People Skills
Managers have a lot on their plates, which can prevent them from getting back to you about your project in a timely manner. Here are C+A+O, the three elements to any decision you should remember when writing emails to your boss.
Office conflicts don’t have to be destructive. For example, imagine that two employees disagree over the best way to complete a task or solve a problem, can’t resolve their quarrel, and dump it in your lap. To help these two get back to work quickly, try this approach.
Hiring the right person is a time-consuming process, and you don’t want to waste an interview on a candidate who’s not going to be a good fit for the job, or your organization. Bad hires aren’t always obvious, though. Here are some danger signs to watch out for as you consider candidates before and during the interview.
Question: I was recently promoted over some teammates who are also quite good at their jobs. In my new position, I have to work alongside these individuals on a variety of projects. Two of them are clearly envious of me, and as a result, they’re not very cooperative. What can I do to ensure their cooperation?
When you ask employees questions, the way you ask influences not only the answers they give, but also your relationship with the employees afterward. It’s easy for a simple question to appear like an aggressive one to employees. Here are some examples.
Question: “I’ve been asked to write a thank-you note to one of our clients who put the company through hell recently. How do we grit our teeth and write a pleasant paragraph that won’t seem disingenuous?”
Does your team really behave like a team? Over time, some teams develop cliques and grow distant—if not downright hostile—to outsiders and new members. If you want to keep your team productive and healthy, you have to keep the “in-crowd” from taking over. Here’s how to intervene.
Remember that you can easily blow your career by losing your cool at work. So, predetermine what might cause such incidents and identify ways to deal with them civilly and compassionately.
If you point “human speed bumps” in the right direction, you can turn their pessimistic outlook into a strength.
If you or your people communicate with customers over the phone or via email, you undoubtedly have to deal with some who are worried, flustered or angry. Avoid making the situation worse with disingenuous, inaccurate or insincere replies:
Heading a committee or leading a project team is quite a job to begin with. When the group’s work gets heavy or complicated enough that you have to appoint subcommittees to handle specific areas or tasks, your job can become even tougher. These four tactics should help.
Running a department or business is a serious endeavor. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a sense of humor.
One of your employees has done something wrong. Before you call him or her on the carpet, ask yourself these questions.
