Category: 1-Minute Strategy

Yeah, they’re all adults in your workplace, but there’s still a little kid in everyone. Go to this fun resource and choose a free adult coloring page to print out and distribute to each of your contestants. Give them a deadline of a few days to week to work their artistic magic. Then hold an […]

Hand out a floor map of your workplace to new employees to help them navigate and get acquainted with the lay of the land. Show them who sits where, the location of equipment, files, restrooms, key offices such as HR, etc. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it should be drawn to scale on […]

One of the things every co-worker has a right to expect of us is that we’ll read and react to all our emails from them. When we claim we didn’t see one, or forgot about it, it’s reasonable for them to question our work methods. After all, those messages just hang out in our inbox, […]

One of an admin team’s main responsibilities should be to act cooperatively as a welcoming committee for all new employees who join it. Assign everyone a small task for that purpose—one person is in charge of assembling a welcome folder, one person prepares their desk, one takes them to lunch or gives an unofficial tour, […]

There are a lot of decent laminators on the market for under $50 that will add a layer of protection and a touch of class to your bulletin board memos … employee achievement certificates … proposals to your boss …. business cards … all the important pieces for a new-employee welcome package … interoffice restaurant […]

Never go to your boss and simply say, “What should I do?” She may begin to wonder if you’re really cut out to be a boss yourself someday. If you do need advice (and there’s nothing wrong with that), it’s best to think of a possible solution first, then ask, “What do think of this […]

Ever notice that when someone is speaking to you in a slightly tense conversation, the use of your name has the effect of putting you slightly on the defensive? (“Well, Susan, as I said before…”) While it’s a personable thing to do when things are casual, it can come off as an aggressive means of […]

A pre-made email signature would seem to add a nice personal touch to the end of your emails, but often they create the opposite effect, ending your communications with an impersonal “form letter” feel. Internal emails especially could do without the odd formality of contact and job title info that people see again and again. […]

When you absolutely know that the positive outcome of a certain project or initiative is certain, you have the opportunity to appear very strong indeed when you speak of it. Don’t pass it up. Instead of saying, “We’re definitely going to meet our customer response target this month,” try “That customer response target is a […]

“I’m sorry to bother you … Is it OK if I ask you a question? … I’m not an expert but I think it’s important … Sorry again …” Don’t demean or lessen yourself by filling your speech or your email with apologies for intruding or presuming. You’re not “just” anything—put yourself on equal terms […]