The Management Skills Center

Oshkosh Northwestern - Talking @ the office

2006-04-24T07:50:00.000-06:00

There's no doubt that e-mail has changed, and will continue to change, the way we communicate with each other at work. The technology itself is undoubtedly useful, but as with anything else that's new and interesting, the way it's used is what makes it a benefit or a disaster.

This article gives some statistics that illustrate how e-mail has affected the workplace. I recommend you read the article and then give some more thought to exactly how e-mail is affecting YOU, your EMPLOYEES and your COLLEAGUES. You decide when it's the right medium to use, and remember there are still options.

If you manage a department or team, and you are trying to build team spirit, it's crucial that e-mail find its appropriate place in the communication mix, and not take over as the sole vehicle.

Oshkosh Northwestern - Talking @ the office

Meeting Skills: an essential management tool

2006-04-20T09:51:00.000-06:00

Meeting skills are communication skills. Meeting skills are essential management tools. That's why I've been conducting workshops on meeting skills for many years, and that's why they form a whole stage in my non-traditional approach to management skills, The Manager's Journey.

How are YOUR meeting skills? The first meeting skills is knowing whether or not a meeting is even necessary or appropriate.

Before you call that meeting, ask yourself if it is really necessary, or if your objective could more easily be achieved by other means. What about a series of telephone calls? Could you just send out e-mail messages to the appropriate people? Perhaps even the lowly memo would serve the same purpose. If your purpose is simply to give out information, with little or no two-way interaction, one of these is often the most effective vehicle. Why take busy people away from their desks for a set amount of time (usually too much time) and sit them around a table—just so that you can fire information at them?

On the other hand, action-oriented, decision-making discussions often demand the face-to-face interaction that is only possible at a meeting. So, how do you decide? Here are three indications of the need for a meeting.

Engage your employees for better business results

2006-04-20T07:52:00.000-06:00

Here's yet another article giving evidence (surveys, polls etc.) that having employees actively engaged with their organizations is good for the organization as a whole. Well now there's a surprise!

Don't we all know this already? Haven't we read it over and over in other studies? Thousands of managers worldwide will no doubt read this article, nod in agreement and move on.

But what do we DO with this information? In most cases it seems almost like the evidence that smoking causes cancer --- everyone knows it by now, but it doesn't stop smokers from smoking. No matter how many times we read that engaging employees through better communication is not only the right thing to do but the profitable thing, I see little evidence in the course of my consulting work that people have actually taken any action on the advice.

So here's my advice. Don't wait for the whole organization to change. Don't wait for the CEO and senior management to see the light and make changes. As a manager, department head or team leader, YOU can take action within your own domain. Please go and read the article using the link below and THEN COME BACK and read the rest of my post. Go on now, click on the link, and then come back.

domain-B : Indian business : management : hrd : Does it pay to have employees actively engaged?

Did you notice the part right at the end where he says you must start with an internal communications audit? Well you can do your own audit just within your own department or team. Here are the steps.

1. Gather your team together and tell them frankly what you are doing and why. You have to let them see that you are looking out for their interests as well as your own and that of the company. When they understand that the end result will benefit them, they will be more likely to be open with their responses to your questions.

2. Start with a specific area of communication, such as perhaps e-mail or voicemail. Design a brief questionnaire to elicit such information as how many e-mail messages they send and receive each day, how much time they spend managing their e-mail, whether they receive e-mail that has little bearing on their jobs simply because they are on someone's distribution list, etc.

3. After you've studied the results, conduct some individual interviews to elicit your people's own views on how they can improve e-mail communication and make it more efficient, not to mention less time consuming.

4. Create a protocol based on their input as well as your own ideas. By the way, if you need more help with the e-mail issue, I recommend you get a copy of my special report on the subject. Get it here.

5. Bring the group together again and share the results and the new protocol. Put it into effect and say you will be reviewing the results after a specified time.

6. At the stated time, bring everyone together again to discuss the results. Whether the results are good or bad, people will be engaged in the process. If further refinements are needed, make them with your people's input so that they can take ownership in the results.

Now move on to the next area for improvement and repeat the process. Everyone wants to know "what's in it for me?" This process makes that abundantly clear to your people --- and that's what creates employee engagement. And next time you read one of these articles you'll know that at least in YOUR department, employees ARE engaged.

Let me know how it works out for you!

globeandmail.com : Keep employees in loop

2006-03-30T08:29:00.000-06:00

globeandmail.com : Keep employees in loop

I've always preached the value of keeping employees informed as to what's going on in the organization, so this article is not news to me. It does, however, make the point that supervisors and managers can be the most effective agents of change.

If you are a supervisor or manager at the lower level, perhaps you don't realize how influential you can be in the working lives of your people. You are the liaison between senior management and your departmental subordinates, and your personal communication skills are of paramount importance.

Read the article, and then take a good close look at your own skills in this area.

And by the way, if you would like to develop all your managerial skills, check out The Manager's Journey. You can find a video introduction to the program at www.mhwcom.com (follow the link to The Manager's Journey), or for more details on the content of the program, visit www.TheManagersJourney.com

Are Management Skills Overrated?

2006-02-26T12:41:00.000-06:00

Here's an online article that poses an interesting question, but in my mind it's based on an incorrect assumption. The writer seems to be saying there's too much emphasis on management skills and not enough on the mindset and other intangible management attributes.

I disagree.

It seems to me that in recent years there has been such an emphasis on leadership that management has had a "bad rap". I liken the situation to the de-emphasis of grammar skills, with its resulting loss of writing ability.

The argument for not teaching grammar in schools is that by putting too many rules in the heads of young childen, we stunt their imagination. So we encourage them to exercise their imagination and just somehow pick up the rules of grammar by osmosis. Based on my work in teaching business writing skills in the workplace, it hasn't worked.

I believe that, on the contrary, if we teach the rules of grammar thoroughly and early, this will free up young minds to concentrate on the content of their writing.

Similarly, if we teach people the skills of management early in their management careers, their minds and hearts will be free to embrace and develop leadership in themselves as well as those who report to them.

That's why my management training program The Manager's Journey focuses on the universal skills of management, with a regular 'nod' to the leadership mindset. Indeed, the first stage in the journey focuses on "The Manager's Mindset".

If you are a new or recently appointed manager, or if you know one or are responsible for one, you owe it to yourself to find out more about this dynamic, non traditional approach to management training. Check it out at http://www.themanagersjourney.com --- sign up for the free interviews with three experienced managers.

Computerworld > Are management skills overrated?

Delegation: it's worth the time and effort

2006-02-06T12:43:00.000-06:00

For new managers, delegation can be a difficult skill to learn. Skill? Yes, delegation is a management skill, and like other skills it takes practice.

There are three reasons inexperienced managers are reluctant to delegate:

1. They are accustomed to receiving instructions and being the "doer" of tasks. Often they feel uncomfortable telling others what to do, so they load themselves up performing tasks that should be done by those reporting to them.

2. They think that it is quicker to do something themselves than spend the time showing others how to do it. an extension of this is that they don't trust others to do things as well as they can do it themselves.

3. They have a certain comfort level with the tasks they did before being promoted that they don't have with their new management responsibilities. Completing the task makes them feel good.

It's important to understand that all three of these reasons arise from the same source: lack of confidence in their ability to do the new job. This is, of course, natural. The world of management is new, and in many ways a mystery. It takes perseverance to discover that

1) people expect their manager to give them work to do
2) time spent teaching others is an investment that will bring dividends in the future, and also frees the manager up to learn his or her new job too
3) pushing out of that old comfort zone is essential if they are ever to become effective managers.

You can't win the race if you don't leave the starting blocks!

Learning the skills of delegation may be painful at first, but it's worth the time and effort in the long run.

Facing resentment from unsuccessful candidates

2006-01-31T15:09:00.000-06:00

You've recently been promoted to management, and are now responsible for the department in which you were previously employed. One of your former peers had also applied for the job, and you are now feeling waves of resentment from him that threaten the success of your promotion.

Does this sound familiar? If so, you're certainly not alone because it's one of the most common challenges faced by new managers. Here are some ideas to help you deal with the situation.

Initiate a discussion

It's imperative that you sit down and have a meaningful discussion with the individual concerned. Your two objectives are to find out specifically how he or she is feeling, and from there to figure out how you can enlist their co-operation and help them become a productive part of the department that is now yours to run.

Try to understand how they feel and why they are resentful

The most obvious reason is that she really felt she was the best person for the job. She has ideas on running the department and had been looking forward to putting them into action. Now she feels she has lost that chance.

A lesser known, but possibly even more important, reason is loss of pride. He may have told his nearest and dearest that he was in line for promotion, so now that he didn't get it, he is embarrassed. He feels he will be less in the eyes of his family or friends. So even though he may not actually mind the job he currently has, you're facing some deep personal feelings he may have difficulty changing.

The only way you'll find out is to ask questions, and then listen to the answers. Begin by saying you know the person was a candidate for the job, and that you also understand they were considered qualified. Then begin with a straightforward question such as, "Do you still feel disappointed and resentful?" Wait for the answer. If it's a curt "yes", probe for more. "Is that something you feel you can work around, or that will eventually settle down?" Or "How can I help you deal with that?" Keep probing until the person begins to talk.

If she takes the opportunity to vent her feelings of anger, listen calmly for a bit, using body language to indicate you understand. Then step in to redirect the conversation so that it becomes productive by saying something like, "I understand you've been angry. However, I know you well enough to believe you can get past it and honor yourself by doing the job you are capable of. Let's talk about where we go from here."

