Pair yourself with a rookie
Listen to novices, as their fresh eyes can provide insights that you are unable to see. Young staffers or those who have recently joined your business may see things that are odd, wrong or could be done differently.
Category: Internal Communication
Rethink your e-mail addiction
E-mail, that revolutionary productivity tool, has a dark side. It can create divisions between co-workers, hurt productivity and destroy focus, say critics. Some even draw a comparison between e-mail and gambling. To counterbalance the negatives, companies have been imposing “no e-mail Fridays” or “no e-mail weekends.” Anyone can take measures to keep e-mail addiction from getting out of hand, though.
Can you name your office ‘fruitcake’?
You’ve been talking about an idea for a new office procedure or policy, but no one seems to be listening. Maybe they don’t like the idea. Or maybe the idea isn’t catching on because you haven’t been using the right words for it. Semantics do matter.
Help create a more transparent workplace
When times get tough, tough organizations get transparent. The more connected employees are with the financial big picture, the better they can generate revenue-boosting ideas. Is your C-suite boss seeking new ways to engage front-line employees by keeping them informed? Here’s how you can support his efforts.
Assertive gatekeeping
Supervisors depend on you to protect their busy schedules, leaving you to deal with calls from sales representatives. You tell the reps you’ll pass the information to your supervisor, and someone will follow up should there be an interest. However, your words fall on deaf ears, and they continue to follow up. Some even stretch the truth in hopes of making a sale. So what do you do?
The trouble with a ‘Sunshine Fund’
Fran’s work group plans to start a “Sunshine Fund” to buy gifts for special occasions, such as birthdays, weddings and baby showers. Her co-worker, Dan, wants to post a list showing the dollar amount contributed by each employee, but Fran thinks that’s a horrible idea. How can the team structure the fund so that people who can’t afford to contribute won’t feel obligated or embarrassed?
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‘I’m Katherine, not Kathy!’
Katherine Griffin, who writes for the blog “Corporette,” recalls the time she was newly hired and her office liaison called her “Kathy” right off the bat. “He immediately began promoting me to other partners as ‘Kathy’—which made me cringe.” Knowing when to correct someone, and when to let it go, is the first step. Next, you need to figure out how to do it tactfully. Some suggestions from Griffin:
Drawing the boss-friend line
When you’re promoted to a position where you must manage former peers—or current friends—it’s only natural to want them to like you. But at the same time, as a manager, you need to demonstrate fairness. Earn the respect of the team and build trust with these tips:
Update the boss with daily e-mail memos
Every night, when CEO Danny Meyer goes home, he reads a daily memo that his executive assistant e-mails him. “I don’t know how we managed without them,” says the leader of Union Square Hospitality Group. Consider using a productivity booster like an e-mailed daily memo to keep communication strong between you and your boss.