People Management

If it works, get rid of it

October 13, 2017
Employers of all sizes have increasingly allowed staffers to work from home on a full- or part-time basis. But now some big corporations are changing their mind.

Dissect errors without finger-pointing

September 26, 2017
For years, Sheryl Sandberg handled employees’ mistakes by following standard procedure: Identify the key participants, meet with them and assess to what extent they take responsibility for their error. While there’s nothing wrong with that strategy, it has its limits.

Shut down the ‘shoulds’

September 25, 2017
Denise Renee Green helps leaders manage their time, boost their efficiency and communicate more forcefully. They often call her the “should police.”

How one company saw the light on stay interviews

September 10, 2017
What will you do today to find out if your best employee is thinking of leaving you?

When you praise, make it count

September 8, 2017
You’ve heard it hundreds of times: Praise employees to reinforce desired action or effort. But there’s a right and wrong way to compliment someone.

Give bad news in a good way

September 8, 2017
If your job involves delivering bad news to employees, the blowback can sting. The simple act of communicating something awful can wreak havoc on your emotions.

Read the obituaries for fun and profit

August 16, 2017
James Galton died at age 92 on June 12, 2017. He ran Marvel Comics Group from 1975 to 1991, earning a reputation as a strategic genius and all-around nice guy.

Give people metrics to focus on

August 14, 2017
Rob Hale, founder and CEO of Quincy, Mass.-based Granite Telecommunications, often insists that his company has the best customer service in the telecommunications industry. He backs it up by setting high standards and educating employees about his favorite measures—and why they matter so much.

When employees ask for too much

July 26, 2017
Q. I’m amazed by the demands my employees make. It never stops. They want to work from home. They want more time off (one guy requested a three-month sabbatical!). I never expected being a supervisor would require fending off constant outlandish requests. What can I do?

A thoughtful response to a failure

July 20, 2017
As a young manager at Johnson & Johnson, Jim Burke developed a therapeutic chest rub for children. The product launched to great fanfare—and failed miserably.