workplace culture

Is it time to ban idle chit chat? (My answer may surprise you)

By |2020-06-10T19:10:36+00:00March 19th, 2019|Communication, High-performance, Leadership, Management, Productivity, stress, Teamwork, workplace culture|

It seems everyone is short on time these days. We are running at turbo speed and yet it still seems there isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done. Not surprisingly, we are all on alert to spot low-value time sucks we can eliminate from our days. Idle chit chat is often considered an easy target. On the surface, this vague chatter appears to be a waste of time. Time to reconsider? Here are six reasons why (seemingly) aimless conversations are a productive and meaningful contributor to our satisfaction at work.

3 ways to gauge (and improve) the health of your professional relationships

By |2020-06-10T19:11:17+00:00February 12th, 2019|Communication, High-performance, Leadership, Productivity, Teamwork, workplace culture|

Positive interactions with our colleagues not only drive productivity, they also make us enjoy coming to work. While healthy relationships may appear to be a bonus, in fact, strong interpersonal bonds are the foundation of a high-performance team. These three conditions help us build healthy relationships.

A simple gift with a big impact

By |2022-10-06T18:38:50+00:00December 17th, 2018|Communication, Feedback, Gratitude, Leadership, Management, workplace culture|

With the holidays approaching, gift-giving (and shopping) is on the top of many to-do lists. If the purpose of gifts is to symbolize our love and appreciation, what if we could show this appreciation in a more heartfelt, authentic and direct way than a store-bought gift? Want to take the lead in creating a more grateful workplace? Here are 11 simple acts we can use to convey our gratitude - without buying anything.

The shocking ripple effect of uncivil emails (and 7 ways to avoid this effect)

By |2023-03-30T19:27:04+00:00August 1st, 2018|Email, High-performance, Information Management, Management, Resilience, stress, Teamwork, workplace culture|

A recent study shows people disengage from their work when they receive uncivil emails, then sadly, bring this email stress home and transmit it there. How can we protect ourselves from reacting so strongly? Modelling great email etiquette ourselves is a powerful way to positively influence others - and resolve this problem. I recently shared this, and other email etiquette strategies, on CBC Radio and I’ve compiled them here for you. These are helpful for us as senders and receivers.

Time for a Team Email Charter?

By |2020-06-10T19:17:43+00:00July 18th, 2018|Email, Information Management, Management, Management Effectiveness, Productivity, stress, Teamwork, Time Management, workplace culture|

Email is a powerful communication tool but like all good things, too much can turn downright onerous. From excessive reply-alls, to messages inappropriately marked as urgent, to convoluted requests, a small amount of email abuse adds up to a tremendous drain on a team. Is it time for your team to sign a Team Email Charter? Read on for some suggested email policies to ensure your team is using this valuable tool as efficiently and effectively as possible.

7 signs you won the mentor lottery

By |2020-06-10T19:27:41+00:00May 8th, 2018|High-performance, Leadership, Management, Management Effectiveness, mentoring, workplace culture|

Formal mentoring programs are becoming more prolific in the corporate world. Theoretically, this is a strategic way to accelerate skill development. But as we all know, theory doesn’t always translate into results. Some mentors are frankly better than others. As a result, certain lucky employees are blessed with having won the equivalent of the mentor lottery. Their mentor is a unique blend of a champion, challenger and collaborator. How do you know if you are one of the lucky few with one of those infamous mentors? It’s relatively straightforward to determine – ideally, your mentor does most (better yet, all) of these seven things. Read on to learn more.

How to Cultivate Positive Workplace Culture Through Employee Engagement

By |2018-01-10T15:10:31+00:00January 10th, 2018|Guest Posts, Management, Management Effectiveness, workplace culture|

Today’s businesses strive to create great workplace cultures to motivate staff and drive higher performance. Before they can do this, however, they need to understand what workplace culture means and how they can engage their people. Our guest contributor, Rae Steinbach, shares how organizations can motivate to succeed.

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