Help them regain lost pride

Before the conversation even begins, give some thought to what you know about the person and how they work. How can you use their strengths to the benefit of the department? One effective way is to initiate a special project with a specific objective she can relate to, and put her in charge of it. It's important that this not be an unimportant "make work" project, but rather something of value. You might even come up with it in discussion with the employee, which gives it the benefit of her buy-in.

This kills two birds with one stone: completion of the project benefits the work of the department, and putting the person in charge provides an opportunity to shine. This helps them regain any self-confidence that may have slipped, and they have a "win" to report to those who care about them. It's also a positive achievement that can count towards possible future promotion opportunities.

What if it doesn't work?

If you give people consideration through this process and then give them every opportunity to come on board with you, and they still won't co-operate, then stronger measures are called for. In this case you must have another discussion.

This time you frankly point out their ongoing shortcomings and how they are creating a toxic environment that adversely affects the whole department and its work. Candidly tell them that if they can't find the inner strength to change their attitude and make a productive contribution, then there is no place for them in your department. From then on, follow the usual process when someone is "on probation", monitor their progress and act accordingly. As the common management consulting expression goes, "If you can't change the people, you have to change the people!"

In a recent interview with Management Consultant Mike McInerney, he told me this situation arises at all levels. Young managers may be surprised to learn that even Presidents have to deal with the resentment of unsuccessful candidates. The difference, according to McInerney, is that those people have learned to deal with it, and they don't let personal feelings stand in their way. If you are new to the world of management, you'll do well to take your cue from their example.

Managing people: problem with year-end evaluations

2006-01-02T19:25:00.000-06:00

I've always worried about the whole concept of year-end reviews. It seems to me there is too much of a tie-in with salary increases --- or lack of them --- for anyone to really benefit from the opportunity for improvement that they could provide.

This article from News-Leader.com agrees with my point of view, and suggests periodic "check-ins" as an alternative. I like it. Do you? Check it out, and then come back and leave me a comment about what you think. Here's the link.

News-Leader.com | Business

USATODAY.com - Do women compete in unhealthy ways at work?

2005-12-31T13:48:00.000-06:00

In my male/female communication programs, I talk about the fact that women are often reluctant to face a person or an issue head-on, and prefer to approach it in a different way. That's fine, and it's just another way of communicating.

However, an article in today's issue of USA Today points out that this can unwittingly lead to unhealthy interpersonal relationships at work, as women increasingly see themselves as betrayed by other women. It's an interesting idea, and worth reading the article. Here's the link.

USATODAY.com - Do women compete in unhealthy ways at work?

Communication: they still don't get it

2005-12-27T18:50:00.000-06:00

Today, human resources consulting firm Watson Wyatt issued its annual workplace trends forecast. One section headed "Communication Issues" read as follows:

"Organizations will formalize and enhance employee communication
efforts to positively affect business performance. Employees will
have not only more insight, but increased input into how the
business is run - in areas ranging from pension management to
benefit programs to compensation to governance. Particularly
successful companies will adopt measurement practices to determine
the communication function's contribution to strategic business
goals. This trend will be explored in Watson Wyatt's Communication
ROI study, to be released in early 2006."

I'm sad to see they still don't get it about communication. What they say is all very well, but it is so limited! They are talking about process, about the "communication function", which indicates to me that they are once again concerned about how management communicates its message to the troops. Nothing here suggests they understand that communication is EVERYBODY'S function!

In my book The Hidden Profit Center, I explore the idea that communication drives everything we do in the course of our work and our business. Poor communication is the single reason why we waste so much time and energy on those endless meetings. Countless hours of expensive management time is wasted listening to terrible presentations by people who have had not enough training in presentation skills. Sales and lost because sales people talk more than they listen, and talk for themselves more than for the understanding of their prospective customers. And these are just a few examples.

Until business generally understands that communication is not a separate issue, a "function" to be carried out by some Communication Department, but something that has to be practised and perfected by everyone, we'll continue to miss the boat.

As a manager, concentrate on sharpening your own communicatin skills and encouraging your people to do the same, and it will be to the ultimate benefit of everybody.

Management Skills: learn the easy way from 3 experts

2005-12-16T19:10:00.000-06:00

Last month I conducted three free teleseminars in which I interviewed experts in the skills of management. These people have successful management careers of their own, and know the answers to many of the questions posed by new and recently appointed managers.

If you'd like to hear these interviews, absolutely free, go here now

Three guest experts answer questions from people new to management, people just like you! Check it out now!

Workplace Relationships Set the Tone for Job Performance - Knowledge@W. P. Carey

2005-12-02T15:53:00.000-06:00

There's a maxim that's often quoted by consultants: "People don't leave companies, they leave managers." This is undoubtedly true, but I'd say they also leave co-workers.

The people you work with don't need to be your bosom buddies, nor do you need to have them over to dinner. But as a professional, you must work with them and in a way that is the most productive and advantageous to you and your company.

This article reviews a new study called "Relational Identity and Identification: Defining Ourselves Through Work Relationships." It's work a look. Tell me what you think.

Managing: When you speak, you are leading

2005-11-27T17:21:00.000-06:00

This article has some good advice about using your speaking opportunities to establish your leadership role. Presentations become more a part of your job as you progress up the management ladder. Here's an important career lesson you should learn: when you present well, people think you do everything well!So hone your presentation skills early, and they will serve you well for your whole career. Check out the article at Times-Standard.com

If you want to develop your management skills, you need to find out about my Manager's Journey program starting in January. The free preview calls, The Manager's Day Trip, are underway and you can read all about them at The Manager's Journey website I hope to "see you" there this Wednesday!

Managing: the problem with self-paced learning

2005-11-12T15:30:00.000-06:00

In a recent telephone conversation, a friend was lamenting the fact that she hadn’t had an opportunity yet to take the latest online course offered by her organization. As she put it, “They say it is being ‘offered’, but that doesn’t mean there is any choice—we have to take it. The problem is, when?”

In this age of electronic everything, this problem is becoming more and more prevalent. When companies institute online learning, they usually cite as an advantage the fact that the courses are available to employees at their desks, working alone and at their own pace, whenever they decide to do so. My friend stated the following drawbacks to this model:

It's hard to find the time. Like most people, I am very busy in my job. However, if I know, for example, that a traditional classroom seminar or workshop is to take place next Wednesday from 1 - 4 p.m., I book the time in my schedule and I go. Even though I may have to catch up on my regular work afterwards, the important thing is I did take the course. Fitting it into my work schedule at my “convenience” is more of a challenge. Let’s face it—it’s never convenient.

It's hard to focus on the training. When I am at my desk, I feel as if I should be doing my job in the usual way, and it feels foreign to be working on an online course instead. Added to this is the fact that when I am at my desk, other people naturally assume I am doing my job, and they interrupt me with questions and impromptu meetings as usual.

There's no human interaction. The dynamic in a classroom situation is very different from sitting alone at a computer. The opportunity not only to ask questions of the instructor, but also to exchange questions and thoughts with other participants, is an important part of the traditional workshop or seminar.

To read more, and my take on what to do about the problemk, go here

Managing: new managers shouldn't be so hard on themselves

2005-11-10T15:15:00.000-06:00

Moving from staff into management for the first time is exciting—but it can also be scarey.

There’s so much you don’t know. Somehow managing looked so easy from the outside, but now you actually have to do it, you realize it’s more complicated than you thought. Before, you had certain tasks to accomplish and you knew you had the skills to do them. You still have responsibility for those tasks, but now you have to see that the work is done effectively by other people. That’s a whole new task in itself, and you’re not sure you’re up to the job.

You also find that it’s hard to concentrate on the planning that is such an important part of managing, because emergencies large and small seem to arise all the time and people keep running to you to resolve them. The expression “When you’re up to your neck in alligators, it’s hard to remember you were trying to drain the swamp” might have been written for new managers!

In these early days, you must learn not to be too hard on yourself. Management skills are not built into our human DNA—we have to learn them as we go. Promise yourself you’ll learn at least one management lesson every day. Set aside a few moments at the end of each day to think about that day’s lesson and how you’ll use it to improve your management skills. Sometimes these lessons will be hard, but each one will give you something to build on if you are willing to learn.

Each day will bring you new challenges, new experiences—and new successes. It’s easy to forget the successes and focus on all the things that didn’t go so well, so I recommend you keep a diary of all your new experiences. Then, on those days when you think becoming a manager was all a horrible mistake, you can read over your diary and remind yourself just how far you’ve come.

Becoming a manager is a journey. Like any journey, it offers both good and bad experiences, enjoyable and not-so-enjoyable aspects, positive and negative events. Just take it one stage at a time, learn from each experience—good or bad—and you’ll gradually find yourself becoming more and more comfortable in your management role.

If you want to become comfortable in your management role more quickly, you should take every chance to learn from those who have gone before you. Visit http://www.TheManagersJourney.com now and sign up for the series of free management skills teleseminars.

Free teleseminars for new managers!

2005-11-08T10:18:00.000-06:00

Calling all new managers! Here's a great chance for you to learn about the skills of management from experienced managers—and it's absolutely free.

I'm holding a series of free teleseminars called "The Manager's Day Trips" on November 16, 23 and 30 at 7 p.m. EST. I'll be interviewing three guest experts who started in staff positions and then moved into management, and have had brilliant careers since then. They are willing to share their wisdom with you and help you get your feet firmly planted on that first step up the management ladder.

Although the sessions are free, you must register in order to receive the call-in information and take part. I urge you to go on over now to The Manager's Journey> and read all about it.

I hope to "see" you on the calls!

Do you have boomers and Xers in your department? Expect clashes!

2005-10-30T17:37:00.000-06:00

This article in the Salt Lake Tribune focuses on women of the boomer and Xer generations, but the same studies could be done on men from the two generational groups. Multigenerational workplaces—perhaps even your multigenerational department—pose special problems for companies and for managers.

