If you are a manager, don’t just talk the talk. Walk the walk. A trend in management is to claim to appreciate upward feedback from employees. However, few managers actually reward, or even respond well to, constructive upward feedback. Similarly, having learned from the negative repercussions suffered in previous experiences, most seasoned employees avoid providing it. There are a [...]
Archive for the ‘Manage Successfully’ Category
Successful Teaming Requires Managers That “Walk The Walk”
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Employment, Evaluation, Feedback, Human Resource, Management, Success, Teams, Work on 2012/05/28 | Leave a Comment »
Gentle Ways To Tell Someone It’s For Their Own Good
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, Improving Relationships, tagged Business, Communication, Success, Work, Management, Relationships, Document on 2012/05/20 | Leave a Comment »
In regards to yesterday’s post, Writing Is A Guide To Success, following are methods in which you could document your communication in writing without being offensive. Create an electronic file that is intended as a means to communicate between staff, teams, and departments. Following are three examples. A document in which one Department can record [...]
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Behavior, Employment, Jobs, Management, New Hires, Performance, Psychology, Success, Successful Management on 2012/05/16 | Leave a Comment »
If you want to accelerate a new hire’s development, partner him with a superior whose behaviors and successes you’d like your new employee to emulate.
Dress Code Is An Employee Benefit: Relax [It] Employers
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Benefits, Business, Business Casual, Business Environment, Casual Friday, Compensation, Dress Code, Employee Benefits, Employees, Employers, Employment, HR, Policies, Work, Work Environment on 2012/05/01 | Leave a Comment »
Employers, if you’re work environment is casual enough to have one business casual day (for those employers requiring suits) or one casual day (for those that regularly require business casual) each week, then your business is casual enough to have that standard every day of the week. The more you require an employee to dress up [...]
Constructive Approach To Delivering Negative Feedback That Cultivates Improvement & Loyalty
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Employment, Jobs, Office Politics, Performance, Performance Appraisal, Performance Evaluation, Psychology, Review, Success on 2012/02/22 | Leave a Comment »
A common recommendation for addressing developmental opportunities in an employee’s performance evaluation is to (a) point out areas of weakness, (b) provide one or more concrete example of each weakness, (c) list steps the employee can take to improve her performance, and (d) identify measurements of success. If you have an underperforming employee who clearly [...]
Noteworthy Career Advice Site: Business Fitness
Posted in Getting Ahead, Hiring Decisions, Job Search, Manage Successfully, Noteworthy Sites, Resignation Tips, tagged Big Picture Consulting, Business, Business Fitness, Career, Dawn Lennon, Development, Employment, Leadership, Management, Success on 2012/02/19 | 2 Comments »
It’s been a while since we’ve been to a website that offers career guidance as comprehensively as Business Fitness, a blog by Dawn Lennon, a Career Strategist and founder of Big Picture Consulting. Ms. Lennon’s advice is succinct while addressing matters from all angles: managers, employees, colleagues, and HR. Her blog is honest, without being brutal or offensive. Ms. Lennon does not [...]
How To Make Seemingly Inconsistent Messages Consistent
Posted in Improving Relationships, Manage Successfully, tagged Business, Children & Family, Communication, Employee Relations, Employment, Life, Love, Relationship, Success on 2012/02/15 | Leave a Comment »
With children, partners, and employees, ensure that your message to each is consistent. For example, don’t push your son out the door to get exercise only to chastise him for staying out too long. Don’t castigate your spouse for insufficient communication, and then criticize her for a profuse email. Don’t censure an employee for digging [...]
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Behavior, Communication, Employment, Ethics, Jobs, Office Politics, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2012/01/26 | Leave a Comment »
If you’re taking an action with the hope of getting someone else in trouble, don’t. Your plan might back fire, getting you into trouble.
Complaining About Your Team Undermines Your Interests
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Communication, Employment, Jobs, Management, Office Politics, Success, Successful Management, Team Building, Workplace Conflict on 2012/01/14 | Leave a Comment »
Don’t undermine your own team by complaining about any of its members to anyone not immediately involved in the person’s development process. Ultimately, your team’s lack of success is a reflection of you. Would you advertise your own failures to colleagues and others?
A Person Can Demand Deference, But Not Respect
Posted in Manage Successfully, Politics, tagged Admiration, Deference, Government, Management, Politics, Respect, Royalty on 2011/12/15 | Leave a Comment »
There’s a difference between respect and deference. A position of power might require deference, but does not require respect. Don’t expect people to respect you if your actions do not engender respect.
Add Color To Your Professional Life
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Business, Color, Graphics, Organization, Psychology, Success on 2011/12/12 | Leave a Comment »
Using color can turn a 2D work environment into 3D. For example, adding color to an organizational system, such as to folder tabs or binder covers, can differentiate files by year or category. Color can be used in lieu of line variations to separate or designate data in electronic files. Color can add depth to presentations or [...]
