Know Your Worth

John Odom, a minor league baseball player, was traded to another team in exchange for 10 baseball bats.

So, my free little agents, listen up! Knowing & effectively communicating your worth are critical factors to receiving your worth. Not sure what your job should be paying? Visit http://www.salary.com/ to learn more.

Suggestions:

1. Earn more education
2. Meet with your employer to discuss additional projects you have initiated & seen to completion
3. Do your homework--document your accomplishments and clearly communicate HOW you have increased sales, customer service standards, or anything that would merit a raise
4. One of the best times to initiate this type of conversation is soon after the employer offers praise for your capabilities
5. In today's economy, a pay raise may not be a possibility. So ask for the gift of time instead. Additional vacation days are a great reward for a job well done.

For the record, I'm not picking on John Odom. Who knows? Perhaps he's worth 9 bats...in which case, way to go, man!

http://www.donnamariawalker.com/

Organizational Yoga

Managerial overconfidence, complacency, and taken-for-granted assumptions, can be the biggest barriers to future organizational success.

The market can (and will) provide managers with all of the environmental feedback necessary to make critical decisions regarding future organizational direction(s)/business models.

Increase your flexibility by practicing organizational yoga...or you can kiss your business goodbye.

1. Analyze external exceptions to rules
2. Analyze past trends to predict future needs
3. Fall out of love with ideas that aren't working
4. Create a consequence-free environment where employees feel safe to share "bad news"

Motorola was a leader in the analog world...until digital technology came to town. Oooops.

Slap Me Some Skinner!

SCENARIO:

• Employee presses lever. No pellet dispensed.
• Employee presses lever. Still no pellet.
• Employee presses lever. Nope. Nada.

• Employer presses shock button to encourage desired response.
• No response.
• Employer presses shock button to encourage desired response.
• Nothing.
• Employer presses shock button to encourage...hey, wait a minute? Where are you going? Come back here!

The cost of living has increased exponentially while payrolls remain the same. Even if employers cannot afford to promote an increase in payroll, FREE reinforcements do exist to promote an increase in morale:

1. Personally thank an employee for a specific job well-done.
2. Include employees in the decisions. Often times, employees understand operations in a different way than management--this communication can benefit the organization.
3. Offer opportunities for employees to learn new skills.
4. Celebrate successes!
5. Give the gift of time (free time is a great reward for a specific accomplishment).

www.donnamariawalker.com

Just the Worm, Ma'am

The early bird catches the worm. We've all heard it, but it's garbage. The early bird gets up early. That's it. Perhaps a more accurate statement may be, "The early bird, who leaves its nest and takes an active role in hunting, catches the worm."

Don't you just hate those people who brag incessantly that they get up at 5am each day?

Each week, the CEO of Xerox asks employees:
1. How many sales events did you attend this week? What did you learn?
2. How many customer service meetings did you attend this week? What did you learn?

Not, "What time did you get up today?" He's interested in "The Worm" NOT the time of day you caught it.

Learn YOUR prime time for productivity and then go get that worm. Trust me, they're there...I see robins in my yard from sunup til sunset. http://www.donnamariawalker.com/

POW (Prisoner of Work)

Your Not-A-Cog Blog, a supplement to my consulting business, brings you our 100th blog entry! Thank you for your fabulous emails and inspirations throughout the past several months!

Are you a POW?


Do you lack interest in a job you once enjoyed? Are your co-workers more annoying than they've ever been before? Are goals meaningless? Is your work product a pale shadow of what it used to be?

If so, you may be suffering from burnout. Communication can be a great tool to help get you out of this slump. Contact me today for your free 1-hr. initial consultation.

http://www.donnamariawalker.com/

Got Chicken?

(Caution! Video clip contains "foul" language!)

Leeroy Jenkins, an Internet phenom & member of a team of World of Warcraft players, left his computer to get some chicken while the rest of the team communicated their detailed plan to enter into battle.

When Leeroy finally returns, he prematurely runs past his team (still meeting outside of the castle), and into battle screaming "Let's do this! Leeeeeeroooooy Jenkins!" His stunned teammates follow him into battle. Leeroy, the weakest link in the geek brain trust, facilitated a fatal ending for the entire team.

Sound familiar? We've all worked with a Leeroy at some point in our careers. Listening is a fundamental component to effective communication and teamwork. Increase your team's 32.33% chance of survival. Schedule an Active Listening training today!
http://www.donnamariawalker.com/

Schoooooool's Out For Summer!

