People Management

The language of your door

February 13, 2020
Q. As an executive, I’ve got a lot on my plate that needs my undivided attention. With that said, I also have an open-door policy in which I encourage employees or front-line managers to use. However, not every issue they bring to me rises to the level of urgency. How can I keep an open-door policy and at the same time discourage people barging in with trivial problems that could wait?

Deliver criticism the proper way

February 13, 2020
Whether you call it “negative feedback” or “constructive criticism,” telling employees that they’re doing something wrong is usually tricky. When you need to give a little criticism, follow these steps.

What does it take to end a quarrel?

February 13, 2020
Trust grows and over time becomes something we can count on from someone we can count on. And who wants to quarrel with that kind of person?

Haters gonna hate, askers gonna ask

January 15, 2020
Q. Lately, many of my employees have been asking me what I think are inconvenient questions. This is causing me to fire back with a snide remark, rather than a constructive answer. What can I do?

How to lead older employees

January 9, 2020
While generational tension is certainly not uncommon in the professional world, it’s not an insurmountable issue. In fact, it can be a leverageable asset. Here are some things to keep in mind when leading your elders.

Their last job isn’t the true picture

January 9, 2020
Recruiting and retention expert Mel Kleiman of Humetrics says that we make a mistake conducting job interviews when we immediately fall back on asking about the applicant’s current job or their last one.

Do your employees know how to make your business succeed?

January 9, 2020
Imagine if every employee in your business understood how and why your business works the way it does, could evaluate risk and its mitigation, and knew how to align their personal strategy to your company strategy.

Create a culture of feedback

November 20, 2019
It’s an art, not a science, and it’s learned through repetition. It isn’t just a nice-to-have skill; if you want to be an effective leader, you must learn to do this.

…You need workers to act quickly

November 20, 2019
Important tasks often pop up unexpectedly, and when they do, you rely on other people to deliver work to you quickly. Follow these tips to clue them in on new tasks’ urgency.

Sound smarter in meetings

November 20, 2019
Take advantage of all that time you spend in meetings. Follow this advice to impress your boss, co-workers and even the CEO during his or her occasional drop-in.