Greater Flexibility Leads To Greater Productivity
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Business, Employment, Flextime, Home Office, Productivity, Success, Successful Management, Telecommuting, Work at Home Parents on 2011/11/26 | Leave a Comment »
Granting your employees greater flexibility may lead to greater productivity. For example, letting employees occasionally work from home enables them to work in excess of normal business hours conveniently. Providing more autonomy over work product and style enables employees to optimize their time and employ production methods under which they work most efficiently.
Negotiate From The Mountain Top, Not The Base
Posted in Business, Finances, Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Law, Negotiation, Parties, Politics on 2011/11/15 | Leave a Comment »
If you are going to negotiate over something, the best approach is to be fully informed. Prior to going in, contemplate what actions might be required by the other party in response to any proposals or ultimatums you might make. Legal or practical obligations can affect the other party’s response.
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Behavior, Employment, Jobs, Networking, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Perspective, Success on 2011/11/01 | Leave a Comment »
Good managers strive to retain employees that make their managers look good.
Only Losers Play Politics With Underlings
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Bullies, Employment, Ethics, Getting Ahead, Jobs, Office Politics, Successful Management, Teams, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/10/25 | Leave a Comment »
Some supervisors think they get a better team by pitting team members against each other, misleading team members on mundane items, not fully informing team members or withholding pertinent facts, or providing different pieces of a puzzle to each member. By their nature, these and similar acts make a team weaker. Further, the actions can result in [...]
Hello: Intro To Games In The Workplace
Posted in Manage Successfully, Psychology, tagged Employment, Environment, Games, HR, Human Resources, Jobs, New Hires, Work on 2011/10/22 | Leave a Comment »
Playing games to introduce people in the workplace is a juvenile approach. If you wouldn’t do it when introducing friends or neighbors, you certainly shouldn’t be doing it in the workplace.
Do Not Project Onto Others The Success Or Failures Of Another
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Bigotry, EEOC, Hiring, Job Search, Racism, Successful Management on 2011/10/18 | Leave a Comment »
Just because one group of people perform a certain way in your office does not mean that all members of the group will perform the same way. For example, even though all of the top performers in your office might be from Mexico, this does not mean that all other job candidates from Mexico will be top [...]
Ensure You Understand The Message
Posted in Business, Getting Ahead, Improving Relationships, Interview, Manage Successfully, tagged Behavior, Communication, Employment, Etiquette, Getting Ahead, Interview, Jobs, Office Politics, Successful Management, Workplace Conflict on 2011/10/02 | Leave a Comment »
In business, it’s important to effectively read between the lines. If you’re unsure what a person is trying to communicate, tell them you don’t understand or are confused by their message.
Don’t Let Generosity Undermine Your Leadership
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Employment, Jobs, Office Politics, Psychology, Successful Management, Workplace Conflict on 2011/09/19 | Leave a Comment »
If you lead a department or large group, it’s generous to consider meeting and greeting every new employee. However, it might be best not to go to extraordinary lengths, such as taking the new hire to lunch or on a tour of the business campus, when extending this courtesy to subordinates two tiers or more lower [...]
Recognize The Difference Between A Teachable Moment & You Being A Menace
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Employment, Ethics, Etiquette, Jobs, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Successful Management, Teachable Moment, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/08/19 | Leave a Comment »
Don’t speak for someone to that person’s employees unless (a) that person asked you to, or (b) you’ve inquired into and collected all the facts from everyone involved. Otherwise, you’re just causing trouble. Not every moment is – nor should be – a teachable moment.
The Making Of A Situation – Needlessly
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Communication, Correspondence, Employment, Etiquette, Jobs, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Successful Management, Teachable Moment, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/08/18 | Leave a Comment »
Don’t assume that not copying a person on an email is a snub to that person. There might be other reasons why that person was not included in the correspondence. Inquire if it’s that important.
Noteworthy Site For Employment Guidance: Ask A Manager
Posted in Getting Ahead, Hiring Decisions, Interview, Manage Successfully, Noteworthy Sites, tagged Ask A Manager, Direct Report, Employment, Employment Advice, Getting Ahead, Happiness, Hiring Decisions, Interview, Job Satisfaction, Job Search, Jobs, Manager, Office Politics, Site of the Week, Successful Management, Tips, Unemployment, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/08/15 | Leave a Comment »
The site Ask A Manager is a great, interactive resource for credible and thoughtful employment guidance. In addition to authoring the site since 2007, Alison Green has written and co-authored books and articles dispensing management and work advice. An attribute of Ms. Green’s publications is that they aim to construct a collaborative and mutually rewarding relationship between managers and direct reports, which [...]
Interviewing Considerations (For The Interviewer)
Posted in Hiring Decisions, Manage Successfully, tagged Hiring Decisions, Interview, Interview Questions, Interview Technique, Interviewer, Job Search, Successful Management on 2011/08/08 | Leave a Comment »
If you’re interviewing someone for a role, it’s always best to identify what are the role’s objectives, what attributes would be most compatible with the role, and then what questions could help you ascertain whether a candidate has those attributes. Also, it’s important to seek concrete responses to interview questions rather than generalizations. Generalizations can [...]
