Self Improvement Site
On The Internet! Take the Self Improvement Tour
On The Internet! Take the Self Improvement Tour
Management Skills Articles
We are currently looking for an Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to "Management Skills". If you have expertise in Management Skills and your own website and/or product for this topic, please review this form for complete details. The Official Guide Position is part of our Premium Placement Package
- The Juggling Act: When You Drop the Ball - by Submitted on Jun 27, 2014 from Tracey OsborneAs busy entrepreneurs we juggle a lot of balls. Client requests, team member demands, family demands…the list goes on and on and on. When you have so many balls in the air, eventually you’re going to drop one. It happened to me today. I received an email from a client asking me if I sent a ...
Views: 1479 - Crisis Leadership - by Submitted on Jun 26, 2014 from Roger IngbretsenIn our complex and ever evolving world, another crisis is just around the corner. Just turn on the news and witness much of the “breaking news” within local state and federal governments and in the private sector business community. Crisis leadership consists of leadership skills and techniques ...
Views: 1179 - What Do Great CEO’s Do? They Focus On Leadership Basics and More - by Submitted on Jun 26, 2014 from Roger IngbretsenIn addition to the Chief Executive Officers using the information presented here, Boards of Directors are also encouraged to apply the following content as the basis for either CEO evaluation or for CEO selection; a task that Boards are finding themselves having to make more frequently. ...
Views: 1467 - 20 Writing Tips for Better Results - by Submitted on Jun 25, 2014 from William Cottringer20 Writing Tips for Better Results By Bill Cottringer Excellent writing has never happened by chance. It takes open-mindedness and an insatiable drive to continually learn how to improve what you are trying to say and the hard work that goes along with that challenge. Excellent writing ...
Views: 1835 - Hospitality Is A Contact Sport - by Submitted on Jun 24, 2014 from Eileen McDarghThe impetus for this article comes from the thousands of miles I have traveled and the many places I have stayed in my work as a leadership consultant and professional speaker. Depending upon the city and the client, the range goes from residential inns to five star resorts, from boutique ...
Views: 1207 - 12 Simple Tips to Increase Leadership Trust - by Submitted on Jun 19, 2014 from Dave Jensen"I'll get back to you on that." I uttered these famous last words to a graduate student at UCLA way back when I was selling for Siemens Medical Systems. I never did get back to him. I became busy and forgot about his request. Not a big deal, right? it wasn’t as HE was the person buying the ...
Views: 941 - Dos and Don’ts of Working With Team Members - by Submitted on Jun 13, 2014 from Tracey OsborneWorking as a virtual assistant for the past seven years, I’ve worked with a wide variety of clients. Different industries, personalities and managing skills can either make for a good relationship or a bad one. Having a team of my own, also allows me the opportunity to see things through the ...
Views: 3241 - 5 Tips to Overcome the Leader's Bias - by Submitted on Jun 10, 2014 from Dave JensenCan you guess the name of the leader described below? A new chief executive, one of the youngest in his nation's history, is being sworn into office on a cold and cloudy day in January. He was raised a Catholic. He rose to his new position in part because of his vibrant charisma. He is ...
Views: 963 - Sales Management I / III – A Better Way to Motivate Sales People - by Submitted on Jun 03, 2014 from Sam ManferSales managers are the key to a company’s selling success. Their job is to move sales people to do what works. This is a three part article that reviews the key elements of the previous statement about a sales managers role – move, do, and what works. Move In the book Drive by Daniel ...
Views: 1829 - THE Number One Leadership Best Practice - by Submitted on Jun 03, 2014 from Dave JensenIn a survey of 359 corporate officers and 6,900 managers from 77 firms, the McKinsey organization reported that only 7% of respondents agreed that their companies had enough talented managers. (1) Even more alarming was the mere 3% who agreed with this statement: "We develop people effectively." ...
Views: 848 - Are You Missing These Key Team Members? - by Submitted on May 30, 2014 from Tracey OsborneBeing an entrepreneur is an amazing journey. At some point in this journey, you’re going to need a team. Your industry, size of business and future goals will determine what kind of key players you need on your team. Now when I say team, I don’t mean a dozen full-time staff members or ...
Views: 1512 - How Mid-level Leaders Must Manage and Coach - by Submitted on May 27, 2014 from Dave JensenIn a study of over 1,000 mid-level leaders, Professor David Antonioni concluded that the best juggle three roles -- managing, leading, and coaching. (1) Middle leaders are those one level above supervisors and at least two levels below the CEO. Do you ever feel as if you’re stuck in the middle, ...
