End the holiday party blues

How to use “power questions” to turn your office holiday party into a career-boosting event

This is a guest article by Andrew Sobel.

It’s that very special time of the year when many Americans are receiving invitations to their annual office holiday party. If you’re one of them, you’ll probably look forward to the event with great excitement—until you start to recall the blunders of years past. Like the time you ran out of things to say to your CEO and awkwardly asked if his divorce was finalized. Or the time a drunk co-worker got a little too close for comfort when you were both standing under the mistletoe. Or even worse things.

Yes, while office holiday parties can be hit or miss, many people find their past experiences fall more often in the “miss” category. Of course, it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right approach, your office holiday party can provide a great opportunity to build relationships and strengthen your position at your company.

The first step to not being the lonely loser is not drinking too much. Second, don’t worry about being smart or clever—go prepared to ask thoughtful questions. Lots of them.

As I show in my book co-written with Jerold Panas, Power Questions: Build Relationships, Win New Business, and Influence Others,the most underutilized strategy for building relationships, getting to know others more deeply, and exercising influence is asking what I call power questions. Power questions, at the most basic level, enable you to get to know others more deeply and ensure that you’re talking about meaningful issues.

When you use power questions, you can really make your office holiday party—or any party you attend over the holiday season—count. If you want to connect more effectively with colleagues, deepen your existing relationships and stick to the straight-and-narrow to stay out of trouble at your upcoming office holiday party, read on for a few power questions to help you out:

Questions about work. Don’t spend your time gossiping about co-workers and what’s been happening at the office. Instead, ask thought-provoking questions about how your colleagues feel about and experience their work. A few options:

• What was your best day and worst day at work during this past year?
• What was the most fulfilling experience you had this year?
• What do you think is the best part of working here? The worst part?
• What’s the most challenging part of your job?
• How did you get your start? (This is an especially good question to ask your boss or a senior leader in your organization. It’s a simple but powerful way to draw someone out).

Questions about goals and challenges. If the foundation of relationships is trust, the engine that moves them forward is helping others reach their goals and confront their most challenging issues. You can do this, however, only if you understand what the other person’s needs are. So ask questions like:

• So what’s on your agenda in your work for next year? Any particular projects or initiatives you’re focused on?
• If you suddenly had a couple of extra hours per week outside of work, how would you spend them?

Questions about others’ passions. We have many activities going on in our lives, but usually we each harbor just a few true passions. If you can discover someone else’s passions, you’ll be able to connect much more effectively. Here’s how to do it:

• Tell me about your favorites. What’s your favorite movie of all time? Favorite restaurant? Favorite book you’ve read in the last couple of years? Favorite way to relax?
• Is there something you’ve always wanted to do, but have never been able to get around to it? A sport, a hobby, an event, a challenge, a trip, whatever?
• As you think about next year, what are you most excited about—at work or at home?
• What’s been the most gratifying experience you’ve had this year?

Questions to learn more about them as people. Ask people about themselves. The more you learn about them, the more you may find in common, and the more you’ll understand what makes them tick.

• So, when you’re not shaking things up at the office, how do you like to spend your time?
• When you were younger, how did your family spend the holidays? What are your plans this year?
• If you hadn’t gone into (business, law, banking, medicine, teaching, etc.), what do you think you might have done?
• Where did you grow up? What was that like?

What not to say

Of course, there are also questions you shouldn’t ask and things you shouldn’t say. And it can never hurt to go over what not to say before heading out for your party. Here’s a sampler of the most important categories:

• Appearance comments. Unless you know the other person very well, do not make remarks or give compliments to members of the opposite sex about their appearance or dress. It’s not appropriate and it could be either misleading or at some level offensive. Compliment them instead on their abilities and accomplishments. Period.
• Intimate details. Don’t ask someone who isn’t a pretty close friend about intimate personal details. A general question like “Do you have a family?” is OK, but not questions about girlfriends or boyfriends, divorce, dating, romance, sex and so on. You get the idea. Everyone has slightly different tolerances and comfort around going into subjects like this, and you need to err on the side of caution.
• Tipsy revelations. Don’t have a few drinks and then confront someone abruptly with your pent-up emotions. For example, don’t say “You know, I just feel like you don’t like me very much!” or “I want to be your friend.” At best it might be cute, but most likely it’ll be embarrassing for both of you.
• “Light of day” mistakes. Always apply the “light of day” test to your behavior. If someone reported your conversation and behavior the next day to your boss, your family or a client, would you be embarrassed in any way? How would they feel about pictures or videos of those moments if they were posted on Facebook?

