There is a lot of advice out there on the best ways to run an efficient and successful meeting. Some of the books and seminars available are excellent, and I definitely recommend checking them out if you have the time. But, given that so many of us can’t find the time in our schedules to [...]

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As we all try to accomplish more with less time, it is vital to maximize the resources we have at hand.  One way is to recognize and develop the skills of administrative assistants.  Whether you are fortunate to have this assistance, or you are the administrative professional, or you do not have extra help but are doing [...]

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What might today’s worker have in common with the plain, black government pen?  You know the one.  It is in post offices and federal offices and throughout the military I grew up around those black, plastic objects since my father was a government employee.  They were definitely not flashy, but I had no idea of what [...]

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You have been hearing about the importance of body language for decades.  With the rise and increase of technology use, you cannot afford to forget the basics.  Email, voice mail, and even direct telephone conversations cannot fully capture what goes on in a business. Dr. Alex “Sandy” Pentland has written a book, “Honest Signals,” that should [...]

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Many of you dream of the day when you no longer have to “work.”  That actual retirement, however, may be a long way off.  In the current world, it may not come at all, as more and more people find they have to keep going to make ends meet. When work consumes a major part [...]

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I was contacted recently about a new book called “The No Complaining Rule” by Jon Gordon, and I felt this would be a good suggestion for any office or personal setting to adapt.  The following is an excerpt from a review:  “The fact is every leader and business will face negativity, energy vampires and obstacles to [...]

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With gas prices rising rapidly, the advantages of working from a home office seem to be increasing. Not only is the act of commuting stressful for many, but now it is costing you a lot more to get to your job. Unfortunately the telecommuting trend seems to be reversing a bit. Some of the biggest [...]

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Continuing my response to the reader who requested advice for those who were on the “front lines” and didn’t have a project-driven day (see the original crisis management post), I’m going to address customer-driven jobs. If you were hired to answer telephones, such as in a call center, then obviously you cannot decide that you [...]

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Another meeting to attend, and you won’t get any work done again today! That’s a common complaint in some companies, yet the schedule of meetings continues. There have been some changes with teleconferencing and videoconferencing, but the gatherings still occur with regularity. A new study coming out from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte (Steven [...]

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In my previous posting, I itemized frequently-cited reasons for procrastination and what you could do to conquer it. However that is supposing that you are the one procrastinating. On the other hand, you may be the take-charge, do-it-now personality and have to live or work with a procrastinator. The do-it-now person often struggles to understand [...]

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