Thursday, November 28, 2019

Avoid These 10 Surefire Ways to Annoy Your Manager

Avoid These 10 Surefire Ways to Annoy Your ManagerAvoid These 10 Surefire Ways to Annoy Your ManagerIts an uphill battle to be successful if you dont have a good working relationship with your manager. While results are the most important measure of success, great results can often be overshadowed if youre always doing little things that annoy your manager. Ive been fortunate to have talented, hardworking, likable employees throughout my career as a manager. But Ihaveheard stories from other managers Here are 10 things to avoid doing in order to stay in good standing with your manager Having to Be Reminded Yes, we all let things slip through the cracks now and then. Its been my experience that some employees are the saatkorn ones who need to be consistently followed up with when others seem to be able to respond the first time they are asked. As a manager, I expect that when I ask a question, ask for a piece of information, or ask for something to be done, I assume it will happen . If you cant, or if you need more time, then let me know, dont just ignore the request. Keeping commitments is parte of being a professional. Not Being Able to Prioritize With the exception of brand-new employees, experienced professionals should know how to juggle a lot of balls at once, and which ones deserve more or less attention. When an employee goes to a manager and asks for help in prioritizing his own work, the employee comes across as clueless and helpless. Making Excuses When a mistake is made, just own up to it and fix it. No lame excuses, finger pointing, blaming, drama, etc. Be accountable Not Being a Team Player When a coworker is buried, offer to help. Dont wait for your manager to ask. If you are annoying your co-workers, your manager will eventually hear about it. Dont be the employee whom your co-workers have to speak to their manager about. If you have a problem with a co-worker, try to resolve it with her firstbefore you take it to your boss. Bad-M outhing Your Manager Yes, we all need to complain about our managers now and then. Just dont overdo it, and assume that anything you say could get back to your manager. Besides, when you constantly bash your boss, what does it say about you? That youre stupid enough to put up with working for a jerk? Challenging Your Manager in Front of Your Managers Boss If you disagree with your manager or have a concern, bring it up privately with your manager. Dont embarrass or undermine your manager. Blatantly Sucking Up Its a good idea to treat everyone with the same high degree of respect. If you follow that rule, your boss doesnt need any more respect than anyone else, or it comes across as sucking up. The same goes for gift giving. Please, no extravagant holiday or birthday gifts for the boss. Not Keeping Your Boss Informed Sure, no one likes to bemicromanagedand everyone hates status reports, but managers need to havesomeidea of what youre working on. They also hate to be surp rised, so going back to No. 3 if there is bad news, make sure your manager hears it from you first. A Lack of Common Sense Heres a phrase you dont want to hear from your managerYou did what? Seriously? I mean, what you were thinking? Passing the Monkey A saying from the classicHarvard geschftlicher umgang ReviewarticleManagement Time Whos Got the Monkey? in which a managers employees keep passing their problems (monkeys) to the manager to solve. In other words, upwards delegation. Avoiding these 10 annoying behaviors will give you a better chance of having a positive relationship with your manager and allow your great work to shine on its own.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Petting a dog or a cat can be a massive stress reliever study

Petting a dog or a cat can be a massive stress reliever studyPetting a dog or a cat can be a massive stress reliever studyIts finals week and that means its crunch time. That final stretch of the semester usually comes with a lot of studying which is usually followed by a lot of stress.If the stress becomes too unbearable, petting the stress away with cats or dogs can have positive stress reduction benefits, according to new recent research.A study commissioned by Washington State University found that as little as 10 minutes of comfort from an animal can have a significant impact on your stress levels. The research, published in AERA Open, is considered the first of its kinds, according to researchers.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and morePrrrrrr your stress awayStudents in our study that interacted with cats and dogs had a significant reduction in cortisol, a major stress hormone, s aid Patricia Pendry, an associate professor in WSUs Department of Human Development, in a press release.Almost 250 college students were involved in the study. The participants were divided into four different groups and each was assigned different roles with the animals. The first group was allowed to have hands-on interaction with cats and dogs for about 10 minutes, where they were allowed to pet or play with them.The second group observed others who were able to pet with the animals as they waited for their time, and the third group was forced to watch a slideshow of the animals used in the study. The fourth group was made to wait, which meant handing over their phones for 10 minutes. They were told that they would be able to interact with the animals.The study examined each participants cortisol level, which is the human bodys main stress hormone, according to WebMD. Researchers took saliva samples and found students who had direct interaction with the animals had significantly less cortisol in their saliva after the interaction.We already knew that students enjoy interacting with animals and that it helps them experience more positive emotions, Pendry said. What we wanted to learn was whether this exposure would help students reduce their stress in a less subjective way. And it did, which is exciting because the reduction of stress hormones may, over time, have significant benefits for physical and mental health.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

