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What is Emotional Intelligence and Why Does It Matter?

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What is Emotional Intelligence and Why Does It Matter?

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I chose this news article for this module because it contained chapters on leadership and motivation. I believe that emotional intelligence is one of the most important characteristics that a manager can have in today's business environment.

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Credit: Crafter/ShutterStock

Most people agree that having a strong work ethic, dedication and skill makes a successful employee. However, a new study finds that high emotional intelligence also plays a key role in career success.

In an article published in the Journal of Vocational Behavior, Joseph C. Rode, professor of management at Miami University of Ohio, and his co-authors found emotional intelligence is linked to bigger salaries and higher job satisfaction.

While high emotional intelligence alone won't make you successful, it will probably make you happier and more successful in your career. Business News Daily talked to Rode and other experts about what emotional intelligence is and how you can use it to advance your career.

According to Liz Bentley, founder of Liz Bentley Associates, "emotional intelligence in its simplest form is our ability to get along with people." Bentley said people with high emotional intelligence have self-awareness and social awareness, and can manage themselves and others.

Similarly, Rode describes emotional intelligence as the ability to recognize and manage emotional information.

"It represents the intersection of emotions and general mental ability - sometimes referred to as IQ," he said. "It can also be thought of as the extent to which one actively thinks about emotion, or uses emotions as important information in a manner similar to other information such as facts and opinions."

Bentley added that people with high emotional intelligence typically drive good outcomes and results, align people with the mission, hold people accountable, coach their subordinates and colleagues when they're stuck, and create a collaborative and cohesive work environment.

Emotional intelligence and its associated people skills are important because people are an important part of any business.

"People are our most valuable and critical commodity," Bentley told Business News Daily. "We are all in the people business - people are our bosses, subordinates, team members, colleagues, clients, vendors and consumers."

Emotions, said Rode, are important pieces of information that must be considered in decision-making - even if that means learning to tune them out.

"While emotional intelligence includes the ability to use emotions to increase motivation and focus, it also includes the ability to detach from very powerful short-term emotions when needed to better focus on the tasks at hand," he said.

Rode's study found that people with high emotional intelligence typically have higher salaries than people who don't. To measure emotional intelligence, Rode and his co-authors required participants to solve multiple emotional problems that had right and wrong answers like an IQ test. For example, participants had to identify emotions in faces or artwork, and identify the best response to different scenarios. Higher emotional intelligence has shown to be related to several measures of leadership effectiveness.

"Following this research, we argued that emotional intelligence should be more relevant to success - and salary - at higher organizational levels, where leadership becomes a relatively more important part of one's job," said Rode.

But what is the connection between high emotional intelligence and high salary? Brad Flowers, partner of boutique branding agency Bullhorn Creative, says this important quality helps you to read the situation and time your request just right.

"The most difficult part of getting a bigger salary is asking for it," Flowers said. "Emotional intelligence - combined with a smart case - equips you with the tools to recognize the perfect moment to ask, how to ask appropriate for your audience, and how to deal with any answer you receive."

Jennifer Hancock, founder of Humanist Learning Systems, said people with emotional intelligence also typically have high salaries because they tend to be more productive.

"People who are good at working with other people and getting other people to work with them tend to get more work done," she told Business News Daily. "They have good reputations since people like working with them."

Saige Driver

Saige Driver graduated from Ball State University in 2015 with a degree in journalism. She started her career at a radio station in Indiana, and is currently a B2B staff writer at Business News Daily. She loves reading and her beagle mix, Millie. Reach her by email, or follow her on Twitter.

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What Is Emotional Intelligence and Why Does It Matter?

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Most people agree that having a strong work ethic, dedication and skill makes a successful employee. However, a new study finds that high emotional intelligence also plays a key role in career success. In an article published in the Journal of Vocational Behavior, Joseph C.

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The Internet of Things is Changing the Entire Production and Supply Chain

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The Internet of Things is Changing the Entire Production and Supply Chain

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I chose this news article for this module because it contained chapters on technology and production.

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Credit: xieyuliang/Shutterstock

The manufacturing industry is undergoing a dramatic shift centered around new technologies that offer the promise of greater efficiency, speed and higher quality. A central component of this shift toward Industry 4.0 is the internet of things (IoT), which serves as the frontline of data capture in the modern factory. What's more, this datacentric focus extends well beyond the shop floor; the entire supply chain is coming under the watchful eye of IoT-enabled devices.

IoT broadly refers to a network of devices and sensors capable of capturing and communicating data with one another. The sensors in the system enable the collection of granular data, for example, from assets like machinery - energy consumption, heat levels, uptime/downtime - or the tracking of goods in transit.

"When it comes to supply and production, having internet-enabled production lines provides a direct line of information about the current supply and demand of any given product," said Robyn Edgar of the mobile software developer Hifyre. "It allows manufacturers to fine-tune their process by tapping into data-driven strategies."