Views: 1051 - What's Resiliency Got To Do With Employee Engagement? - by Submitted on May 24, 2014 from Eileen McDarghConsider these glum facts: Only one in eight workers worldwide are engaged at work, but according to Gallup's new 142-country study on the State of the Global Workplace, engagement varies considerably according to the region and country in which these workers live and their economic and social ...
Views: 1116 - Don't Tell the Truth and Find Your Integrity - by Submitted on May 23, 2014 from Annette SegalThere are times when you shouldn’t tell the truth. I value honesty and integrity. You do too! Yet there are times when you shouldn’t “tell the truth”. “Really?” you may ask. Yes, really! Whether you’re an executive, entrepreneur, coach, consultant or other leader, don’t get caught in ...
Views: 1282 - The Top Four Motivational Tools - by Submitted on May 24, 2014 from Dave JensenMy first job after graduate school was coordinating research at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD). I had the privilege of working with an extraordinary team led by luminary leader, Dr. Victor Froelicher. In the four years that the nucleus of our small, productive, and highly ...
Views: 907 - Leading by Managing Emotions - by Submitted on May 24, 2014 from Dave JensenEmotions are a feedback mechanism. The dictionary defines feedback as ‘information returned to the source.” Thus, emotions contain information for us. They are meant to help us manage our attention. If you do not manage your emotions and pay attention to the emotions of those around you, you ...
Views: 908 - The Shadow of Great Leadership - by Submitted on May 08, 2014 from Annette SegalLeaders are the target of a lot of writing. Blogs, articles, courses. I know. I’m one of the perpetrators. Executives, coaches, consultants and entrepreneurs are leaders - of small to large teams and organizations. If you are one, the writing targets you. Much of the advice is useful. ...
Views: 1183 - Leading by Understanding Emotions - by Submitted on May 24, 2014 from Dave JensenTraffic lights are also called signals because they provide information that directs our future action. They “signal” us to stop, go, or in the case of yellow… hit the gas and race through the intersection. (Maybe I don’t have that last signal quite right.) Emotions are signals too. They contain ...
Views: 780(1 vote) - How to Stop Cloning Unsuccessful Businesses - by Submitted on Apr 27, 2014 from Sydni Craig-Hart"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." ~ Mark Twain What makes you different? One thing that makes humans amazing is that there are not (and never have been) two people that are exactly alike. Try matching your fingerprints or dental ...
Views: 947 - Gratitude as a Leadership Practice - by Submitted on Apr 24, 2014 from Susan FreemanThis week I had an opportunity to reflect about gratitude, both for my clients and for myself. It was not an exceptional week, except for one thing; every single client took the time to acknowledge the positive impact our coaching work was having on them, professionally and personally. I ...
Views: 1486 - Leading by Perceiving Emotions - by Submitted on Apr 22, 2014 from Dave JensenBill is gone? I thought to myself. I shouldn't be surprised. He was great at putting a project scope together. He had the most elegant project charts in the company. He was even a good guy… once you got to know him. I later learned that Bill was fired from Siemens because he was not a "people ...
Views: 886 - 3 Ways To Give Yourself A Raise (While Working Less) - by Submitted on Apr 18, 2014 from Holly ChantalAs an online entrepreneur we're always looking for new ways to innovate and create businesses we love. We don't settle for the status quo, if we wanted to do the same thing day in and day out, and make the same salary ever year we'd get "real jobs". But that would be lame. A big problem ...
Views: 914 - The 4 Practical Values That Best Predict Leadership Success - by Submitted on Apr 16, 2014 from Dave JensenEthics is defined as the "standards governing how human beings ought to act in various situations." Would you describe yourself as an ethical leader? If so, what values drive your ethics? How do you apply those values in your everyday decision-making? Whether you think about values or not, ...
Views: 1049 - ***Managing Opportunities - by Submitted on Apr 11, 2014 from Opher BrayerThe Model and The Opportunity We learned about marketing. We learned about sales. We even understood a little about personal branding. We post on Facebook, advertise events, tell the world about our virtues and yet, big opportunities do not seem to present themselves. We go to a job ...
Views: 1380(2 votes) - Are You Conscious of What You Are Practicing as a Leader? - by Submitted on Apr 11, 2014 from Susan FreemanAristotle said “We are what we repeatedly do.” As a leadership coach, I am always curious about what my clients are practicing. The challenge is to realize that although we have all been practicing something, some of those “practices” aren’t getting the results we are looking for ...
