Margaret Meloni

Helping YOU Be the Best Project Manager that YOU can be

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Margaret’s Picks
  • Products
    • Project Inspiration
    • Managing Up
    • Recovering from Damaging Situations
    • WBS Coach
    • Mitigate Yourself

By Margaret Meloni Leave a Comment

Silence is NOT Always Golden

“Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.” – G.B. Stern

Have you ever heard this from a leader?

“If I do not yell at you, it means you are doing a good job. Go about your business and be happy that I am not yelling at you.”

OR

“You get paid for being here; I have not said you are doing a bad job; what do you want from me?”

What some people want is to know that their efforts are appreciated. This is not an unreasonable request.

This might be a good time to consider whether or not this individual is really a leader or are they simply someone with a title and a higher position on the organizational chart?

Less hostile, but still not exhibiting strong leadership is the person who simply assumes that you know that you are appreciated. They never express it, because you should just know. As-If you are capable of mind reading.

Some people are not just motivated by salary, advancement and challenging opportunities. Some people receive more value from positive reinforcement and recognition than they do from a monetary reward.

A sincere thank you goes a long way. Tell your team members and colleagues that you appreciate them. Be specific. To say, “I appreciate you,” is good. To say, “I appreciate the way in which you are able to redirect our executive team when they get off track,” is better. It is always good to take the opportunity in the moment to let someone know when he or she exhibit a skill or do something special that you appreciate.

Appreciation is an important part of your communication plan. Consider placing reminders in your communication plan to show appreciation to your team. This could be a special day when you bring in treats just because or you write them notes describing something that you appreciate about them. Maybe you have a surprise pizza party.

Whatever you decide to do, don’t keep your appreciation to yourself. This is not the time to be quiet!

 

 

Filed Under: Communication, Inspirational, Leadership Tagged With: appreciated, appreciation, gratitude, please, thank you

By Margaret Meloni Leave a Comment

Thank you for Being Difficult

thank-youOK, that probably got your attention! I am not calling you difficult at all. I am noting that sometimes our most challenging people deserve some thanks.

Have you ever worked for a horrible boss? Have you ever been stuck on a team with a co-worker who is chronically difficult? What about a family member who sets all of your nerves on edge? It would be amazing if you had not encountered at least one of these scenarios, or at least something very similar. In fact you may have encountered all of them.

Here is a trick question for you. When was the last time you thanked one of these pain in the neck people? This might be the part where you ask me something along the lines of, “Why on earth would I thank any of these people?” You thank them for the opportunity they have given you.

What opportunity is that? The opportunity to learn how to deal with people who set your nerves on edge, without losing it, without, well – setting your nerves on edge. You and I can talk about these people all we like. We can share strategies and plan how to react or how not to react to the ‘opportunity people’ in our lives. You and I can read and write all about the best ways to handle people who we would allow to make us crazy.

At some point, all of our discussions need to lead up to actual practice. You don’t become a skilled surgeon just be reading the books. You don’t successfully remove someone’s tonsils just by talking about it. Of course it helps to read the books and talk about tonsillectomies with experts. You become good at tonsillectomies by performing tonsillectomies. You become skilled at handling your ‘opportunity people’ by interacting with them. The more you interact with them the better you will become at developing your technique so that they do not push you to or over the edge.

Now you see why I call them ‘opportunity people’ and why I suggest that you and I can say to them, ‘Thanks for the opportunity.’ As annoying as they might be, you and I will not grow without them. Let’s offer thanks for the opportunity to interact with the people who get on our nerves. Of course I really mean silent thanks. Each time you deal with one of these people, I encourage you to give be appreciative of how those interactions make you a stronger person.

If you really do thank one of your ‘opportunity people’, then good for you. At least good for you if you can say thank you to them, without any trace of sarcasm or hostility. I suppose if you do it might come as surprise to them and they might not know how to take it.

Let’s thank our opportunity people.

Filed Under: Job Performance, Leadership, Personal Development, Professional development Tagged With: dealing with difficult people, difficult people, difficult person, difficult to work with, thank you

Being a project manager is no easy endeavor. You have to master BOTH the hard skills and the soft skills. You have to know how to create and manage project quality, project scope, schedule and budget AND create a high performing team. That is NOT easy. AND keep your certification current (or pursue your certification).

If only you had a trusted advisor and access to quick and easy tips and techniques and affordable and flexible training, created just for project managers. The good news is that you do!

Let ME Support YOU

Browse

  • Home
  • Blog
  • first draft of Margaret Meloni
  • Margaret’s Picks
  • Products

Let ME Support YOU

Contact

Phone: (866) 639-0487

Fax: (562) 439-0854

Email: info@MargaretMeloni.com

Copyright © 2018 · Hello Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in