Category: 1-Minute Strategy

Add convenience–and increase productivity–for people who work far from the kitchen by tucking an extra coffee station and small fridge near them. (Example: in the photocopier room)

If your office lunch area is often vacant, replace a couple of dining tables with comfortable seating and low tables for informal brainstorming sessions and other meetings.

Make your point in a touchy situation by first remaining quiet and showing that you’re listening intently. Make eye contact, lean in and paraphrase what you think the other person said. That way, the other person will be more open to your message.

Negotiate from strength by choosing situations in which you can afford to walk away from the table. The other side will work harder to win you over.

When someone lobs a tough question at you, think, and then offer a short response. A long answer probably won’t help your cause.

Be a resource and a connector. That way, if it’s ever your turn to dip into the well, it’s more likely to be full.

Create a cheat sheet for emergencies and leave it on your desk. That way, when your personal life calls (sick children, aging parents, etc.) neither you nor your boss will feel as stressed out. And if your manager needs to, say, book a meeting room as you’re flying out the door, she’ll know how to […]

When you return from a conference or training, prepare a brief report for your manager on what you learned and how you will use it. Plan a training session for others who can benefit from it.

If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll never get there. Set short- and long-term goals.

When sharing your insights with a bigwig, be bold and brief. Rather than oversell your point or babble out of nervousness, test the listener’s reaction with questions such as, “Would you like an example?”