Exact Staff News

As a leader, what happens when you develop better listening skills? Your employees become more motivated, engaged and productive. You retain more information and make fewer mistakes. You foster mutual trust with your team. You develop 6-pack abs. Okay; maybe not that last answer – but you get where today’s post is going, right? Strong…

“She’s so intelligent; I’ll never be as smart as her.” “He’s so creative; why can’t I think that way?” “She’s so disciplined; I wish I could exhibit that kind of control and perseverance.” Are you great at finding amazing qualities in your colleagues, family and friends – but incredibly tough on yourself? It’s human nature.…

Why is the middle of an Oreo so delicious? It’s the chocolate cookies on the top and bottom. This post isn’t about food (entirely), and we don’t recommend eating a package of cookies to enhance job performance. But the inventor of Oreos (or any sandwich cookie, for that matter), knew this important fact: The way…

If you’re on the job hunt, you’ve doubtless heard cautionary advice about revealing TMI during an interview: trashing a former boss discussing personal finances dishing about your love life Yikes – makes us cringe just thinking about it. But once you’ve landed the position, all bets are off – right? No way! To ensure your…

In any aspect of your life – your career, fitness, relationships, finances – success really boils down to two things: Doing the right things. Not doing the wrong things. While we’ve written extensively about doing the “right” things to become more successful (like this post on instilling healthy habits), that success won’t materialize if you…

When you have a tough problem to solve, conventional management wisdom dictates that you gather your team members and collectively “think outside the box.” But, what is that “box,” anyway? How, exactly, are people supposed to “think outside” it? And, most importantly, is “thinking outside the box” truly the best way to develop innovative solutions…

When is the last time an employee contradicted the majority? Challenged your thinking? Expressed a controversial opinion in an otherwise smooth meeting? If you can’t remember, you need to keep reading. Dissent in the workplace is uncomfortable. Disruptive. Complicated. When an employee disagrees with the rest of the group, it slows down processes by requiring…

Gut feelings and hunches? Save them for choosing your next dessert. You’re a manager – which means that you need to apply disciplined, sound strategies to your decision-making practices. While it’s nearly impossible to distill complex decision-making processes into a few terse bullets, solid fundamentals are undeniably important. Here are four basic strategies you can…

“That’ll never work.” “That’s not in my job description.” “Nothing will ever change around here.” Negative talk can really ruin the vibe in an otherwise positive organization. And pessimistic, hostile or downright toxic employees do more than just irritate your team. They can destroy your corporate culture. Undermine productivity and trust. And contribute to unnecessary…

Sure, you hear the words coming out of their mouths. But are you really listening to what employees and other managers are saying? Great listening behaviors enhance your ability to lead, motivate and perform, but it takes more than functioning ears to be an effective listener. If you’d like to improve your skills in this…