Dealing with inept boss buggaah s

 

AUGUST 5, 2011 Friday  Cope with Your Incompetent Boss Everyone complains about his or her boss from time to time. But dealing with a truly incompetent boss is frustrating and exhausting. Here are three strategies to handle the situation: Have empathy. Resist the temptation to demonize. Resist the temptation to demonize, and try to see things from your boss's perspective. Perhaps she is under extreme pressure from her superior. Or, maybe he is still learning the skills to do his job. Create boundaries. Don't let the circumstances get you down. Put up psychological limits so that your boss's incompetence doesn't negatively impact your health or well-being. Move on. When all else fails, consider looking for a transfer to a new boss or a new employer. Don't suffer needlessly. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Dealing with Your Incompetent Boss" by Amy Gallo.

Online advt campaign, 3 tips

 

AUGUST 3, 2011 Wednesday

3 Ways to Help Consumers Express Themselves

A marketing campaign's success used to be judged on impressions: how many people saw, heard, or read an ad. In this new era of networked customers, smart marketers also pay attention to consumer expressions — anything from a comment to a "like" to a forward of your content. Here are three ways to make the most of expressions: Embrace them. Consumers can generate more messages than you ever could. Don't fight the flow. Instead, feed it with content consumers will want to pass on. Facilitate, don't control. Participate in the conversations consumers have about your products but don't try to direct them. It's fruitless and often stifling. Set the record straight only when necessary. Not every consumer expression is positive. Chime in when you must but also allow your fans to speak on your behalf.

Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Coca-Cola Marketing Shifts from Impressions to Expressions" by Joe Tripodi.

Web break refreshes !

 

AUGUST 22, 2011 Monday

A Web Break Makes People More Productive

Students who took a 10-minute internet break after a tedious task were 16% more productive afterward than those who rested by doing non-web activities such as talking on the phone or texting, according to a study by Don J.Q. Chen and Vivien K.G. Lim of the National University of Singapore. The experiment, involving 96 undergraduates, showed that browsers were less exhausted after the break and more engaged with their subsequent work. "Browsing the Internet serves an important restorative function," say the researchers, who presented their findings recently at the annual meeting of the Academy of Management.

Source: Internet browsing at work? It's a pause that refreshes workers and enhances their productivity, new research finds

culture matters . Apology or thanks ?

 

AUGUST 17, 2011

Apologize or Thank? It Depends on Your Culture

When asking favors, Koreans tend to apologize, and Americans tend to thank, according to Hye Eun Lee of the University of Hawaii and Hee Sun Park of Michigan State. In an experiment in which more than 200 university students in Korea and the U.S. were instructed to write emails asking that a meeting be rescheduled, 82.7% of the Koreans used apologies, compared with 52.6% of Americans, and 74.2% of the Americans included thanks, compared with 9.4% of Koreans. When it comes to asking favors, Americans are mainly thinking about the recipient's desire for appreciation, whereas Koreans are mainly thinking about the sender's desire for approval, the researchers say.

Source: Why Koreans Are More Likely to Favor "Apology," While Americans Are More Likely to Favor "Thank You"

3 traits of a successful team

 

AUGUST 23, 2011 Tuesday 3 Characteristics of a Real Team The word "team" is so commonly used in today's organizations, most managers are oblivious to its true meaning. Here are three characteristics a group must have to be considered a real team, and to maximize its potential: A meaningful and common purpose. This is more than an outside mandate from the top of the organization. To be successful, the team must develop and own its purpose. Adaptable skills. Diverse capabilities are important. Effective teams rarely have all the skills they need at the outset. They develop them as they learn what their challenge requires. Mutual accountability. You can't force trust and commitment. Agreeing on the team's goals is the first moment at which team members forge their accountability to one another. Today's Management Tip was adapted from Harvard Business Review on Building Better Teams.

Align your Technology initiatives with costs

 

AUGUST 4, 2011 Thursday  Avoid Overinvesting in IT Businesses worldwide pump $2 trillion a year into IT — and many of them are spending too much. If you fear you're overinvesting, try these three tips: Follow, don't lead. You don't have to be the first one out of the gate. Delay investments to save money and see what standards and best practices emerge. Let your impatient rivals shoulder the costs of experimentation. Focus on risks, not opportunities. Don't deploy your IT in radical new ways. Instead, dedicate your spending to mitigating disruptions like outages and security breaches. Spend less. Evaluate expected returns from IT investments. What's essential spending versus discretionary or unnecessary? Then eliminate waste, such as frequent upgrades. Today's Management Tip was adapted from Harvard Business Review on Aligning Technology with Strategy.

cost over runs of projects

 

AUGUST 23, 2011

15% of IT Change Projects Are Huge Money Sinks

1 in 6 IT change initiatives such as ERP and CRM systems turn out to be money pits, with cost overruns averaging 200% and schedule overruns of almost 70%, according to Bent Flyvbjerg of Oxford and Alexander Budzier of McKinsey, who studied 1,471 such initiatives worldwide and report their findings in the September 2011 issue of Harvard Business Review. Smart companies have learned to break big projects down into initiatives of limited size, complexity, and duration, and the companies make contingency plans to deal with unavoidable risks, the authors say.

