Management Success

An effective manager pays attention to many facets of management, leadership and learning within organizations. So, it's difficult to take the topic of "management success" and say that the following ten items are the most important for management success. I will, however, suggest seven management success skills without which I don't believe you can be a successful manager.

The most important issue in management success is being a person that others want to follow. Every action you take during your career in an organization helps determine whether people will one day want to follow you.

A successful manager, one whom others want to follow:

• Builds effective and responsive interpersonal relationships. Reporting staff members, colleagues and executives respect his or her ability to demonstrate caring, collaboration, respect, trust and attentiveness.
• Communicates effectively in person, print and email. Listening and two-way feedback characterize his or her interaction with others.
• Builds the team and enables other staff to collaborate more effectively with each other. People feel they have become more - more effective, more creative, more productive - in the presence of a team builder.
• Understands the financial aspects of the business and sets goals and measures and documents staff progress and success.
• Knows how to create an environment in which people experience positive morale and recognition and employees are motivated to work hard for the success of the business.
• Leads by example and provides recognition when others do the same.
• Helps people grow and develop their skills and capabilities through education and on-the-job learning.

Present Perfect

PUBLIC SPEAKING TIPS:


Prepare,Prepare,Prepare
When writing your sale pitch or speech, always have an introduction, a main body and solid conclusion.
Never attempt humor unless you know for sure you will land on your feet.
Prepare for the unexpected.There is no foolproof formula but sincerity is the key.

Stay Relevant
Find out as much as you can about the group you will be addressing in order to know their need and acknowledge them in your introduction.

Use Your Voice
Do you want your audience to get excited about your presentation?
Do you want to entertain?

When you know what your aim is, you can vary your pitch, tone, volume, resonance, and speed to suit your task.
Record your voice to make a self-assessment.
If you're not convinced, no one else will be.

Get Past Being Tense
When you are nervous, your audience will know just by your shallow breathing!
Calm your self by breathing depply from abdomen.
When you speak, There should be little movement in the cest area and more movement in the abdomen.
If there's tension in your face, throat, neck, shoulder and back, message it away with specific exercises.
Try yawning if you don't have time!

Engage Your Audience
Ask thought-provoking questions.
Get them to talk each other while regularly maintaining eye contact with you.
Address their needs, and aim to inspire them to action.
The length of your presentation isn't important if you've got their attention.

Make Silence Work For You
Silence need not be uncomfortable.
In fact, it can even be used to emphasize a point you've just made.
Don't shoot yourself in the foot bt attempting to fill silent lapses with verbal garbage such as "um","er","ah","ok", and "you know".
Not only do these fillers say absolutely nothing, they are annoying.

Talk, don't read
visualize talking to just one person instead of many people.
Avoid reading from notes.
Make eye contact and pause long enough to make a connection with a couple of people.
Keep it to two or three broad points because that's all they will remember anyway.

Shorter Meetings but More Effective 02

Continuation from the article "Shorter Meetings but More Effective" (part.1)


When You Are in Charge - Giving Notice to block Think Time
If you are calling a meeting,be in command of it.
Expect participants to come prepared.
To do this you need to take 10 to 20 minutes to save hours by doing following:

1.Only ask individuals to attend that are vital to the purpose

2.Send out an agenda far enough in advances for participants to prepare.State specifically,"The purpose of meeting is ..."

3.When you distribute the agenda,ask everyone to block 5 to 10 minutes in their calendar to list the three major things they would like to say on the subject and three things they need to find out

Have your own must important input and question prepared.
Don't call a meeting without knowing the decisions and outcomes you are looking for.
Quickly get the top three input items and questions from each participant.
Keep it on topic.You will recognize when it's sliding into thinking by talking out loud meeting.Move it on.

What if you need to call a meeting quickly,like right now.
Well,instead of right now,make it 10 minutes from now.
Give each person attending the verbal agenda and purpose,and ask them to take 5 of next 10 minutes before the meeting to think."Please use that time to come to the meeting with a summary of your top three input items on the subject and the top three items you need input on".

