4 Tips to Maximize the Value of Exit Interviews in the Legal Workplace

4 Tips to Maximize the Value of Exit Interviews in the Legal Workplace4 Tips to Maximize the Value of Exit Interviews in the Legal WorkplaceWhen a legal professional on your team hands you a resignation notice, do you schedule an exit interview? What about when you need to terminate a staff member - do you solicit their feedback before they leave?Exit interviews can be an ideal opportunity to obtain feedback from employees that can be used to improve business practices within legal organizations and strengthen employee zurckhalten and legal recruitment. But too often, Ive seen legal managers regard exit interviews as perfunctory, just filing away staff members interview responses along with the departeing employees profile.Heres a short quiz on exit interviewsDo you or someone in your organization conduct exit interviews with every employee who leaves, including resignations, dismissals and layoffs?Do you have an established process for exit interviews?Does your organization ask a co nsistent set of questions during exit interviews?Does someone in your organization review exit interview feedback on a regular basis?If you answered no to any of these questions, chances are that your organization is not deriving maximum value from the exit interview process.Here are four tips for using exit interviews productively and reaping the benefits they can offer1. Conduct exit interviews with all departing employees.Exit interviews should be conducted with all employees who are leaving the organization, regardless whether the circumstances involve a resignation, dismissal or layoff. One of the mistakes I see most often is when law firms or legal departments hold exit interviews only with high-performing staff members they will sorely miss, because they want to find out exactly why the person is leaving to try to prevent a mass exodus of other top talent. But when exit interviews are done only occasionally or subjectively, you cant get a clear snapshot of areas within the or ganization that may need attention.2. Establish a process for exit interviews.If youre going to use exit interviews as part of your organizational approach, its important to create a process and administer it consistently across the board. This includes asking the same questions in each instance so you can compile and address cumulative data over time. Its also helpful to focus on open-ended questions to gain the most insights and provide the employee with questions in advance to facilitate a thoughtful and candid discussion during the interview.3. Identify a structure to capture feedback.Beyond creating a formal process for exit interviews, its critical to develop a consistent mechanism for capturing feedback so comments on various workplace issues - for example, compensation, training and development, environment and culture, mentoring - can be compared.4. Collect and regularly review exit feedback.The most significant value of exit interviews, in my opinion, is the cumulative d ata thats gathered over time. As with any data set, you need enough information in that bucket to identify recurring themes. If discussions with departing employees repeatedly raise comments on particular issues, its up to senior management to take action. So its important that exit interview feedback is collected, summarized and tracked centrally and analyzed and reviewed regularly to identify trends. Only then can legal management have a meaningful discussion and identify potential issues within the workplace where actions or changes may be required.Departing employees will generally be more honest in their feedback because theyre less concerned about repercussions than current employees may be. For that reason, exit interviews can be a very valuable tool to collect candid information about your culture and your legal leadership team, about organizational processes and procedures, structure and more. These interviews can offer a unique perspective on your companys performance and employee satisfaction that can be used strategically to improve workplace issues.Do you have other ideas for maximizing the value of exit interviews? Please share your comments below.

Definition of a Graf and Other Common Terms

Definition of a kurvenverlauf and Other Common TermsDefinition of a Graf and Other Common TermsThose new to the world of journalism will soon learn that the word graf, which to the uneducated ear sounds like a mistake (i.e., gaffe ) is, in newsroom parlance, the industry term for a paragraph. The term graf is usually tossed around by editors and is either written in the margins of a pending story, or it can be used verbally. Graf is part of a general editorial shorthand that editors at newspapers, magazines, and other written publications use very often. For example, an editor (whether a newsroom editor or not) might tell you to fix your first graf. Or, an editor might writethe word graf on the pages of a story youre writing to reference a paragraph he or she wants you to work on. Although the word is used in abundance, because the term is slang, it is not a word that would be used in a sentence. It would, most often, appear on the draft of a story. Other Common Journalism Terms Slug A line of type that is setin metal on a what is called a Linotype machine. Also, the one-word title given to an article as it moves through the editing and plan process. Above the Fold Used in reference to a broadsheet newspaper folded in half for display. The top half of the page, above the fold, is considered the most important part of the paper from a readership (and consequently advertising) standpoint. Reporters, in general, aim to have their stories printed on the front page, above the fold. Point Size Size of the typeface. Advance A story outlining a future event. Pasteup This process consists of assembling multiple pages by pasting type onto (page) mock-ups, which are then photographed and made into metal plates for printing. Originally, all print publications were assembled this way. Today, most publications are designed oncomputers. Pica Pole A metal ruler used by printers in the composing room to measure type by picas. There are 12 points to apica, and six picas equa l an inch. The actual pica pole is pounded against a metal surface in the age-old ritual of banging to denote an employee leaving the premises for the last time. Wires Stories or photographs sent electrically to your computer or mobile device. Transparency In the world of news and information, this term refers to openness about information. In many cases, it is used to refer to the transparency of government agencies releasing information to journalists and to the public. It is also used in the context of journalists being open about their reporting process (and the material they have) by sharing it with readers before the final report. Tick-Tock A step-by-step account of how a particular event occurred. 30 A numeral indicating the conclusion of a story. Stet Derived from Latin, it means Let it Stand, as in, let the original copy go as written. It is often the hardest word for a copy editor to use with a journalist eager to do a re-write. Run To publish a story. Retraction A withdra wal of a previously-published story or fact. Revision A rewritten or improved story, often with additional quotes or facts.

