Posts for: May, 2010

By lynn
May 19, 2010
Category: Job Satisfaction
Tags: Job Satisfaction  


What ABOUT it?

Job Satisfaction is credited with enhancing performance, lowering absenteeism and turnover, producing committed loyal employees with eagerness to "go the extra mile" in order to achieve operational excellence. Is job satisfaction within reach at your workplace?

If employers appreciate their staff, now is the time to tell them. What's their incentive for doing so? Author Cecil Selig said, "When the grass starts looking greener on the other side of the fence, it's probably because they take better care of it there."

Q: What do you think? What gives you the greatest sense of "job satisfaction? What keeps you coming back day after day? Do you look at your job as "JUST" a job...or do you get much more personal reward out of it?

Doctors...what do you do to create a "satisfactory" workplace?


By lynn
May 19, 2010
Category: Management
Tags: Micromanagement   Management  


Have a little cheese with your whine?

Consider implementing a 3-solution policy if people keep coming to you with their complaints. My good friend Jason always said, if you have something to legitimately complain about, I will listen, but only if it also includes 3 solutions -3 ways that you feel can potentially make it better; otherwise all you are doing is whining.

Q: Complaining is easy. How easy is it to help solve the problem? Can you see this type of strategy worthwhile in your office?


By lynn
May 19, 2010
Category: Thoughts on Hiring
Tags: Tips   Hiring  


Hard Skills? Soft Skills? What's more important in the hiring process?

Technical competence is important, but that should never be the only thing to look for. If the proper training program is put in place, individuals can be skillfully trained to do what they need to. Think more about their soft skills...Does their personality and attitude fit your workplace? Are they easy to get along with? Optimistic and self motivated? Can they make decisions on their own? Do they have common sense; a sense of humor?

For many, it's the hard skills that get the interview, but it's the soft skills that are needed to get (and keep) the job.

Q: What do you look for in a new hire?


By lynn
May 19, 2010
Category: Management
Tags: Micromanagement  


Are you guilty of micromanaging?

Want a sure-fire way to demotivate your staff? Micromanage them! However, if you'd rather give them the opportunity to function at optimum efficiency, consider allowing them some flexibility to manage their own work. Here's a few questions to ask yourself. Answer yes to more than two or three and your employees may award you with a lifetime membership into Micromanagers Anonymous!

  • When you delegate a duty to your staff, do you need to give your "stamp of approval" before it is considered good enough?

  • Do you review and critique your employees' to-do lists?

  • Do you insist that employees do things YOUR way?

  • Do you spend most of your valuable time watching what your employees are doing instead of "managing" or "coaching" them?

  • Do you criticize more than you compliment?

  • Do you get frustrated when your employees cannot do the work as well as you can?

  • Do you find yourself re-doing work they've already done?

  • Do you feel the need to 'check out' an employee's work after they've accomplished it?

  • Do you focus more on the "details" of a project or the "big picture" outcome?

  • Do you visit each employee at his or her work area more than once a day?

  • Do you give unsolicited advice to employees on personal matters that don't involve their work?


Questions for Discussion:

  1. What's been your experience with micromanagement?
  2. How have you personally dealt with being micromanaged?
  3. Based on your responses to this quiz, could you be a borderline or full blown micromanager?
  4. Do you feel micromanaging can be a positive thing or is it all bad?