http://www.artipot.com/authors/16034/maureen-collins/ Latest articles by maureen collins from Artipot - your one-stop resource for free articles. http://www.artipot.com/articles/323225/hold-performance-appraisals-sooner.htm Your organisation probably has an established schedule for performance appraisal interviews. When a person is not performing however, you cannot afford to wait for the next planned appraisal. You need to talk now! Wed, 08 Apr 2009 01:39:16 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/323225/hold-performance-appraisals-sooner.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/322464/how-to-measure-the-effectiveness-of-training.htm If only changing behaviour were as simple as sending people on training courses and having them come back fixed! The process is not ever that simple, but it can be broken down into a number of steps, each one easy to define and in practice fairly straightforward to manage. Tue, 07 Apr 2009 02:26:28 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/322464/how-to-measure-the-effectiveness-of-training.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/322451/how-to-resolve-performance-problems-at-three-levels.htm If you are not talking about the right problem when you carry out a performance appraisal discussion, no amount of talking will solve the problem! Performance problems can be complex and it is important to know how to get down to the real issue. Tue, 07 Apr 2009 02:08:13 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/322451/how-to-resolve-performance-problems-at-three-levels.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/322369/how-to-make-the-most-of-positive-feedback-in-performance-appraisal.htm Animal trainers use it. The research supports it. You know it is the right thing to do. If you really want top performance from your people, give them the one thing most likely to help them deliver. Give them positive feedback. Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:04:06 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/322369/how-to-make-the-most-of-positive-feedback-in-performance-appraisal.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/322335/when-you-do-performance-appraisals-listen-more-than-you-talk.htm Managers often do most of the talking in performance appraisal discussions. They say employees gain by sharing in their experience and views. They say they know what the problems are and from their experience they also know the solutions. That may well be, but when you are talking there is little motivation for your employees to think for themselves or to be committed to... Mon, 06 Apr 2009 23:02:40 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/322335/when-you-do-performance-appraisals-listen-more-than-you-talk.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/322321/get-your-facts-right-when-you-hold-performance-appraisals.htm Proper use of facts when you talk about performance sets the scene for rational, safe and constructive discussion. Preparation of facts before opening a discussion on performance is an essential first step toward a good performance appraisal. Mon, 06 Apr 2009 22:47:16 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/322321/get-your-facts-right-when-you-hold-performance-appraisals.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/300766/do-you-hold-people-accountable-for-performance.htm Many people think that holding employees to account means talking tough, using an authoritarian management style, and telling everyone what to do. In fact, a really tough manager asks for ideas from employees and then holds them to account for their actions. It might look softer, but in reality it is much tougher. Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:19:26 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/300766/do-you-hold-people-accountable-for-performance.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/300734/how-well-do-you-do-performance-appraisal-interviews.htm Performance appraisal processes are often detailed, elegant and efficient. Today, they are often computerized. But development and motivation of people takes more than clean paperwork and clever software. The quality of the conversations between manager and employee is what counts. Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:37:50 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/300734/how-well-do-you-do-performance-appraisal-interviews.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/300730/still-struggling-with-performance-appraisal-get-the-facts-right.htm Reviewing employee performance should be fairly straight forward. But as every manager knows, that is not the case. Performance appraisal goes off the rails when the facts of the matter are not handled correctly. Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:35:03 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/300730/still-struggling-with-performance-appraisal-get-the-facts-right.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/286997/how-to-be-more-resilient-manage-upwards.htm Managing your boss can be difficult and high risk. Knowing how to do it takes away the feelings of frustration and disempowerment that many people suffer at work. Use the guidelines in this article to increase your influence up the line, and to do it safely. Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:39:29 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/286997/how-to-be-more-resilient-manage-upwards.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/286994/how-to-be-more-resilient-learn-to-influence-others.htm When you are unable to influence people and events around you, you feel helpless, disempowered and frustrated. Resilient people have good influencing skills. They build good relationships and help themselves and others achieve better results, no matter how difficult the circumstances. This article shows you how to influence others to change their behaviour. Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:36:44 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/286994/how-to-be-more-resilient-learn-to-influence-others.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/286981/how-to-be-more-resilient-obtain-and-use-feedback.htm You need a balance of positive and negative feedback to improve your performance, but obtaining it can be difficult and scary.Use the guidelines in this article to obtain useful feedback and to make the most of it in improving your performance. Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:24:40 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/286981/how-to-be-more-resilient-obtain-and-use-feedback.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/286964/how-to-be-more-resilient-reframe-so-you-see-things-differently.htm You become more resilient when you learn how to reframe. Reframing helps you shift your perspective of events from negative to positive. It does not change the event, but it does help you hold a more positive attitude. As a result, you have more energy, better ideas and a good chance of working yourself out of the difficulty. Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:08:35 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/286964/how-to-be-more-resilient-reframe-so-you-see-things-differently.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/283712/how-to-be-more-resilient-focus-and-take-action.htm When times are tough, the tough, and the resilient, keep going. No matter how hard it is to keep your bounce, holding onto a positive mind set and maintaining your energy levels are the only way to get yourself through difficult times. Staying focused and taking action to get results are imperative. Fri, 13 Feb 2009 20:42:17 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/283712/how-to-be-more-resilient-focus-and-take-action.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/281735/how-to-build-up-resilience-change-your-state.htm Events can sometimes get the better of you and you get into a negative state. This article contains five tools for putting yourself back into a positive state so you can bounce back with energy and resourcefulness. Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:23:28 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/281735/how-to-build-up-resilience-change-your-state.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/281732/how-to-build-up-resilience-focus-on-what-works.htm Do you spend more time thinking about what has gone wrong and how you will never get it right, than you do about your successes and capabilities? Use the five techniques in this article to get rid of negative thinking and build up your self confidence, energy and resilience. Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:19:45 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/281732/how-to-build-up-resilience-focus-on-what-works.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/281728/how-to-build-up-resilience-choose-your-attitude.htm Attitude and behaviour influence each other, and both are choices. You can choose how you behave and you can choose the attitudes you hold. This article illustrates how important it is that you are aware of your choices and that you make good ones. Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:10:51 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/281728/how-to-build-up-resilience-choose-your-attitude.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/280644/how-to-be-more-resilient-challenge-negative-thinking.htm Resilient people choose to hold positive assumptions about themselves and others. Their positive assumptions help them to think more clearly and creatively, and react more positively to challenges. This article shows you three ways you can challenge your negative assumptions. Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:08:03 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/280644/how-to-be-more-resilient-challenge-negative-thinking.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/280643/how-to-be-more-resilient-identify-priorities.htm In tough times it can be hard to decide where best to expend your personal energy and resources to get the results you want. Resources are always limited. It is critical that you identify where there will be most pay-off before you start out, and then put your energy to achieving results in those areas. Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:07:52 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/280643/how-to-be-more-resilient-identify-priorities.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/280558/four-steps-that-will-keep-you-on-track-to-achieve-your-goals.htm You cannot achieve your personal goals and objectives if you do not make them a priority in your life, and then focus your efforts and energies on them. Learning these four steps for saying No will make sure you are not distracted from what is important. Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:25:00 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/280558/four-steps-that-will-keep-you-on-track-to-achieve-your-goals.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/266898/how-to-use-feedback-to-become-a-top-performer.htm The top 20% of people survive. Becoming one of them must be your objective in difficult economic times. Learn how to use feedback to improve your performance and become a survivor. Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:46:48 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/266898/how-to-use-feedback-to-become-a-top-performer.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/266896/key-steps-in-becoming-resilient-and-learning-how-to-keep-your-bounce.htm Resilient people keep going even when the going is tough. They stay focused and energised. They get results. They know that resilience is not character or personality. It is a set of behaviours that we can choose to learn and apply. Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:45:18 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/266896/key-steps-in-becoming-resilient-and-learning-how-to-keep-your-bounce.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/266303/what-do-your-conversations-say-about-the-culture-of-your-organisation.htm One can learn a great deal about the culture of an organisation by listening to the conversations that people hold. What kind of conversations do you hear in your workplace and what do they tell you about your culture? Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:26:35 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/266303/what-do-your-conversations-say-about-the-culture-of-your-organisation.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/265818/being-stressed-is-a-choice-learn-how-to-say-no.htm The pace of life gets faster and faster. There is more and more we have to do: there is more and more we want to do. How much more of this can we take? It is important to remember that being stressed is a choice, even when you are up to your neck in crocodiles. Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:47:58 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/265818/being-stressed-is-a-choice-learn-how-to-say-no.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/265807/10-tips-for-running-better-meetings.htm Most of us feel we spend far too much time in meetings. Much of that time is often wasted. It is not difficult to run efficient and productive meetings if you follow the tips in this article. Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:29:11 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/265807/10-tips-for-running-better-meetings.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/254923/develop-healthier-relationships-by-learning-how-to-say-no.htm How often have you found yourself saying Yes, when all you really want to do is say No! If you cannot say No, you are unable to protect your own integrity and will forever be at the beck and call of others. This article shows you how to say No in three simple steps. Wed, 24 Dec 2008 04:57:56 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/254923/develop-healthier-relationships-by-learning-how-to-say-no.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/254311/conversations-that-can-change-your-life.htm We have many conversations in the course of a lifetime. Some are routine; inconsequential. Others determine the course of relationships and sometimes, even history. How able are you to recognise and step up to the critical conversations in your life? Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:34:00 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/254311/conversations-that-can-change-your-life.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/252935/give-positive-feedback-catch-people-doing-it-right.htm Animal trainers make a living from it. The research supports it. We know it is the right thing to do. Why then do managers use so little of it? If you really want top performance from your people, give them the one thing most likely to help them deliver. Give them positive feedback. Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:08:42 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/252935/give-positive-feedback-catch-people-doing-it-right.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/251576/walking-the-talk-how-to-live-up-to-your-values.htm We talk a lot about values such as showing respect, developing people and caring for customers. Unless we learn to walk the talk with day to day behaviours that support these values, the hopes we have of living up to them will be nothing more than empty intentions. Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:23:38 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/251576/walking-the-talk-how-to-live-up-to-your-values.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/251053/give-people-feedback-help-them-perform-at-their-best.htm It is often said that feedback is the breakfast of champions. We know that a day goes better when it starts off with a good breakfast. Whether in sport or at work, feedback is vital for top performance. It is one of the most direct and effective tools managers and leaders can use to help people perform. Wed, 17 Dec 2008 06:29:45 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/251053/give-people-feedback-help-them-perform-at-their-best.htm