2 Minute Takeaway Podcast Archives - Ken Okel: Recent Episodes
Ken Okel
How to turn unfair assignments into career growth isn't advice you'll hear every day. Most people naturally resist taking on the projects no one wants or carrying a heavier workload than their colleagues. Let's explore why some of those frustrating moments can become your greatest opportunities to build new skills, earn trust, and prepare for [...]
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The AI question employees are afraid to ask has very little to do with technology and everything to do with trust. As AI becomes a bigger part of the workplace, many employees are quietly wondering what these changes mean for their future, even if they never say it out loud. Let's explore why leaders should [...]
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What your calendar is secretly telling you goes far beyond when your next meeting begins. Your calendar is often a reflection of your priorities, leadership style, and the habits that shape your workday. Let's explore how a quick look at your schedule can reveal whether you're making time for strategic thinking, employee development, and meaningful [...]
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The surprising value of being slightly underprepared has nothing to do with skipping your homework. Instead, it's about avoiding the trap of becoming so scripted that you lose the ability to adapt. Let's explore why flexibility can be just as important as preparation, how over-rehearsing can limit authentic communication, and why the best leaders are [...]
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When leaders start going through the motions, it can be difficult to recognize. Experience, success, and routine can create the feeling that everything is under control, even as curiosity and growth begin to fade. Let's explore how leaders can unknowingly fall into autopilot, why that mindset creates blind spots, and what practical steps can help [...]
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What happens when every workplace tool promises productivity? For many organizations, the answer is more complicated than expected. As new platforms, apps, and AI tools enter the workplace, employees often find themselves spending more time managing technology instead of focusing on meaningful work. Let's explore the difference between productivity and activity, why adding more tools [...]
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Professional advice for 2026 may look very different from the advice people received earlier in their careers. In this episode, we break down the results of a LinkedIn poll that asked which piece of career advice turned out to be wrong. From "always say yes" to "never change jobs," we'll explore why some well intentioned [...]
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Updating policies and procedures may not sound exciting, but it can have a major impact on safety, efficiency, and customer experience. In this episode, we explore how a simple change in hotel check-in practices highlights a larger leadership challenge: knowing when long-standing processes no longer fit today's realities. You'll discover why organizations often hold onto [...]
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Reading the room may be one of the most overlooked leadership skills today. Many leaders spend time preparing the perfect message, only to discover that their team isn't responding the way they expected. In this episode, we explore why emotional awareness often matters more than having all the right answers, and how paying attention to [...]
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Should leaders be worried about an AI skills gap? More organizations are starting to ask that question as AI tools become part of everyday work. In this episode, we explore both sides of the debate, including why some leaders see AI knowledge as essential for staying competitive while others believe the concern may be overstated. [...]
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When “there’s nothing we can do” becomes a common business response, the real problem usually runs deeper than the issue itself. In this episode, we break down the results of a leadership poll inspired by a frustrating restaurant experience and explore what organizations quietly communicate when employees feel unable to act. From empowerment and ownership [...]
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If you work at a business that has just been acquired, then it's understandable if you're nervous about a merger. A lot of uncertainty comes when new ownership takes over. Often these deals happen in secrecy, so they come as a big surprise. What should you do next? I asked my LinkedIn connections for their [...]
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A good way to get work done faster and improve your work-life balance will see you solve procrastination with deadlines. In many cases, wanting to do a good job with projects is important. But are you spending too much time on certain things, in the pursuit of perfect, where the extra effort does little to [...]
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If you're a leader, then understand you will be judged on responding to an unexpected challenge. Some sort of problem will emerge, you likely will have little control over it, and yet you'll be expected to find a path out of the challenge. Do you have the skills to make this kind of fast adjustment? [...]
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Celebrate episode 700 of this podcast with a story about why you may need to redefine impossible. When faced with an unexpected challenge, do you find yourself immediately throwing in the towel and saying, "It can't be done."? What if, in those moments, you were selling yourself and others short? Join me on stage, at [...]
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For businesses that have been around for a while, it's important to consider if you're old or experienced. The two are not always the same and you need to understand the difference. If your business is just old, then trouble might be down the road. Find out what makes something old, still relevant, in this week's [...]
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These tips for smart networking at conferences can help you boost your return on investment when you attend events. For many, the ability to connect with fellow professionals is a big reason why they go. But you may not get the success you desire if you don't have a strategy. Find out how your fellow [...]
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If you want a job or a task done correctly, then you need to understand that poor training produces poor results. When you assume someone will understand exactly what you want, through some kind of magic, disappointment is often around the corner. This was never more true than when I saw an employee's vision of [...]