The article explains how some of the differences come up, but offer no ideas on how to cope with them. I'm interested in YOUR experiences as a manager. Are you a boomer manager managing Xers? Or are you an Xer manager managing boomers? Different, but equally challenging, situations.

Read the article in the Salt Lake Tribune , and then please leave your comments on your own experience. Thanks!

Managing: criticizing effectively pays off

2005-10-28T13:30:00.000-06:00

As a manager, you'll have to criticize people's work, work habits and results when they are not up to standard. Criticism is a valid and expected part of developing your people, but there's a right way and a wrong way of doing it.

First, criticize the work or the performance, not the person. This is an important distinction. People will recognize the truth of what you say about poor performance, and in most cases they won't be offended. But if there is any suggestion that you are attacking them personally, they will be offended—and rightfully so.

The words you use are the tools to make this distinction. For example, if you say "Bob, your attitude is deteriorating and you need to start being more responsible," this could be taken as a personal remark. You are casting aspersions on Bob's character. Not only that, but it's far too general—how will this help him make the improvement you want?

On the other hand, if you say instead, "Bob, I've noticed you've been late for work four times in the past two weeks. Is there some reason you're having difficulty getting in on time?" This is specific, factual and non-judgmental. There may, in fact, be a good reason for Bob's lateness, and this wording opens the possibility for reasonable discussion.

If Bob's lateness is having a detrimental effect on the department as a whole, bringing that fact out can help. For example, "Bob, I've noticed you've been late for work four times in the past two weeks. When that happens, it means your regular delivery of the daily progress reports is held up, and people can't begin work on them—and that can set the whole day back. What can we do to help you get here on time in the morning?" This reminds Bob of his importance in the scheme of things, and encourages him to correct the problem.

One more thing, and this is vital. ALWAYS criticize people in private, never in front of colleagues, friends or anyone else. Public embarrassment is not an incentive to improve, but rather a case for resentment.

By the way, watch out for news of my upcoming series of "Manager's Day Trips". I'll post news in the next few days.

Most workers don't want the boss's job

2005-10-25T15:35:00.000-06:00

If you are ambitious, you have probably more than once had your eye on your boss's job. After all, that's the logical next step up the ladder.

So when I read this article in Delaware Online, which says most people don't want the boss's job, I was surprised! The main reason seems to be that people are afraid of the pressure to perform that comes with the managerial office.

What didn't surprise me was the next statement: most workplace discontent comes from lack of communication. I've been preaching this message to whoever will listen since I began speaking and training in the early nineties, and it just gets more and more true. That's why my business is based on helping people communicate better. If you haven't been to my website for a while, go on over there and read some of my articles. Become a better communicator and you'll automatically be a better manager.

Here's the link to the Delaware Online article: http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051024/BUSINESS/510240311/-1/NEWS01

Here's the link to my website: http://www.mhwcom.com Sign up for my e-zine and get your free 40-page e-book, "23 Ideas You Can Use RIGHT Now To Communicate and Succeed in Your Business Career!"

Communication Smoothes the Path to Change

2005-10-20T12:06:00.000-06:00

Productivity almost always suffers in times of great change, because employee stress dramatically increases due to the universal fear of the unknown. In these times, communication becomes more important than ever. This is true whether you are leading the whole company or just your department or team.

Often senior executives genuinely believe they are communicating with employees when it comes to matters that affect them. Unfortunately, they often underestimate the number of matters that includes, for the fact is that most high level decisions will affect employees in one way or another. (That's why a new law recently went into effect in Britain forcing employers to answer employees' questions on any changes or decisions that affect them.)

So how do you know what is important to employees and what to tell them? Well, you need to put yourself in the position, the mind, the heart of employees—one employee at a time. If you were that person, what would you be worried about right now in the current situation? What would be important for you to know? What is the worst thing that could happen, and would you want to know about it in advance? How would you want to be told?

Of course, you can't answer those questions yourself. You need input from the very people you are trying to understand. Depending on how much you can discuss or how much is already known, you might ask a few individuals what the grapevine is saying, and what people are worrying and wondering about.

Now, armed with this information, draft the answers to the questions. Of course they must be truthful answers, for insincerity is easily recognized and will deal a death blow to your communication efforts. Then they must be couched in terms that are clear and uncompromising, but also considerate and compassionate. It's worth spending some time on this part—lack of commitment to your message is also easily read and will automatically raise the cynicism level among employees.

Next comes dissemination of the information. There is, as we all know, no shortage of communication technology in the business world. However, the way a person receives news can dramatically affect how he or she feels about it, so you need to choose the medium very carefully. E-mail can be perceived as cold and unfeeling in many cases, although it is useful for routine updates that don't have emotional overtones. Some messages are better spoken, either by managers to their groups or by the CEO to the whole organization.

If the messengers don't have highly developed communication skills, it's worth engaging the services of professional speech writers or presentation coaches to help them, but be sure the message remains honest, clear and compassionate.

And above all, follow through on your commitments and promises. Nothing turns employees off more than empty words, but sincere, caring, ongoing communication can form the basis for building employee engagement when the present time of turmoil ends.

Managing: watch for this sign of anger

2005-10-17T14:57:00.000-06:00

A male client told me about a situation that made him feel totally inadequate, and I suspect this happens a lot among young male managers.

Tom was discussing a work situation with one of his young female employees. The situation involved a difference of opinion between her and another worker, resulting in a mistake being made. Tom felt he was being quite considerate in the discussion, not at all heavy handed. To his dismay, the woman suddenly burst into tears and answered Tom's questions with difficulty. He blundered his way through the situation, but was quite upset by it. What, he asked me, should he have done?

What men need to understand is that when a woman cries in a business situation, it is usually simply a sign of anger. While angry men tend to rant, speak loudly and angrily, angry women sometimes cry. She was probably angry at the co-worker, angry at the situation and perhaps even angry at Tom.

The best way to handle such a situation is to simply give the woman a moment to compose herself, perhaps give her a tissue if she clearly can't find one, and then continue the discussion. If she is having trouble composing herself, excuse yourself and say you will be back in a ferw moments. Don't attempt to comfort her, as this often comes across as patronizing even though not intended that way. When you think she is ready, just say something like "Okay?" in a pleasant tone, and on her signal, continue the discussion.

It's not your fault. It's not her fault. It's just an expression. Carry on!

Meeting skills: sit where the leader can see you

2005-10-16T13:34:00.000-06:00

A young woman recently complained to me that her manager never seemed to notice when she had a point to make at a meeting. In further discussion, I found out she was making two mistakes.

1. She always sat in an area to the right of the leader, who happened to be her boss. When he looked up, she was never in his line of vision. If you want to be asked for your opinion, sit where the leader can see you—preferably right in his or her line of sight.

2. She raised her hand and waited for permission to speak. Well first, if he couldn't see her, how could he notice she had her hand up? Second, sitting with your hand in the air and being ignored makes you look like a student in school—and gives you just about as much power. If she is consistently ignored, she needs to raise her hand and simultaneously say, "Excuse me, Don, may I comment on that?"

Although these problems are not confined to women, it is true that more women than men have them. Women tend to listen well, and that's a good attribute, but if you sit at meetings and don't speak up confidently to make your point, men will think you are passive and weak. Then they are even less likely to listen to your ideas, so it becomes a vicious circle.

Sit where the leader can see you, and speak up confidently!

Managing people: making work meaningful

2005-10-14T09:29:00.000-06:00

As a manager, one of your most important challenges is leading your people. New managers often misunderstand this, thinking that the only important thing is making sure everyone knows what to do to get the work done.

My speaking colleague Jim Clemmer has written a profound article that will give you some perhaps surprising insights into a wider view. Jim's view—and I heartily agree with it—is that people have a deep need to feel their work is meaningful. He gives some surprising examples of how this plays out in the workplace.

Please consider your own job first. Is this work meaningful for you? If not, what could you, your boss or your organization do to make it so? When you figure that out, take action. It's in everyone's interest to have you perform at an optimum level, so don't hesitate to put forth your suggestions.

Now, consider the people who report to you. Do you believe they are fulfilled in their work? Consider having conversations with them to find out. If they are not, what can you as manager do to help them?

Check out Jim's article using the link below and see if it sparks any ideas for you. Then come back and leave me your comments.
Here's the link

Managing: is poor communication the problem or the symptom?

2005-10-13T16:59:00.000-06:00

Poor communication is often cited as a problem. Often, it is. But just as often it's a symptom for another problem altogether, such as inter-departmental competition, lack of trust or thoughtlessness.

The link below is to an article from South Africa, in which the writer expresses surprise that two bodies of people who are professional communicators don't seem able to communicate. I believe that's because in this case, communication is a symptom of bitter rivalry and fear of the other's success. What do you think?

Consider whether your own people could be suffering from the same problem. If so, what can you do about it?

After you've read the article, please come back here and leave me your comments and thoughts on this.

Business Day - News Worth Knowing

Hiring: try them out on contract first

2005-10-08T15:37:00.000-06:00

Hiring the wrong employee can turn into a nightmare. What if there was a way to try a new hire out before making a final decision? Well there is—hire them first on a contract or temp basis.

Suppose you have interviewed a number of people for a position in your department, and one looks like a good fit. It also seems that the potential employee is positive about the job. Rather than make an offer of permanent employment, suggest that he or she come on board for a period of, say, one to six months (depending on the nature of the job and the job level) under contract. During that time both you and the employee can see how it is to work together. You can observe how the person interacts with others in the department as well as how quickly they learn.

At the same time, the employee can become acquainted with the company's culture and the people.

