Chantal "Taly" Russell

At some point in time, almost every manager is going to encounter an under-performing employee. In some cases, a manager may simply terminate the employee, but in other cases, there may be a greater benefit in investing some additional effort to try and help them improve. A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is one way to do this. Just creating a Performance Improvement Plan will not help on its own. The PIP needs to be implemented properly to work effectively. Here are 3 keys to  successfully  implementing a PIP. Addressing the Right Issues Developing a PIP should be a  collaborative process , not a series of directives. Too many managers make the mistake of assuming they know  why  performance is lagging without ever taking the time to consult the employee experiencing the lag. Instead of simply telling the employee all the many ways they are failing, make sure you are really listening to what they feel the obstacles are to their success. For any PIP ...

When people think of creative jobs, they often think of artistic fields or endeavors. The truth is, however, that creativity is simply the means by which you imagine new solutions to old problems. Creativity is, at heart, nothing more than outside-the-box thinking, which is important in any business or industry. Here are 3 ways to cultivate and promote a creative work environment. Balance Collaborative Opportunities with Quiet Time Too much of a good thing generally isn’t good. While remote workers often lose out on the collaborative opportunities afforded in an office, office workers don’t have as much ability to create the same interruption-free zone that remote workers can. Innovation requires a delicate balance of input from others to fuel creativity and quiet time to put all the pieces together. To get the most from employees, businesses have to create an  environment where both needs can be met . Foster Ongoing Learning and Exploration Some of the most wealthy an...

There is a growing need for people to develop their soft skills to successfully compete in the workplace. Employers look beyond the obvious hard skills that are necessary for a job and value mastery in areas of communication, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, time management and conflict resolution. A lifetime of habits and attitudes can be difficult to change, but it can be done. The first hurdle is identifying the weak areas one wants to improve. There are serval ways for a person to improve their soft skills. Take a Class Many local colleges and worker training organizations offer classes and workshops for enhancing communication, leadership and other important skills. There are also a variety of online courses that make learning easy and convenient. Websites like  LinkedIn Learning ,  edX ,  Udemy  and  Coursera  offer courses in a variety of topics. Download an App There are apps available for helping with time management, leadership ...