Getting the most from appraisals - from both sides

Does your organisation have one of those annual occasions that few look forward to: the annual appraisal or performance review? How do you look forward to it? I wonder how people talk about it before and after? Are appraisals worth doing? If done properly yes. If done poorly no!!!Why have appraisals? When carried out properly they can achieve a number of benefits for all parties. The org. . .

Dictators and Their Effect on the Workforce

In the past 20 years there has been a massive shift in corporate leadership. Accountability for leadership and what really goes on in an organization has been pushed down and distributed throughout the organization. Command-and-control tactics may still be found in basic military installments; society, however, has been informed to the point that the vast majority of the population will no long. . .

Coaching can get the boss in shape

Who tells the boss that they can improve their management or leadership? How do they look at themselves objectively and identify what areas they can improve and the benefits of doing so?These days many people have become more aware of the need to look after their bodies and their health. Not only do many join gyms or start participating in sports regularly a number are using personal trainer. . .

How to Save Money on Training

1) Use a live instructor. Adults learn best by doing, practicing, and experiencing. Effective instructors customize their programs to meet peoples needs, provide counsel on individual challenges, and respond to questions. Videos, CDs, and E-learning are seldom effective for primary learning. Since the greatest cost of learning is the payroll cost of the participants, you want to make sure the . . .

Providing a Target Yields Better Results

Did you ever wonder why employees dont always get their best possible results for job performance? While there are many possible reasons, one that is simple to resolve is to start off with clear expectations for the job. Imagine a military operation where no target has been defined. It would be almost impossible to succeed. Individuals may feel compelled to choose their own targets to feel a s. . .

Keys To Negotiating Well

Whether it's buying a car, asking for a pay rise, saying 'no' to a friend or renting an apartment - at some stage in our lives we all are going to need to know how to negotiate. Yet, so few of us know the basic skills before embarking on life changing purchases or decisions! These 8 keys will assist you negotiate well.1. Know the outcome you want.Do you want a win-win outcome where both partie. . .

5 surefire ways to bring your business objectives full circle with technology

All small to mid-sized company owners want to know where their dollar is being spent when it comes to computer technology in their organization. The challenge is for them to get the information they need to make the right purchasing decisions. Tell me in English why you think we need this technology in our company? That question goes through every company owners mind and mouth. Getting the a. . .

IF YOU WANT TO BE A BETTER LEADER OIL YOURSELF

IF YOU WANT TO BE A BETTER LEADER OIL YOURSELFMaybe this happened to you beforeif you dont add oil to your car or your lawn mower, you are soon going to soon have problems. Why? Because oil is the magic ingredient that reduces friction. In the workplace, there can be tons of friction. As the leader, part of your job is to reduce that friction and keep all the units working together smoothly. . .

Does MBWA (Management By Wandering Around) Still Work?

Tom Peters, alumnus of the management consulting firm of McKinsey & Company and one of today's best known and highest paid management gurus, first came to prominence in 1982 as he "knocked our socks off" with his eye-opening best-seller In Search of Excellence. This thought-provoking classic provided us with many valuable lessons from America's Best-Run Companies. Today, 20 years and ten best s. . .

How to Select a Training Consultant

6 sigma training

In times of rapid change, both small and large businesses today are increasingly viewing training as an investment, not a cost. If your business uses outside training consultants, you will want to maximize your return on this training investment. Qualified training consultants and seminar leaders will have these characteristics:Training consultants will help you determine your specific training. . .

The Magic And Mystery Of Teams

Discover The Coach Within YouOne of the three basic roles of leadership is the coach or mentor. The best boss is often the best coach. (See: http://tlc-leadership.com/the_three_faces_of_leadership) In sports the coach is very conscious of his role but in the business world most coaching is unconscious or even accidental.Just as many a dad learned to coach by jumping in with his son's baseball o. . .

Unexpected Wisdom

If you have ever traveled across country by train, you know that meals are served with community seating. That means you can meet new people with every meal.In late March I took the train home (to Southern California) from an engagement in Massachusetts. One evening my meal companions consisted of a very nice couple and a teenager. At first, the teenager had little to say. (Parents, does this s. . .

What You Don't Want to Know About Bad Meetings

Bad meetings are a cultural malady that senior executives pass on to new employees.Long pointless meetings are useful in that they keep incompetent people from interfering with those who are working.An employee who needs permission to buy a box of paperclips can spend tens of thousands of dollars worth of employee time on bad meetings.Many people attempt to save time by Not planning. This false. . .

TRANSITION TO LEADERSHIP TRAINING

Introduction: Why the need for a transition Human beings generally thrive on personal achievements. True leaders, on the other hand, thrive on the achievements of their team members. Highly effective leaders guide, assist, and coach team members rather than do the work themselves. Successful leaders learn to trust others and spend time developing people. They often do not possess these abili. . .

Make The Elephant Jump -- Leading With A Kind Heart

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required. E-mail to: brent@actionleadership.comWord count: 567Summary: A leader who wants to consistently motivate people . . .

10 Attributes of Effective Meetings

Here are ten fundamental concepts that characterize an effective meeting.Definition: A meeting is a business activity where select people gather to perform work that requires a team effort.A meeting, like any business event, succeeds when it is preceded by planning, characterized by focus, governed by structure, and controlled by a budget.Three things guarantee an unproductive meeting: poor pl. . .

What I would include in a Coaching Book

A coach is an essential figure in providing direction and leadership to his/her team. In sports, coaches are sometimes evaluated on the number of wins they can produce. In a business setting, coaches are evaluated on how efficient they are in providing a healthy work environment for employees. I have never been a coach myself, but as an avid athlete, I have had many coaches along the way who h. . .

How Leaders Create Trust

People buy from you, offer help, and grant rewards based on trust. Here are ways to increase your success by creating trust. While we do most of these things, missing even one of them can ruin it all.Be Dependable* Deliver what you promise and promise only what you can deliver. Report delays immediately. * Be on time. Leave early for appointments. Set realistic deadlines allowing for the unexpe. . .

Blueprint for Leadership - How to Be a Better Leader

If you were to build a house, you would begin with a blueprint. This blueprint proves useful because it contains more than directions on how to build a house. It also describes the finished house. So, what does this have to do with leadership?Last month I asked an audience of leaders to tell me the characteristics of an ideal leader. Their answers were (in the order collected):A good listener, . . .

Employee Motivation - Get The Basics Right First

To motivate your people, it is vital that you start off with understanding that there are some things that need to be fixed first, before you can get on with the above the line actions which develop a strong and engaged culture.There are eight things you need to do.Building a team of motivated people in your business is vital to get the very best results, but so many managers focus on the 'ra-. . .