Content by Kelly Graves
Leadership vs Management: Questions for Further StudyAnswers for lasting improvement
Wed, 12/06/2017 - 12:03
In my career as a business consultant, I’ve helped dozens of companies surface quality issues, develop managers as well as employees, build better trust and communication, transition ownership from one generation to the next, and unleash new levels…
Business Counseling and the Three-Day RuleThe right way to terminate an employee
Tue, 09/12/2017 - 12:03
In general, people hate confrontation and will do just about anything to distance themselves from it, but a manager owes it to her employees to overcome this fear and address problems directly and honestly. The key is knowing how to handle problems…
What You Don’t Know About Your Employees That Will Help You Manage Them BetterTo achieve greatness, one must first think greatness
Tue, 07/25/2017 - 12:03
The following is an excerpt from Kelly Graves’ book, The Management and Employee Development Review (CRC Press, 2016). When Darwin first made famous the term “survival of the fittest,” I don’t believe he was talking about the strongest species, or…
Employee MotivationAbove all else, tell team members why they should follow you
Mon, 06/19/2017 - 12:03
What are the common mistakes managers make when trying to motivate employees? In this article, we’ll discuss these mistakes and some better strategies to successfully motivate employees. It’s human nature for managers to take the path of least…
‘Us’ vs. ‘Them’ Inc.There are benefits to conflict, but only if it’s resolved
Tue, 03/22/2016 - 16:31
An overwhelming majority of organizations have inadvertently created an “us vs. them” culture. They turn much of their focus and many of their resources away from serving the customer and instead direct them toward fighting one another and vying…
Employee Evaluations Are a Waste of Time and MoneySeven tips to turn evaluations into employee improvement plans
Tue, 11/03/2015 - 15:53
Dave hadn’t been evaluated in 25 years, and neither had the other employees of this multimillion-dollar business. Things had gotten very loose with the company. Production targets weren’t being met, there was poor accountability and responsibility…
Five Reasons Why Email Is Ruining Your Company And five ways to improve communication
Tue, 09/29/2015 - 13:54
Three months ago I sat in a meeting with seven talented executives whom I’ve worked with on and off for five years. For the past two, there have been major undercurrents of friction between them during executive meetings. After attending a few of…
Seven Steps to Better PerformanceCoaching employees to motivate themselves
Wed, 09/02/2015 - 11:17
What lasts longer, an expensive motivational speaker or a cup of espresso? It’s about the same, but the espresso provides a much better return on investment. You see, from a behavioral standpoint, you can’t motivate me, and I can’t motivate you.…
Ten Steps to Better Executing Your Strategic PlansSpeed, consistency, and focus are key
Tue, 06/30/2015 - 16:09
Most everyone has read the maxim, “Plan your work and work your plan.” This is simple and effective advice—when it’s followed. Unfortunately, it can also be overwhelming when it comes to ensuring that everyone in the organization knows what the…
The Building Blocks of Organizational Psychology, Part 2Turning concepts into behaviors
Tue, 05/05/2015 - 13:31
In my last article, I presented the psychological steps of change and how to overcome the natural human resistance to it. In this installment, I’ll present an example of how to transfer those concepts into plans, the plans into actions, and the…