Tips from March 5, 2010 The Small Business tips today discuss handling conflict management.
Engage in active listening. There are two sides to every story, and listening to others will help in understanding what the problem is, and open up ways to solve the issue at hand.
Pay attention to others. Conflicts involve more than one party. Take the time to listen to both parties, and try to understand where each is coming from.
Arrange a meeting between the parties involved in the conflict. A mediation session will allow both parties to confront each other in a controlled setting to talk out their problems.
Communicate clearly. A conflict will never be solved without clear, honest, and open communication.
Daily Overview: Be a leader when it comes to conflict management and take control of the situation. You will gain respect.
By Cheryl Sowa · March 05 2010
small business tips, small business, tips, communication
Tips from March 4, 2010 The Small Business tips today discuss managing emotions when dealing with other people.
Emotion= Energy in MOTION. You are expressing outwardly what you are feeling. Once you start, it is hard to stop.
Take a step back from a potentially emotionally charged situation. Gather your thoughts, take a deep breath, and decide how to proceed with the situation.
Keep a journal. Writing down feelings is a good way to let out how you are feeling emotionally, and to gather your thoughts. It also helps to keep your emotions in check.
Talk to those friends and family members that you trust. When you can confide in someone and discuss your true feelings, it helps to express your feelings in a safe way.
Daily Overview: Keep your emotions in check, especially at the workplace. Losing your cool can be detrimental to your image.
By Cheryl Sowa · March 04 2010
small business tips, small business, trust, workplace
We use "people skills" each day during every interaction with others. Interactions in the workplace generally have a professional manner, and are typically analyzed and scrutinized. Look no further if you desire to boost your personal skills, be confident in the office, connect with others to establish rapport, and understand your reasoning for miscommunication. Follow these Ten Commandments for People Skills in the Workplace.1. Thou Shall Not ComplainDon't complain! The workplace will be a stressful environment at times. Complaining at work takes away from productivity and invites negativity to take over. At least half of the people you complain to at work will not care, and some could even think that you got what you had coming. If you're frustrated with something while at work, save it for personal time.2. Thou Shall SmileSmile and say cheese! Smiling is part of the foundation for outstanding people skills. It shows the worl...
By Cheryl Sowa · March 04 2010
confidence, work, communication, workplace
Tips from March 3, 2010 The Small Business tips today discuss nonverbal communication.
Smile! Showing your pearly whites invites people to your conversation. It also generates a positive vibe and environment to share ideas.
Eye contact is crucial. It shows that you are paying attention to what is going on around you, and that you are listening to the conversation. Eye contact will engage others to interact with you in conversation as well.
Stop fidgeting! Nervous hand gestures, such a foot tapping, folding hands over chest, hair twirling, or just anything awkward will generate negativity and uneasiness in others.
Nod your head while others are talking. They will know you are listening, and acknowledging that you understand what is taking place.
Daily Overview: You can communicate to the world without speaking. Keep these nonverbal cues in check the next time you are speaking.
By Cheryl Sowa · March 03 2010
small business tips, small business, communication, nonverbal communication
Update 02/01/2013: Google has since updated their review content guidelines to prohibit review stations and giving customers free gifts or discounts for leaving reviews. This article was written prior to the change and may provide information that is no longer relevant or considered a best practice.
Small businesses are in a unique position to truly benefit from customer reviews. Chains are pretty well locked into their branding and there tends to be very little differentiation city-to-city and state-to-state. They will build reputations for being consistent and predictable, but rarely break through to extraordinary. However, small businesses are unencumbered by these expectations; small businesses have the opportunity to make a name for themselves as some...
By Jorge Cordova · March 02 2010
reviews, yelp, google, ezlocal
Tips from March 2, 2010 The Small Business tips today discuss how to improve people skills.
Pay attention to others. Observe, acknowledge, ask for their opinions and beliefs, and make eye contact.
Everyone loves humor. Be clever, make people smile and laugh. They might not remember the joke, but will remember how you made them feel.
Don't complain. Spare your grievances. Keep your negativity to yourself to avoid boring others and giving yourself a bad reputation.
Be appreciative. Find positives in every situation. Tell people you appreciate them through encouragement, praise, and welcoming gestures.
Daily Overview: Improving your people skills well help in creating and enhancing professional and personal relationships.
By Cheryl Sowa · March 02 2010
small business tips, small business, eye contact, people skills
In the NewsU.S. to Help Banks in Distressed AreasThe Treasury Department will invest up to $1 billion from the federal bank bailout fund in small banks and credit unions that make loans to small businesses in some of the communities most ravaged by the economic downturn, officials announced on Wednesday. NYtimes.com
Management & Operations How To Develop Your Global Leadership Pipeline To stay competitive in your industry and accomplish your goals, it is important to have strong leadership. This stems from executives, managers, and even entry-level employees, as they develop skills for improving the...
By Cheryl Sowa · March 02 2010
small business brief, marketing, small business, credit card
Tips from March 1, 2010 The Small Business tips today discuss how to assess people skills.
Casual conversation helps bring people skills to light. Take note of various actions, reactions, body language, and topics in a natural setting.
Someone's answer to a "what if" question can tell you a lot about them. Ask about real life situations. Remember their reactions and what they'd do in that situation.
Watch someone's interaction with others, and gather a group of observers to watch as well. Ask other observers about the interaction to get other, unbiased opinions of how it went.
Conduct a self assessment. Ask questions on what people think about themselves: strengths, weaknesses, organization, coaching, listening & communication.
Daily Overview: To assess someone's people skills it's best to compare your own observations against what they think of themselves. Communication is a large part of these skills. Take...
By Cheryl Sowa · March 01 2010
small business tips, small business, conversation, communication
