What Your Employer Expects
Unit 4
South-Western
Quick Skills Series
My Boss and I Agree Survey
1. All I have to do is listen to my boss and do what I’m told to get a great performance review.
Agree
Disagree
2. Some jobs are beneath me. I won’t learn anything if I spend all my time doing them.
Agree
Disagree
3. I don’t work directly with customers or clients, so it doesn’t matter how I dress for work.
Agree
Disagree
4. My boss will teach me everything I need to know on the job, so I should just wait around.
Agree
Disagree
5. My coworkers should understand my occasional bad moods and give me space.
Agree
Disagree
6. Doing what I was hired to do is good enough.
Agree
Disagree
7. I deserve some perks for all of my hard work, so it’s okay to take a few supplies home.
Agree
Disagree
8. I work hard while I’m here, so no one will mind if I tend to be a few minutes late for work.
Agree
Disagree
9. As long as I stay late and get my work done, my supervisor shouldn’t care if I take time with
personal phone calls.
Agree
Disagree
10. Being a perfectionist is the most important thing at work, so I shouldn’t worry about deadlines.
Agree
Disagree
11. I shouldn’t have to take responsibility for my actions at work. That’s what supervisors are for.
Agree
Disagree
12. Preventing misunderstandings is easy. You just have to speak clearly and logically.
Agree
Disagree
13. Because new employees bring a fresh perspective, they should point out from Day 1 how systems
can be improved.
Agree
Disagree
14. Team waste time, so working independently is more productive.
Agree
Disagree
Starting Out Strong
Hit the road running
No job is too small
Take time to grow and learn
Demonstrate competence
– Read instructions carefully and
follow them
– Keep the highest standards for
written work
– Double check all math
computations
Work hard, fast, and smart
Take initiative
– Look for work once yours is
finished
– Take cues from customers and
coworkers
– Be efficient with your time and
tasks
– Volunteer
– Think creatively
– Be willing to take calculated
risks
“Starting at the bottom builds character. It makes you hungry and determined. It’s also a very good way to find out,
stunning as it may be, that you’re not as smart as you think you are. And it’s the best way to learn.”
-Maria Shriver
Professionalism
View the job as an exciting opportunity
Consistently work hard
Learn and practice required skills outside of work
Show commitment to your job and company
Complete work accurately, on time, and with a positive attitude
Show willingness to learn new ways of doing things
Stay busy doing work of value to the company
Take the initiative. Don’t wait to be told what to do
Develop a good relationship with your supervisor and coworkers
Dress and act professionally
Characteristics Employers Value
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Ability to work in a team
Able to make decisions and
solve problems
Ability to plan, organize and
prioritize work
Ability to communicate verbally
with people inside and outside
an
Ability to obtain and process
information
6. Ability to analyze quantitative
data
7. Technical knowledge related to
the job
8. Proficiency with computer
software programs
9. Ability to create and/or edit
written reports
10. Ability to sell and influence
others
Research reported by
http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/10/11/the-10-skills-employersmost-want-in-20-something-employees/
Take Time To Learn Your
Responsibilities
What are my specific job
responsibilities?
What tasks do you consider most
important?
How does my job fit into the work of
the department? The company?
What are your expectations for me
in this job? What short-term and
long-term goals would you like me
to achieve?
How should I report my progress to
you? How often?
What time should I arrive for work?
When is quitting time? When is
lunch?
Am I expected to work evenings or
weekends?
What tasks will I perform by
myself? As a team? How much
supervision and direction will I be
given? Who is my supervisor?
How much authority do I have?
What’s the procedure for obtaining
supplies, and where are they kept?
What specific office policies should
I know?
When and how will my
performance be evaluated?
Is there an employee handbook
available?
Take Time To Learn About Your
Company
Read the annual report from cover to cover
Read the employee manual and any other lists of policies and procedures
Learn everything you can about your company’s products, services, and values
Read press releases about the company. It’s a great way to learn your company’s
values
Study an organization chart. Learn how your position fits into the scheme of things.
Read your company’s mission statement. What is the company’s vision? Where does
the company want to be at the end of this year? In ten years?
