What does it take to reach the top of your game, professionally? Women, at least, can learn much from a new book, How Remarkable Women Lead, by Joanna Barsh and Susie Cranston. The authors spent five years on research and 100 in-depth interviews with women leaders from around the world. They discovered that women who excel share these five qualities:
Think you might have what it takes to lead—whether it’s your admin team or a committee of volunteers? Take this quiz from CareerBuilder.com to rate your skill level. Ask a trusted peer to complete it and assess your skill as well.
The 7th Circuit’s recent opinion in Martino v. MCI represents the first opportunity for that court to apply the U.S. Supreme Court’s recently clarified standard for determining liability in disparate-treatment cases brought under the ADEA. Together, the two decisions make it harder for employees to win some age discrimination lawsuits.
Courts seldom second-guess firing decisions if employers can articulate solid reasons for the discharge—and take the time to document their decision-making processes. That’s because employees who want to challenge their employer’s termination decisions have to raise suspicions that the employer’s reason was not credible and that it wasn’t really a motivating factor in the decision.
Public employees retain the right to free speech under the First Amendment and can’t be punished for exercising that right. However, the right is limited when the “speech” they’re using is part of their jobs. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has recently concluded that for California police officers, free speech protection may be even more limited.
Are some of your organization’s supervisors still stuck in the Dark Ages when it comes to attitudes about pregnancy, childbirth and child care? If so, your organization may be a few off-base questions away from triggering a discrimination lawsuit. Remind managers and supervisors to keep their opinions on mothers and motherhood to themselves.
A lot of the clients I work with in our group coaching program are middle managers. They’ve moved beyond the level of front line leaders and supervisors, but have not yet reached the ranks of the most senior executives. They’re the directors, senior directors and vice presidents in the private sector and the GS-15’s and SES – 1’s in federal government. And, based on my experience in working with them over the years, I would say that more and more they are the meat in the sandwich. By that, I mean they’re constantly squeezed from pressure above them and below them in the organization.
Over the weekend, one of my colleagues from the Georgetown Leadership Coaching program, Marijo Puleo, shared a McKinsey survey report, Leaders in the Crisis, on the alumni list serve. In that same daily digest from the list serve there was an extended conversation sparked by another colleague who has a client in crisis. Like a lot of people these days, this client simply has too much work to get it all done and still have a semblance of a life. About ten coaches responded to that issue and said they’re seeing the same thing with their clients.
How much more evidence do we need that middle managers are the meat in the sandwich? The McKinsey survey had some interesting results that illustrate the point. Here are a few factoids for you. Middle managers, compared to the top execs surveyed, are:
Less committed to staying with their organizations
Less enthusiastic about their work
Less satisfied with their own performance and
Far less satisfied than the seniors with how their bosses are doing. (Ouch!)
Does anyone else see a problem here? These are not just the people responsible for keeping things running during the current economic challenges, these are also the leaders that organizations are counting on for long term growth and success. The stakes around keeping this group engaged are pretty high. Here are a few ideas based on the McKinsey research about how to do a better job with that.
Are some of your organization’s leaders still stuck in the Dark Ages when it comes to attitudes about pregnancy, childbirth and child care? You might be a few off-base questions away from a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit. Remind managers and supervisors to keep their opinions on mothers and motherhood to themselves.
In 5 years all businesses will have a regular strategy to become
apart of the conversation their clients and prospects are having. It will be common sense like a listing in the
yellow pages was 10 years ago. For now,
it is still an innovative concept and a powerful tool.
In an important employer victory, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that for employees to successfully bring Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) lawsuits, they must now show that age discrimination was the cause—not just one of several possible contributing factors—of their termination or other adverse job action.
We look in mirrors every day. They give us a reflection of ourselves. But what about our inner selves—our attitudes and thoughts? How often do we look there? True leaders look inward every day and take stock of themselves. As simple as it sounds, it’s the step most overlooked by managers in their journey to becoming leaders ...
Members of the military have greater on-the-job protection than many other employees—including the right to return to their former jobs following a period of active-duty service. They also have the right not to be terminated or otherwise punished for being part of the armed services and taking military leave.
Surveys of U.S. workers consistently show that employees want more than a paycheck from their jobs—they want to feel safe, secure and appreciated at work. Here are eight guidelines for recognizing and rewarding employees, according to an Adecco management report.
Catch a second wind by tackling a task on your “Mind Like Mush” list ... Is your boss an ‘allergic-to-details’ type? Keep project files handy that contain details he or she is likely to need ... Find travel deals by booking later ... Spruce up your administrative “portfolio” by adding a dash of visual material.
Surveys of U.S. workers consistently show that employees want more than a paycheck from their jobs—they want to feel safe, secure and appreciated at work. Here are eight guidelines for recognizing and rewarding employees, according to an Adecco management report.
