Manager Tools

Don't schedule meetings on Monday mornings. Meetings slow people down.

How to respond if your boss tells you he/she doesn’t agree with you doing One on Ones.

Part 3 of Dani's best management story about how she used the Manager Tools Trinity to terminate a poor performer in an organization where "you can't fire anyone."

Part 2 of Dani's best management story about how she used the Manager Tools Trinity to terminate a poor performer in an organization where "you can't fire anyone."

Dani's best management story about how she used the Manager Tools Trinity to terminate a poor performer in an organization where "you can't fire anyone."

Doing "favors" for colleagues is an important part of the political/relationship culture in all organizations. It pays to give and to receive them.

Doing "favors" for colleagues is an important part of the political/relationship culture in all organizations. It pays to give and to receive them.

Learn to ask your directs, "What do YOU think?" when they come to you with problems. THAT is the simple way to develop their skills – have them learn new ones.

How many people the average manager can supervise, and what rules to apply when creating team sizes.

Don't vote against a plan or decision if you're the only one doing so, unless it's for ethics or principles (and it usually isn't).

Don't vote against a plan or decision if you're the only one doing so, unless it's for ethics or principles (and it usually isn't).

The best way to help colleagues and fellow managers with their employees is to insist on behaviors. But most managers don't think this way.

How To Document Performance - Part 2.

How To Document Performance.

The conclusion of our series on how to write a simple job description.

How to write a simple job description.

Assume positive intent when analyzing the actions of others, especially directs.

Certain emails DO justify reading them with some urgency. The key is keeping a very short list.

Never ask how a project is going. You'll get information that isn't helpful…and it's your fault. Ask for status, and define what status is.

This guidance recommends extending short coaching deadlines when your directs show that they can meet them, and keeping deadlines flexible based on performance.