When you make this offer, point out the advantages to both parties. If you make the rate of pay for the temporary period comparable to what they will earn if they take the permanent job, the candidate won't lose out financially on the deal.

If the candidate refuses this option...well, perhaps that tells you something in itself.

Managing people: sometimes it's about the simple things

2005-09-18T14:32:00.000-06:00

Managing people, keeping them productive, happy and engaged, is one of the major ongoing challenges of managers. It seems we are always looking for the latest management skills techniques to help us manage our people. But you know, sometimes it's the simple things that have the most effect.

Take a look at this article from The Salt Lake Tribune, "A sincere apology can go a long way toward easing office relations". But don't just read it—put it into practice!

Here's the link:

http://www.sltrib.com/business/ci_3038672

Communication problems—again!

2005-09-13T14:58:00.000-06:00

Communication problems. They keep coming back like a bad penny. Here's another study that's been done to show that poor communication, or lack of communication, keeps companies from "successfully motivating their employees to understand, be committed to, and carry out their employer's business strategy in their daily jobs."

Here we go again. Now the survey didn't identify which people in these companies were surveyed, but I think we are to assume it was CEOs or other senior management people. If people never see the CEO, or never have actual conversations with him or her, which seems to be one of the findings of the survey, why would they even WANT to carry out a strategy devised by this faceless entity?

On the other hand, if effective APPLIED COMMUNICATION were encouraged throughout the organization, and if people were actual TAUGHT how to do it, then the problem would go away. Why? because applied communication would automatically involved the CEO with the rank and file, and provide opportunity for real, two-way communication.

Communication is not something apart from business—it IS business.

My book, The Hidden Profit Center—a tale of profits lost and found through communication and the keynotes and workshops it has brought about, talks about exactly this. Companies whose people, at all levels, do not communicate effectively in their day-to-day activities, are losing enormous amounts of money. Not only that, but their people never have a chance to carry out the employer's strategy because they don't understand what that strategy is!

Communication is the lifeblood of an organization. If it stops flowing, the organization will sicken—and eventually die.

If you want to check out the survey numbers, here's the link:

http://www.ottawabusinessjournal.com/284233158602657.php

Helen Wilkie: keynote speaking services

2005-09-11T14:07:00.000-06:00

In case you don't know anything about my services as a keynote speaker, trainer or consultant, here's some information from the home page of my website. If you ever bring speakers into your organization, just click on the title of this post and check out the rest of my website.

Communicate and succeed! Communicate and prosper!

These are the words of Canadian keynote speaker Helen Wilkie,

whose expertise, passion and obsession is communication.

Why should you book Helen Wilkie, Canadian keynote speaker on communication, for your next event?

Because she will show your attendees communication as they've never seen it before.

Because for possibly the first time, they will understand the direct connection between communication and the bottom line, as well as their own career success.

Because Helen's lively, upbeat style and polished platform presence will enhance their conference experience, and make you—the meeting planner—look great!

To See Helen Wilkie in Action Click Here

Helen Wilkie, Canadian keynote speaker on communication is:

A dynamic, enthralling keynote speaker. Whether your event is a small conference with 50 people in the audience or a convention for thousands, Helen Wilkie will deliver a message that makes them think, sets the tone or sends them off on a high note. Helen loves the big platform—and audiences love her!
A lively, engaging workshop leader. Whether she's leading a concurrent session at your conference or an in-house workshop at your company, Helen rolls up her sleeves and dives right in! With her encouragement and friendly prodding, her session attendees work hard, learn a lot, and have fun in the process.
An insightful consultant. Unlike the traditional "communication consultant", Helen doesn't focus on media releases, newsletters, annual reports, internal or external messages for the masses. She doesn't create communication strategies. Instead, she finds places in your workplace where poor applied communication among executive, management and staff at all levels is costing your organization money, and then she shows you and your people how to plug the leaks and stop this dollar drain. Helen calls this "The Hidden Profit Center", and it's the focus of her consulting practice. (For more information, visit http://www.HiddenProfitCenter.com)
A prolific author: Besides her books, "Message Received and Understood!" and "The Hidden Profit Center", her booklets and audio programs, Helen has had hundreds of articles published in a wide range of publications across North America (not to mention on the Internet, where she is constantly surprised at where her articles turn up!).
Helen is an active member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS), a sister organization to the National Speakers Association (NSA) and the International Federation for Professional Speakers. Her clients include a broad range of organizations, from major multinational corporations to professional and trade associations, professional service firms and government.

Helen is a seasoned professional keynote speaker on communication, and is equally comfortable addressing business leaders, middle managers and support staff. As Helen says, "Communication is the lifeblood of your organization, and if it stops flowing freely and efficiently, your organization will die."

American Chronicle: Communication: the high cost of doing it badly

2005-09-07T13:55:00.000-06:00

Communication. It's one of my obsessions. It's the engine that drives business in all its forms. It's also greatly misunderstood. I wrote a book called The Hidden Profit Center—a tale of profits lost and found through communication. It's a business fable, a fast, easy read—but one with a hardhitting message: poor communication costs enormous amounts of money.

Take a look at my article and see if you agree. Here's the link:

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=2272

I'd welcome your comments on the article and my ideas.

Management Skills—Networking: increase your ROI

2005-09-02T17:16:00.000-06:00

Networking requires an investment of time, money and effort.
Here are four ways to be sure your return on that investment
is worthwhile.

Decide what you want

Why are your attending networking events? Are you looking
for a new job? More business? Social contacts in a new home
town? Whatever your purpose, stay focused on it, or things
can slide into just another long lunch.

Attend the right event

If you are, say, a graphic designed looking for clients, why
spend your time at an event for graphic designers? OK, you
might be able to pick up some overload business from some
designer who is super busy, but that's a very small poor to
fish in. You'd be much better off mixing with folks from
businesses who use design work. Seems obvious, but it's
surprising how many people make this mistake.

Talk to the right people

Don't spend your valuable networking time chatting to people
you already know, who ar not in your traget group. It's
tempting, of course, because it's easy and fun—but it's not
networking! Look for new people and make the effort to meet
and greet them.

Keep track of your results

Every month or so, track back through your networking
opportunities. Who did you meet? Where did you meet them?
How did they fit with your reasons for being there? Did
anyone help you achieve your objective?

Of course, you'll also meet people who are pleasant
additions to your social circle, some of whom may even
become friends. Do include them in your success picture, but
if you find you make more casual acquaintances than the
people you are there to meet, you may need to change your
networking activites so that they bring you a higher Return
On Investment.

Presentation skills—essential management skill

2005-09-02T07:30:00.000-06:00

Public speaking: it's enough to send shivers up the spines of most of the population. But in business today, it's a normal part of the job. A few years ago, only people at a certain level in a company were asked to make presentations, but that's no longer the case. In an informal survey of my readers who are administrative assistants, for example, the majority said they were routinely asked either to make formal presentations or to give an informed opinion at a meeting, without notice.

I have been conducting presentation skills workshops for many years, and they are one of my most rewarding activities. That's because I can see the confidence levels of participants rise as they learn to gather and organize their thoughts, put them into a concise, practical format, and deliver their message effectively. If you would like to have me in to work with your people, drop me a line at hwilkie@mhwcom.com or call 416-966-5023.

If that's not practical for you, there is another way. Toastmasters. People all over the world have benefited from this first class organization, and now companies are opening up their own in-house Toastmaster clubs. Follow the link below to read about Dell Canada's success story.

However you do it, though, it's vital that you hone your presentation skills if you want to succeed in your career.

Dell Canada's Toastmasters story

Management skills: Challenge of the Multilingual Workforce

2005-08-31T17:34:00.000-06:00

There are many issues that face companies generally that also face managers and department heads on a smaller scale. This article from HR Magazine deals with one such issue: the multilingual workforce.

As you'll see when you click on the link below and read this article, there are many situations in a variety of workplaces where lack of understanding because of linguistic difficulties can cause misunderstandings, and even affect workplace safety. I recommend you read the article and then consider it from the standpoint of your own department.

Do you have even one person in your group whose native tongue is not English? That person may sound fluent, and you may have assumed he or she always understands everything that is going on. But what if you're wrong? What if mistakes are being made because the person is unwilling to speak up about a language difficulty?

As a manager, you need to be aware of these situations and take action. This is part of the vital "people skills" aspect of management. Check out the article, and feel free to post your comments below.

Multilingual workforce

Management skills: Morale suffers in impersonal workplace

2005-08-30T13:36:00.000-06:00

This illuminating article from the Chicago Sun Times comments on a recent poll on the subject of employee morale. Everyone, it seems, agrees that morale is down. Almost everyone also seems to agree on the reasons for this, prime among which is poor communication from the top. So why is nothing being done about it?

I wrote my book, "The Hidden Profit Center—a tale of profits lots and found through communication", to point out the enormous financial cost of poor communication. Some senior executives got the message and I have spoken on the subject to their people and helped them understand what they can do.

The article says, "Many high- and mid-level executives today are under too much pressure and moving too fast to take the time to communicate directly and personally with workers and give them understanding, insight and a preview of company policies and progress." That's true, and it's costing them huge amounts of money, employee turnover being just one of the factors.

As a manager, even if only of a small group of people, you need to take the time and make the effort to communicate with your people all the time.

Here's the link to the rest of the story: Morale suffers in impersonal workplace

Answer questions with respect

2005-08-29T08:05:00.000-06:00

Here's a piece of advice from the weekly tips of my friend and fellow speaker, Kelley Robertson. If you are not in sales, don't skip over this. Instead, think about the way you respond to questions from your subordinates and colleagues, and how you might be inadvertently souring your relationships with them. Here's the article.