Oftentimes, this data is made actionable by artificial intelligence. Machine learning algorithms comb through the collected data for anomalies to flag and returns notifications and recommendations to human decision-makers. Organization-wide data can also be transmitted to any mixed reality devices employees might be using, whether on the factory floor or in the warehouses.

The data capture enabled by IoT primarily drives greater overall efficiency by helping to optimize each phase of the production process. Whether it's general day-to-day operations, the health of machinery, or reducing energy consumption, information collected by IoT devices supports better decision-making and quick alerts when something is going wrong.

"There are certain limitations on the production capability of every manufacturing unit, but industries are continuously looking for growth and efficiency, which can be achieved by the implementation of IoT in the manufacturing facility," said Pankaj Kumar Raushan, lead analyst of smart manufacturing at MarketsandMarkets. "IoT helps in collecting all the relevant data from the very core of the machines, which further can be analyzed to find any gray areas in the system or any scope of improvement."

A major benefit of the bird's-eye view offered by IoT is preventative or predictive maintenance. For instance, when a machine uses excessive energy, overheats or begins severely vibrating, management can see this data and perform maintenance before a critical failure occurs.

IoT implementation also promises smart energy management. This type of system can identify waste and opportunities for improvement, reducing energy expenses and boosting efficiency in the production process.

"IoT can be implemented within the actual manufacturing equipment to create more efficient processes, [and] it will allow downloading updates to upgrade machinery on demand," said Daniel Miller, a tech and manufacturing recruiting specialist at Empowered Staffing. "We will see a realm of tech production that will be more efficient then we have ever seen before. [IoT] will create many wins for a multitude of manufacturing, construction, farming and technology sectors."

IoT doesn't end at the manufacturing plant. The network of data capture and analysis can span the entire supply chain, from resource procurement through product refinement and tracking to notifying end users when a product needs maintenance or replacement.

Samantha Radocchia, co-founder and CMO of Chronicled, envisions a unified system where these oft-disparate parts of the process come together leveraging IoT and blockchain. One project Chronicled is working on with Responsible Gold aims to track gold production "from the mine to the vault."

"You can envision a world with more automated supply chain processes, using many sensors working together to trigger these events," Radocchia said. "For the first step, raw gold from the mine is placed in the container, which is sealed with a microchip. At that point, it's registered with a mobile device ... and then at every point where it changes hand, every sensor is another signature."

Using blockchain enables more than just simple tracking, Radocchia said. Automatic triggers include transfer of custody and even release of payments in escrow accounts once products reach their intended destination.

When that destination is the final consumer, whether a business or an individual, IoT still has a role to play. For consumable products, companies can alert their customers when maintenance or replacement is needed, or even monitor for anomalies or problems.

"In the era of industrial IoT, exchange of information between supply chain and production is in real time," Kumar Raushan said. "For example ... integration [of asset tracking] with IoT technologies will help in gathering a deeper level of information and probably alert the operator of areas of concern.

Integrating IoT with supply chain also helps in accurately determining the exact location and condition of the product, which helps in precise production planning, Kumar Raushan said. However, integration is only implemented in bits and pieces at this point, since it involves lots of infrastructure changes and cost.

The cost of true, full scale IoT implementation is a major barrier to mass adoption. While companies are already starting to implement IoT systems, many are incomplete and will take some time to grow to the level of a truly comprehensive system. Still, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC), total IoT investment topped $800 billion in 2017, and the research organization anticipates growth eclipsing $1.4 trillion by 2021. However, as is often the case with emerging technologies, the cost of sensors is falling over time, making IoT a more accessible technology.

Another major barrier are "data silos." In short, this means a lack of interoperability, either due to technical challenges or an unwillingness on the part of companies to work together. Radocchia said combining IoT with blockchain can change this, without the need for companies to expose their proprietary information to one another.

"The challenge is most of that data is siloed," she said. "There's one sensor tracking packages, one tracking temperature, one verifying packages entering the warehouse; none of these devices are really able to talk to each other unless there's a direct integration through API. Without that central backbone, it's a challenge to see the world and supply chains work as efficiently as they could."

And finally, there's the elephant in the room: security. The IoT, by its very nature, means more devices connected to a network, offering potential attackers more entry points and increasing attack vectors. There's a lot manufacturers of IoT devices can do to improve the security situation, but maintaining best practices and establishing firm policies around security remains the responsibility of the company implementing the system.

For a comprehensive look at cybersecurity and IoT, see what these experts have to say.

Adam C. Uzialko

Adam received his Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Journalism & Media Studies at Rutgers University. He worked for a local newspaper and freelanced for several publications after graduating college. He can be reached by email, or follow him on Twitter.

