Communication

Uh-oh! There goes my mic

September 10, 2020
Pleasing an audience is tough enough, but sometimes it seems that the inanimate world is after you, too—microphones and projectors in particular. When these necessary but irritating items break down, here are some ways to bail yourself out.

What you must know about performance

September 10, 2020
You’re not managing effectively if you’re not tracking each employee’s performance. Every week, spend some one-on-one time discussing these questions.

Promoting an employee? Look for 3 basic qualifications

September 10, 2020
Imagine that you have an opening for a supervisor in your group, and you’d like to promote someone from the ranks of your employees to the position. Several of your employees seem qualified, but none of them has a track record as a manager. What should you look for in a supervisor candidate?

Take staff above the status quo

August 13, 2020
Teach your employees how to excel, not just how to maintain the status quo. Raise their sights by taking these steps:.

How to set up subcommitees

July 9, 2020
Heading a committee or leading a project team is quite a job to begin with. When the group’s work gets heavy or complicated enough that you have to appoint subcommittees to handle specific areas or tasks, your job can become even tougher. These four tactics should help.

Lights … camera … awkwardness

July 9, 2020
Q: Our staff has been given a project to record dozens of short first-person presentations on video. We’ve found that a few folks are depressingly wooden, formal, and uneasy on camera. Is there a simple way to snap them out of their stage awkwardness?

What about those pesky deadlines?

July 9, 2020
Negotiating is tough, and facing a deadline for reaching an agreement just makes it worse. Several strategies can help make it work for you.

Be mindful of your gestures

July 9, 2020
Many speakers are either too stiff or too grandiose in their movements. Use these tips to strike an effective balance.

4 tips to be a better persuader

July 9, 2020
Yes, you can order your employees to do what you want, but you’ll get better results by persuading them that you know what you’re talking about. Persuasion is a skill that can be developed with practice. Here are four tips.

Don’t write until it’s right

July 9, 2020
Normally, getting ideas into writing ASAP is an effective way to catch their essence and keep a “running score” of progress. However, in negotiating there’s often something to be said for holding off on sharing documentation.