Communication

Scuttlebutt may hold bits of truth

November 25, 2020
Here’s a common situation: An employee informs you of a co-worker’s faults or misdeeds. Although most of the tale sounds like gossip, some details sound as though they could be true. Certainly you don’t want to support gossip, but you have to get at the truth. Try this approach.

Verbally attacked? How to reply

November 25, 2020
When tempers flare in the workplace, your response tells employees a lot about the kind of behavior that’s acceptable. Keep your cool, and try some of these replies.

Turn spats into constructive dialogues

November 11, 2020
Office conflicts don’t have to be destructive. For example, imagine that two employees disagree over the best way to complete a task or solve a problem, can’t resolve their quarrel, and dump it in your lap. To help these two get back to work quickly, try this approach.

New policy? Explain all the angles

October 29, 2020
Drafting and crafting employee policies can take a lot of time and effort, neither of which you want to see wasted because employees don’t know or don’t care what you’ve created. To communicate your policies with impact, be sure to answer these questions.

Difficult talks? Prep for these reactions

October 29, 2020
Difficult conversations with employees about poor performance or inappropriate behavior can be even harder if they resist your feedback. Be alert for the most common forms of resistance.

Resolve disputes with 5 questions

October 23, 2020
Here are five questions that can help you create a working relationship focused on solving your mutual problem.

What employees need to know

October 7, 2020
What should your employees know about your organization, and their jobs and careers within it, in order to contribute to the group and reach their own goals? Start the learning with these seven topics.

Answer workers’ questions—even the annoying ones

October 7, 2020
Leaders must answer questions well, and the first step is overcoming the annoyance you sometimes feel when an employee drops a question on your plate.

A better way to ask questions

September 23, 2020
When you ask employees questions, the way you ask influences not only the answers they give, but also your relationship with the employees afterward. It’s easy for a simple question to appear like an aggressive one to employees. Here are some examples.

Tactfully help grieving employees

September 23, 2020
When an employee suffers a personal crisis, such as the death of a loved one, it can be difficult to know how to respond. Of course, you want to express sympathy, but you may feel the need to balance your roles as both manager and acquaintance or friend. Here’s what you can do.