Friends as Co-workers

Working with your friends can seem like a dream job. What could be better than to have your BFF in the cubicle or office right next to you? Your friends are the ones with whom you commiserate and complain about the boss, so, of course, bringing your friend into your work place is a natural progression and will bring you closer, right?

Well, for some this may be true but when a friend becomes a co-worker you need to be ready to experience a different side to this relationship to which you’ve never been exposed. Remember, your prior experience with this person is purely social. You’ve not had deadlines to make, you don’t know if they are competitive or even jealous of you or your situation, and, oftentimes, you may find that their work ethic doesn’t match yours.

When we think about our friends we just want them to be happy; being happy about being able to help a friend find a job or help them out through a rough spot is only natural. Remember, they are our friends because we tend to see the good in them, no matter how bad they may really be. Before you ask your friend to apply for the job opening in your office there are some real things you must consider that could affect your future at the company, the future of your friendship, and the future of your career.

This sounds dramatic and it is. Inviting your friend into your place of work changes the dynamic not only of your friendship but also your working relationships with your co-workers, boss and associates who are affiliated with you professionally. Remember, everyone will know that you got your friend this job and they will also assume the two of you will “cover” for each other. In other words, all of the professional relationships you have worked hard to maintain and build will change.

There are some basic ground rules you can use as a checklist before you open your office door to what could possibly be the end of your friendship.

Do your homework: Ask yourself why you are offering your friend this job? Does she really have the qualifications? Is it because you think it would be fun? This is not the time for that knee-jerk reaction of just helping someone out. The person you invite into your workspace is not there to socialize with you and your choice is a direct reflection on your judgment and your reputation. Just as you would do a check on a potential employee, you need to find out some work history from your friend. Has she ever been fired before? What are her qualifications? Get some recommendations from her previous employers so that the recommendation of their employment doesn’t fall squarely on your shoulders.

Have a friendship “contract”: We all know that having to discuss work performance with your friend can be a very uncomfortable situation. It can also be uncomfortable if your friend receives the promotion for which you were vying.

You must be prepared for situations that will challenge your friendship, bruise your ego, and even threaten your own job security. Sit down and make an agreement between the two of you. Much like a romantic relationship, things can get complicated quickly if you don’t have open communication with each other. This is not a guarantee that things will go smoothly but it does open up the door to a real conversation and to the importance of the situation.

Create clear boundaries: Just because you are friends doesn’t mean that you should exchange confidential information about other employees; it also doesn’t mean that you can be interrupted in meetings, or disrespected.

People are watching you to make sure there is no preferential treatment. You wouldn’t want to lose the respect of your colleagues because you are notoriously lenient to family and friends.

Have an exit strategy: If you find that your friendship is strained and the relationship is damaged beyond repair be prepared to let go. Understand that this will cause a strain in the workplace and it may even be the loss of a job. If you both are still working together but not getting along you need to have a professional conversation. Acknowledge the damaged friendship, state your intensions to work together professionally do not get involved in office gossip or fights, and if it gets out of hand you will need to speak to someone in Human Resources and notify them of the situation.

Friendships are important relationships but they are very different from business relationships. In business it is common for contracts, deal memos and special steps to be taken before going through with a project. Friendships are based on an intuitive, intangible trust, and can shift once business is thrown into the mix. Many people have life long friendships and are also work partners, but for those who have been burned by a co-worker, who started out as a friend, know that not all is lost. There are always lessons to be learned and next time you should take the proper steps to write out a contract, have a conversation, or even admit that working together might not work out after all. This type of communication will strengthen your friendship and if not, you didn’t lose anything you just gained valuable perspective.

Alisa Weinstein is a certified coach, business executive and entrepreneur. As owner of Coaching Element, she supports other entrepreneurs to create businesses starting with focus, vision and action. She serves clients through individual and group coaching, seminars and public speaking. For more information, please visit www.CoachingElement.com, or e-mail Alisa@CoachingElement.com

The Good News about ADD …

A Savvy Gal knows that time is her most important commodity. In this world of multitasking and telecommuting, a true entrepreneur knows how to make the most of her time by making dollars out of change. I had to learn this the hard way — and it all started with bad case of influenza.

I’m recovering from the flu. I’m not quite sure which kind it was, but I am sure that it was a terrible bout that I hope to never have to experience again. I was completely knocked out, unable to return phone calls, work or even eat for five days; yes, this was a bad illness that reminded me how fragile we all are and how important it is to have support around us.

Just before I got sick I remember carrying out my daily routine of back-to-back meetings with my Blackberry at my side (God forbid I miss responding to an e-mail within ten seconds of receiving it), writing my blogs, networking and, of course, consulting with my clients. I love what I do but I couldn’t help feeling extra weary and even a bit overwhelmed.

It took the flu to knock me off my feet (literally) and knock some sense in my head that I was doing it ALL wrong.

My time management was out of proportion and it’s no wonder I became run down and sick, I’m just surprised that it took me this long to fall apart; especially since I work with clients on creating realistic expectations on their work and goals.

So here is my pledge: to embrace the strategy of ADD! Hear me out first … ADD stands for: Automate, Delegate, Delete.

These are the three things that entrepreneurs should embrace in their business because carrying everything on your shoulders will eventually bring you down (take me, for example). So, while I get stronger every day, I can promise you I will be doing some summer cleaning to help me with my ADD; to give me more breathing room and add a little more quality time in my day.

Here are some ways you too can let ADD help you add time to your schedule.