Learn who your company’s main competitors are and whether they compete based on
price, services, or other factors
Observe employees your supervisor admires. Who gets things done? Strive to emulate
those people
“ You can see a lot by
Ask questions. Keep your eyes and ears open.
observing.” – Yogi Berra
Take Time To Learn Your
Company’s Culture
The set of behaviors and unspoken rules that
define how things get done. (company’s
personality)
– How formal or informal is the supervisor/employee
relationship
– Chain of command
– Is helping others encouraged or discouraged
– Are suggestions well received
How to Interact with Your Boss
Do
– Learn what your boss
expects and do it well
– Use their preferred form
of communication
– Respect your boss’s time
– Give your boss finished
work
– Respect your boss’s
authority and decisions
Don’t
– Disturb your boss with
problems you can resolve
– Complain to your boss
about your coworkers
– Bring your personal
problems to work
– Make your boss guess what
you want
– Give insincere compliments
– Take criticism personally
Dress to Impress
Do
– Dress up to the degree
your supervisor does
– Understand the dress
code
– See yourself as a client
or company president
would
– Have spare accessories
in case of emergency
(hosiery, tie, suit jacket)
Don’t
– Slum out on “casual”
days
– Use coworkers to set
your standard
– Assume you won’t be
seen
Act Professional
Do
– Be dependable and
trustworthy
– Treat others with respect
– Listen without interrupting
– Be energetic and
enthusiastic
– Be honest
– Make sound, mature
decisions
– Speak clearly and use
good grammar
Don’t
– Misuse your company’s
time or resources
– Swear
– Gossip
– Spread rumors
– Get caught up in power
plays
– Criticize your boss or
company
– Do anything that violates
your personal values
Acting Unethically
Reasons employees act unethically
Pressure to increase productivity or sales
Feeling overworked or stressed
To make themselves look better than they are
To make the company look better than it is
Bad habits or low values
Workplace Theft
Charging the company for a 40 hour work week
even though you were late a few times
Personal calls on company time
Long distance personal calls on company phone
Misusing sick days
Running errands on company time
Playing computer games or checking personal
email at work
Attitude is Everything
Show an eagerness to learn
Smile easily
Openness to new ideas
Willingness to change
Take conflict in stride
Think “I can”, “I will”
See obstacles as opportunities
“You can’t be a
smart cookie if
you have a
crummy
attitude” –
Lennart
Hagegard
The Glass is Half Full
a. I’ve never done that before. I’m not sure I can.
_____ 1. I’m sorry I missed the deadline. Next time, I’ll start
collecting the data much earlier.
b. Marsh’s an awful manager. I could do a better job.
_____2. This project sure is taking a long time. But we’re collecting
valuable data that can really improve operations.
c. The people in Shipping don’t know what they’re doing.
_____3. Sure, I’ll give it a try. I’m always up for trying something
new.
d. He has some nerve to tell me how to do this. I’m the expert.
_____4. There’s always room for improvement. I’d better listen
carefully.
e. It’s not my fault! If Sancha had gotten me the information on
time, I’d have made the deadline.
_____5. I hadn’t thought of it that way before. Can you tell me
more?
f. Not now! Can’t you see how busy I am?
_____6. I wonder why Shipping does it that way. I’ll have to ask.
g. This project is taking forever. What a waste of time.
_____7. Sure, I’ll give a hand. You seem swamped.
h. You’re wrong. You don’t know what you’re talking about.
_____8. I’m really busy right now. Can we talk about this
tomorrow?
Why should I help? It’s not part of my job description.
_____9. I respect Marsha for getting to management level. She’s
very talented.
Playground Rules at Work
Share everything
Play fair
Don’t hit people
Put things back where you found them
Clean up your own mess
Don’t take things that don’t belong to you
Say you’re sorry when you hurt someone
Build a Bond with Your Coworkers
Take time to listen
Show respect
Communicate clearly
Be positive, don’t whine and complain
Accept constructive criticism
Don’t criticize the person only the behavior
Avoid judging
Remember your way is not the ONLY way
Go out of your way to get to know them personally
Praise and compliment your colleagues
Pitch in and help even when it is not asked for
Resolve conflict immediately
The Effects of Conflict
Energy is diverted from important organizational goals
Tasks that need cooperation get done poorly
Increased tension in the office
The loser carries resentment
Others are sucked in to the mess
Those involved could be fired or put on warning
Clients and customers will lose confidence in the company
Managers in major U.S. corporations spend more than four weeks a year handling
problems caused by employees who can’t get along according to an Accountemps
survey
Be Organized
Set up a filing system for your area that is efficient for you
Organize your work area, know what you have and where it is
Avoid information overload
–
–
–
–
–
Look at every piece of paper one at a time
If you can quickly perform the task do it immediately
If the task needs allotted time, put it immediately on your schedule
Write things down on a to-do list, calendar, note pad
Use a “tickler file” to keep reminders of things you need to do
Use Time Productively
Arrive at work and meetings punctually
Keep an active planner with scheduled times in it
Schedule to your personality (morning people vs.
afternoon people)
Avoid Time Wasters
– Close your door
– Move chairs away from your desk
– Schedule interruptions rather than dealing with them
immediately
– Learn to say “No”
Prioritizing for Productivity
Boshra works at Wayne’s Nursery, a plant and garden center in rural Tennessee. Here’s what he’s written on his To-Do list
for Wednesday, May 2. Indicate the order in which you think he should do his work by writing a 1 by the most important
task, a 2 by the next most important task, and so on.
