I’m presently working on some leadership projects with our customers so these topics are probably on my mind more than usual. ManageSmarter.com presents an article Communication for Managers 101 that provides 5 steps for better communication between managers and employees. Some of the suggestions are rudimentary, but we encounter many managers who simply do not follow these basic tenets. The reason why good communication is important, in case you had to ask (emphasis mine): Harvard Business Publications recently confirmed what many have always known: effective communication is the number one skill for executives to develop. … A Gallup poll of more than 1 million U.S. workers concluded that the No.… Read More
Continue ReadingInternet By 2 To 1
Podcasting news offers us an article with some amazing statistics about Internet usage: The Internet is the medium on which online users spend the most time (32.7 hours/week). This is equivalent to almost half of the total time spent each week using all media (70.6 hours). People spend twice as much time on the Internet as they spend watching television (16.4 hours). People spend eight times as much time on the Internet as they spentd (sic) reading newspapers and magazines (3.9 hours). Clearly there is convergence occurring between television and the Internet to the point where they will be fully integrated. Still, I’m surprised that today there is a 2… Read More
Continue ReadingPersonality Assessments And Stereotypes
Personality assessments, or “communication style” as I prefer, are highly valuable in the hiring process for one important aspect – communication. How many office conflicts have you seen where poor communication was adding oxygen to the fire? We see it in almost every office conflict. One way to diffuse these situations is to assess candidates before they join your team. Doing so allows the manager to know the preferred communication style of the new employee. This knowledge can also predict potential conflict areas between two employees before any conflict develops. However, there are still companies out there who harbor concerns about assessments. One common concern is mentioned in this BusinessWeek.com… Read More
Continue ReadingWhen Prospecting, Be Real
I received an unsolicited email this morning from a niche job board that is really lame. The remarkable offer: I spoke with my Manager specifically about your company. I asked him to help me put together a cost effective trial package that would need to give you a good feel for how effective our service can be. I was able to create a private promotion that my Manager has authorized until the end of February. Since this is a private special, it is not available online. If you want to take advantage of it, you must call me. And of course the offer appears to be a 70% discount. Please. … Read More
Continue Reading7 Saving Graces Of Managers
This is an interesting article from BusinessWeek.com – a ranked order of saving graces which are essentially counterpoints to the typically hard-charging approach of managers. The 7: 1. Listening: Taking the time to listen can get you out of more jams than the rest of the saving graces combined. It is the ultimate way of demonstrating that it is not all about you and your agenda, and it is an excellent tool for breaking down barriers and getting more out of what you do with others. Few executives are good listeners. 2. Approachability: The best executives need to be early knowers, especially when it comes to negative information. The best… Read More
Continue ReadingMonologue Communication
JustSell.com’s latest newsletter has a quick-hit tidbit that caught my eye: Be careful to avoid working to get the needs of your paying customers and highly qualified prospects “off your plate”. These are the people who deserve your attention and time. Technology has allowed us to communicate by monologue – in one direction – sending or leaving a message in the written form (email) or oral form (voice mail) and then moving on until we receive a response. This can cause us to get lazy in our service efforts – creating gaps of needed care and attention and subsequently weakening relationships that might otherwise build stronger barriers to competitive entry.… Read More
Continue ReadingQualifying Is In The Questions
Successful selling is far more than being a smooth talker. It requires the ability to listen attentively and move within the conversation. This principle is discussed in a ManageSmarter.com commentary titled Build Sales Relationships: Consultative Questioning. The opening recollection of the author’s first sales position is excellent: I marched into orientation, ready to close like a champion. That’s when my real learning began. My manager opened training with a startling insight: “Want to be successful in sales? Keep your mouth shut and your ears open.” His approach contradicted everything I read: He stressed dialogue instead of dominance and questioning in place of presenting. And he always customized his approach based… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Wrong Stuff
Are you aware of all of the interview questions being asked behind close doors at your company? There are many hiring managers who are unaware of what constitutes a good interview questions. Most managers know enough to avoid questions regarding marital status, religion and ethnicity, but how about the oddball questions? Don’t ask, don’t tell from MarketWatch discusses some of the odd questions that occur during an interview. “Why aren’t you married yet?” “Would you join a church to get a job?” Those are just two examples of questions job seekers said hiring managers asked them in a job interview, according to a new survey of more than 3,000 job… Read More
Continue ReadingWho Reads Blogs?
Kevin Wheeler has a good article on the ERE website today titled What Makes a Blog Work? There is excellent information within the article if you are looking to start your own blog (something I strongly encourage). Here is a juicy tidbit: A survey published last fall by Forrester’s Charlene Li indicates that “24% of Gen Yers read blogs, which is twice as often as the 12% of Gen Xers (ages 27-40) and three times the 7% of Young Boomers (ages 41-50) that read blogs.” Those types of stats are always fascinating to me. After that, Wheeler provides 4 tips that all have merit: Short and Fun Personal Story-based Authenticity… Read More
Continue ReadingForwarding Failures
CareerJournal.com offers up this article – Avoid These Email Blunders To Prevent Career Derailment – that speaks to some simple-sounding errors. You know, email has been around for some time now, but I am still impressed by how many blunders are still made today. This particular graph grabbed my attention: Don’t spoil your boss’s image. If your boss asks you in an email to speak to a coworker about a problem he or she has with that individual, forwarding the message blindly (and the incriminating language in it) is like setting it in stone. It will not only offend the recipient of the email but could also get you in… Read More
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