Tag: behavior
10 Reasons It’s Risky to Be Friends with Your Staff
Clients often ask me how to deal with tricky interpersonal relationships in the workplace. Two of the most challenging situations occur when a leader hires a friend or even the friend of a friend, or... Continue reading
When a Good Thing Triggers a Surprisingly Bad Response
This holiday season I gave a small gift to a local supplier as a token thank you. It was clear from her immediate reaction that she’s not used to receiving client gifts. She started out... Continue reading
How to Get the Best from Millennials: Don’t Make Them a Monolith
At a luncheon for women business owners in the days when we were still having luncheons, several people at my table complained about the Millennials on their staffs: They don’t follow directions or only do... Continue reading
In HBR: How to Work with a Manipulative Person
This article originally appeared on hbr.org. Almost everyone who’s ever gone to work has had to deal with an office manipulator. Unfortunately, most employees hesitate to go public with their concerns. And with good reason:... Continue reading
How to Give Uncomfortable Personal Feedback, with Grace
Most people feel awkward raising personal issues with colleagues. That’s especially true when those issues concern the physical body, seem like an inherent expression of the person themselves, or are things we would feel mortified... Continue reading
How to Start Restoring Your Boss’s Faith, and Your Own
Most of us have made at least one big mistake at work, and had a hard time getting back on an even keel. But it doesn’t help to wallow in self-doubt. Luckily, there are usually... Continue reading
Please Don’t Do It That Way: How Not to Help
“This doesn’t make sense to me!” Halfway down the train car, a woman’s voice was rising. She was assisting one of her two daughters with homework, and her aggravated tone caught my attention. “This doesn’t... Continue reading
This is a Surprising Twist to Try When You Give Feedback
Standard guidelines for performance feedback call for content that’s specific, behavioral rather than personal, consistent, and delivered immediately after the triggering situation. But I’d like to suggest an alternative approach. If the behavior you’re trying... Continue reading