Pulled from the pages of HR Specialist newsletters, here are five practical, workplace-proven tips for you to try. From management advice to hiring innovations, they'll help you work smarter and more productively.
According to a survey by global talent assessment firm SHL, nearly two-thirds (63%) of respondents say the economic nose dive has not had any effect on their motivation at work.
A major responsibility and obligation of all managers is to motivate their employees. This is a basic part of all leadership positions and sometimes gets blurred and forgotten in the hectic pace of modern business.
Nearly two-thirds (63%) of respondents say the economic nose dive has not had any effect on their motivation at work, according to a survey by global talent assessment firm SHL.
The next time you feel you have to push your employees harder, think of the 'Sergeant’s Halberd.' It’s a management technique that belongs in a museum.
One important way to judge your success as a manager is by the success of your employees. How can you be sure that your best people will someday be top-notch leaders themselves? Start with these four basic yet effective tips for developing managerial skills among your employees.
There’s no doubt Generation Y will fundamentally change corporate America. It’s already started. Managing Gen Y is a hot topic among consultants, HR executives and talent management professionals. For a Gen Y’er like me, this is great news. We’re primed to change the workplace for the better. Here’s how we’ll do it.
Emily Morgan works 60 to 70 hours a week and doesn’t even get a steady paycheck. You would think she’d loathe her boss, but you’d be wrong. Morgan is a virtual assistant (VA) and chooses how much work she takes on and how many hours she works. Ever wonder whether a VA career might be right for you?
“Amateurs may talk about creativity, but professionals insist on structure,” copywriter Martin Chorich recently said to me. In direct marketing, structure is key: if your copy does not follow the formula for persuasion, it won’t work … no matter how creative...
Conflict happens in all corners of the workplace. But if issues aren't settled, bad things can happen: Good people quit, morale can plummet and, sometimes, violence can erupt. But managers don't need to become certified mediators to engage in workplace conflict resolution. Here are nine insights from Improvisational Negotiation.
A Dallas County jury decided that AT&T created a hostile work environment and retaliated after a call center employee complained. The jury found that race was a motivating factor in AT&T’s repeated failure to promote Lakecious Edwards and awarded her $411,339.
At a time when companies around the world are being buffeted by dire
economic conditions, many of their sales organizations are ill-equipped
to weather the storm due to surprisingly ineffective sales forces beset
by people problems that limit their ability to perform.
Conflict happens in all corners of the workplace. But if issues aren't settled, bad things can happen: Good people quit, morale can plummet and, sometimes, violence can erupt. But you don't need to become a certified mediator to settle disputes. Here are nine tips for understanding human behavior and resolving conflicts with co-workers, employees and even customers.
Once you know your people, you can design
individual motivators that really work, and armed with this you will now become
incredibly empowered as a motivator.
The hard-driving, ruthless boss may fit the stereotype of today’s most successful corporate executive. But the most effective workplace leaders are honest, caring and flexible. Six profiles show the full spectrum of supervisory skill—as rated by employees.
At every level of business, entrepreneurs are bound to make some mistakes. Marketing is no exception. Avoid these nine common marketing mistakes and you'll save energy, disappointment and money.
Sometimes, an employer needs to downsize its workforce for any number of reasons. Whatever the reason, document why you need to cut staff before you announce the layoffs. You don’t necessarily owe every affected employee an explanation—in advance—of why his or her job is being eliminated. But you will need a clear, coherent and rational explanation later if one of the employees sues ...
A new federal appeals court case has made it easier for employees in the 5th Circuit to sue for disability discrimination. To prove disability discrimination, employees need to show only that the disability was a “motivating factor” in an employment decision, not the sole cause ...
Question:“My boss is promoting me to supervisor, but several co-workers are
unhappy about it. Ever since he told them, a few people have been very nasty to
me. None of these co-workers showed any interest in the position, yet they now
find fault with everything I do. I feel like I’m under a microscope. I don’t go
to work every day to make friends. My goal is to do a good job and earn a
living. After I’m promoted, should I talk to these people about their behavior
or should I act like it never happened? How do I squash this jealousy and nip
this behavior in the bud?” — New Supervisor
Your youngest employees have parents who raised them in a culture of rewards: They got money, gifts or privileges for doing their chores and earning good grades. Here are some strategies for attracting, motivating and keeping your Generation Y employees ...
Question: “A few administrative managers would like to approach executive
management and propose that we be considered for the annual bonus
program. Are there other office/administrative managers who receive an
annual bonus? What is the criteria (tenure, number of reporting admin
staff, etc.) or is it primarily performance based?” — Maggie
With more and more citizen-soldiers being called to long tours of duty, being a member of the reserves or the National Guard no longer seems like a part-time position. Inconvenient as it may be, resist the temptation to mention someone's military service in performance reviews, at bonus time or when considering service members for promotions or raises ...
