The Manager's Resource Handbook
Tools, Resources and Guides for Managers and Business Leaders. Real Advice from Real Bosses.
A friend of mine recently changed jobs. He was a 19-year veteran of the company he left, during which time he worked on a number of successful projects and had worked in several departments. And yet, after nearly two decades with the firm, he was informed that no exit interview would be held as the company saw no value for the
» Read more
How Great Businesses Fail and What We Can Learn From Them We all know that there is one constant in the business world: things are always changing. Every day, there are new technologies, legislative decisions and geopolitical events that shape the world around us. The pace of such change continues to accelerate, and throughout it all we see businesses come and go. How, in such
» Read more
10 Real Quotes from Bad Bosses As managers, if it seems like our employees are watching our every move and closely listening to our every word, it’s because they are. In particular, the words that managers and business leaders say are very important. It’s not about being politically correct or about being nice, but it is about how a manager’s words and statements are interpreted by their
» Read more
15 REAL Tips for Working in China Having returned from a trip to China earlier this week, I wanted to take a few minutes to share some learnings about how to conduct meetings and work with your customer in the People’s Republic. Despite some concerns and disagreements before our arrival, my team was made up of several veterans when
» Read more
Evaluating A Job Candidate’s Interview Performance Whether you’re on a hiring spree for your startup or trying to fill a key role in your organization, interviewing job applicants reveals a lot about your candidates. We recently filled a critical role within our company, and while all three final candidates were internal to our business and knew the organization well,
» Read more
The Most Inspiring Question I’ve Ever Heard from a Job Candidate Times were tough. We were working around the clock in response to a major product recall. My team was exhausted. Our customers were furious. We had been at it for months. Even though it was December, many of us knew we would have to work through the Christmas holidays
» Read more
8 Workplace Remodel Tips for Managers Doing it Themselves A workplace is more than just the four walls that surround people. Rather, a modern workplace is an environment in which ideas are born, where breakthroughs are made, and where profit is generated. Impressive campuses likes those of Apple or the trendy refurbished factory that now houses a Brooklyn start up
» Read more
How to Embrace the Diversity of Your Workplace I often overhear business travelers at the airport talking on the phone, characterizing their imminent journey as “I’m headed to Asia” or “I’ll be in the Middle East next week.” I know I’ve done it as well because let’s face it, it’s just easier to mention a region rather than say something
» Read more
Does Admitting Your Mistakes Make You a Bad Manager? A hot-tempered conference call had just ended. I stepped out of my office to get some fresh air. At the water cooler I ran into a peer, a fellow manager, who had also been on the conference call. “Wow, that was intense” she said. “Yeah. I don’t get why he just won’t let it
» Read more
I recently read a newspaper article about World Cup football, which was great because it listed all the funny pairings of nations in various matches. The article went into detail about various styles of play, which got me thinking about how such different countries work together. Having spent most of my career working overseas with clients and colleagues, I have witnessed
» Read more
Preparing to Work In a Different Culture In today’s business environment, working with international partners, customers, or suppliers is inevitable. Sometimes an international project will be brief and short-lived; in other instances your working relationship can last several years as you accrue thousands of frequent flier miles. Perhaps you will even end up on an expat assignment for a couple of years. Regardless
» Read more Why Your Employees Need to Learn the Local Culture As technology advances, the world gets smaller and smaller. Email, conference calls and WeChat offer us instant communication to opposite ends of the globe. Whether you routinely jet set to far away places to meet with your customers, or you never leave your comfort of your office, working alongside people from another culture
» Read more
Managing a Virtual Staff If you are a manager who spends a lot of time on the phone with your employees who sit nine time zones away, you’ve come to the right place. These days, many managers find themselves responsible for employees overseas. Whether these employees report directly to you, or to a local in-country manager, the challenges of working with remote workers are
» Read more 5 Tips for Working in China China is a vast and exotic place. You will find dazzling skyscrapers like something out of Sci-Fi flick. And you will find remote villages that make you feel like you’ve taking a trip back in time. If you are going to China for the first time, take note: doing business in China is very
» Read more