Friday, February 22, 2013

#432: 6 Tips For Appreciating Your Employees

One of the best ways to generate loyalty among your staff is to make them feel appreciated. This can result in more consistent, high-quality work. Additionally, your employees may feel more inclined to give you honest feedback and will have a vested interest in the success of team projects.


When it comes to making your staff feel appreciated, the simplest things go a long way. That said, we have created a list of six easy tips that will help you convey your appreciation.


6 Tips For Appreciating Your Staff Are:


1. Just Say "Thank You" More Often

When your employees complete a task in a satisfactory manner, point it out. Thank them for a job well done. Having their hard work recognized will validate their work experiences and let them know that a good job is appreciated. Sincere, in-person thanks are most genuine and effective.


2. Criticize People Less
Negative and constant criticism will only put your team members on the defensive and create employee frustration. Instead, provide constructive criticism. If appropriate, pad the constructive criticism with a compliment. Additionally, avoid drama and gossip as no one appreciates this type of subject matter.


3. Learn Everyone's Name

It can be hard for an employee to believe you are keeping track of her accomplishments if you do not even know her name. Even if you supervise a large number of employees, take the time to learn all names. This personal interaction goes a long way.


4. Listen To Someone's Concern

- Your employees understand that your time is valuable, and they will greatly appreciate it if you make time to listen to their concerns. When you listen to a staff member, avoid talking over him. In your response, let him know that his concerns have been heard by reiterating them and thanking him for his feedback.


5. Cultivate Your Internal Talent

After completing the same tasks every day, it is easy to understand how an employee can feel as though her job is stagnant - or worse, unimportant to the overall organization. To combat this, recognize an employee's natural talents and help her develop them. This will also let the employee know that her strengths are appreciated - and that she is on the right track.


 

6. Stay Positive

Leading by example is crucial, and keeping a positive attitude will have a positive effect on your team. Remain conscious of how you talk about other people and keep your tone positive whenever possible.


Executive Summary: Employees who feel appreciated tend to commit to producing quality work. They are also more likely to have a vested interest in promoting a positive corporate culture and the overall success of team projects. Appreciation fosters trust and employee loyalty, allowing you to retain the best members of your team and get the best results from them.
 
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#431: 5 Tips For Handling Difficult Questions

Have you ever had to answer difficult questions after a business presentation or during an important meeting?


As a manager, salesperson, executive or business owner, it is your job to arm yourself with information and set the tone of the meeting. The ability to appropriately address difficult questions will set a positive example in your organization.


Many business leaders find presentations and crucial business meetings extremely stressful. Usually, long meetings and presentations concern topics of change, such as changes in an established process. And generally, people do not react well to change if they like the way things are already going.


5 Tips For Handling Difficult Questions After A Presentation Are:


Tip #1: Be Informed ­- Arm yourself with necessary and supplemental information about your topic. Even if you cannot answer a difficult or emotional question, you can at least provide the questioner with facts, statistics, and evidence. If you do not have a direct answer to the question, offer to follow up with it in an e-mail to the group - and follow through on that promise.


Tip # 2: Maintain Control ­- Set some ground rules for your Q&A session. At the beginning of your presentation, ask listeners to hold their questions until you are finished. If you have a time limit, manage expectations by mentioning it at the start of the presentation. To prevent interruptions, provide your listeners with pens and notepaper - this will encourage them to write their questions down and ask them later.


Tip #3: Rephrase The Question - After you receive a question, rephrase it and confirm that you have understood the questioner properly. If the question contains incorrect information or assumptions, take this opportunity to provide the facts.


Tip #4: Answer Questions Carefully - A questioner might try to bait you with a question, so choose your words carefully when you respond. To avoid becoming too emotional over the topic, make sure you address the entire audience in your response. This will also make everyone feel included. Additionally:


  • Remain professional towards all audience members.
  • Answer questions directly.
  • Construct your answer to relate to the point you wish to emphasize.
  • If someone has a specific question that does not apply to others, offer to speak with him or her independently following the presentation.


Tip #5: Prepare A FAQ Document - To save time, provide a FAQ (frequently asked questions document) that you can hand out after the presentation. This allows everyone to have firm answers in writing. By anticipating questions, you can also save on time.


Executive Summary: Difficult questions are a challenging aspect of leading a business meeting and/or presentation. To succeed, ensure that you maintain positive body language and continually demonstrate how the answers can benefit the audience.
 
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