SHRM Blog

Q: I’ve had plenty of experience managing employees and I’ve had my share of procrastinators. I know that it helps to motivate and support them. That using a carrot is often more effective than a stick. I’ve used bonuses and other incentives to reward meeting deadlines, as well as the implied “poor” performance evaluation if they don’t.

My problem now is that the procrastinator isn’t my employee but rather another manager. So the usual tools made of carrots and sticks can’t be applied. Any tips on how to persuade another...

How can managers become measurably more effective? To answer this question, I studied crucial moments. I wondered in moments when the stakes are high, and the pressure is on, do managers remain calm, candid, direct, and willing to listen? Or do their direct reports describe them as angry, closed-minded, rejecting, even devious? And, how does either style affect results and relationships?

My research confirms a manager’s style under stress has a disproportionate effect on their personal influence and their people. And yet, my study of 1,300 employees found that one...

We’ve all heard the phrase, “if it looks like a duck, acts like a duck, then it must be a duck”. This has been attributed to many potential sources, including Joseph McCarthy.  We may use this phrase at work to describe the behavior of a co-worker or manager. Our ability to bring our authentic selves to work is often very challenging and hard to do. Workplace politics, manager expectations, team cultures, and promotion guidelines often get in the way of our ability to...

I’m a child of the late ’60s and early ’70s. During my early childhood, I was raised by my grandparents because my mom was working after the untimely, early death of my father. Growing up on a farm in Luckey, Ohio was wonderful !! My brother and I had countless adventures that were mostly outdoors. You used your imagination to make your surroundings come to life. We watched very little television because our grandmother wanted us out from under her feet. When we did watch on their tiny black and white set, we watched PBS. Yes, PBS. Grandma made...