The Top 10 Commandments Of Work.

I’ve been making a list over the past six months of commandments about work. I get requests all the time to bundle them up into a post. So here they are:

1. Be the go-to person in your area.

Know your industry inside and out, you won't do well if you just know your job. Learn what's happening, who's up, who's down, any new processes and practices, who are the stars, etc.

2. Cultivate and consistently grow your contacts.

You can never have too many friends, colleagues, or connections.Learn how to communicate, both written and verbal. Most people stop once they start a job — this is death for any career. It's not only what you know — it's who you know too.

3. Ensure your superiors and clients ALWAYS look good.

This is not the same as brown-nosing — do the right thing and take care of the people that sign your check. When they move on to bigger and better things they will call, every time.

4. Know your strengths and weaknesses well.

Strengthen your strengths and keep a tab on your weaknesses so they don’t sabotage you.

5. Be totally honest in everything you do.

Even if it hurts in the short run. Solid ethics always trumps sharky snarkiness.

6. Don't ever get trapped into a dead-end position because you're scared of change.

Move. Change is good and will open new doors. Trust me.

7. Treat everyone from the CEO to the janitor with the utmost respect.

Yes, you do have time for everyone — I start conversations with security guards. When my battery is dead, guess who offers a quick jump?

8. Never stop learning.

Stay hungry for knowledge and experience. Not only does it feed itself, it becomes fun.

9. Listen. Don't talk all the time.

People you meet everyday have the most interesting and powerful things to say that can change your life.

10. Mix with other successful people.

To play better tennis you must play tennis with better tennis players. Seek their advice, listen to what they say, and apply it. Go find where they live.

Can you think of any others? Which ones have rung true for you in your career so far?

How OLD Are You? Generational Strengths & Weaknesses.

There are many positives and negatives with age during your career. Sometimes you have more energy and sometimes you have more experience. Other times, a new perspective or more gravitas. Even when managing your team, you need to take into account what their strengths and weaknesses are — and capitalize or anticipate them. In today's post, I'd like to highly generalize my experience, interpretations, and understanding of each generation. They might not (and probably not) fully compare to you — but they are a broad interpretation of the workforce in general.

In any event, different age groups act differently . . . so where are you?

Your 20's

Just starting out - getting your feet wet - absorbing, learning, winning, losing.

Strengths: Young, lots of energy, new ideas, enthusiasm, fresh perspectives. Technology: You easily adopt any new tool or product and start using it immediately.

Weaknesses: Little or no experience, frustrates easily, limited knowledge, lacking in sophisticated interpersonal skill applications. Doesn't fully understand impacts and implications of behavior or decisions. Personal issues: likes to party, meeting partners, stays out late/comes in late.

Your 30's

Getting better, knowing more, developing relationships, slowing understanding how the game is played.

Strengths: More stable, able to take on more responsibility, better knowledge & experience, lots of energy, ready to move up - starting management positions. This is where they start to define their business personality. Technology: On the burning edge of technology - the ability to adopt it and use it with good business sense.

Weaknesses: Ready to move up - but not there yet, sometimes pushes the wrong way, personal issues: getting married/kids.

Your 40's

On the glide path - the right mix of experience, knowledge and energy.

Strengths: Number of years of critical business experience, deep knowledge of industry, great presenter, building gravitas, understands the complexities of the business and interpersonal relationships, growing manager. Know when to hold their tongue - there's a bit more at stake. Technology: Leveraging many new and old tools - but the newer ones are perplexing you a bit.

Weaknesses: Knows how everything works in business and gets disgruntled. Challenges authority, Personal issues: kids growing/school AND mid-life crises.

Your 50's

At the height of your ability - leadership and management talents abound. You are a linchpin!

Strengths: Gravitas - you can enter almost any room or situation and handle it easily, you've seen it all - so your reaction time is shorter, nothing really fazes you, your contact sphere is phenomenal - you can connect with virtually anyone and get things done.

Weaknesses: Your energy level is starting to wane a bit, you're not as energetic and enthusiastic as you were in your 20's/30's. Highly critical of stupid decisions and can easily see solutions on the horizon. HR & corporate tend to devalue you - watch out for personel cuts. Personal issues: kids in college/possible issues with marriage/death of parents. Technology: Starting to let it go - missing out on new innovations that streamline and integrate work.

Your 60's

Coming down for a smooth landing.

Strengths: Everyone approaches to you for advice - you are THE sensei. Great management, leadership, and direction are like breathing. Companies should show you off to clients and give advice to prospects. Personal: Kids are out of the house and grown - you have the time to work late and travel.

Weaknesses: Your energy level is slowing way down - no more 10-12 hour days. You might miss faster moving objects - people, projects, technology. Especially technology: we tend to become luddites - we disregard new advances and stay with the old (comfort zone issues). Watch out for HR & Corporate - they love to eliminate your position instantly.

Your 70's, 80's, 90's

Enough already - unless you've perfected the perfect platform and formula for continuing work - time to take it easy.

How To Play To Your Team's Strengths.

Take a moment and reflect about the each person on your team and the skills and strengths they exhibit. Where do they excel? What do they like doing?

How can you as their manager, provide additional opportunities to excel and do the things they love to do?

I'd like you to take a piece of paper and draw three equally spaced vertical lines (or you can use the attached template - click HERE).

In the first column, write each person's name with their title.

In the second column, list their strengths — what do they do well?

In the third column, brainstorm opportunities how to leverage their strengths.

That's it. If you do this on a regular basis (every 3-6 months), you'll find your team more approachable about taking on more work, higher visibility projects, and having fun at the same time.

Why? Because you are taking advantage of their strengths and interests.

What is your #1 strength or interest? How do you leverage it every day?