_____
Water plants in greenhouses
_____
Begin to develop plans for display at next year’s Spring Garden Show
_____
Put together Mrs. Goodwin’s order for 10 a.m. pick up
_____
Sweep workroom
_____
Weed flowerbeds. Wayne has been complaining about how they look
_____
Count number of tomato plants in green house. Wayne needs figure before placing this afternoon’s order
_____
Develop customer satisfaction questionnaire. Must be completed by mid-summer
_____
Place Nursery ad in paper; deadline is 3 p.m. Friday
_____
Add supports to strengthen hanging-plant display
_____
Fix Nursery sign – fell down in last night’s windstorm
Embrace Responsibility
Be on time and give your
best effort
Be accurate and meet
deadlines
Do what you say you will
do when you say you will
do it
Act decisively and
professionally
Complete your tasks
Report progress to your
supervisor
Tell the truth
Perform quality work
Ask questions when you
don’t understand
Get along with coworkers
Demonstrate loyalty to
the company
Corporate Responsibility
Serving the customer well
Providing superior-quality products and services
Offering fair and reasonable prices
Supporting the growth and development of employees
Earning high returns for shareholders
Conducting business ethically
“I haven’t failed-I’ve
learned 10,000 ways
Protecting the environment
that don’t work!” –
Thomas Edison
Being Accountable When
Mistakes Happen
Do
– Take responsibility
– Tell your boss what
happened
– Apologize,and explain what
you think you should do to
fix the mistake
– Take corrective action
– Evaluate why the mistake
happened and implement a
system to avoid its
happening again
– Let it go and move on
Don’t
– Blame others, even if
they played a part
– Get defensive
– Deny your responsibility
– Make excuses
Overcoming Procrastination
Question yourself about why you aren’t getting
started
Define your goal and the steps you need to take
to reach the goal
“Mañana is often the
busiest day of the
Set priorities
week.” – Spanish
Get started on the first task
Proverb
Reward yourself for your accomplishments
Handling Criticism
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Take a few deep breaths
Make eye contact, let the person know you are receptive
and not defensive
Listen carefully and openly
Remember the comments are about your performance not
you as a person
Analyze what is being said and decide if all the facts and
the person’s motivation are correct
Decide what to do (accept it and make changes or explain
the error of facts)
Be honest with yourself about the criticism, there is usually
at least some truth in it
The Dangers of Miscommunication
One day, a man knocked at the door of a home in a
wealthy neighborhood and asked if there was any work he
could do to earn money. He said he was good at painting,
carpentry, and yard work.
The woman who answered the door replied, “ My
husband bought some green paint for the porch out back but
hasn’t had time to get to the job. It would be great if you
could paint the porch before he gets home.”
The man agreed, and a few hours later he knocked
at the door. “I’m finished,” he said, “but there’s something
you really should know. That’s not a Porsche, it’s a
Mercedes.”
Why Miscommunication Occurs
Jumping to conclusions
Not listening
Rejecting other’s
viewpoints
Interrupting
Tuning out
Intimidating others
Stifling differences
Speaking down to others
Reacting defensively
Being close-minded
Being judgmental
Reacting emotionally
Making assumptions
Arguing
Projecting your views
onto others
Rules of Communication
Don’t
Do
–
–
–
–
– Interrupt or try to upstage
– Finish the speaker’s
sentence
– Anticipate what is coming
next and stop listening
– Daydream
– React strongly before
you’ve had a chance to
process the information
– Jump to conclusions
“Where ever you are…be there.” - Unknown
Concentrate
Resist distractions
Check for understanding
Affirm the speaker’s
feelings
– Listen more than you talk
– Take notes if necessary
– Stay open-minded
Check Your Listening Skills
1. I get impatient and sometimes tune out when others ramble during conversations.
Yes
No
2. When I have something important on my mind, I tend to keep thinking about it even when other
are talking to me.
Yes
No
3. I’m guilty of sometimes attempting to finish other people’s sentences for them.
Yes
No
4. If a conversation makes me think of something interesting, it’s hard for me to not blurt it out
before the other person haws finished speaking.
Yes
No
5. With certain people I know very well, I feel as if I know what they are going to say before they say
it, so I sometimes stop listening.
Yes
No
6. When people with very different views from mine start to talk about a topic on which we disagree,
I find myself getting defensive as soon as they start to talk.
Yes
No
7. Maintaining eye contact is difficult for me. I’m easily distracted.
Yes
No
8. Sometimes I pay more attention to the way people talk or look than to what they are saying.
Yes
No
9. I would have to say that I’m more interested in making my point than understanding the other
person’s.
Yes
No
10. I tend to let my feelings about a person interfere with my effort to understand what he or she
has to say.