Help Desk Analyst Salary and Job Description

Help Desk Analyst Salary and Job DescriptionHelp Desk Analyst Salary and Job DescriptionThe help desk analyst is one of the most visible IT roles- as well as an evolving one. In fact, its one of the few public-facing IT jobs. But what does an average workday look like for this professional? Heres a quick overview.A tiered roleHelp desk analysts are on the frontline of customer support. They are focused on helping to resolve technical issues end benutzers encounter, or connecting those users with more intensive IT support, when needed. Here are the three levels of analystsA tierisches lebewesen 1 help desk analyst typically takes the initial inquiry and manages relatively simple hardware, software or network issues. If they cant address the problem, they escalate it to a Tier 2 analyst.A Tier 2 analyst is able to resolve more complex systems and applications problems. These help desk analysts generally decide whether or not to generate a trouble or work buchung flugticket, or escalate the issue to the next level.Tier 3 analysts research and resolve the most complex issues that other help desk levels have been unable to fix. They also identify trends in issue reporting and come up with preventative solutions.Remote assistanceA help desk analyst spends the majority of the day performing remote support. This can take a number of formsOver-the-phone supportScreen sharing or remote controlLive chat supportEmail supportPerforming any kind of technical support is challenging enough, but remote support can require even more skill.If screen sharing or remote control tools arent available, help desk analysts must depend on users to be their eyes and hands when trying to resolve a problem. The help desk analyst must visualize what the user is seeing on his or her screen and know exactly what suggestions to give, and how to word that guidance so the user can follow it.Providing remote support can be particularly tricky during busy periods of the day when the volume of calls picks up, queues get longer and pressure mounts. The help desk analyst therefore needs to know how to keep cool and work efficiently and it doesnt hurt to have a sense of humor, particularly when receiving requests like these. (Although laughing at end user requests while helping them is obviously not a good idea)Ticket maintenanceHelp desk requests are tracked using a ticketing system. The most efficient help desks have standards set for ticket quality, like average time to resolution and percentage of tickets that are escalated to higher levels.These standards are used to measure the quality of service, as well as to detect trends in product quality. This is why a help desk analyst must regularly maintain tickets.These professionals typically spend a portion of the workday reviewing existing tickets and looking for cases that should be closed, following up with users where appropriate, and setting reminders for future action.Help desk analysts who deal with especially time-sensi tive issues will spend a larger share of their day on ticket maintenance and following up on reminders to make sure their tickets are on track for a speedy resolution.We can help you get your next help desk or desktop support jobUPLOAD YOUR RESUMETraining, coaching and advisingA more experienced help desk analyst, such as a Tier 3 technician, will likely spend time training and coaching others in addition to solving more complex IT issues.Tier 3 professionals are also expected to maintain documentation such as knowledge base articles or FAQs, and inspect the ticketing system for trends to help drive improvements to the help desk as well as IT products. Devising preventive solutions is one example of how a Tier 3 help desk analyst specifically adds value to the organization.A promising career pathIf youre looking for a technology role that will keep you on your toes and exercise your interpersonal skills, help desk analyst can be a great job. A help desk role can also be a great way to break into the technology industry. Help desk analysts are in demand and can expect to see significant increases in starting compensation this year, according to the 2019 Robert Half Technology Salary Guide.The midpoint salary for a Tier 1 support role is $38,750. The midpoint salary for a Tier 2 role is $45,750, and for Tier 3 its $58,500.Use our Salary Calculator to adjust these figures for your city.Keep in mind that industry certifications are important to help desk analyst career success, and can have a direct impact on a professionals earning capacity. Some of the most in-demand credentials are CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, Microsoft Certified Professional, HDI and Cisco.This post has been updated to reflect more current information.

