Management Mastery

A performance improvement plan or “PIP” is a document that aims to help employees who are not meeting job performance or behavior-based goals.  A PIP covers specific areas of performance deficiencies, identifies skills, training, or behavior gaps, and sets clear expectations for an associates’ future conduct.

A critical part of any manager’s job is conducting regular employee performance evaluations or reviews. Obviously, if things are going well, these can be positive experiences for both the Manager and the employee. But, if things are not going well, they can be very stressful for both parties. In this episode, we will cover how to make the most of either situation.

Whether it is through a formal written employment contract, or a more informal “on boarding” process, every new employee must be told exactly what is expected of them if they are to succeed in their new position. Establishing such an employment agreement with a new employee requires understanding, a professional approach and following your company’s hiring system. It also provides the foundation for the equally critical process of employee performance review. In this episode, we will cover how to ensure this important process is successful for both you and the new team member.

Sometimes how something is communicated can almost be as important as what is being communicated.  In this episode, we talk about the importance of presentation – whether written or spoken – in ensuring your communications are effective in achieving their desired goals.

The second aspect of influence is presentation – how you communicate your ideas and what you want the audience to take away or do. 

Importance of Presentation in Written Communications: When we think about “presentation” in terms of communication, we usually are thinking of oral communication – whether one-on-one, a small meeting, or to a large group.  But presentation is just as important in written communication.  And very often overlooked as a critical aspect of delivering the content of the communication.

In spoken presentation, there are three critical elements: The Verbal – what you are saying; the vocal – how you are saying it (i.e., your tone of voice); and the visual – your appearance as you are saying it (e.g.,

The ability to communicate effectively is one of the most important skills of any manager. All communication has two aspects – What you want to communicated or the content and How you communicate it – or the presentation.  In this episode, we will discuss how to make your content as effective as possible.

Regardless of the purpose or the method of your

In this episode, we will focus on content; that is, how to make what you want to communicate as effective as possible.

Influence is one of the most powerful tools a manager has. In this episode we will discuss What It is, why it’s Important and how can you increase yours and use it most effectively.

Influence is how you move from merely providing information to entertaining, directing, or inspiring others and, eventually, to influencing ‘em. And, influence is more than words, it is about building a strong emotional bond with your audience. Keep in mind, when we say “audience” in this episode, we mean everything from a single person to a room-full. Influence is all about building an emotional connection with your audience. That connection is what determines whether or not people are going to like you, trust you, and want to follow you.

A critical skill of any good manager is the ability to

In fact it is not a single ability, but a collection of social

In this episode, we cover how a manager can become a more effective team leader.

What is one of the biggest weaknesses of poor managers? The inability to build strong relationships at work. It is one of the most important skillsets that any Manager can have. In this episode, we will talk about the most valuable steps you can take to develop this skill.

What is one of the biggest weaknesses of poor managers? The inability to build strong relationships at work. It is one of the most important skill sets that any Manager can have. In this episode, we will talk about the valuable steps you can take to develop this skill.

Delivering superior results doesn’t happen by chance. It happens through conscious choice, discipline, and consistency of behavior.