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The Internet of Things is Changing the Entire Production and Supply Chain

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The manufacturing industry is undergoing a dramatic shift centered around new technologies that offer the promise of greater efficiency, speed and higher quality. A central component of this shift toward Industry 4.0 is the internet of things (IoT), which serves as the frontline of data capture in the modern factory.

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Prevent Employee Absenteeism Issues With a Smart Time-Off Policy

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Prevent Employee Absenteeism Issues With a Smart Time-Off Policy

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I chose this news article for this module because it contained a chapter on motivation and this could be one of the incentives managers use to keep employees' morale high and keep them productive.

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Credit: Smit/Shutterstock

Do you have an employee who is constantly calling out "sick" or taking excessive amounts of time off? While many employee absences are legitimate, recurring unscheduled absenteeism can really disrupt a business - especially if the employee is taking paid time off.

Your first instinct might be to discipline the employee, accuse them of taking advantage, or even threaten to fire them. But if their reason for missing work qualifies as a legally protected absence, you could land yourself in hot water.

Tricia Meyer, founder and managing attorney at Meyer Law, noted that it's important for employers understand federal or state laws regarding employee leave so they aren't creating illegal policies or making unfair demands of their workers. Here's what you need to know about creating a smart time-off policy and handling employee absences.
Editor's note: Looking for information on time and attendance systems? Use the questionnaire below, and our vendor partners will contact you to provide you with the information you need:
Whether you're writing your first time-off policy or updating your existing one, our sources recommended including a few key things.

Employee work hours: Define the expected business hours and number of hours worked per week, as well as a clock-in/out procedure to make sure employees are meeting those requirements.

Available paid and unpaid leave: Aside from regular paid time off (including sick days, personal days and vacation days), list out paid (or unpaid) holidays, leave periods (e.g., bereavement or jury duty), and federally protected absences like the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and disability leave.

"Write a clear description of what paid and unpaid leave is available for employees, including when and how they qualify for leave and how much leave they accrue each week, pay period, month or year," said Jaime Lizotte, HR solutions manager at ComplyRight.

Calling-in procedure: What is the procedure for calling in sick or notifying the company when an employee won't be in? Should someone be notified if an employee will be late? Are employees responsible for finding a replacement for unscheduled time off?

"Be sure to explain the policy for requesting leave, including any deadlines for vacation request and blackout periods," Lizotte told Business News Daily.

Your policy should be shared among all employees, supervisors and managers. Additionally, executives should be trained on how to apply it fairly, according to HRhero.

Consequences for violations: The last part of your policy should spell out the repercussions if an employee does not follow the policy.

"Write down the steps that will be taken for various infractions, to protect your business from charges of favoritism or discrimination down the line," said Lizotte.

As an employer, you have a legal obligation to treat employees fairly when it comes to your leave policies. Research federal laws like FMLA, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. You should also familiarize yourself with your state's workers' compensation laws, according to HRhero.

"You must make sure that you are not reprimanding or even denying the absence of an employee for any protected reason," said Lizotte. "Also, make sure that you are treating each employee the same so that you do not end up with a discrimination or wrongful termination claim."

It is always best to have an experienced attorney review your policies to make sure there's no problematic language or rules.

"Employers should consult with professionals to ensure that they are complying with various federal and state laws with respect to their policy and implementing best practices," Meyer told Business News Daily. "An employer's policy should be clearly written and sent to all employees for their review/acknowledgment."

Employee absences are more than just a compliance issue, and how you handle them affects company costs, profitability, culture, employee morale and more, said Raj Narayanaswamy, co-founder and co-CEO of Replicon.

"The way you choose to comply with these absence requirements can have a far-reaching impact on more than just your legal department, so take the time to fully understand how time is being deployed in your company," he said.

Lizotte noted that employers can easily track employees' absences by either creating a process in their company in which they document absences regularly, such as with paper, or finding an electronic solution that allows them to easily enter employee absences as they occur.

"If the employer intends on scaling the company, I'd recommend using a third-party software product to track, as it is typically less administratively burdensome compared to tracking in a spreadsheet, is less likely to contain errors, and allows the employer to ensure compliance with state and federal laws more easily," Meyer said.

Before you approach an employee about chronic absenteeism, it's wise to conduct an internal audit to uncover the root of the issue, said Lizotte. Is your employee choosing to call out of work because they're feeling stressed and pressured and need some time to decompress? Are they calling out because of a family situation (e.g., caring for children or aging parents)? Because of health-related behaviors of their own?

Next, Lizotte said to look at your company's attitude toward unscheduled absenteeism. Do you tolerate it because everyone needs time off now and then? Do you feel it's abused because you don't know how to manage it differently? Or is it frowned upon, and the employees know it, but it still happens?

"By conducting this audit and answering these questions, you will be able to identify ... [and] understand any absentee issues your company may have, and [then] implement a plan," said Lizotte.

