The basic difference between being assertive and being aggressive is how our words and behavior affect the rights and well being of others. - Sharon Anthony Bower No matter how great a manager you are, bad things will happen at work. Not every day, but occasionally. It’s how you handle those incidents—the ones that fill you with frustration, anger and dread—that determine what … [Read more...]
Reducing Conflict in the Workplace Starts With Common Courtesy
I was recently reading about strategies for managing high-conflict people in both the workplace and in your personal life, and it got me thinking about conflicts, in general. Conflicts are often not the result of some huge problem. Of course, people can do terrible things to one another, and that creates conflict, but when it comes to our day-to-day activities, our fights … [Read more...]
Should You Be Worried About Time Theft in Your Office?
Would it surprise you to know that nearly 75 percent of US businesses are affected by time theft? Most companies don’t notice it. To be fair, it’s likely because most employees aren’t even conscious of doing it either. Unfortunately, it’s costing workplaces $50 billion annually. Image Source Time theft is defined as the practice of employees charging their … [Read more...]
Thomas Jefferson on Keeping a Cool Head
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...]
25 Strategies for Conflict Resolution
This is a guest post by Dan Rockwell, leadership and management expert and author of the popular Leadership Freak blog. Sometimes it is the simplest actions that can help you resolve a conflict quickly, or avoid one all together. When you sense things are heating up, use one or more of these strategies: 1. Don’t focus on winning or losing; focus on achieving … [Read more...]
Don’t Let Negativity Sink Your Ship
Have you ever looked carefully at a ship afloat? What do you notice about the water? As a submarine officer, I had plenty of opportunities to see ships tied to the dock, ships in transit in the harbor and ships in the open sea. All of them have this in common: They are held afloat by the water that is outside the ship. All ships also share this: They all have water inside … [Read more...]
Your Question of the Week: Could It Be Me?
I have two colleagues. Both of them contribute something valuable to our personal and professional relationships. Both of them are good at what they do. Both of them have strong opinions. Both of them feel free to express their opinions. Both of them have direct and bottom-line communication styles. Both of them are task oriented. Both of them have a sarcastic approach to … [Read more...]
Turn That Frown Upside Down: Tips for Improving Your Bad Attitude
Do you have a bad attitude? I'm not suggesting always, but sometimes? Most people do. It's hard not to when things are going bad. Besides, you're only human, and you deserve the occasional off day. That said, as a leader, when your attitude stinks, it quickly rubs off on your employees. If everybody's in a funk, productivity is going to sink. So, while you may want to sulk, … [Read more...]
That Escalated Fast! 5 Ways to Turn a Disagreement into a Full-On Fight
Just in case you would like to have some fun with another person during your next disagreement, here are some tips for quickly escalating a minor miscommunication into a full-blown argument. Tell people what they should feel When you want to get a strong emotional response from someone, just tell them how to feel. For example, you could say “Don’t be angry" or "You … [Read more...]
It’s Time to Have That Difficult Conversation
You can put off having difficult conversations with employees about negative behavior and poor performance, but you can’t avoid those discussions forever. By delaying the inevitable, you risk the chance of escalating your dread into chronic anxiety. Perhaps you’re concerned about saying the wrong things and hurting someone’s feelings. You may be worrying yourself sick over … [Read more...]