How to Improve Your People Management Skills

Filed under: Universe Of Management — admin at 10:12 pm on Tuesday, March 9, 2010

A thriving business depends heavily on the effective management of individuals. These skills can be improved and learned. It can be a plus to have a innate affinity for people, but there are numerous things you can learn that will make the procedure simple.

Developing relationships: Start by using a person’s name. Engage in conversation; look co-workers in the eye when you’re speaking. Develop a respectful attitude, and be sure to pay attention to what the other individual says, irrespective of whether you are in agreement with them. The development of the ability to listen is one of the most important things you may do to better your human resources management skills. Encourage any comments from your team members.

Exhibit integrity: Do not make promises you won’t keep. If you can’t deliver on what you promise, the fragile bond of trust is damaged, and if they can’t trust you your staff will not offer their best. Each time you make a commitment or make a promise, do be sure you can deliver or don’t bother giving your word at all. The truth is, if you can’t be depended upon, they will not be committed when it’s really important. Welcome feedback: It’s a two-way street. People management skills mean having an open mind to all feedback. Being accessible and open demonstrates that you respect other’s ideas, and they will listen to yours. Open discussion also encourages creative problem solving, innovative methods of achieving goals, and strengthens the team. By giving the employees to voice their views, each employee takes ownership of the outcome. Promote all sorts of communication: Good communication is fundamental to managing individuals effectively. Maintaining an open door policy, listen intently to your co-workers, keep an open mind, and permit team members a chance to speak. Encourage staff not only to speak to you, but also with each other. The sharing of ideas is important in the creative process, if the staff communicate effectively, it is simple to spot any issues before they could present as a problem, and measures may be put in place before things get out of hand.

Developing these techniques may take time, nevertheless the rewards are worthwhile. Through promoting a good team dynamic and taking on board what your staff have to offer, a thriving business will be yours.

Health and Safety at Work: More than Simply Education

Filed under: Misc Infos, Universe Of Management — admin at 3:45 am on Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Many human resource managers feel that, since each and every employee has the required level of health & safety training, they now have everything necessary to cope with an emergency. The reality is that, irrespective your industry, employees should have far more than simply basic education in health & safety legislation. Equipping employees, choosing an enthusiastic supervisior and facillitating frequent drills are all important factors. All teams must have a capable supervisor to keep an eye on the shop floor, but this individual also needs to play a greater function. A supervisor is required to understand the necessity of health & safety training and be able to encourage others to share their enthusiasm about it. In addition to insuring compliance with health & safety legislation, the function of a supervisor also usually includes overseeing staff efficiency. Of course it’s not easy to accomplish all this at once. A good standard product knowledge is a necessity in a supervisory position in addition to an extensive comprehension of safety laws, the identification of problem areas, and CPR.

It simply is not adequate to supply your employees with health & safety training. To successfully discover a risk to their safety they must get experience. They in addition require a firm grasp of the steps necessary to remedy the situation not to mention understanding what to do when anything goes wrong. Only when these procedures have become a habit are workers completely protected.

Safety equipment is equally as necessary to the well-being of your employees as any training. If they don’t possess the proper supplies or if workers find that equipment is damaged when they are required, all the education available isn’t going to help them. It’s a good idea to schedule frequent inspections to ensure you have all the essential supplies and to check that it’s working properly. Should you have a issue with your equipment, ensure that it’s repaired quickly and put it back in the proper place.

Visit and take a gander at this super #1 source for work safety guidelines!

Health & safety education is essential to the well being of your workforce, but they also need to have decent gear, the chance to practise, and a knowledgeable supervisor who can get staff charged up about being healthy at work. When you put this advice into practice you will find health & safety legislation will soon become a natural part of working life instead of something troublesome that staff have to make an effort to remember all the time.

