Why Your Intern Hates You!

Interns can be a great asset to your company. First off, you can find great talent at a decent “break in rate” should they perform well as an intern. Second, the intern and you are involved in a win-win scenario, both gaining something out of the relationship. All this said, there are interns who despise their internships because they are treated more like insignificant help vs. an education person eager to learn.

I have spoken to several students across this country about the value of an internship. Even those new to workforce have shared horror stories about being an intern. All of the common “hate” stories have to do with interns being treated like coffee maids or are gifted jobs outside of their educational experience.

If you want to get the most out of your professional relationship with interns, don’t belittle their ability simply because they are interns. Sending them out for coffee or lunch, worst off – shredding paper, is terrible. These tasks aren’t real world examples of their industry. It is important you utilize their talents and have them shadow on case files or make follow calls, etc.

The worst thing you can do a business professional is waste someone’s internship on non-specific, menial job tasks. Your company doesn’t benefit and neither does the intern. As business owners, it should be our responsibility to promote good ideas, amazing skills, and industry growth. Stunting someone simply because they temporarily hold the “intern” title is selfish and a no-win situation for anyone.

Until next time,

Twyla N. Garrett

5 Ways to Be A Better Business Person

There are a few unsaid rules in business that will help you go far. I wanted to share these rules on today’s blog so those of you left out of the loop stand a chance when it comes to etiquette. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to own a business to be part of the loop, you simply have to want growth as a dedicated professional in any industry.

Here we go:

1. Never over-promise results. Make sure you under promise and over deliver to be a rock star out of the gate each and every day!

2. You want to be professionally mature, not college cool so check your verbiage. Do you use slang? If so, stop. It downgrades you as a professional and people tend not trust you with major projects.

3. Stay away from political or religious conversations. Remember, it isn’t what you say or don’t say – it is how you say it. There is no right way to talk politics or religion with clients or co-workers, so stay away from these topics.

4. Don’t decorate your office or cubical. Why? It opens you up for unfair judgment by colleagues, clients and even the boss. Keep it simple, keep impersonal if you do feel the urge to decorate. Remember, you’re at work, not home. You don’t need photos of family, etc. everywhere!

5. Recognize and reschedule if someone’s day is getting away from them. If a business meeting is delayed until next week, it will be more productive than a rushed and distracted meeting today so it is always best to revisit important items when everyone has the time and focus to dedicate to the matter.

Until next time,

Twyla N. Garrett

Take Your Business Drama to Your Mama...

Oh, the drama of being a business owner. Oh, the drama of being an employee. Conflicts at work are nothing new. So, I've decided to share my top three tips on avoiding drama in the workplace.

#1. Accept that you’re not the smartest person in the room. This is especially true for business owners and managers. Employees can have really great, money-saving suggestions. So, put those egos aside and listen. You might find business gold.

#2. Have a difficult conversation before it causes tension in the office. Don't dance around an issue. Address it and do so professionally. I once heard someone say, "critical feedback deserves your respect. It’s not something to fit in between phone calls ." They were right. Set-aside a time and place to have the difficult conversation and then move on.

#3. Think before you speak. This seems simple enough but we are human. If you just blurt out what a jackass someone is, you can be opening yourself up for a lawsuit- even if you are right! So, think out a response before saying one. If you need time to cool down, then say, "I have to think about this before commenting". There is no law out there stating you have to respond to something or someone immediately. Give yourself some time to cool down and to be diplomatic. It will make you a great leader and free of legal troubles.

Tell me about your prior work-drama experiences on Twitter!

Twyla