Management may sound like a great gig, but it’s not all fun and games. If you’ve been offered a promotion or are considering seeking one, you should take a serious look at the difficult aspects of being the boss before you make any moves.
Only begin a sentence with “I” if you’re talking about yourself. It sounds obvious, but it’s a rule that’s rarely followed. Leading off with “I’m concerned that” or “I believe” when your point is more about other people or issues is a mistake that can make you seem more self-centered than you really are.
The devil, as they say, is in the details. In so many workplace situations today, though, the devil is in the abstract phrases that we seem all too eager to accept. The result: misunderstanding and mistakes. And that only makes you look bad.
Q: “I’m having trouble adjusting to my new job as the office manager for a small business. My biggest problem is that one of the owners, ‘Emily,’ behaves very erratically. I got this job because Emily and I have been friends for more than seven years. We have often shared personal problems and helped each other as neighbors. Our relationship is more important to me than this position. I would like to help Emily overcome her emotional instability, because it is making my job much more difficult. What do you advise?” Emily’s Friend
Strong communication skills are a must for anyone in the workforce today, and there are some things that simply should never come out of your mouth, says Roxana Hewertson, CEO of Highland Consulting Group.
Twitter is a popular and important marketing tool these days. It’s easy to come up with interesting tweets for a fun brand that sells something people love, but what do you tweet to bring people’s attention to a relatively boring product or service?
Avoid using the term ASAP; it means different things to different people. Employees faced with an “ASAP assignment” may not know whether that means they should instantly drop whatever they’re doing to complete the project or whether they should squeeze it into their already busy schedule and just do their best.
Q: “I recently replaced a manager who held this job for seven years. Since the employees are obviously accustomed to his style, I want to make it clear that they have a new boss with a new way of doing things. Another manager told me that he changed his staff’s seating arrangement on his very first day. Do you think that would help send the message?” Making Waves