So my sister asks me how we maintain our raspberries to get the to grow so well. Honestly there’s not a lot we do. Two things I find work well are keeping the weeds down and cutting them back appropriately.

Cutting them back requires a little understanding of the growth cycle. Our raspberries fruit twice a year. However new shoots tend to only fruit at the end if their first year if you’re lucky. Year old shoots will fruit twice. These older shoots should be cut back after the last fruit of the season or before serious growth begins. You can tell which of the stalks are the oldest because they will be hard and brown or grey. The newer shoots will be a health brown to greenish in color. First year stalks will be much more flexible than older ones.

Cut back old stalks a few inches from the ground. Be sure to stake the stalks early and frequently to allow for maximum air and light.

Fertilize now and then to ensure good soil.

NOTE: raspberries are in the same family as poison ivy. Use caution when using weed killers or you will kill this scrumptious delight

Good luck and enjoy!!!

The change process doesn’t end when the last piece has been implemented. Successful change initiatives require maintenance to sustain the positive results. As John Kotter states in his article Our Iceberg is melting: Make it stick. Create a new culture. Hold onto the new ways of behaving, and make sure they succeed, until they become strong enough to replace old traditions (Kotter & Rathgeber, 2006). Making change stick over the long run can be daunting however there are a few tools available to help sustain the initiative.

The Systems and Structures Action Plan (Nelson & Aaron, 2005), is a template designed to help evaluate and plan for gaps in HR and other organizational systems and structures. This template contains rows for various systems and structures such as Staffing, Measurement, Rewards, Communication, etc. Each of these System/Structures is discussed in subsequent columns to help manage the gaps and sustainability. Some of these discussion points include: What we do now, what should be modified, followed by how and who is responsible. This straightforward template serves as the catalyst and definition for the critical discussions needed to sustain change. This is a very simple tool to use and can be modified to meet the differing needs within organizations.

Applying to my own organization key gaps became apparent surrounding measurement and rewards. Most of the focus behind the change initiatives were focused on Organizational Structures, and Staffing. Once the change was in place the resulting teams were left with little to gauge themselves by and few opportunities for recognition. These tools enabled an action plan to be placed around these gaps to rectify the situation.

Unlike some of the other available tools for change, the Systems and Structures Action Plan can and should be applied regularly within regular operations. Scheduling quarterly review of these topics can support not only previous change initiatives but day-to-day operations as well. This valuable tool should be a part of every manager’s toolbox.

Works Cited

Kotter, J. P., & Rathgeber, H. (2006). Our Iceberg Is Melting. Leadership Excellence , 23 (2), p11.

Nelson, K., & Aaron, S. (2005). The Change Management Pocket Guide. Cincinnati, OH: Change Guides LLC.

I’m reviewing two tools for change this week. The first tool is the Leadership Alignment Assessment and the second is the Leadership Involvement Plan. Both of these tools aim to solve a critical issue in most change initiatives, appropriate support by leadership.

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There seems to be a lot of people looking for tips on getting ahead in the corporate world. While I may not be a Stephen Covey, I have picked up a few things over the years that may help you.

Confidence

I really think the most important thing you can do is to project confidence at work. Be careful not to be arrogant though. Speak loudly without yelling. Apparently people who talk loud are perceived better than those who talk quietly. I’m sure there’s some psychology behind this but I don’t have it handy. Watch your posture sit and walk as if you were being pulled up by a chain hooked right under your breast bone. This will lift your chest and head up and put your shoulders back.

No one is an expert

This one has two points. First if you think you are an expert, think again, there is always more to learn. Second if you’re talking with someone smarter than you, good, there’s nothing wrong with not having all the answers.

Ask Questions

Don’t just sit there and act like you know what’s going on. Ask what something means. Too many times people just sit there and nod their heads. Asking questions won’t make you look dumb, but acting like you understand something you don’t sure will.  You would be surprised how many people would be asking the same question if they were brave enough. Getting the answer out in public helps get everyone on the same page. Asking questions also shows you’re engaged in the discussion.

Listen

This is important and has many aspects to it. Listening is a lot harder than is sounds. A lot of us want to show people we’re smart so we talk more than we listen. Stop talking! Here’s a really odd thing, you will gain more respect and support by listening than by talking. This is such an important thing I’ll be writing more about it later.

Expand on the conversation

This is a great technique for looking smarter than you are. When you’re in a meeting listen to everyone, then expand on what someone else said. “I think Bob had a great point, by doing X and Y we can see more results, what about adding Z to that, can we get even more results?” The key here is to mention the other persons contribution, it show’s you’re listening. Following it up with a little more info shows you’re providing value.

These a just a few of the basics, I’ll be adding more tips soon. Please feel free to comment with your own tips or questions. More to come.

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Affinity Diagram

In business we are often faced with understanding problems and challenges that face our organization. Often these challenges are not clearly identified and need to be coaxed into clarity. A series of tools are available for helping to improve processes. These tools, fourteen in all, were defined by the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers for improving process and quality (Second seven tools, 2007). The first seven of these tools are frequently used for quantitative means, while the second seven tools are used more for qualitative situations (Second seven tools, 2007). Within the second seven tools is a useful tool called an affinity diagram.

