You can come up with an innovative marketing campaign, hire a celebrity spokesperson, or build the best product, but there’s truly nothing like word of mouth. Your existing customers will always outsell you 10 to one. After all, people will trust a recommendation from a next-door neighbor more than any promotional information you have to offer. […] Read more… Read More»
Technology and the internet have made telecommuting a convenient choice for today’s businesses and workers. The incentives are clear: for employers, lowered office expense; for employees, flexible work location. Businesses that utilize virtual teams know personal connections are important for team engagement and productivity. Several tactics can help virtual groups create the needed human connection…. Read More»
Some people are so disrespectful in their message delivery or unaware of how their actions negatively impact others that it is easy to get distracted by their bad behavior. Focus on the content of their message and try to understand what is important to them. You can do this by asking considerate and thoughtful questions which demonstrate respect for what they have to say. It will also help you to understand their perspective, and not be derailed by their antics. … Read More»
Just like anything of lasting impact, huddles require dedication and commitment. Don’t be discouraged if it takes a while to get everyone bought into the concept. Likewise, you’ll need to experiment with the flow and pace of your huddle to fit your company’s personality. Emphasize that huddles are not being implemented as a flavor of the month program…. Read More»
With summer come thoughts of sunny beaches and lazy days filled with sunscreen and exotic, tiny-umbrella-adorned drinks. At least, that’s where our thoughts are. First we have to deal with Mid-Year Performance Reviews. Although reviews are becoming a thing of the past, replaced by more frequent, regular feedback, they remain in widespread use. They also remain a significant source of stress for managers and employees alike. That stress stems primarily from our discomfort expressing and accepting negative feedback…. Read More»
Not long ago, promotions went to employees with the most technical expertise. Companies bent over backward to gain specialized industry knowledge, so it made sense to promote based on its merit. But the times, as they say, are a-changin’. At a certain point in history, technical ingenuity began to take a back seat to interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence. In fact, a recent study by Harris Poll found that 77 percent of employers believe these “soft skills” are as important as talents directly related to specific job functions…. Read More»
I once worked in an office where, at some point along the way, management instituted the policy that creatives shouldn’t communicate directly with managers in charge of client services. Staff managers were interlocutors with whom we creatives communicated with client services. As a result it took hours, and sometimes days, to perform tasks we could have done in minutes. Let’s just say the system was flawed because, without open communication, it created frustration…. Read More»
The responsibilities of any business leader include setting company goals and developing plans to reach them. Setting goals, however, is only half the battle. To achieve success, you need your employees to buy into those goals and dedicate themselves to meeting them. You can’t run the business by yourself, but your employees can’t help you if they don’t know what you want to accomplish. So, how do you effectively share company goals with your employees? We asked the experts at the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) to weigh in.
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Accountability is both the sweet spot and Achilles heel of many leaders. Leaders learn early the importance of “holding associates accountable” for results. Despite its downbeat reputation accountability, effectively executed, remains the keystone for trust between leaders and associates, and associates with their customers…. Read More»
Your employees are tough enough to handle a few negative comments. Quality employees welcome it. Really, how else could they grow personally and professionally without a few critiques? So, it’s no surprise two-third of employees who responded in the What’s New In Employee Management Trends report by my company, Quantum Workplace, want immediate feedback – even when it’s negative…. Read More»
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