicen que no.

Cualquiera que sea la razón de fondo, obviamente, no se puede decir que sí a todo. Los líderes deben comprender la integridad de decir que no, y la forma de hacerlo de manera constructiva . Aquí están algunos fundamentos.

Entender sus hábitos

Como cualquier otra persona , los líderes tienden a los valores predeterminados ya sea hacia una aprobación o una disposición de desaprobación. Es necesario para conocer sus inclinaciones , así como los tipos de situaciones y decisiones que se establecen en una dirección o la otra.

Si usted es generalmente de aversión al riesgo , puede que tenga que moderar su reacción natural hacia un "no" al definir concretamente las compensaciones de riesgo / beneficio de una decisión, y por forzarse a mirar a ambos lados por igual . O, si usted es muy creativo y quieres probar la mayoría de las nuevas ideas , puede que tenga que reflexionar sobre proyectos anteriores que terminaron mal después de haberlos aprobado con demasiada rapidez . Desembale las señales de advertencia de que usted no hizo caso previamente y comprometerse con un nuevo enfoque para la próxima nueva idea.

Definir el proceso

Un líder debe establecer el marco para la superficie, en el examen, no estar de acuerdo en , y decidir cuestiones . Esto rara vez ocurre de manera efectiva sin un esfuerzo concertado , y muchos grupos disfuncionales simplemente no han establecido un proceso acordado . Sin un estándar , siempre habrá confusión .

¿Hay un proceso de toma de decisiones para usted y su equipo a seguir ? Definir qué decisiones son basado en el equipo , y que son sólo tuya . Usted y su equipo deben estar de acuerdo sobre lo que se requiere para presentar una idea ( una presentación formal, un montón de detalles de apoyo , una visión casual, etc ) y también la forma de desafiar y de acuerdo con una posición .

Sea consistente

Es difícil para algunos dirigentes para mantener la coherencia con las personas y los procesos. Puede ser demasiado fácil para un líder para doblar las reglas un poco con una persona o evento en particular. Esta tentación debe ser vigorosamente resistido . No te haces una excepción - que debe seguir el proceso establecido si espera que otros .

La consistencia es esencial para la confianza. Nada destruye la confianza más rápido que un líder utiliza más de un conjunto de reglas para guiar a una organización.

Expandir el contexto

Un líder siempre debe decir no dentro de un contexto. A menudo, esto significa proporcionar una vista ampliada de la situación a los demás para que ellos puedan ver las más amplias compensaciones involucradas . Como en el ajedrez, un líder debe necesariamente " ver todo el tablero " y entender cómo las muchas partes afectan al todo. Cuando otros se centran sólo en su parte respectiva , que necesitan ayuda para comprender cómo todo se relaciona .

El proceso de contextualización (o re- contextualización ) una situación que no es un evento único. Los líderes tienen que ofrecer continuamente una perspectiva amplia a fin de mantener al grupo moviéndose juntos en la dirección deseada . Una queja común es el liderazgo : "Yo les dije esto ya ! ", Como si el contexto que proporciona una o dos veces es suficiente . No lo es.

Usted debe mantener el equilibrio de estar al frente de la organización suficiente para ver el panorama más amplio , si bien no es tan hacia adelante que se pierde de vista de la organización y se pierde de vista que usted .

Ofrecer un sí con su no

Cuando rechaza una idea, ofrecer una verdadera editorial si es posible. Algo así como: " Si su plan incluye todos los elementos de nuestra estrategia ABC , podríamos considerarlo. " O, " Si nos adentramos en el nuevo mercado de XYZ , podríamos estar en Aplicar para aplicar esto, por favor, me recuerdan de su idea si hacemos este cambio " .

Proporcionar un poco de sí logra al menos dos cosas : una, que le ayuda a conectar los puntos para el contexto que está manteniendo . Dos, se refuerza la dinámica que desea tener nuevas ideas presentadas y responderán pensativo.

