Creating Functional Teams with Quality Enhancements

Teams are formed to create collective knowledge that leads to higher quality results than would not be possible without teamwork. Who is on the team and why they are on the team is an important consideration in developing a selection strategies. When a strong team is formed they have the ability to master serious challenges within their core competencies.

Within any team there are two major considerations, or circles of influence. There are people that have specific knowledge needed to complete the job effectively that constitute the core group and then there are those added to enhance the end product. Therefore groups have essential members and quality control members.

Essential members might be the people needed as a minimum to complete a project. There could be the designer, marketer, accountant, and operations manager. Without core members the project would never get off the ground as the essential skills and knowledge would not be present.

Beyond the core group there are people who have the capacity to enhance the quality of the outcomes. They may have specific knowledge of core customer demographics, may be design experts that can make the product more user friendly, or could have comparable knowledge of the market.

Employee Ethics and Behavior Starts at the Top

Poor employee behavior isn't always the problem of a bad apple but can be a symptom of bigger issues at the top of the organization. All poor behavior and ethical lapses occur within a socioeconomic context that includes personal, professional, economic, and psychological aspects that make such actions more or less likely. When multiple poor behavioral situations and ethical lapses occur the top becomes suspect.

The vast majority of people are followers. They follow each other in dress, mannerisms, behavior and thoughts. If someone jumps up and throws an opinion into a crowd people begin to accept that opinion quickly without critical thought only because others seem to agree. Behavior may not be as individualized as we believe.

The behavior of employees and executives is largely determined by the expectations of people around them (Oxley & Oxley, 1963). In other words, a single bad actor could be an outlier but multiple bad actors are more associated with the contexts of where they live and work. Organizational leaders should be held to account for multiple incidents.

Consider how multiple ethical violations from different people are more likely to be a result of leadership. Sometimes these incidents center around a single department or manager while other times they represent the entire organization. When this occurs policies, procedures, cultures, and leadership become suspect.

The people at the top set the expectations in behavior and mannerisms for everyone else. If production is rewarded based on certain metrics then it will be these metrics, and nothing else, that will matter in the overall assessment of performance and its subsequent reward. It is hard to blame the individual employee for doing what is not only in their best interest but also expected by the leadership team.

Change is not impossible but does require some strategic rethinking. The metrics may need to be switched around or rotated with new metrics to keep people thinking and changing. There may be different metrics used to help round out decisions. Lines of communication can be improved and different people can be hired to work within the organization. A better assessment of stakeholder concerns could be necessary and incorporated into the culture of a workplace. 

Oxley, G. & Oxley, G. (1963). Expectations of Excellence. California Management Review, 6 (1). 

Four Traits for Selecting Your Next Business Crew

Any good ship must have the right crew. That crew includes people who can contribute to the overall mission in a successful way. Knowing what you are looking for through using pre-selection criteria can help to ensure you are hiring wisely. The storms of business can be rough and having the right team ensures the mission is achieved.

The right team should have three main factors that include 1.) Knowledge, 2.) Skills, 3) Abilities and 4.) Personality. Most recruiters are aware of KSA but do not always include personality in the mix. The best knowledge, skills and abilities without the right personality isn't going to work out anyway.

1.) Knowledge: Knowledge comes from experience, training and education.
2.) Skills: The realized abilities that have tangible market value for accomplishing job tasks.
3.) Abilities: The abilities that can be enhanced to create future skills.
4. Personality: The ability to work with others and accomplish tasks.

Strategies that Motivate Workers

Motivation is worth its price in gold as managers scramble to find the key that gets their employees to work harder and accomplish more. The secret to motivation is to understand and treat each employee as unique  contributors.

Not all workers are the same. Some are motivated by external factors while others are more internally motivated. Active listening to each employee can make a big difference in understanding their needs. Some examples might include:

Money: A powerful basic motivator for maintenance and status.

Recognition: For those seeking status and social influence.

Purpose: For those who want to make their life meaningful.

