Andrea Speck OBM’s Post

About a decade ago, Pradeepta Dash and I worked with a great team to create LinkedIn Messaging. It’s hard to believe now, but back then, real-time communication was still a novelty at work, and some argued whether it’d ever have a place next to email. In many ways, LinkedIn’s core business was built upon that stuffy, old InMail style of communication. We thought it should be different, and took the risks to completely transform it. Now, it’s arguably one of the biggest drivers for professional engagement and communication. Fast forward from those 0-1 days, and Pradeepta and I are joining forces again, founding Exceeds to challenge conventions and tackle more big problems in the workplace. We’ve witnessed the increased pressure on managers to eke out more impact from their teams. The “year of efficiency” is enduring. AI and margin pressure are increasing expectations to do more with less. Individuals are carrying a larger burden, often with less guidance and support than ever. Navigating your professional journey can be a lonely path without guidance, coaching and advocacy. It’s time to retire the old models of coaching, performance reviews and helicopter management. Capturing extensive 1:1 notes that go unread, writing lengthy reviews to prove your worth, and peanut-buttering your management time across a large team are all symptoms of a broken system. We believe there’s a better way to help managers and individuals have bigger impact without the anxiety and overhead that companies spend today in performance processes and manager check-ins. By analyzing a team’s work and interactions, we can generate powerful insights in a company. Leveraging those insights with AI will transform the way people are coached and managed and give individuals more direct control of their growth. All of this at a fraction of the time and cost that’s typically being wasted today. Thanks to the support of a lot of amazing angel investors and our first customers, we’re hard at work at bringing this vision to life. We’ll have more to share in upcoming posts, and thank you for supporting us on our mission. P.S. "Exceeds" is a hat tip to everyone who navigates their company performance processes, trying to nab that "Exceeds Expectations" rating. Everyone deserves an "Exceeds."

3 out of 10 VAs thrive while others barely survive? The answer surprised me, and it will surprise you too... Today, I want to share some reflections and actionable tips on elevating your VA journey – especially for those dreaming of becoming a Hiring VA. Becoming a Hiring VA is not just about mastering basic tasks; It involves embracing technical skills and profound time/team/task management. Let's dive in: 1️⃣ Master the Basics: Stick to the essentials: Excel, Teams, email management. They're your building blocks. Think of these skills as the ground floor of a tall building. 2️⃣ Tech-Savviness: Familiarize yourself with tools like Slack, Toggl, Calendly, and more. These aren't just tools; they're your armory in the digital battle. 3️⃣ Time/Team/Task Management: Time is currency. Invest it wisely! Manage teams like a conductor leads an orchestra. Break tasks into digestible bits – efficiency is key! 4️⃣ Authority Building: Share your journey, your ups and downs. Be real, be you! Your story isn't just a narrative; It's a bridge connecting you to your audience. 5️⃣ The Art of Storytelling: Every email, every report, every schedule – there's a story there. Find it, tell it. Remember, the best VAs aren't just task managers; They're storytellers, shaping narratives that resonate. Now, let's make it actionable: This Week's Challenge 🏆 Pick a new tool and spend an hour each day mastering it. By the end of the week, share your journey with us – the struggles, the achievements, the story. Because remember, while basic skills might get you in the door, It's your technical prowess, time management, and storytelling that will place you at the head of the table. Who's up for the challenge? Drop a 🙌 below if you're in!

➡️ 5 different companies ➡️ 5 different team sizes But, one thing common ➡️Good communication Good communication at work is so important. It helps teams work together and solve problems. Just look at these 5 real-life examples of good communication at work: 1. Buffer - This company shares everything by email so all team members are on the same page. At this social media company, transparency rules. Employees can access documents like revenues and salaries. There are no private emails either. This keeps everyone looped in so work flows smoothly. 2. Credit Karma - This company has an open-door policy. Their managers keep doors open for anyone to share thoughts. This casual approach brings teams closer together. It also shortens the distance between higher-ups and staff. 3. Bridgewater Associates - This investment company records all meetings for learning. At this investment firm, past discussions help inform future decisions. By documenting everything, they reduce door-to-door knocking and solve problems faster. 4. HubSpot - This company encourages asking questions. The CTO invited people to "Ask Me Anything." More questions mean more learning and collaboration. 5. Jobs in Education - At our company, we document everything with specificity to ensure timely and accurate output. With openness, transparency, and not being vague, work feels less friction-filled and more productive. Smooth-running teams don't happen by accident. It takes deliberate communication strategies like the ones above. I think good communication is very important at work. What do you think? What are other examples of good communication that you have seen? I would love to hear! #communicationatwork #effectivecommunication #teamwork #transparency