9 executives on what causes them the most stress

9 executives on what causes them the most stress9 executives on what causes them the most stressYou know that feeling when youre waiting to hear from a date you were really excited about? Or, when you found the *perfect* gift for a friend and you cant wait for them to open it already? That little nugget of anxiety also rears its head when youre awaiting feedback from yur manager - or youre concerned about how you performed in your review. Many employees report having nerves surrounding upper management and admit they stsatzgize to never add any more stress to their bosss plate. If youre worried about being too much or doing too little, take unterstellung words of wisdom from executives who reveal exactly what makes them on edge in the workforce. You can avoid these triggers by, well, doing the oppositeBeing territorial and petty.I understand the human instinct to want to protect whats yours and have insecurity about losing ground, or favor, or prestige. But as a manager, it makes m e crazy when I expect everyone to be working as a team to advance the business. I am careful to be generous with credit and thanks so that people wont feel this way, but it still happens. This is something Im working on with my employees- because as a manager its really my job to try to eliminate these feelings.- Jeannie Ralston, co-founder and editor, NextTribe.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreBeing expected to always have the answers.The main things that stress me out are trying to please everyone in the bro and trying to always have the right answer when everyone looks to you for solutions. It comes with the territory, especially as an entrepreneur. You have to balance between being the boss, owning the company, calculating growth, managing resources and being responsible for your employees. You cant always please everyone. As an entrepreneur, your business is always growing and changing and keeping up with the demands of that can be extremely challenging. I find myself constantly balancing and managing expectations to the best of my ability. It is imperative to have a positive environment in our office so it can be stressful sometimes to do what is necessary in order to meet the goals we have set out to achieve, especially since we run our business like a family.- Kenneth A. Baboun, managing partner of BGI Capital.Figuring out how to manage my time.I still havent mastered not being stressed out when I get ersatzdarsteller or triple booked for meetings, and my calendar is jam-packed with requests from people asking for time I dont have available. My go-to solution is usually pushing off all my busy work and emails until late at night, early morning or even during the weekend. This way I dont have to stress about not giving everyone the attention they deserve. Your staff feels stressed when you feel stressed. As such, its important for me to continue t o train myself on how to manage stressful situations. If I can do this, it helps my staff feel more inspired and positive about the companys future. - Ric Kostick, founder and CEO of 100 Percent Pure.Hiring new roles.Nothing is more exciting than when we commit to bringing a new part on the team to fill a new role. And then the realization sets in you need to devote extra energy to define the role and recruit the perfect candidate, while simultaneously doing their job. Its stressful balancing the short-term imperative to execute (thats why youve decided to make a new hire) and the long-term perspective that you just need to find the right person. Theres no way Im going to be able to execute as well as Id like. I have learned to accept that I wont get to everything in the short-term, but I have to prioritize recruiting this person and getting them on board as soon as possible. This includes setting aside dedicated time each day to recruiting.- Jeremy Goldberg, co-founder and presid ent of LeagueApps.Constant connectivity.A stressor for me is the constant connectivity and attention to devices. This is a huge problem in the workplace a meeting full of people tethered to laptops is a sure sign the meeting is a bad use of everyones time. This problem, obviously, extends beyond the workplace to our families and friends. Every restaurant has tables full of folks looking down at their phones Mindfulness and presence is such a game-changer both at work and at home.