Leadership Development Blog

 Savvy supervisors know that effective coaching and counseling builds strong working relationships. It also encourages retention and helps employees grow in their careers. In fact, a 2006 Sun Microsystems 5-year study of over 1,000 employees found that those who mentored others were 6 times more likely to be promoted than those who didn’t, and their mentees were 5x […]

Are you using an employee skills assessment with your present and prospective leaders? Building such a questionnaire can appear easy, but if you want one that is truly effective and provides insight into the skills and qualities of your leaders, you should take the time to make a comprehensive employee skills assessment questionnaire. There are many assessments […]

Upper leadership always wonders: Is there a way to evaluate a new employee to see if they have leadership potential? Of course, time and experience reveal whether an employee really has what it takes; but, is there another (quicker) way? The answer is yes: A leadership skills assessment is an effective way to figure out if a new hire or […]

Conflict in the workplace happens. Research shows that the overwhelming majority, 85%, of workers deal with conflict and that its cost is high. One study found that U.S. workers spent nearly 3 hours per week embroiled in conflict, which equated to $359 billion of paid time (at $17.95/hour) or 385 million work days. But, the real issue […]

In order to succeed, a company must have great employees who enjoy working for the company and produce exceptionally well. Trouble sets in when these great employees start bailing ship. Then the question must be asked: What makes great employees quit? Mistake #1: Poor Supervision Makes Great Employees Leave Forcing great employees to work under a poor supervisor […]

The prevailing wisdom is that most work environments are made for extroverts. And, on the surface it would appear that the world of business is best suited for the extrovert, with its meetings, networking and high levels of social interaction; however, that’s not the case. Some of the most successful business people are introverts, such as […]

Every company wants to maximize employee productivity, increase profits, and position employees to perform their best. To help achieve those goals, you should start by asking some simple questions: Who do you have working on your team? What are their skills and strengths? What are their weaknesses and deficiencies? Are they best suited for the teams and positions […]

The American population is changing. The number of racial and ethnic minorities is growing. Women are considered a solid part of the workforce and their numbers in the workplace are increasing. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LBGT) individuals have always been in the workplace, but they’re now stepping forward and accepted as such. It’s projected that minority populations […]

 It’s never wise to assume people “know” things and this is especially true when it comes to workplace ethics and values. What’s considered normal for some people, isn’t for others. Further, gray areas and undefined situations can lead to workplace ethics dilemmas that demand legal redress or mediation. Thus, it’s necessary to have a clear and effective […]

Customer service will make or break your company. In fact, businesses lose approximately $41 billion a year due to poor customer service. Of course, the product or service provided also matters. The best combination is to have excellent customer service for an exceptional product; however, customer service is so important that even a superior product accompanied by poor […]