How to handle teammates that hog up time in Standup meetings?

Introduction

Have you ever been in a meeting where you or your teammates were not given the chance to speak-up or discuss your tasks and ask your questions because there was that one single team or member who spent more time than they are supposed to with the manager of the meeting, discussing aspects related to their own assignment without giving consideration to the time limit or other teams waiting in line?! There is a high chance that you have gone through or experienced this situation yourself at least once during your career or academic studies. In this article, we are going to provide some point that will help you to deal with that. 

Standup meetings

In today’s world, time is money. For example, every second that passes by in wall street, thousands or millions of transactions are made, companies and individuals can lose or gain a huge amount of money if they do not react quickly or in a timely manner. A company can lose a patent or an invention to its competitor, just because they were seconds late. This is a fast-moving world that does not wait for people who are slow.  After understanding the importance of time specifically in the business industry, let’s explain briefly what are standup meetings. Standup meetings are basically group meetings that are conducted between participants with one simple difference that you might have already guessed it, it is conducted while the participants are standing. The main aim of conducting the meeting with participants standing is to make the meeting duration short and quick, where just basically the main feedback or essential tasks are discussed and then everyone is back to their own work. This gives managers and teams the opportunity to be updated on projects’ progress, potential issues and prioritize tasks. This type of meetings is currently being used widely in companies and even in universities and schools. Standup meetings can last between 15 to 30 minutes depending on the size of the teams and project. 

Importance of Standup meetings

Among the unique features of standup meetings is that they do not need to be conducted in meeting rooms, equipped with chairs and projectors, instead they can be conducted in hallways, courtyards or in any other area that can just accommodate the participating number of people. Standup meetings give all members the chance to present and share their work and update briefings in a concise and effective manner. This creates some kind of leaning forward concentration in the meeting among the participants instead of the traditional laid-back approach of participants sitting on chairs and listening to prolonged hours to the presenting participant. The standing position of participants creates and boosts participants attention and information retention. This helps in speeding meetings up, which can be a huge waste of time if conducted in the traditional way. This improves productivity due to the minimal disturbance of the workforce. 

Problem Identification

Standup meetings are not meant to last long as they are intended to address main issues and updates in brief details and in a clear manner. However, some individuals or teams do miss the main point of standup meetings and go into details taking so much time and wasting their own and others time. This inconsiderate behavior creates a toxic waste environment that badly affects all teams and the organization as a whole. Standup meetings are not intended to discuss each and every step that was taken to solve an issue but rather to be concise and to the point with your presentation. Some team members might not get the chance to represent their work, concerns or issues, giving a bad impression to the manager or the team leader. 

How to handle a Standup meeting?

There are three main players in a meeting, the presenter (the person who is talking and presenting his work and issues he/she is facing), the manager (the person who is running the meeting and responsible for the combined work of all teams) and the coworkers or teammates (coworkers or teammates who are working in the same team as the presenter or working in other teams and on other tasks than the presenting team). There are many ways by which someone can handle such situation. The teams who did not get the chance to present their work at all or in an appropriate way because they were given no time, can talk to the manager separately about such problem. They can also call out the presenter in a polite way stating that they are not going to have time to present their issues and share their progress. You can also make a bold move of informing your teammates and manager that you have another meeting and you are going to leave. The meeting manager should set a time limit of 3 minutes to 5 minutes per team depending on the size of the team. An experienced manager should notice when time limit is exceeded and should stop or warn the presenting team. A good manager should give an equal chance to all teams and team members to present their selves. The third player, who is the presenting person who is exceeding the time limit should be considerate and respectable of his/her teammates. He/she should time himself/herself and tackle the main points and issues in his/her work. 

Conclusion

People like those who spend more time than their time limit and limit the chances of their teammates and coworkers to sufficiently present themselves, by trying to over spot the light on themselves and their work, will always exist, because people are of different personalities and characteristics. To amend such behavior, we should highlight the issue on the spot and advise the manager and teammates of the problem and how such behavior could lead to workplace toxicity. If we keep saying: yes, I am against it without taking action the moment it happened, it will always exist. However, if the community condemned it and took action right away, that would help limit the problem, resolve the issue and lessen the chances of it happening again. So, take action!

References: 

https://www.teamblind.com/post/Fed-up-with-blabberers-during-standup-u2Pouk6P
https://blog.bird-office.com/en/2017/08/23/advantages-stand-meeting/

If you think somebody in your team is always the “idiot” you are the jerk.

