Category Archives: Transition

Work/life balance for frequent travelers

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Is business travel taking a toll on your home life? One in five adults in the United States will take a trip for business in the next six months. For many, it’s a way of life. How can you travel for work and minimize the impact on your home life? Here are some tips from Humanergy’s frequent flying associates and clients:

Plan if you can. Give some notice to your spouse and kids, if at all possible. Depending on the ages and personalities of the children, they may need more or less time to prepare emotionally. Don’t spring the news on them by bringing out the suitcases.

Create a connection plan. Let the folks back home know when and how you’ll stay connected. Use Skype, phone or email to stay in touch. It is better to have fewer, less distracted contacts, so plan a chunk of time when you’re not engaged elsewhere. Avoid noisy restaurants and brief check-ins during meeting breaks. No one will enjoy those interactions, and you may actually increase the frustration and anxiety on everyone’s part.

Rethink the gifts. How many times have you run yourself ragged to purchase a gift, only to find the trinket discarded the next day? Consider nixing travel gifts in favor of a family outing when you return. If you must bring something home, make it meaningful and simple. You might even consider doing this gift selection in advance – ordering that book your spouse wants to read or the latest Nintendo game for the kids. Above all, don’t do the last-minute search for gifts in the airport shop. Those are the ones you find stuffed under the sofa shortly thereafter.

Plan for a civilized re-entry. If you can’t be fully present when you walk through the door, take a break. Jump into the shower or take a short nap before re-engaging with the family. You’ll be more pleasant, engaged and able to catch up on what you missed on the home front.

Outsource distractions. Rather than jumping right into mowing your two acres of lawn, hire someone to take care of your household chores. This will free you up to spend time with family and get some much-needed rest.

Ditch the )*^%(_#$ Blackberry. They’ve missed you and can’t wait to talk, snuggle and other stuff we can’t mention. Turn off your Blackberry (or equivalent) and have a meaningful conversation with your loved one. By no means should you ever bring it into the bedroom.

Have some fun. There’s nothing like playing together for reuniting a family unit. Get outside if you can and do something active together. Like cricket! The picture above is of our Humanergy family members after a fun-filled time learning to play the game.

Appreciate the same-old-sameness of it all. Unwind in your favorite chair, sit on the deck or whatever it takes to soak up the familiarity of home. Enjoy the simplicity of home and forget the travel upheaval and hassle – not to mention the language barriers. “Boy, those French. They have a different word for everything” (Steve Martin).

Have a question about this topic or want some input from Humanergy? Contact us!

Photo courtesy of stock.xchng


What if you were out of the picture?

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It could happen to you. You could have an accident or experience a serious illness. It may seem odd to think about this scenario, and yet it is instructive for a number of reasons. First, there are important logistics that need advance planning. How will the organization continue to move forward in your absence?

The second reason to contemplate your unexpected sidelining now is that it is illuminating to think of what might happen if you were permanently or temporarily unable to fulfill your leadership role. Hypothetically removing yourself from the picture presents potential options that you might not have otherwise considered.

Who would take over your responsibilities? This plan will likely include phases, with an immediate response and then longer term solution. Document now what should happen; don’t wait and risk a mad scramble, organizational chaos and a reduction in the value you provide your customers.

What unsung heroes could and would step up and take on new roles? When Susan Stern began experiencing profound hearing loss, she soon realized that she needed to empower the Associates at her marketing firm, Stern + Associates, as she recounts in a recent blog post. She began delegating more responsibility to her team. As a result,she  has become a better leader and her people stronger performers. Who on your team is ready to handle more? Do they have to wait for you to be hit by a bus to engage their full potential?

What changes could you foresee without you at the helm? Would any of those changes be for the good? Nobody’s perfect, and there may be aspects of your leadership that people wouldn’t miss. Painful as this may be, think about what you can change now to move yourself and the organization into a stronger position to withstand any crisis. One option may be beefing up your leadership team with people whose skills are both compatible with yours and complementary – people who together could fill the void in your absence.

