What is Delegating? How Is It Different than Work Directing? © Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD Delegating is a critical skill for supervisors at any level. Delegating involves working with an employee to establish goals, granting them sufficient authority and responsibility to achieve the goals, often giving them 1) substantial freedom in deciding how the goals …
Power is Not a Bad Word © Copyright Marcia Zidle The concept of power often evokes negative impressions. For example, referring to the use of power can infer that people are being dominated, manipulated or coerced. However, similar to the concept of conflict, power almost always exists in organizations. Recognizing and managing it can be very …
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It seems there has been an explosion of articles about leading and leadership and what to do to be a great leader. Their suggestions can seem so broad and wide-ranging that it can be difficult to know just what to do next when trying to lead. Some seem so romanticized and idealized that it is …
What is Assertiveness? In the context of management, assertiveness is respectfully and tactfully representingyourself — your opinions and recommendations — fully to others. Here are somedefinitions to consider: Assertiveness is the quality of being self-assured and confident withoutbeing aggressive. In the field of psychology and psychotherapy, it is a learnableskill and mode of communication. Dorland’s Medical …
Do you dread entering a negotiation? Do you worry that what you want will not match what the other person wants to give? Do you worry about having to “play hardball” and souring a good working relationship? After all, for someone to win, someone else has to lose, right? Well, not necessarily. Chances are, you …
Critical Ingredients for Building and Maintaining Trust © Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD There are numerous ingredients that must be present for there to be strongand sustained trust in a relationship and in the workplace, for example, dowhat you say you are going to do, always be clear and consistent in your assignmentsand say what you mean. Different …
Clarifying Confusion About Conflict © Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD Conflict occurs with two or more people who, despite their first attempts at agreement, do not yet have agreement on a course of action, usually because their values, perspectives and opinions are contradictory in nature. Conflict can occur: Conflict is inevitable and often necessary when forming …
How to Agreeably Disagree in 4 Steps © Copyright Pam Solberg-Tapper In today’s business world, it is imperative to be able to disagree with tact and professionalism. My coaching clients find themselves in situations where they disagree with others, yet need to rely on these same people to get work done. The way you tell someone …
Understand Your Biases and How They Affect Others © Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD Your biases play a major role in how you perceive others. Your perceptions are your reality, whether they are the reality for someone else or not. Differences in perception between you and others can make the difference between successful leadership and a …
How to Really Listen to Others © Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD Listening is a critical skill for all adults to have, to learn about others. Also, it is one of the most valuable tools for you to establish a strong rapport with employees. There are many books about effective listening skills. The following common guidelines …