Reframe questions to get what you want
When you make a request at work, the best way to get what you want is to “own the question,” says leadership writer and speaker Geoffrey James.
Year: 2014
4 Rumors About Windows 8/8.1 (and why they are untrue!)
Windows 8 boots up within 10 seconds and shuts down just as fast. All of my applications run just fine on it and much,much faster than they used to. To shut it down, click the power button in the upper right corner of your Start screen. Like shortcuts? Windows key, U, U works well. Plus, you can work with it exactly how you worked with Windows 7. Really! Read on …
How to handle overly chatty co-workers
Occasional chitchat is a good way to improve interpersonal relationships, but when it’s overdone, it can be an annoying barrier to finishing the job, as two readers pointed out recently on the Admin Pro Forum.
How do you make sure a fellow admin doesn’t become ostracized?
Question: “My company recently hired an admin who doesn’t quite fit in with the personalities around here. She’s shy and some people think she’s a little odd, but she does her job well enough. I’m worried that after only a month, she seems cut off from the other admins and is being isolated through no real fault of her own. Does anyone have any ideas on how to ‘rescue’ someone like this and make sure she doesn’t become the employee people just don’t care about?” – Livvy, Brokerage Assistant
Trust no email that asks you for… well, anything
How many of us who should know better keep accepting at face value unusual emails from companies we deal with regularly—especially ones alerting us that we need to “click here” to update our accounts or passwords, or react to an alleged fraud, or provide new information that hasn’t been required before. At this point in […]
Business etiquette: Respect boundaries in the workplace
Forget elbows on the lunch table and yoga pants in the cubicle. A study has found that technology may be a leading cause of rudeness in the office.
The moment you must decide who’s boss
Q: “I supervise a data clerk who is rude and uncooperative. She acts independently, as if I don’t exist, and snaps at me whenever I tell her something. My manager and I have discussed this, but have not been able to come up with a solution. There is just no way to communicate with her. Any suggestions?” Defeated
Stop email from slowing you down
Constantly checking email is a great way to stop productivity in its tracks. Productivity coach Susan Lasky recommends changing the way you manage your inbox.
Extend battery life 50% with new app
Heavy’s Karen Tumbokon urges Android users to download Battery Doctor, an app guaranteed to extend your Android device’s battery by 50%. Here’s how to use it.
How do you market yourself above the job-hunting competition?
Question: “I was an executive admin for nearly 30 years. After I was laid off, I thought it would be easy to find another job—after all, ‘I’m an admin and can do anything.’ I have interviewed almost consistently. I know that I used to interview well; I look good (very professional image), have a solid background, good skills, fun personality, easy to get along with, great ethic and word mindset, no kids … I can travel, work late, come in early, etc. But I never really learned to ‘market and brand’ myself. So why I am not getting the jobs?” – Sheryl, Executive Admin