Building positive relationships between teams and individuals is an important part of building a world-class IT organization. You need to have a positive work environment. One where you are surrounded by other team members who share in a common goal of excellence and the greater good of the department and the company. There are three rules I ask all of my team members to follow. They address the … [Read more...]
What Makes Employees Happy?
A happy employee is a more productive and content employee. So what makes an employee happy with their job? A good salary, with good benefits and a good work environment only go so far. Employees want job satisfaction, they want to feel like they are a part of something and that their contributions are appreciated. Recognition This is one of the biggest complaints employees have. They feel their … [Read more...]
Four Essential Skills For Managers to Master
All managers can agree that many skills are needed to be an effective manager. But what skills are the most important skills that a manager needs to master? To be a more effective manager you should master four skills. Communications, motivation, building trust and leadership are critical skills for every manager. These four skills are essential for a productive work environment, a cohesive and … [Read more...]
What to Do With Under Performing Employees
Turn an under performing employee around by couching, motivating the employee, giving them clearly defined expectations and make sure they are fully trained. Every company has some "ducks." Ducks are employees who have a detrimental effect on productivity. Their work is consistently substandard, they rarely meet deadlines, and their skills are out of date. They hate change, resist taking … [Read more...]
Leadership Skills – The Top 5 Skills Needed For IT Leadership Roles
A recent survey revealed the top 5 essential skills and qualities needed for those in leadership roles. Some say leaders are born. I think leaders can be developed if they are committed to developing the skills needed to become a good leader. Leadership skills are a valuable asset for someone looking to move up in an organization. “Leadership” is often seen as the role of upper management. In … [Read more...]
Leading With Strength
Too often leaders focus on weaknesses rather than strengths. Starting at an early age whether intentional or not focus is put on weaknesses. A report card with 3 A’s, 2 B’s and a C will likely generate a response “Why did you get a C?”. The focus was put on the weakness, a C grade and not on the strength 3 A’s and 2 B’s. This type of mentality follows us into the workplace. You should not … [Read more...]
Project Management Problem-Solving Skills
Project managers face problems with every project. By building problem-solving into your project and problem collaboration into your project team you will ensure that problems are dealt with promptly. You will also establish a track record of being able to identify and deal with problems. This is a useful notch on your project manager's belt. Your goal is to identify problems early before they … [Read more...]
The Nine Belbin Team Roles
Meredith Belbin a British researcher and management theorist conducted a group study over nine years. They studied the behavior of managers and teams from around the world. The result of the study is known as The 9 Belbin Team Roles. Belbin's model of nine team roles can be used to build a diverse team. You do not need nine individuals, each possessing a different role. Some team members may … [Read more...]