People Management

Politely shut off rambling speakers

February 10, 2021
What if employees go off on tangents when giving a report or making a comment at a meeting? They may be trying to contribute, but they’re wasting the group’s time and energy. Try asking focused questions requiring short, specific answers to politely turn the conversation.

Get the next generation ready before you need new leaders

February 10, 2021
You can’t wait until next year to start training next year’s leaders. Without a good strategy for development, your organization will run into trouble when succession becomes an issue. Ask these questions to build your leadership bench.

Before promoting, ask these questions

February 10, 2021
Not everyone is cut out to be a manager. Before promoting a talented employee to a management role, ask the person these questions and watch his or her responses carefully.

Before rejecting an idea, ask 2 questions

January 13, 2021
Let’s say an employee presents an interesting idea for changing a departmental procedure, but your first impression is that it won’t work. Hold off slamming the door on the idea. Instead, take a few minutes or schedule some time later to investigate the idea with its originator—you may end up with an idea you can use.

Teach new supervisors to navigate these tricky danger zones

January 13, 2021
When you have new supervisors to train, you need to educate them on the possible legal pitfalls to avoid. To help them—and your organization—avoid a legal quagmire, guide them through these eight common danger zones.

Make sure messages are understood

January 13, 2021
Communication in the workplace is a two-way street. Both you and your employees have important responsibilities when communicating with each other, whether you’re talking one on one, exchanging emails, or leaving and responding to voicemail messages. Here’s where your duties lie.

Make people feel important

January 13, 2021
You can’t give every high performer a raise or a promotion, but as a leader you want to help them feel valued in your organization. What to do?

Keep everyone informed: 3 tips

January 13, 2021
Communication can be the key to your organization’s growth, but you have to manage it carefully. Here are three quick suggestions for helping information flow smoothly.

The top traits of budding leaders

January 13, 2021
Finding future leaders for your organization is a crucial task if you want to grow and thrive. Don’t just look for technical skills. Keep your eyes open for these traits of successful leaders.

No bonuses are ruffling feathers

December 9, 2020
Q: In past years we were pretty generous with handing out bonuses to all employees. But this year, we told them our finances couldn’t support it. They are noticeably downtrodden over this. What can I do or say now?