By Raegan Johnson / Mar 22, 2018 “The dog ate my work schedule!” (JStaley401/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

A new survey from CareerBuilder reports on some of the wildest excuses people use for being tardy to work.

Here’s a fun question: What’s the wildest excuse you’ve ever given for being late to work?

A recent survey from CareerBuilder, reports that nearly 25 percent of those surveyed admitted to being late to work at least once a month. People in the West are more likely to be late than any other region in the country—30 percent of workers in the West are tardy for work at least once a month, while only 23 percent of Midwesterners report the same behavior.

Some of the reasons people come up with for their lateness are total doozies. Hiring and HR managers reported hearing excuses like “I was here, but I fell asleep in the parking lot,” or it was simply too cold to work. Coffee that was too hot was to blame for keeping one individual away from the office, and another accused their dog of eating their work schedule—an adult twist on a classic excuse.

Even though we all run late from time-to-time, 60 percent of employers expect people to arrive promptly every morning. Those employers may take some solace in the fact that 65 percent of late workers will stay later to make up for it.

From Associations Now, a publication of the American Society of Association Executives.

By Mark Athitakis / Mar 19, 2018 (ConstantinosZ/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Wanting to do good work and test new ideas doesn’t require memes—we’re already wired to do it. But leaders can do more to make sure that enthusiasm isn’t stifled.

This post is running on Monday, which means it’s #MondayMotivation day. So if you’re following anybody who’s even remotely connected to the world of leadership and professional development, your social media feeds are likely now peppered with go-get-’em quotations and inspirational memes that are meant to sustain us through the week—at least until #ThrowbackThursday makes us nostalgic for better days and that carefree #FridayFeeling kicks in.

If only quotations and memes were enough to do the trick. Being told to dream big is hollow inspiration if your work life involves an always-full to-do list and an environment that often relegates new ideas on the back burner.

That’s a struggle author Daniel M. Cable addresses in his new book, Alive at Work. In an excerpt published at the Harvard Business Review, Cable looks at some of the issues that stymie motivation in the office, and roles that leaders can play in helping to spark it.

“Employees want to be valued for the unique skills and perspectives they bring to the table.”

One point Cable stresses is that people are naturally wired to try to do new things; our “seeking systems” move us “to learn new skills and take on challenging but meaningful tasks.” So if those seeking systems are absent in an organization, it may have less to do with the person than with the workplace environment. Shut down a person’s sense that doing new things and stretching is welcome behavior, and they’ll stop demonstrating it.

To counter that problem, Cable prescribes “three small but consequential nudges.” One is to get employees to voice the sorts of projects that they find most inspiring, preferably early after they’re hired. (“Employees want to be valued for the unique skills and perspectives they bring to the table,” as Cable writes.) Another is to give them opportunities to experiment within the roles they have. And employees can be moved by acquiring a sense of purpose around their work, perhaps by interacting with the customers (or association members) that their work is designed for. “We feel a sense of purpose when we can experience firsthand how our unique contributions help other people and allow the team to progress,” Cable writes.

The article is clearer about what helps employees feel motivated than about how leaders can best deliver that feeling. After all, there’s still that full list of must-do work to contend with. But all three of Cable’s suggestions all fall under the general guidance of “keep the lines open”: Make yourself available to hear what sorts of things workers want to accomplish—what they’re seeking—and create opportunities for workers to say them.

That is, so long as you don’t make it sound like a requirement. “Firms are more agile when they encourage employees to think up new approaches and try them out,” he writes, but “framing change and innovation as a chance to experiment and learn is better than framing it as a performance situation, which makes people anxious, risk-averse, and less willing to persist through difficulty.”

That’s a message that Natalie Fikes of the National Association of Professional Women delivered last week at ASAE’s Great Ideas Conference: “When you’re leading people, everyone is a 10,” she said. “Find out how you can best utilize them and then the sky is the limit.” But the message resonates most strongly if the leader models that behavior as well: “Your teams are only going to do what they see you do. If there are no rules and your employees don’t know what to expect, they’re going to do whatever comes to mind. And guess what? That’s how ideas are formed. That’s how things happen. That’s how innovation occurs.”

Many organizations still operate under a familiar but narrow (if not stifling) system where an employee’s “success” is connected to hitting targets, and targets are attached to compensation, all handled impersonally in an annual performance review. A better system frees employees to test out new ideas, with direct encouragement from you as a leader. There are many ways to make that happen, but it likely boils down to a simple task: Asking them what they need.

