Our Corporate Life
October 1, 2013   •   Volume 4, Issue 20   •   ISSN: 2154-3240    
In This Issue
♦   Feature Article: Giving Feedback That Makes a Difference
Ask Amanda: Now that I’m the boss do I have to give up Happy Hour?
♦   Practical Tips: Waffling
 
Giving Feedback That Makes a Difference

How often in your career have you received feedback that truly made a difference? Performance reviews and evaluations are fraught with emotion—which makes them one of the least productive arenas for providing feedback. Good managers know that having productive conversations on an ongoing basis ensures that there are no surprises when it comes to review time—and it makes for a happier, more productive workplace. 

Most people automatically associate feedback with negative feedback. Because it is rare, positive feedback on a regular basis can have a much greater impact over the long run. Best of all, positive feedback is much easier to deliver. Try these three tips to make sure your feedback is heard accurately.
read more

Thought to Ponder

The end is the beginning of something else.

  
Practical Tips: Waffling

It’s difficult for others to maintain confidence in you when you can’t seem to make a decision. It not only is really irritating when team members have to redo work multiple times, it’s just plain inefficient.

If you find yourself second guessing every decision you make, there’s good news. According to Spike W.S. Lee and Norbert Schwarz, psychology researchers at the University of Michigan, washing your hands can help you stop questioning a decision. “Cleansing appears to remove not only physical residues but ‘mental’ residues, such as the concern about whether one made the right choice,” says Lee. Next time you’re unsure, break out the Purell®.

    
 ask Amanda
Question:

I'm a relatively new manager and I was told my sociability was an important reason I was promoted. I've always gone to every Happy Hour and enjoy them. Do I have to stop going now that I'm the boss? M.M., Tenafly, NJ

Amanda Mitchell
Answer:

Chances are good that Happy Hour attendance didn’t figure prominently in the decision to promote you. As the boss, you are no longer one of the gang and your presence changes the dynamic.
read more

    
     
Sign me up for the Our Corporate Life Ezine  
Recommended Resources

Believe it or not, winter is right around the corner. Consider donating old coats to Operation Warm or One Warm Coat.

Connect with us: Facebook Twitter YouTube YouTube
 
   
About Us: Our Corporate Life LLC (OCL) is a company that offers a new system for reducing unnecessary workplace suffering caused by the organizational, interpersonal, and ethical issues of our time. It is founded on the belief that adhering to core human values and achieving business success are always compatible. Working with both companies and individuals, OCL helps create solutions that enable corporate employees at every level to optimize profits while enabling them to thrive in the corporate environment. OCL was founded by Amanda Mitchell to help meet the needs of people working in corporate America during this transformative moment in our nation's history. The OCL system reflects her experience and insight gained from a 20–year corporate career working with Fortune 500 companies, and as an executive coach to senior–level corporate executives. Our Corporate Life
 
   © MMXIII Our Corporate Life LLC All Rights Reserved