11th November 2009
There is a natural tendency to avoid asking questions when you are uncertain as to what the answers will be. As a result, managers often avoid asking questions. Instead, they just tell the employees the answers they really want to hear. It may seem like y...
09th October 2009
Recently, E-Tips have been focusing on the power of questions to build relationships and to engage employees in performance conversations. This month we offer a very subtle but powerful trick for expanding the possibilities of your conversations. Here's t...
03rd September 2009
I've heard from quite a few people lately who have lost their jobs, taken pay cuts, or are otherwise in a tough situation. They are struggling, not just financially, but emotionally. For many people, the comfortable stability that we have grown accustomed...
03rd September 2009
It's almost a waste of ink to say these are uncertain times. We hear it everyday. No matter what business you are in, you've probably experienced ups and downs lately and your employees are probably asking or at least wondering:• Is my job safe?• Is t...
03rd September 2009
In today's busy world of cell phones, email, text messages, voice mail, instant messenger, and who knows what else, it's easy to get sucked in to being "on call" all the time. When we are available and responsive at all times, we think we are doing the ri...
03rd September 2009
This week my husband Steve and I took a spinning class at our gym. We enjoy attending these high energy, calorie-burning indoor bicycle classes as much for the mental boost as for the physical benefit. The music is loud, the class participants are posit...
03rd September 2009
Most of the time I'm pretty motivated and enthusiastic about work. What's not to be excited about? I get to share my passion for leadership with people who truly benefit from my work. I make my own hours and often work with two cute dogs at my feet. I ...
01st May 2008
Effective employee performance management is really all about clear expectations. Many of you use SMAART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Agreed Upon, Realistic, and Time-Oriented) goals to help employees focus on the most important things at work. But...
01st May 2008
My father, William Finley, and I recently compared views of the world of work. When Dad was the President of SCF of AZ (he retired in 1987) there were certain "rules" that everyone in the workplace lived by. They were the "laws" you followed if you wan...
01st May 2008
2008 has started out strong for me. I completed my first half marathon (13.1 miles!!!), secured some exciting new contracts, and have planned a great vacation for later this year. I'm psyched. And, I can't stop thinking things like: Where am I going t...
01st May 2008
I wish I would have received mind-reading abilities as a holiday gift. If only I could have an expectation and everyone around me would know what I was thinking and they'd just respond the way I want them to. That would come in handy as a supervisor. I...
17th January 2008
As we enter the holiday season I often struggle with "what to get people." It's customary to recognize colleagues and valued business associates with the token basket of goodies or gift card to a favorite restaurant. Over the next few weeks I'll undoubt...
17th January 2008
Lately I've really been struggling to be disciplined. Two personal challenges illustrate this point.First, this year I promised myself that I would post a performance management-related blog each Thursday, which is posted at Jobing.com. Some weeks it jus...
14th January 2008
Universally, supervisors and employees dread that annual ritual of performance evaluations. In some organizations, they postpone the event for as long as possible. In others, it is just avoided – sometimes for years.
We often waste, misuse, or squ...
14th January 2008
The following is an excerpt from Painless Performance Evaluations: A Practical Approach to Managing Day to Day Employee Performance (2006).December is often the time of year when supervisors are expected to deliver end of year performance evaluations to e...
