10X2=Promoted! Other Tips for Connecting with 10 People

This continues our series outlining how the 10X2 philosophy helps you get better assignments

Enoch connected with people in a variety of ways. His expertise with gadgets enhanced his reputation as the “gadget guy.” He consulted with companies to program their web sites and design their computer systems. He also served on the downtown alliance council to improve businesses. He even volunteered for a community jobs program. He also joined a marketing group to help companies market more effectively. He even authored a book on finding a job. Enoch’s reputation for varied expertise connected him to hundreds of people and businesses who frequently said “Get Enoch!”

Connect Through Community Organizations

Community organizations and service clubs provide extraordinary opportunities to connect with 10 people a month. Many younger professionals resist joining because of the weekly commitment, reputation for older memberships, and social media as the preferred way of connecting. Nevertheless, traditional service clubs still offer excellent connections to influential people. Most also focus on a charitable endeavor allowing members to contribute to society.

Service organizations include:

• Rotary
• Women in Business
• Kiwanis
• International Women’s Club
• Lions
• Junior League
• Eagles
• Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)
• Freemasons

Community organizations mostly include nonprofit, charitable organizations. You may volunteer to serve in the organization or on the board. Once again, they offer excellent opportunities to connect with other service-minded people. They also offer the sense of returning something to the community and altruism.

Typical organizations found in most communities include:

• American Red Cross
• Community Action Services
• United Way
• Community Food Bank
• Women’s and homeless shelters
• Fountain House (self-help programs)
• Circles Initiatives
• Boys & Girls Clubs
• American lung, diabetes, breast cancer, and other organizations focused on specific ailments

You may contact your local United Way to discover the breadth of nonprofit organizations in your community.

Other Methods of Connecting

We conclude this section focusing on connecting with 10 people a month with a reminder about:

Professional or trade associations

User Groups

LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social media groups

Country clubs or recreation centers

Monday we begin discussing how to communicate your 10 value statements to management

10X2=Promoted! Connect Professionally & Personally

This continues our series outlining how the 10X2 philosophy helps you get better assignments

Sam understood the ability to connect to people professionally as well as personally. He served as committee chairs for the local Chamber of Commerce. He hosted the ribbon cuttings for new businesses, but kept in touch with the owners afterward. He ate at the restaurants and shopped at the stores. He also went out to dinner with people, visited their homes, and got to know their children. He understood the value of true friendship both personally and professionally.

Connect Professionally

You probably understand about connecting professionally. Regular professional connections provide opportunities to:

• Improve your skills by learning alternative methods, tips, shortcuts, and other techniques
• Learn written and unwritten rules, plus insights into the culture, of the company
• Remain informed of policies, directions, projects, goals, and challenges in the company
• Share ideas, suggestions, and proposals for moving the company forward toward its goals or by removing the company’s challenges
• Discuss their career aspirations, goals, frustrations, and challenges
• Identify other people, programs, or organizations that can help you enhance your productivity, efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of your work
• Review trends in the industry, new software releases, best practices, and other helps

Connect Personally

Connecting personally requires more tact and nuance. We will begin with the cautions

• Some people may perceive personal connections as a breach of etiquette.
• Getting too close personally can create a perceived hostile workplace.
• Take care not to enquire about, or share, too many personal issues about family, significant others
• Avoid interoffice romances or entanglements as they tend to create problems

With those precautions, you may connect on a personal level as well as a professional on the following topics. You may both discuss theirs and share yours:

• Trips, vacations, cruises, and other outings
• Birthdays, anniversaries, and other special days
• Hobbies, sporting ventures, and extracurricular activities
• Personal achievements, goals, and aspirations
• Personal challenges, problems, and frustrations
• What you can do to serve one another so that you can grow your careers together

Friday we share additional ideas for connecting with 10 people a month

10X2=Promoted! How to Connect with 10 People

This continues our series outlining how the 10X2 philosophy helps you get better assignments

Bruce, the CEO of a very successful web development firm, understands the power of connecting with at least 10 people a month. In fact, he connects with twice that many as part of promoting his business. He also encouraged his staff to connect with 10 people a month. He registered his entire staff with a business association and provided time to attend. He found they performed better because of these associations.

