“I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn” - Albert Einstein Coaching is about creating the conditions necessary for learning and growth. What are some ways that a coach can provide support for their coachees to succeed? 1. Let the coachee know that you are approachable and available Your coachee needs to know that he can contact you when he needs assistance. Let the coachee know your available timings and what times to avoid s

Before Pauline agreed to become a manager, she sought advice from a senior manager in the company. This senior manager said, "You are awfully trusting and that can get you into trouble. I never trusted my staff. If you blindy trust people, you will fail!" Many managers who embrace the traditional command and control model believe that it is foolish to trust employees. As a manager, building trust in your team is important. Refusing to trust anyone will not help you manage m

Not every new staff that you hire will end up staying in the company for long. What can you do for new staff that do not perform within the basic expectations? 1. Set up an appraisal meeting If at any time after setting up goals and performance standards, you realise that the new employee is not meeting expectations, immediately call for a meeting to analyse what needs to be done. Determine the causes: Does he/she know what is expected of him/her? Is it due to a lack of know

If delegating can save you time or someone can do it better, that is good. But if you are feeling lazy or it is just a small task, do it yourself. Effective delegation takes time. Here are some tips for how to delegate work: 1. Select the right person Choose someone who has the relevant skills and motivation to complete the task well. Discuss what needs to be done such as: -What are the potential issues? -How will you start the project? -Who else will be involved? -Check that

After deciding on the candidates to offer the job, there may be some negotiations involved before the chosen candidate settle for the compensation package. Here are some strategies to help you: Do your homework. Research salaries and compensation for similar job scopes in the same industry. Prepare a list of what you are willing to offer and stick to the plan. Get the interviewees to commit before the selection is made. If the candidate has responded to your job posting ind

Here are some tips on how to make the most of a hiring interview. 1. Get to know the candidate. Use the resume, job application form, preliminary materials such as his portfolio to formulate questions on his work history. 2. Ask questions logically. Plan your questions so that one topic leads to the next question smoothly. Jumping from one topic to another may confuse the candidate and limit the quality of information you get from the candidate. 3. Pay attention to body langu

Reference checks are an important component of the interview process and it is frightening to know that there are managers who hire solely on what they see on paper and what they observe during interviews. Reference checks are part of a company’s homework when employing someone and allow hiring managers to validate information gathered thus far. 1. It is recommended that hiring managers contact the candidate’s former supervisors rather than personal friends or relatives liste

Layoffs are mostly inevitable due to volatile market conditions, mergers, acquisitions and a more competitive global market. Layoffs are usually not due to the fault of the employees, but it should still be handled with care. The following steps will guide you through the layoff process. 1. Ascertain the scope of the problem Think about which departments will be affected. How long will the poor business conditions be expected to last? Are there other cost saving approaches t

There are 2 main reasons for disciplining employees: performance problems or misconduct. Use the following guide to plan what to say so your employee will understand the issues at hand and what they need to do to correct it. Step 1: Describe the unacceptable behaviour Be specific about what exactly it is that your employee is doing that is unacceptable. Do not use vague statements such as “Your work habits are lacking” or “You have a bad attitude”. Examples: “You have been w

Regardless of whether employees choose to resign or are being asked to leave, exit interviews are important as it offers valuable “inside information” for the company. This is because employees are more likely to open up about the issues that led them to leave the company at that point of time. 1. Publicise it. Letting employees know that you will conduct exit interviews is a positive move. It sends out a clear message to everyone that yours is a listening organisation. 2. C

Interviews are a critical part of recruiting new employees. While the content of the interview is important, opening and closing the interview are also important aspects of the recruitment process. Opening interviews Welcome interviewees with a warm smile and a firm handshake. Introduce yourself and the rest of the interview panel. Begin the interview by describing the agenda and letting the interviewee know how much time you expect the session to run. “First, we would like t

Nothing highlights an individual’s achievement more than a promotion at work. Here are 5 tips for you to climb up the corporate ladder and make your way to upper management. 1. Be enthusiastic. Display your commitment and excitement for the company cause. When you are passionate about your work, your boss will notice the efforts and energy you have put in. He may likely consider having you in another position where your energy can inspire others to perform. 2. Network. The

Rating systems are commonly used in evaluating performance. However, the process is flawed if ratings are the only method used to appraise and manage performance. Here are 5 tips to make rating systems work: 1. Supplement the rating system with columns for comments about each rating item. Whether the employee is rated high or low for each item, the manager will need to share his input on what in particular has the employee done well or needs improvement. 2. Ensure that both t

As our lives become seemingly hectic with demanding work schedules, there is a need to explore new ways of problem solving that will make us more productive as we execute our daily tasks. Here are some ways to develop creative potential in your team members: 1. Sharpen expertise Send your staff for training, workshops, courses so that they will gain new knowledge and skills to do their work better. With new knowledge, people can make better connections to previous experi

A good project team requires more than technical skills. Here are some principles to guide you on team selection: 1. Less is more Fewer of the right people is much better than more of the wrong ones. When it comes to team selection, quality trumps quantity. For example, a team could comprise of only 4 people. Each member of the team understands the project’s direction and their role. This team will work more efficiently than an over-staffed team. 2. Availability is key Are th

For most managers, it is better to terminate employees who have no hope of becoming productive members of your department sooner rather than later. The actual firing of the employee should take place in your office or any other private location and not done via email or in an open area such as the pantry. Here are some steps to guide you: Step 1: Inform the employee that he or she is being terminated Firmly tell the employee that the decision is final and not subjected to a

There are thousands of managers out there, trying to recruit, train and retain their staff. They all want the same thing: To earn the respect of their direct reports, to please their bosses and to avoid that so often come with people managerment. What are the qualities of a good manager? We have listed the following qualities. Do you have all or some of them? Are you confident? A healthy level of self-confidence is required to succeed at being a manager. Having confidence in

Most people dread having to speak to someone about something unpleasant. Whether it is to broach a difficult topic with your boss or someone you manage, it takes courage to speak up. There is never a ‘right’ time to do it, hence we offer the following tips to get you started: Think with the end in mind. Ask yourself “What do I want to achieve?”. This helps to remind yourself to stay on track during the conversation instead of being dragged into argumentative stance. State the

Writing skills are as important in electronic messages as in paper communication. Not everyone is skilled at writing emails or knows when email is required. Here are some tips to follow that will cut down time spent on writing emails: Choose your recipients with care. Plan to send copies to only those people who absolutely need the message. To help recipients prioritize email, highlight in the subject header whether the email requires any type of action. For instance “New pro

New managers who are conducting performance appraisals for the first time can be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information accumulated on their employees over the year but is unsure how to use the information to assess performance. The first step would be to look at the goals that were set at the beginning of the year. For each goal that was set, use the following questions to guide you: Has the employee achieved this goal? Why or why not? How do I know whether the emplo