- Josh Platt, chief product officer of RetailMeNot.Not meeting deadlines.Something that can be stressful for me is when different people Im working with give inaccurate timelines and do not meet deadlines. I am constantly coordinating between the manufacturers, the warehouses and the fulfillment companies. If one entity is late on delivery, an entire process can be delayed and I am responsible for reworking these errors. When youre operating on a global scale like our company, it adds an extra layer of pres sure to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible.- Aleezeh Khan, co-founder and head of operations for CTZN Cosmetics.Lack of integrity.I have learned that faking positivity, especially as a leader, can even instill distrust. As CEO and Founder, there is a need to bring a positive, strategic vision that is truly authentic no matter what challenges the current business might be facing. While business results are key to the success of Mamma Chia, I am also focused on fostering a vibrant workplace that is filled with dynamic, empowered souls. One belief that drives both my personal and professional life is the idea that fulfillment comes from being of service to something greater than ourselves. I have found that the most practical and effective stress reliever is simply aligning with my soul throughout the day. In the midst of the daily hustle and bustle of growing a brand, I take the opportunity to consciously rest in my true nature. It takes practice and commitment to do this , but it is far more effective and powerful than waiting for the end of the day or weekend to de-stress.- Janie Hoffman, founder and CEO of Mamma Chia.Not having me time to focus.I travel quite a bit, so when I am in the office my calendar is filled with meetings and calls. I often feel like I am being pulled in many directions, but its important to have regular dialogue with key members of our team to stay on top of initiatives but more importantly because I want the team to always feel like they are getting the support that they need from me. Many days, the meetings are excessive that I dont have time to even breathe between them, much less, take the time to prepare well or digest the meeting I left last. I recently started adding a Me Time block to my calendar and I use that time to give focus to thinking, planning, and preparing. I now rarely will schedule a call or meeting during the Me Time block, unless its something critical that needs immediate attention.- Shane Evans, fo under and president of Massage Heights.Figuring out work and life balance.While the work we do every day will take up a very meaningful part of our lives, we gain great sources of happiness from our families. I feel high stress to provide a healthy and happy life for my wife and kids, so that places added pressure that is not the fault of my colleagues or my company. I recognized early on that I owned this piece of my life and how I balanced my life was a critical happiness factor for me. Whether I was leading a very large franchise platform of 1,100 units and $1B+ in sales/year or I am leading an intense start-up, being more thoughtful helped me manage through the stress at work. One great practice to achieve the stress reduction and not bring it home with me was to transition. Transitioning before I get home on tough days is a great method. Before I get in my car for my short ride home, I walk for about fifteen minutes. I work on breathing, clarity of thought, organizing my mind f or tomorrow and parking the work stuff so when I get home, I am 100 percent present for my kids and my wife.- Dave Crisalli, founder and CEO of My Prose.Slow rates of growth.Company owners always want their company to grow faster than it does. When we fixate on a particular rate of growth and fail to reach it, that can feel like failure. Even worse, it can feel like the very life of the company is in jeopardy. This can be extremely stressful. I combat this by remembering that what I want isnt necessarily what I need to be happy. That is, the company can do well even if its growth rate doesnt meet my expectations and desires. We often feel we need to achieve a certain outcome exactly as we envision it to be happy and remain stress-free. But this type of delusional thinking only ossifies our thinking and adds to our stress. By allowing myself to recognize an outcome can be positive even if it wasnt exactly what I envisioned and wanted, I can dramatically reduce my stress.- Dr. Alex Lickerman, MD, and author of The Ten Worlds The New Psychology of Happiness and The Undefeated Mind.

