A report and leader model from ManpowerGroup's Right Management, experts in talent management, identifies leadership traits and provides practical solutions to predict, develop, and measure leadership effectiveness. The report, "Most Likely to Lead," comes at a critical time for employers: 87 percent do not believe they have the future leaders needed to fill critical roles. … [Read more...] about Is good leadership nature or nurture?
Managing staff
Retaliation landmine
By Lynne Curry bio Everyone in your office knows she's a problem. She mouths off constantly and prefers chatting with coworkers to doing her job. You regret the day you hired her and when she makes one smart-aleck comment too many about your practice, you say "Look, you're not happy here. I'll have the bookkeeper draw up a final check. I wish you good luck." Big mistake. … [Read more...] about Retaliation landmine
EEOC issues final rules on employer wellness programs
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination, has issued final rules that describe how Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) apply to wellness programs offered by employers that request health information from … [Read more...] about EEOC issues final rules on employer wellness programs
Culture eats strategy for lunch. Every time, everywhere
By Steve M. Cohen bio You may have heard the expression, "Culture eats strategy for lunch." It's a widespread concept in many management circles and was even the title of a book. Some give credit for coining the concept to the management guru Peter Drucker, but I suspect it goes back much further. Henry Ford is said to have followed it. Alexander the Great probably … [Read more...] about Culture eats strategy for lunch. Every time, everywhere
Two ADA surprises: odd disabilities and attorney’s fees that can hit the sky
Two surprising points about the ADA. First, what the office doesn’t think is a disability could well be one. And second, the ADA applies to access to public places such as stores and restaurants – and offices. And while the law “has a noble purpose,” along the way “it’s been hijacked by a subset of plaintiffs who have made it their life’s work to target as many public … [Read more...] about Two ADA surprises: odd disabilities and attorney’s fees that can hit the sky
Turn staff from ‘critters’ into smart thinkers with ownership in their jobs
The brain has two states. One is the “critter state.” That’s the point at which a person responds like a raccoon or a skunk or any other critter. The focus is survival. It’s fright-freeze-fight-flight thinking. The other is the “smart state.” And that’s the point where a person is a human being: innovative, creative, collaborative, and emotionally engaged. In the critter … [Read more...] about Turn staff from ‘critters’ into smart thinkers with ownership in their jobs
Study finds 96 percent of online complaints about doctors fault customer service, not quality of care
An analysis of nearly 35,000 online reviews of doctors nationwide finds that customer service—not physicians' medical expertise and clinical skill—is the overwhelming reason patients complain about their health care experiences on the Internet. The study, published in the Journal of Medical Practice Management (JMPM), finds that only 1 in 25 patients rating their health care … [Read more...] about Study finds 96 percent of online complaints about doctors fault customer service, not quality of care
How to investigate an employment-related complaint from a staffer
Got a complaint from an employee? Investigate it. If that complaint turns into a legal claim, part of the allegation of wrongdoing may well be that the office "didn't take it seriously and failed to investigate," says employment law attorney Ingrid Culp of Fredrikson & Byron in Minneapolis. The law doesn't require that an employer investigate a claim, she says. But it is … [Read more...] about How to investigate an employment-related complaint from a staffer
How to tell when a job candidate or staffer is lying to you
Whether interviewing a job candidate or talking with a staffer about an occurrence in the office, the manager needs to know how to tell who's telling the truth and who isn't. It's an art that calls for close attention to both verbal and nonverbal signs, says private investigator and security consultant Joseph A. LaSorsa, a former senior special agent with the U.S. Secret … [Read more...] about How to tell when a job candidate or staffer is lying to you
Cultural differences create new frontier for office managers
By Steve M. Cohen bio With all of the discussion about harassment and other personnel issues, I'm surprised there's not more recognition of the different assumptions that people bring because of varying backgrounds and cultures. First, I'm not excusing boring or outright predatory behavior because of cultural or other differences. People must learn to live and … [Read more...] about Cultural differences create new frontier for office managers