For many people, the holiday office party can bring with it more anxiety and dread than good cheer. And there is really just no need for that. When you arrive with a few power questions ready to go, you can make the event not only enjoyable but you can turn it into a valuable relationship-building night that could benefit you for a long time to come.

Andrew Sobel is the most widely published author in the world on client loyalty and the capabilities required to build trusted business relationships. His first book, the bestselling Clients for Life, defined an entire genre of business literature about client loyalty. In addition to Power Questions, his other books include Making Rainand the award-winning All for One: 10 Strategies for Building Trusted Client Partnerships.

For 30 years, he has worked as both a consultant to senior management and as an executive educator and coach. His clients have included leading companies such as Citigroup, Xerox, Bank of America, Hess, Cognizant, Ernst & Young, Booz Allen Hamilton, Towers Watson and many others. His articles and work have been featured in a variety of publications such as the The New York Times, Business Week, and  Harvard Business Review. Sobel is a graduate of Middlebury College and earned his MBA at Dartmouth’s Tuck School. He can be reached at http://andrewsobel.com.

Find more holiday party advice on our Nitpickers’ Nook blog.

Don’t spend all day on email

This is a guest post by Dot Lyon.

Your move into management probably means a big jump in the number of emails you receive. It’s likely that you feel obligated to read emails as they arrive because you want to be available at a moment’s notice and to stay on top of everything, but if you aren’t careful, email can be a huge productivity killer.

Constant email interruptions steal precious time from other tasks because it takes you several minutes to refocus on your work after each interruption. Yet, if you neglect your inbox, you’ll create a backlog of messages and incomplete to-dos. It can be overwhelming, stressful and time-consuming to wade through all that email once you finally do tackle the daunting task, and you may find that some of your to-dos have slipped through the cracks because of your negligence.

Manage your email more effectively by following these tips:

• Remove the temptation. Log out of your email altogether for blocks of time every day. At the very least, turn off the nagging email alert that often distracts you and beckons you to check your email. Decide on a reasonable schedule for checking your email, for example, every two hours. Tell co-workers and employees about your plan so that they know to call you or come to your office with urgent issues.

• Sort emails as they arrive. Create folders and set rules to filter emails. For example, create a folder for each of your employees, for big projects or for the departments you work with regularly. Also create an “Action” folder for emails that require a response or additional action. You can also create a “To-Read” folder to store the articles and e-letters you want to read later.

• Schedule times to sort your email. Open each email and determine what you need to do next. For emails that you can respond to in less than two minutes, go ahead and do so, and then delete or archive the message. Move the remaining emails into the action folder to address later, to the appropriate archive folder or to the trash.

• Handle emails only once. Leaving previously opened emails in your inbox encourages you to reread them. That wastes your time, so spend a few minutes each day sorting and deleting as necessary to keep your inbox manageable.

• Tackle your “Action” folder. Each day, visit your “Action” folder and complete the tasks in an order and fashion that makes sense to you. As you wrap up those tasks, delete or archive the emails. Don’t hold on to any emails that you won’t need to reference again. Clearing the clutter will make you much more efficient .

What procedures have you discovered that help you maintain control over your email?

About the author: Dot Lyon is a freelance writer for organizations including Briefings Media Group. She previously wrote and edited for the Center for Chemistry Education at Miami University.

[Image Source: Falk Lademann]

It’s time to handle those difficult conversations

This is a guest post by Dot Lyon.

You can put off having difficult conversations with employees about negative behavior and poor performance, but you can’t avoid those discussions forever. By delaying the inevitable, you risk the chance of escalating your dread into chronic anxiety. Perhaps you’re concerned about saying the wrong things and hurting someone’s feelings. You may be worrying yourself sick over possibly making the situation worse. In truth, the energy you waste fretting about outcomes would be better spent on more constructive efforts.

More than likely the problem won’t go away by itself, so now is the time to focus on gathering the courage to proceed. Take a few moments to analyze your intentions and formulate a plan, then continue the process with confidence.