Traditional Methods for Connecting

Previously, we discussed people with whom you may connect. This post we will highlight how you may connect. You will recognize some methods for connecting. Other methods may seem more unusual.

The least effective and the least personal include

• Send an email or text
• Make a phone call
• Nudge, poke, or connect on Facebook, LinkedIn, or other social media
• Follow, forward, or share their Twitter feeds

More effective and personal involve:

• Phoning or Skyping to keep in touch, talk shop, discover how you can help
• Meeting to share breakfast, lunch, or drinks
• Go to a movie, concert, play, or other entertainment
• Playing a round of golf, racquetball, tennis, bowling, or sailing
• Attending conferences, workshops, and seminars together
• Traveling or other informal settings

The Power of Pools

Sarah and Jared Stewart, authors of  City of Influence, encourage you to swim in pools (follow the links to view video clips). They rent entire theaters and invite their friends to attend major motion picture openings.

They share “Fish have to go out into the current to gather nourishment, but when they are finished they escape into a pool. People tend to spend the majority of their time in a fast-paced current doing the 'tasks' of their business. The problem with spending most of your time in the current is that most relationships are built in pools. It's only in pools that you slow down long enough to see people as people, and begin to connect with who they really are.”

Wednesday we highlight how to connect with and mix professional and personal conversations

10X2=Promoted! 10 People With Whom You May Connect

This continues our series outlining how the 10X2 philosophy helps you get better assignments

Patrick enjoyed getting to know people. He liked discovering what they did within the organization in which they worked. While fairly opinionated, his outlook on life and naturally positive attitude endeared him to many colleagues and co-workers. He listened to people and learned from them. He found ways to help them do their jobs better, to serve them so their career grew. As a result, people looked out for Patrick. They found ways to help him and his career grew. He received several key appointments because people enjoyed working with him. He always made them look good too.

People Inside the Company

Our 10X2 philosophy encourages you to connect with 10 people a month to get the best assignments or promotions. Within the company you may connect with:

• Your mentor: a well-seasoned and respected member of the organization moving up towards better positions themselves
• Co-workers: both on your work team and on other work teams within the company
• Managers: of both yours and of other divisions or work teams
• Support staff: such as accounting, purchasing, fleet management, facilities, information technology, human resources, warehousing, shipping, or other people who support your current job or the one you want

People Outside the Company

You should also connect with people outside the company.  They provide you a perspective about your industry, your community, and your potential. You may consider connecting with the following people:

• Colleagues in your industry: people doing the same job as you do and people working in similar companies as yours
• Former Co-Workers: people from any past company who moved onto other jobs or stayed with a  company you left provide excellent opportunities to learn more
• Alumni: people who went to the same high school, college, university, apprenticeship, vocational training, seminars, or workshops
• Members of Trade or Professional Associations: do not limit your connections to just people who are not in the same trade or profession, reach out to other associations

Monday we highlight how to connect with 10 people a month to enhance promotions

10X2=Promoted! 2: Purposes of Connecting with 10 People

This continues our series outlining how the 10X2 philosophy will help you get promoted

Sharon worked on a temporary contract for a global nonprofit. The job appealed to her desire to improve society. She earnestly sought to learn from others within the organization. She found a good mentor who guided her growth in the company. She also developed a good network of friends. She ate lunch with several different people each week. She listened to them and learned what she could from them. Soon, her temporary contract became permanent. She received 4 promotions in 13 years. She now heads one of the most respected humanitarian organizations in the world.

First Purpose: Build Relationships

Developing friendly, professional relationships remains your primary reason for connecting with people. If not, you may become selfish and manipulative. Jared and Sarah Stewart, authors of City of Influence, encourage you to develop relationships Just Because.

We agree that relationship arrogance (link to this video) can destroy your City of Influence. Relationship arrogance occurs when you choose to develop relationships in order to get something our of it. You miss possible treasures of thought or personal enrichment when you build relationships based on your selfish motives.

Second Purpose: Learn to Serve More Effectively

The Stewarts also encourage you to learn, serve, to grow great relationships. They highlight it with a short video describing how this relationship key helped Ray Kroc become a billionaire.

