7 bloopers that make a boss cringe
These seven phrases won’t get an admin noticed—at least, not in a good way, says Dave Willmer, the executive director of OfficeTeam. He recently compiled a list of the words your manager doesn’t want to hear:
Category: Productivity
3 Friday habits worth doing
End your week on a positive note every Friday with these three work habits—and set the tone for the following week:
Starting an office recycling program
Establishing an office recycling initiative could reduce the carbon footprint and save your business money. In the average workplace, 80% to 90% of solid waste is recyclable, according to the EPA. How to begin one at work:
Be a ‘curator’ of good ideas
Virtually every problem has already been solved by someone, though that person may not be in the same room or building as you. Great solutions could be one conversation away. Bottom line: Think of yourself as a “curator,” someone who knows how to borrow the best ideas of others, while adding your own twist.
Striking a work/life balance
Question: “I can’t seem to find the happy medium between too much work and not enough. Although I’ve been doing training for 20 years, I still spend a million hours on my lesson plans and class materials … I’d like to nurture my creative side by trying out some new hobbies and activities. How can I stop devoting so much time to my work?” — Too Dedicated
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?
You: The secret workplace weapon
Administrative professionals could be a secret weapon in helping companies bounce back from the recession. New research by OfficeTeam and the IAAP shows admins are moving beyond their traditional roles to take on responsibilities in areas such as cost control, technology and the use of social media, hiring and corporate social responsibility.
Time management = calendar management
Time is finite. All the more reason to give special attention to managing time blocks on your schedule and the boss’s schedule. Here are two tactics, taken from two executives who use time management to boost their productivity:
Dread doing it? 5 ways to nudge yourself
With dreaded tasks hanging over your head, you’ll feel more drained and uneasy than if you just tackle them, says author Gretchen Rubin. Next time you don’t feel like making that phone call or going to the gym, try these strategies:
1-Minute Strategies: June ’10
Save up to $250 by shipping your luggage via a carrier rather than checking it at the airport … Focus on the most important 10% of words you speak or write, to make them more memorable … Track your company’s competition with WatchThatPage.com, a free tool that monitors specific web pages.