• Prepare. Get ready to handle the situation in a calm, centered manner. Ask yourself these questions: Why am I going to have this conversation? What do I hope to achieve? What am I feeling about the situation and this employee? Is this person aware of the problem? What are the employee’s intentions, needs and fears? How has each of us contributed to the problem?
• Begin the one-on-one with inquiry. Ease into the difficult conversation by saying something like “I want to discuss something that will help us both work together more effectively.” Reveal the topic of the meeting with concise words that convey caring, concern and respect. Ask questions to indicate your interest in learning the employee’s point of view. Make sure to acknowledge that you hear and understand what the employee is saying.
• Work together to solve the problem. Clarify your position on the subject without minimizing what you have just heard from the employee. Brainstorm together by asking the employee for solutions and then building upon those ideas. End the difficult conversation by defining concrete performance goals, deadlines and consequences. Most important, keep the discussion dignified so the employee walks away with self-esteem intact.

What difficult conversation have you been putting off and how do you plan on handling the situation now?

About the author: Dot Lyon is a freelance writer for organizations including Briefings Media Group. She previously wrote and edited for the Center for Chemistry Education at Miami University.

Command attention when you speak

It’s little wonder that some people choose to send an email instead of trying to hold a conversation. After all, people often are looking at their computers or smartphones when you try to speak with them.

Forty-two percent of the readers who responded to a recent Communications Briefings poll said that’s their greatest annoyance when they try to talk with someone. Another 5% wrote in that people multitasking is their pet peeve.

If you want someone’s attention, ask for it. Here are some phrases you can use:

• “This is important.”
• “I’d like your undivided attention.”
• “I’ll wait until you finish that.”

Or you can simply pause until the person turns his or her attention back to you. Then hold your listener’s attention by explaining why your remarks are important to him or her and by being brief.

Nearly a third of the respondents said people who interrupt them when they are talking annoy them. Prevent that problem by assuring people that they will have an opportunity to speak after you finish. Example: “I’m going to outline the new procedures, and then I’ll answer your questions.” If someone does interrupt, take back control of the conversation. For example, you can say “I’ll be happy to listen to you after I make this final point.”

Fewer people cited that people misinterpreting their remarks or forgetting what they said is their biggest problem. Still, you can guard against both of those problems by sending a follow-up email to document your conversation. Example: As we discussed today, you will provide X by Friday and I will do Y by Tuesday.”

How do you ensure that you give people your full attention?

Bounce ideas off other managers at leadership training seminars

Before you landed your supervisory position, you could seek advice from, vent to and share ideas with just about anyone. As long as you trusted the person and valued his or her insight, any colleague had sounding-board potential.

Now your situation is more complicated. On the one hand, you have a lot more on your plate, meaning a lot more you want and need to talk about. On the other hand, your peer group has shrunk considerably. Whom can you turn to for advice and a listening ear?

You might be able to turn to other supervisors in your organization. They’re working toward the same overall goals, and they understand your organization’s culture. But you might feel very far removed from other supervisors, because you work with them infrequently. Another option we’ve suggested before is talking to a mentor. But while good mentors are invaluable, they also can be hard to find. You might not have established that relationship yet, and even if you have, you don’t want to barrage your mentor with constant questions.

Here’s one source you might not have considered: your fellow attendees at leadership training seminars. Those events are full of people in similar situations, after all.

I was reflecting on my experiences at the Bud to Boss and Ultimate Communicator Training Camps earlier this year, and it occurred to me that one of the greatest benefits of leadership training seminars is that they allow attendees to bounce ideas off each other. And in the sessions I attended, I have to say, you could not have asked for better sounding boards.

First, there are the facilitators, who are not only experts in their subject matters, but also top-notch listeners and discussion-group leaders. (At the Bud to Boss and Ultimate Communicator Training Camps all the facilitators have been selected and trained by the highly touted Kevin Eikenberry Group, so it’s no wonder they’re so good.)

Second—and possibly more importantly—there are the other attendees. Maybe I just got lucky, but both sessions I attended were filled with very thoughtful, interested and objective professionals. Whenever one person voiced a frustration or predicament, five or more people had valuable suggestions. They asked smart questions and shared anecdotes of their own successes and failures. It was very cool to be part of such a supportive and insightful group of people—even if just for a couple of days.

Of course, there are times when you really need to talk to someone who knows your organization’s goals and policies. But other times it’s freeing to be able to talk through a problem with someone or some people who are practically strangers but who understand what it means to be a new manager.

