Communication
A new study by researchers at Tel Aviv University found that employees with strong social networks on the job actually lived longer than those “working in a very unfriendly and nonsupportive environment.”
Use “and” instead of “but,” advises Joan Burge of Office Dynamics. Why? Using “but” sets up a negative that can make people defensive and less likely to listen.
Make your email more readable by crafting enticing subject lines … Why wait for an annual review to get feedback? Ask for one-minute feedback at every opportunity … Knock out more of your critical to-dos by whittling down your to-do list each day … Go ahead: Ask for a $100,000 salary …
Correct any punctuation errors in the following sentences. Caution: Some sentences may already be correct, so don’t be fooled.
Boost the odds that people will read your emails. Five guidelines: 1. Limit your message to five sentences. 2. Figure out your main point. 3. Edit. 4. Ask one thing at a time, or maybe two. 5. Include a link to information available online.
Studies show how hesitant people are to challenge offensive or sexist comments. But psychologist Heidi Grant Halvorson says there are at least three good reasons to confront someone making lewd or sexist comments—despite the fear of retaliation:
What helped clinch this year’s OfficeTeam Administrative Excellence Award for Deborah Carter? … Perk up your daily emails with MeebleMail … Double-check your work. A survey by Accountemps shows that “lack of attention to detail/sloppy work” is the No. 1 pet peeve of CFOs …
Is it one word or two? Take this quiz to test your knowledge of common spelling snafus:
Have you put processes or structures into place so you can accomplish what’s most important every day? Try these three tips:
The iPad app Office Bleepster is designed to make communication between an executive and assistant easy and seamless. With 25 predetermined instant-message buttons, which you set up yourself, Office Bleepster allows for one-button to one-button communication.
1. Include your phone number and mailing address in your signature. 2. Provide “if-then” options. 3. Always start with a greeting. 4. Check Snopes.com before you waste time forwarding a chain letter.
What should you do when no one seems to fill you in on what’s going on in the office? Admin Sandra writes about the problem on our Admin Forum: “I constantly feel like I’m left out of the loop!” she says. She’s not alone. Other administrative pros weighed in to say how they navigate the same challenge:
Set aside a few minutes each week to answer questions in the Q&A section of LinkedIn … Tack on your own comment at the top of any forwarded email messages to help the recipient understand why it’s landing in her inbox … Keep things from falling through the cracks with Boomerang for Gmail …
