Why The Masters is actually the most zen sporting event we all need

Why The Masters is actually the most zen sporting event we all needWhy The Masters is actually the most zen sporting event we all needIf theres a golf course in heaven, I hope its like Augusta National. I just dont want an early tee time. Gary PlayerNo phones allowed. Those three words are one of the scariest combinations out there after anything pertaining to forced violence and Tonights feature film stars Carrot Top. But unfortunately, in this verfaulen and way-too-connected world, the thought of bedrngnis being able to use your phone for an extended period of time or even just stare and touch it is a daunting one.When I knew I would be attending The Masters, the most famous golf tournament in the world, I had heard that this relic was true. I wasnt upset, as I knew this was an opportunity to experience one of the greatest sporting events in history, but I was a little scared to be without my phone for the majority of the day.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on F lipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreHowever, when I got to the course and headed towards Amen Corner I noticed something amazing peoples heads were up. They were looking around at this poetically beautiful golf course and not at their phones. No one was concerned about updating their Instagram Stories or Snapchat. They were just living life and it was amazing.Also, no one looked mad or angry or frustrated that they couldnt use their phones (the risk of ejection also probably played into that, especially considering tickets cost about $2,500 for a Thursday or Friday badge) but perhaps, relieved and grateful for this forced disconnect.Americans check their phones more than ever an average of 52 times each day, according to the U.S. edition of the 2018 Global Mobile Consumer Survey fromDeloitte. This is up from 47 times per day in 2017. Study after study points to our phone addictions leading to higher rates of depression and anxiety, es pecially in adults and children. So to have no choice but to leave the blue screen at home and be surrounded by lush greens and nothing but birds chirping is a pretty meditative experiment (even if you are surrounded by thousands of people in khaki shorts and polos).A walk back in timeThe Augusta National Golf Course, founded in the early 1930s by player Bobby Jones, truly lets you walk back in time. In addition to the phone ban, the prices of food are also set like it is 1962. You can have a sandwich for $3. In New York, youd be lucky to get a bite of a bite of a sandwich for $3.You also step back in time because people are actually dressed up for this event. Even though the35,000-40,000 patrons arent actually playing golf, many are dressed like they are and ready to go at any minute. I myself wore a beautiful ensemble by Tory Sport, one of the top designers for womens golf apparel and while surrounded by this cathedral of golf and just magnificent arboretum I did feel like I had b een transported.Of course, not all of the walking back in time is great as they only just allowed their first female members Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore in 2012, but this year they did hold their firstAugusta National Womens Amateur.No phone zoneThe point of the phone ban, however, is to keep the focus on the golf and not on other things, like selfies. It is hard to think of another sporting event where every single second isnt documented on social media (except for, maybe, competitive chess.) The Super Bowl is basically one big Instagram post so this is truly something original.And if you really need to speak with someone, you can use the outdoor phone stations on the course which is almost a fun gimmick at this point.And the players appreciate the zeroed-in focus as well. To hear actual applause for good shots, or when you step up on the tee, you dont hear that at tournaments anymore because everyone has their phones up and theyre filming it,Rickie Fowler said at a pre-tour nament event for Mercedes-Benz, one of the only official sponsors for The Masters.Tiger Woods has also said in multiple interviews how nice it was to not have phones involved Its nice, isnt it? You know, its just player and caddie out there playing. Were prepping together, and theres no other distractions inside the ropes.Now, we cant all go to The Masters but we can all put our phones away for a few hours and pretend that if we are caught using them we will get ejected from a golf course.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Why Executives Need Performance Development Plans

Why Executives Need wertzuwachs Development PlansWhy Executives Need Performance Development PlansWhen an organization adopts a method for accomplishing a particular goal, one common question deals with whether executives need to participate in the process. In the instance of wertmiger zuwachs development planning and the resultant document, the Performance Development Plan (PDP), executive leaders are key participants. Executives model how to create a Performance Development Plan (PDP), for their reporting staff. They create the framework from which the goals and expectations of all department members will flow. Executives demonstrate how a performance development planning meeting can most effectively proceed to engage, empower, and hold participants accountable for their commitments, accomplishments, and contributions. Executives give reporting staff the courtesy of a periodic time period during which their attention is focused exclusively on the staff persons development, goals, d reams, needs, and accomplishments. fruchtwein importantly, performance development planning, documented in an executive PDP, is a method to encourage executives to keep both their accountabilities and their ongoing personal and professional development on the front burner. It is not appropriate for an executive to blame staff members for failure to execute the departmental plan or achieve the team goals. Ultimately, the executive leader is responsible and accountable for all that happens- or not- within their area of responsibility. The PDP documents this process and expectation. So, yes, HR practitioners need to support executive participation in PDPs. Will the PDP of a senior manager look like that of other employees? Not necessarily. But, the fact of