Yes
No
How to Listen
1. Face the person speaking, make eye contact
and smile
2. Give your undivided attention, nod or lean
toward the person
3. Listen to what is said verbally and nonverbally
4. Remove judgment and bias from your mind
5. Don’t interrupt
6. Pause before you reply
Keys to Making a Conversation Work
Plan what you want to
say
State the purpose of your
communication
Consider your audience
Communicate clearly
and directly
Don’t preach, ramble, or
talk down to the listener
Don’t be vague
Don’t overcomplicate
information
Ask open ended
questions for clarification
Ask for input from the
listener
Check for understanding
Remain open-minded
Tips for Writing Clearly
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Make it concise and to the point
Avoid long words, acronyms, and lingo
Stick to your purpose
Use short paragraphs with headings and subheadings
Write clear introductions to set up the body
Write a clear conclusion summarizing your point
Vary sentence length to hold reader’s attention
Use language appropriate for the audience
Proofread
Use a professional format
Teamwork
Geese fly in a “V” formation because in that
shape, their wings create an uplift for the
birds in the back. Together the flock gains
approximately 70 percent greater flying
range than if the birds flew alone.
Are You a Team Player?
To get an idea about how well you will function in a team, rate yourself for each of these statements. Circle 1 if the statement is never
true for you, 2 if it is sometimes true for you, 3 if it is often true for you, and 4 if it is always true.
1. When others disagree with me, I ask them about their reasoning.
1
2
3
4
2. I make the effort to understand and communicate clearly with people who are
different from me.
1
2
3
4
3. I enjoy solving problems with others in a group.
1
2
3
4
4. I feel comfortable asking for help when I run into a problem.
1
2
3
4
5. I enjoy hearing diverse viewpoints, and I encourage others to express their
thoughts.
1
2
3
4
6. I believe that issues should be brought out in the open so they can be dealt with.
1
2
3
4
7. You can count on me to do things when I say I will.
1
2
3
4
8. When others do something well, I compliment them for their accomplishments.
1
2
3
4
9. I think a team is only as strong as its weakest member.
1
2
3
4
10. I think it’s important to set specific goals at the beginning of a task.
1
2
3
4
Benefits of Working as a Team
Faster problem solving
More creative, innovative, and effective solutions
and recommendations
Decreased employee turnover
Stronger employee relationships
Greater learning opportunities
Increased networking opportunities
Types of Teams
Self-directed Team
– Manage themselves and daily work
– Authority to make decisions about deadlines
– Held accountable for outcome
Empowered Team
– Specific purpose or problem to solve
Cross-functional Team
– Comprised of members of different departments to handle problems
that occur across departmental lines
It’s Your Call
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Accounting department
representative
Assembly line workers
Copy writer
Customer service representative
Contractor
_________________________
_________________________
f. Design engineer
g. Designer
h. Employee representative
i. Human resources/personnel representative
j. Marketing department representative
k. Mechanic
l. Member of management
m. Sales department representative
n. Web designer
o. Other (specify person or role)
1. You own a grocery store that needs repair and a facelift. Whom would you include on your
team to decide how to remodel the store?
2. Your company does not have a written dress code but needs one. Employees have been
arriving for work in shorts and other clothing management considers inappropriate. Whom
would you include on a team to develop the new dress code?
_________________________
3. As a customer service representative, you’ve been asked to form a team to develop a
customer satisfaction questionnaire. Whom would you ask to help?
_________________________
4. Motorcycles coming off your assembly line have too many defects. You’ve been instructed to
form a team to find and eliminate the problems. Whom would you include on your team?
_________________________
5. You’ve been asked to head the team given the task of creating a web site for your retail
clothing store. Who would you include on your team?
_________________________
6. You work for a major automobile manufacturer. You’ve been asked to form a team to
research, design, and build a prototype of a completely recyclable car. Whom would you include
on your team?
What Makes a Successful Team?
Cooperation
Open Communication
Commitment
Conflict Management
Understanding the team’s
goals
Defined roles within the team
Respect
Willingness to share
information and listen to
others
Mutual contribution
Acceptance of responsibility
Recognition of work well
done
5 Steps to Dealing with Conflict
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Admit the disagreement
Listen effectively to the different points of view
Look for common points of understanding
Find a solution everyone can live with
Put the disagreement behind you
If you start feeling angry…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Accept responsibility for your anger
Determine exactly what you are angry about
Decide the best time to talk about the problem
Describe the problem as you see it
Propose a solution that would be acceptable to
you and potentially acceptable to the other
person
6. Learn fro the situation
The Customer
Remember without the customer there would be
no paychecks
You are always having a great day when they
ask
They are never a bother or taking you away from
“more important work”
It costs more to replace a customer than to keep
one