Characteristics of a Good Team

High level of interdependence among members
Leader has good people skills and is committed to team approach
Each member is willing to contribute
A relaxed climate for communication
Members develop a mutual trust
The group and individuals are prepared to take risks
Group is clear about goals and establishes targets
Member [...]

By Doug Staneart
Thousands of companies wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue last year on “Team Building” programs that didn’t develop more of a team atmosphere within their organizations. The term “Team Building” has come to have so many definitions that it can mean just about anything to anybody.
The definition I like is the [...]

By Doug Staneart
Word-of-mouth advertising is one of the cheapest and most effective types of advertising your company can invest in, but how do we generate this elusive type of advertising? Most experts in the area will say, “Get out and ‘network’.” So we go to a Chamber of Commerce business card exchange, a small business [...]

By Doug Staneart
One of the most common complaints that comes up in job satisfaction surveys is, “I never get useful feedback about how I am doing my job.”
Most companies today use a performance appraisal system or an annual performance review system that was invented decades ago in a much slower business economy. So the assessment [...]

By Doug Staneart
Summary: Workplace Conflict Resolution is a free article which talks about interpersonal conflict management and anger management techniques.
Conflicts are inevitable, but the more we know about human nature, the better we will be at resolving conflicts, and the better the outcome might be for both parties. We know that different people have different [...]

By Richard Highsmith
Most Senior Managers will acknowledge the importance of having the support, loyalty and ideas of their subordinates. A company of any size cannot sustain growth on the back of one person. Without a team effort the entrepreneurial spark can be extinguished in the rainstorm of turmoil created by success.
Desirable employees want positions that [...]

By Doug Staneart
How would you describe meetings you have attended in the past? Last Tuesday, I was facilitating a workshop on how to facilitate more successful meetings, and to start things off, I asked the group that very question. The answers that they provided were very similar to answers that I have received from hundreds [...]

By Roy Fory
The art of leadership is sought by virtually everyone. It is claimed by many, defined by a few, and exercised by the unheralded, depending on the source you use. In fact, we know a lot about leadership; it is the application of leadership that creates confusion for most.
In spite of all the leadership [...]

By Richard Highsmith
When I was first promoted from the rank and file, there was a popular song by Stealers Wheel entitled “Stuck in the Middle with You”. The lyrics resonated with me because I was struggling mightily with being a newly minted manager. Here is a verse that was particularly meaningful to me -
Yes I’m [...]

By Doug Staneart
In today’s business world, conflicts are inevitable, but they don’t have to be costly or time-consuming. If you manage people or projects, chances are that a majority of your day is spent resolving conflicts, in dispute resolution, or problem solving for other people. You may get to the point where you ask, “How [...]