I can’t get over how often employees make their customers feel stupid. It usually happens when the customer is unfamiliar with, or lacks knowledge of, the product they need or want. The employee is asked a “stupid” question and their tone often has a sarcastic tone while their body language shows frustration. In their attempt to “educate” their customers, they come across as condescending and superior. Here’s an example,
I recently tackled some home renovations (I’m the first to admit that this is NOT my primary area of expertise). I needed a few tools and when I asked the store employee how to use them, he spoke to me like I had left my brain at home. It was obvious he forgot that not all men are “Handy Andy’s.”
His actions cost the company that sale along with any other possible future sale from my household. I’m sure he didn’t intend this, but nonetheless, I will never, ever consider buying from that company or recommend it to anyone I know.
You may know everything about your product or service but just because your customer doesn’t, does not mean they are stupid. Watch your tone EVERYTIME you talk to your customers and prospects.

Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, is a professional speaker and trainer on sales, negotiating, and employee motivation. He is also the author of “Stop, Ask & Listen – Proven Sales Techniques to Turn Browsers into Buyers.” For information on his programs, visit his website at www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com. Receive a FREE copy of “100 Ways to Increase Your Sales” by subscribing to his 59-Second Tip, a free weekly e-zine available at his website. You can also contact Kelley at 905-633-7750 or email him directly at Kelley@robertsontraininggroup.com.

Managing change—communication is key

2005-08-15T15:33:00.000-06:00

Any kind of major change in the workplace causes a certain amount of concern among employees. Maybe it's downsizing, reorganizing or a shift in company focus. Whatever the reason, change is difficult.

As a manager, you'll want to minimize the atmosphere of fear and concern, and your best tool to do that is communication. The link below leads to an article that gives some good pointers on communication in times of change.

If you have experience of this challenge, or have any ideas on the subject, do leave your comments below.

The News-Press: Business - Communication to co-workers key in downsizing scare

Communication and technology—are they enemies?

2005-08-11T15:14:00.000-06:00

I've been worried about this question for some time. In our headlong rush to create technology that helps us say more things to more people on more subjects in more places faster than every before—have we lost the ability to communicate on a human level? I believe in the workplace this has happened more often than we think.

As a manager, you must communicate effectively with people below, above and beside you on the corporate hierarchy. If you don't, you won't be effective as a manager. So anything you can do to improve your skills in this area is an investment in your career.

"Crucial Conversations" is a fabulous book that addresses the art of discussing touchy things in a civilized way, and this article is an interview with the author. Check it out — here's the link.

IT Business Edge

Networking: an essential management skill

2005-08-11T14:23:00.000-06:00

Here's a great article by my friend and colleague, Lynda Goldman. Follow these tips next time you must attend a networking event, and see how much more successful you'll be.

Sales Exchange

E-mail accumulates when you are away

2005-08-10T08:00:00.000-06:00

I've just come back from a couple of weeks on vacation, which is why you haven't heard from me for a while. I spent all day yesterday wading through a pile of e-mail, which is how most managers spend their first day after vacation.

Here's a tip to lighten the post-vacation e-mail load. If you have even sporadic access to a computer, either a laptop or even an Internet cafe, do visit your e-mail as often as you can. Note I didn't say read it, or answer it, but just visit and it should last just five minutes or so. All you need do is quickly scan to trash any accumulated junk. Also, if you get a lot of e-zines as I do, put them all in a separate folder where they will stay until you have time to read them on your return. That will isolate the real messages, which makes it easier to deal with them on your return.

Try to avoid actually answering e-mail while you are on holiday because it takes your mind out of vacation mode. But just a few moments every couple of days or so can make life much easier when you get back.

Insecure bosses: what to do about them

2005-07-26T12:16:00.000-06:00

The link below will take you to a good article on how to deal with an insecure boss. Insecurity can take various forms, and you may not even have considered that your boss may be insecure --- you just know he or she is a pain in the neck!

Since you are reading this blog, I'm assuming you are also a manager, possibly a new one. If so, see if you see yourself in some of these descriptions. If so, take steps to correct the problem because, even though the article gives ideas on dealing with the issue, it really shouldn't be up to employees to straighten out their bosses. Check out the article below.

Business Columnists - The Idaho Statesman - Always Idaho

Have you visited my website? If not, check out the articles there, many of which will help you with various management skills issues you are facing.

Too much e-mail? Here's how to get it under control

2005-07-20T14:18:00.000-06:00

The following article from Barbara Hemphill, an expert in organization, gives excellent, usable tips on how to get your e-mail under control. Both incoming and outgoing e-mail can take up huge amounts of our time and add to the stress of daily work. According to Hemphill, it's not the amount of e-mail that's the problem, but how much of it we allow to hang around in our system.

Barbara's article starts here:

One of my favorite definitions of "organization" is "controlling the things you can control, so you can cope with the things you can't." At a recent seminar of regional sales reps of a large pharmaceutical company, attendees blamed their problems with e-mail on antiquated computers, non-user-friendly software, and lack of easy connectivity. While those three complaints were accurate, and were out of the attendee's control, further investigation demonstrated that enormous strides in productivity were possible while concentrating on the things attendees could control: knowledge and habits.

Tools for Managing E-mail More Effectively

Eliminate as much e-mail as you can by using a program which minimizes spam. There are a variety of possibilities. Ask your colleagues what they use. (Mine is iHateSpam.)
Invest some time to understand how your e-mail program can help you manage e-mail. One of the best investments I ever made was hiring a consultant to work with me a few hours to learn how to use "Rules" feature in my e-mail program to send messages directly into folders.
Create a system for regularly purging your e-mail. (It's one of the ways I make use of time on airplanes when I'm too tired to think creatively!)
If you are feeling the stress, here are some techniques for taming the e-mail tiger. (Important Tip: Be sure to read to the end of this e-zine for the most important technique of all!)

When You Send E-mail:

Use the e-mail subject line to clearly describe the purpose of your e-mail. This is helpful for the recipient (and for you, when you're trying to find a message you've sent to someone else.). For example, "Proposed Itinerary for Chicago 9/20/05 - CONFIRM by 7/25/05."
If your e-mail requires action on the part of the part of the recipient, and/or is urgent, say so by putting URGENT or DECISION in the subject line, or use the "urgent" notation provided by your e-mail program. Caution: Don't overuse, or you will be like the old fable of the boy who cried "wolf" too many times!
Include only one subject per email message. Not only will this method will simplify e-mail filing and retrieval, but it eliminates the possibility of someone reacting to the first issue, and missing the second, or forgetting to go back and deal with it.
When replying to e-mail, attach enough of the old message for the recipient to remember the content of the original e-mail, but delete unnecessary information or duplication.
Avoid communicating other people's e-mail addresses without their permission:
When sending an e-mail to multiple addresses, put your e-mail in the "To" line and the recipients in the "BCC" line.
When forwarding an e-mail, delete the addresses automatically included in the body of the forwarded e-mail.
If you are composing a lengthy or complicated e-mail, create the e-mail in your word processing program and then copy to your e-mail. If you have an e-mail glitch during the sending process, you can easily retrieve your message!
Avoid sending e-mail attachments whenever possible. Receivers are becoming more reluctant to open attachments due to the increasing prevalence of viruses that can come through attachments. One precaution is to send an e-mail alerting the receiver that you are sending a file in a subsequent e-mail.
When You Receive E-mail:

Set up your e-mail to not automatically download messages from the server over a certain size (30-50K will handle most relevant e-mail without attachments.) This is especially useful if you travel with no fast access.
"Clutter is Postponed Decision®" applies to your electronic In Box as well as your physical desktop. When you open your e-mail In Box, apply The FAT System™ (File-Act-Toss) to each e-mail:
File
Create electronic folders to file emails for future reference. Possibilities include:
Name of person
Name of project
Topic - e.g., "Statistics" "Humor"
Note this is a great place to apply the "Just-in-Time Reading™ method. File information and read only when you are ready to take action.
Most e-mail programs allow you to change the subject line of an incoming message. This can make it easier to retrieve the e-mail later.
Print out and store in paper files for future reference.
Act
Apply the 2-minute rule if possible. If you can take the necessary action in 2 minutes, do it immediately. If will take longer to file and retrieve again than to "just do it!"
Store in folders for future action. Possibilities include:
Print out (Helpful when you don't have access to printer)
Name of person (Note you can have a Reference File and an Action File for the same person. Reference is for items completed; Action for items yet to be completed.)
If you use Microsoft Outlook, you can turn e-mails into task. Left click on an e-mail and drag it to task folder and drop it, a task window will pop open with the e-mail appended to it. Write in the task, assign a priority, and a due date. Click Save. Now you can delete the original e-mail.
Change subject line to reflect action requited. For example, change the subject line "re:re:re: Annual Meeting" to "Call travel agent re: Chicago trip."
If you use a date file system (folders for 1-31; Jan-Dec), print out the related e-mail and file on the day you need it. This could include, for example, a map you need for an appointment, or a printed page of an e-mail to remind you to work on a project which has additional papers stored in e-mail folders.
Toss
Apply The Art of Wastebasketry® questions:
Does this require my action?
Can I identify a specific use?
Is it difficult to obtain again?
Is it recent enough to be useful
Are there tax or legal implications?
What is the worst possible thing that could happen if I toss this?
If you can live with your answer, delete and work happily ever after!
People often complain about the volume of e-mail they receive. However, as Mark Hurst (www.goodexperience.com) points out in his article, "Managing Incoming E-mail", the issue is not volume (the number of e-mails you receive), but "message count" (the number of e-mails in your In Box). He tells the story of the 1980s video game Tapper, in which the bartender must serve thirsty patrons as they advance the length of four bars. At any moment in the game, the payer's status can be determined by the number of customers who, by not receiving service, are nearing the edge of a bar and threatening to end the bartender's "life." Moment to moment, the bartender's survival has nothing to do with how many customers have entered the bar in the past. It only matters how many customers are currently distracting him with their demands for attention. So it is with e-mail.
The Most Important Tip of All

It is not how many e-mails you get. It is how many you let "hang around!" Your "In Box" is not a filing cabinet, a to-do list, a calendar, an address book, or a bookmark list. Although you have limited control over the number of e-mails you get, you have total control over the number you leave in your "In Box." In other words, your goal should be to "Keep your In Box empty!" Sound impossible? I thought so too - until I tried it with much success. I'd love to hear how it goes for you!

