Category: 1-Minute Strategy

Don’t end up with 27 desserts and no entrees at the next gathering. Create a sign-up sheet with categories, and everyone will be able to see what is needed. Include a section for cleanup volunteers.

Mention in passing when you’ve learned something positive from your boss—without laying it on too thick. Example: “I’m borrowing your technique for negotiating with vendors, and it’s working.”

If you’re responsible for buying birthday cards for the office, buy several at a time so you don’t have to make a special trip every time one is needed.

When seeking ideas to help solve a problem, tell the person what you already considered or tried. She might be able to build on one of those ideas.

When writing a phone message, jot down the correct way to say the caller’s name along with the other information. You don’t need to use the phonetic alphabet, just a note like, “Mr. Behr (pronounced Bear).”

Eye have a spelling chequerIt came with my pea see.It plainly marques four my revueMiss steaks eye kin knot sea. There’s a danger if you rely solely on your computer’s spell checker.

Be prepared to answer two questions when pitching an idea or attempting to influence your boss: (1) How will the organization benefit? (2) How will my boss benefit?

If you berate yourself when you make a mistake, you’ll worsen the damage. But if you say, “I’ll fix this,” or “I sure learned from that,” you turn a negative into a positive.

Giving a presentation? Speak in your natural tone. Optimism should flow from your authentic personality. If you adopt an artificially perky tone, listeners may find it grating.

When someone tells you, “I need this right away,” ask what he means, including day and time, advises Amy Garrett, a workshop leader for National Seminars Group. “You could be putting yourself under unnecessary stress.