Expert Advice
Employee Work Passion: What Does that Really Mean?
By Jay Forte Tuesday Jun 15, 2010The workplace is changing. Powerful performance in an intellectual workplace (our current service and conceptual workplace) is directly related to the degree of employee work passion. The more passionate an employee is about his work, the more significant his commitment, contribution and, ultimately, performance.
Manager's Dilemma: Do Sabbaticals Hurt or Help a Company?
By Jay Forte Monday Jun 14, 2010Are company sabbaticals an employee perk that no longer have value in today's workplace? Or are these extended breaks a benefit that not only helps a valued employee, but also pays off for the company? Read on for a more detailed description of this week's Manager's Dilemma:
Recession Over? Now's the Time to Win Back Your Customers
By Reuben Advani Monday Jun 14, 2010Many small businesses have watched their best customers wander off during the recession. Maybe the customer was unhappy with the service or its budget was slashed or it simply reassessed priorities. Whatever the reason, a lot of companies were too busy trying to survive to spend the time and money necessary to luring customers back. But as the economy stabilizes — and many small businesses regain their footing — now's the time to turn your attention to wooing lost customers. How do you do it?
Next Time, Show Up to Work 'Stupid'
By Jay Forte Monday Jun 14, 2010I was listening to Change Nation, an audio interview with host Ariane de BonVoisin of First 30 Days fame. Her guest, Polly LaBarre, is the author of "Mavericks at Work; Why The Most Original Minds In Business Win." The entire interview (a podcast on iTunes) is great. But the reason to mention it is because she said something that resonated with me: “Come to work stupid.”
Manager's Dilemma Solved: The Case of the Misdirected Email
By Jay Forte Friday Jun 11, 2010In this week's Manager's Dilemma, I presented an all-too familiar situation that a client of mine recently encountered: what happens when an employee's email criticizing the company ends up in the boss's inbox? The e-mail my CEO client accidentally received said, "Get ready for a mass exodus — every employee hates this place, especially me — and when things improve we are all going to leave.” This e-mail was written from one employee to another. The CEO asked me if he should be alarmed.
In a Crisis, What's Your IT Backup Plan?
By Kevin Beaver Friday Jun 11, 2010As a small business owner, you've undoubtedly had others tell you to "have a contingency plan" for when crises strike. This phrase means different things to different people depending on the context of the situation. Many business owners do have fallback plans for many aspects of their operations, including their accounts receivable and supplier relationships. But what about IT and more specifically, your web presence?
Why Your Employment Test May Not Be Legal
By Ira Wolfe Thursday Jun 10, 2010Every employer wants employees who have a positive attitude and will stay on the job so they often follow the hire-for-attitude, train-for-skills approach to staffing. To identify candidates with the right fit, many employers administer employment tests — including ones they've designed themselves. Unfortunately, the design-it-yourself path is laden with legal landmines.
Your People Are Your Profits — Know Their Passions
By Jay Forte Thursday Jun 10, 2010I am fascinated by the connection between performance and our brain biology. By understanding our personal hardwiring — our intrinsic talents, passions and strengths — we are introduced to our greatest performance areas, our areas of what I call “maximpact.”
Hiring Mistake #5: Lots of Experience = Success
By Barry Deutsch Thursday Jun 10, 2010Suppose you need emergency heart surgery to open a blocked artery, and you have a choice of two surgeons. The first surgeon has 20 years’ of experience and has performed more than 1,000 open-heart procedures. The second is only in his third year of practice and has less than 50 procedures under his belt.
Turn Employees into IT Helpers, not Hackers
By Kevin Beaver Thursday Jun 10, 2010We always hear about "disgruntled workers" wreaking havoc on computer systems and sensitive information. Interestingly we never hear about what I'll call "gruntled" workers and how they can — and do — help improve IT and information security.