Eliminating Meetings
Everyone blocking individual Think Time can eliminate many meetings altogether.
Just ask each selected,vital participant to email you his or her top theree input items and questions on the meeting objective.
Summarize their responses,draw conclusions,make a decision recommendations and email it back to all the vital participants for final input and agreement.
Expecting everyone to BLOCK THINK TIME,before the meeting,is the most critical.
Whether you are participant in a meeting or you called the meeting you have a responsibility to everyone attending.
Don't waste their time.
Block think time before the meeting.
You will get what you want from the meeting and your style and results will be recognized and appreciated.

Shorter Meetings but More Effective 01

What is The Primary Purpose Of Most Meeting?...Thinking or communicating?
Put another way,When do the thinking for an important meeting should be done?
If you have a key meeting coming up with your boss,or your best client,and you know its purpose,when should most of the thinking for that session is completed?

Right,The thinking should be done before the meeting
Unfortunately,in most meeting,in most organizations,thinking ahead of time happens too rarely.
Attendees have not thought throug what they need to say and to find out.When asked what they think they typically pause then chatter,
"Well I think that,ahh...well...(blah,blah,blah)".

They are Thinking by Talking Out Loud.As a result,meeting that should last 20 to 30 minutes end up lasting one,two,three hours or more.

Correcting the "Thinking by Talking Out Loud":Meetings
Can you imagine how advance thinking time by each meeting participant can cut hours off of a meeting?
You personally can play a big role in correcting this tremendous time waster by always blocking some Think Time to do the following simple preparation:Have you ever tried to write down your thinking before a meeting as the following:

1.The three most important things I need to say at the meeting are...1,2,3
2.The three most important things I need to find out are...1,2,3

With this simple effort done,when you are asked at the meeting,"what do you think Eileen?
"You can say,"I think that (1,2,3) and to move forward I need to know (a)from you Ida,(b)From you Brad,and approval of (c) from you Amin".
Instead of 10 to 15 minutes of rambling discussion,my most important points and input needed is delivered in one to three minutes.

By firmly implementing this one thing,expecting everyone to block think time in their calendar before every meeting, most organizations can cut meeting time by 50% or more.
By doing this religiously you will create a great reputation for your self.
You will also set an example and expectation that will improve the performance of others.

Now, should all meetings be this structured? What about brainstorming meetings? Don't we want a lot of thinking by talking out loud and cross polarization of ideas some time? Certainly.
But for staff meetings,project update meetings,budget meetings,client review meetings,Most Meetings...the primary purpose is communication.

The bulk of the thinking should be done ahead of time!
This doesn't mean you don't think each meeting.Certainly you do.
But having clarity of thought ahead of time keeps that meeting thinking focused on the current objectives.
When new,off subject thinking comes up; do not let it take you off the objective of the meeting.
If it is a potentially good new idea that comes up,capture it in writting.

"Put it in the parking lot" as some of our clients say,to return to with that individual later or to include in another meeting.
You can suggest that even if you are not in charge of meeting.
Otherwise,that new idea,which has not been thought through,will turn the current meeting into a meandering,nonconclusive,thinking by talking out loud meeting.
Successfully reaching conclusions and taking action on one meeting's purpose at a time is an achievement.

To be Continue ... Shorter Meetings but More Effective (part.2)

Mistakes to Avoid When Meeting

1. Getting Off Topic

The obvious solution to the problem of getting off the topic is for the group leader or facilitator to aggressively ensure that group discussions stay focused on the items listed on the meeting agenda. This is not to say that the off-topic ideas don't have much merit – they may be tremendously important to the organization. However, if they merit discussion, they should be recorded, and future meetings should be scheduled to address them.

2. No Goals, No Agenda

If the reasons for having the meeting are not crystal-clear, and if the goals are not elucidated in advance, then seriously consider refusing to participate in the meeting, or at least help your co-worker define his agenda so that he is satisfied with the need for meeting.

