Consulting

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Don’t try to make all your employees happy

Monday, May 5th, 2008

Don’t try to make all your employees happy.  But do make your best employees happy.
Do you recognize who the best employees and managers are?

Dieting? Quitting smoking or stopping drinking? Whose advice should you trust?

Friday, April 18th, 2008

Are you dieting?  Have you noticed that everyone has advice about the best ways to stop?  The advice-givers also think they know best for people who are trying to quit smoking or stop drinking.
For example, Tammy is dieting again.  She’s tried losing weight before, even succeeded, but has always gained it back.  This time she’s […]

What can you do if the new bosses want to fire you?

Monday, April 7th, 2008

I received a number of confidential responses to my blog post on “Top ten ways to create a hostile workplace.”  One theme in many responses was about the question: “What should I do if leadership has changed and the new bosses want me gone so they can bring in their own people?”
That’s a situation I’ve […]

Managers who act like therapists victimize their whole team

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008

Good managers respond to their employees’ personal problems and the distractions of their major, joyous events, like weddings and births.  But what happens when a manager tries to be the therapist for a few underperforming and troubled employees, but fails to fix them?

Stop the bully in the next cubicle

Tuesday, March 25th, 2008

What do you do if the person in the next cubicle constantly gives you the silent treatment, glares, ignores your requests for information, makes belittling comments in meetings, puts you down in public, spreads false gossip about you, takes credit for what you did, accuses you falsely of making mistakes, tries to rally other people […]

Stop bullying and torture at school

Tuesday, March 11th, 2008

A recent article by Gina Burgess, “Bullying is torture at school,” brought home some extreme examples harassment, hazing, bullying and torture.  But even more, there was a wonderful example of how to stop bullies in their tracks.
I agree with the methods used in the school.

“Mr. Negativity” proudly destroys teamwork

Friday, March 7th, 2008

Carl loved the title of “Mr. Negative.”  He was proud of being smarter than anyone else and thought his put-downs were funny.  No matter what you said, he would disagree, counter it or top it.  His personal attacks, sarcasm and cutting remarks could bring most people to tears.  He could create a tense, hostile workplace […]

Top ten ways to create a hostile workplace

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008

Bullies at work can ruin a culture, destroy productivity and make your life miserable.  Many people focus only on bullying bosses, but I’ve seen just as many coworkers and employees use these bullying methods as I have managers and supervisors.  Before you read the top ten I’ve seen, please think for a moment.  What bullying […]

This unhappy employee created a hostile, bullying workplace

Friday, February 1st, 2008

Doesn’t a good manager solicit and incorporate employee feedback?  Isn’t employee happiness a major factor in building morale and teamwork?
Well, yes.  With most employees you’d think that’s true.  But listen to what happened to Claire’s team, which harbored an unhappy, negative employee, Heather.
Heather was a chronic, whining complainer.  Nothing was good enough for her.  She […]

“How to Stop Bullies” book reviewed in Denver Business Journal

Monday, January 28th, 2008

On January 25, 2008, the Denver Business Journal reviewed “How to Stop Bullies in Their Tracks.”  Here’s what they said in “Ben’s book on bullying tells how to stop them.”

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