Source: Why Your IT Project May Be Riskier Than You Think

: Do nice guys finish last? They certainly are a distant second when it comes to earnings

 

AUGUST 26, 2011

Disagreeable Men Earn More Than Nice Guys

People who are disagreeable earn more than people who are agreeable, and the gap is biggest among men, according to an analysis of four surveys spanning almost 20 years. Men who are significantly less agreeable than average earn 18.3% more than men who are significantly more agreeable than average, while the comparable figure for women is 5.47%, says the study, led by Beth A. Livingston of Cornell and presented at a recent meeting of the Academy of Management. Men's disagreeable behavior "conforms to expectations of 'masculine' behavior," the authors say.

Source: Do nice guys finish last? They certainly are a distant second when it comes to earnings

Trends in retirement ages in USA

 

AUGUST 29, 2011

Rising Wages Plus Falling Cost of Leisure Equals Increased Retirement

Why do people retire? In economists' view, it's because of a steady rise in real wages, which allow people to accumulate savings, and a decline in the cost of leisure activities, which is what retirees do when they retire. 85% of U.S. men aged 75 to 79 were retired in 2000, up from 22% in 1850; over the past century, real wages have risen about 1.5% per year, and the price of leisure goods such as sports equipment and entertainment tickets has fallen about 1% per year, says Karen A. Kopecky of the University of Western Ontario.

Source: The Trend in Retirement

2 mistakes to avoid while presenting

 

AUGUST 8, 2011 Monday

2 Ways You Shouldn't Pitch an Idea

Coming up with ideas is easy. Selling them to strangers is hard. Entrepreneurs and executives alike often go to great lengths to explain how their concepts are novel and profitable, only to be rejected. Avoid the same fate by steering clear of these two approaches: The pushover. Don't offer to change things at the slightest hint of disapproval. Caving in to criticism doesn't demonstrate flexibility; it shows you don't care about your idea. Instead, defend it. The used-car salesman. Be persuasive, not unctuous. Don't act like everyone should think your idea is great. Be realistic about what your proposal will do for your audience.

Today's Management Tip was adapted from Harvard Business Review on Communicating Effectively.

3 tips to get the best out of your team

 

AUGUST 30, 2011 Tuesday 3 Ways to Increase Your Team's Performance Successfully managing a team is a complex undertaking. Increase the odds of reaching your goals by doing the following three things: Establish urgency. Team members need to believe they're working on something that matters. And it needs to matter today, not at a nebulous point in the future. Be sure the team sees the potential fruits of its labor. Set high standards. The higher the expectations the more likely the team will live up to its performance potential. Set ambitious goals and hold the team to them. Start off on the right foot. Pay particular attention to first meetings and initial impressions. How a team starts its work together often sets the tone for future interactions. Today's Management Tip was adapted from Harvard Business Review on Building Better Teams.

Getting others to take a chance

 

AUGUST 10, 2011 Wednesday  Convince Others to Embrace Risk The recession caused people to focus on what they had to lose, rather than what they had to gain. But without some risk-taking, there is no innovation or growth for your company. To help others embrace risk, pitch ideas in their terms. Show them the horrible mistake they'll avoid by seizing your forward-thinking idea. Position it not as getting out in front, but as not being left behind. People nowadays won't rock the boat unless you show them it's going to rock anyway. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Getting Others to Embrace Risk" by Heidi Grant Halvorson.

Nap, recharge at work !

 

AUGUST 11, 2011

Take a Nap at Work

Research shows that the more hours you work continuously, the greater the toll on your performance. You can greatly improve your productivity by taking a short nap. Think taking a nap at work is crazy? Here are three ways to make it happen: Schedule a time. Between 1pm and 3pm is the best time. Mark it in your calendar so you are more likely to take it. Find a quiet place. Close your door and put up a "do not disturb" sign. If you work in a cubicle, look for a conference room, or a local coffee shop or library. Tune out. Turn off your technology and set an alarm for 20 or 30 minutes (longer naps can leave you hazy). Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Even if you don't fall asleep, this relaxation will ensure you rest.