Don’t Profer The Ammunition
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Behavior, Bullies, Communication, Employment, Ethics, Getting Ahead, Incompetency, Jobs, Office Politics, Successful Management, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/08/04 | 1 Comment »
Volunteering information to help a peer or company can haunt you. Even if volunteering the information seems to be in the company’s best interest, in the hands of a bad actor, the information can harm you. Likewise, benign information can have negative consequences. For example, a peer can use gaps in meeting notes you shared to suggest [...]
Don’t Be A Vehicle To Abuse Your Employees
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Actionable, Advice, Criticism, Employment, Feedback, Jobs, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Successful Management, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/07/20 | Leave a Comment »
You don’t have to respond to or act upon every criticism relayed to you about one of your team members. You should act upon those complaints that are actionable, only. Actionable complaints are those that offer opportunities for improvement. It’s not necessary to pass along every complaint that is unfounded to your direct reports. If [...]
What Are The Consequences Of Ignorance?
Posted in Business, Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Business, Communication, Education, Employment, Getting Ahead, Inform, Information, Jobs, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Perspective, Problem Solving, Results, Success, Successful Management on 2011/07/19 | Leave a Comment »
It’s common sense that information is necessary to make informed decisions. Information is gained as a result of questions. Yet, few managers actually seek to fully inform themselves before making consequential decisions, especially those regarding internal processes and procedures. Instead, many managers make assumptions based on what they witness or the input of a small [...]
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, Politics, Psychology, tagged Ethics, Getting Ahead, History, Lie, Manipulate, Manipulation, Perspective, Reality, Spin, Successful Management, Truth on 2011/07/17 | Leave a Comment »
Spinning or manipulating facts is a form of lying.
Push Back On Unreasonable Deadlines
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Business, Communication, Employment, Expectations, Getting Ahead, Jobs, Office Politics, Successful Management on 2011/07/10 | Leave a Comment »
If you’re facing unreasonable deadlines, push back. Often, it’s better to manage expectations over unreasonable deadlines – or even fail to meet unreasonable deadlines – than to make dramatic mistakes.
Echo Echo
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Communication, Employment, Jobs, Successful Management on 2011/07/09 | Leave a Comment »
Want to ensure a person understands what you’ve said? Ask them to repeat it.
To Be A Successful Manager, Manage Your Manager
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Direct Reports, Employment, Etiquette, Feedback, Getting Ahead, Jobs, Leadership, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Success, Successful Management, Training on 2011/07/04 | Leave a Comment »
If you’re a manager, you must train your manager on matters regarding your employees, such as the following, for the sake of your employees. Communication Expectations (your employees, and your manager’s of your employees) Feedback Opportunities Assignments For many reasons, such as creating a consistent and stable environment, it’s important that you communicate to your [...]
Feigning Ignorance To Acheive Results
Posted in Getting Ahead, Improving Relationships, Manage Successfully, Psychology, tagged Behavior, Communication, Conflict, Conflict Resolution, Getting Ahead, Ignorance, Office Politics, Perspective, Problem Solving, Psychology, Relationship, Results, Success, Successful Management on 2011/07/03 | Leave a Comment »
A way to gain additional background into a sensitive matter is to pretend to know nothing or very little about that matter. Generally, if one person believes a second person is unaware of a matter, he’ll provide details necessary for the second person to agree with the first person’s opinion. Further, the first person will [...]
Project Wisdom: Step 2
Posted in Getting Ahead, Improving Relationships, Manage Successfully, Psychology, tagged Business, Communication, Continuing Education, CPE, Education, Effective Communication, Efficiency, Employment, Executive, Getting Ahead, Intelligent, Jobs, Leadership, Psychology, Public Speaking, Relationships, Seminars, Smart, Speaking, Speech, Success, Successful Management, Toastmasters, Training, Wisdom on 2011/06/25 | Leave a Comment »
Another way to project wisdom is through efficient, effective, and eloquent communication. Being able to successfully communicate a thought with the fewest amount of words and simplest language leaves more time to focus on other things and circumvents confusion and frustration. Equally important is successfully determining the best format under which to communicate your message and understanding [...]
Constructive Evaluations Require Fully Informed Participants
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Employment, Feedback, Jobs, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Performance Review, Perspective, Successful Management, Workplace Conflict on 2011/06/23 | Leave a Comment »
If you’re going to make a negative comment about an employee in an evaluation, make sure you are fully informed about the matter. Have a conversation with the employee before completing the evaluation. Ask what was done and why. You might find that your assumptions or perceptions are incorrect. Employees are investments. Like other investments, [...]
Tiny Investment, Huge Return!