3. Meeting Too Long

If you start a meeting late, that doesn't mean you shouldn't still end the meeting on time. It's unlikely that the work schedules of your fellow group members revolve around your meeting. Don't forget that they probably have other business to attend and keeping them late will only make them anxious and distract your meeting team from the task at hand.

4. Lack of Preparation

There is no excuse for being unprepared for a business meeting. The big problem with the lack of preparation for meetings is that either lots of time will be wasted as we feel our way around the topics, or the meeting will come to a grinding halt when someone figures out we don't have any idea what we are talking about. Take at least a few minutes before every meeting to prepare. You will make your meetings more efficient and perhaps you will save yourself some embarrassment.

5. Ambiguous Results

Do everything in your power to guard against ambiguous results and outcomes. Such results only lead to confusion and uncertainty among most of the group members and, inevitably, to a need to address the issue again and again until it finally goes away. Take positive steps, such as issuing agendas in advance with individuals responsible for each agenda item or by personally contacting less informed group members. If participants are fearful of making comments or decisions that may be in conflict with the prevailing conventional wisdom, get to the root of that fear, and take steps to identify and defuse it.

6. Key Players Missing in Action

If it is unlikely that the meeting will be successful if one or more key players are absent, then you should postpone it. It is far better to try again later than to risk wasting the time spent by all the other meeting participants grappling for a solution that can't be found without the input of key participants. To help maximize attendance of all desired meeting participants, send out reminders before you meet, or personally call each of the participants to confirm his attendance.

7. Dictatorship of the Few

One way to take charge of the situation is to thank an overzealous participant for his input and ask him to allow the other participants to have a chance to express their views. At the same time, you have to solicit the participation of the other members. Otherwise, there will be a vacuum in the discussion that the dominant participants will quickly move to fill.

If the dominant group members refuse to back off and allow others to participate, you will have to be more persistent and forceful in your efforts. If, after repeated efforts to tone down a meeting dominator, you still can't control his input, then take the offender aside and explain that you will not tolerate his behavior and that continued abuse of the other meeting participants'; talk time will result in his ejection from the meeting. Don't be afraid to request a meeting dominator to step out of a meeting if necessary. While you may feel uncomfortable doing so, the comfort and the contributions of all the other meeting participants will be greatly increased by ridding the meeting of the few troublemakers who would rather dominate than participate.

Interview Tips

I will give you realistic informed advice, feedback and coaching to help you develop both personally and professionally.

Before the interview,
Be prepared

You should treat each interview as if its your first and prepare thoroughly beforehand.
Interview nerves are caused by fear of the unknown. So find out as much as possible about the company, its culture and the job you're applying for ahead of the interview. Plan your journey so you arrive about ten minutes early.
Don't arrive hot, flustered and late. Check the weather forecast so you don't arrive dripping wet! On the day of the interview, don't drink alcohol, don't smoke and try to avoid any foods that are likely to stay on your breath. As public speaker's know, avoid coffee and tea, as diuretics they tend to make your throat dry. It's also a good idea to take a comb or hairbrush and make-up so you can tidy yourself up whilst waiting for your appointment time.

Prepare a list of questions you wish to ask the person who will interview you but remember your focus should be on the company, its products and services, if you appear to focus more on the employee benefits and what mobile phone you might get, you will be giving the wrong impression.

Style council

Unless you're told otherwise, wear a suit. We start to make up our minds about people in less than 7 seconds of seeing them; there is no second chance to make a first impression. So be clean, smart and professional in your appearance. Check how you look in the mirror before you leave home or your office. Be honest with yourself: does what you're wearing say business or pleasure?

Ladies can choose to wear a trouser suit. If you prefer a skirt, then be aware of the length - it mustn't be too short. A clean and ironed plain white or blue shirt or blouse are the order of the day And remember, no matter how expensive your clothes, if they don't fit or are dirty, you won't feel comfortable or look good in them. Your jeans may be by Armani but they are still jeans. Dress to impress not make a fashion statement.

