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Tips for tough terminations
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementA problem employee can have a ripple effect of toxicity in a department or organization. Oftentimes, as leaders, we know the employee must be fired but are unable to gather the evidence we feel is air-tight enough to make the case. Here are a few tips for tough terminations.
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How to cut the stress from frequent business travel
Lisa Mulcahy Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementAre you on the road two weeks or more out of the month? If so, there's a pretty good chance you feel more than a little burned out. A Columbia University study found that professionals who travel for business at this rate suffer more anxiety and depression than their non-traveling colleagues, are more likely to be smokers, tend to lead a sedentary lifestyle, drink too much alcohol and have trouble sleeping. All of these factors will not only make you miserable now, but can lead to a range of long-term health issues. So how can you regain your equilibrium and sense of well-being?
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When sympathy goes wrong
Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementHave you ever hired a person, not because you thought they would be an asset to your company, but simply because you felt sorry for them? You think, “no one else would ever hire this person,” or “they have a rough life and deserve a break.” Having sympathized with their circumstances, you bend over backwards to keep this person employed to give them an opportunity for a fresh start. In short, you’ve forgiven a lot of transgressions because of misplaced sympathy.
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Like basketball, master the fundamentals to improve the association
Robert C. Harris Association Management"Get the fundamentals down and the level of everything you do will rise," said Michael Jordan. The principle applies to both basketball and associations. Basketball engages an array of people and elements, including the players, coaches, owners, arena staff, referees, fans and media. Every component has to master the basics to be effective. Associations, too, have many elements that must interface to achieve the desired results.
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The only ways companies can survive big mistakes
S. Chris Edmonds Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementEven when an organization has a very healthy organizational culture — as in Starbucks' recent case — a "failure of leadership" by one store manager can put the company’s entire reputation at risk. People make mistakes every day. But the glaring spotlight of national media on your workplace could be one incident away. Is your organization prepared to respond effectively when a grave mistake is made? These three steps can help your organization "do the right thing" immediately and live your organization’s servant purpose and valued behaviors under intense scrutiny.
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Personality tests: The forgotten leadership tools
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementBuzzwords, trends and the constant refreshing of new options can make us forget the tried and true or even recently passed solutions. Personality tests can be excellent tools for improving productivity, team-building, communications and career development. As such, they are extremely practical leadership tools that should neither be forgotten nor overlooked. Here are a few reasons to add these tools back into your leadership toolbox.
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Practical considerations for deciding whether to rehire former employees
D. Albert Brannen Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWhen the labor market gets tight and skilled candidates for employment are scarce, employers often wonder whether they should rehire former employees. No perfect answer exists to this question. The correct answer depends upon the circumstances of each situation. This article outlines the pros and cons of rehiring former employees and some practical steps if you ultimately decide to rehire a former employee.
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Career development and the wine glass theory of management
Hank Boyer Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementWhen someone says management, do you immediately think of someone with staff reporting to him or her? One of the myths about career progression is that in order to be a manager, you must have staff reporting to you. While many managers have one or more levels of staff reporting to them, there are those functions that require management oversight but little or no staff reporting to the manager of the function. In our training program, we use a wine glass to illustrate how people start at the bottom in a career, develop upward, and then come to a decision point at the bottom of the cup of a wine glass.
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How to give a more humane evaluation
Lisa Mulcahy Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementFew face-to-face meetings are more nerve-racking for employees than biannual or annual evaluations. Because of this fact, it's key for a manager to understand that even if the criticism you must dispense during these meetings is constructive, a nervous worker will most likely hear your words as coming from a negative place, and this can instantly foster distrust of you as a supervisor. How can you provide your employees essential feedback with the utmost humanity and respect so they will feel supported and ready to implement your instructions for their work without any hard feelings?
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5 ways to get the most out of any conference
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementAttending a conference with anyone else from your organization is a great opportunity to build, strengthen or even repair relationships. Take the time to network with purpose. For example, commit to learning something new about a team member, strengthen a relationship with someone outside your normal work circle or take action to repair any misconceptions or old wounds. Of course, conferences are also a great time to expand your network outside the office.
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