"Please." "Thank you." "Excuse me." "I'm sorry." Most of us were taught by our parents or other well-meaning adults to use those phrases liberally. Yet, says Keith Martino, author of Expect Leadership and head of CMI, a global consultancy that customizes leadership and sales development initiatives, “Simple as they sound, those phrases are often difficult for many people in the … [Read more...]
5 Tips to Rein In Workplace Stress
Workplace stress is a productivity killer. When stress is overwhelming, employees miss more days of work (either due to actual sickness or because they need a mental break). Conflict is higher, while collaboration sinks. Overall job satisfaction suffers, and if the stress is consistent, turnover skyrockets. The opinion that "stress comes with the territory" won't serve you … [Read more...]
Checklist: Key Steps and Tips to Effectively Onboard New Hires
If you thought the recruiting and hiring process was overwhelming, take a moment to remember how you felt when you started a new job with a new company. It's rough. From the moment you extend an offer (granted the job candidate accepts), your new hire is likely filled with all sorts of anxiety. Did they make the right decision in choosing your organization? Will they … [Read more...]
5 Steps For Helping Your Team Navigate Rocky Roads
By Barry Kaplan and Jeff Manchester, authors of THE POWER OF VULNERABILITY: How to Create a Team of Leaders by Shifting Inward In our work with hundreds of organizations, it has become clear that in order for teams to unleash their full potential, team members must experience true and authentic connections with one another. Only then will they feel safe to bring their best … [Read more...]
My Biggest Mistake As A New Manager
By Karyn Schoenbart, CEO of The NPD Group and author of MOM.B.A.:Essential Business Advice from One Generation to the Next Early in my career, I discovered I was good at sales. The more companies I saw, the more proposals I wrote, the more contracts I sold. The formula for success was clear and within a few years, I’d been promoted to manager. Within six months of my new … [Read more...]
Break a Stalemate and Start Executing
Gaining team consensus is a huge win. After all, it means everyone is on the same page, and that you can more easily move forward and begin making progress. What happens, however, when you can't reach consensus? In team settings, it's certainly not abnormal (nor it is it a bad thing) for members to disagree. What can often happen, though, is that some members refuse to … [Read more...]
Are You the Reason for Low Employee Engagement?
We talk about motivation and engagement a great deal here on the Bud to Boss blog because it is critically important. Employee disengagement leads to low productivity and poor performance, and can seriously hurt the bottom line. As this Quill infographic shows, disengaged employees cost the U.S. $450-550 billion dollars annually, according to Gallup. Take a look at the data, … [Read more...]
5 Leadership Mistakes That Kill Employee Trust
To move quickly, pivot, overcome challenges and meet your goals, you need your employees to trust you. In fact, Amanda Setili, author of Fearless Growth: The New Rules to Stay Competitive, Foster Innovation, and Dominate Your Markets, says it's more important now than ever before. Why? Because without trust, you will never create the deep engagement and sense of safety … [Read more...]
5 Toxic Words or Phrases You Should Avoid at Work
Using the wrong word or phrase can make you look unprofessional, unintelligent or even incompetent. Make sure that you aren't using words that hurt your career or advancement potential. Crystal Barnett, a senior human resource specialist with Insperity recommends steering clear of these words and phrases if you want to climb the ladder at work. “Honestly." You should share … [Read more...]
4 Must-Have Qualities to Succeed as a Leader Today
Rising to the top and being effective when you get there requires much more than a cutthroat attitude and a controlling, authoritative style, says Katherine Ludwig, coauthor along with Ed Hess of Humility Is the New Smart: Rethinking Human Excellence in the Smart Machine Age." In fact, say the authors, more and more studies are finding that the exact opposite traits and … [Read more...]