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Communication, CPE, Development, Education, Employment, Enrichment, Feedback, Getting Ahead, Jobs, Knowledge, Performance Evaluation, Results, Skill Development, Success, Successful Management on 2011/06/22 | Leave a Comment »
To help employees with their development and efficiency, when assigning tasks or responding to questions, explain (a) the purpose of the task and (b) the impact of the task on the overall picture of department or business goals or responsibilities. For example, when assigning the task of comparing forecasted results to actual, explain that (a) [...]
Read Your Employees
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Education, Employee, Employee Development, Employment, Getting Ahead, Jobs, Knowledge, Meetings, Performance Evaluation, Skill Development, Success, Successful Management on 2011/06/21 | Leave a Comment »
The perceptive manager can use oblique tools, such as note taking, to measure an employee’s strengths and weaknesses, using the information to develop employee skills. For example, if an employee generally takes notes during meetings but doesn’t during a discussion of an esoteric subject matter, there’s a good chance the employee is unfamiliar or uncomfortable with the subject [...]
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Bullies, Bully, Composed, Composure, Cool, Crazy, Employees, Employers, Insane, Insults, Lazy, Unflappable, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/06/15 | Leave a Comment »
Employees and employers will say crazy things at times; maintain your cool.
Slingshot Your Career
Posted in Business, Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Business, Communication, Employment, Feedback, Getting Ahead, Jobs, Leaders, Leadership, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Perspective, Success, Successful Management on 2011/06/09 | 1 Comment »
Want to get ahead, impress the leaders within your department, and improve your work performance? When in meetings with department or company leaders, record all questions asked by attending top leaders, regardless of the perceived importance. Then, ensure these questions are answered in advance on future projects.
Don’t Sacrifice Yourself
Posted in Getting Ahead, Hiring Decisions, Manage Successfully, tagged Communication, Employment, Err, Errors, Ethics, Getting Ahead, Jobs, Mistakes, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Perspective, Politics, Psychology, Successful Management on 2011/06/02 | Leave a Comment »
Movies, books, and even society at times make it seem noble to sacrifice yourself at work. It isn’t. There is no reward for accepting a failure, especially someone else’s. It’s seldom appreciated and rarely recognized, but, can be very damaging to your career and reputation. We all make mistakes. There’s no reason to publicly acknowledge the [...]
Don’t Retaliate
Posted in Getting Ahead, Improving Relationships, Manage Successfully, tagged Communication, Employment, Feedback, Getting Ahead, Jobs, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Successful Management, Workplace Conflict on 2011/05/29 | Leave a Comment »
Don’t get worked up if one of your employees goes to someone else about problems they are experiencing or concerns they have. If your employee seeks the counsel of another person, there’s a reason why. Do not reinforce the employee’s reason(s) by responding poorly to her actions. Instead, try to encourage upward communication from your employee by identifying the reason [...]
Finding Answers By Leaping
Posted in Business, Education, Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, Personal Enrichment, tagged Business, Getting Ahead, Invention, Outside The Box, Problem Solving, Solution, Spinning Wheels, Take A Leap on 2011/05/09 | Leave a Comment »
Stuck in a rut while trying to find a solution? Break yourself from it by leaping well outside the box. Think of the unimaginable and unrealistic, then work your way backwards. If you’ve been spinning your wheels, you have nothing to lose by spending time outside the box, and lots to gain.
Wicked Games To Get Your Way
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, Politics, tagged Chaos, Confusion, Control, Duplicity, Employment, Games, Getting Ahead, Getting Your Way, Intrigue, Leadership, Management, Manipulation, Politics, Success, Wicked, Work on 2011/05/07 | Leave a Comment »
We don’t advise the following but have seen it done successfully. If you want to convince someone to agree to something that you doubt to which they’ll agree, change the situation so that the person or party is compelled to agree. For example, if your Department or company wants to perform a task under Method 1 [...]
Secret To Transforming An Underperformer Into An Overachiever
Posted in Getting Ahead, Improving Relationships, Manage Successfully, tagged Communication, Constructive Feedback, Criticism, Direct Report, Employee, Employment, Evaluation, Feedback, Getting Ahead, Jobs, Management, Manager, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Performance Review, Problem Solving, Subordinate, Success, Successful Management on 2011/05/05 | Leave a Comment »
If you need to deliver constructive feedback to an employee, try to find a positive way to convey the message. For the greatest success, the employee should leave the meeting feeling valued, respected, and excited to help. The more you can increase the employee’s enthusiasm while delivering criticism, the more committed the employee will be [...]