If you’re interested in that benefit—and many others—I highly recommend you check out the Bud to Boss Training Camp. Sessions are scheduled for the following locations in the next couple of months:

Austin, Texas: Nov. 12-13

Milwaukee: Nov. 15-16

*Orlando, Fla.: Dec. 3-4
(*This session is specially designed for healthcare professionals. Read more!)

Phoenix: Dec: 5-6

Richmond, Va.: Dec. 11-12

Sign up today for the session nearest you! (And hurry—they do sell out!)

Tell us about your experience at leadership training seminars.

[Image Source: Buddawiggi]

Workplace conflict is a scary issue

If you aren’t spooked enough this Halloween, the following facts about workplace conflict will make your hair stand on end.

• Strained relationships between employees account for 60% to 70% of unproductive time and difficult situations, according to workplace experts.

• You are spending anywhere from 25% to 40% of your time managing conflict, The Washington Business Journal reports. That’s a lot of wasted time that you could devote to developing productive teams and improving your organization’s bottom line

If those points aren’t enough for you to rise up against the ghosts and goblins of workplace conflict, consider the legal liabilities. Misunderstandings and tension among employees can expose your organization to lawsuits, discrimination cases and even violent behavior.

Although handling conflict after it arises is a critical skill, successful managers understand how to stop conflict before it escalates. You won’t waste time refereeing arguments between workers. In addition, you’ll contribute to your bottom line by incorporating strategies that build a harmonious workforce.

Use these tips to head off conflict before it spins out of control:

• Develop clear policies. Leave no question in employees’ minds that rude behavior, bullying and intolerance are unacceptable. Tip: Consider providing a diversity program to educate workers about unintended slights that can raise workplace tensions.

• Recognize untapped employee strengths. If employees feel appreciated for their unique talents, they will be less likely to resent their co-workers. Take advantage of opportunities to praise each employee’s efforts.

• Treat everyone fairly. You may prefer the personalities of certain workers or value their contributions more. Don’t allow that to interfere with decisions on work assignments, workplace perks or pay raises. Example: If you are training your star performer to take over some of your duties, consider whether other employees should gain new skills as well.

What’s the biggest workplace conflict you’ve experienced so far?

[Image Source: Marc van der Chijs]

The dangers of having an arrogant team member

At the beginning of the month I wrote “The dangers of being an arrogant boss,” and a reader emailed me with an interesting comment. She said that she thought the advice was useful, but that it didn’t touch on the opposite—and just as important—issue of arrogant employees. “The fault can’t always be the boss’s,” she wrote.

That’s a valid point: One doesn’t need a management title to be arrogant—or to be destructive. Arrogant employees can be disastrous for teamwork, morale and even retention.  If you’re leading a team with an arrogant member, follow these tips to remedy the situation:

• Do not attempt to “put the person in his or her place.” Tempting as it might be, never respond to a team member’s arrogance with public condescension, sarcasm or chastisement. That will backfire for three reasons. First, it will make you appear petty to your team. Even if your team members are fed up with their arrogant peer, they still will not respond well to a leader who acts immaturely. Second, the arrogant person will likely respond argumentatively, which will elevate the tension without resolving the main problem. Third, insecurity is often at the heart of arrogance, so embarrassing the person will increase the insecurity and, possibly, the arrogance as well.

• Speak with the person privately. Make note of a specific incident in which the person’s arrogance negatively affected the team, and talk to the employee about it privately. Approach the situation as a coaching opportunity. Example: “Matt, I don’t know if you were aware of it, but today during the meeting, you talked about your and Martha’s success as if it were just yours. I want you to be aware of your word choices and how they might be interpreted.” Note: Stick to the individual incident, and do not make blanket statements like “Your arrogance is once again hurting our team dynamics” or “You need to check your ego.” In fact, if you can avoid using the loaded words “arrogant,” “egotistical” and any of their variations, all the better.

• Praise fairly—and generously. Alleviate everyone’s insecurities by regularly praising people’s successes openly. That will lessen the arrogant person’s need to toot his or her own horn all the time, and it will ease others’ fears that you’re missing their contributions. Example: “Everyone, I wanted to make you aware of the huge sale that Matt and Martha just made. It was the biggest we’ve had in six months. Martha, those late nights you spent researching XYZ really paid off, and Matt, you closed the sale like a pro. Let’s give them a round of applause.” In that scenario, you ensure that Martha—not to mention the rest of the team—knows that you recognize her value, and you also fulfill Matt’s need for approval.

