This is a guest post by Jono Bacon, founder of Jono Bacon Consulting. You can run the most efficient, well-run company in the world, packed with eager team members clad in your branded hoodies, but at some point, conflict is going to rear its ugly head. I have worked with team members who clashed over their contributions to a shared project, with team leads who have battled … [Read more...]
Is Your Culture Strong Enough to Keep People Onboard?
How is your company culture? If you don't know the answer, it may be time to take a look back at 2019 and figure out what you should change for 2020, says Deb Boelkes, author of The WOW Factor Workplace: How to Create a Best Place to Work Culture. "In a strong economy, people have their pick of good jobs. If your culture is one of disengagement and toxicity, your most … [Read more...]
10 Tactics to Manage Workplace Drama
From time to time, most of us have experienced or even contributed to workplace drama. It can take many different forms: People gossip, spread rumors, complain, lash out emotionally, rant about a perceived wrong, purposely exclude others, take sides in conflicts, and so forth. No matter how drama manifests, it can be a highly destructive force inside a company, and leaders must … [Read more...]
5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before a Tough Conversation
For leaders, new and experienced, having difficult conversations with employees is one of the most challenging aspects of the job. It's both hard to control your own emotions and respond appropriately to employees, when they become emotional. The key to keeping the conversation on track and constructive starts with going into it with the right state of mind. To do so, … [Read more...]
6 Critical Practices for Leading a Team
This is a guest post by Scott Miller, EVP of Thought Leadership, FranklinCovey, and author of Everyone Deserves a Great Manager: The 6 Critical Practices for Leading a Team. Have you ever worked for a bad manager? Nearly everyone knows what it’s like to work for a soul-crushing, morale-killing, please-don’t-make-me-go-to-work kind of manager. But if you’re fortunate, … [Read more...]
Tactics to Calm Yourself Down Fast
Last week, we shared a post by Quint Studer, "How to Handle Yourself During Stressful, Busy Times." This week, we're following up on the post by offering more advice from Struder, author of The Busy Leader’s Handbook: How to Lead People and Places That Thrive. You are going to be stressed, but you will only make it worse if you can't calm yourself down in the heat of moment. … [Read more...]
How to Handle Yourself During Stressful, Busy Times
There's no question about it: Today's workplace can be stressful. The long work hours, the endless flow of information, the competing demands on our attention—all these factors can make us feel perpetually overwhelmed and out of control if not managed well. The conditions that lead to stress are not "bad" says Quint Studer. They're just reality. But he says the best … [Read more...]
Turnaround a Toxic Workplace Culture
We spend a good chunk of our lives working. If that workplace is toxic, it affects everything from our happiness to our health. From a bottom line point-of-view, productivity, performance and customer service tanks in a toxic environment. Turnover (and the high cost of it) grows. Given that we (and our employees) spend so much time on the job, fostering a positive … [Read more...]
Don’t Blame the Last Guy
This is a guest post from Pam Fox Rollin. You would never stoop to blame. Or would you? You're going to be tempted Especially if the person who last had the job was let go, demoted, or otherwise removed, you'll be tempted. But even if the last guy was elevated to his/her next walk-on-water job, you're still going to be tempted to blame him for your team's … [Read more...]
5 Steps to Improve Engagement During Meetings
This is a guest post by Elise Keith. The coffee date with your personal hero, and hopefully, future mentor. The make-or-break sales demo with that perfect-fit client. The last-ditch attempt to mend a broken partnership. When everyone in the room understands what’s at stake, engagement is automatic. We don’t worry about engagement in those situations. Instead, we focus … [Read more...]