Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom

How to Say No Without Looking Bad

No is a tricky word, because you always want to be perceived as a can-do individual. In general, you should try to preempt situations in which you will have to decline an assignment.

A good first step is to formalize your daily responsibilities with your official boss. Find out who on your team is authorized to delegate work to you, and note the type of assignments you can expect from each person.

The Outsider Assignment

If someone who is outside your core group of delegators gives you an assignment, politely reply that you would be glad to help, but that you would appreciate it if she would check with your manager first. The person may or may not pursue the matter, but, either way, you have extricated yourself from an awkward situation and have placed the ball in your boss’s court.

The Insider Assignment

On the other hand, what if someone who is a member of your core group of delegators gives you an assignment that you don’t have time to attend to?  If you don’t speak up, you will only become more buried, so tell him that you wish you could assist but won’t be able to attend to the task until you’re finished with the urgent one that’s currently occupying your time.  Are you uncertain which task is the priority?  Ask your boss – that’s what she’s there for.

The Manager Assignment

Now, here’s the toughest scenario.  What if your boss is the one who is overloading your to-do list?  I recommend saying something such as, “I’d be happy to take care of that, but today I’m researching statistics for next week’s client presentation. Which do you think I should do first?” Again, you have made someone else accountable for deciding which of the competing tasks you should direct your energy toward.

Note that in all of these cases, you have actually declined to take on a new task, but the word no and the phrase I don’t have time are absent from the conversation so you won’t sound prickly or be perceived as uncooperative.

This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.

Should You Start a Business While You Still Have a Job?

I’ve heard people say that they want to quit their jobs and start a business so often it has almost become a cliché.  The truth, though, is that the process of becoming an entrepreneur is not one that happens overnight.

Most self-employed individuals, myself included, remain gainfully employed at another job while taking one step at a time to launch a new business.

As you might imagine, this is easier said than done, for you don’t want to ruin your reputation at your existing job as a hard worker.  It’s only fair to your current employer that you efficiently do the job you’re being paid to do.  Therefore, you should take care to avoid scheduling meetings or calls for your business during while you’re on the clock, and don’t use company technology or supplies for your new venture either.

Benefits of a Gradual Transition

Setting ground rules like these will probably mean longer hours and substantial juggling for a while, but starting a business while you’re still employed has its benefits.  I’m fond of saying that not everyone is cut out for the risky and stressful lifestyle of an entrepreneur, and dipping your toe in is a good way to determine whether it’s really and truly for you.

Furthermore, if you take away the financial pressure of needing your business to make money right away, you will be more likely to have a successful venture in the long-run because you will be able to take your time with market research, real consumer trials, and consults with local, small business development centers.

Know When It’s Time to Leave

At some point, it will probably make sense for you to make your new business your full-time job.  How do you know?  A good sign is that your side gig’s revenue has now surpassed your annual salary, or that you are now able to support your family without the income from your day job.

This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.

It's the Little Things

I receive at least one new business or career book in the mail every week.  Don’t get me wrong – I love free stuff – but some of these titles make my head spin.  They all think they have the latest formula for business world success – be provocative, get rid of meetings, work two hours a day and go surfing, quit your job and start your own business, embrace your individuality and if your boss doesn’t like it…tough.

There’s no getting around the fact that Corporate America has changed a great deal in the last two years.  Companies have been stripped down and are struggling to rebuild themselves.  Millions are still unemployed.  And personally, I  don’t think any sexy new formula is going to ensure success in this environment.  Instead, we need to listen to the minds whose lessons have withstood the test of time, authors like Dale Carnegie, Stephen Covey, and Tom Peters who remind us that traditional values like courtesy, hard work, and trust will serve us well in any type of workplace, at any time.

It’s quite simple, really.  Treat your co-workers as you would like to be treated.  Help them out without being asked.  If you say you’re going to do something, follow through without having to be prodded.  If you make a mistake, admit and fix instead of trying to blame someone else or cover it up.

Instead of just doing your job and moving on, take that extra step to make sure it’s standout work.  Volunteer for a project that no one else wants to take on.  Be the person your boss depends on, and the person other departments call when they need something from your group.

Take advantage of the fact that you work in the same space as actual human beings, and don’t rely on e-mail or instant message to communicate with them.  Invite your co-workers to lunch and ask about their families and what they do outside business hours.  Remember their birthdays, maybe even make a habit of popping a handwritten card in interoffice mail.

You don’t need a $20 business book.  Just think about it a little bit.  You’ll know what to do.

  

How to Be More Persuasive

I received some positive feedback about the recent post, How to Lead Without Authority, and in response I decided to do a little more research on the topic.  While doing so, I came across the work of Robert Cialdini, a professor of psychology at Arizona State University who has made it his life work to study the importance of persuasion in influencing workplace relationships.