An Impartial View of Resume Tips and Tricks

An Impartial View of Resume Tips and Tricks Resume Tips and Tricks - the Conspiracy The job market can be difficult, and you have to differentiate yourself from the crowd. If youre at the beginning stages of your job search, the very first thing that you will want to do is update your resume. In the same way, dont write Manage a group of five if youre referring to a job which you held before. Mentioning your very first job in retail or a restaurant may not be great for the software developer position you desire. The Hidden Treasure of Resume Tips and Tricks Well, no actually, since there are a couple of basic rules that could genuinely help you to manage time better. In the era of the web, so many things are a breeze to verify. There are plenty of unique strategies to organize the info on your resume, but the excellent old reverse chronological (where your latest experience is listed first) is still your best choice. The majority of the time the folks that are reading the resume really dont have a thing to do with the job and dont have any direct experience with it. Whenever your resume is updated on a normal basis, youre prepared to pounce when opportunity presents itself. To make your resume stand out, you will need to have your finest accomplishments and experiences on top. If youve got 31 years experience, you might not need to date yourself. You could also have volunteer experience. Theres an excellent chance it wont include all the keywords set out in the work description. Resume templates often have example sections and data for you to receive a better knowledge of the way to schliff your personalized resume. If thats the case, think of ways which you can attempt to incorporate relevant keywords into your resume. By way of example, be sure you include keywords from the work description in your resume. Key Pieces of Resume Tips and Tricks Its going to be obvious what the document is when you consider it. Go here should you need an ATS-ready resume template. You comprehend the fundamentals, like adding keywords, highlighting soft abilities and formatting appropriately. New versions of Word now have PDF writers and for older ones they may be downloaded at no cost from the web. Whispered Resume Tips and Tricks Secrets The following suggestions will serve as guidelines for learning how to make a resume with the normal chronological resume format that will stick out in the application practice. Utilizing social media is an excellent method to do that. There are many websites with tips around the internet, but most bring just a small number of them. Strategies for Writing a Resume Let us cut the chase and begin with the basic strategies and secrets that will earn a standout resume which works for applications. The Resume Tips and Tricks Game Stay away from negativity Do not consist of information which may sound negative in the view of the employer. Youre there for the work so make certain that you make a great impression. You will also want to guarantee the very first few words of each bullet point sound engaging since many hiring managers will merely read the onset of each section to learn if youre qualified. 1 small typo and your odds of getting hired could slip. Then, its important to maintain a great flow. Taking breaks and receiving fresh air and exercise is among the best means of working smarter, not harder. Whenever you havent updated your resume in some time, it can be difficult to understand where to get started. What you ought to be doing is making certain you are in the very best shape. The Honest to Goodness Truth on Resume Tips and Tricks For instance, your personal situation may be ideal for a Certifications and Courses Completed section. For each resume you send out, you will want to highlight only the accomplishments and abilities which are most relevant to the job at flosse (even if this indicates that you dont incorporate all your experience). Highligh t your experience and explain what you have to give. In that case, you need to de-emphasize job experience and pay attention to your education and techniques. Many businesses and recruiters utilize keyword-scanning software for a tool to narrow the work applicant pool. Theres no location for private details on todays modern resumes. Keep in mind the idea of Less Is More and filter the information that you put in your job program, only including the relevant particulars. Alternatively, you should customize an application per company youre applying. To assist you in getting started, heres a list of the highest action verbs you are going to want to look at incorporating throughout your resume. The resume should begin with an expert overview of your strengths. If you would like to display your accomplishments, you will need to use action verbs throughout your resume. Your resume is already intended to be a concise overview of your achievements. Employing a custom resume inst ead of a generic one is going to greatly increase your odds of an interview, as youll be a better match in the view of the reader. Its essential that you have a great idea about what you wish to highlight in your video resume. In order to get the one that you want, you need to hunt for them as theyre off screen. Just stay positive, and keep in mind there are a number of great tools that could help you on the way. The Appeal of Resume Tips and Tricks fruchtwein hiring managers dont have the opportunity to read each and every portion of your resume. You are able to research companies and individuals you wish to target, connect with former associates, and tell them you want to find new opportunities. Most candidates dont think theyre a risk.

One Easy Trick for Aspects of Writing a Resume Unveiled

One Easy Trick for Aspects of Writing a Resume Unveiled The New Angle On Aspects of Writing a Resume Just Released Business letters have a particular objective. Say what you would like to say, and move forward. Utilizing a free resume builder, as an example, frequently results in resumes which are pretty near worthless. Your contact details ought to be just underneath or very near your name. Things You Wont Like About Aspects of Writing a Resume and Things You Will Knowledgeable writers often accomplish all three simultaneously. For those who have experience in the business, youre going to learn which ones are the most essential. Each resume format has their own set of benefits and disadvantages for various kinds of job seekers, so make sure to select wisely. Youre a personal services business. Aspects of Writing a Resume Options Employers dont have enough time to read everything on your resume when theyre initially preparing the selection procedure. It is not unusua l for Human Resource Managers to research the internet profiles of prospective employees as a portion of the recruitment procedure. There are many kinds of essays, it isnt hard to eliminate an eye on all your writing assignments. If you dont understand how to begin your essay or where to search for supporting data, well be happy to help you. To write well, a writer has to be in a fleck to recognize quality in a bit of writing. Our talented writers can deal with just about any form of writing assignment, in addition to Math and Physics troubles and a lot more. The Tried and True Method for Aspects of Writing a Resume in Step by Step Detail If youre a job seeker, you have to have a resume that invites a possible employer to pick up the telephone and call you for an interview. A personal letter can even talk a little about business if it is a portion of what you need to say. Your experience and education will decide whether the employer will even supply you with an interview. You dont wish to sound just like you are bragging, yet you wish to clearly demonstrate you have the jobs skills the employer is searching for. The Most Popular Aspects of Writing a Resume The more you concentrate on all the positive details of the experience youre wanting to modify the more that experience will start to change in positive ways. After graduation, folks have to be in a position to update the resume and expert letter as they acquire skills. If youre having difficulty thinking up ideas, think about meeting with a career counselor for expert advice. There are means by which you can position yourself for a career change without needing to return to school. Choosing Good Aspects of Writing a Resume Quite simply, you may want to state the major point of the letter. The body of your business enterprise letter is simply likely to contain a few paragraphs. Make sure that you dont neglect to attach whatevers on the list Theres one final bit of information you will need to be able to compose amazing small business letters in English.