• Expect progress, but recognize that real change takes time. Arrogance is a deeply ingrained characteristic. People don’t develop it overnight, and it won’t disappear that quickly either—even if you’re an excellent manager. Keep coaching the person when you see problematic behaviors and celebrating praiseworthy achievements. However, if you don’t see any improvement over time, consider letting the employee go. Do your best to help him or her become a team player, but ultimately you have to do what’s best for your team and your organization.

One final tip: Be aware of your blind spots. Many arrogant employees are average workers, but some are excellent at what they do. It’s much easier to recognize and be annoyed by the former group, but don’t forget about the latter. Sometimes managers turn a blind eye to their all-star performers’ egotism. After all, they really are the best at what they do, and you’re grateful for their contributions. However, their behavior can be just as damaging to the rest of your team members’ morale. If you ignore those employees’ arrogance, others will likely think you are unfair and out-of-touch—and a leader like that is even more destructive to a team than an arrogant employee is.

What tips do you have for managing arrogant employees?

[Image Source: Abe Novy]

5 tips for dealing with political discourse in the workplace

This is a guest post by Joseph H. Harris, Partner, White Harris PLLC.

The presidential elections are right around the corner and if the political debate in your office is heating up, it may be time for you to step in and mediate the conflict. Over at the Raising the HR Bar blog, guest blogger Joseph H. Harris, a partner at White Harris PLLC offers this advice for organizations. Before you even think about addressing a political conflict in your office, read it to make sure you don’t land your organization in legal hot water.

With the 2012 campaign season in full swing, political discussions in the workplace are likely to become more prevalent and with them, conversations about any number of controversial topics.

Arguments between employees can create tension and disruptions that hurt productivity. Employers who have not considered their disciplinary approach carefully may punish employees in a manner that may appear discriminatory or retaliatory. Conversely, employers who go too far in the other direction—banning all political discourse—may expose themselves to an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board and may find such policies difficult to enforce.

What should employers do? Here are some tips:

1. Be proactive. Contrary to popular belief, the First Amendment does not apply to private workplaces. Therefore, at least as a matter of federal law, employers have a great deal of latitude to restrict political speech at work. Some options employers may want to consider include prohibiting political discussions in work areas during work hours, implementing a dress code that bans political campaign tee shirts, buttons or other paraphernalia, and banning political solicitation during work hours using company resources.

However, be advised that under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), employers cannot prohibit employees from displaying union-related material. So, although employers can prevent employees from wearing “Vote Romney” or “Vote Obama” hats, for example, they cannot prohibit employees from wearing hats that say “United Auto Workers for Romney” or “United Auto Workers for Obama.”

The NLRA also protects the rights of employees (including in non-unionized workplaces) to work together to improve the terms and conditions of their employment, such as their wages, hours, and benefits. If there is a direct link between a political issue, for example raising the minimum wage, and your employees’ terms and conditions of employment, employers should exercise caution. Restricting such conversations might violate the NLRA.

A word of warning: Some states (including New Jersey, New York and California) impose additional restrictions on employers’ ability to regulate employee political activity. Make sure your policy is compliant with the law in your jurisdiction.

2. Call a staff meeting. Review company policies concerning discrimination, harassment, retaliation, discipline, solicitation, online communication, the use of electronic resources, voting, dress code and code of conduct. Hold a meeting with the staff to remind them of these policies and how to make a complaint. Remind employees that the company’s email system is to be used for the benefit of the company and not to promote their political views.

3. Warn your supervisors. Caution supervisors and managers not to discuss their political views with subordinates, as political comments by senior personnel may be used against the company in an employee’s subsequent discrimination, harassment or retaliation lawsuit. For example, if a gay employee is terminated, he or she may point to a supervisor’s negative comments about gay people in an office debate about gay marriage as evidence that the discharge was actually the result of anti-gay discrimination. (Sexual orientation is a protected category in New York.) In addition, federal election laws restrict what businesses can do to encourage employees to support a candidate. Some states also have laws that prevent employers from promoting a candidate or political position.

