No Bull Business Blog

Coaching: Leading them to the right choices

Excerpted from the Executive Report: Coaching Skills for Managers and Supervisors

One of the better coaching techniques is to let people make their own choices, rather than dictating choices to them.

Still, even if you encourage people to make choices, there are ways to lead them to make the right choices.

One approach is known as "Simplicity sells."

It's based on research from Stanford University indicating that the more choices you give people, the less likely it is they'll make good choices.

When faced with a wide range of choices, people tend to shut down and make no choice at all, or just say, "Oh, anything's fine."

The fix: Limit the choices to a low number - that is, emphasize quality over quantity.

Then, let people choose from that manageable number. It's sure to get better results.

DIGGING DEEPER
Coaching employees to be more effective, productive and motivated is challenging for even the most experienced managers, but it can be done. For help, read the Executive Report: Coaching Skills for Managers and Supervisors

Nine worst words to use at work

You’ll lose credibility using these words in this story. So edit yourself and take them out. See the list of 9.

What employers don't want to see on Facebook

Excerpted from the Executive Report: The HR Guide to Recruiting with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter

Even though most job seekers are warned to clean up their social networking profiles so they'll make an attractive impression, many don't - or just don't seem to care.

So what do hiring managers find that reflects badly on a candidate?

A CareerBuilder study found that 35% of managers reported finding content that turned them off. The top examples cited:

• Candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs or information - 53%
  
• Candidate posted content about them drinking or using drugs - 44%
  
• Candidate bad-mouthed their previous employer, co-workers or clients - 35%
  
• Candidate showed poor communication skills - 29%
  
• Candidate made discriminatory comments - 26%
  
• Candidate lied about qualifications - 24%
• Candidate shared confidential information from previous employer - 20%
  

Just using a "smiley face" or emoticon prompted some managers (14% at least) to disqualify a candidate. Another 16% dismissed a candidate for using text language such as GR8 (great) in an e-mail or job application.  

DIGGING DEEPER
Social media has made a lot of information available about job candidates. But what can an potential employer do with it? Find out in the Executive Report: The HR Guide to Recruiting with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter