Here are some quotes that may embrace your impression of the holiday spirit:

The joy of brightening other lives, bearing each others’ burdens, easing other’s loads and supplanting empty hearts and lives with generous gifts becomes for us the magic of Christmas. — W. C. Jones

This is my wish for you: peace of mind, prosperity through the year, happiness that multiplies, health for you and yours, fun around every corner, energy to chase your dreams, joy to fill your holidays” — D.M. Dellinger

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. Wishing you happiness. — Helen Keller

I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month. — Harlan Miller

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, The Winter Solstice or nothing at all, you may be familiar with some of the themes in these quotes. These themes found and promoted as the “holiday spirit” can be found year round in your organization!

Since I am especially thankful and proud of my organization’s approach to the holidays, I’d like to take a few moments and describe why being in HR at MINES has jumpstarted my holiday spirit! This year, we have had incredible interest and proactive initiatives in making the MINES culture something to be proud of. Employees from all over the organization, in numerous departments and of varying tenure have informally stepped up and offered ideas and proactive approaches to making MINES a fun and enjoyable place to work. This holiday season has been no exception!

What began as a simple holiday party planning committee grew into a committee that wanted to ensure a memorable experience for not only our employees but also our clients. We first brainstormed a completely different approach to our holiday party… how did this happen? We had a newer employee who was not boggled down by assumptions of the “way things have been done” do some homework and elect a different flavor for the party. The committee also wanted to ensure that the other members of the staff had input in components of the party and they did partake!  Above and beyond the holiday party, other great ideas became reality including two drives incentivized by a spirit week and raffle as well as a card signing potluck lunch. The reason that this brightened my holiday spirit is not necessarily the activities themselves; it was seeing the enthusiasm and these great initiatives by our brilliant staff becoming a reality. What was most impressive was the decision by our committee to make it a goal to continue this proactive morale-boosting initiative throughout the year. Of course, we could not have implemented reality without our executive team being on-board!

This year, be proactive about making your holiday season special for yourself, your colleagues, your organization, your community, and for everyone that you touch. Let THIS holiday season be a springboard for the rest of the year! Be the one who helps to spark your organization’s “holiday spirit” and keep it burning all year long! Giving, caring, spending time with family and friends, easing others’ loads, generosity, appreciation, and sharing your contagious smile and energy can make a difference in the morale of your organization all year! This difference and spirit spreads and benefits everyone who you touch whether it is clients, family, colleagues, customers, or friends! I believe that this is why MINES makes such a tremendous difference in our clients’ lives.

Happy Holidays!
Dani Kimlinger, MHA, PHR, Human Resources

The post The “Holiday Spirit” appeared first on MINES and Associates.

In the workplace there are tasks and then there are people; research has shown that people are different. In fact, 75% of people are different from you in their personality types and leadership styles. The challenge is not in completing tasks, it lies in understanding how our personality types work or don’t work together. In our careers and personal lives, it is the people, not the tasks that will challenge us the most. As we develop in our careers, those that seek out the tools and opportunities to increase self-awareness in order to work better with others, are the ones that are progressing. Once you become aware of your own personality type, behavior, and style you can begin to understand how others perceive your words and actions.

As an exercise toward this goal, I recommend completing the Enneagram Personality Test. However, you should read this background about the Enneagram first. There are several recognized batteries for personality and none are perfect, but the Enneagram is highly recognized. Remember, that this test, like any test, is only a snapshot.

Once completed, you may view your personal results. The information may help you develop your style, which in turn may help better equip you as you evolve within your organization.

Ian Holtz,
Manager, Business Development

The post Understanding Your Personality Type appeared first on MINES and Associates.

Then, I finally came up with an easy way to make the distinction clear. The word “fall” has four letters in it and so does the word “back.” Ever since I discovered this handy-dandy way to remember, I’ve been able to get it right!

Now that we’re into daylight savings time, I’ve had to ask myself:

Are there any other areas of my life that could benefit from a slight recalibration?

Am I getting a less than desirable outcome than I would prefer? And if so, is it because I am perpetually stuck in thinking the same way in a given situation?

Do I need to change my perspective and see things in a different light?

Is there a better way for me to think about things that would make my life easier and create less heart burn? Am I still making unnecessary “face plants” because of my stubbornness?

Daylight savings creates a slight shift. The nights become longer and the days become shorter. We’re reminded that the holidays are just around the corner. We start to notice that the mornings are a little chillier while the grass and car windows show slight signs of frost.  We grab our sweat shirts and start looking for our favorite sweaters. We even begin to notice the displays in the grocery store are different.  There are multiple signs and signals shouting: “change is in the air!”

So, I ask, “Why wait until the New Year comes to make resolutions that promote positive change and wellbeing?” Daylight savings is a great reminder that we can always make recalibrations and adjustments and, there is always time to make a slight shift to get a more desirable outcome. How often do you feel as if you’ve just won the lottery because you’ve been given the luxurious “gift of time?” Even though it’s just a slight move on the clock’s hand that creates the change, I encourage you to think of it as an invitation; an invitation to stir things up a little, create a shift in your thinking, change your rhythms, and challenge your beliefs. Then, during the long hours of the night, as you watch the hands on the clock go by, you can celebrate all of your successes that will make it easier to spring forward into action the next time we change the hands of time.

Just remember, if your organization needs a few recalibrations or you want support with making a few refinements the professionals at BizPsych are here to support you with executive coaching, training, and organizational development.

Marcia Kent, MS
President, BizPsych

The post Daylight Savings Time appeared first on MINES and Associates.

http://psychology.about.com/library/quiz/bl_eq_quiz.htm

Ian Holtz,
Manager, Business Development

The post Emotional Intelligence appeared first on MINES and Associates.