El objetivo general es fomentar un ciclo de ideas y la comunicación que es apropiada para la organización. Para ello , las personas no deben tener miedo para lograr que sus pensamientos.

Mantenga a sus convicciones

Su trabajo como líder es mantener al grupo avanzar hacia el objetivo común . Si usted no es responsable de esto, ¿quién es ? Hay muchas distracciones en el camino, muchas circunstancias que tratarán de tentar a sus convicciones. Resistir .

Reconocer que la integridad de decir que no ayuda a la organización llegar a las mejores posibles , sí . Si usted acepta y rechaza las ideas y planes con un estándar claramente definido , mientras que con paciencia y tenacidad aplicación de presión sobre otros para mantener esta norma , la organización debe dedicar más tiempo y energía en las actividades más útiles.

Inc

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20 empleos bien pagos pero infelices

20 empleos bien remunerados que hacen a sus trabajadores miserables
 ALISON GRISWOLD



Business Insider

Algunos de los trabajadores mejor pagados en los EE.UU. son en realidad bastante miserable en sus puestos de trabajo .
Si bien es cierto que la felicidad en el trabajo por lo general aumenta con el salario , esa tendencia no siempre se cumple. Los abogados, por ejemplo, que un salario promedio anual de 81.000 dólares , pero reportan niveles de satisfacción de trabajo iguales a los empleados que ganan menos de la mitad de eso.

Para averiguar qué bien remunerados puestos de trabajo hacen que la gente es sorprendente infeliz, nos asociamos con CareerBliss , una base de datos de puestos de trabajo en línea. CareerBliss examinó más de 250 puestos de trabajo y determinó que , en la mayoría de los casos, el salario de un trabajo puede predecir con exactitud cómo es feliz serán sus empleados. Sin embargo, varios trabajos notables no cayeron en la curva esperada de CareerBliss .

Los puestos de trabajo que hicieron la lista son los mayores valores atípicos - Posiciones de que se les paga mucho , pero tienen rangos de satisfacción muy por debajo de lo que se espera . Por ejemplo , las personas que ganan $ 90.000 a $ 100.000 por lo general tienen "resultados bliss ", el nombre para el ranking de satisfacción en el trabajo de CareerBliss, de 3,8 en una escala de cinco puntos, donde cinco representa la mayor satisfacción . Los siguientes empleos atípicos tienen puntuaciones bliss por debajo de lo que cabría esperar por su pago.

Para cada trabajo sorprendentemente infeliz, CareerBliss nos dio salario promedio real del trabajo y el " predicho " salario promedio - lo que iban a esperar que la gente en el trabajo para hacer , con base en lo felices que son . Las puntuaciones de la dicha son creados a partir revisiones de los empleados de ocho factores : el equilibrio entre la vida laboral , la relación con los compañeros de trabajo , el medio ambiente de trabajo , recursos de empleo , compensación , oportunidades de crecimiento , cultura de la empresa , y las tareas diarias.

Si usted necesita más pruebas de que el dinero realmente no lo es todo , está en la lista de abajo .

1 . abogado
Salario promedio real : $ 81.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 35,235
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.28

2 . Gerente de producto senior
Salario promedio real : $ 116.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 74,409
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.34

3 . Alto directivo
Salario promedio real : $ 112.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 76.864
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.41

4 . Director de TI
Salario promedio real : $ 102.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 67.413
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.53

5 . director general
Salario promedio real : $ 129.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 94,210
Calificación media de felicidad : 4.08

6 . ingeniero Principal
Salario promedio real : $ 113,000
Salario promedio del preparado: 80.837 dólares
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.84

7 . Arquitecto de soluciones
Salario promedio real : $ 114.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 82,901
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.70

8 . Socio gerente
Salario promedio real : $ 108.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 78 661
Calificación media de felicidad : 4.27

9 . Gerente de Ingeniería
Salario promedio real : $ 102.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 75,757
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.53

