Just in Case it Matters to You
Weekly Report 18-50
- EFFECTIVELY CONDUCTING BUSINESS IN TODAY’S ENVIRONMENT REQUIRES ONGOING STRATEGIC PLANNING based on forecasts between six months and two years, versus conventional three to five year models, and which focus on consistent & timely interaction between employee Teams – who, otherwise, tend to work in ‘silos.’ With risk of both stagnancy and being eclipsed by competitors, ‘strategy’ has become a critical factor in maintaining profitability, stability, and often survivability. DCG have decades of experience helping businesses & organizations develop and implement direction – from startup inception & structuring, to talent development & retention, to succession or exit planning. Let us guide you, before your reality check bounces.
- TIME MANAGEMENT IS ABOUT CONTROLLING ‘WASTED’ TIME, and one of the major wasters is ‘Reverse Delegation’ – when a task has been given to an employee who returns with half the answer or obstacles to completion, and it ends up back on your desk. This happens typically because of ineffective instructions in the first place. Tips to control this outcome: (1) When delegating, also give the employee an understanding of its importance, impact and clear timeline; (2) Provide explicit instructions, resources, and what you expect to get back; (3) Set a regular ‘check-in’ process, versus allowing the assignment to be a ‘set and forget’ exercise; (4) Be mindful of acknowledging the employee’s contribution, including “the upside if it goes well, and recognition of accomplishment at the end.” Adopting a discipline around the delegation process will in most cases help the employee follow through efficiently and save you the Reverse time waste. [FAST COMPANY – 11/29/18]
- POOR HEALTH HABITS RESULT FROM “EATING WITH OUR EYES VERSUS THINKING WITH OUR STOMACH.” Studies show the average American makes over 200 choices daily involving food & diet, “most impulse-driven by our mindless, subconscious urges and/or by manipulative external commercial forces – supermarket corporations using subtle psychological tricks to entice us.” Examples include sprinkling vegetables & fruit with water for shiny & fresher appearance but which actually accelerates rotting, and positioning expensive branded products at eye-level with cheaper ones on top & bottom shelves. While ‘hormone-driven fullness signals’ are indeed sent from the stomach wall to our brain, the 20-minutes that takes typically allows for second helpings, extra snacks and desserts. And “diverting attention from what and how much we’re eating to other things (like watching TV or texting) does the same… Countless studies have proved that mere mentioning that a food Americans are about to be served is ‘healthy’ lowers taste expectations… whereas the opposite happens for French eaters with healthy foods expected to be the tastier option… In order to regain control of calorie intake, the trick is to eat mindfully.” [LIFE EXTENSION – Dec 18]
- THE SUICIDE RATE IN AMERICA, now some 800,000 annually, is “largely among white, middle-aged, poorly educated men in areas that were left behind and crushed by busts” during the two economic recessions of the last two decades. Researchers have determined that media attention given to higher-profile cases has materially contributed to an 18% increase since 2000. One example is the Robin Williams suicide reported in great detail, after which there were “1,800 more suicides than would otherwise have been expected in the subsequent four months, often using the same manner of death.” Another likely contributing factor is that Americans work 10% longer hours weekly and up to 20% more hours annually than Europeans, while opting to take only 17 annual holiday/vacation days off – forfeiting one-in-four days from their average allotment. [THE ECONOMIST – 11/24/18]
- HOLIDAY PARTIES ARE ‘OFF THE AGENDA’ FOR OVER A THIRD OF COMPANIES recently surveyed, as a protective measure against potential conflicts in today’s Political Correctness environment – including risk of allegations for sexual harassment or ‘culture appropriation from costumes – as well as liability for accidents & injuries. For those brave companies & organizations who still honor employees with holiday celebrations, a few tips: (1) Alcohol served by catering services which carry appropriate licensing & insurance, with bartenders “trained to handle alcohol-related issues.” Also limited drinking by providing X tickets versus an open bar, and by serving coffee & dessert; (2) Offering taxi, Uber or shuttle service to ferry employees home or to public transportation hubs; (3) Providing “safer” time & venue for events, like office versus restaurant or bar, lunchtime versus evening, or weekday versus weekend; (4) Ensuring ‘inclusiveness’ – that all employees are invited to attend on a voluntary basis, and that event date doesn’t conflict with other racial, religious or ethnic holidays. [SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RESOURCES MGMT – 12/5/18]
- THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK: Golf course luxury – for male golfers only: https://youtu.be/nx_-NMpfCLI
“Yesterday is done. Tomorrow never comes. Today is here. If you don’t know what to do, sit still and listen.” – Carl Sandburg
Millennial interviewing a Baby Boomer for a job, with mutual distrust of a Gen Xer: https://biggeekdad.com/2018/10/interviewed-by-a-millenial/