Should You Fib for a Better Service Impression?
Sometimes service people say things that an astute customer knows are false. They act as if embroidering the truth enhances their self-image or their organization’s, while making the customer feel better and more cared for.... Continue reading
How a Lack of Feedback Can Undermine Job Security
A seasoned executive was venting to me about her dissatisfaction with the work of a longtime employee. Over time, the employee seems to have succumbed to a combination of habitual carelessness and general lack of... Continue reading
What Happens When Customer Needs Derail Employee Work Rules?
Sometimes the right thing for an organization to do for a customer and the fair thing to do for an employee are both really obvious but in direct conflict with each other. This story shows... Continue reading
Avoid the Pitfall of Indirect Authority
Isn’t it annoying when management bobbles the ball, and then can’t understand why the rest of the team is stumbling around in disarray instead of flawlessly executing plays? Performance can be compromised when a senior... Continue reading
3 Stories: “Just Get It Done” Damages Performance
It’s not enough to announce to your staff, “Just get it done!” Because either they will or they won’t. If a manager communicates performance feedback without a real understanding of how the job gets done... Continue reading
Do You Struggle with an Employee Who Can, But Won’t?
What if you’ve got a functionally competent employee whose performance is just not up to snuff? Perhaps most areas of her work are fine, and a few are outstanding, one or two crucial aspects are... Continue reading
6 Ways Not to Put a Problem on the Table
Let’s say you’ve identified a problem in your organization -- something that’s not working well or isn’t working at all, something that you know should be fixed or changed. And let’s say you’ve already analyzed... Continue reading
4 Aspects of Managing Your Fight-or-Flight Response
The body’s fight-or-flight reactions are a good guide to our true perceptions of a confrontation’s level of safety or danger. Learning to check and manage our physical reactions is essential to both our effectiveness and... Continue reading