Loss aversion is a psychological term for the human tendency to prefer avoiding a loss rather than acquiring a gain. This article uses an example of someone offering $100 with no strings attached or the chance to win $200 by betting on a coin flip. Most people choose to take the $100 with no strings [...]
A recent study by Ceridian – a large human resources provider, revealed that trust between employers and employees is deteriorating. Erosion of trust can cause loss of motivation and commitment to your company, so it is important to gain and maintain trust among your employees. Be a Leader Take the lead in spearheading projects, generating [...]
Email, snail mail, phone, Skype, IM – there are so many ways for people to contact us that it can be overwhelming. It’s like having a constant “open door” policy on your life. This post from Time Management Ninja struck a chord with me and it sends a good message: Limit Your Doors. Before you [...]
I recently read an article in the London Evening Standard titled “Why Morning People Rule the World” and it got me thinking about how to best utilize your employees strengths throughout the work day. As a manager, it’s easy to know who your morning and night people are. Your morning people probably got up a [...]
As managers, we continually face decisions how to address difficult employee matters. Governor Perdue gave us a lesson yesterday in dealing with the troubles facing the North Carolina Highway Patrol. On Wednesday, July 7, 2010, Governor Beverly Perdue met with 160 of the top officers in the North Carolina Highway Patrol. Here was her message: [...]
I recently read this article in Entrepreneur by George Cloutier. Cloutier is Harvard Business Graduate and is widely known as a small business expert. He argues that companies should be run like a dictatorship, using fear as a motivator in order to be successful. I agree with some of his points, such as owners giving [...]
We have all experienced poor customer service. Not every company is as customer-centric as Zappos, but perhaps they should strive to be so. No one expects companies to be 100% perfect all the time, but it IS reasonable to expect wrongs to be righted in a professional manner. In theory, customer service should be easy. [...]
Starting your own business is a risk in itself and I know that I have always told myself, “no risk, no reward”. Using this motto for business is imperative. We live in a fast-paced, ever changing world and you must take risks to stay relevant. Offer new products and services to adapt to your customer’s [...]
This blog post from the Public Affairs Council brought to mind a situation The Results Company was in several years ago. We created an advertising campaign for a North Carolina non-profit that helps individuals manage their health care needs. The non-profit was really making a difference. The deal was shot down by the corporate lawyers [...]
One of the most challenging aspects of obtaining a new hire is writing an effective job posting. Whether you are using Craigslist, Monster or HotJobs, you want to make sure that the right people apply for the job. Most importantly, you want the candidate to be clear on what the job is before you begin [...]