Improving Your Human Resource Management Skills

Filed under: Misc Infos, Universe Of Management, Your Business — admin at 7:30 pm on Saturday, October 24, 2009

A thriving business depends on competent people management skills. With a little effort you can succeed in developing these techniques. Having a innate affinity for communicating with people can be an advantage, but there are numerous skills you can do that will make this process simple. Relationship Building: Start by using an individual’s name. Speak to staff; make eye contact during a conversation. Do be respectful, and be sure to be attentive to the other person’s thoughts, even if you disagree or have another viewpoint. Developing listening skills is one of the most effective things you can do to develop your human resource management skills. Show interest in what they can offer the business. Show integrity: Don’t give promises you can’t fulfill. If you can’t deliver on what you have promised, the delicate bond of trust is shattered, and people will not offer you their best without trust. Each time you make a statement or give a promise, you are squandering your time and effort unless you act with integrity. The truth is, if you can’t be depended on, they can’t be trusted on to be there when they are most needed.

Encourage feedback: Feedback must be a two way process. Talent management skills mean having an open mind to all feedback. If you can show approachability and openness, you show that other people’s ideas are important to you, your thoughts will be appreciated in return. Supporting open conversation in addition opens doors to innovative ideas, ways of accomplishing the mission of the team, and develops the team dynamic. By allowing the employees to voice their views, every member of staff invests in the results.

Encourage all sorts of communication: People management skills boil down to one thing — good communication. Maintaining an open door policy, listen attentively to your co-workers, be open minded, and give all your staff a chance to express themselves. The team should be inspired to talk to each other as well as with you. The creative process relies to a great extent on the interchange of opinions, and through listening to one another, it’s easy to root out problems swiftly, permitting corrective measures to be put in place to prevent any further problems.

This will take time, all the same the rewards are worthwhile. By establishing the bonds of a good team and demonstrating good listening skills, you can easily achieve a successful business.

A Great Tip You Will Probably Want to Think about — Performance Reviews

Filed under: Software Hub, Universe Of Management — admin at 2:16 am on Saturday, October 3, 2009

As well as by increasing income, profits can be ramped up by reducing costs and by more productive use of assets. A simple and often overlooked aid to doing so is employee performance appraisal software.

It’s well known that an efficient company tailors its systems to the strengths of each staff member to get the best from them. While this data is important, it isn’t effortless to obtain.

Identifying and keeping track of progress through employee appraisal on its own can be a huge task. First, you implement employee appraisal systems to evaluate and keep track of the work carried out by each worker. And if you’re using established approaches, you now need to analyze all of this data by eye simply to set goalposts, and measure future progress. Using performance management software you can be confident that this analysis is done for you and you only need to examine the various analyses to determine what the right targets for this worker would be. It also renders charting the worker’s advancement much simpler. With more precise information for a smaller investment of time, this can be a cost saving measure on its own. Of course, you can also study all of the data yourself using the process just to organize and track everything. And making your employees more efficient is merely one improvement that can be made using performance management software. Such software can also be used to scrutinize your clients & suppliers. With suppliers in particular you can more easily see the weak points such as poor delivery times, high rates of damage, etc. Clients can be examined, and once again this information can be used to help your bottom line. Then, you can adjust your orders and move products around to boost your income while reducing outgoings. As well as this, the better awareness of your target demographics will allow more efficient marketing.

Keeping an eye on both your market and your suppliers is effortless with performance management software. It also makes employee performance management quick, simple, and more effective in addition to helping you encourage staff members by determining precise targets decidedly. All things considered, the potential of this system is endless and depends solely on your own ability to use the information to your advantage!

How to Improve Your People Management Skills

Filed under: Universe Of Management — admin at 2:49 pm on Monday, August 24, 2009

Effective human resource management skills are important in order to achieve the best in your business success. People management can be acquired and studied. Having a innate affinity for dealing with people is a plus, but there are numerous things you can learn that will help the process.

Relationship Building: Start by using staff’s names. Talk to people; look co-workers in the eye during a conversation. Show respect, also listen to everything the other person says, regardless of whether you are in agreement with them. The development of listening skills is among the most effective things you can do to develop your people management skills. Be sure to exhibit an interest in what people can offer the team.