From Associations Now, a publication of the American Society of Association Executives.

 

By Raegan Johnson / Mar 6, 2018 (tadamichi/iStock/Getty Images Plus) 

Changing the way you think about board member recruitment in one simple way may lead to creating a better board. Also: growth strategy tips for major donor relationship-building and more.

The right board can help ensure your organization’s future success. How can your board member search committee ensure it builds a dynamic one?

Jay Love, chief relationship officer at Bloomerang, recently learned a “simple and yet so elegant” secret from Kent Stroman, the author of The Intentional Board. “Recruit only board members who could serve as board chairs,” writes Love in a recent Bloomerang blog post.

Sounds easy, right? But effective board chairs share a lot of key traits that can be hard to find, including generosity, natural leadership ability, passion for your group’s mission, and expertise in nonprofit governance.

“Most individuals with all or most of these qualities are in high demand and can be very selective in where they serve by their very nature,” says Love. “This means a much wider recruiting effort complete with more in-depth research is required to even find a few of these somewhat rare individuals.”

From Associations Now, a publication of the American Society of Association Executives.

By Ernie Smith / Mar 6, 2018 (Geber86/E+/Getty Images Plus) 

Business-oriented learners in generations Y and Z are increasingly open to online education and digital certifications, according to a new report from an association of business schools.

A new report from AACSB International is targeted at how university business schools operate as more digital-friendly students drive overall attendance.

That said, there are plenty of lessons that can be translated to other types of educators as well—including those working in the context of associations, which are increasingly seen as alternatives to traditional educational programs.

Understanding the Implications of the Digital Generation on Business Education, also commissioned by the Executive MBA Council and the International Consortium for Executive Education, highlights the changing expectations of “digital generations” in business education.

The report, a quantitative study based on online questionnaires submitted by individuals in 10 countries, found that many respondents were interested in nontraditional education options such as certificates and digital badges to extend their business education. For example, the research found that more than a quarter of respondents said certifications and digital badges could prove a useful substitute for a degree. Those offerings were especially of interest to those not looking to pursue an MBA or other form of graduate-level education.

“Certificates and digital certificates provide more attractive options for individuals employed full time and those holding a graduate degree. In an open-ended question, respondents frequently mentioned the convenience it would provide in their attempt to juggle current employment,” the report explained.

This factor was also highlighted in the fact that many learners, especially younger ones, desired to have a more self-directed learning approach, and those who have taken online educational offerings in the past tend to prefer “blended learning,” which is a mix of in-person and online education.

Ultimately, though, the report focused on the basic motivations for those looking to get more education. In the U.S., the main factors for wanting to learn included an improved standard of living, more career stability, increased job security, and improved leadership and management skills. Outside of the U.S., a much larger factor was the desire to gain international exposure and access.

The findings, while intriguing outside of the business school context, also prove promising within it, noted AACSB’s senior vice president and chief knowledge officer, Juliane Iannarelli.

“More than any other generation, individuals who will benefit most from advanced business education over the next decade are thinking broadly about delivery models, flexible opportunities, and the potential pathways through different learning experiences,” she said in a news release. “Fortunately, today’s business schools are already seeking ways in which they can pivot to better provide both comprehensive programs and more targeted learning modules—independently and with employer partners.”

From Associations Now, a publication of the American Society of Association Executives.

By Raegan Johnson / Feb 28, 2018 (Rawpixel/iStock/Getty Images Plus

If you’re looking to improve your organizational processes, hold debriefing meetings after you complete major projects.

Do you routinely hold debriefing meetings after a big project? It’s a good habit for a smart leader to get into, whether or not the project was successful.

Often these  meetings, if they happen at all, include only top leadership, but 360 Live Media argues that everyone who had a big part in the project should be included. “Think of this opportunity as primary research about the way your organization operates,” says Bill Zimmer. “The goal is to talk about what worked and what didn’t.”

Zimmer suggests letting your team know when you start the project that you plan to debrief later. “Surprises are not a great way to evoke radical candor,” he writes. “Instead, remind your team at the beginning of each engagement that you’ll be hosting a debrief after it’s complete. Be consistent and you’ll start to build a culture of learning and improvement.”

And be sure to strike the right tone. A debriefing meeting is not a forum for venting or complaining but should be an “open, honest session with a goal of making the team better.”

