Open your speech with ‘fire’

  • December 18, 2012

Legendary marketer David Ogilvy once said, “When you advertise fire extinguishers, open with the fire.” It’s good advice for business presenters....

FMLA: Second medical opinion is your option

  • December 17, 2012

The FMLA allows employers that don’t want to accept an employee’s medical certification to ask for (and pay for) a second opinion. If the two opinions...

Conquer negativity in the workplace

  • December 17, 2012

A large percentage of people have to deal with colleagues who frequently complain, according to a study by Cloud Nine Media. Such negativity isn’t just annoying;...

Newly promoted boss not working out?

  • December 12, 2012

Not every employee is cut out for management. Someone who was a true asset as a skilled worker may be a bust after being promoted. If that happens in your...

ALL CAPS EMAIL? That’s no credible threat

  • December 12, 2012

How belligerent does an email have to be to warrant firing the sender for willful misconduct and threatening a co-worker? A court has concluded that typing in all...

Do you listen … or wait to talk?

  • December 11, 2012

Most leaders acknowledge the importance of listening. But few know how to do it well. Listening raptly requires more than keeping quiet and maintaining eye contact with...

Remove Duplicates: Payoffs and pitfalls

  • December 10, 2012

While it's easier than it has ever been in Excel 2007 and 2010 to remove duplicates from a list based on selected criteria, you’ll need to watch out for a few...

How to reverse a failure

  • December 10, 2012

When something fails, follow these steps: 1. Look in the mirror. 2. Go right back to work. 3. Communicate directly. 4. Seek other leaders on the team. 5. Make necessary...

Developing greater confidence at work

  • December 06, 2012

Dana Theus, a leadership consultant and founder of InPower Women, explains how administrative professionals can develop their confidence and leadership skills to drive...

Avoid FMLA suit: Cut slack for leave-takers

  • December 05, 2012

Employees who are so sick they need FMLA leave certainly can’t perform essential job functions while on leave. Employers must alter their workload expectations...

How to deliver critical feedback that sticks

  • December 04, 2012

Effective leaders often say they prefer to earn employees’ respect than to befriend them. The test comes when these bosses need to dish out criticism. To express...

Top 10 Employee Retention Strategies

  • December 01, 2012

The biggest challenge for an organization is keeping its top talent. Times are changing and so are the attitudes of today’s worker. Here are the top 10 employee...