Manangement Tip of the Day :Tips on Having Difficult Conversations

HBR :October 17, 2013

Don't Delay That Tough Conversation Any Longer

It's often difficult to have conversations about sensitive subjects. 

Whether you need to tell someone you disagree with her approach or are upset by her behavior, it's all too easy to put it off in hopes of finding the "perfect time." 

Chances are, that time will never come.

 You'll be better off if you stop procrastinating and make the conversation happen.

 Request a time to meet. 

Use a non-threatening medium, such as email or voicemail, to ask what time would be best to discuss a sensitive matter. 

You'll likely still worry before you sit down with the person, but by framing the conversation upfront, you'll have taken some of the charge out of it.

Adapted from "How to Overcome Communication Fears" by JD Schramm.

Manangement Tip of the Day:Make a Plan for Professional Growth

HBR :October 11, 2013

With the right strategies, even the busiest leaders can find the time for development. 

But to make that effort fruitful, you need to determine what types of development will increase both personal fulfillment and value to your firm. 

To come up with the right possibilities, try these techniques: 

• Look over your job description for activities that you would love to pursue, but haven’t gotten to yet.
• Think about the dreams that you had for your current position before you started. What did you hope to accomplish?
• Set up a lunch or coffee with people in similar positions, either at your company or at a different company, and ask how they invest in learning.

Adapted from “Make Time for Growth Assignments in Your Daily Work,” by Elizabeth Grace Saunders.

Manangement Tip of the Day : Find Your Authentic Self

HBR :16 Aug 2013

No one likes to work with someone who is a fake.

 For people to trust that you’re being genuine, they need to know where you stand.

 Here are two ways to be sure you’re being true to yourself and connecting with others: 

• Have a point of view. Know your stances on major work issues and be open and willing to engage in conversations about them. To have leadership presence, others need and want to know where you stand — they don't want to have to guess or be blindsided midstream.
• Be transparent about your position. Know the difference between navigating the political waters of your organization and actually becoming the politics itself. Get support for your initiatives but be clear about what you are doing, why you are doing it, and how you are doing it.

Adapted from “To Be Authentic, Look Beyond Yourself,” by Amy Jen Su and Muriel Maignan Wilkins.

Manangement Tip of the Day :Stop Going to So Many Meetings

HBR :MAY 16, 2013 How can you get any work done when you're in meetings all day? You can't.  But instead of griping, be more discerning about which meetings you go to.  Before saying yes to invitation, ask yourself,  "If I was sick on the day of this meeting, would it need to be rescheduled?" If you answer "no," then decline the meeting and try one of these less time-intensive alternatives: Get an agenda. Ask to look at the agenda ahead of time so you can pass on your comments to the meeting organizer to share on your behalf. (Bonus: This may force him to actually make an agenda!) Delegate. Send someone else from your group to communicate your team's perspective. Ask for notes. If someone is going to share important information but you'll just be listening, request a copy of the meeting notes after the fact. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Break Your Addiction to Meetings" by Elizabeth Grace Saunders.

Manangement Tip of the Day - Use Personal Rituals to Make Changes Stick

HBR :APRIL 10, 2013

How many times have you promised to exercise more, or start meditating, or spend less time at the office?  To make changes that last, create rituals — highly specific behaviors that you do at the same time every day (or on specific days you select). Willpower is a limited resource, so use less of it by making challenging activities automatic.  By setting a time for your routine, you don't have to spend energy thinking about when to get it done.  If you find yourself faltering, reduce the challenge but stay the course. Run three days a week instead of four. Repetition, even in very small doses, builds capacity.  Any positive change you can make will be hugely satisfying — and a source of inspiration to make the next one.

Today's Management Tip was adapted from "How to Make a Change that Lasts" by Tony Schwartz.

Manangement Tip of the Day : Use Questions to Build Your Case

 HBR :7th March 2012

When making a case for something, you’ll have an easier time convincing people that you’re right if you start by asking questions. This will give you the chance to understand their points of view and strengthen your own. But not all questions are created equally. Know when to use what type of query: 

• Convergent: What, where, who, and when questions get a person to clarify what she is thinking. Use them when time is of the essence and you need specifics.
• Divergent or expansive: Why and what if questions ask a person to expand on what he is thinking. Use them when you need someone to see the larger context of your argument.
• Integrating: If...then what questions attempt to find common ground between opposing positions. Use them to build trust and encourage compromise, which is important when the stakes are high for both sides.

Adapted from “To Have the Most Impact, Ask the Right Questions” by Chris Musselwhite and Tammie Plouffe.