Category Archives for Managerial Techniques
New Survey Shows Bad Boss Behaviors Are On The Rise
A new survey commissioned by my firm, Lynn Taylor Consulting, finds that bad boss behaviors are on the rise. The five-year, national comparative study looked at bad boss (a.k.a. TOT) traits and childish behavior, such as Stubborn, Self-oriented, Overly demanding, Impulsive, Interruptive and Tantrum-throwing, and found bad boss behaviors rose by 50 percent! The study, […]
Read MoreGetting a Distracted Boss’s Attention
Does your boss have the attention span of a fly? While you’re waiting for her to sign off on a report, is she too busy multitasking — dusting off her keyboard, sending e-mails, talking on her phone — to focus on the job at hand? Leaving you without a clue as what to do next? […]
Read MoreHow to Allay Job Fears
An article in The Washington Post recently addressed a national job related survey commissioned by my firm, Lynn Taylor Consulting, on how a boss’s closed door can trigger immense job insecurity. The survey showed that one-third of workers these days often gets nervous when they see their manager in private conferences, worrying about possible layoffs. […]
Read MoreReducing Tension During Tough Times: Tip #3
As economic pressures continue to make the workplace tone somber (except for the drumbeat of occasional Terrible Office Tyrant tantrums!), I’ve been sharing ways to minimize friction at work. This week I’d like to offer to you another one of those techniques: collaboration. Knowing that you and your colleagues are all in the same boat, […]
Read MoreCommunication Secrets: The One-On-One Meeting
One of the secrets of a healthy boss/employee relationship is great communication. I believe that you should meet with your boss regularly to build rapport and address questions directly. However, if you have a contentious relationship with your manager, you might have had mixed results in meetings, especially if your past attempts only dealt with […]
Read MoreTOT Taming Tips: The Sales TOT
Dear Lynn, There is a lot of pressure where I work because we have so many quotas. It’s especially rough at the end of the month. My boss goes through these moody periods where he’ll be really nice to get us to sell and then if we don’t make our quotas, he quickly turns into […]
Read MoreAvoiding the Doldrums
Boredom and burnout can be brutal, especially during the slow days of summer when most desks are empty, except yours! If you have been in your current job for a while, it’s especially important to keep things fresh. Set some personal and professional goals to work towards. Think of new projects that you may not […]
Read MoreTOT Taming Tips: The Absentee Boss
Dear Lynn, My manager, who is the director of our software support team, has started to check out of her job. She will walk past my desk, and say “I’m going to let you handle support today.” Then, she either goes in her office and surfs the Internet – or just leaves. I do want […]
Read MoreTOT Taming Tips: The World Won’t End
Dear Lynn, I was just promoted to executive manager at a large hotel last October. Sometimes I need to be away from the hotel for meetings or to travel to our other sister locations. My employees get scared if they can’t reach me and feel that the world will collapse if I’m not around. How […]
Read MoreManaging Up: Staying One Step Ahead
A few days ago, I wrote about how good communication can help you Manage Up to improve life with a childish boss. Once you’ve established a good rapport, you can take the next step of learning to anticipate your boss’s needs. Many of a manager’s negative behaviors stem from feeling out of control or insecure. […]
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