Keep your promises: Keeping your promises is crucial. If a promise is not kept, it can destroy trust, and without trust people will not give you their best. Everytime you say something or make a promise about something, ensure that you can follow through or it would really be more sensible not to give your word at all. You will discover, if your people can’t depend on your promises, they can’t be trusted on to be there when it’s really important.

Visit and take a look at our extensive resource for 360 feedback advice…

Feedback is important: It’s a two-way street. Human Resources management skills mean being open to all feedback. If you are able to establish that you are approachable and open, you show that other people’s thoughts are important to you, your ideas will be respected in return. Supporting discourse also promotes fresh ways of thinking, original methods of achieving the goals of the team, and develops the bonds of an excellent team. If team members can express their ideas, the project and the results becomes important to each member. Promote communication: Good communication is central to dealing with people effectively. Keeping an open door policy, listen intently to other people’s views, retain an open mind, and give all of your staff an equal voice. The team must be encouraged to speak to each other as well as with you. The sharing of ideas is imperative in the creative process, and in speaking with one another, it becomes easy to discover issues before they present problems, allowing corrective action to be taken early to prevent further problems. Developing these techniques can take time, however the rewards are worth it. Through establishing the bonds of a good team and by taking heed of your team’s opinions, a thriving business will be achieved.

Team Development - Easier to Start from Nothing?

Filed under: Universe Of Management — admin at 2:32 am on Thursday, June 5, 2008

Is it easier to have a bunch of people that are brand new to a team, or one that you mould from those you inherit?

In my business life I only had the latter. An existing group of employees, in each business who I had to work with, from each new day one. Never a new set that I could grow for myself.

There are different challenges in each case.

With an existing team you have to challenge and change ideas and behaviours set in their ways, unchallenged, sometimes for years. You run the risk that they have had poor experiences of what good quality performance is - or, as they say, what ‘good looks like’. This may not be good at all - not necessarily their fault though as no-one showed them differently!

In every business management I had, the outgoing manager was either leaving the business, retiring or being demoted. In one store I managed I was the first manager to be promoted out of there since the war!

That meant that whilst I had the numbers in place with some experience, it was quite a challenge to ensure that they came on board quickly, with what my own ideas of good performance and business delivery were.

Like a new football manager, I had to gradually change the personnel until they fit the team I wanted, with the exception of those who were prepared to change and develop. However, there were rare opportunities to transfer anyone out and definitely not for a fee. Occasionally someone might seriously transgress (like the supervisor who, I found out, regularly sent her staff out to the supermarket to do her weekly food shop for her - in business time - I demoted her to the ranks and she never showed up again!).

In developing a new team from scratch, the challenges are still significant. Their skills and understanding of organisational processes can be lacking, especially if new recruits to the organisation. Yet these individuals aren’t tarnished with poor behaviours, inherited from past underperforming models in the management hierarchy.

The easiest? I don’t know, as I never had a brand new team. Yet, in both cases, it is vital to set in stone standards that are clearly stated and as rigid as necessary to deliver the quality outputs the business needs. In both cases it is vital that the incoming manager is able to be the best example possible.

Then sticking firmly to the path, with consistency, fairness as well as building trusting relationships is the only way to success. There will be ups and downs, with failures and omissions, but this will guide you through successfully in the end.

With such a template, both types of team will work well and deliver outstanding results.

Martin Haworth - EzineArticles Expert Author

© 2005-6 Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, http://www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com.

When Do I Need To Hire A Business Plan Consultant

Filed under: Universe Of Management — admin at 12:19 pm on Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Every new business owner knows that a business plan is critical - it is drilled into them by potential investors and every banking officer they meet. So why is something that is so important to the launch of a new venture so difficult to write? Good question! In this article I will try to address when you should go out and hire a business plan writer versus taking on the task yourself. First time entrepreneurs often cringe when sitting down to write their business plan. Some spend 6 months agonizing over each period and comma, and even worse others spend 6 months procrastinating and do nothing. So lets break it down and see where / when a business planning company should be brought in:

Who will read your business plan and why?

