New Year's Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, looking forward to the coming year. It is a time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make, and resolve to follow through on those changes. It is important to set goals that apply to work as well as home, because each can have a lasting and positive impact on your future. Did any of your New Year’s resolutions make our Top Five?

The start of a New Year doesn't have to be the only time you decide to accomplish a goal. Having clear goals and plans can bring your family or business together, and help you lead a healthier life year round. Make this New Year count and follow through on your resolutions!

^top

We have been working all year on our business resolutions, and now Frazee Recruiting Consultants has stronger relationships with clients and candidates than ever before. We are reminded of the past year’s events as we stroll into 2006, and how they have all been an integral part of developing our positive role in the Baton Rouge community. Hurricane Katrina tested our strength, compassion, and pride – but we have overcome the worst by being able to help so many in need. Our efforts have been rewarding by allowing us to develop ties with new clients and candidates from the most devastated areas, and strengthen the relationships with our existing partners. Persistence and motivation have enabled us to provide employment opportunities for more people, move projects forward with less obstructions and more enthusiasm, and keep our talented team happy and driven. But what about your team? Will they stick around to help achieve the goals you've mapped out? Many are being lured by false promises of overrated FEMA jobs, as well as dead-end positions hyped up to be a long-term source of stability. As the economy turns and more jobs become available, you'd better be prepared to follow these simple guidelines to keep your team engaged, committed and productive on YOUR side:

Make Integrity and Ethics Matter
Like it or not, you are always center stage when you are manager. If your team sees you working hard, they're more likely to work hard. If you're taking two-hour lunches and gossiping about other departments, they'll think it's OK to do the same. You may think being the boss gives you the right to bend the rules, but you're wrong. Leaders lead by example, and their teams reflect their work ethic and the standards they set. If you have direct reports, watch what you do and say.

Manage Across, Not Down
The days of intimidating management tactics are over. No one sits in a glass loft to look down upon employees all day long. You'll make more of an impression on your team if you can do what they do and show a willingness to help. Delegation is a large part of managing, and there's a right and wrong way to give instructions. Take the time to understand what each person is doing, and segment the work only when you have the correct data on what it truly takes to complete specific tasks.

Manage Specifically, Not Generally
If you have direct reports, these individuals are the most important reason you come to work. If you don't get this, you shouldn't be managing. If you manage with generalities and fail to provide sufficient feedback -- both good and bad -- you're being lazy. It's easy to say “good job,” but why was it a good job? Be specific. Conversely, if mistakes were made, discussing the specifics will minimize the chances they will be made again.

Share the Vision
The executive team has a roadmap, and the management is the guide. You need to understand the company’s vision at the highest level and make the goals happen. Oftentimes you hear that a company is loaded with “too many chiefs and not enough Indians.” As a manager, it's your job to make sure that plans get completed. You need to empower the players on your team with information and inspire them by reinforcing that what they're doing is contributing toward the bottom line.

^top

Want to develop effective working relationships with people at work? Start with similarities among people, not differences, when you build relationships. As a human resources professional, manager, supervisor, co-worker, staff member or business owner, effective work relationships are critical for your success.

Most businesses place an emphasis on honoring and appreciating the diverse needs, skills, talents, and contributions of people in the workforce. While this is critical, don't let the pendulum swing too far in this direction. Too much attention focused on employee differences can create an uncomfortable sense of segregation. We often forget to honor and appreciate our similarities; by acknowledging our likenesses, we create a starting point for understanding. Keep your company effective, winning, and on the right track. Help people use their talents and skills to contribute to the overall accomplishment of your organization’s objectives. Respect and value people; recognize and act on their contributions. Create an environment in which people have interesting work and enjoy their co-workers.

Take a look at your co-workers or reporting staff with new eyes. Think about the factors that you share in common with them. You'll find that we are all human beings with complex emotions, needs, interests, outlooks, viewpoints and dreams. Share something positive about yourself to create an environment in which your co-worker feels comfortable and able to relate. Listen and don't pry. Continued interest in your co-workers and their contributions to the workplace help maintain harmony.

Work is more exciting when you feel as if you are accomplishing mutual goals. Act as if you are part of a winning team. Emphasize, with co-workers, your common interest in your success and the success of the organization. If you start by recognizing the ways in which you are similar to your co-workers, you'll build a base of understanding and acceptance that will withstand even the stormy times when your differences come to the forefront.

^top

A professional resume is the job-seeker’s ultimate tool in landing that perfect opportunity. It represents one’s talent, experience, education and other positive attributes that could benefit a potential employer. E-mail is quickly becoming a favored resource for communication, including basic correspondence, reporting, and even sending resumes! If you submit your resume to a potential employer, be sure to keep it professional in its entirety. The e-mail address you use, whether it is the one sending the information or the one merely listed at the top of your C.V., needs to be as appropriate as anything else you choose to disclose. E-mail addresses that include a sexual reference, drug slang, racial slur, or anything else offensive and unprofessional can be an automatic disqualification. First impressions are truly lasting impressions – so make a good one!

^top