Communication

There’s no excuse to put off conducting ‘stay interviews’

October 19, 2021
Stay interviews are a way for leaders to have open discussions about what may tempt team members to exit the organization. As simple and as effective as this practice is, it’s too often forgotten, overlooked or ignored. Don’t let any of these excuses keep you from conducting stay interviews.

Master your digital body language

October 6, 2021
Erica Dhawan, author of Digital Body Language, identifies many ways in which digital communication is different from traditional body language so you can more effectively convey your message in the digital realm.

8 tips for having difficult conversations via videoconference

September 23, 2021
Remote and hybrid work arrangements will almost certainly remain part of the management landscape in the months and years to come. That means it’s time to formalize ad hoc processes that emerged during the pandemic. Whether meeting with employees yourself or training supervisors how to interact with team members, these tips can make it easier to use Zoom for talking about matters that normally warrant face-to-face interactions.

Are you a loud listener?

September 8, 2021
You call yourself a “business leader.” However, if your team members cannot characterize your relationship with them as a fluid, ongoing conversation, then you’re little more than an actor delivering a boring monologue on a stage that’s about to collapse.

12 perceptive exit interview questions

August 27, 2021
Here are 12 of the best exit interview questions to ask when you conduct exit interviews. Be sure to approach each question from a place of wanting to listen and learn.

Break in tactfully when conversations wander

May 27, 2021
Talking with employees is part of your job, but what if an employee tends to go on and on—and rarely about the work topic at hand? Interrupt the right way and draw the conversation back on track without morale-destroying rudeness.

Use judicious threats to propel talks

May 27, 2021
When you’re working out a problem with employees, vendors, or customers, making threats can be risky. People resent them, and you may decrease the likelihood of cooperation and even risk inciting revenge. Yet, as negotiation experts Adam D. Galinsky and Katie A. Liljenquist point out, threats can be effective—if you follow these three principles.

How to tease opinions out of staff

May 26, 2021
Here’s how to tap employee opinions on a variety of subjects.

Disseminate info by ‘cascading’

May 12, 2021
In a large organization, “cascading” is often the best way to get information out to employees. When the CEO can’t address the entire workforce, he or she talks to managers who then communicate the news to their individual departments. It’s efficient, but not problem-free. Rely on this advice.

Don’t let disagreement turn nasty

April 14, 2021
Few of us enjoy dealing with conflicts in the workplace, but as a manager you can’t let unnecessary drama disrupt productivity. Take these steps to defuse disagreements before they turn ugly.