From the category archives:

Boss Tips

What to do when Someone has Cancer in the Workplace

by Lynn Dessert

A co-worker has cancer. What will they do? What do you do? It is definitely an awkward moment for many people.
I was talking with a Sales Manager on the phone. One of his employees has cancer. As the employee shares his condition with his boss, he clearly states, “I don’t want there to be an [...]

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Choosing an Enemy Over an Ally

by Lynn Dessert

Friend or foe, which is a better choice for someone on your team? It might be your foe according to Robert Greene who wrote The 48 Laws of Power.
Law 2: Never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies
Be wary of friends – they will betray you more quickly, for they are [...]

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Are Too Many Ideas Killing Your Innovation?

by Michael Dalton

Are too many ideas killing your innovation? How can having too many ideas be bad for your new product success; sounds counterintuitive doesn’t it? Well, the problem isn’t actually the number of ideas generated. The problem is allowing too many of them into the product development process at the same time. Previously, I’ve written about [...]

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My Rant: Finger Pointing Hurts Everyone

by Lynn Dessert

Please stop the finger pointing. It hurts creditability. And I hate canned answers. OK – now the details.
I use LinkedIn (their blog here) to build new relationships and maintain old ones. It is one venue I use to increase visibility to be a thought provoker or leader and sometimes is in the form of a [...]

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Want a Better Environment for Innovation?

by Michael Dalton

Want to create a better environment for innovation: Get out of yours and into theirs
I had an interesting discussion recently with a company vice-president about the role of facilities design in innovation. He asked me what he could do in terms of layout and aesthetics to make the work environment more conducive to innovation. [...]

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Great Mentors Find the Unobvious

by Lynn Dessert

Calling all mentors to look for what is not obvious. It is easy to spot someone who is already on a high potential list or finds the right forum to showcase their talent. It is much more difficult to find the person who is still under the radar.
Penelope Trunk’s post, Career Lessons from Susan Boyle, [...]

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Your Confidante: Trustworthy…for How Long?

by Lynn Dessert

Mentor, coach or confidante – it can get a bit confusing with all these terms – is there a big difference in the relationships. Last week, we discussed the role of the coach or mentor, today we will talk about the role of a confidante. There are several factors to help you decide if you [...]

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Are You An Effective Listener?

by Lynn Dessert
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Are you a better talker or listener? Bosses and managers often believe if they are in control of their employees and tell them what to do everything will run smoothly. Employees can sit next to one another and still fail to communicate well. Placing sole emphasis on your speaking capabilities can build a false sense [...]

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The Performance Criteria Check List

by Lynn Dessert

How does your check list stack up to this one? If your boss is not a wimp, they may use some of these criteria when assessing performance in their organization.

Quality of Work. Some job outputs require a minimum standard to pass inspections or other standardized tests. If the manager is the sole evaluator, it become [...]

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Conversation Breakdowns: It Just Might Be the Approach

by Lynn Dessert
HBDI Sample Profile Result

Have you ever felt that your boss, co-worker, friend or spouse just did not understand what you were trying to communicate? Both of you seem to be approaching the problem from two radically different places? You want to chalk it up to them not listening; chances are they just are processing the information much differently [...]

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Silver Bullet Management

by Lynn Dessert
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Is the silver bullet the only answer your manager or organization wants to hear from you?
Is there wasted productivity and leadership misses along the way because of an overwhelming need to have a home run?
Is your management behind closed doors deciding how to cut costs and resources; yet their mantra is “we are going to [...]

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Pull Through Training: Maximizing Your Investment Dollars

by Lynn Dessert
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Tightening the belt on training may not be a company’s best option to reversing a sales slump. Changes in how the market reacts to your product and services can throw your employees off their game. It may be time to fine tune the employee’s skills, behaviors, confidence; or it may be on how you are [...]

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Being A Good Boss Sometimes Means Being Vulnerable

by Lynn Dessert

Vulnerability is a state most managers work hard to avoid. They believe it is a weakness. It can also be seen as a strength.
You’ve climbed your way to the top of the organization through hard work, building relationships and maybe a bit of luck. Your group or team looks to you for guidance, decision-making and [...]

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