Category: 1-Minute Strategy

The nametags you create for a meeting or a conference influence its tone. Ask attendees to submit their hobbies, hometowns, or names of pets in advance for inclusion on the tags and you’ll foster an informal, friendly atmosphere; make their job titles bigger than anything else and you’ll shift the tone in the other direction. […]

Moving your computer from one workstation to another? Use your smartphone to take a quick photo of the wiring hookups so you can very easily duplicate them on the other end.

Sure, you’ve got a hot idea, but only by creating a prototype of it, no matter how crude, can you both convey it in a more exciting, tangible way and let people know you’re serious enough about it to go the extra mile. Even drawing a sketch on a piece of paper will make any […]

Informal group interviews are a great way to learn how job candidates react to their co-workers every day, not just in a one-on-one, whatever-you-want-to-hear interaction. Start a creative group discussion and you’ll get a glimpse of how well the individuals listen, interject, assert themselves, and build on the comments and ideas of others.

We’ve all done it—sent an email mentioning an attachment which, whoops, you neglected to attach. Avoid this head-slapper by getting into the habit of attaching your file first, before you even fill out the recipients in the To: line and compose the email message itself.

When you’re coming up with ideas for stress-relieving leisure activities for the team, remember that asking them to head off somewhere after working hours cuts into the time they value most in life. Try bringing the laughter and games to them instead of requiring a slog when they’re most in the mood to just be […]

Tired of enduring the same old stories from co-workers about what a nightmare traffic is on their commute? Tell them you like the delays—it gives you time to think, listen to favorite tunes or a book, or catch up on the news on the radio. Thus ends your days as a sounding board for that […]

The next time you’re making a list of life goals, ask yourself this: How many of the ones I’ve written down are simply holdovers from years ago, when I was a different person, and which I might actually be happier letting go of? Redefining success and happiness as you get older is natural—and usually the […]

By asking one question—“What do you think?”—you let people know that you value their input, respect their opinion and have an open mind toward solving problems. They know you won’t take every bit of guidance you hear; it’s the request for it that forms a valuable bond.

If you’re wondering if it’s time to see what other jobs might be out there for you, but are hesitating, ask yourself this simple question: “What was I doing exactly one year ago?” The answer may either give you a quick shove toward the door if you feel no sense of progress, or a dose […]