This is a guest post by Career and Executive Coach, Dean Karrel. Dialogue about the importance of soft skills and social skills in business settings is nothing new. There have been books written on the subject, articles on business websites, and many stories in magazines. You’ve probably received emails about seminars or courses offered at local colleges. If you attend any … [Read more...]
Know What Your Employees Actually Think of You
Are you a great leader? How would your employees answer that question? One of the smartest things you can do for your development as a leader is to gain a real understanding of how your employees view you as a leader. The only way to do that is to ask. Here are several questions to ask them, preferably anonymously so they feel free to be completely honest. Consider using an … [Read more...]
5 Leadership Tips to Improve Your Bottom Line
I recently came across the article "Five Human Resource Tips to Improve Your Bottom Line," by Charlotte Canning, Vice President of Brand and Culture at Hoffer Plastics Corporation and while it absolutely applies to HR professionals, the advice is perfect for leaders, too. Here is Charlotte's best advice, as it relates to your leadership role. Protect employees' quality of … [Read more...]
Showing Appreciation Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated
Employee recognition is an essential element in the effort to reduce employee turnover in any organization. It is pretty obvious that everyone enjoys being thanked for the hard work and contributions they provide to their organization. So why is it that employee recognition seems so scarce in today's workplace? Don't get me wrong … I'm not trying to say that all managers and … [Read more...]
Ensure Vacation Success With Candid Conversations
Summer is slipping by, so if you or your employees are part of the more than 50 percent of U.S. employees who leave vacation days on the table at the end of the year, it's time to encourage everyone (including yourself) to plan a vacation before the days of summer are long gone. But, first. Let's talk about why so many people don't use their earned vacation time. In a study … [Read more...]
Employees are Staying Silent and That’s Hurting Business
Employees don't feel empowered to speak up, even when they really should, says a new book Speak Up – Say what needs to be said and hear what needs to be heard, written by Professor Megan Reitz, of the Ashridge Hult Business School, and John Higgins, Research Director at The Right Conversation. The research covers more than 4000 employees at every level of a business. The goal: … [Read more...]
Learning to Say “Yes” and “No”
This is an excerpt from Bring Your Brain to Work: Using Cognitive Science to Get a Job, Do it Well, and Advance Your Career, a brand-new leadership book by Art Markman. Think about the requests people make of you. How do you generally respond? If you’re like most of us, you have a dominant response. Some people are prone to assent to requests. For example, Greg told me … [Read more...]
Prevent Communication Problems With Your New Team
When you take over a team, outline expectations for how you want to communicate with your new employees. Doing so helps to ensure that they meet those expectations, that you reduce misunderstandings and that you prevent productivity-zapping communication breakdowns. As soon as you assume your role as leader, lay out these guidelines: How you prefer to communicate Are you … [Read more...]
What to Do When Employees Mess Up
No doubt it's frustrating when an employee does a lousy job on work you assigned him or her. As the manager, you often have to spend time revising the work, cleaning up your employee's mistakes and taking blame for the unsatisfactory work from your own boss. That is why so many first time managers refuse to delegate. After all, it's easier to just do the work yourself … [Read more...]
When You Catch an Employee in a Lie
Uh-oh. You caught an employee in a bold-faced lie, and now you're not sure what to do next. A single lie has the power to destroy your trust in the employee, but what is more concerning is why the person told the lie in the first place. Is he hiding something? Does she fear your response? And if the person lied so easily this go round, does it mean he or she has lied before? … [Read more...]