People Skills
Confrontations can be stressful, and the workplace is one place where they’re sure to crop up. If you find yourself in a position to address an issue with a co-worker, keep these strategies in mind to maximize the chances of successful communication.
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.
Coaching is a cooperative process. You and the employee work together, but you take the lead in helping the employee learn how to improve and grow. Here are three strategies to remember.
A negotiation isn’t an argument—or it shouldn’t be. Whether you’re trying to hammer out a deal with a job candidate, a customer, or your own boss, try using these simple strategies to clarify what you both want so you can come to a mutually satisfying agreement.
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?
Let’s be honest: People love to talk about other people. They love to make everyone else think they’re in the know, and no matter how hard you try, you can’t change human nature. But there are times when you have to take a hard—and perhaps permanent—line with gossips.
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.
