This is a guest post by Caroline Turner, author of Difference Works: Improving Retention, Productivity and Profitability through Inclusion. Most people don’t change, or willingly go along with change, just because the change is “the right thing to do.” They do it if there is an important reason to change. Businesses don’t change their corporate cultures so that they retain … [Read more...]
Don’t Kill Your Career With a Bad Joke
This is a guest post by Catherine Welborn, writer and editor. Here is a bit of advice for those of you supervising younger employees. Throughout college I worked at a popular clothing retailer. The chain catered to the high school/college demographic, and all of us employees were in that same age range. Management had a great deal of turnover, so when I remember this job, I … [Read more...]
Workplace Workouts
This is guest post from Catherine Ahern, writer and editor. If you want to manage stress, sleep. Although I admire the enthusiasm and energy of people who live by the adage “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” I could never join their ranks. On days following restless nights, I struggle to focus, to keep organized and even to hold conversations. All of those things, of course, lead … [Read more...]
End the Holiday Party Blues
This is a guest article by Andrew Sobel. It’s that very special time of the year when many Americans are receiving invitations to their annual office holiday party. If you’re one of them, you’ll probably look forward to the event with great excitement—until you start to recall the blunders of years past. Like the time you ran out of things to say to your CEO and awkwardly … [Read more...]
Preempt Interruptions
This is a guest post by Amy Beth Miller, business writer and editor. One morning when I was still a relatively new manager, Matt came to my desk and told me about a comic routine he had seen the night before. The comedian described how a child will constantly interrupt a parent who is on the phone: “Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom!” Then the comedian asked the audience to imagine if they … [Read more...]
Remember That Grand-Opening Feeling
This is a guest post by business writer and editor Catherine Welborn. My brother recently started working at Trader Joe’s. My whole family has been pleased—albeit surprised—that he loves it. Really loves it. He’s a creative type, and we never pictured him in retail. However, he has become the company’s biggest endorser, raving to anyone who’ll listen about its products and … [Read more...]
How a Teachable Moment Turned into a Brouhaha
This is guest post by Amy Beth Miller, freelance writer and editor. A young salesman hung a movie poster in his work area. It wasn’t obscene or offensive, but it was more appropriate for a college dorm room than an office selling expensive products. The manager could have used the incident to talk with the salesman about the importance of projecting a professional image. … [Read more...]
Walls Don’t Have Ears, but Customers and Employees Do
This is a guest post by business writer and editor Catherine Welborn. The other day I was in a toy store when I heard a manager say something that left me absolutely dumbfounded. She was at the back of the store when one of her employees approached her, complaining about a “problem” customer. In a mocking tone of voice, the employee said “OK, now she’s demanding to talk to a … [Read more...]
The Go-To Danger
This is a guest post by Amy Beth Miller, business writer and editor. As a new manager, knowing there are one or two outstanding team members you can rely on in a pinch is a great comfort. The problem comes when you go to that go-to person too often. I knew I had reached that point one day when I turned to ask Doug to handle another last-minute assignment and could see … [Read more...]
Traps New Managers Should Avoid Falling Into
This is a guest post by Georgina Stamp of Marble Hill Partners. So you’ve just reached that role you’ve been aiming for: You’re a manager, a person of authority with big plans for the company and all those that work in it, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There are a number of traps and problems that you can run into as a new manager. Here are some tips on how to avoid … [Read more...]