People Skills
Feel like your ideas are falling on deaf ears? Maybe it’s your sales pitch, not the proposal. Focus your “pitch” with these tactics:
Q. How should I address a woman who uses two last names, such as "Geneva Besmer Silverstone"? By her maiden name, her surname or both?
You’ve scrupulously avoided office gossip, but that isn’t protecting you from being the subject of this week’s chitchat. Wanting to jump quickly to your own defense is a normal reaction, but it might exacerbate the situation. Follow these steps to salvage your reputation and stop the gossip.
When you’re frustrated by micromanagement or other demands at work, step back and study what the other person truly needs from you. One day Lydia Abram had an “ah ha moment” that taught her how to satisfy a micromanaging colleague’s needs without slowing down her work flow:
Signing a contract is always a hair-raising and nervous experience. But signing a hotel, convention center or other facility’s standard contract for your company could damage your organization’s financial well being. To protect yourself, ask to review the standard contract, but consider that as only a starting point.
When a conflict with someone makes it hard to complete your job, you have five options to reach a resolution. The problem? We regularly rely on one or two options rather than using the best option for that particular situation. Defaulting to our favorite tactic instead of being flexible makes us less effective. Here are the five ways to respond to conflict and how to figure out which tactic to employ…
The first rule of negotiating a raise is to make it easy for your boss to say yes. That means anticipating objections and addressing them in advance. Smart negotiators rarely say, “I want more money.” Instead, they use facts to drive home their valuable contributions. Here’s how to prepare for your next salary review:
The greatest mystery in many workplaces is what’s lurking in the company refrigerator. Go beyond scheduling regular "Use it or lose it" deadlines. Follow these tips:
Do you get the feeling your boss doesn’t want to be interrupted, but then gets annoyed that he’s out of the loop? One boss, Claudia Noble, president of Philadelphia-based Noble-Roberts Associates says, “One of the best ways to communicate with your boss is through …”
Whether your office has sophisticated scheduling software, day planners for everyone or no formal calendar management at all, a few visual reminders can keep everyone running on time…
Know what key numbers your executive checks to track department and company performance. Then make sure you receive the latest numbers at the same time, if not earlier.
