I haven't done a scientific study, but results over the years have indicated to me that people who are introduced and assimilated into a work culture immediately upon hire stay longer, are more productive, and more successful longterm. From my...
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Managing To Do Nothing
I had some friends who used to say they worked for "A manager - he manages to do nothing at all." Unfortunately, in many work situations, that seems to be the perception about management.Having an effective MBWA (Management By Walking...
The “Bomb” Job for Me
Q: Where are the "bomb" jobs out there? How can I find one?A: I've seen more and more people give up that search for the "bomb" (or perfect) job because they have realized that it really is more about being...
Collaboration vs. Competition
Are your rewards systems and pay systems designed to reward innovation and inclusion, or single-mindedness and seclusion?These are issues companies face every day. In an environment that awards singular effort, there may be others who contribute as much (if not more)...
Consistency Among Management Team Members
It's important to maintain consistency amongst management team members in terms of the message being sent to staff or team members reporting to you.However, where consistency can sometimes rear its ugly head is when certain members of the team choose...
Critiquing Criticism Before It’s Delivered
Q: I have a boss who always seems to jump to conclusions without looking in detail at work I've done, and then send me "nastygrams" via email complaining about some policy issue or infraction. If he would actually read my...
Unpaid Time Off
A question that comes up often in conversations with people is whether or not companies should grant unpaid time off for workers who don't have enough vacation time earned. My answer to this most of the time is yes.Many companies...
Meeting Protocol
Q: I work in an office with 4 other people. My boss rarely has us meet, and usually when we do meet it is about every 6 months and it usually has something to do with what we are doing...
Torn Between Two Employers – Feeling Like a Fool
Q: I have received two excellent job offers from two competing companies in the same industry. One is a company that has been in business for many years, and has offered a generous compensation package including a high base salary,...
Setting Ground Rules for Contacting Management
Every company needs a protocol to ensure communication across all levels of management is consistent. Once in a while, someone may go too far up or down the ladder of management to communicate information, or may not communicate properly at...