Walk the talk
Take a stroll with people instead of inviting them to lunch. An ambling outing offers a better forum to build rapport as you talk and walk.
What’s too ‘friendly’ in office relationships?
Question: “I have been having problems with a female co-worker. “Kelly” and I have always had a friendly relationship, but now she’s avoiding me. Last week, I brought in doughnuts for everyone and also put flowers on Kelly’s desk with a card that said “Have a nice day.” She immediately became standoffish, so I asked if everything was OK. Although she said there was no problem, she hasn’t been the same since. Kelly recently ended a long relationship, and I’ve heard it was a difficult breakup. I’ve also been told that she thinks I’m trying to “take a shot” at her. I’d like to talk privately and get everything out in the open, but I don’t think Kelly will allow it. What should I do?” — Just a Friend
Closing the loop on minute-taking
The meeting may be over, but the minute-taker’s job goes on. At the group’s next meeting, you may hear corrections to the minutes, says Joan Burge, founder and CEO of Office Dynamics. “Follow the legal requirements of your organization in correcting the minutes,” she says. “If no special requirements are indicated, then follow this procedure”:
Handle that tough question
Never be caught without an answer by memorizing this phrase: “Give me some time to check my notes on that. I want to be absolutely sure that I get this right.”
Do you know your company’s core values?
Are you in touch with your company’s core values? And what about your team? Have you sat down as a group to talk about what your core values mean? If not, suggest to your boss that it might be time. Here’s the potential payoff for you and your boss:
Quick check for typos
Read what you wrote out loud. That increases the odds that you’ll catch a missing “the” or spot an “and and.”
Can I change the color of hyperlinks?
Hyperlinks normally appear in such a way as to distinguish them from the surrounding text. The purpose of the distinction is to let the reader know that activating the link will actually take them to another piece of content.
Offer a warm hand
Hold your drink in your left hand at business events. This keeps your shaking hand from being cold and damp.
4 tactics for better e-mail responses
Make your e-mail easy to read and respond to with these four tips: 1. Limit your e-mail messages to one topic. 2. Make sure your headline is clear, strong and descriptive. 3. Include all contact information within every e-mail. 4. Encompass all relevant information the person might need to answer the e-mail.
Meeting seating
Make the most of meetings by choosing a smart seat. Sit in easy view of the person running the meeting, so your contributions will be noted. Don’t sit across from someone likely to challenge your ideas.