Strategies for Products Sold Seasonally

Strategies for Products Sold SeasonallyStrategies for Products Sold SeasonallyIn late autumn, mall shops start hiring extra ausverkaufpeople for the holiday season. They need extra bodies because, during the holiday rush, retail salespeople sell far more than usual. But retail isnt the only industry with a seasonal aspect in fact, most products go through feast and famine cycles. For example, car sales go up in August, when the new models arrive. And most B2B salespeople find that their slowest month is December when decision makers go on vacation. Accountants are swamped with customers in March and early April as they prepare tax returns. Once youve been selling a given product for a while, youll usually get a feel for its busiest times of the year. That means you can take advantage of those times and often more than make up for the leaner periods when its just harder to sell no matter how good you are. Push Hard During the Busy Season The most important thing to remember is th at to maximize your results, you need to push hard during the busy season. Its natural to feel the impulse to neglect cold calling when you have customers lining up to buy from you, but if you give in to this impulse, youll find yourself with an empty pipeline at the end of the season and will have to scramble to get your sales rolling again. While youll probably be very busy during these peak periods, set aside at least a half-hour per day to contact new prospects, be it via phone, email or other channels. During those times when sales are pouring in, your goals should go up accordingly. Dont wait for your sales manager to set up new goals for you plektrum new goals of your own that are in line with your increased customer base. The best way to know how much your goals should be is to check your records from the last busy season and see how you did back then. Your goal for the new busy season should be somewhat higher than your goal from the last season, but not so high that its a lmost impossible to reach. Ideally, your elevated goal during these times reminds you to keep pushing instead of relaxing and enjoying the windfall sales. Set Aside Money for the Slow Season At the end of the busy times, youll no doubt have a bloated commission check burning a hole in your pocket. Enjoy yourself by all means, but set aside at least part of the extra money into a famine fund. Then when you hit the slow season, you wont have to fret about your inevitably smaller commissions. This is even more important when your slow season coincides with extra personal expenses. For example, the B2B slowdown around the end of the year often makes for a leaner holiday season for salespeople if they dont have a little extra tucked away in advance. Plan for the Busy Season in Advance Sales managers and small business owners should start planning for busy periods well in advance. For business owners, that may mean hiring more sales reps on a temporary basis. If you decide to do s o, be aya to bring them in at least a few weeks ahead of the busy period so that they have enough time to become familiar with your products and selling style before theyre swamped. Sales managers may need to work with salespeople to schedule vacations so that the maximum number of salespeople are on the job when things get busy. Managers may also want to work together with sales managers from other teams to be sure that enough salespeople are available when theyre needed most.