BARBARA HEMPHILL is CEO of Hemphill Productivity Institute, located in Raleigh, NC. Author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger series and Simplify Your Workday. She provides speaking and consulting services to help individuals and organizations increase productivity. She can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.ProductiveEnvironment.com

Communicate your department's business purpose clearly

2005-07-19T11:28:00.000-06:00

He link at the end of this post leads to an article about companies who can't clearly state exactly what they do. Now you may not be the one composing your company's mission so you may think this has nothing to do with you. But wait, I have a challenge for you.

Now you are a manager, so you presumably manage a department, a team or some other kind of business unit. What does that department do? What is its mission, its purpose? For example, maybe you are the head of the accounting department. You may think, well everyone knows what the accounting department does, so I don't need to explain it to anyone. But that's not true. Accounting departments function very differently and have different purposes depending on their larger organizations. The same thing holds true for human resources, marketing, sales and other departments.

First, read the article by clicking on the link. Then come back here. Next, I want you to sit down and consider exactly what your department does. Not its title, but the service it performs and for whom. If it is accounts receivable, for example, one of your services may be to collect late payments, thus keeping the company's cash flow in line. So the purpose would be the cash flow part, and the service is one of the things you to do fulfill it. See what I mean?

You can also involve your people in this exercise, which will make sure they buy into your vision for the department, and make it easier to use the purpose to make sure everyone is performing well in the future. When you know how you are contributing to the big picture, it helps grow pride in your job.

I'd love to know what you come up with, so I invite you to come back here after you're done, click on the comment link and tell me what your department's business purpose it.

That's the challenge. Are you up to it? If you are serious about being a good manager, you'd better be.

Business: Clear communication a challenge

More on respect

2005-07-18T13:51:00.000-06:00

A man I know had a bad experience at work recently. He has been with the company for seventeen years and has always had very good performance reviews. A year ago, a new manager came aboard. Even though George (not his real name) has continued to work in the same way as before, and has had no adverse comments from the new manager in the meantime, a recent performance review shocked him to the core. The written document accused him of poor performance, and the overall rating was the exact opposite to the one he has always received before.

To make matters worse, the manager has made disparaging remarks about George in front of his co-workers, who were as shocked as George. As a manager, you should never never never do this. If you must criticize or chastize a person, do it in private. And even in doing so, use language that criticizes the behaviour rather than the person. Calling someone stupid, or similar insults, is simply not acceptable.

Not surprisingly, George is looking for another job, and some of his co-workers are also thinking about it. The company will lose at least one good employee, possibly more—all because a manager did not show respect.

Treat people with respect

2005-07-17T14:50:00.000-06:00

People work for many reasons, money being just one of them. Studies repeatedly show that money is not the main motivator for most employees. Many things are suggested as being what people want most, including flexible working hours, vacations, opportunity for advancement, training and education and more. But the one thing that virtually EVERY study shows is that, overwhelmingly, people want RESPECT.

You can show respect for your employees in many ways: compliment them on doing a good job; praise them in public, criticize their work or behaviour in private, speak to them in a pleasant tone of voice; be considerate, even when you must deliver not-so-good news.

One of the best compliments you can receive as a manager is that you are fair. Those who strive to be liked can sometimes alienate the very people whose good opinion they seek. When you strive for fairness, however, you will have the respect of your employees and colleagues alike.

GOOD (and BAD) WRITING SKILLS STAND OUT on the JOB?(California Job Journal)

2005-07-16T14:51:00.000-06:00

Here's an article that speaks to something dear to my heart! You'll find this of interest whether you are someone who hires employees or someone who could at some time be looking for a new job.

Expressing yourself well in writing is a skill that used to be taken for granted, because schools gave it more importance that seems to be case now. But as you'll see when you read this article from the California Job Journal, many prospective employers use it to weed out unskilled candidates for jobs.

By the way, if you need some help with your own business writing skills, I have two learning tools at my website that can help you. Check them out:

Message Received and Understood!
101 Grammar Gaffes and How to Correct Them

GOOD (and BAD) WRITING SKILLS STAND OUT on the JOB?(California Job Journal)

Unfair treatment is poor management

2005-07-15T18:05:00.000-06:00

Earlier today I posted a piece about how relationships change when you become the manager of people who were once your peers. This is a related problem that sometimes occurs: you inadvertently play favourites among your people.

When you give preferential treatment to one staff member over others, you lose credibility as a manager. When the preference is due to superior work, you may be able to get away with it, but when it's due to a previous friendship, common interests or other non-merit reasons, you are asking for trouble.

Take some time out and take a calm look at how you interact with all your people. Are you scrupulously fair? Do you give the benefit of the doubt to some, while assuming others are at fault, without careful analysis of the situation? Make a point of going through this exercise at the end of each day. Think of your interactions with each person during that day. Your management diary or notebook is a good tool for this—I'll talk about that in another post.

Could you reasonably be accused of favouritism? If so, make it a point to rid your management style of this insidious problem, which will set other employees against you and make it more difficult to manage effectively.

Effective managers are fair managers.

The Manager's Journey

2005-07-15T11:02:00.000-06:00

If you've ever wished you could learn the skills of management without interrupting your day-to-day work, I have the answer for you.

Some companies do offer training for their new managers, but it's usually a one-shot workshop, three days of brain-numbing information overload—most of which is forgotten next day when reality hits. I don't believe that kind of training is effective, but I do believe it's stressful.

Because my clients have complained about this problem to me for years, I've now come up with an exciting solution. It's a program I call "The Manager's Journey", and I invite you to visit my main website and read all about it. It's a grand adventure! Just click on the title to this post and you'll be taken right to the page.

By the way, if you know other managers who'd like realistic training, do send them the link.

Manager or friend?

2005-07-15T10:28:00.000-06:00

When you've been promoted to manager in the department where you once worked, you have a unique challenge. People who used to be your peers, and perhaps in some cases your friends, now report to you. Many new managers try to wear both the "boss" and "friend" hats, which is a mistake. Although you will still want to be friendly and treat them well, you must make it clear from the outset that your relationship must now change.

I suggest you hold a meeting as soon as possible with your staff. Tell them how pleased you are that your new position still allows you to work with them, and that your knowledge of the group and their skills and talents will make your job easier. Do say that your relationship must change somewhat now, and that you hope you will have their support as you lead the team towards even more success than before.

Your staff will also be feeling a little awkward at this time, so addressing the situation up front is the best first step towards a "new and improved" relationship.

Career development for managers

2005-07-06T07:17:00.000-06:00

In the current issue of HR Magazine, writer Lisa Daniel gives some great practical approaches to developing your career as a manager. She covers subjects such as how to approach your own manager to explore advancement opportunities, how to develop the skills you will need, what research to do before the discussion and more.

Since she is writing in a Human Resources publication, Daniel focuses on HR managers, but you can apply these ideas just as easily no matter what area of management you are in. Click on the link below to access the article.

HR Magazine, July 2005 - On-the-Job Development

New managers need fast start help

2005-07-05T13:59:00.000-06:00

Follow the link below to an excellent article on Harvard Business School's Working Knowledge site. If you are responsible for orienting new people, particularly new managers, there's some great tips here. If you are a new manager, you can "reverse engineer" the techniques to help yourself.

HBS Working Knowledge: Leadership: Getting New Managers Up to Speed

Trust, communication and business success

2005-06-28T07:02:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I posted some thoughts about lack of trust resulting in lack of communication. Today I read this article that illustrates the huge business advantage of building trust and fostering communication at all levels.

Even if your management level is not yet high, you can still foster this environment of trust within your own group. Be sure that your people feel comfortable in communicating with you, even if the message is negative. YOU might not be too comfortable with their honest feedback at first, but you'll soon appreciate its value.

Check out the article for more evidence of the value of trust.

The Truth?

Poor Communicaton: cause or effect?

2005-06-27T17:05:00.000-06:00

A client recently complained about poor communication at her meetings. One particular person was singled out as having no communication skills because she never spoke up at the meetings. I spoke to the employee in question, though, and found that she was reluctant (scared, even) to speak up because when she had done so in the past she had been shouted down by a manager who didn't like anyone disagreeing with him.

That's not a communication issue. That's a trust issue.

As a manager, if you want honest feedback you must create an environment where it is safe to disagree and say so.

You may have this problem without even recognizing it

2005-06-24T08:27:00.000-06:00

This great article describes a situation that can arise in any department or group where there are more than a few people. Dealing with egos that are causing disruption and workplace problems is one of the most challenging management problems. After you read the article, you will have some tools to recognize the problem if it does exist in your group, and a couple of suggestions on how to deal with it. Do post your comments and things you have tried yourself --- they might help other readers!

LEGGO MY EGO! By Rhoberta Shaler, PhD :: Hotel News Resource

The Manager's Workday

2005-06-22T09:52:00.000-06:00

In my coaching work, young managers often express confusion about what they're actually supposed to do during their work day. Before, their tasks and functions were clear cut, and it was easy to see what they had accomplished at the end of the day. But now, as managers, the days look a little different and they sometimes wonder if they actually accomplished anything.