Views: 1223 - The Keys to More Conversions: 4 Fundamental Tips - by Submitted on Apr 10, 2014 from Tracey FieberIf you’re like a lot of business owners out there, you may have struggled with making sales at some point. Here are four fundamental tips to get more conversions on your sales calls. Know which questions to ask: Some people have an image of a salesperson as someone who will go to any ...
Views: 1434 - How Leaders Use Feedback to Understand Others - by Submitted on Apr 08, 2014 from Dave Jensen“There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know oneself.” Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Improved Almanac (1750) The decisions we make every day are based on our impressions of our skills, knowledge, talents, values, leadership styles, and so forth. For example, ...
Views: 833 - Seven Simple Stress-Busters for Leaders - by Submitted on Apr 01, 2014 from Dave JensenA business school professor once told me that, "the job of a leader is to remove stress from his or her employees." I disagreed by saying, "I think one of the jobs of a leader is to help his or her employees manage stress for optimal performance." How well do you help your team manage stress ...
Views: 807 - Why Connection Matters for Leaders - by Submitted on Mar 31, 2014 from Susan FreemanAccording to Wikipedia, connection is “a relationship in which a person, thing, or idea is linked or associated with something else.” This directly relates to a fundamental leadership skill: the ability to connect. Everything a leader does, requires connection. Vision, strategy and ...
Views: 1046 - What Are You Doing to Close the Big Leadership Gap? - by Submitted on Mar 26, 2014 from Susan FreemanThe 2014 Global Human Capital Trends survey published earlier this month by Deloitte University Press points out critical gaps in organizational leadership. In a paper examining the findings, authors Canwell, Dongrie, Neveras and Stockton point out that: learn lead 2 300x199 What Are You ...
Views: 1022 - Ten Quick Tips to Help Leaders Stay Positive - by Submitted on Mar 25, 2014 from Dave JensenSeveral years ago, I was invited to present at an association meeting on the topic of "staying positive when things seem negative." Since it's a topic I've studied for decades and tried to practice almost as long, I agreed. As I reviewed the old notes recently, it occurred to me that I could ...
Views: 815 - The Paradox of Commanding AND Empowering Leadership - by Submitted on Mar 18, 2014 from Dave JensenMy Dad spent 30 years working toward retirement, and he retired with nothing. There are many reasons why his company shut down. Near the top of the list was lack of leadership. Specifically, the inability of political, company and union leaders to understand that managing the tension between ...
Views: 749 - The Top 10 Tools Leaders Use to Make Virtual Teams Successful - by Submitted on Mar 14, 2014 from Dave JensenA virtual team is one that has members in different physical locations (e.g., buildings or countries) or working at different times (e.g., shifts). One of the major trends in business is to get work done, projects accomplished, or goals achieved via virtual teams. Yet studies have shown that ...
Views: 916(1 vote) - How Often Are You Leading From 30,000 Feet? - by Submitted on Mar 11, 2014 from Susan FreemanI am writing this week’s tips and tools from 30,000 feet. Literally! I find that I can often achieve inspiration and speed while in an airplane. From up above the clouds the landscape looks entirely different than when I am earthbound. I notice my perspective affords me a feeling of ...
Views: 1121 - Leader May Be The Smartest In The Room, But Is Not Smarter Than The Room - by Submitted on Mar 09, 2014 from Rick CarterA leader knows that he or she may be the smartest person in the room, but isn't smarter than the entire room. Use your team for good ideas. Leaders have a combination of intelligence, charisma, character and experience. These are very difficult to define and even harder to teach. Which is ...
Views: 1417(2 votes) - Strategies That Keep Profitable Customers Coming Back - by Submitted on Mar 03, 2014 from Dave JensenAmid the impersonal busyness of the airport, I feel drawn to his warm oasis. My shoes don’t need shining, I think as I take a seat to have my polished shoes shined at Nacho’s shoeshine stand in Terminal 1 at the LA airport. Nacho (his real name) looks up and smiles. I rationalize my decision, ...
Views: 892 - How Leaders Predict Success - by Submitted on Feb 20, 2014 from Dave JensenThe two FBI agents stared at me from across the table. The woman’s blue eyes narrowed and her forehead wrinkled as she aimed her next question, “If you teach leadership, maybe you can tell me how important all these leadership tests the FBI makes me take really are?” Me, “Depends how they use ...
Views: 1037(1 vote) - How Leaders Can Boost Follow-up - by Submitted on Feb 13, 2014 from Dave JensenHave you or one of your team members ever attended a seminar, class, or important meeting where they picked up valuable ideas and information, but then got back to work only to become so busy or distracted that the ideas were never implemented? Of course, it happens to most of us. What can you ...
