Where do you begin when addressing a performance problem? So many managers begin in the wrong place by putting the employee on the defensive. Here are some easy ways to begin that process on the good foot and hopefully keeping the ball rolling in the right direction. No employee is perfect. Some problems...

In today’s workplace, there is a lot of diversity. One aspect of the diversified work force that is not often considered is generational. Age plays a significant role in how people perceive their job in the workplace, how they communicate and also how they respond to changes that occur. Keep reading...

Contractors and employees are vastly different. You’re probably already familiar with the hiring differences. You know that employees require you to pay payroll taxes, benefits, and so on, whereas contractors only get payment for work. It’s easier to hire, and fire, contractors too. However, the...

It’s hard to speak and feel that your words are not received well. That happens to managers who are addressing their team with less than effective communication skills. On the flip side, it’s just as difficult to listen to someone who is speaking to you but saying nothing that you understand. In...

When it comes to communication, there are dos and don’ts. We have already discussed the dos. Effective communication depends as much on the speaker as it does the listener. But halves must be aligned in order for the exchange to be deemed successful. Now it’s time to discuss the don’ts. What can...

Have you ever been talking to someone and thought, “This person just doesn’t get what I’m saying?” It could be that, while you are discussing the same topic, they have a different viewpoint altogether. In the world of work, we call that communication style. Keep reading and find out about the...

Part of the power of having a team of outsourced professionals and contractors is to let go of tasks and the need to oversee everything. Let’s face it, if you have to babysit your contractors and check in with them daily, then you’re not really saving yourself much time, nor are you getting the biggest...

Not everyone will look forward to change as a good thing. Remember the four styles of change? Not all of the people who exhibit certain styles will be easily moved to accept what is going on in the company. While you can’t decide on their reaction for them, you can take a stand to act resiliently and...

If you stay employed at a company for any length of time, you will experience a change or two. How long you stay with the company depends on your view of these changes. We know that every change begins a cycle that gets harder before it gets easier. While you may not have any control over the external...

Everyone who is a manager doesn’t necessarily have the support of their teams. This is important to note. What could be keeping you from exercising the power of influence? Here’s how to know if you have what it takes. What is Influence anyway?  It looks different to each of us, but an effective...