Onboarding is broken. But it doesn't have to be. How to transform onboarding in 5 steps using LinkedIn: 1️⃣ Engage early: Connect with new hires pre-start. Send welcome messages and resources via LinkedIn. Example: Share company culture videos or team introductions through LinkedIn InMail. Personalise: Tailor onboarding to individual roles. 2️⃣ Use LinkedIn profiles to customise onboarding plans. Example: Identify skills and experiences to create specific training sessions. Leverage LinkedIn Learning: Offer curated learning paths. 3️⃣ Provide access to relevant LinkedIn training courses. Example: A new sales manager has a 1-2-1 LinkedIn training on LI outreach Mentorship: Pair new hires with experienced employees. 4. Connect new hires with mentors through LinkedIn. Example: Schedule regular LinkedIn video calls for guidance and support. Feedback loops: Regularly ask for and act on feedback. 5. Use LinkedIn polls and surveys to gather feedback. Example: Conduct a 30-day check-in survey on LinkedIn to gather insights on their onboarding experience. These strategies foster better integration, quicker productivity, and long-term satisfaction. Onboarding done right. ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ For further insights into effective LinkedIn marketing & training strategies, please follow my updates by pressing the 🔔 on my profile. Subscribe to @The Link Tank®️ newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dDQdcSQu #businessdevelopment #LinkedInTraining #EmployeeAdvocacy #Trevisan

In the whirlwind of entrepreneurship, there came a point when I realized I couldn’t do it all alone. Emails piling up, deadlines looming, and a never-ending to-do list that seemed to grow by the minute. That’s when I made a decision that changed everything: I hired a virtual assistant. At first, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would they truly understand my business needs? Could they adapt to my workflow seamlessly? Yet, from day one, it became clear that this was a game-changer. Here’s why hiring a virtual assistant was the best business decision I ever made: 🕒 Reclaim Your Time: Suddenly, I had hours back in my day to focus on what truly matters – growing my business and nurturing client relationships. No more drowning in administrative tasks or endless research; my VA handled it all with finesse. 💡 Efficiency Amplified: With their specialized skills and dedication, my virtual assistant brought a level of efficiency I never thought possible. 🌍 Global Talent, Local Impact: What amazed me most was the breadth of talent I had access to. My virtual assistant brought fresh perspectives and expertise from across the globe that enriched our projects and strategies. It truly felt like expanding my team without borders. 🤝 Trusted Partnership: Beyond tasks, what I gained was a trusted partner. Someone who not only understood my vision but actively contributed to its realization. From brainstorming sessions to last-minute adjustments, having a virtual assistant onboard meant having someone who cared about my business as much as I did. 🚀 Scaling New Heights: As my business grew, so did the role of my virtual assistant. They evolved alongside us, adapting to new challenges and opportunities with agility and enthusiasm. Together, we navigated peaks and valleys, always with the shared goal of success. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or wondering how to take your business to the next level, consider the impact a virtual assistant could have. Trust me, the investment in their support will pay dividends in time, productivity, and peace of mind.

My Tricks for Organizing a Team Jack-of-all-trades employees are in vogue. I was even one of them, working as a designer, project manager, and salesperson at one of my previous companies. Speaking frankly, it was a nightmare of inefficiency… 🦇 Since then, I have come to believe: if someone can do everything, they won't do anything well. Multitasking leads to burnout, distraction, and a decrease in one's performance. The time wasted on switching from a task to a task alone consumes 40% of one's work time! 😭 To prevent such side effects, I organize my teamwork with every person having their role and responsibilities. Before hiring, I always discuss preferences with potential talents. People should do what they're good at and enjoy. This is what keeps them motivated. For instance, I found out that one of my current specialists prefers technical work, including finding contacts and setting up tools. 💻 Meanwhile, during the interview with another one, I learned that she excels in communication. Her work directly impacts how many meetings are set up and deals are closed. As for the copywriter, she writes texts and sometimes creates images. ✍🏻 What else should I mention? When our SDR (communications hero) went on vacation, our technical specialist had to do everything, which was exhausting! This case reminded me again that all my team members should make the most of their strong sides instead of facing difficulties. So I don't overload one person with all the tasks and, when scaling, I'm planning to break down processes. I believe it will boost our agency’s growth! 📈 #Team #Motivation #Organizational #StartupLife

Boost your productivity and make managing your to-do lists more enjoyable with this simple tip! Divide your list into two columns: one for tasks and the other for the gain or value from completing them. Not only has this helped me tackle dreaded chores, but it also keeps me in a positive mindset by identifying the emotions associated with completing each task. This tip has also helped me prioritize projects when working with managers and product owners to focus team effort. ✅ Apply to three jobs > keep momentum, feel accomplished and unburdened, and increase my odds of success ✅ Reply to Allie and update profile > increase chances of landing next job through networking and recruiters = passive search ✅ Update images for new Google Ads campaign > likely to be successful based on A/B testing, concentrate limited resources on the highest lead-gen yield initiatives Try this tip out and let me know how it works for you! #projectmanagement #productivity #timemanagement #to-do #prioritization