Hair should be clean and tidy. Men with long hair should tie it back in a neat ponytail. Facial make-up should be professional and fresh. Men should be well shaved and free of stubble. If you have a beard, make sure it's trimmed and tidy. Remove any visible piercings and be careful with your choice of earrings, don't go for the flamboyant look!

Give your shoes a good polish. For the ladies we suggest court shoes if you are wearing a skirt and boots or smart shoes if you have chosen a trouser suit And don't forget your nails. Make sure they are short and well manicured. If you are wearing nail varnish, choose a conservative colour and ensure its freshly applied and not chipped.
Final countdown

Turn off your mobile phone and if you are chewing gum - dispose of it before you enter the building. When you arrive, introduce yourself at the reception and explain that you have an appointment, giving the name of the person you have been told to report to. If you're kept waiting, if there is any company literature in reception, read it. It's further research; it helps you focus and creates a good impression.

When you first meet your interviewer, shake their hand firmly, but not tightly. Smile and ensure eye contact. Don't allow any pre-interview chat to become over familiar and avoid any questionable jokes - they could be regarded as offensive.

Talk talk

Your interview isn't a grilling. It's a two-way conversation to help you and your prospective employer find out more about each other. Be positive and try to give an honest impression of yourself and what you are really like.

Once in the room, don't sit down until you are invited to do so. Try to look relaxed but don't slouch. Don't fidget. Keep a good level of eye contact and always look interested in what the interviewer is saying.

Make the most of your pre-interview preparation. Think before you speak, don't waffle and, if you don't understand the question, ask your interviewer to clarify.

Be assertive, but not aggressive or arrogant. Don't 'knock' previous employers, it's far better to be positive about your own future and how you can help the company to succeed. Don't knock the company's competitors and under no circumstances indulge in gossip about current colleagues; if you have nothing good to say, say nothing.
Under the microscope

During the interview you will be asked some questions to ascertain your suitability for the job. Whilst we can't predict exactly what they'll be, my experience suggests that the following may well come up:

Q: Tell me about yourself
Stick to your qualifications, career to date and the skills you have for the job. If you have a passion for sport, the arts or a particular hobby outside work you might want to introduce it here.

Q: What's your greatest achievement?
Your answer doesn't have to be work related, but if you choose something outside work make sure it shows you're an achiever

Q:Strengths
What the interviewer is looking for here are personal attributes that could benefit the company. You've got to be honest with yourself and don't be tempted to over hype your strengths. If you get the job you'll soon be found out!

Q:Weaknesses
Honesty is the best policy. But ahead of the interview think how a strength could be turned in to a weakness. For instance, if you feel you may be a little inexperienced for the role, this is something that could be overcome by training.

Q: How do you think other people see you?
Don't ramble here. Stick to short descriptive adjectives such as fun, sporty, loyal, determined etc..

Q: Why do you think you are suitable for the role?
Ahead of the interview, you will already have seen a job description and checked off your skills and attributes against it. All you have to do is reiterate them, explaining how your skills and experience fit with the description.

Q: Where do you see yourself in five years' time?
Probably best not to be over-specific or arrogant here. Use the job for which you're applying to show how you see that role helping you develop your career. Suggest that you see yourself as successful with a role that is worthwhile, stimulating, challenging and enjoyable. You may like to say that you would welcome any opportunities the company would consider for you.

And finally

Unless you're asked about money, don't introduce the subject at this stage. Round off the interview by thanking the interviewer for their time and reiterating your interest in working for their company. You could ask if they have any reservations about you. This could be your last chance to address them.

Shake hands and remember that you're still in view until you're out of sight of the company's building.

And, if this interview doesn't prove to be a success, learn from your mistakes.

How to Be a Good Employee

We get up every day and go to work but not everyone who goes to work would be referred to as a good employee.
What makes a persona a good employee? A good employee exhibits promptness, good attendance, efficiency, attention to detail and is personable.