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In a world where technology is everywhere, should your smartphone be banned in meetings? Meetings are a place where lively discussions are supposed to happen, leading to major decisions. Does the smartphone interfere with that productive process? Recently, I polled my LinkedIn connections on the topic and found there's support for several different strategies when [...]
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If you're outsourcing a task, then you need to ask your provider, "Who does does the work?" The answer can save you time, money, and frustration. When you hire someone to do a job for you, it's understandable to expect their showcased level of quality. That may not be the case, as your account may [...]
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In business, it's easy to let cheap problems hurt your productivity. These are little issues that are extremely annoying. But they aren't your big problems or your most pressing issues. Are you giving these cheap problems too much of your attention at the expense of more important things? How can we handle this time management [...]
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If your Monday morning productivity is a concern, then you'll like these tips to start your week off strong. Each is designed to be easily implemented. Complex things usually never become habits. You don't want to get into a situation where you feel like you're falling behind on your week and it's only Monday morning. [...]
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Have you ever wondered if you can change your clients? Sometimes, they can be demanding and ask you to do things beyond your scope of work agreement. I was asked this question by an audience member not long ago. And while this isn't exactly my area of expertise, I understood the problem and knew there [...]
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When you've got a tough challenge, what you do next is very important. Obviously, you'll want to pursue a solution. But how do you go about that process? Leaving it to chance may not produce a good outcome and could waste a lot of time. Instead, define how you'll approach finding a solution. Learn how [...]
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It's important for leaders to understand that employees can learn how to exceed limitations at work. It can be easy to pigeonhole people's skills and their ability to make positive changes. That kind of growth can happen faster than you think, especially during challenging times, if you're open to providing three key pieces of information. [...]
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You may recognize some of these common boss complaints. While some might call them minor quirks, they could represent problems that could impact your hiring and retention efforts. And if you're a leader, you may not have realized certain behaviors could become a turnoff for employees. Why not change behaviors before you get a bad [...]
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These four daily business questions can bring some focus and discipline to your career. While none of them are complicated, all can provide a bridge to a more productive tomorrow. You may have noticed that increased demands and responsibilities keep you from your most important work or your long-term goals. As a result, your days [...]
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At conferences, should the boss party with employees? At many of these events, there are opportunities to let your hair down and have some fun. If you're a leader, have you thought about how you'll respond to an invitation to join the rest of your employees at the festivities? While there's not a right or [...]
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While embracing unexpected change may sound like a skill that requires some clairvoyance, it's something you can master on the job. It's all about thinking proactively, rather than waiting for situations to happen. If you only react to these events, you're likely operating in a state of panic, which may not product the best results. [...]
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These good business takeaways for 2024 can help you avoid some common problems. All are actionable and some might say a few of the tips are a bit obvious. The power of these takeaways is that they identify challenges where you need to act. Things will not get better if you do nothing. Let's strengthen [...]
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Let a trip to the dance floor provide you with inspiration for better employee training. Ideally, you want your employee training to become second nature for people. This prevents a lot of mistakes and costly shortcuts. Often employee training doesn't go far enough to reach your level of desired excellence. See how some simple dance [...]
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Let's make better decision at work. Because there's a chance you're making important decisions based on random factors. That can lead to disappointing outcomes. I've found that with a little more consideration, the quality of your decisions will improve. Let's look at four elements of this process, in this week's episode of The 2 Minute Takeaway [...]
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You need to make sure you don't create a communication gap with your employees and your customers. Otherwise, you may allow rumors to spread about your business. Plus, this poor communication habit could see you wasting a lot of time with unwanted distractions. Find out why, not saying anything, is never a smart communication strategy, in [...]
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If you can follow some simple strategies for work-life balance, then you can make some positive improvements in your life. Often, when we think of work-life balance, it's about major changes. Unfortunately, the bigger the change, the more likely it won't become a habit. Instead let's focus on four actionable strategies. Rebalance yourself, in this week's [...]
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These successful habits for remote work are designed to empower you, if you're new to working from home. Whether it's your first job or one that no longer has an office, some good habits will make your work life much easier. Otherwise you may find yourself wasting time and energy. And for some, working from [...]
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It can be uncomfortable to get the courage to change. Professionally, you may feel stuck or unwilling to get out of your comfort zone. What if you could solve this problem with a mindset adjustment? Join me on stage for a memorable and fun story about how you can find the courage to make a [...]