Unless your kid has a sweet internship set up with Nintendo, you may want to consider unplugging the video games this summer.

Internships, work experience, and volunteerism are all critical aspects to an individuals ultimate success in college, career and life.

Some common traits among successful young adults:
1) Have experience working as a part of a team
2) Exercise judgment (can think quickly and make good decisions)
3) Possess self-confidence
4) Exercise discipline (can resist temptation)
5) Awareness of, and respect for, individual differences (ethnic, demographic, etc.)

So, even if you can play Alice Cooper's famous song on Legends of Rock at the Expert Level, I can guarantee you, that will not win over a potential employer or college admissions officer.

http://www.donnamariawalker.com/

MJ in Your PC

Remember that Rockwell/Michael Jackson song..."I always feel like somebody's watchin' me! Can't I get no privacy? Nooooo!"

Computer systems and equipment (including any email sent or received), are the property of the employer. Personal privacy, real or implied, does not exist...even after business hours when you're off the clock.

Most policy & procedure manuals clearly outline terms and conditions for computer & Internet usage. Many companies classify personal use of computers as grounds for dismissal.

We interrupt this blog entry to bring you a message from Bill Gates:

"I'M NOT SENDING YOU $100!"

My policy? When in doubt, throw it out. The delete button is a fab feature. Unless, of course, you think that forwarding that chain letter to 6 friends will bring you a better job with better benefits...in which case, I'm all for it.

http://www.donnamariawalker.com/

Trump Your Hiring Slump

Sometimes new hires don't work out despite hours of exhausting resume reviews, interviews, reference checks, personality tests...you get the point.

This is natural and it happens. Neither the employee or the employer should feel badly.

Food for Thought:
Perhaps "The Donald" has it right. Not that a 14-week interview process is a good idea, but perhaps there is something to having a 'hands-on' interview where the employee actually performs the duties of the job for a day (or a week). It may be less expensive than advertising, interviewing and a potential wrong hire.

http://www.donnamariawalker.com/

Vulture Culture

Like buzzards circling a carcass, many co-workers are circling waiting for a colleague to fail (rather than helping them out); waiting for a position to be eliminated; waiting for someone to falter so they can pick the bones clean.

Sick to think about, but it happens all of the time.

Negativity and conflict in the workplace is detrimental to the overall "success" of an organization.

To schedule a conflict resolution training in your office, contact me today.

LoTo BB with BB

The Mayo Clinic promotes the following tips to reduce stress:

1. Plan each day.
2. Prioritize your tasks.
3. Delegate.
4. Get plenty of sleep and exercise.


5. Attend D.J. Urban Kobbb's Lowertown Band Brawl
   May 10, 3-6:30 p.m.
   Texaco station (7th and Madison Street)

(Okay, so #5 is my professional tip...but music has been scientifically proven to reduce stress and increase work performance)!

Hope to see you there!
www.donnamariawalker.com

I Ain't Stewart Smalley

Some consultants offer you little more advice than to look in the mirror and say...
And then they look at you and say..."That'll be $3,000!"

Donna-Maria Walker, LLC is committed to helping organizations achieve higher levels of satisfaction through the implementation of strategic communication and employee/volunteer training & development.

While trainings are fun, they are also hard work.
While speeches are motivational, they are also highly educational and results-oriented.

You're good enough and smart enough to know when it's time for some serious training in your organization. Contact me today.

www.donnamariawalker.com

More Morale

Low morale in the workplace can be a result of many contributing factors including
employee terminations, promotion of incompetent co-workers, unresolved conflict, unstable organizational and/or financial health, unreasonable and relentless workloads, demanding supervisors, unengaged/non-supportive supervisors, poor environmental conditions...and the list goes on.

Let me assure you of one thing...low morale is VERY costly to an organization either in the form of lost productivity or turnover. Have the courage to look at yourself and your organization objectively.

Contact me today to schedule your free 1-hour initial consultation. Let's create a customized plan to increase morale in your organization!

Suggested Reading

Negotiating salary, job duties and other critical aspects of your job can be a daunting task. Typically, organizations provide 6 month and/or annual reviews which usually include opportunities to communicate performance objectives, duties, salary and other critical aspects of your job.

This book is filled with some good tips and ideas that can help.

www.donnamariawalker.com