Whether working with the public or interacting with co-workers an amicable demeanor is desirable. No one wants to deal with someone who is rude, defensive or otherwise obnoxious. Following are a few guidelines for being a good employee.

Be on time for work,

Get up early enough so that you don't have to rush when preparing breakfast and getting ready for work.
If you wake up in the morning and have to rush you've already set yourself up for a stressful day.
Rushing can put you in a bad mood so by the time you get to work you're already in a bad mood. Leave for work early enough to account for traffic or other delays.
If you know you're going to be late for work or need to take a day off put the request in early enough so that it won't be a problem.
Of course unexpected events such as car trouble do occur.
In such an instance, make sure you call to inform your place of employment of the situation. Don't take unnecessary days off.
Attendance is one of the issues that are considered when considering employees for promotion. Keep breaks and lunch within the alloted time period.
Go to the bathroom only when needed.

Be friendly,

Make an effort to get along with co-workers.
Even if there are people in your place of employment that you don't get along with keep your personal feelings to yourself.
You don't have to be friends with them outside of the office.
Just respect the fact that they are your co-workers and put forth your best possible effort to get along with them during the work hours.
Making a conscious effort to be pleasant in every situation will help clear your mind and permit you to do a better job than if you are feeling anger, bitterness and resentment.
If there is a serious issue with another co-worker that is affecting your ability to perform your job properly address the issue with the co-worker and a superior.

Be efficient,

Perform your tasks to the best of your ability.
Pay attention to detail.
Depending upon the type of job you have quantity may be as important as quality if you have a daily or weekly quota that must be met.
By being efficient you can keep your quantity of production levels high without sacrificing quality.
Always be on the lookout for ways to increase your efficiency and productivity. Find ways to implement the suggestions of supervisors.
Being a good employee in an entry level position can lead to promotion.
By taking pride in your work you demonstrate that you have what it takes to climb the ladder of success.

The Goals of Employee Motivation - What Should They Be?

What are the goals of employee motivation?
This is something that every company has to decide prior to embarking on a motivation and training program.
In order to have an effective program the goals or outcome of the training need to be determined.
In addition, these need to be realistic and attainable goals for both the employees and the company.
In order to determine the goals of employee motivation you have to decide what it is you want to accomplish. If it is to have outstanding customer service then set out a plan that will train, motivate, and reward those involved with that aspect of your business. Once your objectives are decided upon then you can start to set the goals.

The goals of employee motivation should now be clear to you because you have set the objectives.
You should know and understand what types of training you will need.
Is there education involved to advance ability levels? This will take planning as new abilities take longer to acquire than just motivation. You have the education aspect covered.
The next step is to motivate.
Get the employees to do their current job better, with more enthusiasm.
This is where the goal setting comes in.
There must be a reward to the employees for achieving the goals set for them.

For example, if it was a specific goal for the engineering department to get a project to the testing stage on time, then reward the whole department when this is achieved.
Bring in breakfast for them one day.
Perhaps the department can be rewarded by going home 1 hour early.
The reward does not have to be huge or expensive.
However, in order for any employee motivation to work results must always be rewarded.
It is human nature to want praise, so by rewarding employees you are reinforcing the motivation.

Now you understand what the goals of employee motivation are.
You are in the position to make positive changes in your organization by implementing a strategic motivation and training program for all of your employees.

Time Management

The 5 Major time wasters

1. Spreading Yourself too thin by trying to do too many things at once.
Suggestion: You must set priorities for each day and,if necessary,eachhour.
Get the most important things done first.

2. Being afraid to coorperate with other teammates.
Suggestion: Convince your self if that it's not necessary to do everything yourself.
You can still be certain things are being done the way you want them to be when you work together.