Ease of use and why.

The affinity diagram is a tool used to collect large amounts of data and organize them based on their natural relationships (The Balanced Score Card Institute, 1996). The process begins by silently writing down ideas on separate pieces of paper, or post-it-notes. Once this brainstorming has taken place these ideas are collected and randomly placed on a board or wall. The sequence continues by moving the ideas into similar groupings. The resulting groupings are then classified and documented.

The process is extremely easy to implement and offers unique insight on a topic by incorporating many ideas from multiple sources. The process seems to encourage new ways of thinking about a problem.

Insights the tool provided to you about your organization.

In application in my current organization new ideas emerged on the cause of some of our challenges. Where once a group of managers would sit and discuss a few causes for the slow pace of delivery, when new sources provided their ideas and insight, new groupings appeared offering intriguing paths we are now able to evaluate and approach. Some specific examples of new focus areas include technical limitations, and conflicting task prioritizations, where previously pure effort had been the focus.

Whether you would use the tool again and in what circumstances.

More information leads to better decision making. Too much information however, can be overwhelming. This tool provides a way to organize subjective elements into a meaningful model. I would use this again when presented with a question or problem that requires a solid understanding before a course can be plotted. I see a use for this in an informal means as well. In meetings with peers and colleagues the same question can be asked to multiple parties separately. The answers can later be moved to a board for organization. This tool is useful in a formal brainstorming session with multiple people in the same room as well as informal organization of ideas.
Works Cited
Second seven tools. (2007). Retrieved 12 2008, from Improvement Encyclopedia: http://syque.com/improvement/Second%20seven%20tools.htm

The Balanced Score Card Institute. (1996, Jan 30). Basic Tools for Process Improvement: AFFINITY DIAGRAM. Retrieved Dec 2008, from The Balanced Score Card Institute: http://www.balancedscorecard.org/Portals/0/PDF/affinity.pdf

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As organizations face optimizations and reorganizations frequently employees are displaced or laid off. These actions while necessary for the organization can leave the remaining employees with negative feelings often referred to as survivor’s syndrome. The resulting negativity can drastically impact the performance of the organization. How can managers and organizations ease the stresses on these survivors?

To understand how to help employees cope with layoffs it is important to understand the basis of the grief. An unwritten agreement exists between the employer and employee call the psychological contract (Herriot, Manning, & Kidd, 1997). This contract may support values such as trust, security, loyalty and stability (Sahdev, 2004). Employees dealing with survivor’s syndrome show a perceived breach in this psychological contract. Studies suggest that topics of commitment and motivation are common with survivors (Sahdev, 2004).

Communication is the core of dealing with this syndrome. ‘Providing clear explanations of why downsizing is necessary, treating all employees with dignity and using procedures that are fair, are all imperative for building and maintaining any chance of survivor trust’. (Niehoff, Moorman, Blakely, & Fuller, 2001). Putzler suggests four actions to move past survivor syndrome; hold open meetings to discuss issues, invite family members to events, provide non-work related discussions and events, and organize ways to lighten up the work environment (Putzler, 2002). The goal here is to rebuild that psychological contract by demonstrating the organization’s honest motivation for the layoffs and continued commitment to the survivors as a person rather than name on a resource allocation sheet. Provide eye-to-eye communications and show these employees you care (Supervision, 1990).

Defining a strategy for survivor’s happiness and attention needed to put it into action is critical for post-layoff viability (Travaglione & Cross, 2006). Managers and leadership need to be aware of the impacts layoffs have on the organization and plan for ways to work through the resulting negative emotions. Too often we view business as a cold calculating machine where things are quantifiable. These days more than ever we need to remember and support the human aspects that truly drive the successes in our businesses.

Works Cited

Herriot, P., Manning, W. E., & Kidd, J. M. (1997). The content of the psychological contract. British Journal of Management , 8 (2), 151 – 162.

Niehoff, B., Moorman, R., Blakely, G., & Fuller, J. (2001). The influence of empowerment and job enrichment on employee loyalty in a downsizing environment. Group and Organization Management , 93–113.

Putzler, J. (2002). Moving Past Survivor Syndrome. Executive Excellence , 19 (1), p20.

Sahdev, K. (2004). Revisiting the survivor syndrome: The role of leadership in implementing downsizing. European Journal of Work & Organizational Psychology , 13 (2), p165-196.

Supervision. (1990). What about employees who aren’t laid off? Supervision Magazine , 51 (7), p21.

Travaglione, A., & Cross, B. (2006). Diminishing the social network in organizations: does there need to be such a phenomenon as ‘survivor syndrome’ after downsizing? Strategic Change , 15 (1), p1-13.

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When addressing the topic of change within an organization, leaders need to start the process on the right foot. Many change initiatives fail due to poor initial planning. As with any initiative you may face, one of the firsts step should be to assess the situation. Taking an initial assessment of will help identify Where are you know and what potential obstacles could be in your way.

