how to appear more authoritative at work by Alison Green on May 9, 2012 If you want to be taken more seriously at work, take a look at how authoritative you appear. Many people, especially newer managers, undermine their own authority without realizing it, and then wonder why they’re not more respected. Here are 10 ways to exude confidence and appear more authoritative at work: 1. Get clear on your […] Read the full article →
what should a new manager ask to get to know employees better? by Alison Green on January 15, 2012 A reader writes: I recently was promoted to a supervisor position within my company. I plan on having one-on-one meetings to get to know my direct reports better. Any suggestions of questions I should ask them? Yes! First, before you meet, I’d review their job descriptions, any written goals that exist for their positions, their […] Read the full article →
advice for new or struggling managers by Alison Green on November 14, 2011 If you’re a new manager (or a more experienced manager who’s struggling), I have advice for you on how to do your job well. (This advice also works for more experienced managers who are struggling.) 1. Get really clear on your goals. It sounds obvious, but too many managers simply tread water or get pulled in too […] Read the full article →
new manager wonders about the best way to give feedback by Alison Green on May 4, 2011 A reader writes: I have only recently acquired a position where I am expected to supervise someone for the first time in my life. Unfortunately, I found myself recently in a situation where I had to give my new direct report his first bit of less than positive feedback. Having no supervisory experience and no […] Read the full article →
how to deal with employee performance problems by Alison Green on July 19, 2009 A reader writes: I’m preparing to visit with an employee who appears to need coaching. The employee has good qualities such as a perceived ability to do the things asked to do. Also, a sense of dedication to the overall concept of work. Problems are: He is reluctant to follow through on tasks which he […] Read the full article →
reality-based management by Alison Green on September 8, 2008 If I had a management theory, I’d call it “reality-based management.” Reality-based management means that you commit to seeing and dealing with reality, as opposed to living in some hazier alternative. Period. That’s it. The rest stems naturally from there. For instance: Reality-based management means that when an employee comes to you with frustrations or […] Read the full article →
10 ways to make your employees love you by Alison Green on June 9, 2008 Last week, I wrote about ways to make your boss love you. This week is a similar list for managers, offering ways to gain the respect and affection of your employees. Confining myself to 10 turned out to be hard—there are so many ways to manage badly and so many things that it’s important to do […] Read the full article →
be honest about employee problems by Alison Green on January 24, 2008 Do you have an employee whose performance you’re unhappy with? Tell them. Do you have an employee who you strongly suspect isn’t going to work on in the long-term? Tell them. All too often, managers avoid being candid with employees about concerns over performance or fit. They want to avoid a difficult conversation, or they […] Read the full article →
new managers and authority by Alison Green on December 24, 2007 Becoming comfortable with exercising authority is one of the hardest adjustments for most new managers, but it’s also one of the most crucial if you want to be effective. Here’s a letter from a reader who is struggling with exactly this. She writes: I was hired to manage a team of fairly experienced sales people. […] Read the full article →
how should new managers be trained? by Alison Green on October 30, 2007 It’s practically cliche at this point to point out that new managers don’t get enough training in the art of management, but I haven’t seen a lot delineating exactly what topics new managers should be trained in. Here’s what I have on my outline for training new managers: 1. What exactly is a manager responsible […] Read the full article →