If demanding and negative clients are keeping you up at night, it's time to re-evaluate whether these clients are worth your aggravation. As a service provider, you may be inclined to accept whatever business comes your way. This approach, however, has ...

It seems that when there is a possible problem or issue within a department, our human nature would like to sweep it under the carpet or ignore it, hoping the problem goes away. However, one department that can?t afford to implode is the customer service...

In this era of long work days, long commutes, and high stress, employees dedicate far less time towards preserving their mental and physical well-being. Employees have instead redirected that energy towards keeping pace with the ever-changing demands of ...

Workplace friendships may seem like an ideal arrangement at first blush. But once the honeymoon phase ends, a whole different picture may emerge. Whether the image appears rosy or bleak depends entirely upon those involved in the friendship. Unfortunat...

Mentoring programs offer companies an efficient and economical way to manage and develop human assets. A mentor can transform an average employee into an exceptional leader. A mentor can guide an up-and-coming leader through the maze of leadership skill...

Meetings offer managers the chance to unify the workforce, communicate important messages, and create an organized forum for employee concerns. Therefore, meetings are a crucial aspect of running a business. Unfortunately, many managers treat meetings a...

Which gender makes the best boss? It's a frequently asked question in the workplace. Is it men or women who are superior as boss-material? MSN Career Builder recently featured an article espousing the fact that men are better bosses. The writer's opin...

You've put your blood, sweat and tears into building your company. It's grown into something that you're proud of ' something that will leave your mark on the world and bring you the retirement you've always wished for. In fact, it's grown past the poin...

Growing your business can be a difficult and often frustrating process. No matter how talented, experienced, or proficient you are as a leader, business development may be draining your energy, funds, and desire to achieve the original plans you had for y...

Taking a small business to the next level. An interesting concept. What exactly does that mean? "The next level" indisputably means something different to individual companies, but the core principals will most likely be the same. And what holds small ...

What is the real "f" word? It's failure. We all want things to go perfectly - or what we perceive as perfectly. But the truth is, they don't, always. Trying new things creates the possibility of failure. In a business landscape where the message is pr...

Everyone goes through personal issues of some sort during their lives. Let's face it, when major family/personal issues arise, your time and energy is going to be focused on resolving these difficulties. You're not a machine, you're human, so accept t...

The old adage is true, "Time is money, don't waste it." This particularly holds true in a business environment where the bottom line is either your shareholder's friend or foe.You've been given a project to pull together data from several dep...

Cultivating a good manager takes finesse and experience. In fact, it is like creating a fine wine. You harvest the best grapes, so the desired ingredients will be present. You distil in order to increase the concentration and purity, and then it must a...

Jane and Bob have a problem. They want extraordinary results from their employees, but they also want to be seen as kind, caring managers. Sometimes they might actually ignore or water down negatives in performance discussions under the banner of concer...