The words evasion, prevention and avoidance all have both constructive and dysfunctional applications. For instance, avoidance can be calculated inaction that will serve the greater good. You can take actions that can help you to avert a catastrophe and save jobs or you can decide to avoid an immediate decision because you fear the consequences [...]
There are persons who link their value to their compensation or position. There are others who are valued because of their ability to play political games in the office. The 6 Tips for Improving Your Value to Your Employer can be used to build your career and make a positive contribution to your team. [...]
Respect is often confused with obedience because with obedience, the end result is compliance but the process and underlying reasons that drive your compliance may have nothing to do with respect. In other words, respect is not fear based, it is inspired because it shows you value your people by treating them in a way that [...]
Organizational culture is dynamic, it is constantly evolving and each culture has its own personality. The dynamics of culture form patterns of behavior based on shared beliefs, values, assumptions, traditions and norms. These patterns are contributed to by all employees, some drive the culture, some attempt counter-cultural activities and there are those who do not [...]
Kate is an assistant manager and a strong performer who is well trained in a very technical area that few people understand. She is a no-nonsense employee whose communication style can be abrasive at times and she is deeply trusted for her superior expertise. Because she is an expert in her field, the executive team [...]
Constructive criticism can be difficult to give and receive because there is always the possibility the receiver can react negatively to any type of criticism, especially if they regularly receive criticism that is angry, blaming or condescending. I encounter managers, supervisors and employees who avoid giving any type of criticism for fear of the conversation going in [...]
In the work environment, communication plays a vital role in the success of your team, so mastering verbal and non-verbal communication helps you to build healthy working relationships. You can encounter a full spectrum of persons at work. There are those who are difficult to read and others who display their thoughts and emotions in [...]
I always marvel when I sit in meetings when assigned actions were not taken and the responsible Manger would say, “I gave that project to one of my supervisors and they were unable to finish.” The underlying message in this blaming statement is that the manager delegated the responsibility so he doesn’t have to be [...]
When office politics prevail in a work environment, trust levels are usually low. This is because office politicians are perceived as willing to do whatever it takes to get what they want, and this can include deception, threats, attack and a myriad of other undesirable activities. Office politicians are perceived as having no qualms [...]
A Manager recently exclaimed in a discussion, “Leadership theory is fallacious!” Based on her experience, it seems to be impossible to be a leader in her organization which she characterized as dishonest, abusive and highly controlling. From her perspective, her attempts at being an effective leader are futile because demonstrating leadership competencies is not valued [...]
