Management Skills

Exit interviews bare big problems

January 1, 2010
Two of your best technicians quit recently. In conducting their exit interviews, you learned that their primary reason for leaving was the poor leadership of upper management.

Level with people when you deliver bad news

January 1, 2010
Telling employees what they don’t want to hear isn’t pleasant. The message itself may be painful to say. And their reactions can upset you. By leveling with people, you go a long way toward earning their respect.

The hunt for a blabbermouth

December 1, 2009
You let slip confidential information to a group of employees. You immediately realized your mistake, so you asked them not to tell anyone what you said. Unfortunately, your plea went unheeded.

Manage combatants to see past their differences

December 1, 2009
When two employees argue, you don’t want to get stuck in the middle. But as a supervisor, you need to do something.

Three goals for December

December 1, 2009
Use positive language to gain compliance … Respond to complaints with wise questions … Audit the accuracy of the data that you rely on.

Find a straw to stir the drink

December 1, 2009
Baseball star Reggie Jackson proclaimed himself “the straw that stirs the drink.” You may not manage someone with Jackson’s ego. But you probably supervise a worker who expects star treatment.

Improve production and morale of your new hires

December 1, 2009
Want to improve the production and morale of your new hires? Host monthly calls or meetings where you track their development and address their questions or concerns.

Not another reorg!

December 1, 2009
Gus, a director at a natural gas utility firm in the Northeast, discusses his attempt to preserve morale amid the latest in a series of companywide reorganizations.

Preach tolerance at work

December 1, 2009
December is a good time to explore religious tolerance in the workplace since many faiths celebrate holy days this month.

Simplify new employee orientation with e-mail summary

December 1, 2009
When hiring employees, especially off-site workers, streamline the orientation process by sending an e-mail with everything they need to know.