The sources that I looked at regarding generational differences and effective ways to provide feedback tended to be consistent. Here are some suggestions for how to provide feedback to your colleagues or employees…

“Generation Ys” a.k.a. “Millennials”

• Generation Ys prefer instant and constant feedback since they are always interested in improving themselves (Szakonyi, 2008).
• Give Generation Ys their feedback face-to-face because they tend to enjoy building relationships with their managers and colleagues (Springer, 2011).
• Millennials like to give feedback just as much as they appreciate it, Millennials may or may not be as skilled or savvy in how they give feedback and therefore may require coaching (Green, 2011).
• Be sure to give Millennials positive feedback too! This generation sure loves to know that their daily contributions are noticed and appreciated as it validates their contributions to their organization (Green, 2011).

“Generation X”

• Generation Xs tend to prefer continuous feedback; this may be attributed to their Baby Boomer parents who provided them with constant feedback (Szakonyi, 2008).
• Generation Xs tend to take feedback better when they feel that their employers are flexible since flexibility is highly valued by the Gen Xer (Szakonyi, 2008).
• When providing feedback to Gen Xers, be sure to share with them how their progress related to the feedback will make a difference (Green, 2012).

“Baby Boomers”

• Baby Boomers love to provide effective feedback to their colleagues since it helps them feel that they have more control over what they are working on (Green, 2012).
• Baby Boomers also prefer regular feedback and when they are not receiving it, they look for it through behavioral signs and tend to assume the worse and typically negatively (Green, 2012).
• Baby Boomers also appreciate “conventional types” of feedback including reviews (Szakonyi, 2008).
• When Baby Boomers are doing well, they appreciate credit and recognition to others (Szakonyi, 2008).

“Veterans”

• The Veterans prefer the “no news is good news” method of feedback and prefer not to be bothered with small and mundane details (Green, 2012).
• When constructive feedback is necessary, consider in-person meetings instead of through e-mails or phone calls (Green, 2011).
• When the Veterans are not receiving feedback, they too will look for hints about their performance. They may interpret behavior such as being invited to mentor or present as them doing good work and on the flip side, they may interpret being questioned or left out as them not performing optimally (Green, 2012).
• When providing positive feedback, consider doing it publicly for the Veteran’s group (Green, 2012).

Did you just read through this and feel that your generation’s recommended feedback method and determine that it does not fit your preference? That’s okay! Keep in mind that this is just  a generalization. As a Manager, please keep in mind that providing feedback is not a one-size-fits all, even when considering additional variables such as generations.

Dani Kimlinger, MHA, PHR, Consultant, BizPsych

________________________________________________________________________________________
Green, H. (2012, June 26). How to Give Four Generations Feedback. In Forbes. Retrieved August 19, 2012, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2012/06/26/how-to-give-four-generations-feedback/

Springer, H. (2011, January 7). Providing feedback to different generations at the workplace. In The Examiner. Retrieved August 18, 2012, from http://www.examiner.com/article/providing-feedback-to-different-generations-at-the-workplace

Szakonyi, M. (2007, January 7). Different generations require different feedback, motivation. In Jacksonville Business Journal. Retrieved August 19, 2012, from http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2008/01/07/story7.html?page=all

The post Effectively Providing Feedback to Multiple Generations appeared first on MINES and Associates.

McCarthy and Schwartz were recently highlighted in the Harvard Business Review for their exceptional work on managing energy and NOT your time. In fact, organizations of all sizes and in all industries are expecting more work from their staff and as a result, their employees are working longer hours, burning out, getting sick, and finally, in worst cases, turning over. McCarthy and Schwartz pointed out that one may work longer hours at the office but there is a limit – it is finite! One’s personal energy is renewable and there are ways that the organization can support their staff in revitalizing this energy (Schwartz & McCarthy, 2007).

Although there may be other categories to consider, McCarthy and Schwartz elaborated on four energies to maintain (McCarthy and Schwartz, 2007).

Physical Energy:

• You can take small steps to maintain your physical energy by engaging in regular exercise which is defined as at least three to four days.
• Breaks are also important! Take small breaks; go for walks perhaps as frequently as every 90 minutes especially when you notice that your concentration is wandering.
• Ensure that you are getting adequate sleep – plan earlier and regular bedtimes.

Emotional Energy:

• Breathe to the center! Yes, this deep breathing activity which extends down past your belly button can help diffuse negative emotions including stress and frustration.
• Appreciate others and yourself! This is an important one to keep in mind and is an easy one to get too busy to get to. When you have a small accomplishment, celebrate it! When someone does something nice or thoughtful, thank them!
• When facing a disappointing or unfortunate situation, try to look at it from another angle. How can you learn and grow from this situation?

Mental Energy:

• If you notice yourself being easily distracted by e-mails or phone calls, eliminate this distraction during high-concentration tasks and designate times to return these calls and e-mails.
• Reflect on your day! What went well? What didn’t? What do you want to accomplish tomorrow? Some may journal these.

Spiritual Energy:

• Engage in enticing and fulfilling activities! These differ for everyone! If you fall into the “too busy and don’t have time” category, put these activities in by design. This might be scheduling one hour per night for reading, catching up with friends, or community service activities.

Dani Kimlinger, MHA, PHR, Consultant, BizPsych

________________________________________________________________________________________
Schwartz, T., McCarthy, C. (2007). Manage Your Energy Not Your Time. Retrieved July 7, 2012, from Harvard Business Review website: http://ldr-rc-msgcu.org/wordpress/webcontent/uploads/2012/03/HBRs-10-Must-Reads-on-Managing-Yourself.pdf

The post How Are You Managing Yourself? appeared first on MINES and Associates.