Leadership Tips

Hiring

	How much is that hiring mistake really costing you? Most companies can survive the occasional bad hire, but when hiring is done by trial and error, you get a cumulative effect. If your recruitment process is lacking, chances are that there will be consequences. Not only does this cost a lot of money, it also has an effect on the rest of the team.
	What pre-employment tests can do for you... and what they can't do Using personality and job fit assessments can be really useful when trying to find the right employee for your company. They're easy to administer, objective, and insightful. Like all hiring tools though, they have their advantages and disadvantages. This is why the recruitment process needs to incorporate a multi-faceted approach.
	Types of pre-employment tests When you are able to ask people the right questions, you can receive amazing insight into their thoughts, feelings, attitude, and behavior - insight that standard hiring procedures, like interview questions and reference-checking, are not able to access easily. Here is a quick, easy-to-understand guide on the type of assessments that are out there.

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Employee Development

	"Meeting Postponed, Sorry for the Incontinence" - Preventing This, and Other Miscommunications, in the Workplace Effective communication can be a complex matter that requires diligence and practice. It encompasses the ability to speak clearly and concisely, a capacity for social insight and empathy, assertiveness, and self-monitoring, along with the often overlooked and undervalued skill of listening. Here are a few simple communication tips to keep in mind:
	Declarations of Independence - Developing an Autonomous Staff There are many advantages to hiring an employee who is autonomous and who can work relatively unsupervised. Aside from the fact that you can trust this person to put in a good day's work and to be able to hold his/her own, an autonomous employee is more likely to feel empowered. Here are the key traits of a self-sufficient worker:
	Like Seeds in Fertile Soil - Work Environments That Nurture Productivity In a business world where company loyalty and morale can't be boosted by simply dangling a bonus like a carrot, employees are more likely to be dedicated to a manager who understands and motivates them. Here are some ways to promote a healthy work environment for workers and the organization as a whole:

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Leadership Development

The Ultimate Leaders: PsychTests Releases Study on Leadership Qualities That Differentiate the Best from the Rest It's important for companies to recognize that management and leadership are distinct, and that in order to bring out the best in employees, a person must have the business know-how of a manager but the finesse of a leader. Good leaders are in a class of their own with a very distinct personality profile.

The Managerial Jigsaw - Finding the Right Piece to Fit Your Company's Puzzle One of the most difficult positions to fill in a company is, arguably, a managerial one. It has to be filled by someone who can wear a lot of different hats - coach, cheerleader, leader, innovator, visionary, etc. Finding a manager who possesses the right set of competencies is important, but so is the type of organizational atmosphere and circumstances you're hiring for.

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Motivation

	Work Motivators - When Money and Coffee are not Enough Everyone holds different values in regards to work and needs different things in their job to feel satisfied and fulfilled. Motivation is at the heart of every productive employee, and the missing link in those who are not living up to their full potential. If managers truly want to get the best out of their workers, they need to start viewing motivation as a case-by-case issue.
	Quarterback, Shortstop, Goalie, Bob - Finding the Right Team Player for Your Company We all know that a team player is someone who places the success of the team frst and is willing to make personal sacrifces. Of course there is more to being an effective team player than simply a desire or willingness to be one. There are specific attributes that constitute an effective team player, as well as different types of team players.
	Performance Evaluations Don't Need to Taste Like Brussels Sprouts - Making Reviews an Appealing Experience Giving evaluations, especially where there's some negative feedback involved, is like a ripping a band-aid - you just want to get it over with, and suffer as little pain as possible. Here are some tips on how to ensure that the performance appraisal process of your company is a productive one.

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Employee Well-being

	Sources of Stress at Work Most employees go into work with the intention of doing the best job they can. As a manager, your goal is to create an environment in which employees can thrive so that they can provide the best work or service possible. Here are 5 common workplace stressors that employees face on a regular basis:
	Workplace Bullying Workplace bullying, like schoolyard bullying, occurs when one or more individuals use persistent aggressive or unfair behavior against a peer. Workplace bullying can include such tactics as verbal, nonverbal, psychological, and physical abuse, and humiliation. Be on the lookout for the following behaviors:
	How to help a distressed employee Not all employees are comfortable talking to their managers, let alone telling them that they are feeling stressed. This is why it's important for you as a manager to create an atmosphere in which your staff will be at ease coming to you for help. Here is a quick guide for managers on how to handle a stressed-out employee.

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