Working Conversations

Episode 114: One Big Mistake Leaders Make

One big mistake that leaders make is trying to be the smartest person in the room. This phenomenon happens with new leaders – and that makes sense: They recently were the smartest ones in the room because of their subject matter expertise. But as leaders, they need to draw on leadership skills rather than subject matter expertise to establish and maintain authority. Leaders with more experience are not immune to attempting to be the smartest person in the room either. They are often led by their egos, prompting them to position themselves as smarter than they are for status reasons. However, the best leaders surround themselves with smart people and are rarely, if ever, the smartest person in the room. Join Dr. Janel Anderson in this episode as she explains why some leaders attempt to be the smartest person in the room and what to do instead.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/114

Episode 113: Americans Are Working Less. Are You?

Recent data shows that US workers have cut their workweek by 30 minutes on average. In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson explores the research and highlights those segments of the population who have cut their workweeks the most. At the top of the list are workaholics – those who used to work 55 hours a week or more have now dropped down three hours, to 52 hours a week. What are the implications for this, both in terms of work-life balance as well as the impacts on the already tight labor market? Tune in to this episode to hear the data and Dr. Anderson’s analysis.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/113

Episode 112: How to Waste Less Time and Have More Freedom

Do you ever have discretionary time and then later realize you wasted it on unimportant tasks? In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson shares how to waste less time and in the process, gain more freedom. She shares a step-by-step process to get important projects completed while creating more freedom in your work and your life. The secret is something called preventive discipline. You will come away from this episode with a compelling process that will get you in action and leave you with discretionary time once the most important things are complete. And that is freedom at its best.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/112

Episode 111: Navigating High Tech Layoffs: A Bounce-Back Interview

High-tech layoffs continue to be announced. In the 18 months alone, over 229,000 employees have been let go in the high-tech sector.  In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson’s guest is  Paul Anheier, a senior-level user experience expert who was recently laid off from his high-tech job. The interview provides an up-close look at what it’s like to be laid off in the tech sector right now. Paul offers great advice for anyone who might find themselves in similar circumstances and walks us through the steps he took to land a new role.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/111

Episode 110: Giving Constructive Feedback to the High Performer

If you’ve ever tried to give feedback to someone who’s already doing really well at something but you’d like them to do even better, you might have experienced them overreact to your feedback. It’s not uncommon for people who are already highly self-aware to overreact in the face of constructive feedback. In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson shares techniques for delivering feedback to a high performer in such a manner that the person doesn’t lose perspective or blow it out of proportion. She shares how you can use this in performance management, giving peer feedback, in your personal relationships, and even when managing up.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/110

Episode 109: Productivity Paranoia – Obsessing that Your Colleagues Aren’t Working

If you find yourself constantly and obsessively assuming that your colleagues or your direct reports aren’t actually working when they are in a different physical location, you may have productivity paranoia. In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson defines productivity paranoia and explains why it’s important to address it and work to prevent it. At the heart of the matter: trust. The episode goes on to share four specific actions you can take to prevent productivity paranoia from becoming prevalent. 

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/109

Episode 108: Why Coaching an Employee Out is Better than Quiet Firing

In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson takes on the topic of quiet firing. If you’re not familiar with the term, it is essentially making the workplace or the job unappealing and edging an employee out of the company in hopes that they quit so that you don’t have to outright fire them or lay them off. It doesn’t typically go quite so far as a hostile work environment, but the job and workplace become so miserable that the employee sees no other choice than to leave. The episode goes into greater detail on what it is and how it manifests, how some managers might be doing it unintentionally, and what to do instead. 

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/108

Episode 107: Warning: Flexible Work Arrangements are Not Optional

Flexibility is paramount in attracting and retaining top talent. One of the key factors job seekers are looking for in a new (or existing) workplace is flexibility. Whether that means working from home or a hybrid schedule, or being able to pick your own start time, or work part time, there are many different ways to implement flexible work arrangements. In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson examines the three different levers you can pull to create a flexible workplace: When, Where, and How Much people work. You will be guaranteed to find new ways of creating flexibility, whether you are designing roles in your company or negotiating for a flexible schedule for yourself.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/107

Episode 106: Is The One Minute Manager Still Relevant? Was it Ever?

The One Minute Manager was released a little over a year ago. The runaway bestseller, written by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson sat on the New York Times Bestseller list for 66 weeks. In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson explores whether the three main techniques outlined in the book – One-minute goals, One-minute praise, and One-minute reprimand – are relevant for the current hybrid and virtual workplace. She also addresses the initial critiques of the book and includes her own take on whether the tools are relevant and useful for managing today and into the future.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/106

Episode 105: How to Do Management By Walking Around in Hybrid Workplaces

Management by Walking Around is a management style that emphasizes the importance of active engagement and communication with employees. The manager regularly walks around the workplace, observing employees' work, and having informal conversations with them.  How can you do that in the virtual or hybrid workplace? In this episode, Dr. Janel Anderson explains what Management by Walking Around is, what the benefits are, and how you can do it in the virtual or hybrid workplace – either with the technology you currently have or with some cool new tools that make it much more fun and interesting.

Find show notes at https://janelanderson.com/105