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If you're having a hard time finding new workers, then you should consider these hiring tips for overqualified employees. There's a good chance you may be missing out on some people, simply because they may seem too good to be true. How will these employees fit into your work culture and are some of them [...]
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While you may enjoy a lot of professional success, it's good to know how to come back from a setback. These disappointing moments may leave you baffled and unsure how to handle things. I've asked my LinkedIn followers for their best ways to come back from a setback and I think you'll be able to [...]
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Ask yourself these important business questions to unveil ongoing problems or new opportunities in your organization. They are designed to make you face some important truths. While each question is rather simple, they can lead to productive discussions. Start asking the right questions, in this week's episode of The 2 Minute Takeaway Podcast. Get your copy [...]
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If you need a pep talk or words of encouragement for your employees, then consider saying, "Priceless must be played." It's a reference to a very expensive musical instrument and why it can't hold its value if it's locked in a case. Enjoy this short story from one of my speaking presentations, that's designed to [...]
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As you look to build teamwork and celebrate accomplishments, you need to ask yourself if employees want office parties. You might be surprised to learn some of your old traditions may no longer fit your team. A lot has changed in the workplace over the past few years and some may want office parties to [...]
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If you feel professionally stuck, then you may need this smart career advice for 2024. I recently polled my followers about the areas where they plan to make improvements. We'll talk about the popularity of each option and how you can approach them. Often, these are tips that can take you to a new level [...]
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Do your employees show courtesy on the job? While we expect this when they are dealing with customers, how about with each other? Simple acts of courtesy can make a major positive impact on your workplace culture. But with all the working from home that's been going on, some may be out of practice with [...]
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In a competitive hiring market, you may be struggling to find new employees. This can be especially challenging if you can't afford to pay more. Let's talk about two other ways businesses make themselves more attractive to candidates. It's about promoting any edge that you already have, which separates you from your competition. The two [...]
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Thanking a business referral is something most people want to do but they don't know how. If you do nothing, then you risk turning off a profitable pipeline of goodwill. Let's brainstorm several options that can give you a system for saying, "Thank you," to those who help you get business. These tips also will [...]
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Have you ever found yourself unexpectedly in a situation when you think that something is wrong? That feeling can produce confusion, anger, or just distract you from your important work. Recently, I found myself in this scenario and it made me realize this kind of problem is more common than you might think. Don't worry, [...]
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The world of coffee shops may provide you with an unexpected source for employee retention. Those businesses have mastered sales tactics that can keep customers coming back again and again. Guess what? You can use some of those same principles to make your employees want to stay on the job. Enjoy this tip, from one [...]
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Leadership overreactions happen when a leader tries to quickly solve a problem but actually makes the situation worse. Keep in mind these actions often come from good intentions. But the decisions may hurt workplace culture and undermine those who make up your leadership team. Let's calmly react to the problem of leadership overreactions, in this [...]
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While success should be your professional goal, you need to stop fearing failure. Because when things don't go well or as planned, some important growth can happen. What if failure was less of a dead end and more of an unexpected pit stop on your leadership journey? Learn to harness the power of failure, in [...]
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Busy or demanding times can make even the most effective managers fall into these common leadership mistakes. The problems can slow down a successful organization and take people's focus off your goals. Many of the mistakes fall into the category of bad behavior. The good news is you can break these harmful habits easily. Let's [...]
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Even the most successful people need to consider if you can lead under pressure. It takes a different set of skills to get through stressful days and unexpected challenges. Maybe you thought your position would be all smooth sailing. How do you navigate troubled waters? Find out some actionable strategies designed to strengthen your leadership [...]
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Leaders need to understand the reasons why you lose employees. People have always switched from one job to another. Usually, it's not a random choice. Rather than trying to get a bulk discount for goodbye cakes, why not try to figure out if there are things you can do to convince good employees stick around. [...]
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Leaders can immediately improve company culture if they learn how to answer employee questions. This is not just about the information you share but how you conduct yourself in that moment. It can be easy, during busy times, to rush through responses or push them back to someday. Don't believe that employees are not reacting [...]
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Some simple steps can help you prevent some customer service mistakes. Employees may be costing your business money due to some common bad habits. Often, these are a sign of training that didn't go deep enough, considering the entire customer experience. Let's reinvigorate your sales process, in this week's episode of The 2 Minute Takeaway [...]
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While you want to improve your performance on the job, you may not know how to get more success at work. I believe four key areas can help provide a useful roadmap. In most cases, these involve making little adjustments that can pay off in a big way. And one of them, believe it or [...]