First you need to really understand the purpose of your business plan and who your audience (reader) will be. This is an important point as a business plan being written for a $100,000 loan is VERY different than a document needed for a $10 million round of venture capital! Since this article is focused on first-time small business owners, I will focus on preparing business plans raising less then $1 million in capital. For this “startup” or “seed” business plan 30-35 pages are perfect. You are not expected to deliver a thick book (and no one will read it anyway!). Once you have this down, you can honestly assess which sections you are qualified / comfortable writing and which may need consulting help.

Here is what you should write on your own

It is important for you to write a basic draft / outline of your business plan. Without this direction you are probably asking too much of your consultant. Once you have your thoughts organized on paper you can see what you are comfortable completing. Here are a few suggestions:

Executive Summary: Draft the opening of your business plan - then hire a pro to come in and re-write it. Your executive summary will be read first and first impressions are critical!

Marketing: You need to write your own definition of your target customer / audience. For the market research on industry growth and fancy charts go ahead and hire a consultant.

Competitive Analysis: You should put together the first draft of this section, as it is almost as important to understand your competitors, as it is your customers. If you find a consultant that is an expert in your field, then you can work together and add to your initial list.

The Dreaded Financials

This is the most difficult part of a startup business plan, as you are making projections and assumptions on products / services that you have not even produced or sold yet! If you are stuck on this section you can hire a business plan consultant to just assist you with completing your projections (income statement, cash flow, and balance sheet). Figuring out the cost of goods, delivery costs, and return rates can be simplified by breaking them down into a “light” spreadsheet. Next you need to understand your startup and operating costs - items like electricity, travel, phone expenses, etc. Again just organize these and your consultant can make all the fancy charts and graphs. Just make sure you understand all of the assumptions - for example if you are opening a retail business, you should not look towards your consultant to “guess” your rent - go out and meet with a realtor and come back with real data. If you work closely with your consultant, the financials are a great section to bring in professional help.

Managing Expectations

Now that you know a bit more about when to hire a business plan writer you also need to manage your expectations. You can’t expect a $1,000 business plan to have 20 pages of competitive analysis and a full-blown marketing strategy! If you carefully work through which sections of your business plan need outside help and then manage your consultant closely, your final document will be a success! My next two articles will focus on “How to Find / Hire a Business Plan Consultant” and more importantly “When to Fire your Business Plan Consultant!”

Howard Schwartz is a partner in several business strategy groups, including HJ Ventures International, Inc. Howard has worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs worldwide with a focus on writing business plans for companies interested in raising capital from Venture Funds and Angel Investors. Howard’s business plans have secured several million dollars in funding.

For more information: http://www.hjventures.com

Thoughts On Managing People

Filed under: Universe Of Management — admin at 6:31 am on Saturday, May 31, 2008

Without people you are never going to run a large business and without the right people you are never going to own a successful one. Employing people is not like buying a piece of machinery; as they do not come with money back guarantee or an instruction manual. You can’t just switch them on when you need to, or run them continuously for 24 hrs a day and then trade them in for a newer model at will. However employing the right people for your business can truly take you forward ahead of your competition. But before you decide whom, you need to decide should I?

Take Billy he is a self employed electrician and a very good one. He has spent 20 years working for large companies and had previously decided to set up on his own. He wanted a better quality of life, see the kids more and be in control of his destiny. He does great work and is much in demand, so he decides it is time to employ for the first time. He takes on 2 further electricians and a trainee to keep costs down. Within another 12 months he is now employing 10 people, including a secretary, for invoicing and answering the phone.

His turnover has now massively increased and he is now a true businessman with much respect in his local business club. But Billy is unhappy, as he looks down at his books and diary he realises, that although his turnover has increased, his profits have not, and is taking home pretty much the same wage as he did as a self-employed electrician. This is not all; he is working more hours and can’t take holidays in case something happens whilst he is away. His diary tells him, that he no longer goes onsite, except to fix work that an employee has not finished to standard. He is now a manager of people, a motivator, a social worker, a good guy, a bad guy, an administrator, but there is one thing he no longer is; that is an electrician.

