Workplace 101: A Profiles Global Business Blog

You come into the office and work through your inbox. An e-mail comes in; your boss needs you to handle a client issue ASAP. A co-worker comes to your desk to ask if you can edit his proposal before he has to submit it in an hour. Another co-worker comes by 10 minutes later to discuss lunch plans.

Author: Steve Deighton

Unfortunately, many job descriptions are simply dysfunctional. Too often, what they describe has little to no bearing on an individual’s actual abilities, knowledge, skills, or the fit needed for successful performance of the job. Why is this? Two reasons come immediately to mind. First, the organization is using the same description for the role which was developed many years ago and has never been updated. This is a problem, since everything has changed in the work environment except what we think we need.

The second reason is the description is based upon what the hiring manager thinks is important for doing the job. This is wrought with flaws, as the manager may never have been in this role. Further, they are filtering it through their own level of experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities. What if the hiring manager providing the information for the description doesn’t really know what is needed, or how the role will impact the overall business strategy of the organization? You are relying on the manager’s judgment, which may or may not be very good.

Guest post by Ben Newman

Success is defined in different ways by different people, but more and more it has become synonymous with money and status. Real success, however, is less about results or a bottom line, and more about the process of achieving goals and dreams. 

Many business people today are overwhelmed by the need to maintain results-driven success. Once we decide that the results are all that matter, then success comes at a high price. We find ourselves making sacrifices and compromises that were once unacceptable. We trade today for some future payoff. When that payoff comes, we realize it can never be enough. And, when the results we work so hard for don’t materialize, we label that failure. It’s an impossible model to sustain for a lifetime.

Fortunately, there is another way.

In my book, Own YOUR Success, I contrast results-driven success with a much more balanced approach. The key principles are ones that anyone can put into practice immediately.

Letting go is not just a therapeutic lesson in healing negative emotional experiences but also an effective management skill. The ability to say ‘no’ shows that you know how to prioritize. This management skill is necessary for workplace success. While a myriad of responsibilities compete for your attention, discerning which to refuse is crucial for reducing work stress.

World renowned author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar unfortunately lost his short battle with pneumonia on Wednesday at the age of 86.

The acclaimed business icon has been a household name for over 50 years before his retirement in 2010. Millions of people around the world including presidents and world leaders have been impacted by his theories, practices and publications.

Zig Ziglar touched the lives of many Profiles International employees and today, we pay tribute to a man whose legendary work will live on in his absence.

In loving memory of Zig Ziglar 1926-2012

Apple CEO Tim Cook is following Google’s lead by introducing a program called “Big Sky.” Similar to Google’s 20 percent rule, Apple will allow select employees a few weeks off of their normal jobs to work solely on developing new Apple projects. Under Steve Jobs, the organization had a more hierarchal structure, with most new ideas tricking down from top-level engineers. Tim Cook has taken a proactive approach to employee engagement and Blue Sky could be an early important step in this effort. The program has not been officially implemented yet but the idea is an exciting prospect for a company that is already considered a leader in innovative technology.

You’re stuck. Your workplace performance has stagnated and you’re frustrated. You start to get anxious, so you try even harder. More effort does not always solve your problems. How can you stay sane when you feel like you’re stuck in a rut?

There is no downtime in Aaron Levie’s world. The 27-year-old co-founded Box, an online file storage company for businesses, as a 20-year-old student at the University of Southern California. He’s stayed in constant motion since he began building websites at age 13. His company’s core values describe an organization where there’s no room for wasted time or space.

The U.S. unemployment rate has stagnated at 8 percent. Companies across the nation are eliminating jobs and entire departments. But one industry has actually seen a steep increase in the number of available jobs – the manufacturing industry. Boston Consulting Group estimates that more than five million manufacturing jobs will be added over the next ten years.

As a manager, it can be easy to complain and report to the executive team that your employees are not working effectively and meeting goals. How often do we ask ourselves, “am I enabling my people to be the best that they can be?” You may be hindering your own team's effectiveness and productivity!