Challenge Your Students To Learn
Posted in Education, Manage Successfully, Politics, tagged Analytical Skills, Challenge, College, Converse, Education, Einstein, Flambaum, Grade School, High School, Kurzweil, Learn, Lessons, Maynard Smith, Mead, Myerson, Nash, Noelle-Neumann, Physics, Political Arguments, Political Debate, Political Science, Politics, Professor, Putnam, Relativity, Riker, Students, Teaching, Tenure, University, Webb, Youth, Zinn on 2011/04/24 | Leave a Comment »
Accelerate students’ education by challenging them to contend widely accepted concepts. Trying to determine why something is inaccurate, develop alternative explanations, or generate solutions cultivates analytical skills while enhancing the understanding of a subject matter. More than a decade ago, a high school student challenged her teacher on two principles of the physical law regarding [...]
Maximizing Early Returns
Posted in Getting Ahead, Hiring Decisions, Manage Successfully, tagged Business, Employment, Getting Ahead, Hiring Decisions, Investments, Office Politics, Perspective, Problem Solving, Results, Returns, Successful Management on 2011/04/22 | Leave a Comment »
Many businesses and managers ignore that by making an investment upfront, future time and financial expenses may be lessened. For example, with a team, if you take the time to properly train your employees upfront – e.g. immediately upon hire – then they’ll spend less time on future projects and are less likely to make [...]
Overcoming Control Issues To Achieve Success – Part II
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Control, Control Issues, Direct Report, Employment, Feedback, Getting Ahead, Jobs, Leadership, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Success, Successful Management, Supervising, Supervisor, Workplace Conflict on 2011/04/11 | Leave a Comment »
Recently, we addressed the negative effects control issues can have on your team and steps to overcome those issues. These suggestions focused on enabling yourself to delegate responsibilities without rattling the control goblin. Another way in which control issues present themselves is by not accepting the feedback of others, especially feedback of team members. By not assimilating the [...]
Surprise! Your Company Might Have An Ergonomics Team.
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, Natural Remedies, Personal Enrichment, tagged Back Pain, Chair, Chairs, Division of Occupational Health & Safety, DOHS, Ergonomics, Getting Ahead, Happiness, Health, Natural Remedies, Office Chairs, OSHA, Pain, Pain Relief, Posture, Productivity, Solutions, Successful Management, Wellbeing, Work, Work Environment on 2011/04/07 | Leave a Comment »
If you’re having trouble with back pain or other aches after a day in the office or by the end of the week, it could be due to poor ergonomics within your workspace. Many large companies have an ergonomics team on staff or call. As such, if you’re worried about the pain, ask your company [...]
The Person Across From You Might Not Be A Jerry Maguire
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Behavior, Bob Sugar, Cuba Gooding Jr, Dating, Employment, Ethics, Getting Ahead, Jerry Maguire, Jobs, Lay Off, Life, Manager, Movies, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Renee Zellweger, Results, Stalking, Successful Management, Termination, Tom Cruise, Unemployment, Winning, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/04/03 | Leave a Comment »
Many people are inclined to do something because it was done in a movie. The subconscious or conscious belief is that movies reflect how people will respond to certain situations in real life. For example, a young man stalks a girl because that’s how a favorite protagonist in a movie won his girl. The person assumes that [...]
The Perils Of Hiring Someone You Know
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Employment, Friends, Friendship, Getting Ahead, Hiring Decisions, Hiring Managers, Jobs, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Successful Management, Workplace Conflict on 2011/04/02 | Leave a Comment »
Hiring people you’ve worked with in the past might not turn into what you think. People perform differently in different environments and under different expectations. An employee can be a star performer under a certain set of expectations and responsibilities, and an underperformer under others. Further, people who’ve worked with you in the past might [...]
Using Visualization To Achieve Success At Work
Posted in Getting Ahead, Interview, Manage Successfully, Personal Enrichment, tagged Advancement, Aspirations, Basketball, Behavior, Career Advancement, Career Growth, Confidence, Employment, Getting Ahead, Golf, Interview, Job Search, Jobs, Networking, Office Politics, Performance, Promotion, Raise, Results, Study, Success, Successful Management, Visualization, Visualize on 2011/04/01 | Leave a Comment »
If you feel there is something within your control that is preventing you from achieving success, try picturing yourself without the inhibitors. Visualize yourself as you’d like to be. Studies have shown that people can use visualization to achieve certain forms of success, such as improving one’s ability to shoot hoops, play golf, give a speech, or take [...]
Honking Your Horn: Using The Right Tools To Deliver The Right Message
Posted in Driving, Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Behavior, Car Horns, Driving, Employment, Etiquette, Getting Ahead, Honking, Horns, Jobs, Office Politics, Perspective, Successful Management, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/03/30 | Leave a Comment »
For those married to their car horns, consider this: some people like tweaking others. The person you’re honking at might be getting a kick out of disturbing you. Car horns were not created as a means to express one’s self, but to use to avert injury. Likewise, in business, it is important to ensure one uses the correct [...]
Want To Invest In Your Career? Invest In Your Employees.
