People Management

What exactly is insubordination?

March 9, 2022
When people hear the term “insubordination,” they often envision someone in the military refusing to carry out the orders of a commanding officer. The concept is similar when applied to a work environment

Making the world go around

March 9, 2022
Mike Rose’s book The Mind at Work is an important reminder of the need to value the intellects of all workers in all trades. This excerpt describes how he learned about the world of physical work from the adults in his life, especially his Uncle Frank.

Dealing with a control freak

March 9, 2022
Victims of a control freak’s actions may ponder how to get the person to change. Playing armchair mental health professional, though, does not usually help. Rather, a better strategy for those confronting this issue might be figuring out how to coexist. Here are some suggestions.

8 essential tips for the visual learner

March 2, 2022
If you receive new ideas most effectively with a visual element, here are some methods you may want to incorporate in your working environment.

Is your staff suffering from FORTO?

February 24, 2022
Make them see the office as an inviting place to come back to.

Scaling civility as your business grows

February 9, 2022
One of the most critical steps is to launch a startup with a recognition of the need for a code of conduct specifying how the startup’s members will interact with each other, with customers, with suppliers. Some startups call it their “rules”; others identify it as their value statement. I call it a framework for civility.

Avoid a role in the ‘drama triangle’

January 12, 2022
We’re all players in the drama triangle occasionally. Where the problem lies is when you get stuck in it and can’t move on.

Never say never (really)

December 8, 2021
Lose the terms “always” and “never” when discussing a problem with someone’s job performance or attitude.

The 6 triggers that make people stop listening

December 8, 2021
Workplace culture expert Tracy Butz writes that there are preparations we must make before entering into any difficult conversation. Avoid these six common conflict triggers—land mines that, if set off, simply make people stop listening to you.

Avoid martyrs—and avoiding becoming one

November 10, 2021
Do you work with a martyr-leader? Or do you suspect that you might be one? Let’s examine the criteria.