Coaching & Motivating

Show, don’t tell, to empower workers

January 2, 2020
It’s not enough to merely tell employees that they are “empowered” to make business decisions. The best managers find ways to show employees that they are empowered. Here are three tactics you can use to let employees know you trust them to make decisions.

Conduct accountability conversations

January 2, 2020
Don’t be frustrated about mistakes. Be frustrated by employees’ refusal to take responsibility for them. Follow this process to encourage employees to take ownership of their mistakes.

Avoid 5 dangers of praising

December 20, 2019
Praise is one of the most popular forms of motivation. Surprisingly, however, it may not always work as intended. Here are five reasons to praise carefully or not at all, from the book Management of the Absurd, by Richard Farson.

Wield the 6 principles of influence

October 31, 2019
“Being Indispensable” podcast host Liz Van Vliet applies Dr. Robert Cialdini’s principles to an EA’s role.

Compassionate management: How supervisors can help employees deal with ADHD

September 13, 2019
In recognition of October being ADHD Awareness Month, here’s a look at dealing with ADHD at work and what managers can do to help.

Motivate entry-level workers

August 28, 2019
Motivating rising stars is a breeze. But trying to ignite the passions of minimum-wage workers requires more effort. They may not feel like true participants in the company’s success—unless you go the extra mile. Here’s how.

4 ways managers can cultivate intrinsic motivation

August 14, 2019
Intrinsically motivated employees want to succeed because of the internal benefit they experience—like pride or perhaps the internal satisfaction of simply feeling they’ve been productive.

Out of the doldrums: How to reignite your employees’ passion

July 29, 2019
Just as partners benefit from checking with one another to gauge fulfillment levels and figure out how to grow together, managers who take an interest in maintaining a passionate staff reap great rewards.

Remember your food service industry days? You should

July 11, 2019
Back when you were scratching to make ends meet, you may have had a job as a server or in a kitchen. The culinary world has a few unique and cherished traditions that are worth carrying over into a leadership position. What might the equivalent of these traditions be where you work now?

3 ways to turn your employees into intrapreneurs

June 28, 2019
When your team feels supported and encouraged to turn their invaluable, firsthand knowledge into the catalyst for ongoing improvement, you evolve your employees.