Should bosses and employees friend each other on Facebook?
InformedDebate from The Costo Connection Bosses and their employees see each other every day at work and may even see each other as friends. But should they friend each other on Facebook as well? Some say yes, if you know how to set up some online restrictions. Others argue that it’s inappropriate on Facebook because…
How Positive Thinking Builds Your Skills, Boosts Your Health, and Improves Your Work
by James Clear Positive thinking isn’t just a soft and fluffy feel–good term. Yes, it’s great to simply “be happy,” but those moments of happiness are also critical for opening your mind to explore and build the skills that become so valuable in other areas of your life. Finding ways to build happiness and positive…
4 Ways to Get Honest, Critical Feedback from Your Employees
by Ron Carucci I recently observed a town hall meeting where a new leader had just been promoted to run his division. In his introductory remarks, many – including me – were struck by his declaration, “One of the things you’ll find is that I’m very self-aware and open to feedback.” Even from the side…
Say Nice Things About Your Coworkers Whenever You Can
Adapted from “The Benefits of Saying Nice Things About Your Colleagues,” by Jane E. Dutton and Julia Lee Whether we realize it or not, we are constantly given small opportunities to build up or put down our coworkers. If we’re introducing two colleagues, telling a story about how a meeting went, or sharing a colleague’s…
To Keep Your Employees Engaged, Be Curious and Challenging
Adapted from “How to Make Work More Meaningful for Your Team,” by Lewis Garrad and Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic Leaders play a significant role in helping employees understand why their jobs matter, but it’s not just about connecting their work to a larger purpose. You can also do it by demonstrating curiosity: Explore, ask questions, and engage…
Harvard Study Says This 1 Personality Trait Makes You Extremely Unlikable
by Betsy Mikel No one wants to be perceived as the annoying person in any social situation. But what if you are that person and don’t even know it? If you’re prone to the humblebrag — be it in a meeting at work or in your social media posts — then you just might be….
Why Leaders Should Make a Habit of Teaching
by Sarah Green Carmichael Every industry has leaders who see themselves not just as managers, but as teachers. And new research shows that approach strengthens not only the manager-employee bond, but also employee performance. Sydney Finkelstein, a professor of management at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, encourages leaders to approach their direct reports…
How to Ask Your Boss for Time to Learn New Things
by Rachael O’Meara We all want to learn and grow. Improving our skills and being exposed to new ideas not only makes us better at our jobs but makes us happier and more engaged at work. But with a full-time job, it can be tough to find the time and resources to dedicate to personal…
Emailing While You’re on Vacation Is a Quick Way to Ruin Company Culture
by Kate Denis Companies expend untold energy building culture—defining their values, revamping their office space, organizing holiday parties and volunteer outings. And yet many managers don’t seem to realize that while company culture can be really hard to build, it’s incredibly easy to destroy. And you may unknowingly ruin it in just two steps. Step…
Be Kind to Yourself When You’re Feeling Stressed Out
by Harvard Business Review Burnout is a serious problem at work. It can make you feel emotionally exhausted, cause cynicism, and hinder your job performance. If you notice these signs of extreme stress, resist the urge to beat yourself up — that will only make the situation worse. Instead, have some empathy for yourself and…
Praise Someone the Way They Want to Be Praised
Adapted from the HBR Guide to Performance Management Recognition is one of the most powerful tools a manager has, but not everyone wants their good work to be called out in the same way. Acknowledging someone’s work is meant to make them feel special — and it’s hard to feel special if a corporate procedure treats…
6 Things You Need to Keep Your Employees Happy (No, Money Isn’t One of Them)
by Glenn Leibowitz You might have seen the Gallup statistics that show that one out of two workers say they are “not engaged” with their job, while another 17 percent say they are “actively disengaged.” Even if you haven’t seen these numbers, evidence of employee disengagement often stares you right in the face in the…
Good Manners Are a Career and Business Necessity
by Jacqueline Whitmore Rude behavior is not only bad etiquette; it’s bad for business. Unfortunately, it’s a growing problem in the workplace. In a University of Florida study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, lead author Trevor Foulk provided warning evidence that everyday impoliteness can spread throughout the work environment. “We are generally tolerant…
As Your Culture Goes, So Goes Your Company
by Grant Cardone Every great company requires a foundation, and the foundation of a company is its culture. I’ve known this for a long time, that’s why I spend much energy making sure the culture at my companies match who I am. It’s my company, so I want to drive the culture. If you fail…
How to Deal with a Boss Who Stresses You Out
by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic Discussions of leadership tend to focus on its positive outcomes, such as innovation, employee engagement or organizational performance. However, for the majority of employees, the leaders in their organizations are a source of stress rather than inspiration. Indeed, for every transformational leader and emotionally intelligent manager out there, there are dozens of toxic…
I’ve Spent 30 Years Studying Top Companies. The Best Workplaces Share These 7 Traits
by Chris McGoff A peak performance culture happens when people choose to adopt three specific ways of being and practice seven disciplines. Ways of being are choices you and your peers make about how you live, behave, and how you show up to others. In a peak performance culture, everybody advocates for the following behaviors…
Why Successful People Never Bring Smartphones into Meetings
by Dr. Travis Bradberry You are annoying your boss and colleagues any time you take your phone out during meetings, says new research from USC’s Marshall School of Business, and if you work with women and people over forty they’re even more perturbed by it than everyone else. The researchers conducted a nationwide survey of…
7 Ways to Sincerely Encourage Your Employees
by Beth Miller Encouragement is not praise. Done well, encouragement can lead to success for an employee — at which time praise is appropriate. You see, encouragement is the act of providing positive feedback that focuses specifically on effort and/or improvement, rather than specific outcomes. Praise is given when success has been achieved. The ability…