Billy now has now learnt that it costs more than just wages to employ someone. There are insurances, courses, safety procedures, national insurance, work clothes, tools, travelling expenses and holiday pay etc. But one of the biggest lessons he has learnt is that none of his workforce ever works as hard as he hid, or has the flexibility that he had. He blames his workers for this, but none of these issues are his work force’s fault. They are entitled to be safe at work, have their national insurance paid and have holiday pay. And if they wanted to work as hard and have the flexibility of Billy, then they would set up their own business instead of being employed. This means that each job that Billy invoices for is no longer as profitable as the ones he used to do himself. Where as he would stay back and finish a job, his workforce wants to finish on time, then go back or charge you overtime. The list goes on and on. He has over 20 years experience of being and electrician, but not one day’s experience of becoming an employer at the point he took his first employee on. Even now, 12 months later he is still serving his apprenticeship.

Billy could have saved himself some grief by deciding why he wanted his business to grow as he had left employment for a better quality of life. He could have spent more time talking to his fellow businessmen about the real issues of employing people and not just those you read on a free brochure.

Then if he still wanted to go ahead, he then could have chosen whom he employed. Should he employ a manager for example, who has experience of managing people to fit in with his own needs, or take fewer people on and subcontracted some of the work out at busy times? A realistic business plan and cash flow predictions would have given indications of his potential earnings and what course to take, or even to decide if the extra commitment of employing was even worth it.

If you relish the idea of a large business, then you probably have no choice to employ, but make sure you do it right first time. Only employ those who want to be employed and trust me; family and friends are not always the best option. Understand the money factors to the full, and accept you will need to put extra time into your employee’s career and well-being. Heath and safety, pensions, employment law are all subjects you will now need to be an expert in and of course how to mange with respect. In most cases if you look after them, they will look after you, but when there are exceptions; deal with them quickly, professionally and to the law.

People do not just work for their wage packet at the end of the week anymore. How they are treat, their workmates, pride of work location, working conditions etc. all play a part in whether someone wants to work for you or not. And in some professions getting the right qualified personnel can be like gold dust, so you may have to give out more than you want to sometimes to keep their loyalty.

But get the right people, treat them well and you could take on the world!

Mark is webmaster for Business Consultant North East and Business Courses and Management Advice.

Executive Performance — Who’s to Blame for Incompetent Managers?

Filed under: Universe Of Management — admin at 7:44 pm on Tuesday, May 27, 2008

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal raised the question: Who’s to blame for inept managers?

The answer, of course, is the superiors who hire or promote them — but not because they intentionally select or retain poor performers. Every leader knows that his or her own success depends on putting the right people in the right positions. It’s easy to blame a manager’s poor performance on his or her boss, but more often than not, managerial incompetence isn’t obvious to superiors. Instead, fault lies with the systems used for evaluation and the alternatives available for dealing with performance failure.

Despite their widespread popularity, standard 360 evaluations and psychometric tests are poor substitutes for informed, thorough evaluation. Standardized assessments and tests are promoted as rapid, economical alternatives for determining competence and assessing performance. Consultants and salespeople alike tout them for their objectivity and accuracy.

In reality, the typical 360 evaluation is far from objective. How can a group of very different people, with very different relationships to the subject and very different priorities, be expected to evaluate an individual professionally and objectively?

Additionally, reliance on these measures can cause you to miss crucial information about how senior executives and managers think and how they relate to others on a day-to-day basis factors that can make or break your organization’s ability to perform. While 360s can appear relatively cheap and quick to implement, a poor evaluation system can have very expensive repercussions.

The second problem is the alternatives available for floundering executives. “Cutting poor performers loose” is a lose-lose proposition as a first-line response. If the alternative is firing, superiors may be reluctant to acknowledge a problem and even colleagues and subordinates might shrink from responsibility for destroying a career. When alternatives, such as a different position or behavioral coaching are available, problems are much more likely to be identified early on.

