We'll just leave this here: Things can—and will—go wrong in every job, but when you’re responsible for the success of others, the opportunity for problems rises significantly. It’s not avoiding problems that makes you an excellent manager, but rather how you respond to the glitches, delays and disasters. Leaders who keep their composure when things go bad, who remain calm … [Read more...]
Before You Send that Email, Read (and Follow) These Rules
It’s best to keep work emails short and to the point. Typically, a couple of brief paragraphs will suffice. At times, of course, you’ll need more space, but it’s still a good idea to limit your word count. Restraining yourself will help ensure that readers don’t misunderstand your message, and it will save you valuable time—both worthwhile goals. Here is a third reason to … [Read more...]
Managing Tricky Conversations in the Workplace
We are living in complicated times, friends. People seem to be up in arms over everything. Take this week's brouhaha over Nike deciding to include Colin Kaepernick in a new campaign. There seem to be two very distinct opinions regarding the company's decision, and neither side is pulling any punches. Once upon a time ago, our opinions were kept to ourselves or shared with a … [Read more...]
Your Role as Mentor is Critically Important
Whether you’re an official mentor or not, the way you treat your employees can play a large part in shaping their careers. Are you building their confidence and helping them learn from their mistakes? Or are you doing the opposite? While this is probably most pertinent to your youngest workers, the way you respond to all employees can affect their future success or lack … [Read more...]
Combatting Back-to-School Stress in the Workplace
Many kids have already started back to school. Others will be heading back in the coming weeks. In the past, this was a time of joy for parents, almost a kind of a liberation that their kids were heading back to school Monday-Friday. That's not the case now. For some, there's still the financial stress of it all, especially for those employees with college and private school … [Read more...]
Are You Spending Too Much Time in the Conference Room?
Meetings can be a complete waste of time (and drain the life from your employees). But even when meetings are useful and necessary, spending hours in the same conference room week after week can make you and your staff a little stir-crazy. Consider these alternatives to shake things up: Chat with employees. You can discover a lot by simply talking with your team members in … [Read more...]
Ensure Cooperation (Even From Your Most Reluctant Employees)
How many times have you heard this before: “But this is the way we have always done it”? Employees often have problems adapting to organizational change and growth. Accustomed to the status quo, they are afraid of how changes will affect their positions. Will I have new duties? Will I need to work longer hours? Is everyone affected equally? Is my job in jeopardy? The fears … [Read more...]
It Can’t All Be About Work
You want to be an all-star manager, so it’s natural that your brainwaves—at least while at work—are concentrated on your team’s goals, progress and accomplishments. While it’s great to be focused on your work, don’t lose sight of this fact: Your employees are people. As a leader, your job isn’t just to motivate your team to meet and exceed expectations; it’s also to build … [Read more...]
To Terminate or Not to Terminate That Employee?
I don’t think firing employees comes naturally to anyone. Many new leaders avoid making this tough call. But keeping a poor performer on staff is detrimental to your bottom line as well as your team’s productivity and morale. Your staff knows when a teammate isn’t pulling his or her own weight, and that can lead to laziness (“If she can get away with that, why am I working … [Read more...]
5 Tips for a Successful New Beginning
Congratulations, you just accepted a new job as supervisor! After celebrating the victory, reality sinks in and you wonder whether you even know what to do. Your primary role is now staff management, so how do you begin? The best way to start a new chapter is to lay a good foundation. Establish important building blocks that will help you manage and communicate more … [Read more...]