Jan. 17, 2017 "Lunch-and-learn sessions need to be more than free pizza": Today I found this article by Chris Ambridge in the Globe and Mail:
President of Transcend, a pay-for-performance service.
A quick Google search of the words "lunch and learn" generates tens of thousands of responses and many of them offer advice on how to host the perfect lunch session in the workplace.
Too often, the same buzzwords are bandied around to describe what can be achieved in fewer than 60 minutes. They include transparency, understanding, building a community and other neat buzzwords. We have all attended these sessions – and munched through the quickly cooling pizza – during our careers.
Some may have been helpful, but most likely you left the room with your appetite satisfied but feeling unfulfilled.
Some may have been helpful, but most likely you left the room with your appetite satisfied but feeling unfulfilled.
Let us step back for a minute and look at why these sessions are being held and, more importantly, how they are missing a great opportunity.
It seems many companies see them as an easy and quick way to reinforce their agenda and as a training tool. Wrong! These sessions work best when they are trying to generate creative thought and look at issues through a different prism.
Sadly, too many have the opposite effect and appear to be more concerned with reinforcing the status quo.
Sadly, too many have the opposite effect and appear to be more concerned with reinforcing the status quo.
Today, it is an undisputed fact that we have access to more information than we could have ever imagined just 20 years ago. However, instead of broadening our horizons, the opposite is happening.
In a successful workplace, it is the capacity to do something for the benefit of your employees in a meaningful way that will have the greatest impact, rather than just looking at how it directly benefits the company.
Want committed employees? Managers need to do more than talk to their team; they need to listen.
The overarching question should be: how do these sessions help the employees?
Wasting time talking about time
If you were to compile a list of the topics covered in lunch-and-learn sessions, it is likely "time management" would be near the top. While this is a very useful skill, it is, to put it mildly, uninspiring.
As most of us know, these sessions rarely start on time, so perhaps for that reason alone it would be better to consider topics that spark an emotional reaction.
As most of us know, these sessions rarely start on time, so perhaps for that reason alone it would be better to consider topics that spark an emotional reaction.
Time management is much better suited to being part of the ongoing cultural practice that is used throughout the company. To quote the legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden: "If you can't be on time, be early."
That means all meetings and conference calls should start on time and never be held up by a senior manager who needs to "grab a cup of coffee." On a day-to-day basis, meetings should have a fixed duration and recognize that everyone's time is valuable.
That way, important issues have a greater chance of being resolved and it becomes part of the company DNA. It will also be noticed by clients and customers.
That way, important issues have a greater chance of being resolved and it becomes part of the company DNA. It will also be noticed by clients and customers.
There is no such thing as a free lunch (TINSTAAFL)
If we accept the premise there is no such thing as a free lunch, we need to start asking ourselves: What could we achieve if we offer something different to employees in these sessions?
Lunch in most workplaces is "free time," therefore, why not aim to make the lunch-and-learn session more enriching to the people attending?
This will not only increase the chance of real engagement but also encourage employees to take a fresh look at the existing company culture.
This will not only increase the chance of real engagement but also encourage employees to take a fresh look at the existing company culture.
One of the first steps to improving employee engagement is assisting in the work-home balance, so why not consider lunch-and-learn sessions that have no direct links to the job? Instead, look at what matters to people in their personal life.
Here are three ways to make your lunch-and-learn session better:
- Select topics for different audiences in the workplace
- Invite employees to submit life-related topics
- Limit the number of sessions so they are seen as special events
Staff will soon begin to see your company as more than a necessary stop between sleeping and quality time. And it is clear that the bottom line benefits when employees are engaged.
As the success of the sessions take hold, you will start to see this percolate into other aspects of the workplace and encourage some employees to develop their outlier potential.
The pollination of ideas and expertise will strengthen the existing brand and, in these ever-changing times, lay the foundation for a more dynamic company.
Jan. 20, 2018 "Perfecting your LinkedIn profile": Today I found this article by Susan Bowness in the Globe and Mail:
Post an appropriate photo.
That's one key piece of advice from LinkedIn experts, who say that revisiting and tweaking vital sections of your LinkedIn profile can boost the impression you make online, regardless of your status as a job seeker.
Chris Brown, director of talent solutions for LinkedIn Canada, says numbers prove the value of tidy headshots – profiles with images get 20 times more views.
Conversely, profile photos with distant shots, cartoon avatars, and photos with pets may decimate your chances of attracting a potential employer.
Conversely, profile photos with distant shots, cartoon avatars, and photos with pets may decimate your chances of attracting a potential employer.
Correcting the visual misstep is one of several ways to boost your presence on the professional network, which has grown since inception in 2003 to more than 530 million users from 200 countries.
Here are a few more:
Summary and headline
Your summary is the best place to sell yourself, so make all 2,000 characters count. Mr. Brown recommends creating an informal recap of your professional trajectory.
"Write what you enjoy about your line of work, what you want to represent as a person, not just the job you're in today," he says.
All the experts recommend writing in first person, formatting with short and easily skimmed paragraphs, and proofreading for spelling and grammar.
Koula Vasilopoulos, district president for Western Canada at staffing agency Robert Half, suggests visiting profiles of those you respect in your industry for inspiration.
LinkedIn trainer Leslie Hughes adds that job postings can also be helpful sources.
"Look for your dream job and see if you can't find similarities and keywords and weave them into the story," she says.
Use keywords in all sections, and again for the job you want as well as what you have.
"I include at least one prominent keyword in the headline, the summary, and past positions," she says.
At the same time, be aware of overused words. LinkedIn has released its annual list – the top three are "specialized," "leadership" and "passionate."
Headlines are crucial. Bruce Powell, managing partner at Toronto recruiter IQ partners, recommends moving beyond the job title to insert a value proposition.
"Figure out what makes you unique. This is your ultimate first-sell line and it should be very much a value statement," he says. Ms. Vasilopoulos adds that if your official title is obscure, such as "Class 2 analyst," include a more common term such as, say, "IT manager."
Experience and updating
In your experience section, add detail that goes beyond your employer name and dates. "Communicate what makes you unique, how you've contributed, how you're over-delivered and how you helped your company achieve its objectives," says Mr. Powell.
Quantify performance with sales numbers or other concrete details.
Ms. Vasilopoulos adds that if you have long tenure with a company, list your various promotions, and update regularly. "A couple of times through the year, it's a good idea to reflect on key accomplishments and incorporate them."
Recommendations, networking, visuals and updates
If you are already at "superstar" (LinkedIn's highest level of completion), you can still do more. Seek out recommendations to help provide what Ms. Hughes calls "social proof" of your performance.
Expand your network with suggestions from the tool and by searching for names you know. While opinions abound on how well you should know potential connections, experts unanimously recommend that you warm up connection requests with a personalized note.
Mr. Brown adds that active job seekers especially should "follow" companies they're interested in, as recruiters can see interactions with their company pages.
Mr. Powell says that hiring managers will also check out your connections to see who you know in your industry. "It's a referral economy: People like to validate their comfort levels with individuals based upon their connected community."
Adding visuals including images, PowerPoints, work samples and video can all make your profile stand out. Especially if you are looking for a job, a video bio can help, says Mr. Brown. Ms. Hughes agrees, adding that even smartphones can create adequate video, but pay close attention to the lighting and sound to avoid looking amateur.
In the long term, writing posts and sharing content can also help develop your voice and brand. "The benefit is that a hiring manager can see what they're writing about and believe in. It helps build a picture of people's expertise, so if you're passionate about what you do, write about it," says Mr. Brown.
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