Each and every day, we are faced with at least one challenge—and that is probably on what many of us might consider a “light” day. Sometimes you call it challenges, other times problems. Whatever you call them, the idea of facing problems can be scary, but it gets significantly easier when you actually realize that […]
Business Etiquette
Essential Strategies for Managing Up…And Managing Down
Leaders today are often caught in between leading and managing the employees they are responsible for and remaining accountable to their supervisor and higher ups. Holding the capability of both managing up and managing down is a skill. I have found many executives favor one over the other because of their comfort zone, how they […]
Interviewing Do’s and Don’ts: A Hiring Manager’s Guide
Interviewing is a sensitive area of business—and it can be stressful for hiring managers as well as job seekers. As an interviewer, it’s important to keep in mind that you must both provide information to the job seeker about the open position and also gather it. A successful candidate is one who is a MATCH […]
Emails: 10 Essential Do’s and 10 Hazardous Don’ts
Depending on which study you read, U.S. employees spend 25-90% of their workday reading and writing emails. Your ability to do so, in a positive manner, reflects not only your competence, but also your knowledge, effectiveness, personality, assertiveness, writing skills, respect for others, legal documentation, etc. This list goes on and on. Given that its […]
Diversity in the Workplace: Promoting Women’s Equality
Women’s equality has been slowly improving since 1965 when the EEOC was created and it became illegal to treat women differently at work. A diverse workplace has consistently been shown to be more productive and profitable. Steps that can promote equality in the workplace include: Reframe female equality as a business issue and acknowledge it’s […]
The Power of Listening: Developing Skills that Lead to Better Conversations
I want you to think about two words: listening and hearing. What do these two words mean? Are they synonymous with each other? I don’t think so because hearing isn’t listening. While it might be easy to simply sit down and hear another person talk, this doesn’t mean that you are actively listening to their […]
6 Steps to Bring Out the Best in Clients When They’re at Their Worst
We have all heard the old adage, “The customer is always right.” While it’s a concept that is usually tied to customer service mantras and operational handbooks, the reality is often quite different. Even though the customer can be blatantly wrong or completely over the top with their demands, your business requires that you communicate […]
Why Delegate? 4 Tips for Learning to Let Go
As a leader or a manager, learning to delegate can feel like a challenge. Indeed, it can be one of those things that simply becomes an ongoing developmental process—you never stop learning or improving on that skill. While it’s true that delegation is a critical skill, it’s also one that is underutilized in the workplace. […]
Maximizing Current Employee Behaviors by Supporting Their Future
Part of being a leader is helping employees to grow and realize their potential. When you actively communicate with each member of your team about their individual career paths, it increases their commitment to you and the organization. Building relationships with your team also helps you to become a stronger leader and professional. Armed with […]
Understanding Common Causes of Conflict
A business is a melting pot of different personalities and responsibilities. Each person plays a role in the company’s operations. While these differences can lead to more innovative ideas and solutions, they can also clash from time to time causing conflict. Conflict lets us know that there is disconnect in how things are running. Ignoring […]
