Management - Leadership

This will not exactly come as a big shock: a new survey has found that a lack of communication — keeping employees in the dark — is the top mistake most managers make. The findings come courtesy of Accountemps.

By Peter Jensen There are four simple rules for giving effective feedback. Be specific versus general. Describe versus evaluate. Focus on the behavior versus the person. Maintain the relationship versus indulge in self-serving behavior.

Do you reward employees according to job performance? Are you sure?

Surveying office administrative personnel, the survey revealed:

66 percent would leave their current position if not shown appreciation by their manager.
67 percent say receiving recognition greatly or somewhat improves their performance.

In today’s post-recession environment, businesses are operating with pared-back workforces. Picked to the bone, the burden is placed more than ever on the best-of-the-best people who remain.

You know the crazy thing about drowning? It doesn’t look like you’re drowning! Read this from Coast Guard rescue swimmer Mario Vittone: Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help.

It’s not just the organization’s or the talent managers’ job to motivate employees. Individuals play a significant role in their own motivational outlook.

The “it’s not my job” attitude is more than just an employee career killer; it’s a symptom of a much larger organizational problem. Workers who simply do their jobs and nothing more do not contribute to company growth.

What exactly is “employee engagement?” Most definitions I see somehow reference “discretionary effort.” But my latest favorite definition of employee engagement comes from the HR Capitalist, Kris Dunn: “Discretionary effort that you don’t have to ...

Some people tell me that I get obsessed about certain subjects — like employee engagement, for example.

What does an Easter egg hunt have to do with employee entitlement? Plenty. You see, an entitlement mentality is not innate, rather it’s learned and often ingrained into an individual.

An interesting book that was quite popular in America in the late 1980s was All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.

Repeat after me: you should never, ever use email to communicate a major status change to your employees. Or to put it another way, don’t ever even think about terminating anyone via email.

When you are in a seat of leadership, challenges arise.

Billy Beane, the Oakland A’s General Manager, described in Moneyball the need to rethink his team’s business (baseball) and make a scientific investigation of the sport by determining what qualities in an athlete converted into wins or baseball...

Companies invest millions in training and developing their employees. But all too often, those investments don't pay off because leaders fail to factor in employees' talents.

Quick poll – if you’re a manager, how in touch do you think you are with your team members’ day to day reality? 50 percent? 80 percent?

An interesting pattern begins to emerge when you look at which issues leaders seem to struggle with clearly identifying as areas of weakness or risk within their organization.

Surveys, surveys, surveys — wow, do I get sent a lot of research and surveys.

Who gets recognized in your organization? Just the superstars – the top 10 percent high performers?

"Peter," my friend Byron emailed me a few days ago. "I haven't been diligent about working out over the past five years and I'm trying to get back in the gym and get myself into a healthier state.

To get the best coaching outcomes, always have your 1-on-1's on your employee's turf not yours. In your office the truth hides.

By Steve Chandler and Duane Black Judge others by their questions rather than by their answers. —Voltaire The hands-off manager doesn’t spend a lot of time giving advice. Instead, he perfects his ability to ask questions.