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Communication

In Harlem jobs program, varying shades of the N-word

09/19/2013
A recent case has tested the complex, unwritten rules surrounding the use of the N-word in the workplace—in this case, the successful STRIVE East Harlem temporary agency, which has been profiled on “60 Minutes.”

How to identify potential mentors among your staff leaders

09/19/2013
Mentorship programs can help build the skills of up-and-coming employees. However, successful mentoring depends on the skill and commitment of the senior staff who agree to groom younger workers.

CFOs complain employees don’t understand strategy

09/18/2013
It’s hard enough for businesses to reach their strategic goals. It’s even harder when employees don’t know what those objectives are. A recent survey found that 34% of CFOs believe employees are largely clueless about their firm’s strategic objectives.

Swearing at work: Is it ever appropriate?

08/21/2013

Does swearing energize ­employees and demonstrate passion? Or does it cast you as out-of-control and unprofessional? Generally, the answer is the latter.

The distasteful ‘sandwich’: How to rethink your feedback strategy

08/14/2013
Many managers and HR professionals have been taught to “sandwich” constructive criticism between two positive statements. But I think this is a distasteful way of delivering feedback. Here’s why:

Recession took toll on workplace collaboration

08/13/2013

U.S. workers are focusing more and collaborating less than they did six years ago—a likely result of the Great Recession and a lagging recovery—according to researchers at Gensler, the nation’s largest commercial interior design firm.

5 tips to help co-workers hear your ideas

08/12/2013
How to get your ideas heard: 1. Build buy-in by “noticing out loud.” 2. Repackage your ideas to sell. 3. Use what you know to connect. 4. Get agreement with repetition. 5. Wear navy blue.

Hypersensitive employee? What’s hostile depends on objective analysis

08/08/2013
Don’t worry too much if a sensitive soul finds the workplace unpleasant. Absent tangible, objective evidence that an environment is truly hostile, her lawsuit won’t go far.

Employees’ emotional outburst: A patient, calm response is legally smart

08/06/2013
Occasionally, all supervisors and HR professionals have to deal with overly emotional ­employees. Handling such situations with a calm and measured response isn’t just good for morale, it could mean the difference between winning and losing a lawsuit.

@#$%&! Maybe partisan politics isn’t the problem

08/02/2013
They may fight like cats and dogs in Washington, D.C., but they swear like sailors. The nation’s capital is America’s foulest-mouthed city, according to a survey by CareerBuilder.com.