5 Warning Signs That You Just Might Be A Micromanager

by Renee Cocchi November 6, 2016

Did you aspire to be a manager so you could move up in your company?

Or were you just really good at your job, got things done and they made a manager because of that?

If you’re in the latter group, answer this:

Are you a micromanager?

No? Really?

Do you delegate work to your team or do you feel the need to do everything by yourself?

Do you let your team work on their own and give you periodic updates, or do you hover and have to know what’s going on 24/7?

Still not sure?

Here are 5 warning signs you’re a micromanager:

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Leadership

Horrible Bosses: 12 Signs You Might Be One Of Them

by Renee Cocchi October 9, 2016

As far as bosses go, the majority aren’t stellar.

In fact, one study found that 87% of the employees surveyed have had a bad boss.

So, are you a bad boss?

You probably aren’t or you wouldn’t be reading ResourcefulManager, but there’s a good chance you do have a few bad management traits that could be improved.

For example, maybe you’re like me and a little bit of a control freak.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, if you know how to rein it in and not drive everyone you supervise up the wall.

So what makes a bad boss? Here are 12 traits to watch for:

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Performance Management

20 Annoying Co-Workers That Drive You Up a Wall

by Renee Cocchi September 25, 2016

My ideal work environment is sitting at home in my comfy clothes with my dogs lying at my feet while I write and edit in total peace and quiet.

In reality, I work in an office full of people. And while most of my co-workers are great, a few of them – to put it nicely – are a bit annoying.

But it’s pretty much unavoidable that someone’s going to annoy you when you’re in an office 40 or more hours a week, and you combine a bunch of people with different personalities and backgrounds.

In fact, one in eight people will leave their job due to incivility and never report it.

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Employee Engagement

8 Team-Building Exercises That Don’t Actually Suck

by Renee Cocchi September 5, 2016

What’s the first thought that pops into your head when you hear the words team-building exercises?

Mine is run for the hills!

I’m not a fan. They make me very uncomfortable!

But experts say they have their place and purpose. They facilitate better communication, break down barriers, foster collaboration and creativity, and boost morale.

So maybe there are team-building activities that are fun, effective and don’t completely suck. Maybe I just haven’t participated in the right ones.

So I set off in a search of them, and here’s what I found:

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Employee Engagement

14 Morale Boosters That Will Make Employees Do Cartwheels (With Little Or No Budget)

by Renee Cocchi August 14, 2016

Thanking your employees and showing them you care is important. But how to express that is hard!

Reason: Different strokes for different folks.

Not everyone is going to like one specific reward.

And, most importantly, not every company has lots of money to spend on elaborate gifts.

So what’s a manager to do?

The experts say give options and get creative when offering morale boosters.

Here are 14 suggestions to help spark your imagination:

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Professional Development

Stop Procrastinating: 9 Ways To Get Your Butt In Gear

by Renee Cocchi July 31, 2016

“Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today!” Ben Franklin’s words ring hollow for the 20% of us who are chronic procrastinators.

That’s right, 20%.

And 95% of us procrastinate at least some of the time, reports Piers Steel, a University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business human resources professor.

But procrastinating isn’t a desired trait when you hold a leadership position.

So how do you break what some consider to be simply human nature?

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Leadership

If I Only Knew Then What I Know Now

by Renee Cocchi May 30, 2016

If I only knew then what I know now …

How many times have you said that?

Hindsight is worth its weight in gold and keeps us from repeating our mistakes.

Tale a moment and think about it.

If you could go back in time to your first management position, what single piece of knowledge would you take with you to make managing easier or better?

To get some answers, I went straight to people on the front lines – executives and supervisors I respect – and here’s what they said:

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Leadership

Confessions Of A Workaholic: 9 Steps To Overcoming Your Addiction

by Renee Cocchi May 15, 2016

Are you a workaholic?

You know, someone who’s so dependent on his or her work that it becomes the central part of life?

Not sure? Ask yourself:

Are you the first one in the office and the last one to leave?
Has anyone ever told you that you work too much? Did you smile and say thanks, thinking it was a compliment?
Are all of your friends co-workers? (Be honest!)
Do you have numerous weeks of vacation that roll over every year?
Was your last vacation a few years ago?

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Professional Development

How To Ask For A Raise: An 11-Step Formula To Getting Paid

by Renee Cocchi April 24, 2016

Can’t remember the last time you got a raise? Or at least a raise that actually felt like a raise?

Not a surprise. For many, the days of the automatic yearly raise have pretty much dried up. Particularly for managers.

Now if you want a raise that will be meaningful, you’re going to have to ask for it.

Gulp! Bet that made your mouth go dry. Asking for a raise can be intimidating and nerve-racking.

But it shouldn’t be.

You’ve earned it. You deserve it. So just do it!

But to make the process easier on yourself and increase your odds of being successful, put this 11-step formula to work:

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Professional Development

Paralyzed By Public Speaking? 19 Tips From Someone Like You

by Renee Cocchi March 20, 2016

What’s the one thing people fear most?

Public speaking!!!!

It takes the No. 1 spot on my list! I’ll do just about anything to get out of doing a presentation.

So why are so many people afraid of public speaking?

Basically it comes down to: There’s safety in numbers – and vulnerability in standing alone.

Makes sense to me. When giving a presentation, my face turns red, I start to sweat, my mouth dries out and my mind goes blank. Yeah, I would say I’m feeling vulnerable!

But the good news is there’s hope.

Following this 19-step guide can help conquer your public speaking fears:

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