Onboarding is broken. But it doesn't have to be. How to transform onboarding in 5 steps using LinkedIn: 1️⃣ Engage early: Connect with new hires pre-start. Send welcome messages and resources via LinkedIn. Example: Share company culture videos or team introductions through LinkedIn InMail. Personalize: Tailor onboarding to individual roles. 2️⃣ Use LinkedIn profiles to customize onboarding plans. Example: Identify skills and experiences to create specific training sessions. Leverage LinkedIn Learning: Offer curated learning paths. 3️⃣ Provide access to relevant LinkedIn training courses. Example: A new sales manager has a 1-2-1 LinkedIn training on LI outreach Mentorship: Pair new hires with experienced employees. 4. Connect new hires with mentors through LinkedIn. Example: Schedule regular LinkedIn video calls for guidance and support. Feedback loops: Regularly ask for and act on feedback. 5. Use LinkedIn polls and surveys to gather feedback. Example: Conduct a 30-day check-in survey on LinkedIn to gather insights on their onboarding experience. These strategies foster better integration, quicker productivity, and long-term satisfaction. Onboarding done right. #careers #onboarding #humanresources

Difficult conversations are hard, here’s how to do them right:👇: Sounding professional has never been more important in challenging work culture and practice. Here are my: • 15 ways to reframe work questions • 10 practical examples for how to professionally respond (courtesy of Laura Whaley ) 1️⃣ Can you just get to the point? ↳ What are you suggesting? 2️⃣ How did it take you so long to complete this? ↳ Can you help me understand the cause of the delay so we can address it moving forward? 3️⃣ How do you expect me to know everything about this project when you've explained nothing? ↳ Can we walk though the project in details so I ensure a mutual understanding? 4️⃣ For the amount of money you are paying me, you shouldn't waste so much of my time. ↳ My time is best spent focused on the tasks the company has asked me to do. 5️⃣ I don't need to call you, email is fine. ↳This matter is not urgent, reply to my email when it's convenient. 6️⃣ Did you even read my email? I didn't say that. ↳ It seems you may have misunderstood my previous email. 7️⃣ Use your brain! ↳ Let's think this though before jumping into action. 8️⃣ Leave me alone! ↳ I'm not able to talk at the moment. Please put your thoughts in to a single email and I'll get to it when I have the chance. 9️⃣ I didn't ask for your opinion. ↳ Should I require your feedback moving forward I'll be sure to reach out 🔟 You don't pay me enough to do that. ↳ That falls outside of my responsibility within this role The remote/hybrid era has posed communication challenges that lag behind organisational capability. We need to retool how we work. What question would you reframe? Leave a comment 👇 ---- 👇 Want a PDF of my top infographics? 👇 ▶️ Go Here: https://lnkd.in/ewpgM67u Follow me (Harvey Lee) for daily inspiration on careers, work life, and strategic marketing.

In the busy world of work, managers may not always have time for one-on-one meetings with their team members, but they should prioritize them whenever possible. Today, let’s explore the significance of 1:1 meetings and why they're a game-changer in the professional world. One-on-one meetings go beyond routine check-ins; they provide a dynamic platform for fostering meaningful communication, mentorship, and individual development. 💼 Whether you collaborate in a corporate setting, a startup environment, or even freelance, 1:1s offer a dedicated space for open dialogue, constructive feedback, and goal alignment. Here's why 1:1s matter: 1. Personalized Support: These meetings offer exclusive support beyond tasks, providing an opportunity to discuss challenges, seek guidance, and share victories. 🌈 2. Career Alignment: Align individual career goals with personal aspirations, ensuring contributions make a meaningful impact. 🎯 3. Skill Enhancement: Utilize constructive feedback to fuel growth, discussing strengths, areas of improvement, and setting a roadmap for skill enhancement. 🚀 4. Recognition and Motivation: Celebrate wins and provide recognition, boosting motivation and morale. 🌟 5. Career Development: Treat 1:1s as personal mentorship sessions to discuss career aspirations, seek advice, and navigate professional development. 🚀 In summary, 1:1 meetings act as a guiding light for personal and professional growth in today's dynamic work landscape, enriching both team members and managers alike. Let's embrace the power of meaningful connections and collaborative growth! 🌱👥 #CareerDevelopment #OneOnOneMeetings #ProfessionalGrowth #TeamSuccess 🌟