People Management

Does she deserve a raise?

November 11, 2020
Q: I’ve been informed by some insiders that my administrative assistant is not happy with her salary. She has not approached me, but since I know what her tasks are and how she performs them, as well as what the going rate is for an admin in our market, she is compensated fairly. What can I tell her if she hits me up for a raise?

Don’t tolerate sloppy writing

November 11, 2020
Q. My younger employees don’t seem to care about grammar or punctuation in their correspondence. I’ve asked them to proofread their writing before sending it off, but I’m getting the impression that they don’t feel that’s important. What should I do?

Show your leadership with one question

November 11, 2020
A simple question can enhance your credibility as a leader and let employees know that you have confidence in their skills: “How can I help?”

Turn spats into constructive dialogues

November 11, 2020
Office conflicts don’t have to be destructive. For example, imagine that two employees disagree over the best way to complete a task or solve a problem, can’t resolve their quarrel, and dump it in your lap. To help these two get back to work quickly, try this approach.

3 things to share with all

November 11, 2020
Employees don’t want to be kept in the dark about what’s happening in their organization. You’ll get better performance by sharing and emphasizing this important information with them.

Help employees shake off errors

November 11, 2020
After an employee has made an error, co-workers may shy away. As management consultant Margaret Morford suggests, step forward and treat the employee normally.

Confront an eye-roller

October 29, 2020
You’re addressing a group, and someone is rolling his eyes or sighing at what you’re saying. Most of us try to ignore the rudeness, but sometimes you’re better off challenging it.

What employees need to know

October 7, 2020
What should your employees know about your organization, and their jobs and careers within it, in order to contribute to the group and reach their own goals? Start the learning with these seven topics.

Corner that rabble rouser

October 7, 2020
Q: It’s come to my attention that one of my senior VPs has been posting strong political content on social media. Most employees are aware of this and many are resentful of his views. The talk has turned to what might happen if enough people find out where he works and decide to complain to us directly, possibly resulting in upset customers or even the loss of a client. What should I do?

Answer workers’ questions—even the annoying ones

October 7, 2020
Leaders must answer questions well, and the first step is overcoming the annoyance you sometimes feel when an employee drops a question on your plate.