Do you think there is someone in your team who is a perpetual idiot? Are you of the opinion that you are way better than the person in question? If so, you might be the one who others in the team look upon as a jerk. Fortunately, identifying the problem (with you) and following a few simple remedial measures should hold you in good stead.

Why You Are the Jerk

Failing to appreciate others’ perspectives, having an air of superiority, treating supposed idiots as tools you can manipulate, or thinking of them as people you need to deal with instead of your peers, makes you, well, quite a jerk. This is because you fail not just at the emotional level but also intellectually. Consequently, it is you who is left wanting in these aspects. 

Signs of You Being a Jerk

The typical workplace jerk thinks of himself or herself as more important than his or her peers, and tries to exercise undue control on subordinates. Such employees tend to lend importance to the opinions and perspectives of those who are higher up the hierarchy ladder. If you feel someone is your team is always being an idiot, here are some other signs that you might want to watch out for and avoid:

• You are pushy and/or intrusive
• You are mean and/or disrespectful
• You refuse to look at his/her accomplishments
• You are not appreciative

If you find yourself whining or complaining about one or more employees, bear in mind that it never helps – and this applies in your personal life as well.

Signs That Your Peers Think You Are a jerk

If you keep looking down on anyone in your team, your coworkers probably already view you in bad light. Here are signs that might indicate it is happening.

• Your team members argue with you frequently
• They avoid you when possible
• The do not help you, and do not ask for your help
• You feel they are sarcastic and/or rude
• Their body language is negative
• They laugh at you, or snicker even when you are not trying to be funny
• Your success comes as a surprise to them

What You Need to Do

For starters, get rid of all the airs you have about yourself. Then, understand that the coworker you think of as an idiot might be inconsistently motivated or may simply not have the same priorities as you. In addition, some employees don’t go that extra mile in the absence of effective communication or recognition. Even if you are not in a position to bestow rewards, you can still highlight how the individual’s work is important to you, the team, and the organization. Just like you want your work to be acknowledged and appreciated, so do all others.

Conclusion

Viewing someone in your team as an idiot comes with no benefit. If anything, you might take on the role of being everyone’s fool yourself. If find yourself thinking you are better than someone at everything, it is time to take a step back and recalibrate your thoughts. Not only will the other person have positives you can look up to, identifying and working on your own flaws will help as well.

If you have any questions about this post, please ask by using the comments section. If you found the content to be helpful, please hit the like button and share it with others. To read more content related to careers in software, follow us now.

You are probably helping teammates without recognition

**Note: All the attached photos are royalty free and not copyrighted.

Introduction

There is not a single individual, who has not worked within a team at least once in his career or academic life. Teamwork exists in almost every industry, workplace and company. It exists in our everyday life, inside the academic and career framework and outside it. When you take out the garbage, that is teamwork. When you turn off the TV at your home, that is teamwork as well. When you switch off the lights at home or at work, that is teamwork. There are many other countless examples in our daily lives of teamwork that we take part in.

Importance of Teamwork

Teamwork promotes unity. When individuals work separately, each seeks to achieve his/her own goals, competing against other individuals or co-workers. Competition, despite being important, can lead to discouraged workforce if practiced between individuals within the same company or team as it results in conflicting interests. It also encourages hatred and envy among individuals instead of creating an atmosphere of friendship and loyalty, hence destroying any kind of unity or common interest. Teamwork promotes performance efficiency. It enables teams to divide the tasks based on skills and interests allowing individuals to perform their tasks efficiently and successfully and in return increasing the team’s overall productivity. Teamwork also helps individual team members develop their own skills, because they get exposed to other individuals with different backgrounds and skills. 

Working as a Team

There is no doubt that some team members do more work or perform better than others perform. In some cases, the least performing team member might not be given the chance to prove himself and unleash his/her full potential, being shadowed over by the better performing team members. In this case, the team member is not to be fully blamed for his/her lack of performance within the team. It is rather the responsibility of the team leader to ensure that all team members are actively engaged and are given an equal opportunity to perform just like the rest of the team members. In other cases, it might just be the laziness or lack of interest by the underperforming team member to work on the assigned task. 

In either case, the work of all team members should be recognized, whether the team member was underperforming or not, because in one way or another, the team member has definitely helped his/her teammates in a direct or indirect way. A good team leader should always acknowledge the effort that has been exerted by all team players, whether it was more or less than others. The recognition should not only come from the team leader, but also from the rest of the team members associated with the task. Therefore, it is necessary to have team qualities and skills to create and join a successful and appreciating team that recognizes its members without leaving anyone behind because they should progress as a single entity.

