Halloween is nearly here, and it’s got me thinking about the most nightmarish problems a supervisor might face. Prepare to be spooked by the following three (completely true!) Halloween-worthy stories from real-life managers:The Werewolf. A manager at a tutoring company supervised a woman who had strong body odor and very hairy armpits, which were often on display during … [Read more...]
Celebrate Customer Service Reps Next Week
Customer Service Week is October 7-11. What do you have planned?Customer service is something that you can celebrate—and improve—year-round. But here are a couple of ways to honor your customer service representatives right now: Treat them to a sweet. Saying “Thank you” doesn’t need to be lavish or expensive. Grab a large bag of candy from the drug store, put it in a bowl in … [Read more...]
Wise Words: Thomas Edison on Rule Breaking
Today’s wise words come from the great American innovator Thomas Edison. Many people think that inventors and innovators must have been born with a special gene—something that allowed them to see what everyone else missed. However, that’s not the case. Those people who awe us with their creativity are just very persistent and willing to work outside the rules, whereas most … [Read more...]
That’s Amore: Advice for Managers Faced with Romance in the Workplace
If the topic of office romance stresses you more than your own relationships—should you even acknowledge the relationships? What if the couple’s cutesy nicknames and public displays of affection make everyone else uncomfortable? And how do you deal with the inevitable breakups? You’ll appreciate the advice from this interview with Halley Bock, president and CEO of Fierce Inc., … [Read more...]
Top 10 Tips for Increasing Productivity
Build better habits and you will be amazed by the way your productivity soars as your stress level sinks. Add these practices to your workday:Save less. Be honest: How many files do you have that you never refer to? The surest way to avoid clutter is to never allow it to collect. Make your first instinct to delete an email or recycle a paper instead of storing it.Delegate more. … [Read more...]
Conquering a Sick Day
Sadly cold a flu season is right around the corner. Prepare your team by sharing with employees the following advice from guest writer Dr. Farzanna Haffizulla.It’s a crisp Monday morning; your agenda is interwoven with meetings, projects and the usual “catch-up,” from the week past. You awake with shaking chills and muscle pains that feel like you’re being pulsed by a million … [Read more...]
Did You Receive Management Training? No? You’re Not Alone
CareerBuilder recently shared their findings from a study on new managers which indicated that a whopping 56% received no management training and 26% admitted that they “weren’t ready” when they started managing others. First, go ahead and read all about the study’s results. Then come on back, because Allison Nawoj was kind enough to answer some follow-up questions for … [Read more...]
You Might be a Workplace Bully
More than a quarter of employees have felt bullied in the workplace, according to a recent CareerBuilder study. The number one offender? The boss.But you’re not stealing lunch money or pushing your employees around, so no one would accuse you of bullying, right? Don’t be too sure. Read the list of common offenses and you might be surprised by how many didn’t fit neatly into the … [Read more...]
To Talk—or Not To Talk—After Firings
After terminating someone, many managers clam up. They refuse to share information out of fear of legal or other consequences. Although discretion is important, shutting down communication can cause other employees to worry needlessly. They may speculate that you acted arbitrarily and may even conclude that their own jobs are in jeopardy. To strike the right balance between … [Read more...]
Quick Tip: Retain Employees
Employees need to understand the connection between their jobs and organizational strategy if they are going to stick around for the long haul. The more engaged employees are with their organization, the longer their tenure. Improve retention by ensuring that employees:Understand your corporate strategy.See clearly where they fit into that strategy.Know how their efforts … [Read more...]