In his bestselling books, which include the most recent Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be More Persuasive, Dr. Cialdini has identified six principles to help you be more persuasive in your everyday work life, including:

Principle of Reciprocity

Dr. Cialdini found that people are more likely to say yes to you if you have said yes to them first.  If you first show a willingness to get on board with your colleagues’ projects, then they will find it more difficult to decline support for yours.

Principle of Commitment and Consistency

People will agree to something if it complies with their existing worldview.  Therefore, if you liken your proposal to another idea your colleague recently agreed with, you will play to her internal desire to be consistent.

Principle of Authority

Obviously, it’s easier to persuade direct reports because you are the manager.  But even if you aren’t the boss, establishing yourself as an organization-wide expert on a particular topic will do wonders to increase others’ perception of your authority and render them easier to persuade.

Principle of Social Validation

The field of television advertising was built upon this principle, which states that people are more willing to take a recommendation if they are provided evidence that “others like them” are already doing it.  So if you want to convince colleagues, get some testimonials from those who are friendly to your cause and at the same level as those who you’re trying to persuade.

Principle of Scarcity

People find opportunities more attractive to the degree that they are rare or dwindling in availability. Your colleagues will be more likely to agree to your proposal, for example, if they believe that they have to “strike now while the iron is hot.”

Principle of Liking

There is no getting around the fact that people prefer to say yes to those they know, like and trust, so if you want to be more persuasive at work, take the time to strengthen your personal relationship with each colleague you hope to influence.

This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.

How to Give a Great Presentation

Over the last several years, I’ve given a few hundred presentations.  I like to think I get better each year, but that doesn’t happen automatically.  As a result of consulting experts and reading a lot on the topic, I’ve compiled some best practices that I try to use in my remarks to conferences, corporations, and universities across the country.

Interact with your audience in advance

Learn as much as you can about the people you will be presenting to so that you can customize your presentation to meet their needs.  This might involve having a phone conversation with the organizers in which you probe them about their goals for the event, or polling participants about typical issues they’re facing.

I also recommend providing written notes to the person who is going to be introducing you.  You don’t want that person to give too much detail or the audience will zone out before you even take the floor.  However, if the introducer doesn’t provide enough relevant information about you or toot your horn, the audience might not get enough of a sense of your background and qualifications, and therefore might not be sufficiently intrigued.

Make the most of your introduction

Arrive at your venue early enough so that you can test all technology and audio-visual support elements before it’s time to speak.  You do not want the audience’s first impression to be you fiddling with the clicker or searching your flash drive for the right presentation.

Once you are introduced, don’t waste too much time on “good mornings” or “thank yous.”  Rather, ask the audience some questions that will get them engaged and thinking about the topic’s relevance right away, such as “how many people used more than 10 Powerpoint slides in their last talk?”  These questions can be rhetorical, but do give participants a brief moment to consider their responses.  Then, say a few words about why you’re there and what you plan to do.

You might include a powerful, personal anecdote that illustrates why the audience should be motivated to listen.  Since a major goal of a strong introduction is establishing rapport, this anecdote might be about a lesson you learned the hard way. Finish the introduction by briefly framing your key takeaways and action steps.

Consider your structure

Remember when your high school English teacher asked you to prepare an outline of your paper before you started writing?  A speech or presentation should be planned just as thoughtfully.

Ideally, your speech should have one major point and only three to five subpoints. Here’s an example from one of my recent talks:

• Major point: You can be passionate about your work without changing careers.
• Subpoint 1: Changing the way you think about your job is more important than any actual change you can make.
• Subpoint 2: Considering a lateral move or taking advantage of training and development opportunities can provide new challenges and skills.
• Subpoint 3: Developing a product or process to solve a vexing internal problem, aka intrapreneurship, is a great way to reinvigorate your job and increase your visibility.

Your subpoints should include specific data and advice, but don’t go overboard or you will overwhelm your audience.  It’s far better to include memorable anecdotes and examples that will resonate emotionally.

Another popular way to structure your main and subpoints is via a story with a beginning, middle, and end.  Sometimes, for instance, I will take university students through the journey of Alyssa, a graduating senior who is looking for her dream job.

Use Powerpoint slides sparingly

First of all, I believe in Powerpoint.  I think it’s a great tool for focusing your audience’s attention on a particular point.  However, Powerpoint has now been used and abused by speakers for years.  Far too many presenters rely on it as a crutch, cramming their slides full of text and then reading from them.

My friend Guy Kawasaki has a 10/20/30 rule about Powerpoint slides.  It states that a Powerpoint presentation should have no more than 10 slides, last no longer than 20 minutes, and have no text in less than a 30 point font.

I think Guy’s rule as written is a little extreme, but he has the right idea.  In general, if your slides can stand alone, meaning someone could just read them instead of attending your presentation, then you have too much information on them.