4. Discipline employees uniformly. Remind supervisors and managers that discipline must be imposed uniformly with the focus on the violation of company policy, not on the content of the political speech that gave rise to the infraction. Failure to do so could be used against the company in a lawsuit for discrimination, retaliation or harassment. Using the same example as above with the gay employee, if only gay employees, voicing support for gay marriage as a political issue, are punished for violating company policies concerning political activity at work, that may later be used against the company in a civil rights lawsuit.

5. Review your leave policies. Some states, such as New York, require that employers give employees time off to vote.

Join Joseph Harris and Evan White on October 22 for the audio conference Legal Dos and Don’ts of Employee Discipline. Evan and Joseph will focus on some of the most common mistakes employers make concerning discipline and discharge. They’ll also offer practical guidance on how to develop and implement disciplinary policies and procedures in a way that will be effective in controlling employee behavior while minimizing employers’ legal exposure to risk. Don’t miss it! Register now!

About the author: White Harris PLLC practices exclusively in the area of labor and employment law, representing management. The firm counsels businesses on how to comply with local, state, and federal employment laws and represents them in court, before government agencies, and in alternative forums such as arbitration and mediation. For more information, visit http://whiteharrislaw.com.

Mr. Harris is an alumnus of Oxford University and a graduate of Haverford College and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. He is admitted to practice in the state of New York and in the federal courts in the Southern and Eastern districts of New York. He is a member of the Labor and Employment Law Section of the New York State Bar Association and the Labor and Employment Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association.

[Image Source: Alynn]

Are you worthy of recognition on National Boss’s Day?

By Amy Beth Miller, editor of The Organized Executive

Maybe your employees do think you’re the “World’s Best Boss,” but they didn’t realize today is National Boss’s Day. Whether they gave you a card and lavished you with appreciation or just kept toiling away, today offers an opportunity to reflect on whether you are living up to their expectations.

What is the most important thing for a boss to do well?

Ask for and value employee input, according to a survey by the leadership training firm Fierce Inc. Eighty percent of the corporate executives and employees it surveyed put that at the top of their list.

“Everyone wants to be seen and heard,” said Halley Bock, CEO and president of Fierce Inc. “To create a collaborative, engaging and positive work environment, managers need to encourage and value multiple, and sometimes opposing, points of view.”

As the boss, it’s your responsibility to make decisions. But you will make better choices and engage your employees when you ask for their perspectives and advice.

Of course, they rely on you to advise them too. In the Fierce survey, 37% also said it’s important for managers to provide constructive feedback. Employees want that feedback and respect bosses who provide it.

Tell us about the best boss you ever had. 

[Image Source: Design It Yourself Gifts & Baskets]

Rebuild morale after negative events

This is a guest post by Dot Lyon.

Imagine these disheartening scenarios: Your department just suffered a round of layoffs and you need to rebuild morale. Your organization just lost a large contract and your staff is feeling deflated. A popular employee just quit and you are left to inspire others not to do the same. These negative events and many others cause countless managerial challenges. Organizations with low morale experience low productivity, high turnover and high absenteeism. Some employees become so disgruntled that they display insubordination towards their leaders or bitterness towards coworkers. Regardless of the destructive symptoms of low morale, there are promising cures. As leader, you stand in a position to guide employees to a better emotional place. Here’s how:

• Communicate. Work hard to develop better relationships with your employees. Make an effort to regularly walk around and chat with each employee to establish trust and develop good rapport. Ask employees how you can make their jobs easier. Hold informal, honest discussions to squelch rumors and speak frankly about the future.

• Remain enthusiastic. Become a good role model for others by building up your self-confidence and speaking optimistically. Help employees lighten up by adding laughter to the workplace. Gain perspective and strengthen bonds by spending time with your team doing community service.

• Boost employee satisfaction and motivation. Empower employees to make more decisions. Offer more autonomy and encourage creative thinking. Give employees a higher sense of security by investing in ways for them to improve their skills.

• Celebrate. Reward employees who reach goals or exceed expectations. Try to establish several goals that will earn quick wins and boost confidence. Recognize both large and small accomplishments. Even simple gestures, such as short notes, personal voicemails and spontaneous snacks, make employees feel special and appreciated.

What are some things you have done to boost employee morale? [Image Source: Deepwater Horizon Response]

About the author: Dot Lyon is a freelance writer for organizations including Briefings Media Group. She previously wrote and edited for the Center for Chemistry Education at Miami University.