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By Leon Gettler Good managers need know how to communicate and get the message across. Without good communication, managers fail to gain commitment from employees. They can also fail to achieve business goals and they can forget about developing rapport with the people on their team. In short, they can fail as leaders no matter how good their intentions may be. The problem is communication skills are not usually taught.

By Leon Gettler It’s a fact. Some employees don’t measure up and are chronic under achievers. The manager’s job is to deal with it. And they have to deal with it carefully. The problem is a lot of managers don’t do it that well. According to research institute Roffey Park, 40 per cent of managers think their employer is no good at tackling underperformance.

By Leon Gettler With apologies to Elton John, sorry is not the hardest word. But for managers, apologies are a tricky business. A good apology can defuse customer and investor anger. But it can also strengthen negative associations between the brand and the problem — particularly if there is the threat of litigation or if the issue is politically charged. A good apology can also defuse unfortunate incidents in the workplace, from bullying to inappropriate jokes.

By Leon Gettler Many managers these days feel overworked. They’re now working longer hours because companies have thinned the layers of corporate bureaucracy. This sort of approach is encouraged by markets which increasingly judge firms according to their revenues per employee. At the same time, many managers spend an inordinate amount of time travelling or sitting in meetings.

By Leon Gettler From time to time, we’ll all run into toxic co-workers. We’ve all met them, the usual collection of whingers, stress-heads, bullies, gossips, office politicians. How does a manager deal with that, and make things, well, less toxic. Leadership consultant Robert Bitting says managers need to examine the causes of the toxicity and see if there are patterns. For example, is it worse on Mondays than Fridays? What’s the person’s health like? Is it just in certain situations and with certain people?

By Leon Gettler In a crowded market, talent is what gives business that competitive edge. Nurturing talent is now the big challenge for managers. It improves quality of service and productivity. It creates a solid knowledge base regarding the organisation’s processes, policies and procedures. It also creates alignment with the organisation’s culture and improves work efficiency. But then, nurturing talent has its challenges. How does the manager nurture talent in a way that will make them willing to stay with the organisation in order to have the maximum positive impact on your business?

Everyone would love to be headhunted. But how do you get noticed in such a crowded market?

By Leon Gettler Are you getting all the work but little thanks? Do you have to put up with people’s annoying behaviour every day? Is your boss bullying, or micromanaging? Are people in your workplace repeatedly getting blamed when things go wrong? Do bullies have a cosy relationship with those in power? Are people continually quitting? Do you now dread coming into work? If you answer yes to any of the above, chances are you in a toxic workplace.

By Leon Gettler In a time when everyone is busy, flat out, when everyone feels they’re in a pressure cooker, increasing personal productivity has become more important than ever before. It’s not just about time management. It’s about being as productive as possible. Every week has 168 hours, it’s the same for everyone. But some manage to get more out of it than others.

Why do people take on second jobs? It’s a growing trend. Some of it might reflect the economy but it’s much more than that.