From Associations Now, a publication of the American Society of Association Executives.

28% of the internet users are spending their time on 1 social media site

Well, now you can easily grab the chance!

With the help of picking the best times to post on social media, you can maximize the chances for your audience to both see and engage with your posts.

Savvy social media experts have also shared their views – “Posting the content on right time is the key to maximizing engagement with their target audience.

There are many essential things that can help you get more traffic, more engagements and more followers.

Do you want to know what are those interesting yet essential things?

There is a plethora of social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, Pinterest and more, which cater to the different niche of businesses.

All these social media platforms have different configurations, which are applicable when publishing content, images, videos, and much more.

But, the one superseding them is definitely the best times of posting on social media.

When it comes to standard posting time, there is no such specific time period suitable for all social media networks. Actually, it is very difficult to understand the exact time of posting content, because if you’re posting at wrong times, there are chances to invite bad impact.

It is always important to know a range of good posting times as it helps in increasing the engagement rate tremendously.

But, before moving further…

Let’s first know the basics of how the social media platforms are used by different users!

We all are familiar with the major social media platforms, but knowing their basics is like a boon for the newbies!

Let’s have a look! 

Facebook is one of the leading platforms that has the largest audience and is accessed both at home and work. Actually, people use it from their mobiles and desktops, so it depends on who the audience is and how they use this social network.

Twitter is one of the toughest networks from the marketer’s aspect. People use it more while commuting and during breaks. Just like Facebook, it has been largely audience dependent.

Linkedin is used by professional and the working community. They use it anytime around the day depending on the ease of work, breaks, etc.

Pinterest is viewed during the leisurely hours like watching TV or spending some time with the family in the evenings.

Instagram has a huge following of smartphone users who use it just about any time.

Now you might have got a rough idea of the how these major social media platforms are used by different users, right?

But, for a better idea, it is important to know how to post your content on the best times on social media.

Here’s a detailed discussion of the best times to post on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and more for achieving the finest results. Read more …

Written by Manisha Sukhyani, Content Marketer at SocialPilot. She authors in-depth articles that teach users about how to grow traffic through social media marketing. She loves walking on a less traveled road.

 By Ernie Smith / Feb 22, 2018 (Steve Debenport/E+/Getty Images

By Ernie Smith / Feb 22, 2018 (Steve Debenport/E+/Getty Images Plus)

A new report from Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy makes the case that certain demographic groups, in particular young adults and women, can help improve nonprofit boards. However, diversity issues continue to be a challenge for boards as a whole.

Could making a board more diverse make it more effective?

That’s an idea that followed through in a new report from Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), produced with the help of Johnson, Grossnickle and Associates and BoardSource.

But The Impact of Diversity: Understanding How Nonprofit Board Diversity Affects Philanthropy, Leadership, and Board Engagement  also makes the case that diversity remains a challenge for many nonprofits. The report found that, overall, boards are generally less diverse than the U.S. population, with 78.6 percent of board members white, compared to a population as a whole that is 76.9 percent white.

Organizations that are older (particularly those founded before 1900) tend to have fewer women and a lower makeup of diversity overall; however, from an income standpoint, boards of nonprofits that have revenues of less than $500,000 tend to have more gender diversity, but less racial diversity, than nonprofits with revenue above that.

“While gender diversity on nonprofit boards is improving, many seem to remain primarily white, older, and have more male than female board members,” the report’s executive summary states.

However, there is evidence that if challenges of diversity are overcome, it could make the board more effective. For example, boards with larger numbers of younger members (particularly under age 39) tend to show higher levels of commitment and are more focused on governance and oversight issues. And boards that have higher percentages of women focus more intently on issues of public policy and also see higher levels of fundraising success.

The report notes that while researchers are not in agreement on the ways that board diversity affects organizational performance overall, individual findings suggest much in the way of potential. Nonetheless, IUPUI Associate Dean for Research and International Programs Una Osili says that the findings offer an opportunity to put a stronger focus on diversity issues.

“As the U.S. population grows more diverse, nonprofit boards have an opportunity to engage members that reflect this diversity in their work,” Osili stated in a news release. “Diverse board members have the capacity to improve the organization’s philanthropic engagement through increased board member participation, fundraising and advocacy.”

From Associations Now, a publication of the American Society of Association Executives.

Take a cue from Richard Branson, Danny Meyer, the Ritz-Carlton, Tom Colicchio, and other customer service experts.

