Be prepared to take the advice that you ask for – Part II

Girl dressed as a business women
When I was doing my MBA I took a course that required me to write a comprehensive business plan. It was my first attempt at doing something like this so I was open to advice and input from my prof and others. I sought out people w
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Daily reflection – did you have a good day?

Woman concentrating
I believe that I am a good listener. Through the years I have learned a lot of valuable things from listening. Like many, I learn more when I am listening than when I am speaking.
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Be prepared to take the advice you ask for

Woman not listening
I dove in with great sincerity and good intentions to give her my honest insight and perspective. The dismissal felt like a bucket of cold water in the face.
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Friendship and humor – but we don’t like these people that much

Champagne and tuxedo
We’ve developed some really great relationships with people we’ve done business with over the years. Trust, friendship and helping one another out has led to respect and warmth, and you can’t put a price on that.
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Flame on, flame off – rude and aggressive communication

Flames and matches
Being told that giving fair warning about rude and disrespectful behavior then justified the behavior was astonishing and entirely unacceptable to me.
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Hey, it’s all about me – think again

Kid on microphone
Want to be a hit at an award ceremony in your honor? Smile, shake hands, credit your team and sit down.
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Making a difficult compensation conversation worse

Fragile handle with care box
Performance reviews and compensation discussions require diplomacy and sensitivity. Staff have long memories about what is said and done.
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Giving a great reference to get rid of a staff member

man crossing his fingers
Ridding yourself of a problem staff member by giving a false reference is plain wrong for so many reasons. You can’t make the problem someone else’s.
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Communications tip – conclude at the beginning

Red typewriter
No matter what I read – novel, report or plan – I read the conclusion first. I can absorb the material better when I know the ending.
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Beware – “I need to bring in my own people”

Beware – “I need to bring in my own people” by Nancy Knowlton
An executive candidate expected to bring his own people on board when he was hired. There were too many negative implications to this wholesale change out of staff, so I said no.
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