Reaction to the last two pieces has been great. Looks like you enjoyed poking fun at both bosses and colleagues who were poor communicators. We concluded that many of them were hired or promoted in spite of their communication skills, rather than because of them.
Interpersonal Communication
My Employees Stink at Communicating!
Looks like we hit a nerve last month with the first piece in this limited series. We had fun sticking it to bosses who are poor workplace communicators. At least, I had fun.
Why does my boss stink at communicating?
(This piece from ‘Phil’s All-Time Hits, Vol. 1’ just ran in the Council of Smaller Enterprises ‘Mind Your Business’ e-Letter.)
A reader recently asked me, “Why doe my boss stink at communicating?” The short answer to this recurring question is that communication skills weren’t on the ‘Boss Test’.
Your Ideal Next Job
(As we gradually emerge from Covid 19 WFH, some people begin looking for better jobs. So, it made sense to offer a second helping of this excellent piece from two years ago. Enjoy this trip down memory lane.)
‘Platinum Rule’ Communicators Rule! (6/19)
Many business professionals diligently attempt to practice the ‘Golden Rule’ at work that we all learned as youngsters. A workplace communication version of that philosophy would be ‘Communicate with other people the way you want them to communicate with you.’
Brainstorming Brilliance (6/18)
(Happy to see that readers are enjoying our trips down memory lane this year with ‘Phil’s All Time Hits, Vol. I’ . They should acquaint newer subscribers with popular content from past years. The feature article this month first ran in 2018. Enjoy … )
When was the last time you held a team brainstorming session to identify a name for a new product, solve some problem or even a come up with an organization to benefit from the next staff volunteer day… and you got nothing? You asked for input, but only a few spoke up and others criticized or made fun of those ideas. Most people just sat silently starring at their blank sheets of paper … or, phones. One person had enough courage to tell you that you’re the boss and you’ll do whatever you want anyway, so why bother with this waste of time?
Delegate Your Way to Success
Time to review the Art and Science of Delegation – an essential leadership skill for entrepreneurs and discuss three important questions.
Why don’t entrepreneurs delegate?
Lots of reasons and they all seem logical at the time:
Zoom Your Way Thru the Pandemic
I recently finished facilitating another on-line module for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program. I’ve used this technology before as an alternative to in-person trainings or meetings. So, I thought it was a good time to share some best practices for using this technology. So, here are 10 tips for zooming your way through this pandemic that I recently experienced first-hand.
So … How Ya Doin?
Thankfully, most NE OH small businesses have survived dealing with Covid-19 … so far. One interesting strategy some COSE members have successfully used is the ‘Covid Check In’. It’s simple and easy and can reap excellent benefits.
Let’s briefly consider ‘Checking In’ with three important groups for your business – your staff, your colleges and your customers.
Listen on Three Levels
Listening? What does listening have to do with your job as hard-working and dynamic business leaders or entrepreneurs? Well … a lot, when you get out of your own box and view your role as a workplace communicator and problem-solver for your internal or external customers.