Is that you? Well, what might help is a mental shift in how you see things. A manager's job is to get things done through other people, so focus on what you want your department or team to accomplish.

For example, the coach of a sports team plans the tactics for the game, but can't go out on the field and actually play the game. So the coach's job is to see that the players follow the game plan in order to achieve the goal. This can entail some encouraging words as well as occasional disciplinary action to keep all the players on track. But when the plan works out, all the team wins --- the coach gets his or her share of the glory and it's well deserved.

Now put yourself in this picture. Design the plan, set it in motion and then guide your people to a successful end result --- you'll soon learn to recognize that as a worthwhile use of your day and you WILL be able to measure your accomplishments.

Workplace challenges and solutions

2005-06-21T07:15:00.000-06:00

The following article is written from an IT standpoint, but the 3 workplace situations it describes could apply to people in any discipline. See if any of these tips help your situation. As a manager, you might also consider whether these problems might be arising for the people who report to you, and if they do, take action before the problem escalates to the point where you lose good people. Here's the link to the article:

Computerworld | Simple Solutions to Tricky Workplace Challenges

Leadership or Management?

2005-06-20T16:02:00.000-06:00

There's a lot of talk about leaders vs managers. If you read all those aticles by leadership gurus, you might think "manager" is a bad word!

Here's my take on this. The higher up the corporate ladder you go, the less hands-on managing you're expected to do. So senior executives, for example, serve their companies best by shaping missions and leading people towards the big picture goals.

If you're still in the early stages of your management career, however, your focus needs to be different. The goals of your department will be more tightly focused, and you'll need to plan and monitor the people and processes needed to attain them. That's not leadership—that's management. It's an honorable pursuit, and without those who do it well, those at the top would have nobody to lead.

Employee motivation—again!

2005-06-18T11:13:00.000-06:00

Yesterday's paper contained a report on yet another study, this time by Robert Half International, that says people are motivated by recognition. The study polled 972 professionals in the marketing and advertising fields, and 76% said they were motivated to work harder and be more productive because their companies were good at recognizing their achievements. They said they were motivated by public praise and time off for extra effort just as much as by money.

What surprises me is that companies are still surprised by this! The same results come up in study after study, and yet many people still switch companies because they don't feel valued. What does it take to get companies to understand and act on this informaion?

As a manager, you don't need to rely on some official company procedure on this—fortunately! All you have to do is pay attention to your people. When someone makes an extra effort to finish a project against a tight deadline, thank them for a job well done and make sure they get credit for their efforts. Even small things can make operations run more smoothly and productively, so give a word of thanks at every opportunity. It's over twenty years since Ken Blanchard told us in "The One Minute Manager" to catch someone doing something right and thank them—the advice is even more important today.

Try it today!

Meetings, Meetings and More Meetings!

2005-06-17T12:48:00.000-06:00

As a manager, you have to hold and conduct meetings. There's no choice, because meetings are necessary under some circumstances. Too often, though, we call a meeting as a kneejerk reaction to something that happens. But sometimes we could deal with the issue without all the disruption caused by bringing people together for a meeting. So Helen's number one rule for meaningful meetings is:

Call only necessary meetings.

Could a series of phone calls, an e-mail or a memo serve the same purpose? Could you just walk down the hall and have a quick chat with someone and solve the problem without a full-blown meeting?

Are you calling a meeting for Monday morning because you always meet on Monday morning? That's a stupid reason for dragging people away from their offices to sit around a table and talk. In later posts I'll give you some tips to eliminate unnecessary regular meetings and, if you must hold them, to make them more effective.

Develop a reputation for calling meetings only when necessary, and people will be more willing to devote their time to them.

For more on "Helen's 9 Rules for Meaningful Meetings", visit http://www.mhwcom.com/pages/messrecundbook.html and read about "Message Received and Understood!"

Do you LOOK like a manager?

2005-06-17T09:25:00.000-06:00

Image, appearance, visual presentation—whatever you call is—is important to your management career. Some say we make up our minds about people within six seconds of meeting them. Obviously, these fast impressions are superficial, but if they are having such an immediate impact then surely it is worth managing them.

When you go to work every day, what does your appearance say about you? The gradual loosening of the rules around how we dress for work has been welcomed by most, but many have shown lack of judgement in how they apply the new styles. What is "business casual" anyway? It's openness to interpretation is what causes the problem. A great deal depends on the culture of your organization, what type of business you are in, your geographic location and whether it is a city or small town, and whether or not you meet personally with clients.

Take a look at how the senior executives in your organization present themselves, and consider how you might emulate them. If he always wears a jacket to meetings, don't show up in shirtsleeves; if she wears a smart pantsuit while others show up in jeans, veer towards her style. People relate to others who are like them—and your appearance is an important first step. In response to a survey I did on the subject of business casual dress, one woman said she liked to stay fairly formal because, as she said,"I'm young and pretty. It's hard enough to be taken seriously, and if I show up in jeans and a teeshirt I don't stand a chance." Is your appearance sabotaging your professional presence as a manager?

A word of praise works wonders

2005-06-16T13:23:00.000-06:00

A friend was complaining to me about the many troubles in her workplace. She finished by saying, "I could put up with all this other stuff if my boss would only once in a while let me know he appreciates my hard work!"

Don't be one of those managers who comment only when they have a complaint about a worker, and never give a word of thanks for a job well done. It sounds so obvious, and we read this advice everywhere, but it seems too many managers haven't got the message yet.

Try thanking your people often, whether for some special effort they made to get a project finished on time, or just for generally doing a good job for the company. It needn't be flashy, but just a thank-you and a smile. Try it - you'll be amazed at what a difference it makes in everyone's attitude, work habits and the environment around you.

Etiquette at Work - Speaking in another language

2005-05-29T17:44:00.000-06:00

A Boston Globe reader wrote about a problem with co-workers conversing in a language not generally understood by their colleagues. It's an interesting challenge that arises more than you might think. Check out the advice provided, and then post your comments to this blog. I'd be interested in your views.

Etiquette at Work - The Boston Globe - Boston.com - Business

Being smart is not enough to be a good manager

2005-05-27T15:23:00.000-06:00

If you're new to managing, or even if you're not new but have ever wondered how some managers bond with their people while others have a constant struggle, this article provides one possible reason. Interesting reading.

Snohomish County Business Journal

Encouraging the behaviour you want

2005-05-23T14:51:00.000-06:00

It's a truism in business that what is rewarded is repeated. However, as this article illustrates, sometimes in an attempt to reinforce one desirable behaviour, we inadvertently create another that has the wrong results. Read the article and then ask yourself if your rewards are creating problems in other areas.

Workplace 911 - (Benicia Article)

I'd love to speak at your company or event

2005-05-18T11:28:00.000-06:00

If you like my ideas, and if you need a speaker for a conference, meeting, in-house training or other gathering, let's talk about how I can help. The following is taken from the homepage of my website at
www.mhwcom.com and gives a fast overview of why you might invite me to speak. Why not visit the site to learn more - you can even view some videoclips of me speaking at various conferences. Here's the excerpt:

Helen Wilkie, Canadian keynote speaker on communication is:

A dynamic, enthralling keynote speaker. Whether your event is a small conference with 50 people in the audience or a convention for thousands, Helen Wilkie will deliver a message that makes them think, sets the tone or sends them off on a high note. Helen loves the big platform—and audiences love her!
A lively, engaging workshop leader. Whether she's leading a concurrent session at your conference or an in-house workshop at your company, Helen rolls up her sleeves and dives right in! With her encouragement and friendly prodding, her session attendees work hard, learn a lot, and have fun in the process.
An insightful consultant. Unlike the traditional "communication consultant", Helen doesn't focus on media releases, newsletters, annual reports, internal or external messages for the masses. She doesn't create communication strategies. Instead, she finds places in your workplace where poor applied communication among executive, management and staff at all levels is costing your organization money, and then she shows you and your people how to plug the leaks and stop this dollar drain. Helen calls this "The Hidden Profit Center", and it's the focus of her consulting practice. (For more information, visit http://www.HiddenProfitCenter.com)
A prolific author: Besides her books, "Message Received and Understood!" and "The Hidden Profit Center", her booklets and audio programs, Helen has had hundreds of articles published in a wide range of publications across North America (not to mention on the Internet, where she is constantly surprised at where her articles turn up!).

You've got mail, but who's got the rules?

2005-05-17T16:24:00.000-06:00

Frustration with the technology of communication seems to be growing, as people realize what I've been saying for years: communication technology gets in the way of communication.

Here's one writer's take on the process changes we are making in how we handle and respond to e-mail. It's worth considering how YOU should handle your e-mail.

You've got mail, but who's got the rules?

Online Recruitment - The magazine for recruitment and HR professionals involved in internet recruitment

2005-05-16T17:49:00.000-06:00

If you've sometimes observed your employees' behaviour on the job and asked yourself, "What on earth could he be thinking?", this article will be enlightening to you. Emotional intelligence accounts for much of what people do on the job, the ways they behave, the ways they react to situations and other people and many other things that puzzle managers. If you have to manage people, take a look at this. It'll give you a few "aha" moments.

Online Recruitment - The magazine for recruitment and HR professionals involved in internet recruitment

Survey on new manager skills training

2005-05-16T17:38:00.000-06:00

In preparation for an exciting new service I will be offering this fall, I am gathering information about the training that is given (or not given) to new or emerging managers. If that includes you (or a friend or colleague), I'd value your input.