When you ask questions and listen to others you can learn what:

• Goals they have that you might help them achieve
• Challenges or problems they experience
• Written and unwritten rules guide the corporate culture
• Resources exist within the company to help improve performance
• Trends, directions, and upcoming changes in the company
• Positions and opportunities that will open

Third Purpose: Demonstrate Your Value

Connecting with 10 people a month allows you to demonstrate your value to them based on what you learned. You may provide the skills or expertise they need to accomplish their goals or solve challenges preventing success.

Friday we describe which 10 people you may connect with each month to get promotions

10X2=Promoted! Applying the Formula to Get Promotions

This begins our series outlining how the 10X2 philosophy helps you get better assignments

Eric understood the need to reach out to co-workers in his department, colleagues in other departments and other companies. He read and practiced the concepts outline in the book Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi. In addition, he ensured that he met the company’s expectations of his work. He even exceeded their expectations.Most importantly, he communicated his return on investment to management. As a result, he received invitations to serve on the most prestigious projects and the best assignments. They promoted him 4 times in 12 years.

3 Keys to Getting the Biggest Raises and Best Promotions

You may feel that we’ve blogged on this topic before. We have. The concepts remain beneficial to people in any occupation. So, we will continue to explore and repeat the advice to help you increase your income, satisfaction, and rewards of your job.

Companies still reward employees who satisfy three concerns. They don’t reward them as well as in the past, but they still do. To get the biggest raises (if they give raises) and the best promotions of work assignments, you must:

• Meet their expectations—and more
• Fit into the team and organization
• Communicate your ROI (Return On Investment) to management

How 10X2=Promoted!

The 10X2 philosophy states that doing 2 activities 10 times in a certain amount of time guarantees success. We can apply the philosophy to getting raises or promotions in the following way:

• Connect with 10 people a month
• Communicate 10 value statements to management a year
• Communicate how you helped them achieve their goals or resolve their challenges

You must perform on the job. The 10 people you connect with each month provide excellent resources for discovering, exploring, and verifying what management expects of you. Other people can also help you perform the job more productively, efficiently and effectively.

Too many employees expect management to notice their good work. Today’s span of control issues and distant teams make that improbable in spite of technology.

Wednesday we highlight the purposes of connecting with 10 people a month

Some Practices in the Workplace Hurt People

Occasionally, we review how workplace attitudes, policies, and practices affect workers

I mentioned Gus in an earlier post. He and 8 other drivers left a grocery conglomerate because the company would not give them raises, but gave bonuses instead for 8 years. All nine of them got jobs with a long-distance trucking shipper. After 3 years, the company tripled how much each worker had to pay on healthcare premiums. In addition, the company is proposing a 15% cut in wages for all drivers. Management claims the need for lowering wages because of competition from cut-rate trucking companies. Profits to shareholders, however, increased by 17% in the last year.

Business Focus on Profits

B-School students learn that their role is to maximize profits for shareholders.  Some companies carry this advice to unhealthy or unlawful extremes: Enron, Arthur Andersen, Shearson-Lehman, and others come to mind. Trust in financial and other corporations plummeted since 2008.

Companies currently enjoy great corporate profits and executive rewards. Competition from cheaper labor markets, Asian production facilities, and other factors that create cheaper competition provide excuses for cutting overhead even more drastically. American workers have sacrificed a lot while shareholders profit:

• Loss of benefit defined pensions for contribution defined pensions
• Loss of healthcare, life insurance, and other benefits
• Lower salaries, bonuses, and other income
• Reduction in training, involvement in professional and trade associations
• Harsher and more restrictive employee practices
• More impersonal workplaces (some companies refuse to allow managers and supervisors call employees people, but insist they call them resources)
• One division of a major company stated that policy now dictated a standard 50-hour work week instead of 40-hours for all exempt employees
• Penurious wage increases for most of the workplace and huge increases for executives—even when their management loses money or closes the company

When Do We Find a Balance

If companies and management do not find a kinder, more just method of dealing with employees, then employees may find respite in collective bargaining (which legislatures are trying to eliminate).