Posted in Getting Ahead, Hiring Decisions, Manage Successfully, tagged Apple, Career Advancement, Employee Satisfaction, Employees, Employment, Employment Reviews, Getting Ahead, Happiness, Health, Hiring Decisions, Investment, Jobs, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Pleasure, Promotion, Results, Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, Successful Management on 2011/03/28 | 1 Comment »
Investing in your employees is an investment in your career. Happier employees tend to be more loyal, more productive, and more innovative. They tend to put in longer hours and have fewer sick days. Employee satisfaction leads to less turnover, thereby reducing business costs. Some of the most successful companies, industry leaders, or fastest growing companies, [...]
Overcoming Control Issues To Achieve Success – Part I
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Control, Control Issues, Direct Report, Employment, Getting Ahead, Jobs, Leadership, Office Politics, Successful Management, Supervising, Supervisor, Workplace Conflict on 2011/03/27 | 1 Comment »
If you have control issues that have been impeding your success, take steps to overcome those issues by delegating control to others. Hording control causes distrust within your team and reduces efficiency; it can interfere in a manager’s ability to recognize and acknowledge the successes that can be achieved by team members. Such failures discourage [...]
Etiquette When Appropriating Staff
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Communication, Employment, Etiquette, Getting Ahead, Jobs, Office Politics, Staffing, Successful Management, Workplace Conflict on 2011/03/26 | Leave a Comment »
If you’re going to borrow staff, consult with staff’s supervising manager first. She’ll be in the best position to know who is most capable of and able to assume the responsibilities you’d like to assign. Plus, it’s discourteous to appropriate staff without inquiring into, and therefore considering, the impact it will have on the supervising manager’s goals.
Don’t Push Your Stars
Posted in Manage Successfully, tagged Employment, Hiring Decisions, Jobs, Management, Manager, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Promotion, Successful Management on 2011/03/25 | Leave a Comment »
Don’t push to promote employees who don’t want to be promoted. They might resent being compelled to assume responsibilities for which they do not feel prepared or are not interested. There are some people who just don’t want to be promoted – who are satisfied with their position, and some who don’t want to change [...]
Be The Cooling Force
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Anger, Arguments, Behavior, Communication, Employment, Getting Ahead, Jobs, Office Politics, Successful Management, Workplace Conflict on 2011/03/22 | Leave a Comment »
If tempers are flaring at work, calm things down by inserting pauses in the conversation or creating small diversions. It momentarily distracts people from their antagonized feelings, giving them and you time to process and formulate responses constructively (without the heat of emotions). Plus, you might walk away looking like a hero to your supervisor and [...]
Can Raising Taxes Improve The Economy?
Posted in Business, Finances, Getting Ahead, Hiring Decisions, Manage Successfully, Politics, Unemployment, tagged Business, Business Development, Debate, Depression, Economic Development, Economic Growth, Economic Stimulus, Economist, Economy, Ethics, Government Spending, Growth, Income, Investment, Life, Middle Class, Perspective, Political Arguments, Political Debate, Politics, Poor, President Obama, Propaganda, Raise Taxes, Recession, Rich, Spending, Stagflation, Stagnation, Stimulus, Tax Cut, Tax Cuts, Tax Rate Increases, Tax Rates, Taxes, The WSJ, Unemployment, Wages, Wealthy, WWII on 2011/03/20 | Leave a Comment »
In an earlier post, we considered whether tax rate increases can spur economic development from a historical vantage point. From a conceptual vantage point, it is also evident that tax rate increases can spur economic development. Currently, U.S. effective tax rates (the actual tax liability as a percentage of income)* are nearly the lowest since entering WWII and among [...]
You Must Be Able To Be Led To Be A Successful Leader
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Behavior, Bosses, Direct Reports, Feedback, Jobs, Leader, Leadership, Management, Manager, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Perspective, Successful Management, Supervisor, Workplace Conflict on 2011/03/15 | Leave a Comment »
Generally, if you want to be a successful leader, you must be able to follow instruction. Bosses want to be able to trust you to execute the task assigned in the manner assigned; that you’ll be able to direct employees to meet expressed and implied goals and objectives. If you’re habitually fighting with your supervisor, [...]
Lessons From Wisconsin’s Battle Over Public Unions
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, Politics, Psychology, tagged AFL-CIO, Behavior, Civil Liberties, Democratic Party, Democrats, DNC, Election, Ethics, GOP, Indiana, NY Times, Ohio, Politics, President Obama, Private Unions, Problem Solving, Public Unions, Republican Party, Republicans, Scott Walker, Strategic Thinking, Strategy, Successful Management, Unions, Wisconsin on 2011/03/11 | 1 Comment »
Lessons from the Wisconsin public union battle: The sooner you accomplish something, the sooner people forget. By launching the battle immediately following the last big election, Governor Scott Walker and the Republican members of Wisconsin’s congress front load the risk of their controversial actions. (It also creates more time for public union financing to dissipate [...]
Predicting Your Future?
