If someone asked you what a table was (in data speak), you would likely respond with something like a set of data presented in columns in rows. When Excel® 2007 says tables it means a very specific way of formatting data that not only visually arranges into a tabular format, but gives you tools that let you work with that data easily.
Germ-ridden office refrigerators are no laughing matter. According to a recent Bloomberg BusinessWeek article, the noxious fumes coming from the refrigerator in one office were so bad, seven employees had to be sent to the hospital and the entire building was evacuated.
Boost buy-in of important decisions for a group you lead by making the choices in front of a group, not behind closed doors.
If you’re writing an e-newsletter or promotional e-mail for your company, remember: That “free” e-newsletter costs your readers time. And that could be the most valuable thing they possess. Persuading readers to click and read is more challenging than you might think. Heed these tips and tricks from the experts for writing more effective marketing e-mail:
Print draft documents in a larger size for proofreading. Viewing text at about 130% of its normal size makes errors easier to spot.
Question: “As a help desk employee, I take calls from people having computer problems. Before this job, no one ever criticized my work, but lately my manager has received numerous complaints. Since every call is recorded, it’s clear that I have not been nasty to anyone. However, my boss always wants to appease the callers, so he lectures me about anything that seems negative. These constant reprimands are very demoralizing. Most recently, I got in trouble with a caller who couldn’t find a serial number. Our web site clearly states that this number is required when calling the help desk. The woman got upset and began to argue with me. Instead of arguing back, I told her how to contact my manager, then hung up the phone. The tape clearly shows that I was not ugly or smart-alecky, but my manager says I should not have hung up. I am well-educated, with much more extensive computer knowledge than this job calls for. I am also rather introverted. I have started looking for a new position, but would like to know how to avoid these problems in the future.” — Depressed
What’s the right thing to do when you’re asked to do something that doesn’t play to your strengths, or that was never mentioned as part of your job description, or that you flat-out don’t want to do?
Admin Pro Forum readers weigh in:
Want to brush up on your schmoozing skills? Stand by the food at an office function. Why? Because people will come to you, and you have an automatic conversation-starter: food. You also have a place to set down your drink, freeing your hand for handshakes.
When attending a large group meeting, don’t sit with people from your department or office. If familiar faces surround you, you’re less likely to reach out and make new connections.
QUESTION: As we enter the back-to-school season, office supplies have begun to disappear. Does anyone have any policy or procedure in place to thwart this type of behavior? In your experience, will a firm but diplomatic e-mail help? It’s getting expensive and embarrassing as large quantities walk away.— K. in FL
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