3. Not wanting to say "no" to requests.
Suggestion: You can't say "yes" to everything without getting in over your head.
Decide what you must do and want to do and say "no" to all other requests

4. Being tied to the phone.
Suggestions: Have others screen your calls.
Use an answering machine when you don't want to be disturbed.
Schedule a telephone hour to return calls

5. Procrastinating.
Suggestions: Get those unpleasant chores done first if they're important.
Divide large tasks into smaller ones.
Reward yourself when you accomplish something.

Good Seminar Presentation

1. Pick a good topic
Choose a topic that is of interest to you and of general interest as well.
Remember that a seminar is really a story, and giving a good seminar is the same thing as telling a good story.
Selecting a topic that will make a good story is a big first step toward making your seminar a good one.
Your seminar can either be based on a library topic, which should include the information on the history, current status and possible future of research or policy in a particular area or on a particular subject, or on your own research project. Irrespective of the specific topic, seminars which tell a good story and have a clear take-home message are the memorable ones (memorable for the right reasons).

2. Know your audience
It is important to understand how much your audience is likely to know in advance about your seminar topic.

This will determine the amount of time you need to spend on the various portions of your talk.
You need to decide if the tone of your seminar should be serious or informal.
Is a touch of humor acceptable? How much is too much? How should you dress?
For most senior seminars at USD, presenters dress well - more on the formal side than the casual side.
Familiarize yourself in advance with the room where you will give your talk and with any equipment that you plan to use.
Not only should this make you more comfortable, but it may also help you avoid unexpected technological problems.

3. Begin with a title slide and show a brief outline or list of topics to be covered
Use text slides to designate the beginnings of individual sections of your talk or to introduce a major topic shift.
Usually a prominent title in bold letters is adequate.
Text slides can be important and very helpful to you and your audience.
They demonstrate your organizational skills, help audience members to follow your talk more easily, and let them know where you're headed.
They also help to keep you on track and focused during your talk.

4. Introduce your topic well
Your introduction will vary in length and detail, depending on the length of your talk, your topic, and the level of sophistication of your audience.
Give the necessary information but be careful not to include large amounts of extraneous material.
Visual aids are particularly important here to grab your audience's attention.
If you have a snappy photo, and interesting thought or catchy phrase, use it here.
The point of the introduction is to catch your audience, let them know what you'll be talking about, get them enthused about the topic, and let them know why your topic is interesting and exciting.

5. Methodology
If you are talking about your own research, you need to present your experimental design and/or methods.
Try to make this section short, concise, clear and logical.
You can use an outline format or even a flow chart of the experiments and techniques you used.
If you are giving a review talk, then simply summarize briefly the methods used.

6. Data presentation is the heart of a successful talk
A. Don't overwhelm your audience with information.
Limit the total amount of data you present and limit the amount of information you show on any single slide.
Busy slides and complex graphs are not helpful.
Even your text slides should be brief and to the point.

B. Paraphrase your text slides and read aloud each major point.
The audience will be reading the slides anyway and would otherwise pay no attention to you.
Don't read your slides verbatim and do not leave text slides up while you discuss another, unrelated idea.

C. Clearly label all axes on figures and give each figure a brief, informative title.

D. Define symbols on figures with a figure legend.
All text and symbols on a figure should be large enough to read easily from the back of the room.

E. Explain the information on each slide.
Begin by briefly mentioning the parameters shown on each axis of each graph. Discuss treatment versus control results as illustrated by the figure.
Remind the audience of the meaning of each symbol on your graphs.
Make sure you tell the audience how your data support or refute your basic hypothesis or idea.

F. Choose your graphs carefully.
They should follow a logical progression, and you should be able to clearly explain each graph.
Make sure each graph illustrates a point, especially when presenting literature information.

G. Cite all sources of information, especially if you did not generate the data yourself. You can either include a reference to the author and date on the slide or you can tell the audience your source as you present the graph.

H. Use the best graphics available but be careful not to distract your audience by making the artwork more interesting than the information.
You should be especially careful in choosing how to present your data.
Watch your color and pattern combinations.
Don't waste your time trying to make the prettiest or the coolest slides.
Focus on content and clarity. Some pizzazz is fine, but don't go to extremes.