Personality Matters in Teams

This of course depends on the personality of the individual with whom you are working. If the team leader or spokesperson has the “I did” attitude instead of the “We did” attitude, then it is expected that some of the team members will not receive the recognition they deserve or any recognition at all for their work. A teamwork spirit and recognition are thus an essential quality of a team leader and supporting team members. 

Forms of Recognition

There are many ways by which a team leader or company can provide work and effort recognition. Among the most common forms of recognition are bonuses. These monetary rewards are given to individuals as an appreciation token for their effort and hard work. Recognition does not necessarily involve money. It can be in the form of a written praise letter to the individuals or team members, acknowledging the effort and contribution of the team members. It can also be a verbal admiration by the management or leadership. This increases the loyalty and friendship between the team members, resulting in better work output and more work dedication. These forms of recognition can be provided at specific special dates or at any day of the year with the aim of boosting morale and team spirit when needed. 

Importance of Recognition

Undoubtedly, recognition positively impacts teamwork and it is an essential quality of a good team leader. Individuals who help teammates, even with little stuff, and do not get recognized as a contributing factor within the team, can negatively impact the overall performance of the team. Providing recognition for all team members increases the team’s productivity. They will enjoy doing their tasks and will feel valued by their team. It also boosts optimism, team spirit and encourages engagement. Providing recognition helps in retaining employees because of their increased loyalty and happiness. It increases communication between team members creating a highly efficient and creative team. Not only does recognition affect current team members but it also creates a positive image of the team’s culture and working environment. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is true that many team members who help their teammates with aspects of their tasks, whether by answering some questions or tackling some of the, are not recognized by their teammates or team leader. This negatively impacts both the individual team member and the team as a whole. That is why, it is essential for an individual to choose his/her team wisely in order to avoid exerting effort and spending time that might not get recognized or acknowledged by others. The rule here to avoid exerting unrecognized effort or assistance to your teammates or job tasks is to choose your team and be chosen by that team. Choose a good team with supporting and encouraging individuals and have your effort and skills be recognized by that team, who will choose to have you join their team as a valued and recognized team member. That doesn’t mean to just perform well for the recognition, but to help teammates without questioning if they are going to provide recognition or not. 

References: 

https://www.moneypenny.com/us/resources/blog/12-ways-rewards-and-recognition-impact-teamwork/
https://bonus.ly/employee-recognition-guide/types-of-employee-recognition

Why self evaluate?

Are you wondering why you need to self-evaluate before your performance review, because no matter how well (or not) you are doing, your boss will have the final word? Do you think your evaluation might hold absolutely no merit? If so, know that the self-evaluation process is typically in place for good reason.

By the time you are done reading this page, you will find out why organizations require their employees to evaluate their own performance, as well as how to go about the process.

The Need for Self-Evaluation

Self-evaluation gives employers means to engage their employees when it comes to evaluating their performance, as well as for formulating career goals. As an employee, it gives you an opportunity to prepare for your appraisal, after taking into account your performance and overall contribution to your team and organization.

Reasons why self-evaluation plays an important role in performance reviews include:

• You get to reflect on your professional accomplishments and mistakes. 
• Your manager gets to look at your performance from your point of view – be it in the form of your achievements or the challenges you face.
• Highlights from your self-evaluation serve as the foundation for your future objectives and goals, and can also be used to develop a suitable self-development plan.
• You can use the results as a driving force to motivate yourself.
• Your employer might use it as a basis for a hike in salary, a promotion, or a renewed contract.
• It helps highlight differences in performance-related expectations between employers and employees.

Feeling Intimidated is Normal

It is common for employees to feel intimated when they have to self-evaluate their performances. Matters can get especially challenging if you feel that your manager might cast aspersions on your ability to self-evaluate.  Some people find it hard to bring objectivity to the table, whereas some others have doubts about the details they need to include.

Bear in mind that your self-evaluation gives your manager a good starting point, and going through the process requires that you have a clear plan.

The Approach to Follow

Begin by making a list of all your responsibilities and duties. Take time to think about your performance since your last performance review, appraisal, or performance development meeting. Aspects that you need to include in your self-evaluation include:

• All the goals you have accomplished
• All your failures and mistakes
• Areas in which you need to improve
• Future goals

Since the idea behind a self-evaluation is to highlight your accomplishments, it is important that you take pride in your work. However, you need to be specific, rational, honest, and critical in your approach. You also need to shed light on all that you have learnt. Including facts and figures tends to help.