How to Source and Interview Retail Sales Associates

How to Source and Interview Retail Sales AssociatesHow to Source and Interview Retail Sales AssociatesHow to Source and Interview Retail Sales Associates CleaverRetail sales associatesare face-to-face with customers, translating the retail brands absatzwirtschaft to a customer impression. A great sales associate makes customers feel welcome and glad they have come in to the store or called to place an order. It can be a demanding job, but good a retail sales associate is energized by helping customers achieve their own goals.After all, a customer comes in looking for something. A good retailsalesassociate helps the customer find what she wantsandhands hera bit of happiness with the merchandise.Thus retail sales associates must providegreat customer serviceand demonstrate your companysworkplace ethicsand mission with customers.These tips on how to source and interview retail sales associates with the skills you need to help your retail business succeed.Key Skills for Retail Sales Asso ciatesRetail sales associates positions have few prerequisites as manyretail salesperson jobs areentry-level. Accomplished sales associates typically prove their prowess by their track records, elend by accumulating certifications.Enthusiasm for the product and thecompany brandAbility to engage customersAwareness of their own motivatorswhat keeps them stoked?Willingness to be coached and to changeFluent EnglishFluency in Spanish or other languages commonly spoken in your marketClean, neat appearance and friendly mannerAptitude for keeping up with ever-changing point-of-sale technologyPatienceRecruiter TipTheres a reason why stores post signs on their own doors that they are hiring current customers who know and like the retaileras well as its point of view and productsare prime candidates because they are already understand yourcompany brand.How to Source Retail Sales AssociatesUndergrads who are majoring in retailClubs and groups at local high schools and universitiesNetworks for s tage-of life candidates who want part-time work (retirees, parents of young children)Candidates willing to work particular shifts, such as weekendsRecruiter TipThe Container Store, a company thats renowned for its vibrant workplace culture, hires only 3% of applicants, says Kevin Knapp, recruiting and talent director.To find the best, store managers invite all applicants to group interviews conducted as store tours. Staff observations and interactions determine who is invited back for structured one-on-one interviews. While the Container Store uses behavioral interview techniques, we are very conversational, because that reflects the customer experience, which is unpredictable, says Knapp.What to Cover in Retail Sales Associate InterviewsWhat attracts the candidate to the company brandExperiencesgood and badthat the candidate has had in the store and with the brandHow the candidate handles conflict with co-workersHow the candidate has handled disappointed customersHow the candidate manages conflicting priorities, such as when the phone rings just as a customer approachesRecruiting TipPick up clues as soon as the candidate walks in the door, says Deborah Fowler, director of the retail management program at Texas Tech University in Lubbock.Retail has lots of downtime and involves a lot of housekeeping as well as bung customer interaction.Does this candidate intuitively hold the door open for a customer? Straighten something on a shelf? You are looking for someone who is attuned to such details.Recruit to Retain your Retail Sales AssociatesPotential retail sales associate career advancement may includeShift supervisorRetail store managerCategory managerSales coach or trainerRelated jobs includeMarketing assistant or coordinatorVisual merchandiserBuyer or assistant buyerRecruiting TipSometimes jaded Millennials can be a hard sellfor potential employers, says retail hiring consultant Bob Phibbs, whose company is The Retail Doctor. Herecommends thinking of yourself as a casting director and telling the candidate, We are looking for the best. Well invest in you, and youll work with people like you. How great is that?How to Retain Retail Sales AssociatesCommissions, bonuses and other performance incentivesSpecialty training and expertiseRecruiting TipLet them know that theyll get new job skills, whether they are with you for three months or three years, says Phibbs. Make sure they know that they will be gaining skills that they will need to be successful in any job.mora ResourcesRetail Salesperson Job Description SampleHow to Hire a Retail Sales Representative Job SkillsHow to Source and Interview Retail Sales Representatives