Episode Details

Bonni is the host of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast, Dean of Teaching and Learning and Professor of Business and Management at Vanguard University, and my life partner. Prior to her academic career, she was a human resources consultant and executive officer for a publicly traded company. Bonni is the author of The Productive Online and Offline Professor: A Practical Guide*.

Question from Willian

I have been working at the same area (Customer Service) for 2 years and 9 months. I really like my job and I have a better performance comparing with my coworkers who are older than me. How do you see the integration between people from different generations at work? How can I improve my influence with people more experienced than I? Is there any tip for people like me who need to contact professionals from different cultures at work?

“The counts of the indictment are luxury, bad manners, contempt for authority, disrespect to elders, and a love for chatter in place of exercise. Children began to be the tyrants, not the slaves, of their households. They no longer rose from their seats when an elder entered the room; they contradicted their parents, chattered before company, gobbled up the dainties at table, and committed various offenses against Hellenic tastes.” -Kenneth John Freeman

• Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini*
• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie*
• Episode 59: Seven Principles for Leading People Older Than You
• Episode 158: How to Lead the Millennials
• Jack Welch on reverse mentoring
• Millennials Who Manage by Chip Espinoza*

Question from Tammy

I can see how alerting the group to bad news before the meeting could be good, but if they have time to stew over it won’t they be even more resistant to the idea when they come to the meeting?

I am in a position where I am having to get a group of people to do something that they do not want to do and do not see value in. How do I get buy in? I am passionate about it but my group is very resistant and will not listen to my ideas without the whole meeting turning in to an argument instead of a productive meeting.

• 5 Ways To Address A Hostile Audience

Question from Andrew

I am a university admissions counsellor, which means I work with students from their initial contact/application all the way through to seeing them registered in their program. It’s essentially a sales job (targets, travel, and lots of phone calls, emails and presentations). It turns out I am very good at my job and I have not yet failed to meet my goals.

It is however a very cyclical job and I’m just starting my third cycle. The problem is, I’m getting pretty bored answering the same questions over and over again. I suspect my introverted and ADD personality are culprits in this. Do you hav