10 . Gerente de proyecto senior
Salario promedio real : $ 103.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 77,055
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.62

11 . Programador senior
Salario promedio real : $ 85.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 59,356 mil
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.86

12 . Profesor asistente
Salario promedio real : $ 61.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 37.529
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.05

13 . Director
Salario promedio real : $ 102.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 78.764
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.59

14 . Director creativo
Salario promedio real : $ 79.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 56509
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.75

15 . Director senior de software
Salario promedio real : $ 82.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 59.784
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.83

16 . ingeniero senior
Salario promedio real : $ 85.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 63.694
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.39

17 . director del programa
Salario promedio real : $ 93.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 71,349
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.52

18 . asociado
Salario promedio real : $ 65.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 44,217
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.25

19 . desarrollador principal
Salario promedio real : $ 79.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 58.563
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.73

20 . comprador senior
Salario promedio real : $ 62.000
Salario promedio del preparado: $ 41.166
Calificación media de felicidad : 3.04

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6 elementos para construir equipos

Help Your Teams Thrive With These 6 Tricks 

BY THE BUILD NETWORK STAFF

The first step for turnaround leaders? Articulate clearly defined values that provide a foundation for all important team work.



As most executives know, managing a team is never easy.

Members may not be in synch with the team's objectives; communication may be poor; there may be too much, or even too little, conflict; the composition of the team may be ill-suited to the task at hand; or the team may be missing people who could make a critical contribution.

For those reasons and others, teams often fail to maximize their potential. And even when a team functions well in one environment, it may flounder as circumstances change.

"The most common challenge in high-growth companies is that what works today doesn't work tomorrow," says Jackie Barry, COO of mobile apps technology company Scrollmotion. "Organizational structures need to change as the company grows."

The team leader, therefore, has to think about several key elements of team performance, and address any that may be impeding performance:

• How was the team formed, and does it currently have the right people?

• What should you do about specific team members who aren't performing?

• When it comes to the continual care and feeding of the team, are you doing all you should?

Here are six ways the CEOs and CFOs can help their teams flourish.

Evaluate Every Legacy

Let's start with who's on the team, and why. Often, and particularly at fast-growing companies, teams have a legacy component that can be difficult for a new leader to manage.

Consider a mid-market company that has grown large enough to require its first CFO. An experienced finance professional is hired. She inherits a small staff of accountants, clerks, and maybe a controller, many of whom trace their tenure back to the company's founding. The new CFO is reluctant to make immediate changes, preferring to assess who is capable of playing at a higher level.

But as time goes on, she finds that the expertise and experience she brought to the job leaves her doing the lion's share of the work, while other team members contribute less as their skills become outmoded. Why does this happen? Because building a team takes time and patience, two qualities often in short supply at fast-growth companies. It also takes courage: courage to give employees honest feedback about where they need to improve, and courage to take action if such improvement is not forthcoming. And it takes a willingness to acknowledge that if the team is not functioning as well as it might, the problem may lie not with the skills or proclivities of the members, but with the leader's ability to motivate and direct the team as effectively as possible.

Develop The Talent You Have

Building a first-rate team is not just a pragmatic exercise that results in more work getting done; it's also a leadership development exercise for you, the executive. Leading a team to a higher performance level is a managerial skill that, once developed, can take you almost anywhere.

To start, experts say, forget about the Big Bang approach: You aren't going to fire and hire your way to overnight success. Team-building is a continuous process that happens at both the macro and micro levels of the company, day in and day out. At the macro level, the leader's task is to create a certain culture within the team. Help specific departments like finance, IT, or HR see their unique contributions to the broader company, and set expectations about the kinds of behavior and performance that will maximize that contribution.

"Most employees want to do a good job, and they want to be part of a high-performing team because it's a lot of fun," says Kathy Ryan, CEO, CFO, and co-founder of accounting consulting firm RoseRyan. "One thing an executive can do to foster that desire is to create a vision for their team that helps the members align with the business."

