11 Gifts You Should Never Buy Your Boss For Christmas

by Renee Cocchi December 10, 2018

“To give (the boss a present) – or not to give.
That is the question!”
(With apologies to William Shakespeare.)

For many in the office, this is a HUGE mind-blowing decision: Do they or don’t they buy their boss a present for Christmas?

Well, if you want my opinion, and you probably don’t, but since I am writing this I’ll give it to you anyway:

DON’T DO IT!

You have no idea how very dangerous office gift giving can truly be.

Go ahead and look it up!

There are a slew of “what not to buy your boss” stories out there, and even more stories of innocent gifts that went horribly wrong!

So if you’re the boss, do the humane thing and politely tell your staff that while this is the season of perpetual giving, you’d rather see them buy for their family and friends or give to charity — in lieu of you.

However, if you work for a company where everyone buys holiday presents for the boss, here’s a list of gifts you should avoid like the plague!

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Leadership

The 4 Dumbest Excuses For Why We Don’t Delegate More

by Lisa McKale December 9, 2018

“I can’t get out from under this week. The minute I cross one thing off my to-do list, three more take its place!”

Sound familiar? It’s a recurring problem resourceful managers face.

Admit it – there’s something motivating about thriving under pressure. The more we box ourselves into a corner with deadlines, to-do lists and obligations, the more revved-up we get.

But we need to do a better job of spreading things around.

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Performance Management

Why Bad Stuff Happens When You Sugarcoat Performance Reviews [SlideShare]

by John Walston November 26, 2018

It may seem harmless, but avoiding telling an employee the truth during a performance evaluation can be a really expensive mistake.

Yet many managers do just that – sugarcoat performance reviews.

They give a pablum review, steer clear of giving the employee an honest appraisal. And stamp it “Satisfactory, meets requirements.”

In the long run, they pay for it — one way or the other.

Get the full picture with this ResourcefulManager SlideShare.

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Professional Development

47 Snarky Things You Wish You Could Say To Your Co-Workers

by Rich Henson November 14, 2018

Our mothers’ advice still rings in our ears:

“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

But sometimes our inner-snark gets the best of us.

Here are 47 snarky comments you’re dying to say to your fellow workers – but shouldn’t.

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Leadership

6 Fears That Even The Best Leaders Have To Overcome: Here’s How

by John Walston November 4, 2018

Hate speaking in front of a group? Aren’t receptive to negative feedback? Worried that you’ll fail?

It’s OK.

Most leaders feel the same – at least a little – at one time or another.

But if you recognize and work around the most common leadership fears that hold back good leaders you’ll become a great one.

Here are the six most common fears people in leadership positions face and tips on how to overcome them.

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Employee Engagement

12 Warning Signs Your Best Employee Is About To Quit

by Renee Cocchi October 31, 2018

Wouldn’t it be great if star employees never left?

But we all know, that at some point something will happen that’ll cause one of your “A” players to leave.

What that “something” is may not be in your control.

Problem is, employee turnover costs companies A LOT of money!

Direct employee replacement costs can reach as high as 50% to 60% of an employee’s annual salary, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. And when other factors are included, total costs can soar as high as 90% to 200% of an annual salary.

That’s some serious moola!

So what can you do?

Pay attention to your employees and watch for signs that they may be getting restless, and nip it in the bud.

The typical signs are:

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Leadership

6 Ways Leaders and Managers Can Build a Culture of Trust

by Allison Hail October 14, 2018

As managers and leaders, we depend on our team members as much as they depend on us. The productivity, innovation, and personality of managers create a culture of trust in a business team and also drives success.

If employees feel like they are part of a workplace which cultivates them as thinkers and people, their job satisfaction will increase significantly.

And your job as a leader becomes a whole lot easier.

However, to gain access to your employees’ great ideas and adequately address challenges when they arise, you must first establish a culture of trust in which every employee feels comfortable to speak up and be themselves.

Here are 6 key ways to establish that culture of trust.

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Leadership

5 Leadership Weaknesses That You Can Turn Into Strengths

by John Walston September 30, 2018

Not all bosses are created equal. Some may be born leaders, but most of us have to learn how to master the role.

But even if you’re doing a great job of leading your team, there’s always room for improvement, right?

And the good news: 70% survive their leadership weaknesses, says Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman, authors of Speed: How Leaders Accelerate Successful Execution.

But first, you need to identify your weaknesses. Here are five common leadership liabilities shared by Business News Daily – and how to turn them into assets:

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Employee Engagement

Storytelling as a Leadership Tool – And How to Do It Effectively

by John Walston September 9, 2018

Storytelling isn’t just for the office gossip anymore. It has real leadership advantages.

Managers can more effectively sway people with stories than with logic. A well-delivered tale can win hearts and minds.

Here are the keys to effective storytelling:

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Performance Management

4 Steps to Deliver Difficult Messages Without Ranting, Raving

by John Walston August 26, 2018

Let’s say you have two employees who are struggling and need to change course:

Darlene is quiet, sensitive. Carla is abrasive, defiant.

Neither is easy to deal with, especially when you need to have a difficult conversation.

And doing that in today’s workplace makes it even more complicated.

Is there a middle ground – a way to deliver tough feedback to a wide variety of employees?

Or must you scream, rant and rave with some and sandwich it with niceties for others?

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