Monday we begin a new series outlining how the 10X2 concepts will help you get hired faster

Many Americans Lose Work Hours from AHA Measure

This post examines one impact from provisions of the Affordable Healthcare Act

Joan worked two part-time jobs for her local school district. As a special education teacher’s aid, she worked one-on-one with children while the special education teacher worked in larger groups. As an assistant secretary at the same school, she worked with the principal and faculty. She felt her efforts made a difference with children and families. In April the district informed her that she would be terminated from one of the jobs because she could not work more than 30 hours as of May 1. If she did, they would have to pay her medical benefits according to the Affordable Healthcare Act. They chose not to pay the benefits. She lost half her income.

Good Intentions Gone Wrong

The Affordable Healthcare Act intended to increase healthcare coverage for all Americans either through their company or individually. It provided that companies of a certain size had to provide insurance for all employees working more than 30 hours.

One provision stipulated that (as explained by Monster.com):

“Penalty for not providing insurance: Employers with over 50 employees that do not provide insurance must pay a penalty of $2,000 for every employee in the company if even one employee opts to obtain insurance through an exchange. However, the first 30 employees are not counted in calculation of the penalty. Example: an employer with 75 employees would pay the penalty for 45 workers, or $90,000 (45 x $2.000).”

The intent of the provision was to increase the number of Americans receiving insurance benefits through their employer.

Foreseen Consequences Coming True

Lobbyists for corporate America, including the US Chamber of Commerce predicted that the costs of the rule were too great. They predicted that instead of increasing people receiving insurance, companies would decrease the number of hours people worked.

We see that prediction coming true as school districts, nonprofit and for-profit organizations started reducing hours for many employees from 40 hours to 28 hours to avoid the penalties.

Friday we discuss trends in workplace and labor relations that continue to hurt Americans

1st Quarter Salary Raises Fail to Keep Up with Cost Increase

This continues our periodic review of wage, salary, and costs of living expenses

Gus worked as a truck driver for a grocery conglomerate. The company failed to give salary raises for 8 years. Instead, they awarded their drivers a lump sum bonus each year. The bonuses not only never increased in seven years, but decreased by $1,000 in the 8th year. Gus and 9 others asked for salary increases. They quit when the company declined.

Results of Recent Studies Bode Ill

Most Americans don’t enjoy the prosperity and growth in the American economy. Paul Davidson and John Waggoner published Profits don’t flow through to wages in the May 6 edition of USA Today. They wrote

“Hourly wages ticked up 4 cents in April to an average $23.87, rising at about the same tepid 2% annual pace since the recovery began in mid-2009.

But taking inflation into account, they're virtually flat. Workers who rely on paychecks for their income have been running in place, financially speaking. Adjusting for inflation, an average worker who was paid $49,650 at the end of 2009 is making about $545 less now — and that's before taxes and deductions.”

These figures become even scarier when you consider that the average American worker pays more on health insurance premiums now than in 2009—and those costs, with others, will increase in the next three to four years.

 

Companies Not Passing Profits to Employees Hurts the Economy

Davidson and Waggoner continue

“We're not seeing the living standard growth of American workers that we should be seeing," Shierholz says.

Stagnant wages also hurt consumer spending. Low- and moderate-income workers typically spend nearly all of their paychecks, juicing the economy, while high-income workers tend to save a significant portion, says Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research…

Consumer spending, which has been growing at an average annual rate of about 2% during the recovery, would be rising by 2.5% if employers simply passed their productivity gains onto their workers, Zandi says.”

Wednesday we will discuss the impact of the Affordable Healthcare Act on weekly work hours

Stop Saying Stupid Stuff 12: Start Saying Smart Stuff

This concludes this series to help you stop saying stupid stuff that can stall your career

Sharon wanted to find a new job. She didn’t enjoy her current job. She didn’t get along with her supervisor. The supervisor possessed a temper and would frequently criticize her employees. She would also punish people she felt offended her by cutting their hours and giving them the worst of the tasks at work. Sharon did not agree with her manager’s tactics. She voiced her concerns to co-workers. She also told her supervisor how she felt. She spoke boldly and clearly. Her tone of voice also betrayed her annoyance. In other words, she said stupid stuff to her boss and lost her job immediately.