Every executive has strengths in some arena. The first key to effective leadership is correct placement. If an executive doesn’t have the talent for one area, he or she should be given the opportunity to do a different job. Richard Branson, billionaire founder of the Virgin Group of companies, believes strongly that if an employee is not excelling in one area of the company, he or she should be given the opportunity to do well in a different Virgin Group job. At Virgin, firing is seldom an option.

Coaching, too, can make a difference. It’s understandable that company leaders would hesitate to throw good money after bad by investing in coaching for problem managers. However, many organizations indiscriminately assign rising managers to executive development programs regardless of the specific needs of the individual. This is clearly a waste of time and money. Highly targeted and personalized executive coaching can be far more cost-effective in developing leadership competence.

Today’s organization can’t afford to lose quality people due to managerial incompetence.

But wasting time affixing blame won’t help. Greater investment in effective evaluation and coaching is a drop in the bucket compared to the expense of recruiting and training new people - not to mention the ultimate cost of employee disengagement and apathy.

EzineArticles Expert Author Dr. Robert Karlsberg

Dr. Robert Karlsberg and Dr. Jane Adler are senior leadership consultants and founders of Strategic Leadership LLC. They work with senior executives to maximize performance, facilitate transitions and accelerate major change initiatives. Contact them at 301-530-5611 or visit http://www.PsychologyofPerformance.com

Have you Said Your Praise Today ?

Filed under: Universe Of Management — admin at 6:11 am on Friday, May 16, 2008

“PRAISE LOUDLY, BLAME SOFTLY”
- Catherine the Great

In a Leadership position, the pressure to perform is ceaseless. Hitting your numbers. Achieving your goals. Meeting your metrics. That’s what’s expected quarter after quarter.
But, why is the race getting more intense? Why does each day seem like a perpetual revved-up Indianapolis 500? And, why is it that the pressure you are getting from above, that you send below and place within, seems to be getting “louder, longer, meaner”?
That’s what Aubrey Daniels, in his performance management bible Bringing Out the Best in People, contends. We’re all hearing and sending the same messages:

Work harder.

Work faster.

Work smarter.

Be more creative.

Take more initiative.

And, if we don’t get the desired results, we tell the same people again, usually the same thing. This time a little louder, or longer, or perhaps a little meaner.

Is this sounding vaguely familiar?
If so, it’s probably the right time for a quickie refresher on the ONE unbelievably
simple thing you can do as a leader to keep your peoples’ momentum and
engagement soaring and ease the strain of relentless pressure.

PRAISE - A Management Tool
Honest, genuine praise.
The stuff that NONE of us gets nearly enough of.
Especially those sitting in the board room.

The Power of Positive Praise: Fast Facts
* The number-one reason people leave their jobs: They don’t feel appreciated.

* Sixty-five percent (65%) of Americans received no recognition in the workplace last year.

* Bad bosses could increase the risk of stroke by 33%.

* A study found that negative employees can scare off every customer they speak with — for good.

* Nine out of 10 people say they are more productive when they’re around positive people.

* Extending longevity: Increasing positive emotions could lengthen life span by 10 years.

Performance Management Tip — Be Nice: It’s Good for Business

In their book How Full is Your Bucket, co-authors Tom Rath and Don Clifton draw on Gallup research and millions of interviews to show that positive give-and-take leads to higher worker satisfaction and productivity and a happier world. Most of us already recognize that fact. What we seem to forget is that we can deliberately choose to make our interactions positive or negative. And, we have twenty thousand moments in a given day, according to Rath, to exercise that choice. If 65% of people received no recognition for good work in their workplaces, clearly, there aren’t enough positive moments or interactions happening in the workplace.

