The Executive Suite Blog

When I am developing administrative assistant job descriptions, sales, or executive job descriptions I use job descriptions templates that will help my client and their employees focus more readily on the essential job functions.

As I have worked for other organizations in an advisory, management coaching and management training role, I have appreciated the magnitude of my prior learning and experiences as many younger professionals and business owners have asked me how they can modify or improve their own leadership and management skills.

There have been a variety of work motivation theories advanced over the years.  Perhaps the most significant employee motivation strategies are those that promote workforce alignment.  As you review these strategies try to understand how you can relate these to your own company's motivation programs.

During my year-end review last month I took time to reflect on our accomplishments in 2011 in preparation for 2012. First I looked for my One Page Plan for my Business, oh oh, the one my closest canine friend Treva munched on last April – where did I put it? I asked Treva, she looked at me, wagged her tail, and was hoping I gave her another treat. (I did).

Seriously, an applicant asked me recently if there were some killer apps for a professional development plan that he could use.  I was unsure how to respond – did he want the app that would provide him a 3 year professional development plan, the app that would give him a professional development plan sample, or the app that would provide him professional development plan examples?  So many choices.

  Whether you are a job applicant or hiring manager you can use best practices in the job application and job interview process – with a little attention to detail and practice.  The job application and job interview process is often the most important and the most overlooked portion of the hiring process, by both parties.  This is understandable – most business owners don’t have the time or the expertise to develop a thorough process - and most job applicants only know a little bit about how to present themselves.

Most business owners will tell you  that there are advantages and disadvantages of delegation, and they will be telling you the truth.  The trick is to identify how to use your delegation authority effectively.  Here are five steps I have used in my career and teach in our management coaching training.  Feel free to adapt to your business.

 Each time I read articles on employee motivation I wonder - are these the only ways we can motivate our employees?  I have read countless theories of employee motivation and have examined the benefits of employee motivation from the perspective of an employee (yes, I was one once), a business owner, and a management coach (my favorite perspective).

 It seems like years ago that I learned all the employee motivation theories.  Interestingly these modern ways had been developed a generation of business owners before I was learning about them before I applied them.

Let’s face it, a number of business owners and managers have a hard time managing their employees much less trying to maintain positive cash flow.  In this economy it is becoming increasingly difficult for business owners to pay attention to managing smart.  Yet there is a very strong relationship between cash flow, productivity, and how to increase profit and business owners not sleeping at night because of it.