its existence and the participation of executives in this critical process is unquestionably significant. After all, why do PDPs exist at all? They exist so employees receive direction in a format that is understandable, measurable, concrete, and that documents accountability,know exactly what is expected of them,are accountable for accomplishing these expectations,continue to grow and develop both their interpersonal and their professional skills,receive periodic focused and personal attention and feedback about their performance from a person who is important to them - their boss, andprovide the company with necessary written documentation about an employees contribution and performance. Keep in mind that, perpetually, the number one reason employees dont do what you want them to do is they dont know for sure what it is that you want them to do. You can see why PDPs might be the answer. Wouldnt you like this concrete framework for your work, too? Story About Executive Participation in Expectations Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, in an executive office of a manufacturing company in Detroit, a CEO asked the proverbial question that executive leaders have been known to ask for all time. He said, Why do I have to do what I ask my people to do? Why dont they just do what I say? It was the first time I encountered the question. And, it was the beginning of my long-term dislike of the expression so often used by managers- my people- think about it for a minute. My people. It came from a man who understood and valued the power of employee engagement and empowerment long before the terms became popular. He hired me to help him figure it out. But, he struggled to run his firm in an empowering, participative manner and sent mixed messages to his employees, because he hoped the rules didnt apply to him. He later traktement his firm for a figure in the hundreds of millions to a conglomerate that called all of its employees, associates. The purchasing firm employed a world renown consultant to help integrate the cultures of the companies it purchased long before the words culture or mergers and acquisitions were popularly in use. Its associates (read VPs) had associate on their busine ss card, but no one forgot for a moment- nor did customers- that they were really the VP of xxx. The conglomerate later went bankrupt, a victim of its overreaching ambition and its failure to execute. My original CEO, the man with the gut understanding of the environment that enabled people to contribute? Hes now retired and spends his time at various lake homes, jetting around the world, and organizing golf tournaments in Florida. I tell you this story, one of many from over thirty years of consulting, to emphasize an age-old predicament. Must a CEO and executive leaders do whats good for their employees or should the employees just do what they say? This question remains uppermost in any changes an organization adopts. Must executive leaders walk the talk or does the fact of their approbation abstain them from participation? Lets continue using Performance Development Planning as an example. Do executive leaders need PDPs. Heres why executive leaders need a Performance Development Plan (PDP). Why Executives Need a Performance Development Plan (PDP) Earlier in this article, reasons for executive participation in any change process, and specifically, the PDP, was addressed. Here are additional thoughts about executives and PDPs. Any process is more powerful, and more powerfully accepted, when executives walk the talk.The PDPs of employees build from and are derived from the goals of the executives PDP. A solid departmental plan, that the executive owns, will serve a similar purpose, but does not accomplish the other goals of the PDP process.The PDPs serve four purposes. They supply written goals and expectations for accomplishment for a quarter to a year time period (department plan).They supply written, developmental goals for participants that cover management development topics that will increase the executives skills in leading and managing people (improve communication transparency, exhibit behaviors that build trust, act as if you have faith that rep orting staff will succeed and remove barriers, provide clear direction with measurable expectations).These management development goals assist the executive to create an environment in which they are able to obtain the best contributions from employees. These skills are developed in management training and development classes and seminars zugnglich education via seminars, webinars, podcasts, and articles reading day-to-day practice 360 degree feedback and through coaching and feedback from involved colleagues and bosses. PDP goals enable an executive to focus on his or her overall continuing development, in general. (What new best practices exist for software development? What marketing tactics help a product go viral in social media? What departmental organization is most effective for communication?) These goals might be filled through attendance at conferences, trade shows, state-of-the business senior executive seminars, executive round-tables, reading, and participation in prof essional organizations.Review of PDP goals enables an executive to spend time with their boss discussing the subject that is near and dear to themthemselves. This guarantees interaction four times a year that is focused exclusively on developing an executives strengths and ability to contribute. Through participating in this discussion, the executive learns from their boss, how to model the process- or not- for their own reporting staff. While executives may be reluctant to participate in the performance development planning process, their participation sets the stage and the tone for the acceptance of the process company-wide. If the executive leader has a PDP and he or she meets with reporting managers to develop their PDPs, you can be darn sure that the rest of the employees in the organization will have PDPs, too. And, keep in mind that employees want PDPs. They want to know your expectations they want clarity on what they are supposed to accomplish. They want your time and rec ognition when they achieve their PDP goals. Seems like an organizations universal adoption of and commitment to PDPs is a win for everyone- including your most important constituents- your customers.