If I’m giving an hour long talk, I generally have about 15 slides, and they are highly visual with unique rather than stock images.  If you must use bullets, please put dark text on a light background so that they are as easy as possible to read.

This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.

Real World 101 for Soon-to-Be Grads

College graduation is nearly upon us once again, and many seniors have felt paralyzed by the still struggling job market.  Kristen Fischer, author of Ramen, Rent, Resumes has these tips for members of the Class of 2010 and members of the Class of 2011 who are wisely planning ahead:

Think about what you want to do.

Put some thought into the direction you want to take, after all, you may not want to enter the field you just spent four years studying.

Start your resume.

While you are on campus and have the resources, get tips for writing a resume. Compiling a resume is often overwhelming for soon-to-be grads because they feel like there’s nothing to fill up an entire page, but if you really assess your skill set and look at the latest resume-writing trends, you can come up with a powerful document.

Start looking for a job—yesterday.

Even thinking about what you want to do and where you want to live—and arranging for those things—is smart planning. Start browsing websites, setting up accounts on sites like LinkedIn and Monster.com.

Practice interviewing.

If you aced your public speaking class and excel at debates, start developing answers to common interview questions and practice a mock interview with a friend.

Enjoy your last days in college.

Spend extra time with friends, sleep in, stay out late, hit up a crazy party, or enjoy campus activities. Look to the future as a professional but don’t forget to enjoy your college days.

I give advice for college grads pretty often, but it's nice to have a fresh perspective now and then.  Thanks, Kristen!

How to Work with Someone Older

There are currently four generations in the workforce, so chances are you’ve found yourself in the position of having to work closely with someone older.  Maybe you’re even in a powerful position in which you are trusted with weighty responsibilities.  Good for you!

Now…don’t let it go to your head. In particular, you’ll want to be careful of having an attitude of superiority.  In dealing with an older co-worker, show humility and demonstrate respect for her years of experience.  After all, she may have been doing her job while you were still in high school, and having a younger colleague with a similar title might be a tough pill for her ego to swallow. 

Even if you feel you know exactly what needs to be done, ask your co-worker for input and be open to learning from her.  This way, she will want to see you succeed instead of undermining your position.

As soon as you are assigned to work with an older colleague, make sure you are keeping the lines of communication open.  Schedule regular project meetings, ensuring that he understands where you are coming from and how you would like to work on an everyday basis.  Strengthen the relationship by learning what’s important to him and showing interest in those things even if you can’t relate to them personally.

If you’re going to happy hour with your younger work pals, invite her along.  Once you get to talking about things you have in common – like Major League Baseball or overseas travel, the age difference won’t seem quite as significant. 

Influencing Someone Who’s Blocking Your Progress

This year, I’ve had the terrific experience of working with Stephen Covey, the author of the book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.  Covey outlines a number of approaches that individuals use when trying to get something from another person, and ultimately advocates win/win, or the attitude that a mutually beneficial solution is the best solution because everyone feels good and one person’s success is not achieved at the expense of another.

Create a Win/Win Solution

In fact, the only real way to motivate someone who’s not allowing you to do your job is to come up with a win/win solution, or proactively considering ways that the other person can benefit from cooperating with you.  Because other people don’t care what you want and want to know what’s in it for them, get her cooperation by making her want to do what you’re asking.  How?  The main tactic is to examine the situation from her point of view and determine her priorities. Then, in your initial approach, talk about what she wants and how your proposal can help her get it.

The Strategy in Action

A former job of mine was to coordinate press interviews between executives and journalists. One afternoon, I had to persuade a high-level sales executive to postpone a visit with a client and spend an hour talking with a journalist on deadline. However, I understood that the sales executive wanted to spend his time closing deals, not chatting it up with someone who couldn’t pay him, even if that was part of his job responsibilities.  So I approached my request this way:

“You mentioned that we sometimes lose deals because we can’t demonstrate to potential clients how our products are covered in the press. Here is our chance to change that. Ordinarily I wouldn’t ask you to move your meeting, but the client is available for lunch on Friday. The article with your interview will have appeared online by then—why don’t I get you a copy to show him?”

In this way, the sales executive saw how talking with the journalist could help him get what he wanted: more closed deals. He realized that spending an hour now would pay huge publicity dividends later on, and that it might even help persuade the client he planned on visiting that week. I got my interview done on time, and the sales executive met the client for lunch armed with an extra weapon. Win/Win!

This post was originally published on Intuit's Quickbase blog.

New Episode: 30/20 Vision

Join me and my wonderful co-hosts, Christine Hassler (author of The 20-Something Manifesto) and Lindsey Pollak (author of Getting from College to Career), for our next 30/20 Vision podcast today, May 3, at 3:00pm EST.

Our topic this month is how to let go of something in your life when it's not working out or when you can't win.

Click here to join us live or download the episode anytime.