"If your manager knows what you're doing all the time, you're not doing your job, and he's not doing his."

Hew Evans, Sony HR Director - Asia

I know, I've been merely pointing at Tony Schwartz's stuff lately, and again I found this quote in another great HBR article "Reward Value, Not Face Time" by Tony Schwartz.

Are you facing "presenteeism" in your company? Are people at work, but hardly working?
Might be time to leave as productivity suffers and workplace climate is impacted as managers try old-fashioned solutions such as checking people's desks for their presence.
This can start a death spiral and impact the bottom line.

Four Destructive Myths Most Companies Still Live By

See Tony Schwartz's Blog at
http://blogs.hbr.org/schwartz/2011/11/four-destructive-myths-most-co.html

Myth #1: Multitasking is critical in a world of infinite demand.
Myth #2: A little bit of anxiety helps us perform better.
Myth #3: Creativity is genetically inherited, and it's impossible to teach.
Myth #4: The best way to get more work done is to work longer hours.

Also recommend his book: The Way We're Working Isn't Working: The Four Forgotten Needs That Energize Great Performance

Why Companies Should Insist that Employees Take Naps

http://www.theenergyproject.com/blog/why-companies-should-insist-employees-take-naps

"If encouraging employees to take a half hour nap means they can be two or three times as productive over the subsequent three hours — and far more emotionally resilient — the value is crystal clear. It's a win-win and a great investment."

Tony Schwartz, The Energy Project. September 21, 2010.

REAL Productivity

Tony Schwartz published a great summary of his research on The Harvard Business Review blogs site:"6 Ways to Supercharge your Productivity"
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/09/six_ways_to_supercharge_your_p.html

Also be sure to check out "For Real Productivity, Less is Truly More"
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/05/real_productivity_why_less_is.html
(This article corresponds to numbers 3 and 4 on the list below)

1. Make sufficient sleep a top priority. Schedule your bedtime, and start winding down at least 45 minutes earlier. Ninety-eight percent of all human beings need at least 7-8 hours a night to feel fully rested. Only a fraction of us get that much regularly, in part because we buy into the myth that sacrificing an hour or two of sleep a night give us an hour more of productivity. In reality, even small amounts of sleep deprivation take a dramatic toll on our cognitive capacity, our ability to think creatively, our emotional resilience, the quality of our work, and even the speed at which we do it.
   
2. Create one to-do list that includes everything you want or need to do, on and off the job — and I mean everything, including any unresolved issues that merit further reflection. That's the essence of David Allen's simple but profound work (see Getting Things Done). Writing everything down helps get it off your mind, leaving you free to fully focus on what's most important at any given moment.
   
3. Do the most important thing first when you get to work each morning, when you're likely to be have the highest energy and the fewest distractions. Decide the night before what activity most deserves your attention. Then focus on it single-mindedly for no more than 90 minutes. Productivity isn't about how many tasks you complete or the number of hours you work. It's about the enduring value you create.
   
4. Live like a sprinter, not a marathoner. When you work continuously, you're actually progressively depleting your energy reservoir as the day wears on. By making intermittent renewal and refueling important, you're regularly replenishing your reservoir, so you're not only able to fully engage at intervals along the way, but also to maintain high energy much further into the day.
   
5. Monitor your mood. When demand begins to exceed your capacity, one of the most common signs is an increase in negative emotions. The more we move into "fight or flight," the more reactive and impulsive we become, and the less reflective and responsive. The first question to ask yourself is "Why am I feeling this way, and what can I do to make myself feel better?" It may be that you're hungry, tired, overwhelmed, or feeling threatened in some way. Awareness is the first step. You can't change what you don't notice.
   
6. Schedule specific times for activities in your life that you deem important but not urgent. With so much coming at you all the time, it's easy to focus all day on whatever feels most pressing in the moment. What you sacrifice is the opportunity to take on work such as writing, strategizing, thinking creatively, or cultivating relationships, which may require more time and energy, but often yield greater long-term rewards.
   

TOXIC Workplace, Culture, or Boss

Here is some food for thought to help you think about your current or future place of employment...

Do the 'Big Boys' think they are "more equal" than the Rest?

“If your boss scans you from head to waist versus waist to head as they extend their hand in greeting you, they are intuitively sending a message that you are smaller than they are,” explains Zannah Hackett, author of The Ancient Wisdom of Matchmaking. Though subtle, it’s the nonverbal equivalent of a belittling comment. “This is not a good sign that your talents are going to flourish in this environment.”

Do executives walk around the office or plant to visit employees?
Are they asking for genuine input or just pushing their agenda or checking up on everyone?
Who has special parking spots?
Who has their own rest room?

What is the Level of Respect?

Are employees who treat people with trust and respect considered weak and no management material? Is tough, no-nonsense supervisory behavior is rewarded? Either of these displays lack leadership skills.

Is rude behavior allowed? This can range from making negative comments either directly or (even worse) behind people's backs, to unprofessional behavior such as not returning emails/phone calls or showing up late for important meetings.

Obviously cursing is out of the question.

How about Trust?

It's one thing to state that you trust someone, but the devil lies in the details and comes out in unconscious behaviors. Who gets blamed for current problems? Who takes credit when good things happen?

Is information shared freely? Or do certain people have to find out through other channels?
Are some people privy to information that should be shared by peers?
Have you ever been discussing a subject and realized that the other person is trying to find out how much you know to see whether you are privy to the same information that he/she is?
Are you in the know and realizing that the other person is not providing information he/she should at a certain point?

Are salaried employees clocking in/out?

Performance Management

Is showing up more important than delivering results?
Are expectations and goals even communicated?

Are employees expected to intuitively know what is expected from them without explanation? Do managers have blow-ups when something goes wrong that you were supposed to be aware of?

Are employees merely trying to gain leadership's favor and do some employees routinely fall in and out of leadership's favor?

Are employees expected to assume heavier workloads and work excessive overtime while legitimate requests for headcount increases are denied, all while the company is promoting the importance of work/life balance or upper ranks seem to have all the time in the world?

"People are our greatest Asset"

How much paid training does the company provide?
Can you choose your own courses?
Is a development plan established and followed?

Do you feel comfortable voicing opposing view points or even your honest opinion?
Is trying something new encouraged or is failure regarded too much of a weakness?
Do employees merely do as they're told, rather than take initiative when they think something is worth pursuing?

Are employees let go without warning or explanation? Does a great cloud of silence and taboo try to wipe out that they've ever been a part of the organization?

Do external features such as beauty, weight, or race influence management's behavior, selection, and actions?

Are hiring decisions made in the upper ranks instead of through the hiring manager and HR?
Is HR merely an administrative function that is following directions rather than the partner to develop great people and work environments?
Do 'buddies' or long-time business relationships come aboard and then end up not performing to par, but are still tolerated?

How is turnover? Do performers switch within 5 years? Are certain employees merely hanging on? Are the long-term employees truly happy?
How do employees and leadership talk about previous employees?

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Organizations with toxic cultures and/or bosses may seem very successful on the surface, but internally, the decline has already started. It's best to get out while you can unless maybe you are receiving a boatload of cash and your health and private life is not in jeopardy (yet).

I would welcome comments about additional signs of a toxic workplace, culture, or boss.