Coaching & Motivating

Coach for better results by stepping back

March 1, 2012

Many managers equate coaching with showing employees a better way to perform a task. But even if you do a great job demonstrating the “right” technique, there’s no guarantee observers will copy it successfully. Broaden your definition of coaching to include other, more motivating tools to produce better performance.

How to manage ‘super-qualified’ employees

August 31, 2011
With unemployment still running above 9% nationally, many people are taking jobs that are lateral—or even downward—moves in their careers. As a result, many managers are supervising employees who have far more experience than the job requires. Use the following guidelines to effec­tively manage overqualified workers and lengthen their stay:

Balance intense, bottom-line focus with a dose of fun

July 1, 2011
If you maintain a hard-driving, all-business-all-the-time personality, you may lose a chance to extract extra effort from your team. It’s better to project good-natured humor that raises everyone’s comfort level.

Put faith in worthy goals

May 1, 2011
You set goals for your employees and map steps they can take to achieve them. You also listen to your team and choose goals accordingly. But even if you gain their buy-in and support their efforts in goal attainment, there’s often a critical missing piece: Do your workers think they can reach the goal?

Power ahead with the 3 Rs

April 1, 2011
After 60 years of building businesses, Jack Nadel knows about managing people. And he’s devised a simple success formula. “You succeed with relationships, results and rewards,” says Nadel.

The 6 biggest retention mistakes … and how to fix them

February 14, 2011
With unemployment still floating above 9%, it’s a bit easier to find good employees. But keeping the best people never has been and never will be easy. What can you do to keep them around? A recent Harvard Business Review pointed to these key retention mistakes and solutions to fix them:

Give orders that groups want to fill

February 1, 2011
Part of your job as group leader is urging team members to do what you want. Whether it’s to think or act a certain way, you need to plant seeds of awareness in their heads and ensure they follow through.

Keep the flame alive: Simple ways to motivate employees

September 27, 2010
It’s more important than ever for supervisors to create an environment that supports, motivates and empowers their employees. Here are some step to take.

Persevere the hard way

August 1, 2010
Words of wisdom about determination and accomplishing your goals.

Mix praise with future promise

August 1, 2010
Declaring what you want people to accomplish and urging them to follow through can be effective, but motivators also use accounts of past triumphs to rally staffers to excel. Here’s how.