I. Limit your use of animation.
Too much can be distracting and reduce the impact of your talk.
This is one of the most common problems encountered in senior seminars.

J. Make your presentation visually appealing by using variations in color and texture. Color can be used to unite items related to a single topic, emphasize points and generally enhance the audience’s ability to understand your subject.


7. Always give a synthesis or conclusion
Display a brief summary of your conclusions on a slide while you discuss the significance of the material you have presented.
Your conclusions should match your talk objectives and should complete your story. Remember, this is the end of your story, so make it memorable (again, in a good way).
Even if your talk is based on library research, your conclusions and synthesis must have some original content.
It is not sufficient to simply repeat the conclusions that other people have reached.

You may want to add a slide after your conclusions with future questions that should be addressed.
This demonstrates some critical thinking on your part and shows that you have a feel for the big picture of which your topic is a part.


8. Answer questions thoroughly and thoughtfully
Remain relaxed during the question period.
Remember, you're the expert on this subject, and this is your chance to demonstrate (but not show off) your expertise in the topic.
The question period is not designed to allow the audience to harass you.
Your audience is supportive and interested, and they truly want to know more about your topic or they would have gone somewhere else instead.
No one is out to get you!
When answering questions, take your time, compose yourself, make sure you understand the question clearly and think before you answer.
If the question is unclear or doesn't make sense to you, ask politely for clarification.

Prior to your talk, think carefully about your presentation and you may be able to anticipate major questions.
If you suspect that something in particular will come up, prepare an answer.
If you have additional slides ready to answer that query, put them in your presentation after your final planned slide and use them as appropriate.

If you don't know the answer to a question, try to say something useful and relevant. If you really don't know, "I don't know" is perfectly acceptable, but not for every question.

Increase Employee

Measure Employee Engagement
Start measuring employees passion about work and the work environment by issuing a survey with a few questions about job satisfaction.
Surveys using a scale of agreement (a Likert Scale) provide a quantitative measurement that can be combined with open-ended comments to identify opportunities to make employees happy.

Identify What Employees Like
By gathering compliments in addition to concerns, your company can find out if its engagement efforts make a meaningful, lasting contribution to employees.


Help Employees See the Big Picture
Employees want to feel that they are contributing and making a difference.
Help your employees to see the big picture and how they contribute to a functioning whole. This will also empower employees to make decisions.

Use Training to Increase Confidence
Managers who cut training budgets to save costs do not understand how service delivery and morale can suffer as a result.
Employees need training to do their job confidently and to facilitate career advancement within the company.


Establish Mentoring Programs
Train and encourage seasoned employees to be mentors. A mentoring program can facilitate dynamic skill growth through an organization and foster a sense of community.

Promote Team Building
Encourage team building activities among employee groups to create trust and acceptance.
Strong,loyal teams provide one level of acceptance, and teamwork between departments provides another.


Build a Supportive Environment
Often, dissatisfaction with wages and benefits masks problems that relate back to acceptance by a team or manager.
Employees may need help with coping skills, problem-solving skills, tactics for handling difficult situations,or expressing their personal feelings.

Don't Be Afraid to Tell the Truth
Respect your employees through degrees of transparency.
Communicate how your business is really doing on a quarterly or semi-annual basis. Give your employees information to understand shifts in corporate policy due to the economic or competitive environment.

Retrain or Get Rid of Bad Managers
One bad manager can pollute multiple layers of an organization.
Poor managers bring down employee morale, which spills over into the engagement level of customers.

Recognize Employee Contributions
Recognition from a supervisor of at least two ranks above an employee makes a meaningful,engaging difference in employee morale.

Use Technology to Manage Employee Engagement
Technology is available to help you go beyond a single annual survey or an email link on the company Intranet.
Enterprise Feedback Management systems can be used to centralize surveys and employee feedback and track both qualitative and quantitative information. Third-party systems provide for employee anonymity, which encourages open and honest employee feedback.