Creative and intellectual: Important for those who want to use their minds and creative abilities.

Independent: As mature they wany independent work.

Time Management Through Staying on Task

Its not easy to stay on task when life is full of distractions. Every work day has its interruptions, crisis, questions and multiple projects. It is the way that modern business operates. Staying on task is not easy but can help you get your work done on time and ensure that your projects are completed with sufficient quality. The way in which you approach a project can make a big difference.

Distractions can be real or imaginary. Real distractions occur all the time in the workplace and are hard to avoid. If you are working on something very important you might want to consider closing your door, putting your calendar on meeting mode, or forwarding all calls to voicemail. The process will work in the short-run and for important projects but can't be used on a regular basis.

Distractions may also be imaginary. It may be equally beneficial to focus only on one project at a time. Sometimes we like to multi-task but there really isn't any proof that multi-tasking gets more work done than working on a single project at a time. Even if you only work for an hour straight before moving onto another pressing project it works out well.

Sometimes you might have two or three projects going. No one says you have to finish it all at the same time. This means you can break these projects up into hour sequences. If you get distracted you can go back and work on it again until you complete your chunk of time. If you put enough hours in you can actually complete your work.

Tips on Protecting Your Information From Identity Theft

Professionals are targets for identity theft as they generally have some savings, lots of important documents, and do a lot of mailing. Identity theft is growing with according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics 16.6 million people becoming victims every your. There are ways to protect your data to ensure that you are minimizing the damage. Taking a few preventative actions can help but won't get rid of theft.

There are no fool proof systems of protecting your data other than to not have any which is something pretty difficult to do. Mistakes are always made. Recently I went to a mall and within a few minutes someone grabbed my backpack out the backdoor of my vehicle. It didn't take them but a few seconds and I immediately went into damage control mode calling the police and my bank.

One of the best ways is to get a shredder and never put important documents in the waste basket. Criminals will dig through the garbage in order to get documents. They are seeking your social security number, old checks, bank account information and other documents that can help them get some of your money.

Don't always trust the people you know. Roommates, family, friends, and neighbors are some of the biggest perpetrators. They take advantage of your niceness and closeness to get documents. Even if they didn't start out this way they will inevitably come across something they can monetize on and could eventually steal it. Try and keep important documents locked away and out of site.

Don't expect these issues to get resolved and if you do happen to find out who did don't expect any remorse. Police departments are flooded with these issues and many times they cross state and national borders. When they are resolved confronting the person does no good because they cannot see what they did as wrong. More likely they will blame you. The best defense is be proactive with your documents.

Conferences and Tourism Success in San Diego

Most major tourist destinations have conference centers that act as an avenue for drawing in new visitors and interested investments. The type of conferences will determine the success of a diligent conference schedule. Beyond putting a city on the map it also helps brand an area to the rest of the world who come to know the genre of a place. Even though almost all conferences are beneficial the ones that support local industries have multiple advantages.

Consider why conference locations are chosen. One isn't going to offer a conference on palm tree conservation in Northern Alaska unless they discovered a way to grow it in wet and cold soil. Therefore, conferences should be related to the local competencies and businesses to create the greatest impact. People  want to come to what San Diego has to offer.

To do this well means that leaders must understand the local economy and try and highlight those conferences that will spur local economic growth. For example biotech, technology, higher education, conservation, green technology, water, and the military are a few that would work locally. Others that relate to core competencies are also possible.

Conferences offer an opportunity for people to shake hands and to pass out cards. It is where industry leaders make contacts and learn about emerging technologies. Small and large businesses show what they have to offer and share ideas for future development. Making sure that San Diego attracts those conferences that have the most benefits can be helpful in the long-run.

Getting those people to stay in San Diego for a while offers multiple layers of benefits. They stay and spend money locally but also meet local industry leaders. Once they leave with some new ideas they have an incentive to come back to San Diego to capitalize on some of the contacts they have made. Sometimes this might be a new product, partnership, investment, or shared services agreement.