Today's Management Tip was adapted from Guide to Managing Stress.

goal finishing

 

SEPTEMBER 2, 2011 Friday

Be a Great Finisher

Seeing a project through to completion is difficult for many people. Even those with the best intentions get bogged down in other projects, procrastinate, or lose steam. Reaching a goal is mostly a matter of mindset, rather than innate skill. When you focus on how much you've accomplished rather than what you still have left, you undermine your motivation to finish rather than nourish it. If you find yourself struggling to get a project done, focus on how much work remains. This "to-go" thinking helps sustain and heighten motivation by triggering the brain to dedicate attention and effort to the task.

Today's Management Tip was adapted from "How to Become a Great Finisher" by Heidi Grant Halvorson.

Grocery shop consumer exp

 

AUGUST 11, 2011 Thu Checkout Lines Are Grocery Shoppers' Biggest Beef 55.9% of consumers say grocery-store checkout lines never—or rarely—meet their expectations for quality, and 44.1%, 42.2%, and 42.1%, respectively, say the same about customer service, selection of fresh meat, and selection of fruit and vegetables, according to a survey of more than 16,000 U.S. and Canadian consumers by customer-experience firm Empathica. Having knowledgeable employees is the most significant factor contributing to a great grocery experience, the study found. Source: Survey: 44% of Consumers Feel Grocery Store Customer Service Could be Improved

3 tips to make BIG decisions

 

AUGUST 12, 2011 Friday

3 Tips for Making a High-Stakes Decision

Even the most decisive manager can face despair when dealing with a high-stakes matter. Next time you're up against a career-making decision, trying doing these three things: Trust, and challenge, your gut. In some cases, your first instinct may be right, but it's probably not based on rational thought. It's important to question your initial reaction and test it once you've gathered more data. Check your bias. Self-interest can be subconscious. Recognize when you may be partial and ask a trusted peer to double-check your decision for any prejudice. Involve others. Big decisions shouldn't happen in a vacuum. Consult with others to gather differing opinions. This will help you make a more informed choice and give you a better shot at winning buy-in.

Today's Management Tip was adapted from "How to Make a High-Stakes Decision" by Amy Gallo.

Power corrupts, sexually too

 

AUGUST 12, 2011 Friday  Powerful People More Likely to Be Unfaithful 26.3% of 1,250 Dutch business professionals with marital partners reported having engaged in infidelity, according to a survey led by Joris Lammers of Tilburg University in the Netherlands. An analysis showed that people with greater power within their organizations are more likely to be unfaithful, mainly because of the increased confidence that power confers. The power-infidelity association applies to women as well as men, the researchers found. Source: Power Increases Infidelity Among Men and Women

Building better & more productive teams

 

AUGUST 15, 2011

3 Ways to Get the Most from Your Team

Contrary to popular belief, teams are not always the best way to get work done. Problems with coordination, competition, and motivation can undermine even the most well-designed and expertly-managed team. Here are three ways to give your team the best chance of success: Designate a naysayer. Groupthink is a dangerous byproduct of teamwork. Ask someone to play the role of devil's advocate to be sure ideas get challenged. Avoid double digits. Teams should be as small as possible—never have a team of more than nine people. Keep the team together. Avoid swapping members out. Established teams work better than those whose composition frequently changes.

Today's Management Tip was adapted from Harvard Business Review on Building Better Teams.

How to handle the unexpected in Life !

 

SEPTEMBER 6, 2011 Tuesday

3 Ways to Handle the Unexpected

Trying to predict the future is futile. Instead, be ready to respond. When the unexpected arrives at your door, do these three things: Stop. If you feel pressured to make a decision, stop what you're doing. Give yourself a chance to think before acting. Assess your options. Don't waste time wishing things were different. Think about the best outcome in the given situation, the information you have at hand, and the available resources. Then lay out your options. Move forward. Based on your new assessment, make a decision and commit. Even if the decision isn't ideal, accept that it's the best under the circumstances.

Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Three Steps to Handling the Unexpected" by Peter Bregman.

3 mistakes to avoid, while presenting

 

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

Avoid These 3 Mistakes When Presenting

Delivering a successful presentation requires preparation and practice. You need to gain the trust of your audience and convey your message clearly. Here are three mistakes you should avoid next time you're preparing to stand up in front of a crowd: Not knowing your audience. Long before you walk into the room, determine who your audience is and what they will do with the information you present. Failing to grab your listeners' attention. Give the audience a reason to care. Hook them by describing the problem you're trying to solve, or use an anecdote or a counterintuitive fact. Using unrelated visual aids. Just because a chart looks good doesn't mean you need to include it. Your audience may be annoyed and possibly confused if your visual aids aren't directly related to your message.