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Whether you're focused on customers or employees, you need to understand that mixed messages hurt your business. This kind of communication can easily start to happen in successful organizations. If you don't correct it, then it can become a form of self-sabotage, costing you big bucks and opportunities. Let's make sure the messages you are [...]
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If you're concerned about employee retention and engagement, then you should find your business heroes. These are the people who make a big difference in your organization, even though many of them do this under the radar. Take the time to identify these people and use them as a template that can inspire others to [...]
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If you feel like you need to start using nametags at work, then your business may need some strategic retention tips. These can help you hold on to more of your top performers. And while paying more may work in some situations, a pay raise may not be enough to retain someone if your competition [...]
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In order to prevent bad employee behavior, leaders may need to adjust their workplace culture. During challenging times or times of uncertainty, your team may lose its focus. In its place, more selfish behavior may start to move in. The good news is that you can maintain good workplace culture, through some strategic moves. Say [...]
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In business, you can be busy all the time, during challenging days but do you worry about the right things? It's easy to put your focus in the wrong place, when a more urgent need may demand your attention. Often, we fall into this problem over time, as we lose track of top priorities. How [...]
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While people may want to improve their personal or professional lives, do they need motivation to change? Simply knowing that something needs to get better, may not be enough to produce action. A status quo that's not getting better can become comfortable, if you're not careful. Instead, empower yourself with several actionable improvement strategies, in [...]
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If you're self-employed, then you may need to hear this solopreneur work-life balance tip. There's a good chance you need to reconnect with some of the fun traditions from the Monday through Friday work world. For instance, the office holiday party. These events give you a chance to network with colleagues and celebrate your accomplishments. [...]
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An important leadership skill sees you able to get employees to follow your instructions. While this may sound obvious, there may come a time when you need to make a fast change in your business and your employees are the ones who must make it happen. Are you going to rely on chance to make [...]
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At a time when you may be looking for a retention or team engagement edge, you may want to consider some employee appreciation gifts. This kind of gesture happens outside people's normal compensation. For some, the biggest challenge is selecting the gift. Recently, I conducted an unscientific survey on LinkedIn and found that people have [...]
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Let's continue our self-publishing discussion with more book writing tips. As you know, having an idea for a book is great but actually writing it is a different story. In episode 618, I talked about the importance of having a vision for your book, why I went with self-publishing, and how to do some market [...]
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If you've been thinking about becoming an author for a while, then these book writing tips may give you the push you need. We live in a time when book publishing is more accessible than ever before. You do still have to write the book and that's where some become challenged. In this two part [...]
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While some may not expect to hear this kind of career advice, ask yourself if you should be more selfish at work. While I am a big fan of teamwork, I also know that being too helpful can come at a price. In today's business world, people are being asked to do more and that [...]
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If you feel like employees are not taking your direction well, then you should take this approach to feedback. Feedback, when delivered well, can improve performance. But sometimes, it's used more like a hammer, when a feather would be a better tool. Most of us were never taught how to deliver feedback in school and [...]
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Do you ever feel like you self-sabotage your workday? This can happen when you find yourself busy all day and yet accomplish very little. And while you know your goals, you never have much time to spend on them. The problem is that you're filling your day with lots of things that monopolize your productive [...]
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To get ahead in your career, you need to be able to listen to your advice. Sometimes, we ignore the great words of wisdom we readily share with others because we doubt ourselves. This kind of behavior can really limit your potential and see you waste time, trying to find the perfect solution to your [...]
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If you feel like your workplace productivity is either stuck or going down, then it may be time to change your meetings. You're likely spending too much time in them and accomplishing too little. You may be surprised to learn that certain behaviors are the root cause of the problems. Maximize your meetings, with some [...]
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If you feel distracted at work, then the problem may lie with your leadership style. You may be making some common mistakes that encourage people to interrupt you with questions and concerns. Your productive time is valuable and how much of it are you losing to all of these distractions? Make some simple adjustments and [...]
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Some unexpected issues could put your business branding in danger. While you may have spent months coming up with logos and taglines, customers and potential employees may be judging you on very different things. Often you have no idea and may wonder why you're not as successful as you expected. Uncover one of these potential [...]
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While it's easy to talk about improvement at work, will you commit to higher standards? This kind of pursuit of excellence does not happen overnight. Often, it's about making little changes that add up in a big way. When these best practices become daily habits, you unlock the door to higher performance. Let's start your [...]
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Success in business often depends on understanding how to avoid the innovation trap. This can make you think that you're doing important new work, when it's really more like the old way of doing things. Your ability to change when challenged by new issues is critical to your success. It's time to understand what you're [...]
