Accentuate the Positive

Every firm has its ups and downs, and that can have a major effect on morale. If times get tough or the firm has to drastically cut expenditures there’s often a negative emotion that grows until it pervades the enterprise. We’ve all seen places like that...

Coaches Do It By the Rules

As long as there has been a need for improvement there have been coaches to provide it. Two thousand years ago the Roman army had coaches to develop skills in such critical areas as fighting battles, defending a fortress, setting up an encampment and how to manage...

Coaching is Coaching

The term “coaching” is used a lot these days. We hear about “personal coaching” and “business coaching” as often as we hear about coaching in the field of sports, but are we really talking about such different things? Leaving aside...

Feedback Should Be Clear and Actionable, Not “Nice” and Vague

This tip is adapted from “Are You Sugarcoating Your Feedback Without Realizing It?,” by Michael Schaerer and Roderick Swaab Many managers sugarcoat tough feedback, either to avoid retaliation or to protect employees’ feelings. But research shows that managers tend to...

Office Politics:  Deal with Them!

While there will always be some gossip and rumors, office politics does not need to be a negative experience. Office politics can be used to advantage if done properly. Let’s face it: office politics are inevitable. Wherever people gather, they will gossip, spread...