Today's Management Tip was adapted from Guide to Persuasive Presentations.

Backpacks & back pain

 

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011 Wednesday Spinal Effects of Backpacks Persist After Use 30 minutes after a person takes off a backpack, some of the negative effects on the spine are still present, suggesting a possible reason for backpack-associated persistent neck and back pain, says a team led by Daniel Hung-Kay Chow of Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The study of 13 adults, who walked with—and then without—backpacks that were 10% of their body weights, showed that the backpack-caused forward curvature of the participants' cervical spines hadn't fully recovered a half-hour after the backpacks were removed. Source: Carry-over effects of backpack carriage on trunk posture and repositioning ability

Ethics above numbers

 

SEPTEMBER 8, 2011 Put Ethics First, then Customers and Profits Everyone knows a business needs ethics, customers, and profits, but a lot of companies fail because they get the sequence wrong. The most common mistake is to put profits first. When you do, numbers become all-important, and you can justify almost any behavior if it makes money. Instead, start by doing what's right and make sure everyone in the company does too. Then, focus on customers. The best way to attract and keep them is to treat them well and be incredibly good at what you do. Once you've mastered the first two elements, you can focus on making money. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Four Things I Want You to Remember Me By" by Clif Reichard.

Anchoring effect in salary negotiations

 

SEPTEMBER 8, 2011 Thursday

Go Ahead and Ask for an Absurdly High Salary

Job candidates who jokingly requested ridiculously high salaries received 9% higher wage offers than candidates who made no such jokes, according to a simulation conducted by Todd J. Thorsteinson of the University of Idaho. In the experiment, students applied for imaginary jobs as administrative assistants, stating that their previous salary level had been $29,000; those who kiddingly said they'd like to earn $100,000 were offered an average of $35,385, compared with $32,463 for the nonjokers. In a negotiation, an initial offer—even one offered in jest—can serve as an "anchor," affecting the eventual outcome, Thorsteinson says.

Source: Initiating Salary Discussions With an Extreme Request: Anchoring Effects on Initial Salary Offers

U can't dictate culture - but U can influence it !

 

	SEPTEMBER 9, 2011 3 Steps to Influence Culture You can't just create the culture you want in your organization. Culture is not a goal, but the outcome of a collective set of behaviors. Instead of mandating behavior, influence it to shape your company's culture with these three steps: Convey your vision. Define your aspirations. What are the most critical behaviors that characterize the culture you want to create? Demonstrate how new behaviors can help the business. Nothing reinforces behaviors more than success. Work with your team to apply your ideal behaviors to a specific project that needs improving. Integrate the behaviors into HR processes. People tend to do what's measured and rewarded. Use the desired behaviors as criteria for hiring and promoting. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "You Can't Dictate Culture—but You Can Influence It" by Ron Ashkenas.

Even high achievers need career help !

 

SEPTEMBER 13, 2011 Tuesday Break the High-Achiever Cycle If you're a high-achiever, it can be difficult to grow professionally. You have a successful image to preserve, so instead of embracing risk, you may lock yourself into a familiar routine. Here are three ways to break that cycle: Use your support network. High achievers are very independent. But, everyone needs help. Ask people around you what skills they think you need to reach the next level. Be vulnerable. Open yourself up to new learning experiences that make you feel uncertain at best and incompetent at worst. Remember that those feelings are temporary and a prelude to greater professional ability. Admit to small failures. Practice acknowledging uncertainty or confessing mistakes with people close to you. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Managing Yourself: The Paradox of Excellence" by Thomas J. DeLong and Sara DeLong.

Nursing Home quality care vs financial performances

 

SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

Do Top-Performing Nursing Homes Sacrifice Quality of Care?

When it comes to deficiency citations, nursing homes with the best financial performance tend to be almost as bad as—and in one respect worse than—the facilities with the poorest financial results, according to a study led by Reid M. Oetjen of the University of Central Florida. For example, from the bottom quartile to the top, the proportion of Florida nursing homes cited for drug-storage deficiencies from 2003-2005 was about 24%, 16%, 19%, and 20%. In medication errors, the top quartile had even more deficiencies than all the others. Facilities in the worst financial shape probably lack the resources to ensure proper care; those in the best shape may be sacrificing quality for the bottom line, the study suggests.

Source: Nursing Home Safety: Does Financial Performance Matter?

How to recover from a Gaffe ....