4 career lessons learned from the entertainment industry

4 career lessons learned from the entertainment industry4 career lessons learned from the entertainment industryClimbing your way up the corporate ladder in any industry takes a certain type of grit, but its especially so in the entertainment world. Chalk full of ambitious, smart people who are following their creative dreams, only the strongest survive. But the experience provides good life lessons to take away in any facet of life or job.I moved to Los Angeles with a resume, portfolio and the determination to keep going, and I broke my way through on my own without any previous connections. Its a story that often gets told about aspiring actors (see La La Land), but my goal was to be a Hollywood agent, and nothing was going to stop me.As the driven, professional outsider in the agency world, I stood out and almost got laughed out of the room during my initial interview, with my black resume portfolio and suit. But it was that same drive and professionalism that also helped me rise through the ranks. I was laser focused and became one of the youngest female agents in a mostly male agency, representing TV writers, directors, and producers.Along the way, I learned a hr about leadership - how to become a leader, how to be effective as one - that extend beyond the entertainment industry.Here are the top four takeaways that were critical to my success1. Work your way up from the bottomEveryone starts in the proverbial mailroom (or the actual mailroom). The entertainment industry attracts people from all different backgrounds and at different points in their lives. Connections matter, as they do in any industry, but you still have to earn your stripes and understand how the industry works. In any job, its essential to learn every aspect of the business and gain a sense for every role. Deep knowledge about how things work will help you work your way up the ladder and be more effective the higher you get.People above and below you will appreciate your grasp of the n uances. Those details can be as small as how to schedule an appointment correctly and communicate with clients appropriately to the speed at which you should be working or responding to people. Knowing all department functions, from the base of the organization to executive C-suite management and what their strategic goals are for the organization as a whole, will help you perform to the best of your abilities.2. Find a mentorA mentor is someone who can be your champion, which is invaluable. However, a mentor wont just drop in your lap. You need to find a mentor you believe in, who believes in you and will champion you for promotions and leadership in your organization. No matter the generation gap, people in more senior positions are in that position for a reason, and you can learn from them. Soak up their knowledge, and use it to supercharge your current role. I found my mentor in my direct boss.I not only performed my required responsibilities, but went above and beyond working l ong hours, doing extra writing and summarizing of client calls/contact reports, attending networking events with them to meet executives and clients who eventually were passed down as some of my own client base. With direct visibility into the additional work I took on, my boss was able to champion me and help me grow.3. Work harder than everyone elseFew industries are known for being as cutthroat as entertainment. Its full of type-A, hungry professionals that will do anything to make it to the top. Working hard is imperative, but so is working smart. In your job, its not only about the number of hours you put in, but also your ability to find smart solutions that get the job done. If you are hungrier than the person next to you, you will make it up the ladder the fastest (and your boss will notice your smart solutions).4. Enjoy the journeyAnd with all that, enjoy the journey. Thats something I probably didnt do as well over the years because I was so busy looking ahead, but in retr ospect, some of the best times were during that meandering path. So laugh with your colleagues and friends, and enjoy the moments in-between. Work hard but always have fun while youre doing it. As they say, if you enjoy what you do, youll never work a day in your life.Jessica Hawthorne-Castro is the CEO of Hawthorne, an award-winning technology-based advertising agency specializing in analytics and accountable brand campaigns for over 30-years. Hawthorne has a legacy of ad industry leadership by being a visionary in combining the art of right-brain creativity with the science of left-brain data analytics and neuroscience.