Looking to a change initiative, performing an initial assessment is equally valuable. Understanding the current state of your organizations readiness for change enables you to plan effectively for successful implementation.

What does a readiness assessment cover? Most readiness assessments first identify the degree to which the change initiative is understood by both the leadership and stakeholders. This first section is typically referred to as the Vision or Communication section. Unclear initiatives often face many challenges and frequently result in failure. This section is usually followed by a series of questions relating to the engagement of leadership and employees. These assessments conclude by examining various factors impacting the initiatives ability to succeed and be maintained over time.

Here are a couple free online resources that help provide some context on the topic.

• http://www.performanceprograms.com/Surveys/Changeready.shtm
• http://www.abarisconsulting.com/websiteProfit/articles/P_ABARIS_ChangeReadinessAssessment.pdf

Utilizing a template from the Change management Pocket Guide published by Change Guides LLC., I performed an assessment of my own organizations readiness for change. Using the Change Readiness Audit was rather straight forward. While we scored well on questions like “Do people understand how the change will benefit customers and stakeholders” (Nelson & Aaron, 2005) It became evident that our change initiative still needed work in areas such as leadership accountability and resource availability (Nelson & Aaron, 2005). These are just a few of the questions asked in this tool. The Change Readiness Audit is a single page template that asks straight forward questions about your initiative. While other assessments utilize a mathematical grading system, this tool offers Yes, Somewhat and No as options for each question. The result is an easy to use tool that clearly identifies the state of your initiative in key areas that can lead to failure if not addressed.

I was very satisfied with this tool in its ability to identify areas needing attention in our organization before moving forward with our change initiative. I plan on using this tool in future engagements and would. Take some time to perform an assessment on your organization. You’ll be glad you did.

Works Cited

Nelson, K., & Aaron, S. (2005). The Change Management Pocket Guide. Cincinnati, OH: Change Guides LLC.

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The internet is full of conversations and discussions. More good information passes my screen in a minute than I can work through in the day. In this world of disconnected conversations it’s important to understand that it’s the people on the other end that matter. I watch people out for the popularity contest rather than actually contributing real value to the environment. How many users can you have, how many hits can you get.

Jim Connolly posted a great blog entry about maanging the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) side of things with the human side. In his posting Focus on people – Not ‘hits’! he notes how true growth comes from the people. Engage your users and they will return. SEO is important but it should not be the sole purpose of your site. Don’t forget the power of your users.

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Are you happy with your current position in your company? No, what are you doing about it? I hear people complaining way too often that they are unhappy with their work and for whatever reason they put up with it. The overwhelming reason is that people are waiting for someone to pull them up through a corporation. They’re looking for a manager to create a development plan, waiting for an executive to offer them a promotion, waiting for a project manager to ask them to be on the next big project.

No one cares about you

The bottom line is none of this will happen. Sure there are the cases where people are really recognized for the value they provide but it rarely happens. Think about it, if you’re doing a great job in your current role, why would a manger want to pull you out of that roll and put you in something else, she needs a competent person in that roll.

Provide a successor

Sure you may think you have job security being the linchpin in a critical system, but if you’re the only one who can do it there is no way your managers will push to get you on something else. As for a development plan, most development plans are geared toward what the enterprise wants not what you want. If you’re a java developer and you want to be well rounded, ask your manager if you can take a class on C#. Best of luck with that.

Create your own development plan

We’re not talking about a development plan for HR, make one for yourself. Don’t just sit there looking at it, act on it. Truth is if you haven’t learned anything new in the past three months you’re not going anywhere.

Learn something new each quarter

The whole objective is that you need to work for what you want and where you want to be. Point in case, you want your managers job. How willing do you think your boss would be to stepping out of your way. Exactly, your manager has no interest in grooming you for his position. If you see no room for movement within your team look elsewhere.

Find your own path

Better yet move someone out of the position you want. No I’m not talking about hiring a hit man. Pick a position you want and get close to that person. Understand what *they* want from their career and help them get there. Challenge them to be better ask them questions, compliment them in front of key people, help them get where they way to go. If you’ve played your cards right you’ve show you have the skills and have been visible enough to slide right in to the empty chair.

Help your obstacles move

You might find yourself in a place where everyone is very content and no one wants to move anywhere. First be careful you don’t catch what they have. Truth is there is nothing wrong with aspiring to be better than you are. It’s not a sign of weakness, rather is a sign of strength. Sure your developer buddies may laugh that you sound like you want to be a manager, but in five years they’ll still be there doing the same thing, you’ll be bringing in more cash, doing cool new things.

Embrace your dreams, they’re not nightmares

Finally it’s called the corporate ladder for a reason. You need to take the time and effort to climb it. You need to work at it, find resources, look for opportunities, be proactive. If managers and leaders really were to pull you up through the ranks it would be called the corporate elevator. You need to make it happen.

Give yourself that promotion