A trio of closely watched national salary surveys say that employers plan to dole out annual pay raises of about 3.8% in 2008. The biggest trend: Employers are devoting an increasing amount of their salary budgets to bonuses. Here's how to keep your bonus programs fair and legal...
The selection process is over, and the newly promoted employee has begun work. Now is not the time for those involved in the hiring process to pontificate on racial balance in the workplace. That’s especially true if the applicants were all qualified for the position and a member of a majority class was selected over minority candidates ...
Adopt a “zero tolerance” policy for managers or supervisors who make racist comments. Those caught making derogatory or discriminatory comments (à la Don Imus) should be promptly shut down. If you don’t fire or at least remove them immediately, their words may come back to hurt the company ...
Since when is a
manager’s mere “concern” over a disabled employee’s ability to do the
job enough justification to terminate? Try never. In the dictionary,
“concern” is synonymous with “worry” and “fear.” So, a manager who is
wringing his hands with potential concerns about an ADA-protected
employee’s performance may soon have bigger things to be concerned with
... like a federal lawsuit.
Any leader placed in charge of other leaders knows that it takes more
than the usual rewards to motivate these movers and shakers. Jeswald Salacuse, author of Leading Leaders, notes that motivating leaders is a lot like shopping for people who have everything:
In 1973, the U.S. Army training manual outlined a leadership philosophy
called “Be, Know and Do.” Over the years, a number of leaders have
credited that philosophy for their success. Here’s how you can apply it:
Question: I work in an office with 19 other people and I am in charge of turning on
the dishwasher each night before leaving. To some, this translates to
me also being in charge of cleaning up after everyone.
Often, there are dirty dishes in the sink or the
counter, crumbs on the table, empty food containers left out, etc. ...
and it's left for me to clean up.
Several memos have been distributed to the staff to
remind them to take responsibility for their own housekeeping, but it
has not been successful. Any ideas? I'm tired of being known as the
office maid. My name is not Hazel! -- Anonymous
Question: Has anyone put together a group program for the administrative assistants
at their company to promote communication, education, training, etc? I
have been asked to organize a quarterly meeting and I need a starting
point. If anyone has done this and has suggestions or ideas, I would
greatly appreciate the help! -- Anonymous
From the U.S. Marine Corps— leaders by definition, as its members are
often the first combatants in a military offensive—here’s a checklist
of leadership strategies:
Run supervisors through some basic training on strict military-leave law. Why? More than 168,000 National Guard and reservists are currently on active duty and Congress is considering changes that would ...
The HR Specialist joined more than 12,000 HR professionals in New Orleans this summer for the annual Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) conference. Here are some ...
In a decision that elevates your legal risk in discrimination cases, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that employees no longer need to show direct evidence ...
Gary Goodman was an acting district manager with a spotless performance record over 18 years. He was turned down for a promotion to district manager of a state agency whose governing ...
In her first year as supervisor,
Stacy shined. Her high energy, innovative ideas and exceptional
dedication impressed everyone. But with each passing year, she lost
more luster.
You want to motivate your team, so you think of new ways to pay them,
reduce their travel and expand their benefits. While employees may
appreciate your effort, you won’t necessarily produce the most bang for
your buck.
Jerry Colangelo, owner of the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks, runs businesses that employ more than 5,000 people. His employees have ranged from basketball stars such as Charles Barkley to part-timers at ballpark concession stands. We spoke with Colangelo about his management philosophy and the lessons he has learned after 33 years in the business of pro sports.
Ellis T. Gravette Jr. is the chairman and CEO of the Turner Corp., the nation’s leading general builder. Growing at a fast clip, the company recently announced that it has secured a record $4.3 billion in new contracts and that earnings from construction contracts improved to $98.7 million in 1998.
As lean-and-mean companies keep asking more of their beleaguered employees, you may find yourself goading your team to take on work that falls outside of its normal jobs.
You’re the consummate pro, but you’re not a chest-thumping braggart. You figure you’ll let your stellar work product speak for itself and rocket you up the corporate ladder.
Motivating employees by giving away money sounds like a sure-fire
winner. Dropping $20 here, $50 there as a way to salute exceptional
performance sends the right message—right?
Richard H. Jenrette, 69, has an impressive résumé. The retired
chairman, president and CEO of The Equitable Companies also co-founded
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ), a large investment banking and
securities firm that remains a Wall Street powerhouse.
Motivating rising stars is a breeze. You just set high goals, dangle
juicy rewards and let them get to work. But trying to ignite the
passions of minimum-wage workers requires more effort.
