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Category: Communication

Making the sale

No matter what you do in life, you have to sell something, writes author Michael Ellsberg—selling your boss on why he should promote you, selling your brilliant idea, or selling co-workers on why they should donate to your cause. How to sell, in a nutshell:

1-Minute Strategies: Jan. ’12

“What do you do?” Be prepared for this question before you head to any networking event because you’ll probably be asked dozens of times … Need someone to make a decision? Approach him in the morning. “Decision fatigue” is a very real phenomenon affecting people who have to grapple with an ever-increasing number of choices.

Resolve conflict in person, not in email

The co-worker in the next cubicle hums all day. Yesterday your boss dressed you down in front of the entire team. Another admin has been griping about the same issue for a week. In every case, it would be all too easy to ignore the problem, or avoid confrontation by sending an email. But in every case, a live conversation is the better solution.

Inter vs. intra

An admin reader recently wrote, “My goodness, will you please do a piece that tells people the difference between ‘intra’ and ‘inter’? While you’re at it, ‘effect’ vs. ‘affect’ wouldn’t hurt, either.”

5 things co-workers don’t want to hear

Socializing at work is good for you, according to a jillion studies. What’s not so good: getting stuck in a conversation that seems to never end, about a colleague’s trip to the pet groomer or the adorable 10 things the co-worker’s child said yesterday. Avoid these topics: