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