During the performance review, ask your manager for feedback about your performance. If the answer suggests that your performance is not up to the mark, identify what you need to do to improve. Treat the process as a conversation and not an inquisition. 

Conclusion

Self-assessments offer benefits for employers and employees alike.  Employers can use them to find out how their employees feel about their own performance. As an employee, you can use a self-assessment to identify your own successes and shortcomings. It can also serve as effective road-map, helping your career progress in the right direction.

Feel free to ask questions about this blog post by using the comments section. If you found the write-up to be helpful, please share it with others and click on the like button. Read more articles about careers in software by following us now.

 

How to break the news of your resignation? What to say?

When it’s time to resign from your existing job, how do you plan to go about informing those concerned – be it your manager or your team members? Do you plan to complain about your job, give them a half-baked story, blame it on the stars, or just leave with saying a word? Incidentally, there’s a right way to go about the process, and you’ll learn about it in no time.

This video focuses on all that you need to do to ensure that your departure from your existing role and organization is as smooth as possible.

Bidding your professional good byes in the right manner is important because the world, after all, is a small place. How would you feel then, if your existing manager is the one interviewing you for a very important role 10 years down the line?

You’re Not the First

Having to deal with leaving an organization can be a daunting task. However, you need to realize that many have walked this path before you, and many will even in the future. If you’re worried about your manager’s adverse reaction, understand that this is a fairly routine aspect of professional life. Besides, there’s a possibility that your manager already has some inkling about your plans.

How Do You Feel About Your Existing Job?

If you like your existing role and the organization, informing your boss about your decision to resign can seem challenging, but it needs to be done. If you don’t like, or even hate, your existing job, the task might seem a tad simpler. However, you stand to gain near nothing by being negative in your approach, other than a bad reference letter. Besides, alienating a former employer is never a good idea, and you ought to leave as gracefully as possible.

Request to Meet In-Person

Professional etiquette suggests that you request your manager for a one-to-one meeting where you may discuss your resignation. This makes room for dialogue that can touch upon your reasons for leaving as well as what you might need to do for a smooth transition. You should ideally schedule this meeting in a way that gives your employer adequate time to prepare for your departure.

What to Say

No matter what circumstances surround your resignation, try to maintain a positive approach. While you might feel uncomfortable about answering some questions, you simply need to prod forward. Try to cover as many of these aspects when discussing your resignation with your boss.

Express gratitude. Be thankful about all the opportunities and learning that have come your way because of your current role.

Mention the reason. There’s a good chance your manager will ask you why you wish to leave, so it’s best to address this aspect on your own. Reasons can vary from getting a better opportunity, relocating to a new place, going back to school, or even improving your work-life balance. For all you know, the solution you seek might be closer than you’ve imagined. If you don’t wish to mention the name of your new employer, say you’re not at liberty to do so at the moment.

Offer to help with the transition. Offer to help with the transition if you feel it might be required. This can come in the form of completing all your existing projects, identifying suitable candidates, and training someone else to take on your role.

Notice and date of leaving. Typically, a two-week notice period is sufficient, unless your agreement requires otherwise. Provide an anticipated date of leaving as well.

Dealing With the Aftermath

You cannot predict what will happen after you inform your manager about your desire to resign.

Your manager doesn’t want you to leave. If you’re unsure about wanting to leave after talking with your manager, ask for some time to rethink. If you decide to stay back, prepare to commit staying back for a predetermined time period. 

Your manager wants you to stay for longer. There is a possibility that your manager might ask you to stay back for longer to help with the transition. You need to think about this in all earnest, especially if you already have a joining date. 

You are asked to leave immediately. Yes, this happens too. In case your manager is very disgruntled by your decision, he or she might ask you to pack your belongings straightaway. In this case, you might lose all forms of electronic access with immediate effect too.

Telling Your Team

Common knowledge suggests that you should steer clear of telling team members about your decision to resign until you have informed your superiors. Even in case you have friends in your team, bear in mind that your main professional relationship is with your employer. Once you’ve told your manager, sharing the news with your team members can follow. Just how many details you wish to divulge is your prerogative.

Remember that you need to remain strong when discussing your resignation with your manager. If required, don’t shy away from giving generic answers. Steer clear from negativity at all costs. Display gratitude. At the end of the day, you also need to be prepared to move on. However, bear in mind that this might not be the end of your professional relationship, and that your paths might cross again.

 

Comic Time : Prioritize - All issues can't be P1