Category: 1-Minute Strategy

Don’t take it for granted that your team members know you appreciate their hard work. Simply saying “thank you” is the most cost-effective way to boost motivation.

When the boss jokes about a blunder you made, smile or laugh and say, “I could have picked an easier way to learn that.”

Try to use a new acquaintance’s name as soon as possible to cement it to memory. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mike.”  Say his name again when you part company to increase the odds of remembering it even more.

Speaking softly is sometimes the best way to get your message heard. By lowering your volume at a key point, you force the audience to listen.

OfficeTeam asked managers how long it takes employees to get back to normal productivity after a vacation. Average: 1.5 days. Impress your boss by diving back in.

Reply to nonurgent e-mails at the end of the day, when you’re eager to head home and won’t waste time lingering over them. If you need more time for your reply, send it first thing in the morning.

When you want feedback from the boss, don’t ask, “Was my work on the project OK?” Instead, ask, “What could I have done better?” or “If you could pick one thing that I could have done better on that project, what would it be?”

Instead of raising your voice to match the caller’s volume, speak softly. That will soothe the speaker and show him that you’re interested in handling the complaint in a calm rational way.

If the boss never wears jeans in the office, you shouldn’t either. And always be guided by this principle: Dress for respect.

Speak and write more powerfully by avoiding intensifiers. “Very,” “really,” “truly,” “basically,” “essentially” and “fundamentally” add little to your sentences and can weaken your message.