Tips for Managers

Show, don’t tell, to empower workers

January 2, 2020
It’s not enough to merely tell employees that they are “empowered” to make business decisions. The best managers find ways to show employees that they are empowered. Here are three tactics you can use to let employees know you trust them to make decisions.

Conduct accountability conversations

January 2, 2020
Don’t be frustrated about mistakes. Be frustrated by employees’ refusal to take responsibility for them. Follow this process to encourage employees to take ownership of their mistakes.

Put an end to the excuses

January 2, 2020
The next time a co-worker or employee says “I wasn’t sure what you wanted, so I didn’t move forward” or something along those lines, follow these steps.

Address gender communication gaps

January 2, 2020
Here are three common—albeit not all-inclusive—differences and what you can do as leader to bridge the communication gap between male and female employees.

Important message? Deliver it yourself

January 2, 2020
You certainly don’t need to communicate everything yourself, but there are also some messages you shouldn’t entrust to others. The question is, how should you decide which is which? Here are four criteria.

7 things not to say when firing

January 2, 2020
It’s inevitable: At some point in your career, you are going to have to fire someone, and it’s up to you to lead the termination meeting. When you do, make the situation less horrible for both of you by avoiding the following seven phrases.

Tactfully reject workers’ ideas

December 13, 2019
Smart managers create an environment in the workplace that breeds ideas. However, not all ideas are good or practical. Use these tactics to safely deliver negative feedback.

Create a culture of feedback

November 20, 2019
It’s an art, not a science, and it’s learned through repetition. It isn’t just a nice-to-have skill; if you want to be an effective leader, you must learn to do this.

Don’t solve problems by whitewashing

November 20, 2019
Employees who are in the wrong rarely receive the message because they don’t view their actions as problematic. The rest of your employees resent being reprimanded for one person’s deeds. Use this approach instead.

2 mistakes when managing change

November 20, 2019
According to a study by Zenger/Folkman, a leadership development consultancy, if you want to successfully lead a change, avoid doing the following.