Which ‘habits’ influenced you most?
Stephen Covey, author of the landmark self-help book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, passed away July 16. Scott Eblin, a leadership coach, shared his reflections on his favorites of those habits.
Year: 2012
Can you turn around a bad new supervisor?
Question: “A very young and inexperienced co-worker was recently promoted to general manager of our facility. This has been a difficult transition for everyone. As a department head, I unfortunately have to report to her. ‘Crystal’ is demeaning and condescending to her direct reports. She wants to know every little detail of our work, yet when we call with questions, she gets mad and says “I can’t believe you bothered me with that.” She also has a habit of talking to one department head about another. Crystal and I used to be friends, but that ended when she tried to cover herself by falsely blaming me for a problem. Although I have invested eight years in this company, I’m not sure that I can continue working for someone whom I neither trust nor respect. Going to the owner will do no good, because he is not receptive to feedback. What would you advise?” K.C.
Should you attend after-hours functions?
At many organizations, it’s common practice to celebrate co-workers’ achievements with a drink after work or to band together for volunteer projects. But is it fair to penalize people who don’t want to participate in these after-hours activities?
Build strong workplace alliances
If office politics seem more like office battles, maybe it’s time to form alliances and know who’s on your side before the fight begins.
Prepare for a great Skype interview
More organizations are using Skype to conduct interviews. Beth Braccio Hering offers her favorite tips for making a great impression:
3 ways a blog can help you advance
Starting at the bottom may not be fun, but it’s a fact of life. Or is it? Cassie Boorn skipped it with the help of a blog she started in college. Steer yourself into the fast lane with her tips.
Give employees, customers or clients a positive feeling
Give employees, customers or clients a positive feeling about engaging with you by saying: “I took your suggestion.” Telling them that you valued their ideas enough to use them makes a powerful impact.
Making friends with the semicolon
Semicolons are often misused, inspiring both love and hate from professional wordsmiths. But with a proper understanding of their purpose, they can beÂÂcome one of your favorite punctuation marks.
Feel like an impostor at work?
Even if you’re doing well in your career, getting good reviews and advancing at a solid clip, you may have times when you feel like you don’t really know what you’re doing and you’re just faking it, writes Jessica Stillman. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
Prove how you can handle supervisory position
Question: “I used to be one of those high performers with no interpersonal skills. After I was promoted to a supervisory position, management decided that I had difficulty communicating with employees. Because of this perception, I was un-promoted. Since then, I have had a major internal overhaul that has given me a completely different attitude. Is it possible to change management’s negative opinion, or should I just take what I’ve learned and move on?” Seen the Light