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, Politics, Psychology, tagged Alternatives, Arguments, Consequences, Debate, Fool, Forecasting, Prediction, Prophesy, Prophet, Winning on 2011/02/25 | Leave a Comment »
Long-term predictions are a surefire way to look like a prophet, or a fool. Strengthen an argument by focusing on immediate or short-term consequences and alternatives. (Misspellings and incorrect word usage are also surefire ways to look foolish.)
Throwing A Sub Under The Bus Can Haunt You
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Direct Report, Employee, Employment, Etiquette, Jobs, Manager, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Sabotage, Subordinate, Subterfuge, Subvert, Successful Management, Supervisor, Throw Under Bus, Undermine, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/02/24 | Leave a Comment »
Generally, people do not gain respect from bosses, peers, or subordinates by throwing subordinates under the bus. Instead, throwing subs under the bus causes subs to distrust and fear the supervisor. It also generates conflict as subs will generally avoid working directly with the supervisor or will try to include others in interactions with the [...]
To Lunch Or To Learn?
Posted in Education, Manage Successfully, tagged Education, Employee, Employee Satisfaction, Employment, Enrichment, Jobs, Learn, Lunch, Lunch & Learn, Successful Management, Training on 2011/02/23 | Leave a Comment »
Lunch & Learns are inefficient venues in which to train employees. Usually, employees are distracted by the food, noise, or hunger and unable to fully absorb the information. Instead, try other ways to motivate employees to participate in and attend training sessions, such as through free days, permitting them to leave work early, rewards, or [...]
Successful Managers Are Buffers
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Employment, Employment Reviews, Etiquette, Jobs, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Successful Management, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/02/17 | Leave a Comment »
If you’d like to maintain cohesion and respect between you and your team, and your team and others, do not complain to your subordinates about problems with your boss or other leaders within the company. By acting as a buffer between your team and the frustrations outside your team, you insulate them from job detractors [...]
Hedge Your Bets With Key Employees
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Employment, Hedging, Hiring Decisions, Jobs, Key Employees, Office Politics, Successful Management on 2011/02/16 | Leave a Comment »
If you’re afraid of losing a key employee, hedge your bets by allowing the employee to hire a person as their right hand. Being involved in the process of luring a person to the department and then mentoring the person will inure a sense of obligation and commitment to the company or new employee. Yet, [...]
You Might Not Get It In A “Gotcha”
Posted in Hiring Decisions, Interview, Manage Successfully, tagged Communication, Employment, Ethics, Etiquette, Gotcha Moment, Hiring Decisions, Hiring Managers, Interview, Interview Technique, Jobs, Office Politics, Successful Management, Workplace Bullies on 2011/02/13 | Leave a Comment »
Hiring Managers: Gotcha moments in interviews are counterproductive and give you a reputation. Often, the moments result from an interviewer’s misinterpretation or misunderstanding, and, can get the company in trouble if the interviewer communicates her conclusion as an accusation.
To Succeed As A Manager, Parts VII & VIII
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Employees, Employment, Etiquette, Jobs, Management, Manager, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Perspective, Problem Solving, Results, Successful Management, Tips, Training, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/02/10 | Leave a Comment »
To establish and maintain goodwill, let others win every once in a while. Generally, people are disinclined to help people who insist on being on top 100% of the time. Also, let people know that you are grateful for the contributions they are making towards accomplishing your goals.
To Succeed As A Manager, Part VI
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Employees, Employment, Etiquette, Jobs, Management, Manager, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Perspective, Problem Solving, Results, Successful Management, Tips, Training, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/02/09 | Leave a Comment »
To accelerate skill development and acuity, assign challenging projects and responsibilities that are just above the employee’s experience and understanding. Give them time to work through the project and responsibilities before stepping in. This puts the employee in the position of having to develop a basic understanding of the tasks in order to accomplish the goals.
To Succeed As A Manager, Part V
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Employees, Employment, Etiquette, Jobs, Management, Manager, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Perspective, Problem Solving, Results, Successful Management, Tips, Training, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/02/08 | Leave a Comment »
Set clear and realistic deadlines for employees. Deadlines establish parameters of expectations and goals for the employee.
To Succeed As A Manager, Part IV
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Employees, Employment, Etiquette, Jobs, Management, Manager, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Perspective, Problem Solving, Results, Successful Management, Tips, Training, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/02/07 | Leave a Comment »
Give your employees some space. Try to trust them. Don’t suffocate them!
To Succeed As A Manager, Part III
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Employment, Etiquette, Jobs, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Perspective, Problem Solving, Results, Successful Management, Tips, Training, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/02/05 | Leave a Comment »
Generally, the comfort or discomfort of your employees in the workplace is a reflection of your management. There’s no reason to take your frustration out on your employees. If you have negative news or feedback, strive to deliver it in a friendly, receptive manner that invites employee involvement. If skeptical, just ask yourself, under which [...]