Management Horror Stories and Spooky Leadership

Management Horror Stories and Spooky LeadershipManagement Horror Stories and Spooky LeadershipManagement Horror Stories and Spooky Leadership ConlanAs the wind rattles branches on the window and wolves howl in the darkness outside, its time to scare yourself with management horror stories.These tales of ill-advisedleadership and management mishaps will chill your blood and remind you that even the best of intentions can backfire on managers. We offer some leadership tips as well, so you can avoid these terrifying fates.The Chillingly Misguided CEOBusiness consultant Don Maruska of Morro Bay, California, worked with a company that had low employee engagement scores, and the CEO decided to do something about them. He arranged sessions with the employees in which he explained why the business was great and how employees had many opportunities to be parte of its success.While he thought he did a wonderful job, he heard reports back that many employees felt even less engaged, Maruska say s.Leadership Tip This misguided leader knew something had to change, but had no idea how to approach it. He would have been more successful if he had asked employees about their hopes for the business and ideas for how to get obstacles out of the way, Maruska says.Engagement comes from self-motivation, not by promoting the company. After all, your employees already believe in the company thats why they work thereBeware of how You Trick or Treat PeopleMichael DeVine, chief strategy officer and senior consultant at JSAAdvising in thePlano, Texas, office, was brought into a hospital system to do leadership development and determine the reasons for poor employee morale and performance.As part of the initial assessment, he and his team met with the chief nursing officer of the hospital and presented feedback from the staff indicating the womens services unit was understaffed and poorly managed.She replied, You mean that unit where they get to play with babies all day? and laughed, DeVin e says.Leadership Tip The CNOs response showed she did not value the unit at all, DeVine says. It clearly exposed the systemic reasons for why their unit had the highest employee turnover and the fruchtwein reports of safety violations due to poor staffing, he says.Understand the work employees do, take it seriously and respect their efforts to do it right.The Case of the Missing LeaderNick Brattoli, lead consultant at Byrdttoli Enterprise Consulting in Birmingham, Alabama, says he knew of a boss who was a nice guy, but a bad leader. He would present a problem, listen to all of the suggested solutions and decide that having all employees work 100 hours a week, including himself, was the correct answer to everything, he says.The boss also jumped in where he wasnt needed and often wasnt skilled, preventing him from effectively doing his job of leading the team.Leadership Tip Misguided leadership such as this often results in employee frustration. Overworking employees with no overtime while not listening to suggestions or providing training made working there difficult, Brattoli says.He could have been much more effective by trusting the people in the weeds doing the actual work, he says. And remember that overworked employees (and managers) can only survive for so long. The last thing you want is a mass workforce exodus.A Terrifying Lack of Follow-ThroughLaura MacLeod of New York City-based From The Inside Out Project says she worked with a director in a hospitality position. The director was well dressed and articulate, but had no knowledge or expertise in the industry. Problems of all sizes overtime pay, contract violations, no martini glasses, wrong prices in the computer were brushed aside with a smile and Ill see what I can do without any follow-up, MacLeod says.Leadership Tip Management mishaps happen when people make promises they dont keep. Its obviously important to look the part as a manager, MacLeod says. But you need to back it up or no one will t rust or respect you.

Dont Let a Subway Ride Derail Your Job Search

Dont Let a Subway Ride Derail Your Job SearchDont Let a Subway Ride Derail Your Job SearchJust because Wi-Fi is available, doesnt mean you should be.As reported by TechCrunch, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has switched on wireless connectivity in 30 underground subway stations around Manhattan. Whats more, over the next two years, cell phone service and free Wi-Fi will continue to expand to all of the MTAs 277 subway stations.For many New Yorkers, this is great news. Professionals can be more productive during their commute, which may translate to shorter work hours in the office, or at home during family time. Job seekers can also reap the benefits of having phone and www access while in transit by taking advantage of the uninterrupted search time for job sourcing, networking and applying.However, just because Wi-Fi is available, doesnt mean you should be. Typically, the best policy is to never speak to a recruiter or participate in an interview while commuting.Bet ween interrupted service, booming MTA announcements, and crowds of strangers filing in and out at various stations, theres no way to guarantee a professional and confidential conversation. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression. Dont let a subway ride derail a potentially valuable connection. Before you accept a call in transit, ask yourself the following questions.Can you control the environment?Dont answer the call if your current location is noisy or your cell service is spotty. Instead, let the call go to voicemail, and call the person back as soon as you can find a quiet spot where your call wont be interrupted. Its important to return the call within the same business day, even if its after normal business hours. Theres nothing wrong with leaving a message to say youre sorry that you missed the call and would like to speak the following day.Are you prepared to answer the callers questions?Sometimes a recruiter will reach out immediately after you submit a n application before youve had time to prepare for the phone screen. If thats the case, use the rest of your transit time to review the job description and your application. Have copies of these materials handy when you return the call so you can tailor your responses to reflect your qualifications for the role.Will your conversation be confidential?If you answer your phone in a quiet subway car, then assume your conversation will be overheard by others. While you may not recognize anyone in the car, that doesnt mean your conversation is safe. Theres no way of knowing who is in that car, or who they might know. This is especially important if youre currently employed and exploring other opportunities. The last thing you want to do is get caught talking to a recruiter with a colleague standing in the same subway car.Whether youre underground in the subway, watching your kids at the playground, or ordering coffee in a crowded cafe, pause before fielding a phone call from an unknown ca ller. If you cant guarantee a professional and confidential conversation in a controlled environment, then youre better off returning the phone call later that day when you can.