Karl Edwards presents Working Matters

Author: Karl Edwards

  • Listen In -> Playing Favorites #2: Favoring Certain People

    You think a certain employee performs amazingly. Everyone else seems to hate them. What gives?

    You may be guilty of playing favorites, and that without even knowing it!

    In this week’s show, Claudia and I take a look at what happens when we play favorites among our team members.

    While rewarding excellence, performance and results is important, some times we favor certain people for their charisma, because we like them, or because we work well together.

    Of course there’s no crime in enjoying working with one person more than another, but what about the unintended consequences to the morale of everyone else?

    Once people form the perception that you are playing favorites, they will begin interpreting your every decision through that lens. And who can blame them?

    It is difficult enough to hear criticism of one’s work when it’s completely warranted, but when we feel that someone else isn’t being held to the same standard, our willingness to improve can evaporate pretty quickly.

    Could you inadvertently be playing favorites?

    Listen in.

    Just now joining the conversation? Catch up on the entire series here.

  • Event Review: 4th Annual Faith at Work Conference

    Hats off to Stephen Christensen and his team for making the 4th Annual Faith and Work Conference at Concordia University an all-around great experience.

    Excellently organized they managed to pack seven quality speakers into a one-day event without feeling squeezed or rushed.

    More significantly, all the speakers except one passed my main guest speaker test, which is that they brought quality content to the table instead of disguised pitches for their own services. Very refreshing!

    The integration of work and faith is not a simple or straightforward field about which to think or speak.

    I have long advocated that the primary theologians we need to help us think critically about this crucial faith context of the workplace need to be the (more…)

  • Loving Monday: Begin With an Ally

    loving_mondayReality can be harsh. Reality includes angry bosses, frustrated clients, and co-workers who don’t carry their weight.

    You, of course, will face all these realities with poise and grace, because you are a secure leader who is comfortable with the whole spectrum of work realities.

    Having said that, though, you don’t need to begin your week with your worst problem.

    You don’t need to have the first thing you hear to be insults, complaining, or criticism.

    Try starting the week spending time with an ally.

    Go for some coffee together. Take a walk around the premises. Meet for breakfast before coming into the office.

    Choose to make the first thing you hear be compliments, encouragement, acceptance, respect, and expressions of support.

    Reinforce in your soul that you are a gift with the input of someone who is on your side.

    It can be a good friend, a trusted co-worker, an admiring fan, a supportive supervisor, or an adoring significant other.

    The point is to begin the week with the positive, excellent truth about yourself.

    From this solid foundation, you will be better equipped to face your mistakes, confront unexpected problems, and sort through the myriad of mixed messages that one encounters in a messy and complex workplace.

    Pause and put a call into an ally right now. Begin the week with the truth.

    On your side,

    – Karl Edwards

    Loving Monday is a weekly column designed to encourage us to step into our weeks with an intention to show up authentically, engage fully, and choose to make it a good week for ourselves. Explore past columns here.

  • Quote to Consider: Steve Jobs on Living True

    quote-to-consider“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”  Steve Jobs

  • Karl Shares Six Words… #45


    Surprising inspiration from the raucous meeting.

     

    Karl Edwards

  • Listen In -> Playing Favorites #1: The Office “Romances” That Backfire

    “Play favorites? Who, me?! Not a chance!”

    Famous last words. How many leaders do you know who admit to playing favorites?

    It’s like a secret shame. Except the only person the secret is fooling is the leader playing favorites, who remains blindly adamant that there is no favoritism in anything they do.

    We launch a new podcast discussion series this week, “Playing Favorites.”

    Leaders assume they make the best objective decisions possible. But certain patterns and tendencies give away that they might have slipped into playing favorites.

    Playing favorites can erode trust, credibility and motivation.

    Can you tell the difference?

    Playing Favorites
    Week #1: The Office “Romances” that Backfire
    Week #2: Favoring Certain People
    Week #3: Favoring Certain Technologies
    Week #4: Favoring Certain Policies and Procedures
    Week #5: Favoring Certain Workplace Cultures

    Listen in.

  • Loving Monday: Staying in the Game

    loving_mondayThere are times when simply getting the job done isn’t enough.

    There are times when how the work was completed overshadows that the work was completed.

    We all get weary. We all experience boredom, stress, and fatigue among other difficulties at work.

    Very few of us can simply override these feelings by sheer force of will, working with as much vigor, enthusiasm and effort as we would in the best of times.

    We need a way to stay in the game when work and life pressures are weighing heavily on our spirits.

    Who would you give the promotion to? The person who is engaged or the person who is distracted? The person who is taking the initiative or the person who is doing the bare minimum?

    Who would you give the job to? The person who believes in their ability to make a meaningful contribution or the person who is trying to get away from a bad supervisor? The person who is eager to jump in with both feet, or the person who wants to know how much overtime is expected?

    We need a way to hold ourselves with poise and a comfortable confidence. We need a way to stay interested and engaged. We need a way to restore (more…)

  • Quote to Consider: The Absence of Bad is Not the Presence of Good

    quote-to-consider“There are those who are so scrupulously afraid of doing wrong that they seldom venture to do anything.”

    Vauvenargues

  • Karl Shares Six Words… #44


    Nervous intern listening with every sense.

     

    Karl Edwards

  • Listen In -> The Hard Facts of Working with People #5: Failure and Taking Risks

    Is it dangerous to make mistakes where you work?

    Many leaders wish their employees would take the initiative more often, contribute new ideas, point out what’s not working well, and go the extra mile for a customer.

    Everyone is happy as long as everything works out.

    BUT

    When a mistake is made, things don’t work out, the customer gets upset, or the idea flops, there is hell to pay.

    All of a sudden, all initiative disappears, no new ideas ever get presented, no critiques are offered, and everyone provides simply the bare bones minimum for customers.

    What happened?

    You punished risk-taking.

    In this week’s episode, Claudia and I discuss building an environment that encourages risk without fear of repercussions. An environment safe enough to put new ideas out on the table without being penalized if they don’t work out.

    If taking the initiative or suggesting an improvement feels like putting one’s neck on the line, then people will keep their ideas to themselves.

    Far from being a disaster, failure can lead to great innovation. Failure, more commonly, leads to learning.

    What about where you work?

    Listen in.

    Just now joining the conversation? Catch up on the entire series here.