Stand Tall, Even When You’re Not
Last week, my husband and I toured four national parks in California. One of them was Sequoia National Park, sister park to King’s Canyon, located side-by-side in southern Sierra Nevada, east of the San Joaquin Valley in California. There is so much to say about what we experienced, but one theme was the sheer size […]
People do crazy things sometimes
As a manager, you may never figure out why someone does something that you think is crazy! Instead of focusing on what’s wrong, spend your energy on creating a different environment that works for both of you. As you know, I believe there are many lessons available to us from the animal world. One such […]
Managers that are too amiable to one employee put others at risk
This week, I had an overnight business trip. As I packed my bag, Grace and our two cats were close-by. Oliver tried to nap inside the suitcase, but I nudged him out so I could finish filling with essentials. I shut the case and he perched on top, purring and content with his spot. “Oh […]
This should only take a minute for you to do ….
How to handle unrealistic requests (or ones that seem that way!) The other day, I witnessed exchanges among employees during a cross-department meeting of folks that were working on an important and complex project for their company. The team leader was running a tightly-controlled meeting, covering lots of details about tasks and schedules that needed […]
Do something you haven’t done before!
Have you ever been surprised by something that an employee (or manager) has done in your workplace — and then been thankful for the outcome because it was something you would never have thought of yourself? This past weekend, Grace was nearby as I spread new mulch in our flower gardens. Because she’s an anxious […]
You can’t solve employee problems with your head in the sand
“I can’t believe he hasn’t done anything about that after all this time!” “It’s so frustrating that nothing ever happens around here.” “She shouldn’t be allowed to get away with that again!” Are these types of statements — ones that reflect a total lack of action by management — familiar in your workplace? If so, […]
Are your employees always fighting with each other?
Do you find yourself in the middle of petty spats between employees? Sometimes it’s obvious when two (or more) co-workers aren’t getting along, but other times it might be more subtle, masked with polite-sounding but demeaning, cutting comments that undermine a team’s effectiveness. There are lots of reasons that people don’t get along, but whatever […]
Eichert presenter at Granite Leaders program
Robin Eichert was a presenter for the Granite Leaders program, hosted by Families in Transition, in Manchester, NH on April 9, 2014. The Granite Leaders training program is focused on providing homeless and formerly homeless people with the skills and knowledge that they need to become even more involved in their communities on the issues […]
Get both sides of the story before you take action on an employee dispute
Even if you think the situation is already clear-cut On occasion, an employee will come to you, as the manager, with an issue about another employee. After hearing the story, you want to fix the problem (a good thing!) and immediately take action based on this information. Fast action is the right course, but make […]
Why curiosity can look like mutiny
When an employee is constantly curious and challenging, it might seem like you have mutiny on your hands. You, as the manager, just want the person to move on with the task at hand — the way you intended it to be done. Instead, you are left dealing with endless questions, ongoing suggestions for alternative plans, […]