 

SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

3 Ways to Recover from a Blunder

Eventually, every leader will need to apologize for a mistake. Here are three steps to take when it's your turn: Admit the mistake. Fessing up expedites the recovery process. While it's tempting to shirk responsibility or slink away, it only makes matters worse. Try to laugh at yourself. If it's appropriate, go ahead. Joking around gives others permission to do the same. After all, nobody wants leaders who take themselves too seriously. Reframe the discussion. People will want to talk about the mistake forever. Give the blunder its due, but refocus the conversation on what matters most: moving forward.

Today's Management Tip was adapted from "How to Recover from a Blunder" by Dorie Clark.

Getting big teams to collaborate - 3 tips

 

SEPTEMBER 15, 2011 Thursday

Get Your Complex Team to Collaborate

Executing on major initiatives requires teams that are large, diverse, and virtual. Yet, as team size grows and the group disperses, team performance diminishes. You can build collaboration within complex teams in three ways: Train employees in the right skills. Most people don't collaborate by nature. They need the right skills: appreciating others, engaging in purposeful conversations, and productively solving conflicts. Help employees get to know each other. People who know each other socially are more likely to collaborate. Invest time in networking and social events to build a sense of community. Model collaborative behavior. Employees emulate what they see at the top. Leaders should visibly work together and even fill in for each other on occasion.

Today's Management Tip was adapted from Harvard Business Review on Building Better Teams.

Reinventing prof identity mid career

 

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011 Tuesday

Reinvent Your Professional Identity

A mid-career switch can be challenging, especially if you've become pigeonholed in your current role. But it's possible to recreate your work identity, as long as you don't get stuck at the introspection phase. Take action by doing these three things: Craft experiments. Take on freelance or pro bono assignments that allow you to try new roles while staying in your current job. Shift connections. To move in a new direction, you need a new network. Reach out to people who can give you a fresh perspective on what you're trying to achieve. Make sense of it all. Tell others the story of who you hope to become professionally. This will help clarify your intentions and keep you motivated. Plus, you might win the support of your listeners.

Today's Management Tip was adapted from Harvard Business Review on Advancing Your Career.

Firms with open communication styles - earn more !

 

SEPTEMBER 20, 2011 Tuesday

Companies Do Well if Workers Feel OK About Speaking Up

Companies rated by their employees as being in the top quartile in openness of communication delivered an average total shareholder return of 7.9% over a recent 10-year period, compared with 2.1% at companies in other quartiles, according to the Corporate Executive Board. Among 7 key indicators that the organization tracks in more than 130 companies worldwide, the one most strongly correlated with 10-year returns is employees' comfort in speaking up, even when they have negative things to say.

Source: Open-Door Policy, Closed-Lip Reality?

Plan , written and unwritten

 

SEPTEMBER 21, 2011 Wed

Know Your Unwritten Plan

When preparing for the future, you need two plans—one you write down, and one that's unwritten, fluid, and evolving. This blueprint exists in your mind as a living, changing understanding of where you're going, why you're going there, and how you're going to get there—all based on your current understanding of how the future will unfold. While your written plan includes specific objectives, action steps, and clear assumptions, the unwritten one consists of gut feel, general direction, and broad priorities. Over time, as you gather information and test ideas, you'll move many of these elements from hazy and unspoken to focused and written.

Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Your Crucial—and Unwritten—Plan" by Linda Hill & Kent Lineback.

When your employee asks for a raise

 

SEPTEMBER 23, 2011 Friday

How to Handle a Raise Request

As a manager, it can be stressful when an employee asks for a raise, especially if there is no company policy. But answering a difficult compensation question doesn't have to be a headache. Try these three steps: Don't answer right away. Thank the person for bringing up the issue and then promise to get back with an answer by a specified date. This allows you time to confer with other leaders. Fairly assess the situation. The amount of money an individual is paid is a function of two things: the value of the job itself and the person's quality of performance. Examine both. Go back. During a second conversation, ask the individual to explain both how she might enhance her performance and how she can make her job more valuable to the organization. Base your final decision on this input combined with your assessment.

Today's Management Tip was adapted from "How to Handle a Raise Request" by Dick Grote.

Employment scenario & students homework - a correlation

 

SEPTEMBER 23, 2011

Students Do Less Homework When the Jobless Rate Rises

An uptick in the jobless rate from 5% to 6% decreases the amount of time high-school students choose to spend on homework by about 19 minutes per week, says Steven McMullen of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. That's because a higher unemployment rate diminishes expected labor-market returns, thus reducing the value of human-capital investment. For similar reasons, a $1 rise in the minimum wage in a state increases students' homework time by about 21 minutes per week, McMullen says.

Source: How do Students Respond to Labor Market and Education Incentives? An Analysis of Homework Time