Coaching & Motivating

Keep those mavericks in line

February 12, 2021
You’ve got a star performer who’s difficult to control. The advantages of his or her high performance may be obvious, but you can’t let even your best people ignore rules and do whatever they want. Here are some suggestions for reining your mavericks in.

Deliver a bonus with some style

February 1, 2021
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Dig for the bad news — and motivate

January 27, 2021
We’ll bet you’ve experienced this scenario before: An employee reports that a difficult task has gone well, but you know that he or she has been worried about it nonetheless. Hand out praise and congratulations for doing the job, but also ask a few questions to uncover the difficulties the worker has encountered.

Ditch these negative words when coaching

January 27, 2021
Words matter when you’re coaching an employee. As you coach employees and teams, avoid these counterproductive words and phrases.

Lift spirits during tough times

January 13, 2021
Motivation is easy when business is good and your organization is running smoothly. It’s more of a challenge when you hit a rough patch. Here’s how to keep employees motivated when things are going wrong.

Make people feel important

January 13, 2021
You can’t give every high performer a raise or a promotion, but as a leader you want to help them feel valued in your organization. What to do?

Tips to empower employees

January 8, 2021
Empowering employees isn’t easy. Some employees will resist your efforts, while others will embrace them enthusiastically—and overstep their bounds. Follow these recommendations, from the Harvard Business Review.

Cultivate engagement

January 8, 2021
Engagement doesn’t spring up overnight in any workplace. Like a garden, it needs to be carefully cultivated. Here are some seeds to plant and tend.

Help staff find their own answers

January 8, 2021
Often the best way to help employees find solutions is to ask questions of your own. Try these tactics.

What to do with your marginal employees

January 8, 2021
In many cases, working with marginal employees to improve their performance can be well worth your while. Try this step-by-step approach to lift them to the next level.