-
February 26, 2014
Time for a Tough Talk
Four Steps to Prepare For a Tough Conversation With Your Employee
Many leaders that I work with really want to focus on external activities. Perfect planning. Clear calendars. Great goals. It feels like you are getting a lot more done that way, right?
As a new leader, I would love it if you could avoid this trap. Truly leading your team means that you are not just getting a bunch of work done, but there is harmony in your team. Communication is clear. Conflicts are constructive. Engagement is high.
If you...Continue reading
By Emilie ShoopPosted in Management on February 26, 2014
Add to My Toolkit
-
February 18, 2014
The Difference Between an Individual Contributor & a Leader
Take this self-assessment & push yourself toward leadership.
You may carry the title of a Senior Manager and yet struggle to truly get work done through others in a way that propels the team forward.
You may have the experience and authority to get compliance and yet fail to earn true commitment from the people on your team.
If you haven’t quite reached the rung of leadership in your ascent to your position, it may be because you are clinging to old, familiar behaviors that have served you well in the past. This is a common career...Continue reading
By Deb CalvertPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on February 18, 2014
Add to My Toolkit
-
February 14, 2014
Five Leadership Capabilities of Abraham Lincoln
How do you and your leadership team measure up in these capabilities?
As February annually asks us to reflect on our Presidents, it too allows us to reflect on our own leadership and leaders in our organizations. I cannot help but reflect on the leadership capabilities of our 16th President. As we lament the divisiveness of our current national political dialogue and the uncertainty and ambiguity it creates geopolitically for business, political, military and global leaders, I am reminded that our nation has suffered greater challenges and pulled through them. ...Continue reading
By Karen KuhlaPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on February 14, 2014
Add to My Toolkit
-
February 7, 2014
Employee Conflict & the Manager’s Role: How to Facilitate Resolution
13 questions that get employees to work things out & move forward.
It is easy to learn how to conduct meetings, find your motivational leadership style and seek ways to engage employees. However, learning to resolve conflict takes a bit of know-how and a bit of practice for most people. Even after the know-how, most people do not relish the chance to resolve a conflict within their team.
As a first time manager or supervisor, what do you do when faced with an employee conflict that is now your job to help resolve?
First, take a...Continue reading
By Emilie ShoopPosted in Management on February 7, 2014
Add to My Toolkit
-
February 3, 2014
3 Communication Practices That Will Enrich Your Life
These few skills are the ones that we should practice everyday.
Just as high quality ingredients make every recipe more nutritious and delicious, a specific set of healthy communication practices can make every relationship more nourishing and life affirming. Read on to learn more about foundational communication practices that will enrich your life.
“Assertiveness for Women.” “Powerful Speech.” “Being Charismatic!” The list of self-help communication titles is endless. And it is true that to be a very competent...Continue reading
By Claire LaughlinPosted in Communication Skills on February 3, 2014
Add to My Toolkit
-
January 27, 2014
7 Ways to Engage Your Team
Improve Employee Engagement & Reduce Turnover
According to the 2014 Conference Board CEO Challenge, “Building a culture that supports engagement, employee training, leadership development, and high performance is something companies can control, and can mean the difference between growing market share and simply surviving in 2014.”
But that lofty statement includes more than just the CEO’s effort. That means managers – at every level – have got to build some intention around how to better stimulate and engage...Continue reading
By Lea McLeodPosted in Management on January 27, 2014
Add to My Toolkit
-
January 14, 2014
7 Mini Conversations to Have with Your Team
Important discussion topics for effective managers.
I am rarely shocked anymore when a client tells me they aren’t clear on the key deliverables of his or her job. Or that they don’t have regular conversations with their manager. Or that the relationship is difficult.
As a manager you must be able to deliver results by working with and through other people. So part of becoming a great manager, is developing good relationships with your employees. Relationships are how work gets done in today’s workplace.
One...Continue reading
By Lea McLeodPosted in Management on January 14, 2014
Add to My Toolkit
-
January 9, 2014
Agile Organizations: 4 Communication Tips For Decentralized Teams
Making Agile Teams Work in Different Buildings, Time-Zones & Countries
One on one communication is a cornerstone of agility. The Agile Manifesto devotes one of its four values and two of its twelve principles to this type of communication by stating the following:
Value: “We have come to value individuals and interactions over processes and tools.”
Principles Supporting That Value:
“Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.”
“The most efficient and effective method of...Continue reading
By Ron MontgomeryPosted in Project & Process Management on January 9, 2014
Add to My Toolkit
-
December 17, 2013
Sales Focused Bill Collections Improve Profitability
Resume positive relationships with customers & reduce uncollected receivables.
Barry had been diligently chipping away at his list of suspended customer accounts. Management wanted him to keep his over 60-day numbers below 3% and month after month he hovered right at 2.9%. He was proud of that. He had figured out that if he collected on just 7 accounts a day he would meet his numbers. The last batch of robo calls generated a lot of calls from customers wanting to pay their bills so he was well ahead of his goal already and it was only noon. He decided to let...Continue reading
By Lori MillerPosted in Customer Service on December 17, 2013
Add to My Toolkit
-
December 15, 2013
The Meeting You May Be Missing
5 Reasons To Conduct One-On-One Meetings With Your Employees
A lot has been written about team meetings and the different purposes for off-site retreats, strategic planning meetings, operational meetings, team effectiveness meetings, daily and weekly update meetings, and standup meetings…
But little has been written about the most important meeting of all. It's the one-on-one regular check-in meeting between you and each one of your direct reports.
The one-on-one meeting is not the annual performance review. It's not the drive-by "atta boy" or...Continue reading
By Deb CalvertPosted in Management on December 15, 2013
Add to My Toolkit