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Joan Lloyd Archive |
The economy has caused lay offs and downsizing but don't believe those who will tell you not to bother looking for a job during the holidays. Things are picking up and the holidays offer some unique opportunities that could land you a job before your New Year's Eve resolution is broken...
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"It's about them, not about you," I told an executive recently. He had all the technical skills and experience the company desperately needed to turn a poorly performing plant around. As his executive coach, I was going to help him with the people side of the business. Like many bright, talented leaders, he lacked some of the subtle savvy required to get cynical employees to follow him....
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I have a question about people who just want to do their jobs and go home at the end of the day and not worry about their responsibilities. They don't want to move up or get ahead. How do I motivate these types of people?...
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I have an employee who has personality quirks but not an easy to document performance problem. She has a negative attitude and is constantly badmouthing colleagues, policies, new ideas and probably me, behind my back....
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I was recently promoted into a Director role in a large company. I report to the senior executive in charge of the area. What advice can you give me about interacting with the executive level? I will be making more presentations and involved in more strategic decision-making. My boss told me that I need to learn how to "face upward" in this new role....
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How does one work with someone who is just plain annoying? I know this may sound petty or harsh, but here it is. I work directly with a woman in my department (who sits across from me) who has annoying habits, which just plain bother me. It may be a personality clash-I don't know.....
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Presentations to senior executives bring about that rising sense
of panic for a good reason. Speaking to any group can be sweat producing but
speaking to the people who have the power over your career can be downright
nerve shattering....
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Why? Several trends are converging: Companies want everyone,
from the receptionist to the president, to provide a great experience for the
customer-not unlike a "guest experience" at a fine hotel. So, some companies
are providing training on how to make a proper introduction, how to eat at
a fine restaurant, and even the proper way to conduct business over lunch....
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I have an opportunity to run and operate my own Escrow Branch
with a new, up and running insurance company. This company will be establishing
several branches throughout our county. My concern is that I do not have much
as far as management experience. I have been in the business for more than
fifteen years. Could you tell me what are the specific things that employers
look for in a potential candidate for management?...
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With strong encouragement by a friend I agreed to contact a
Resume Service to have my current resume reviewed for free. I met with this
service and was dumbfounded when I received a bill for $560.00. The resume
presented by this service did not adhere to the traditional do's and don'ts
of how to write a resume. This resume appeared to have the praise of a mother
speaking to others about how well a child did in school and in life....
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I have achived a wonderful executive position in a local government
officebut I am currently experiencing two gender bias issues that I have difficulty
overcoming. To begin, my manager and his male staff members often socialize together on staff time and I am not invited. My second issue revolves around coverage for our female office assistant....
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I have been dealing with an over-talkative co-worker. She's
either constantly talking to me or being incredibly disruptive by discussing
non-related work with me out of the blue. I've tried keeping the peace by not
saying anything. Whose responsibility is it to say something, the boss or the
co-workers...
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I like the idea of doing a 360-degree review with my management
team. I am a Vice President with eight direct employees. My department deals
with all the other employees and managers (IT) and I think it would be helpful
to have feedback from our users about how we're doing. I'd also like my employees
to get feedback from each other and me. How would I structure such a thing?....
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I was recruited from the outside to come in and make some pretty dramatic changes. The former manager allowed things to deteriorate. Poor performers were allowed to get away with their behaviour and some very big changes were being introduced by the organization that he was not managing well. To complicate things further, the culture here (prior to the former manager) had been very anti-management. The problem I am finding is that I am being asked by my boss to make these changes but my employees are fighting it all the way. I'm getting sullen compliance, at best. Any advice?....
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"If I become a manager, I'll never be like thatâ¦" we often say when we have a lousy boss. The problem is that we often over correct and our behavioural pendulum swings too far in the opposite direction....
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I am only in high school right now, but I get nervous when I publicly speak. I was fine with speaking in front of anyone up until freshman year. I don't know what it is, a mental block or thinking too much. But when I have to speak I get really nervous. Do you have any information or any strategies to reduce my nervousness?...
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Our company has started a new Mentor Program for high potential employees. I have been selected as one of the mentors. Our HR department has suggested that we meet with our "mentees" (who they paired us with) on a regular basis but haven't given us much guidance regarding what we should talk about and what they expect out of us....
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Most companies do a lousy job of developing their best technical talent. In fact, they often end up sabotaging themselves by promoting the best technical people into managerial jobs, to which they are ill suited. The company loses the person's technical contribution and the technical person is less satisfied by managerial work. It's a lose/lose situation...
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I gave my two week notice at my job for a family owned business.
The owner's wife was upset with me that I did not give her a three week
notice, since I was a manager. She told me that if anyone called her for
a reference on me, she would tell them that I was not eligible for rehire.
I had never heard of a three week notice before.....
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I have been a receptionist for my whole office career (15
years). What is the proper way to let a caller know that 1) No, we don't
know how long Mr./Ms. Doe is going to be, and, 2) No, you may not hold forever,
and 3) We are not the Sales, Marketing, Purchasing, or Warehouse Departments.......
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Do you need to get out, or to get over it? You may be needlessly
trapping yourself in a prison cell for which you hold the key. Explore other
options. After you look at other jobs and other companies, you may decide
to stay right where you are. But it will be a decision you made, not a decision
you avoided. There's a big mental difference......
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We have an employee who has been perfect for the three years she has worked with us.
She does a great job as a secretary and is extremely efficient and a superb and reliable asset.
About three months ago, her performance started going down dramatically.
For the first time she started showing up late, neglecting responsibilities, etc.
This performance is directly tied time-wise to a new boyfriend....
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I am wondering if you have any insight on HR's role in a
merger. We are about to combine two companies. My job will now mean that
I will be flying out to the other two locations of our newly formed company.
They have not had an HR position there and I will have to establish myself and build up rapport and a comfort level with the other employees. What should the first steps be?... |
You may be very confident about answering job-related questions
but are you equally prepared to answer the questions: âHow much money are
you looking for?â or âWhy are you leaving your current job?â These are two
of the questions you can expect.Telephone interviews, references and repercussions of being fired... |
I was catching up on some casual reading over the weekend and I noticed that the same people seemed to appear on the pages of every magazine I flipped through. It occurred to me that many of these celebrities weren't any more talented than their peers --- they just seemed to have the right publicist.
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My fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Sadist, was a master of peer
pressure. The problem was, it never had the desired affect. When one student
was misbehaving, she made the rest of the class stay in for recess. Instead
of blaming him for our misfortune, we hardened our dislike for her.Peer pressure ineffective form of reprimand.... |
I have a situation with an account executive that I am avoiding
dealing with for fear of hurting her feelings and/or damaging the relationship.
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Workplace humour isn't always a funny thing. Get Joan Lloyd's
column this week and tell us if you see anyone you recognize from your office?
Sound off about bad workplace Humour on the Hub forum boards! |
I am a new manager, having recently been promoted after five
years at this company. I am concerned about how to discipline employees.
Some of my questions are... |
Despite the positive feedback I get from his boss (the site
manager), as well as people from other sites in North America, including
our site, this man will not give me a compliment. |
âI was so excited to be a part of the committee,â a colleague
told me recently. âThatâs why it is so frustrating that we are going nowhere.â...
Tips for effective cross-functional teams, |
I was hired into a company as a Project Manager and was asked
to be an account manager over this small business. I have had a hard time
getting the owner of the company to set policies and procedures in place.
Therefore, it has been hard to manage a team without rules... |
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