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Otherwise successful businesses can fall into some workplace productivity traps. While none will immediately ruin your organization, they can slow things down and really limit your potential. You don't want little problems that can grow over time, to define your future success. Take control with some simple tips, in this week's episode of The 2 [...]
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The price of procrastination is wasted time, stress, and a loss of productivity. It all comes from delaying decisions about most problems at work. The passage of time will not magically solve the issue and things may get worse. But I understand it is tempting to delay a response until tomorrow. Use these tips to [...]
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If you don't respect your deadlines at work, you may be opening the door to mediocrity. Deadlines exist for a reason and you may allow some bad habits to undermine them. Also, arbitrarily setting deadlines can lead to other problems. Let's take the time to make sure you're approaching your ticking clock of needs in [...]
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While it may feel impossible, you can get rid of mistakes at work. These are those little errors, like typos, that produce frustration, cost you money, and waste your time. While you may be tempted to immediately blame someone for the problem, you may have a larger issue that needs to be examined. Use this [...]
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If you need your employees to do things a specific way, right away, then you'll profit from these tips for employee motivation. Simply giving orders may not result in the fast change you need. Instead, you may want to unleash several strategies, designed to make employees embrace and appreciate the new change. Get motivated in [...]
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While it may sounds obvious, the key to a high performance at work is learning how to spend your time the right way. Often, good leaders and employees are undermined by little things that limit their potential. Add them up and you've got productivity problems. What if you could better focus your workday and eliminate [...]
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Successful leaders understand the value of being able to predict the unexpected. In business, while you don't have a crystal ball, there are some common workplace scenarios you should expect could happen. Are you ready to respond to these challenges or do you want to leave your business vulnerable to unexpected change? Prepare now for [...]
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If you can remember your good habits at work, then you'll likely regain a lost level of performance on the job. Have you ever had a good habit that you stopped doing because you got busy. There's nothing wrong with the habit and no reason why you shouldn't go back to it. Yet, some of [...]
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Success in business depends on you not having any secret superpowers. It's important that customers and employees understand what you do best. Otherwise, they may think you're like everyone else. At first, this may seem like bragging. But bragging can be an important marketing, branding and retention tool. Rip off your disguise and embrace your [...]
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In your career, you need to find time for self-improvement. There's likely some area where you need to get better. It might be with technology or your leadership skills. Not doing anything won't help you improve. So how do you find the time for this kind of self-improvement? Find out some actionable tips, in this [...]
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If you feel like your performance at work isn't as good as it once was, then you should take control of your workday. There's a good chance that ongoing distractions and even a few bad habits may be holding back your potential. While you don't have unlimited time to get things done, you can do more [...]
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While it may seems like an unusual form of motivation, it's important for employees to challenge themselves, in order to avoid workplace stagnation. Often, we look at challenges as negative situations but they may actually open the door to future growth and improvement. What should the members of your team do to stay challenged and [...]
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Not every leader is a great communicator and they should know the things leaders shouldn't say. These are little comments that can confuse or turn off employees. At a time when you need performance to be high and turnover to be low, you need to make sure your communication is informative, inspiring, and respectful. Know [...]
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If you run a business and are slipping into mediocrity, then you must raise falling standards. Retention and other staffing issues may have produced a relaxing of some of the things that made you successful. Before long, not many of them are being performed or not performed very well. While there has been a lot [...]
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During a time when staffing may be a challenge in your business, you need to understand that onboarding is a retention superpower. You want to make sure that you hold onto your top talent and not let them become disillusioned with their jobs. The key is making sure your onboarding process gives new employees a [...]
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To improve your performance on the job, you need to make the most of your time. Simply working hard, may not be enough because not every minute of your day is going to have the same value. It's smart to take a strategic approach to your time, so you're able to focus on your most [...]
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You must protect your vacation to improve performance and retention at work. Otherwise, you may end up promoting burnout, as you and your employees never have a chance to recharge. Studies have found that working on vacation is common. How do you make sure employees can unplug on vacation and not keep getting pulled back [...]
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Improving your workplace communication sometimes means saying more with less. Because your communication may be long-winded or confusing to employees. If they don't understand what you're saying, then how well can you expect them to perform on the job? Give yourself a leadership communication makeover and pick up a few tips from the world of [...]
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If you're feeling a little drowsy at work, then you may need some tips for more sleep. Recent surveys have found that poor sleep impacts workplace performance, for a growing number of people. Do you dream of performing at a high level, without having to drink several cups of coffee? Wake up to some strategic [...]
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