Show, Don't Tell

Several years ago, RoseRyan went through the process of setting a vision and articulating the firm's values. The result was a four-word mantra: trustworthy, advocate, excel, team.

They then defined what behaviors went with those values, and what metrics they would track to see how well they were doing. For example, to be "trustworthy," an employee had to communicate openly and honestly, have courage to speak up in difficult situations, and be reliable in meeting deadlines and other commitments.

Some of the KPIs for these behaviors included submitting timely status reports and being open to feedback. But Ryan adds that defining these ideas wasn't enough. To truly embed them, each firm leader was required to offer up a specific example of how an employee had embodied one of those values once a week at a regular meeting.

"In the beginning, that was really hard, and it felt clunky," says Ryan. "Now, those examples are the best part of meeting, and the exercise is a part of us."

There are many values a firm or a team leader might prioritize at different phases in a group's development, and multiple ways to reinforce them. The important thing is to articulate clearly defined values that provide a foundation for everything that takes place. Just imagine how much easier hiring (and, for that matter, firing) could be if you had a handful of specific qualities to use as guiding lights. On the micro level, building a team means working with individuals to see how far they can go. To be sure, it starts with good hiring practices, but the bigger challenge is what you do with the employees you already have.

Get To Know Your Team Members

Without a doubt, the toughest task is determining what to do with talented people who don't possess the experience or specific skills the company needs as it grows. While their strengths are valuable, their knowledge gaps, mistakes, or misjudgments are costing you time, and in many cases, reputation.

What can you do? Start by delving into the team's inner workings. Barry of Scrollmotion says she spent the first two weeks in her new position doing nothing but talking to people, and the third week "getting eyeball deep" into specific issues, like pricing, that seemed most pressing.

"To them, I'm asking a lot of stupid questions, but it's in the spirit of 'Can you help me?,' not 'I'm in charge,'" she says. "Not many people will say no to that, and it's a great way to gain followers." It's also an excellent way to determine your team members' strengths and weaknesses.

Make Growth Priority Number One

Once you understand employees' current abilities and contributions, it's time to look to the future.

"The question you then have to ask yourself is whether you feel like they have the capability to take on more, or if they're truly tapped out," says Brian Roberts, CFO of insulin pump maker Insulet.

He encountered both situations recently, as the needs of fast-growing Insulet outpaced the skills of some early employees. In one case, it meant terminating a longtime employee, but treating the worker as fairly as possible, with warnings and ultimately a fair exit package. In another case, it meant bringing in a seasoned IT professional to help mentor the existing IT expert, who simply lacked the bigger-company experience that Insulet found itself needing.

That mentor ultimately became the IT manager, a situation the employee was very willing to accept. Over time, both have been able to expand their roles as the company has continued to grow.

Demonstrate Your Confidence In Their Skills

For high performers, it's finding appropriate challenges for them while still getting the necessary work done. "I've learned that if you ask people to stretch beyond their own expectations, 99 percent of the time they will achieve the goal, even if they don't believe they can; and when they do, it builds a greater confidence in what they can do," says Gary Vilchick, CFO of application security software developer Veracode.

Can you assign high performers to a cross-functional project that will expose them to other areas of the company? Can they shadow you, perhaps when you're talking to investors, to learn a unique aspect of your role? Can you get them some board exposure to hone their presentation skills? Consider it grooming your replacement, even if you're not planning on going anywhere quickly.

Executives often don't appreciate the degree to which team-building is a core part of the job. In their roles as bosses they may tend to focus on each direct report on a case-by-case basis.

But by pulling back and assessing how the team is performing as a single entity, and thinking hard about how they can take it to a higher level, executives will reap many rewards: improved morale, better productivity, a bigger impact on the company's mission, less stress--and the satisfaction that comes from knowing that they are truly leading the team, not just managing it.

Inc.com

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