Communication

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.

You’re angry! But before lashing out …

March 24, 2021

Ideally, the workplace should be governed by rationality and consideration, but destructive emotions sometimes flare up—especially when you feel you’ve been betrayed, insulted, or attacked. This three-step strategy can help.

Take emotion out of tough talks