By Peter Economy

If there’s an industry that knows how to provide truly exceptional customer service, it’s the hospitality industry–the men and women who every day and night put heads in beds and food on the plates of millions of guests.

Says customer service expert Micah Solomon–author of the book, The Heart of Hospitality–“Whether your business is a retail bank, a car wash, or a SaaS startup (or, for that matter, The Apple Store, which lifted many innovations directly from the hospitality industry, including the Genius Bar, which is a direct knockoff of the concierge desk at a Ritz-Carlton hotel), you’ll find the customer service lessons of the hospitality industry apply.”

Here are five customer service lessons that Micah Solomon gathered from some of today’s most successful businesspeople.

1. Richard Branson’s Virgin Hotels: Scripted customer service is the ultimate turnoff for today’s customers.

Today’s customers, including the important millennial demographic, demand a customer service style that feels authentic and unscripted. Legendary businessman Richard Branson has built his new Virgin Hotels brand expressly on this principle, avoiding what he calls “Stepford customer service”–the rigid, phony, scripted service style that today’s guests find to be such a turnoff.

2. Legendary restaurateur Danny Meyer: Customers crave recognition and acknowledgement.

Danny Meyer is the restaurateur and hospitality legend whose every move–including the worldwide expansion of Shake Shack and the elimination of tipping at his restaurants–makes news. According to Meyer, the keys to his success are recognition and acknowledgement–making customers feel appreciated when they arrive, paid attention to while they’re at your establishment, missed when they’re gone, and welcomed back the next time.

3. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company: It takes empowered employees to deliver great customer service.

Great hotels and restaurants empower their frontline employees to proactively fix customer problems without waiting on management approval. This employee empowerment–the permission to be creative, and even spend money, on behalf of customers, is a master stroke in hospitality. At the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, even hourly employees have permission to spend up to $2,000 per guest to solve any problem or dissatisfaction that may arise, “without needing to ask permission, without needing to involve management or worry that they’re going too far,” as President and COO Herve Humler puts it.

4. Top Chef judge & restaurateur Tom Colicchio: Great customer service depends on trait-based hiring

If you want to provide world-class customer service, you’ve got to hire the right people: employees with the necessary traits–empathy, warmth, and conscientiousness, to name a few. Says Tom Colicchio, the celebrity restaurateur and Top Chef judge, “We’re looking to find people who naturally enjoy this work. The best way I can describe the people we want is like this: There are some people who throw great dinner parties because they really want to take care of their guests, and there are other people who are lousy at it because everything is a chore–everything is a problem. We’re looking for that natural host, the person who is always looking to make people happy and who doesn’t find it to be a chore.”

5. Five-Star chef and restaurateur Patrick O’Connell (The Inn at Little Washington): Build a culture of “yes.”

In a great hotel or restaurant, the entire organization strives to say “yes” to each guest, rather than figuring out ways to say “no,” or “sorry, not my department,” or “It doesn’t work that way around here.” Patrick O’Connell’s Inn at Little Washington is a double Five Star (per Forbes), double Five Diamond (per AAA) restaurant and inn where presidents, kings, and queens are known to dine. When Chef O’Connell trains his waitstaff, he tells them the story of the guest who asked “How big is the lobster?” and the server who answered, “How big would you like it to be?” O’Connell wants every employee to be comfortable using the customers’ wishes, not the stated capabilities of the restaurant, as the default framework within which to operate.

By Raegan Johnson / Feb 23, 2018 (phototechno/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Great leadership requires more than just the respect of your staff. Learn how great leaders get everyone to follow along. Also: How to handle employees who fail cybersecurity tests.

The boss is the boss, but there’s no reason that subordinates feel like they have to follow the rules. The right kind of leadership strategy might make them really want to do so.

A new CNBC article shares several tips from The Business Sergeant’s Field Manual, a book from leadership coach Chris Hallberg.

Hallberg notes that admirable leaders are brutally honest and decisive. “You’re actually doing everyone a favor when you say what needs to be said rather than tip-toeing around the problem,” he says.

He is also a big proponent of employing organizational operating systems. A system saves time and money and allows employees to have defined roles. “With a guide in place, 90 percent of the day-to-day can be run by systems, allowing you to give the remaining 10 percent of your undivided time and personal attention,” he says.

Hallberg goes on to say that great bosses support middle managers, give people leadership challenges, and are fair and consistent.

From Associations Now, a publication of the American Society of Association Executives.