March 2012

Mar 30 2012

3 Goal Setting Lessons from the Hunger Games

I may not be the target audience of the Hunger Games, but my inner teen self devoured the trilogy by Suzanne Collins. And yes, I’ve already seen the movie.  In fact, the movie started me thinking about goal setting. Let’s face it. If you don’t go about it the right way, setting goals could lead to the death and destruction of your team.

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Mar 28 2012

What's The Right Number Of Direct Reports?

An article in the April, 2012 issue of the Harvard Business Review analyzes the change in the number of direct reports to corporate CEOs in the last twenty years. Apparently, the number has doubled from just under 5 to just under 10. The trend is not just at the CEO level, but at the layer directly under the CEO, too.

So, what exactly is the right number?

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Mar 26 2012

Tips for First-Time Managers, From First-Time Managers

Guest post by Jennifer King,HR Analyst at Software Advice

Congratulations! You’ve finally been promoted to “manager.” While the bump in salary and new job title are nice, you now have heaps of responsibility you didn’t have before. As a manager, part of your new job is being responsible for the growth and well-being of an entire team.

 

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Mar 22 2012

Your Employee’s Resignation Just went Viral. Now What?

While Greg Smith may have chosen an op-ed piece in the New York Times, his public resignation was far from unique. Who can forget the flight attendant, Steven Slater, who left his job via the emergency ramp of the plane? And just a year later, Joey DeFrancesco the hotel worker who brought his band mates with him as he told his boss exactly what he thought.  Why do some people feel the need to be so vocal? Would you know how to respond if it happened to you?

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Mar 16 2012

Management 101- The Performance Review

If you are a new manager, there are few things more intimidating than giving your first review. Read on for a fast how-to on having the dreaded performance conversation, a la Manage Fearlessly:

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Mar 14 2012

How to Fire an Employee

How often have you inherited a team and wondered how someone had survived so long? Or received glowing references from a peer who clearly just wanted to get rid of their problem employee? 

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Mar 12 2012

March Madness

This week starts one of the biggest losses of productivity in the U.S. workforce – the men’s NCAA basketball tournament, aka March Madness. With the opportunities for viewing games online as well as the inevitable office pool there is a very small chance that your office won’t be affected by the madness. According to a poll by CareerBuilders.com 20% of U.S. workers will take part in a tournament betting pool. So, do you fight the madness or embrace it?

 

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