Category: 1-Minute Strategy

Editors remove all the unnecessary words from texts they revise. In a similar way, you should practice making your statements in the fewest possible words so that your message is unmistakable.

When someone on your team resigns, make this one of your first thoughts: “Is there a way we can do the job without hiring someone?” Management loves this sort of cost savings, and it might be more doable than it first seems.

Groom and maintain contacts by making them aware of a helpful article or pointing them toward a new business book, software program or other tool. A once-a-month “Hello, check this out” exercise like this one keeps lines of communication open and keeps you at the front of their mind.

We all have “risk-taking muscles” that can be strengthened. Each little one you take stretches them, makes bigger risks easier to face, and makes feelings of fear, insecurity, anxiety and tensions seem more harmless.

When training someone on a new task, remember to take a step back and explain exactly why it needs to be performed, everything it accomplishes and everything it affects. This will go a long way in helping memory retention and embedding the importance of the skill in the trainee’s consciousness.

When describing even a simple process, never assume that the recipient of your email or presentation will know exactly what you mean. Adding screen shots (press Ctl + Print Screen in Windows to grab one, then paste it where you wish) is the most effective way to remove all doubt.

It’s still a new year and you’re definitely going to make mistakes. So for 2013, give yourself a three-blunder allowance in advance. When you know three noticeable blunders are inevitable, they’ll roll more easily off your back when they do happen.

When you proofread a document, try approaching it differently with each pass. For example, read it first to check for formatting only, then solely for spelling and grammar, and finally, look for nothing but overall comprehension.

Having trouble getting along with someone at work? Ask yourself one question: What does this person do for fun outside the office? If you don’t know this one little fact, maybe you need to make more of an effort to see the whole person, not just the part you don’t care for.

No matter how busy you are, don’t skip your lunch entirely. You need the physical energy it provides, but perhaps just as importantly, taking even 15 minutes to eat will stem a buildup of resentment that can slowly erode your morale.