From time to time, most of us have experienced or even contributed to workplace drama. It can take many different forms: People gossip, spread rumors, complain, lash out emotionally, rant about a perceived wrong, purposely exclude others, take sides in conflicts, and so forth. No matter how drama manifests, it can be a highly destructive force inside a company, and leaders must … [Read more...]
5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before a Tough Conversation
For leaders, new and experienced, having difficult conversations with employees is one of the most challenging aspects of the job. It's both hard to control your own emotions and respond appropriately to employees, when they become emotional. The key to keeping the conversation on track and constructive starts with going into it with the right state of mind. To do so, … [Read more...]
6 Critical Practices for Leading a Team
This is a guest post by Scott Miller, EVP of Thought Leadership, FranklinCovey, and author of Everyone Deserves a Great Manager: The 6 Critical Practices for Leading a Team. Have you ever worked for a bad manager? Nearly everyone knows what it’s like to work for a soul-crushing, morale-killing, please-don’t-make-me-go-to-work kind of manager. But if you’re fortunate, … [Read more...]
Tactics to Calm Yourself Down Fast
Last week, we shared a post by Quint Studer, "How to Handle Yourself During Stressful, Busy Times." This week, we're following up on the post by offering more advice from Struder, author of The Busy Leader’s Handbook: How to Lead People and Places That Thrive. You are going to be stressed, but you will only make it worse if you can't calm yourself down in the heat of moment. … [Read more...]
How to Handle Yourself During Stressful, Busy Times
There's no question about it: Today's workplace can be stressful. The long work hours, the endless flow of information, the competing demands on our attention—all these factors can make us feel perpetually overwhelmed and out of control if not managed well. The conditions that lead to stress are not "bad" says Quint Studer. They're just reality. But he says the best … [Read more...]
Turnaround a Toxic Workplace Culture
We spend a good chunk of our lives working. If that workplace is toxic, it affects everything from our happiness to our health. From a bottom line point-of-view, productivity, performance and customer service tanks in a toxic environment. Turnover (and the high cost of it) grows. Given that we (and our employees) spend so much time on the job, fostering a positive … [Read more...]
Don’t Blame the Last Guy
This is a guest post from Pam Fox Rollin. You would never stoop to blame. Or would you? You're going to be tempted Especially if the person who last had the job was let go, demoted, or otherwise removed, you'll be tempted. But even if the last guy was elevated to his/her next walk-on-water job, you're still going to be tempted to blame him for your team's … [Read more...]
5 Steps to Improve Engagement During Meetings
This is a guest post by Elise Keith. The coffee date with your personal hero, and hopefully, future mentor. The make-or-break sales demo with that perfect-fit client. The last-ditch attempt to mend a broken partnership. When everyone in the room understands what’s at stake, engagement is automatic. We don’t worry about engagement in those situations. Instead, we focus … [Read more...]
5 Simple Steps to Sell Your Requests More Successfully
This is a guest post by Dr. Cindy McGovern. Every school teaches reading, writing and math as the most basic life skills that will help children grow into successful adults. Selling is also a basic skill, yet only students who choose to study sales or marketing learn how to do it in school. The fact is, we sell as often—or more often—than we use our math skills. We sell … [Read more...]
Want Employees to Love What They Do? Here Are 4 Ways to Get There
Insights from Shawn Burcham, author of Keeping Score with GRITT: Straight Talk Strategies for Success Bosses might want to take notice if employees view their jobs as “the daily grind.” A disgruntled and disengaged workforce can undermine production and harm customer relations, while a happy, engaged workforce does the opposite. “If you take care of your employees, they … [Read more...]