Developing Learning From the Seeds of Frustration - by Lindsay Edmonds Wickman

I'm frustrated, and my frustration ebbs and flows with each article I write. It feels as though my writing has become stagnant and boring, not inventive and thoughtful. I'm pushing myself to overcome my natural inclination to write as I have written in the past and instead try to craft a meaningful piece in which each word contributes to the whole. In an effort to overcome this barrier, I've become more open and receptive to learning and growing, and I feel that it's in the seeds of frustration where learning truly takes root.

I share this personal experience to give you insight. Many employees want to be good at their jobs. When they're not, they first try to learn and grow, but if they are blocked at this critical stage, they slowly begin to lose the passion to change and become apathetic.

To ensure employees remain eager about and receptive to professional development, organizations must create environments in which frustration is accepted and, most importantly, expressed. I know it sounds unrealistic because, in today's business world, we are "go, go, go," and there's no time for feelings, frustrations or mistakes. But if your organization truly is a learning organization, your employees must be able to communicate without fear of reprisal. Open and honest conversations should happen, where one can say, "I'm frustrated, and I want to know how I can get past that."

When this conversation occurs, it's crucial employees voice how they envision change happening. Managers can ask questions such as, "What would help you grow? What sort of activities or training can we develop that will push you further? What do you need from me to facilitate this process?"

One of the learning function's roles is to provide managers with the tools to conduct this conversation, so the development plan that results from an employee's frustration is not solely the dictation of the manager, but rather co-created.

If your employees don't feel comfortable sharing these thoughts, organizations can mine Facebook, MySpace and blogs - which can be known as venting grounds for disgruntled and former employees - for information about how they really feel about their jobs. (For instance, on Facebook, the "I Sold My Soul to Starbucks and All I Got Was This Green Apron" group has 4,103 members.) Then you can start to make concentrated changes. Once employees see the concerted effort to improve, they will see their voices count.

In the end, for me, it is the deep conversations with my editors that give me the tools I need to push through and become better. Now it's my job to carry it through.

[About the Author: Lindsay Edmonds Wickman is an associate editor for Chief Learning Officer magazine.]

Interviewer Types

Have you ever wondered how you come across to the candidates you interview?

Here are the 9 Interviewer Types . . .

1. The Stickler
The Stickler is someone who likes to plan the interview down to the last detail. He or she believes there is a right way to interview. Once they work it out, they’ll stick to that format every time. Interviews with Sticklers tend to be highly structured, formal, polite, and business-like. They’ll rarely run over their allotted time. Sticklers believe this approach will enable them to make accurate selections.

2. The Helper
The Helper is a people-person. The tone of their interviews is invariably friendly, warm and sociable. They will offer coffee and biscuits, hang up people’s coats for them, work out their best route home, and accompany them all the way from the interview room back out of the building. Because of this, interviews feel more like a nice chat than serious business.

3. The Performer
The Performer sees an interview as a major promotional opportunity. They will talk up the job, the organization, and themselves. They come over as attractive, charming, and seductive. They want you to like them. Performers like their candidates to be as attractive as they believe they are. They must look in fashion and be able to quote all the latest ideas and buzz-words about the job.

4. The Prober
The Prober sees the interview as a chance to get to know a person at a deep meaningful level. Because of this, they may ignore a structured approach and take longer than they need to. The have a knack of spotting stars and uncovering the real qualities that a person has. They may get bored with dull candidates and are likely to be attracted to individualists who, like themselves, have a touch of something special.

5. The Observer
The Observer sees the interview as essentially a one-way process in which they can gather information on the candidate while giving little away about themselves. Nothing escapes their attention. They can pick up on a little detail and also see the big picture. To encourage people to talk, the Observer comes over as interested, curious and charming.

6. The Questioner
The Questioner approaches every interview in two minds: will this person be a safe bet or not? The way they find out is with lots of questions, checks, tests, and references. Only when they feel safe with a candidate will they support them. Then they will become the greatest advocate for giving them the job.

7. The Enthusiast
The Enthusiast is someone who likes to get switched on by a candidate, especially if they share their own enthusiasms. They are often impatient people who may be so busy that they they turn up half-way through the interview or leave before the end. Enthusiasts may do more talking than the candidates as they love nothing better than an audience.

8. The Boss
The Boss likes to let candidates know that they’re in charge. They think that the best way to find out about others is to put them on the spot, test them, or confront them. They are the most likely interviewers to use stress tactics. Boss interviewers warm to candidates who are strong and brash like them, or who are willing to be loyal followers in their team.

9. The Avoider
The Avoider likes to melt into the background at interviews. In a panel, they will defer to others. Alone, they will defer to the candidate. Their philosophy is not to control the process but to simply sit back and let things happen. Curiously, this hands-off approach often allows the best candidate to come through naturally.

So there you go. Next time you interview, instead of focusing all your attention on your candidates, have a peek at your own style. You may learn a lot more about you than you do about them.