Stupid Stuff Focuses on Your Needs

We discussed several situations in which people say stupid stuff that stall their careers. Usually, these things occur when you focus on your wants and needs. Your self-centeredness may cause you to say things that will get you in trouble with your network of contacts, potential employers, interviews, your supervisors, management, and other team members.

Stupid stuff centers on what you want, rather than what they want. Stupid stuff accounts for what you want in a job search, why you want a raise, and what you want for the raise. Stupid stuff includes gossiping about co-workers, airing dirty laundry about the company, or criticizing your boss or supervisors.

Smart Stuff Focuses on Serving Others

You tend to say smart stuff when you focus on the needs, goals, wants, and challenges of others. We encourage you to practice Jared and Sarah Stewarts keys to developing relationships (see their book City of Influence). For example:

• Learn about the potential employer, your supervisor, management, co-workers, and others. Learn about their goals, wants, and challenges
• Serve them either personally or through others based on what you learned
• Grow their work and your relationship

Learning, serving, and growing increases your tendency to say smart stuff because you focus what you say on what they want or need.

Monday we review recent statistics on unemployment and flat salary increases

Stop Saying Stupid Stuff 11: Others Who Serve Your Team

This continues our series to help you stop saying stupid stuff that can stall your career

Margaret worked in the purchasing department of a major corporation. She interacted with vendors from several companies. She tended to say stupid things to the vendors and others. She shared company secrets and gossip. She criticized company policy and management decisions. She did not realize how much she divulged. Her superiors discovered what she had done and dismissed her from their employment.

Stupid Stuff You May Say to Others

Your job may require that you talk to others about the company. Secretaries, receptionists, and other clerical staff frequently represent the company while talking to others. Sales representatives and sales associates also represent the company to others in the community. In addition, warehouse workers deal with shipping agents and manufacturing workers may deal with outside repair and service technicians. 

You may talk to several groups of people considered others. They may include:

• Vendors and suppliers
• Customers and clients
• Competitors
• Representatives of the press and media
• Neighboring companies in the building or complex

Expressing any of the following statements to people outside the company can result in discipline and or termination. Stupid stuff would include:

• Divulging fiduciary or proprietary information about the company
• Sharing gossip about other co-workers, procedures, or other intrigues
• Expressing opinions or directions contrary to the company policy
• Criticizing management, co-workers, and others affiliated with the company

Smart Stuff You May Say Instead

You may say smart stuff instead that will build relationships and enhance the reputation of the company. Smart stuff will not divulge company secrets.

You may discuss the following concepts with others:

• Positive aspects of working for the company
• Client testimonials and compliments
• Information provided in sales materials or press releases
• Praise for co-workers, colleagues, and others involved with the company

Do not exaggerate the truth or mislead others about the information. Just follow Thumper’s advice to Bambi in the Disney classic “If you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say nothing at all.”

Friday we summarize how stupid stuff can stall your career or cost you your job

Stop Saying Stupid Stuff 10: Co-workers & Team Members

This continues our series to help you stop saying stupid stuff that can stall your career

Cameron worked in a small manufacturing plant. He liked to think that he maintained friendly relations with all of his co-workers and his work team. He enjoyed telling jokes, kidding and trading barbs with them. He thought they enjoyed his repartee, sarcastic humor, and put downs. Unfortunately, some of his co-workers took offense at his jokes and criticisms. A few of them complained to management and human resources. One in particular felt sexually harassed by his continued lewd jokes and sexual comments. The company had a zero tolerance policy for sexual harassment. Cameron lost his job because of the stupid stuff he said, that he thought was funny.

Stupid Stuff You May Say to Co-Workers or Team Members

Fifty years of legislation and litigation changed what co-workers and team members may say to one another. Jokes, comments, and opinions that may have been accepted by a few in the workplace are recognized as offensive, hostile, and illegal. Many comments may result in probation, disciplinary action, and termination.