To Succeed As A Manager, Part II
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Employment, Etiquette, Jobs, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Perspective, Problem Solving, Results, Successful Management, Tips, Training, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/02/04 | Leave a Comment »
Gather all the information and identify solutions before approaching your manager with a problem or a question. Think ahead and try to anticipate any and all questions that your manager might ask about the subject. Develop answers to the questions prior to approaching your manager. Train your employees to do the same.
To Succeed As A Manager, Part I
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Employment, Etiquette, Jobs, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Perspective, Problem Solving, Results, Successful Management, Tips, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/02/03 | Leave a Comment »
If you are a manager, your responsibility is to alleviate the burdens of your manager. If you want to be a manager, you’ll strive to alleviate the burdens of your manager. Alleviating burdens requires judicious use of your manager’s time, on subject matters, and on reasons. Many good managers seek effective efficiency within their department. They don’t want to [...]
If An Interviewer, Be Considerate
Posted in Hiring Decisions, Interview, Manage Successfully, tagged Employment, Etiquette, Hiring Decisions, Interview, Job Search, Successful Management on 2011/01/30 | Leave a Comment »
If you’ve scheduled a phone interview with an employment candidate, call him at the time set. Calling at your convenience, either more than five minutes early or late, communicates that you prioritize your schedule over theirs.
Beware Of The CLMs
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Bullies, Business, Communication, Employment, Employment Reviews, Ethics, Etiquette, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Successful Management, Unemployment, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/01/28 | 1 Comment »
Following are no-brainer CLMs (career limiting moves) that seem to be occurring with increasing frequency in a number of workplaces. - Yelling - Screaming at an employee - Threatening an employee - Physically intimidating an employee - Throwing or slamming items - Breaking assets - Deliberately deleting, shredding or tossing important files - Swearing at an [...]
It’s Time For Businesses To Make Long-Term Investments, And Recognize Their Short-Term Benefits
Posted in Getting Ahead, Hiring Decisions, Manage Successfully, tagged Hiring Decisions, Office Politics, Problem Solving, Successful Management on 2011/01/27 | Leave a Comment »
The perspective of many decision makers has become excessively short-sighted. In order to maximize short-term gains, EPS, and management bonuses, these ‘deciders’ are perpetually delaying important investments in staffing and capital resources – investments that would improve efficiencies, boost employee morale and reduce costs in the long run. Oddly, these managers are eschewing inexpensive investments, such as [...]
“Who’s Training Who?” – Management Edition
Posted in Manage Successfully, Tales & Curses, tagged Communication, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Problem Solving, Successful Management on 2011/01/26 | Leave a Comment »
Who’s training who? Questions are a constructive tool for employee and service provider development. It requires an upfront investment that produces long term results. Questions can be used to guide employees through a cognitive process, enabling them to understand how to apply concepts to reach conclusions. For example, if an employee makes an error, rather [...]
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Employees, Expertise, Inspiration, Inspire, Leadership, Management, Manager, Motivation, Motivator, Office Politics, Success, Successful Management on 2011/01/20 | Leave a Comment »
Often, successful management requires greater expertise in managing people than subject matter expertise.
#1 Question To Ask Interviewee
Posted in Getting Ahead, Hiring Decisions, Interview, Manage Successfully, tagged Communication, Employment, Getting Ahead, Hiring Decisions, Interview, Interview Questions, Interviewee, Interviewer, Job Search, Jobs, Questions, Successful Management, Unemployment on 2011/01/19 | 1 Comment »
An important question to ask an interviewee is what he would like to get out of the job. The more broadly the question is asked, the more revealing the answer might be. In responding to this question, an interviewee may convey what are his long term interests, if he is collaborative or competitive, if he’s a socializer or mouse, the team and management style with which he [...]
Sometimes It Takes A Reminder For Your Team To Succeed
Posted in Getting Ahead, Manage Successfully, tagged Communication, Employment, Employment Reviews, Feedback, Jobs, Networking, Office Politics, Performance Evaluation, Professional Development, Professional Networking, Results, Successful Management, Workplace Bullies, Workplace Conflict on 2011/01/16 | Leave a Comment »
If you find key members of your subordinate team competing against you, consider reminding them (tactfully) that your success ensures their success and vice versa.
Unscientific Survey Of Professional Opinions Regarding Excluding Information From Resumes
Posted in Getting Ahead, Interview, Manage Successfully, Recruiters, tagged Employment, Ethics, Hiring Decisions, Hiring Managers, HR, HR Manager, Human Resources, Job Search, Jobs, Opinion, Perspective, Polling, Recommendation, Recruiters, Resume, Resume Writing, Resumes, Seeking Employment, Survey, Unemployment on 2011/01/15 | Leave a Comment »
As mentioned in our 1/14/2011 post, General Professional Opinion On Excluding Job Experience From Resumes, we have performed a very informal, unscientific survey of recruiters, HR managers and hiring managers for their opinion on excluding previous work experience from resumes. Following is a synopsis of what we have learned. Recruiters: The recruiters’ negative responses were based [...]
