Want to keep employees? Write great job descriptions

Do these 3 things as a new manager to build trust | practice (split each time) | Want to keep employees? Write great job descriptions

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May 22, 2024

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Leading the Way

Do these 3 things as a new manager to build trust

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New managers can build trust and respect if they are clear with their team about what they expect, provide them with actionable and constructive feedback and admit what they don't know while committing to finding out needed information, writes author and Georgetown University professor Rachel Pacheco. "The manager is modeling to the team that it's okay to admit that we don't all know everything and that at times we have to ask for help," Pacheco writes.

Full Story: Forbes (tiered subscription model) (5/20)

Put it into practice: Researchers say teams want a manager who can give them constructive feedback that inspires them to improve, writes Pacheco. Do that by bringing up an observable behavior, being clear about how it affects their work, allowing them to give their thoughts and providing specific ways in which they can change or improve, Pacheco offers.

SmartBrief on Leadership

Want to keep employees? Write great job descriptions

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Your employees -- especially those in management -- are more likely to stay put when their job inspires them, connects them to their calling and offers them a sense of agency where they feel they're making a valuable contribution, writes author Laura Gassner Otting. One tool to aid retention, ironically, can be job descriptions for open positions that "retell the story of 'why' your organization exists and how it dovetails with the callings of your current team members," which can "rekindle the joy and excitement that brought current staff to your organization in the first place," Gassner Otting writes.

Full Story: SmartBrief/Leadership (5/21)

Put it into practice: The process of writing a great job description can be instrumental in bringing your team together to discuss central goals and values, reminding them of why they enjoy their jobs, Gassner Otting notes. "Meeting with your team early will also increase the likelihood that they feel some control and investment in the recruiting process and the success of your latest staff member, as well as their retention."

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Smarter Communication

Don't call the "COP," just stop using this office jargon

Excessive use of jargon such as "boil the ocean" (a complicated way to say don't overcomplicate things), "idea shower" (brainstorming) or "COP" (meaning "end of the day" in sports slang) can cause communication breakdowns in the office -- and it can be annoying, writes HR Dive columnist Ginger Christ. Jargon can also create cultural barriers in the office, and its elimination, Christ notes, can allow everyone "to be a bit more human in our communication."

Full Story: HR Dive (5/21)

Put it into practice: A VoiceNation survey found that 37% of workers find corporate-speak annoying, and Dan Marshall, group head of digital at Moneypenny, says leaders should be mindful of their language. "By fostering a culture of transparent communication and minimizing reliance on jargon, companies can create an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and understood," Marshall says.

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Smarter A.I.

A weekly spotlight on how A.I. is affecting leadership

How AI can make a manager's job more enjoyable
Fast Company (tiered subscription model) (5/21)

3 skills that will remain "high-value" in the age of AI
Forbes (tiered subscription model) (5/16)

Will AI hurt your company's sustainability goals?
Employee Benefit News (free registration) (5/17)

In Their Own Words

CEO: Why leaders need a mirror, and not a fun-house one

Trenton Allen, CEO of Sustainable Capital Advisors, says he likes to hire curious people who like himself, enjoy brainstorming, aren't afraid to fail and will be honest with themselves and others. "[E]very leader needs people on their team who can be really honest with them and hold up a mirror -- an accurate mirror, not just a fun-house mirror," Allen says.

Full Story: LinkedIn (5/21)

Daily Diversion

In France, your mail can smell like a fresh baguette

(Pixabay)

Mail in France has become a bit more aromatic with the introduction of a scratch-and-sniff stamp that uses microcapsules to emit the fragrance of a fresh baguette. La Poste issued nearly 600,000 stamps to honor Saint-Honoré, the patron saint of pastry chefs and bakers.

Full Story: BBC (5/18)

SmartBreak: Question of the Day

Writer May Sinclair was the first to use "stream of consciousness" in a review of which one of these writers' novel?

About The Editor

Candace Chellew

Chellew

Jargon can be a handy verbal shorthand for words and actions you do every day in your job. When I was in radio and television, we had such words as "cut" (which was a sound bite used in a newscast), "MOS" (which is a "man-on-the-street" interview) and a "cart" machine (which played "carts" that looked like a funky 8-track tape that we used to record commercials on).

Every industry has its "inside baseball" words that carry specific meanings. Still, those wider bits of jargon such as "close of play" or COP, "strategic staircase" or "bleeding edge" can become grating across every industry if used too often. As Ginger Crist notes, "clarity is key," no matter what business you're in.

What are some jargon words that irritate you? Share them with me!

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