Racist, sexist, lewd, or abusive statements clearly classify as stupid stuff. Such stupid stuff include:

• Lewd or off-color jokes or racial pictures or comments about co-workers or anyone
• Ethnic or racist jokes, comments, pictures, or emails
• Critical comments that could be perceived as abusive or creating a hostile workplace
• Disrespectful or strong statements that denigrate others could be considered bullying

You may not agree with the laws and regulations, but you must abide by them. I also suggest you analyze the intent of the regulations and accept the decency in them.

Smart Stuff You Can Say to Build Your Team

Ken Blanchard and others share tips of the smart stuff you may say to your co-workers and team members:

• Catch them doing good things and compliment them on the quality of their work
• Recognize their good ideas and contributions to the workplace
• Keep humor and stories uplifting, clean, and inoffensive to anyone

Wednesday we highlight that you should not say stupid stuff to others outside the company

Stop Saying Stupid Stuff 9: Impress for Future Transfers

This continues our series to help you stop saying stupid stuff that can stall your career

Suzanne wanted to transfer to a new division in her department. The mission of the new division promised future global growth and improvement for humanity. Her office, as training manger for another division, sat next to the offices given to the new division. The proximity allowed her to talk to the director frequently. She politely enquired about the progress of the new division, his goals for it, and his challenges getting it going. She listened and learned. Then, she found ways to help. She offered to work on training materials as needed. Soon, she received an invitation to fill the training manager’s position in the new division.

Stupid Stuff that May Cost You the Transfer

You want to impress potential supervisors when you talk to them. Unfortunately, you may consider saying certain things that you meant to impress them, but which in reality are stupid stuff.

You may think you will impress them, while in reality certain comments will raise red flags about whether or not you can do the job they want done, fit into their team, or provide a great ROI.

For example, the following conversations will hurt your chances:

• Sharing how bored you are with your current position
• Criticizing your current supervisor or co-workers
• Lecturing the potential manager on how you can improve their work
• Focusing conversations on what you want and desire
• Telling too many personal details about your family and friends

Smart Stuff That Impresses Future Supervisors

Some statements (smart stuff) will increase their admiration for you. For example:

• Ask questions about the potential manager’s goals, plans, and challenges
• Learn about the members of the team: their strengths, backgrounds, frustrations, and contributions
• Seek to serve them and help them achieve their goals or  resolve their challenges
• Share how you helped past employers achieve similar results or solutions (use home run statements)
• Offer to your assistance in your spare time or with your supervisor’s approval

Monday we share the stupid stuff said to co-workers that could cost you your job

Stop Saying Stupid Stuff 8: Great Performance Appraisals

This continues our series to help you stop saying stupid stuff that can stall your career

Drew heard people complain about the company’s performance appraisal system. His employer followed standard performance appraisal practices involving quarterly performance discussions and completely a quarterly performance appraisal form outlining performance during the previous year and goals for the next year. Drew’s mentor taught him how to use home run statements while his co-workers said stupid stuff. As a result, Drew received the biggest raises.

Stupid Stuff People Say in Performance Appraisals

The typical performance appraisal process asks you to outline the results you generated during the previous year and the goals you set for the next year. While the complexity or simplicity will differ, the two concepts remain the same. Most performance appraisal systems also ask you to draft plans for training and future growth.

You may follow the practice of many people and treat the performance appraisal system lightly, regard it as a requirement in busy work, or a total joke. As a result, they say stupid stuff in their performance appraisals. For example:

• Galloping generalities: “I did my job really well this year” “We got a lot done”
• Hyperbole and exaggeration: “This was my best year ever” “I’m your best worker.”
• Implied specifics: “I increased my productivity over last year” “I improved sales”
• Sarcasm: “I did everything you asked me to do and more. So, let’s see what you give me”
• No thought: “I haven’t really thought about what I did this year”

Provide Reasons to Give You the Biggest Raises

Instead of saying stupid stuff, you should provide your supervisor with reasons to reward you with the biggest raises. Share facts about what you did and how they apply to the goals you set. For example:

• “I set a goal to increase my productivity by 10% over last year. I not only met my goal, but exceeded it by increasing total productivity by 14% this year.”
• “I increased sales by $190,000. $25,000 more than my goal.”

Friday we outline how say things that will impress future supervisors so they transfer you