Views: 921 - How Effective Leaders Tell Compelling Stories - by Submitted on Feb 06, 2014 from Dave JensenThe CEO marched to the podium. The applause faded. The audience of 500 senior executives and middle managers listened as the CEO outlined the major change initiative. His grasp of the facts and details was amazing. Unfortunately, after 10 minutes of data, the audience drifted. The CEO lost them ...
Views: 952 - Are You Ready to Outsource? - by Submitted on Jan 20, 2014 from Alleli AspiliWho doesn’t know about the idea of outsourcing? Well, to at least serve those who are new to the business world, outsourcing is the contracting out of a business process to a third-party. It includes both foreign and domestic contracting and is sometimes led to offshoring or relocating a ...
Views: 2087 - How to Lead with Questions - by Submitted on Dec 10, 2013 from Dave JensenAt the end of the dinner, the president of our association asked the board of directors if we had any questions. My first thought, don’t you have any questions for us? Over the last decade, I've listened to hundreds of senior executives speak to leaders in their organizations. These ...
Views: 934(2 votes) - How Leaders Use the Happiness Equation - by Submitted on Dec 04, 2013 from Dave Jensen"I thought there were supposed to be thousands of butterflies?" Marek's wrinkled brow confirmed his disappointment. His two brothers and sister joined in a chorus of, "I can't believe we drove six hours to see this!" The four adults acknowledged there were relatively few butterflies, yet ...
Views: 1190(2 votes) - No One Ever Became A Leader By Submission. - by Submitted on Dec 01, 2013 from Rick CarterOne definition of a leader is “one who is followed by others.” Another is “one who has influence or control over others.” This is accomplished by force (including authority based on position) and charisma (people want you to lead them). This implies that a leader is a person who expects others ...
Views: 1250(1 vote) - HOW DO YOU KEEP GREAT STAFF? Make them feel special - by Submitted on Nov 26, 2013 from Harvey DeutschendorfHOW TO KEEP GREAT STAFF Make them Feel Special The secret to employee retention is not to try and reinvent the wheel, but emulate the practices used by organizations that have been very successful at keeping their staff. Two such organizations are Marriot Hotels and Southwest ...
Views: 1484(2 votes) - 3 Ways to Lead Change by Managing Stability - by Submitted on Nov 21, 2013 from Dave JensenThe soapy, wet rags danced across my front windshield as I drove into the carwash. Instantly, my 90-pound German Sheppard leapt from the back to the front seat. His big brown eyes screamed at me, "Dad, what's that?" “It’s okay Comet." I stroked his head as the car darkened. Within seconds, ...
Views: 962(1 vote) - Reframe and Conquer Office Politics - by Submitted on Nov 20, 2013 from Andrea NovakowskiKyle began our phone call by sharing his frustration. “I hate the politics at my company,” he said. “The only projects that get done are the ones sponsored by the company president’s ‘pets.’ The worth of the project doesn’t matter; it’s all about who you know. I do great work, and that should be ...
Views: 1371(1 vote) - 3 Simple Tools to Help Leaders keep it in Perspective - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2013 from Dave JensenThe tires screeched, the 1965 blue Chevy fishtailed around the corner, and came straight at us. My 8th-grade best friend Ricky froze. I grabbed his arm and yelled, "RUN!" A split-second later, we heard the crash of twisting metal. We turned around and watched the Chevy roll, slow-motion-like, ...
Views: 836(1 vote) - The problem with corporate America and bureaucratic government is that promotions are based on sycophancy not competency. - by Submitted on Nov 10, 2013 from Rick CarterSycophancy is defined as “fawning obsequiousness. Synonyms: grovelling, servility, cringing, fawning, kowtowing, bootlicking, toadyism, slavishness.” Obviously, these ar negative terms. Being a sycophant is a negative thing. Being a sycophant is the worst form of lying to yourself, because a ...
Views: 1549(1 vote) - How Gratitude Can Transform Your Leadership and Influence - by Submitted on Nov 06, 2013 from Susan FreemanIt’s that time of year. The fall harvest holidays are almost upon us. It is a time when we place our attention on who and what make us thankful. Are we also aware of the importance of gratitude in our everyday role as leaders? According to an article in The Harvard Health Newsletter, ...
Views: 1372 - How Leaders Choose What to Teach at Their Meetings - by Submitted on Nov 05, 2013 from Dave JensenMonica, a mid-level manager, asked me to help her improve leadership skills by speaking at her regional meeting. She also told me of her plan to ask her managers to teach each other their favorite leadership skills during breakout sessions. Our conversation went like this... Me, "What ...
Views: 854(1 vote)