To complete the survey (it takes just a few moments) please go to

http://www.surveymonkey.com/Users/71687446/Surveys/41371063429/F86CD111-6B84-470C-AA1B-2B92F22D1142.asp?U=41371063429

I'm sorry it's such a long link, and only part of it automatically becomes a hyperlink. So you need to actually copy the whole thing and paste it into your browser. This will take you directly to the survey.

The survey is completely anonymous - I have no way of knowing who you are. So please feel free to be honest and as complete as possible in your answers.

Thanks!

The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: Avoid "fighting words" in workplace

2005-05-09T07:30:00.000-06:00

This article from the Seattle Times deals with a communication issue with a customer. However, the advice applies just as well to co-workers, bosses and employees. Read the short article and consider whether you might be falling into this trap.

The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: Avoid "fighting words" in workplace

CNN.com - The right way to disagree at work - May 4, 2005

2005-05-04T14:55:00.000-06:00

Is disagreeing a form of communication? No, but conveying your disagreement is, and doing that the right way at work can mean the difference between resolving a problem amicably and escalating it to greater heights.

The link below will take you to an interesting article on the subject. There are some useful hints here that might just help you get along better with your fellow managers.

CNN.com - The right way to disagree at work - May 4, 2005

The manager's mindset

2005-04-27T16:11:00.000-06:00

Two new managers recently told me the same thing: they don't feel as if they are actually DOING anything any more! Because they were used to be the person who did the tasks to accomplish the objective, they felt strange now because the people reporting to them were doing the work.

This, my friend, is the management difference! Your responsibility is to accomplish the objective through the work of others. Now that you are a manager, you need to spend more time thinking and planning. You need to plan schedules, systems, new ways of doing things, reporting to those above you, tracking results and many more aspects of the work. That now becomes your work. If things are not going as well as you would like, you need to plan changes. If things are going well, you need to plan how to expand or do even better. This is the work of a manager, a management skill.

If things are breaking down, you may need to use your people skills to correct the problems. Managing people is one of the most challenging aspects of management --- after all, you can't accomplish your objective if your people don't do their work well, and it's your job to get them back on track.

Whatever you do, don't give in to the temptation to do the work for them just because that's your comfort zone. It's their job now. Your job is to lead the people and manage the process.

A micro-message can speak volumes

2005-04-17T17:50:00.000-06:00

In my coaching and speaking work I often talk about the importance of the words we use and the non-verbal cues we send out. This article speaks very clearly to this issue and it may make you think of how you could improve the way you deal with people in your workplace. If you have any comments or questions about the topic, please add your comments below.

A micro-message can speak volumes

Keep projects on schedule with 'huddles'

2005-04-02T19:04:00.000-06:00

Recently I was working with a couple of new young managers whose challenge was to keep a group of people on schedule to produce the company's high-ticket research reports. Information for the reports had to be received by certain pre-set dates, and other action items had to be done by certain dates. If these interim deadlines weren't met, there was a domino effect, with other deadlines being pushed back, projects threatened with not being ready, and everyone generally working in constant crisis mode. They were relucant to "nag" individuals who tended to be late, but needed a way to keep everything running on schedule.

After some discussion, we came up with an idea we called "huddles". Each time an interim deadline was approaching, they sent out an instant message that appeared on the computer screens of each team member (usually about six to eight people), saying something like this: "Huddle on project X, 10 a.m. outside Jennifer's office." (Jennifer was a member of the team.)

Everyone would arrive outside Jennifer's office --- yes, in the corridor outside the office! --- and stand around in a circle. The manager would reiterate what needed to be done by the upcoming deadline and check specifically with those concerned that everything was on track. If not, a way was found to provide help to ensure it was. This took about 5 minutes, and then everyone went back to work.

Both managers and team members had the comfort of knowing the project was on track, and nobody minded coming to the huddle because they knew it took just a few minutes. After using the huddles for a few weeks, both managers reported they had been very well received by team members and were succeeding in keeping projects on schedule.

Why not try this system in your department? If you have any questions about how it works, drop me an e-mail at hwilkie@mhwcom.com and I'll fill you in.

Watch your language

2005-03-28T08:30:00.000-06:00

This story is a good discussion of the use of slang vs appropriate business language. Whether we like it or not, the words we use speak volumes about us, and people in the workplace makes judgements based on those words. I suggest the following steps:

1. Read the article.
2. Pay attention to your own workplace language. If it leans towards slang or vernacular, work on it one word or phrase at a time and develop better language habits. If your social set uses a lot of slang, learn to switch between language styles as appropriate - this is discussed in the article.
3. Listen to the people who report to you. The image of your group or department is affected by the way they speak too, so it's in your interest to help them do a better job. It's also an important part of managing to coach your people to improve. Helping them use appropriate language is a good place to start. Here's the link:

Record-Journal

You're a manager now—don't forget to manage!

2005-03-22T12:17:00.000-06:00

A student in one of my workshops recently told of an unfortunate career experience he had. In addition to his former duties, he was given responsibility for managing two people who would report directly to him. He was a first-time manager and wasn't given any special training for the new responsibilities—which is very often the case in today's busy workplace.

Unfortunately, it was a particularly busy time for him, and he simply followed his usual practice of working on his own tasks—and more or less forgot to manage his people! After a short period, he was moved to another position—without anyone reporting to him this time.

The lesson for you as a new manager is this: create a new workplan that includes a component of managing the people who report to you as well as completing your own functional tasks. Make sure people know how to, and feel free to, approach you with questions or concerns so that you'll know about any potential problems before they are noticed by your own boss.

Herald.com | 03/14/2005 | Bad writing always leaves negative impressions

2005-03-17T09:48:00.000-06:00

According to this article, Corporate America is in a panic about poor writing skills, and is spending about $3.1 Billion a year on training programs.

Clearly, if poor writing skills are the norm, anyone with effective skills in this area will stand out from the crowd. As a manager, you should sharpen your writing skills in every way possible.

Herald.com | 03/14/2005 | Bad writing always leaves negative impressions

By the way, if grammar is a challenge for you, take a look at my own easy guide. It's available as an e-book at 101 Grammar Gaffes and How to Correct Them

HBS Working Knowledge: Leadership: Reinforcing Values: A Public Dressing Down

2005-03-14T14:03:00.000-06:00

Although this whole article is interesting, I direct your attention particularly to the section called "Reinforcing Good Habits". I'd call this "putting your money where you mouth is", and all managers would be well advised to follow this example.

HBS Working Knowledge: Leadership: Reinforcing Values: A Public Dressing Down

Great Manager

2005-03-13T14:02:00.000-06:00

Here's a great article for you folks just getting into management and wondering what direction to take. Great reading --- check it out! Here's the link.

Great Manager

The question as a listening tool

2005-03-12T17:36:00.000-06:00

Maybe you never thought of asking questions as a listening skill. After all, when you are questioning, you are speaking. That's true, but you are speaking with a view to eliciting information, so it is part of the listening process.

There are two kinds of question, each with its specific purpose:

Closed questions: those that can be answered with a single word or phrase. e.g. "Will you be at the meeting?" Answer: yes or no. Or "How many people will be at the meeting?" Answer: six. Use closed questions to get confirmation of facts.

Open questions: those that need more than a single word or phrase as an answer. e.g. "What are your thoughts on this?" or "How could we introduce this new method in our department?" or "Why should we be concerned about this development?" Use open questions when you want to broaden the discussion and encourage people to say more on a subject.

When someone makes a statment like, "We need better communication around here," ask some pointed questions before reacting. You might, for example, ask, "What specifically do you mean by that?" or even "What would you suggest?" This automatically separates the whiners from those raising serious issues.

Listening as a management tool

2005-03-11T16:23:00.000-06:00

An article in today's issue of News.com.au discussed the need to find and keep great talent, and said companies are spending huge amounts of money on incentives that are not working, because they are not what employees value. Here's an extract:

"Sandy Hutchinson of Mercer Human Resource Consulting said research carried out by the company showed the incentives companies used to keep employees were totally out of sync with what workers valued most highly.

"The research, which included an in-depth survey of more than 3000 working people, found employees rated receiving respect their number one motivator at work. This was followed by flexible work arrangements. Base pay rated sixth, benefits eleventh and bonuses twelfth.

"Ms Hutchinson said it was time companies stopped wasting money and started listening to their employees.

"There is a strong link between communication and trust and commitment and productivity," Ms Hutchinson said. "Too often the incentives employees actually want are far less expensive to implement than the things companies are spending their money on." (Read more at
finance.news.com.au/story/0,10166,12514093-31037,00.html)

I've always regarded listening as the undervalued and underused communication skill. It's particularly important for managers, so I'll be doing some posts on the techniques of listening. Stay tuned --- and in the meantime feel free to comment on this or any other post you see on this blog.

Management skills for new and established managers

2005-03-08T22:10:00.000-06:00

Hello! This is my first post to this new blog, which will be dedicated to helping managers both new and experienced sharpen the skills they need to succeed in business and their careers.

I plan to post my own thoughts and ideas, based on my speaking, consulting and coaching work. Since I read voraciously both on paper and on the Internet, I often come upon interesting views on management theory and practice and I will be bringing the most interesting and useful ones to my readers.

I'll bring you tips and techniques and specific how-to ideas, as well as ways of looking at management that may be new to you. I hope to build a large following of readers, and I hope they will ask me questions and provide feedback both on my answers and my original postings. If you're having a management challenge at work and you'd like an outside expert opinion, ask away and I'll do my best to provide a meaningful, useful response.

So keep checking in. I'll be posting often, and if you like what you find here, tell your colleagues in management and we'll build a community together.

Cheers,
Helen

2005-03-08T19:00:00.000-06:00

2005-03-04T09:42:00.000-06:00

Helen Wilkie