Management Practices

Embroiled in a “Knives Out” situation

September 8, 2021
Q. The VP of our company was just let go, opening the door for my colleague to run roughshod over a key division, making sweeping changes and instigating “performance-based” layoffs. I can tell he’s delighting in the chance to turn the tables on people he perceives to be rivals. What can I say to this person to get him to exert some self-control before he crushes employee morale even as profits improve?

The quitting epidemic is real

July 23, 2021
Over 25 percent of the workforce is planning to leave their current employer as the pandemic recedes, a survey says. What’s driving this mass exodus? A lack of gratitude from management, says Michele Bailey, author of The Currency of Gratitude: Turning Small Gestures into Powerful Business Results.

Eliminate waste in every form

May 12, 2021
Pro athletes know that just being good, even excellent, isn’t enough. To stay on top, they have to keep getting better. As a leader, you’ve got to do the same. One approach is to continually eliminate waste of all kinds. Train your employees to watch out for these main sources of waste in any organization.

Keep that startup feeling alive

December 9, 2020
Nothing beats the excitement of a startup, but maintaining the momentum over the long haul can be difficult. Here are some tips for keeping the startup atmosphere alive in your workplace.

Plan for a new manager’s role

November 11, 2020
The creation of a new management post is a positive sign—your organization is growing and hiring more people. So you need to design the position with care in order to sustain your progress.

Has ‘TMZ’ shown us the future of business?

October 7, 2020
Watch for bold companies to offer ever more vivid windows on their day-to-day operations. What began years ago with a CEO surprising everyone by taking the stage in sneakers and a turtleneck may transform into a competition among organizations to see who can show the public the most candid, unvarnished aspects of how they live and breathe.

Make diversity and inclusion permanent

September 10, 2020
A commitment to normalizing and driving equality and racial justice is now a corporate imperative, offering a clear opportunity to be introspective and listen to the challenges of Black employees in the workforce and beyond. It is a positive sign. But will it drive lasting change?

Are your ‘best practices’ just that?

July 9, 2020
Experts may recommend adopting best practices and performance benchmarks to improve your group’s performance. However, as management consultant Michael McLaughlin cautions, don’t import ready-made solutions until you’re sure they’ll work in your situation. Test each practice four ways.

Social justice: yes, get involved

July 9, 2020
Q: At work there’s been a lot of discussion about social justice issues, and several of my employees have said that talking about it is not enough; we should be doing something about them. What actions can and should we take?

Morale is rooted in fun

July 9, 2020
Running a department or business is a serious endeavor. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a sense of humor.