Automate:

What are some simple tasks that you are spending time on that can be done for you on a reoccurring basis? I’m a big fan of auto-pay. Like you, I have bills due every month. Rather than write out the check every month, go to the bank, or call in my payment, I set up an auto payment plan that comes out of my bank account, rain or shine; whether I’m in or out of town, my bills are paid on time every time. It’s not just bills, what about setting up direct deposit for your paycheck? How about a voicemail tree that offers options to your customers before you answer every call, every time.

The key is to let modern technology help you free up your time.

Delegate:

This can be the hardest task to let go of your white knuckle grip on EVERYTHING. It is essential to your business and your ability to make money. Give others tasks that can free up time for you to concentrate on more important things. If you are a business owner; doing administrative work will never get you to where you want your business to be. It is worth the money and freed up time to invest in a virtual assistant or assistant to run errands for you so you can continue to concentrate on marketing your business and building up your clientele. Maybe you need to hire a bookkeeper, a marketing assistant or even a business coach to help you streamline your goals, timeline and implementation. Doing everything yourself may seem like you’re saving on costs, but in reality you’re wasting precious time and energy that can be spent on getting new clients and customers.

Delete:

Cleaning out your closets, your computer files, and your inventory can actually boost your sales, invigorate you and lighten your load. If you have inventory that is not moving, offer your clients a blow out sale. Move the inventory off your shelves — physically or virtually. This allows you to know exactly what products your customer base is looking for, giving you the opportunity to re-connect with your clientele, know the market, and deliver a product you know will sell.

Implementing ADD in your daily routine whether in business or in your personal life will actually add hours to your day and energize you to get more done … finally, some good news about ADD.

Alisa Weinstein is a certified coach, business executive, and entrepreneur. As owner of Coaching Element, she supports other entrepreneurs to create businesses starting with focus, vision and action. She serves clients through individual and group coaching, seminars and public speaking. For more information, please visit www.CoachingElement.com.

Business is Personal

As a Business Coach and life strategist, people usually, of course, ask me how they can make more money in their careers. But then they become so focused on their career, they forget to also consider their personal lives. After all, your business life should be separate from your personal life, right? Wrong!

Everything you do effects how you make decisions, treat others, and most importantly, view your outlook. I’ve worked in the entertainment industry for more than twenty years and I’ve had almost every job from the bottom of the barrel to the top of the heap. But it was for one boss for whom I worked, when I was first starting out, who taught me about business and how who you are reflects the business you will create.

This boss (I won’t mention his name) was feared by everyone — he was rumored to have once thrown a typewriter at his assistant for misspelling a name on his call-in sheet. One day I misplaced a file that he needed. I didn’t want to bother trying to cover up my mistake so I walked over to him and told him that I made a mistake and apologized saying it would not happen again. He immediately ordered me into his office and slammed the door shut … I was sure he would fire me, or yell or what, but I was numb because I was tired of anticipating someone else’s bad mood.

He did neither — in fact, once the door shut, he turned around and yelled “Congratulations!” I was bewildered. I had never seen him like this … He told me that if only all his employees would just admit what they did and move on, he would never be so angry all the time. Apparently I was one of the rare assistants who did so. And for this, he sat with me for more than two hours teaching me about the principles of business. I will share the first six with you today.

Rule #1 — Always tell the truth: This is always important: You’ll never have to remember the little white lie you told anyone and people appreciate someone who tells it like it is. It saves a lot of time and hassle in the long run.

Rule #2 — Create a clear vision of the business you want to build: Map out what it is you want to do, who you want to serve, what benefits your business will bring to consumers, and why they should choose your product. Who is your ideal customer? Where are they from? What is their age range? What is their average income? These are all questions that you need to identify so you can target your ideal clients/customers and target that market.

Rule #3 — Focus on your goal and only your goal: Just as you would get a map for a long cross country trip, do the same for your journey towards your goal. What are the things that you have to do every day that will help you reach your goal? Don’t get sidetracked with other people’s agendas. This is something that you must put time into, thought into and most of all you must take action. Every little step will become leaps in the weeks and months to come.

Rule #4 — Always do your best: Strive to do your best whether it’s answering a telephone or leading a presentation. You only get one bite out of the apple and sometimes your actions are judged when you think no one is watching.

Rule #5 — Business is always personal: What is happening in your life is always going to spill over to your business, profession, and how you communicate with people. Take care of yourself, leave enough time in your day for you, eat well, exercise your body as well as your brain (read a book, newspaper, or play the crossword puzzles), get enough sleep and don’t get caught up in drowning your emotions in food, alcohol, or drugs (everyone will know what you’re doing and rehab is not fun).

Rule #6 — Believe in your own success: Don’t wait for someone to give you the compliment or tell you they believe in you. Know that you have the power to have the business of your dreams. If you believe in yourself it becomes contagious … people will in turn believe in you.

My time with this boss was invaluable in so many ways — he empowered me and took me under his wing and coached me on the basics of business in the corporate world but most of all he believed enough in a young impressionable woman and paid it forward, something I appreciate and have made sure I have done the same.

P.S. He also gave me the critical steps to creating success in the boardroom as well as the living room … I’ll tell you all about that next time!

Alisa Weinstein is a certified coach, business executive, and entrepreneur. As owner of Coaching Element, she supports other entrepreneurs to create businesses starting with focus, vision and action. She serves clients through individual and group coaching, seminars, and public speaking. For more information, please visit www.CoachingElement.com.