Accidents can wreak havoc and sometimes result in unexpected, happy discoveries (like penicillin and Post-it® adhesive). Just thinking about an accident can also produce some great learning. Take some time today to think about “what if.”

Have a question about this topic or want some input from Humanergy? Contact us!

Photo courtesy of stock.xchng


A former peer is your new boss!

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You always knew she had talent and was hard-working. Now the person who used to sit in the next cubicle is moving to a corner office. How do you manage the transition and the issues that will arise?

Discuss roles and expectations. Hopefully the new boss will initiate a conversation. If not, ask for a time to discuss expectations and priorities. Share what you’re working on and align on goals.

Address the relationship issues. Talk about what might change now that your former peer is your boss. If you’re friends, discuss how you’ll deal with others’ perceptions or concerns. Will your peers be on the alert for favoritism? Probably. Understand that your boss will need to curtail the social aspects, at least for a while; she may also not be able to assign you that coveted project right away.

Manage your mindset. It may not be comfortable to admit that you’re a little jealous; if you are, admit it and work through it so you can perform in a way that will put you in line for the next promotion. If you balk at having a former peer having control over your work life, recognize that it is a normal initial reaction. You just need to get over it, and hopefully make the best of it as well.

Support the new boss, but don’t be a guard dog. Colleagues will look to you to assess how you’re handling this change, especially if you were tight as peers. You don’t have to defend her every move or tell her everything that’s being said.  Stay positive, encourage open communication and support everyone in achieving the team’s goals.

Keep the focus on work. In spite of this upheaval, there is work to be done. You’ll weather the storm favorably if you maintain focus and advance the organization’s mission.

Having a former peer as your new boss not only means that the priorities at work will likely change; relationships will change too. You can see that as a negative or as an opportunity to forge a partnership that works for everyone. It starts with the right attitude. As author Carlos Castaneda said, We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.

Have a question or want some input from Humanergy about this topic? Contact us and we’ll get right back to you!


Navigating the transition from peer to boss

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You’ve done it. You’ve received the big promotion and will now lead your department. So, how do you handle the transition from being a peer to being the boss?

Scott Eblin summarized a New York Times article on Ursula Burns’ transition to CEO at Xerox. Paraphrased, here are the main points Scott draws from the Xerox experience:

Call it out. Be up front about your agenda, priorities and what should happen next.

Go one on one. Talk directly with the former peers who aren’t on board and create a plan to make it work.

Remember that it’s different. Comments you could make as a peer are interpreted very differently when you’re the boss.

Based on our experience with peer-to-boss transitions, we offer the following additional tips:

Address the interpersonal and social aspects. While you may not be able to hang out and yuck it up at happy hour in the same way now that you’re the boss, don’t just stop showing up. Talk with your people about what you’ll be doing and not doing and why.

Understand that some relationships will change. Your closest ally as a peer may not play the same role when you’re the boss. In fact, some people may be angry, particularly if they wanted the job as well. Be patient, and realize that you must build connections with former peers based on a whole new dynamic.

Do your new job, not your old job. It might be tempting to delve into the details and try to stay as connected with your old role as you once were. Figure out what you need to  know to do your current job well. Stay out of the other day-to-day particulars that were part of your former job.

Remember that you don’t know it all. Even though you’ve moved up the ladder, maintain your humility and eagerness to gain new knowledge and skills. In particular, be willing to learn from your past peers, whose contributions are critical to your team’s and organization’s success. Seek feedback about your performance in your new role, graciously accept that feedback as the gift that it is, and act upon it.

Make expectations crystal clear. Former best buddy or not, the job needs to get done. Articulate what is expected, how people will be held accountable and what role you’ll play in supporting everyone’s success.

Keep the lines of communication open. Beyond your initial “I’m-the-boss-now” conversation, check in with people regularly to gauge how the transition is going, what issues they’re facing and how you can feed their strengths and optimize performance.

As in any transition, good planning and skillful execution are required. Even with best transitions, expect some bumps in the road. The payoff will be that while your relationships may change, you’ll achieve your goals – moving the team and the organization towards high performance and amazing results.

Have a question or want some input from Humanergy about this topic? Contact us and we’ll get right back to you!