The financial aspects of positivity are just as compelling, says Rath. “Gallup polling has revealed that 99 out of 100 people say they want a more positive environment at work, and 9 out of 10 say they’re more productive when they’re around positive people. Employees who report receiving recognition and praise within the last seven days show increased productivity, get higher scores from customers, and have better safety records. They’re just more engaged at work.
On the other hand, people who are actively disengaged — employees who are not only unhappy with their own roles, but are also scaring customers off — cost the economy between $250 billion and $300 billion a year. And when we add injury, illness, turnover, and other factors associated with
negativity or active disengagement, the cost could be closer to a trillion dollars, and that’s nearly 10% of the U.S. GDP.”

The Bottom Line: What Positive Leaders Achieve
Indeed, the litmus test of a positive leader is the esprit de corps he creates with his troops, says the Gallup folks. Positive leaders deliberately increase the flow of positive emotions within their organization. They choose to do this not just because it is a “nice” thing to do for the sake of improving morale, but because it leads to a measurable increase in performance. Studies show that organizational leaders
who share positive emotions have workgroups with:

• A more positive mood

• Enhanced job satisfaction

• Greater engagement

• Improved performance

What differentiates positive leaders from the rest? Instead of being concerned with what they can get out of their employees, positive leaders search for opportunities to invest in everyone who works for them. They view each interaction with another person as an opportunity to increase his or her positive emotions.

Shary Hauer’s Executive Coaching ADVICE: Five Strategies to Vibrate Resonance

In Management Training, did anyone tell you that one of your top jobs as leader is Climate Control Officer? That means you have to keep a constant look-out to reduce negativity, fear, apathy, silent compliance and other dissonant signals seeping into your organization. Know how to read the engagement levels of your team. Are you picking up on low energy signals? Tune in more closely to your team’s “emotional register” and find ways to amplify an upbeat, positive climate.

Here are several strategies to help you keep a constant look-out for opportunities to reinforce positive behavior and performance:

1. Prevent “Bucket Dipping”: Increase your own awareness of how often your comments are negative. How much “bucket filling” do you do compared to others? Do you have low impact, some impact, or high impact on your environment? To find out, take the quick Positive Impact Assessment: http://gx.gallup.com/dipper.gx

2. Track Your Positive/Negative Ratio. Think about your most recent inter-actions with others. Were they more positive or more negative? Did you give someone a compliment, or did you choose to make a negative comment instead? Work toward a ratio of five positive comments to every one negative comment. Check out http://www.bucketbook.com/content/default.aspx?ci=12214 for an Interaction Scorecard to tally your positive/negative comments.

3. Shine the Light on What Is Right. Focus MORE on what your people or peers do right rather than where they need improvement. Don’t underestimate the power of reinforcing good behaviors.

4. Know Your People’s Preference. To help you make each positive interaction individualized and specific, take a look at the questions in the Bucket Filling Interview Guide:

http:www.bucketbook.com. My favorite questions include: What increases your positive emotion or “fills your bucket” the most? From whom do you most like to receive recognition or praise? What form of recognition motivates you the most? What is the greatest recognition you have ever received?

5. Target Your Praise. Rather than the vague “great job!”, be specific as possible with your praise. Target your praise to specific accomplishments, and not to general work. It is better to say, “Sue, that presentation you made this morning was very thorough and informative.” vs. “Sue, you are a great employee to have around.” Here are some more ways to help you give praise with more ease and
impact: “John, I really liked the way you…”; “Thank you for….; “Linda, I noticed that when you…”; “Robin, you did a great job of…”; “It was terrific that you…Tom”.

About Shary Hauer, Executive Coach and Potentialist

Shary Hauer is the founder and Head Coach of The Hauer Group, Inc., an Executive Leadership Development firm based in Clearwater Beach, Florida. She is a Master Certified Coach (MCC) of high-achieving, high-potential corporate executives who aspire to lead their organizations and lives masterfully. As the Executive Potentialist, Shary guides leaders and their teams in cultivating positive behavior change tapping all of their potentials through one-on-one Executive Coaching, Team Coaching and Leadership Workshops. Shary has coached over 250 global executives throughout the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. For more information, please contact http://www.thehauergroup.com.

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