Prior to taking any disciplinary action against an employee, we advise consulting an HR professional and/or an attorney to make sure you're staying legally compliant.
Additional reporting by Sammi Caramela.

Jennifer Post

Jennifer Post graduated from Rowan University in 2012 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. Having worked in the food industry, print and online journalism, and marketing, she is now a freelance contributor for Business News Daily. When she's not working, you will find her exploring her current town of Cape May, NJ or binge watching Pretty Little Liars for the 700th time.

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Prevent Employee Absenteeism Issues With a Smart Time-Off Policy

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Do you have an employee who is constantly calling out "sick" or taking excessive amounts of time off? While many employee absences are legitimate, recurring unscheduled absenteeism can really disrupt a business - especially if the employee is taking paid time off.

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I chose this news article for this module because it contains a chapter on managing organizational culture. To have a successful organizational culture where every employee feels comfortable and productive, you must eliminate interpersonal conflicts as soon as possible.

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When you get a group of people together, conflict is likely to occur at some point. This includes your employees. People will disagree or find fault in one another. There might be passive jabs or yelling fights.

As harmonious as you'd like your workplace to be, there will be rifts at some point. Perfect responses to behavioral interview questions and pristine job-fit assessments don't guarantee a constantly peaceful workplace.

5 Steps To Handle Conflict

Hopefully, your employees can resolve their own conflicts. But sometimes, you might need to step in to help. When a conflict erupts between your employees, use the following five steps to walk them through the situation.

1. Welcome Conflict

Conflict at work can be a good thing. It can show you where issues lie within your business. And, it can help your employees grow and improve as a team. Don't shy away from conflict. Tackle it as soon as possible before it escalates. Avoiding conflict can be a bad thing. Tension might increase and the conflict can become worse.

When you discover a conflict between employees, encourage them to work it out. Offer yourself as a mediator. Or, simply be in the room with the employees to defuse tension if needed.

2. Open Communication

The only way to resolve conflict is to communicate. Encourage your feuding employees to set up a time to meet, whether alone or with your supervision. There should be ample time to talk without distractions.

Make sure each person has the opportunity to say what they want. They shouldn't be interrupted by you or the other employee involved. Also, one employee should not control the conversation. Both should be offered an equal amount of time to talk.

An employee shouldn't attack or blame the other during this time. If needed, set some ground rules. For example, you might ask the employees to focus on the problem at hand, not personal characteristics.

You can also help direct what the employees say to create a more productive conversation. For instance, you might ask the employees to phrase their statements as, "When you did ... I felt ..." You might also prompt your employees to give specific examples so everyone better understands the situation.

3. Listen Actively

Having the employees meet to talk is only beneficial if everyone involved actively listens. Everyone should give their full attention to the person who is talking. You and the other employees involved should not be checking emails, playing on phones, or doodling on paper.

As mentioned in step two, don't interrupt the person who is talking. Let them finish saying everything they want to say.

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When you get a group of people together, conflict is likely to occur at some point. This includes your employees. People will disagree or find fault in one another. There might be passive jabs or yelling fights. As harmonious as you'd like your workplace to be, there will be rifts at some point.

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I chose this picture because it sums up employee motivation and what needs the employees have.

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I chose this photo with this quote because it is one of the most important principles of business. Without customers businesses would not exist and this was a great quote by Peter Drucker who is the father of MBO or management by objectives.

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I chose this cartoon for this module because it pertains to the competitive dynamics and strategies that are involved with strategic planning. All companies have to continue using innovation as a model for success in the future or they will fall behind.

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I chose this photo for this module because it explains the different social media platforms that are available. Since social media has become such a huge part in the business world today it's important to understand the basics of each platform.

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I chose this article for this module because it talks about how some companies are wanting to use their human resource managers more like their CFO's and use them more as a sounding board.

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It's time to say good-bye to the Department of Human Resources. Well, not the useful tasks it performs. But the department per se must go.

I talk with CEOs across the globe who are disappointed in their HR people. They would like to be able to use their chief human resource officers (CHROs) the way they use their CFOs-as sounding boards and trusted partners-and rely on their skills in linking people and numbers to diagnose weaknesses and strengths in the organization, find the right fit between employees and jobs, and advise on the talent implications of the company's strategy.

But it's a rare CHRO who can serve in such an active role. Most of them are process-oriented generalists who have expertise in personnel benefits, compensation, and labor relations. They are focused on internal matters such as engagement, empowerment, and managing cultural issues. What they can't do very well is relate HR to real-world business needs. They don't know how key decisions are made, and they have great difficulty analyzing why people-or whole parts of the organization-aren't meeting the business's performance goals.

Among the few CHROs who do know, I almost always find a common distinguishing quality: They have worked in line operations-such as sales, services, or manufacturing-or in finance. The celebrated former CHRO of GE, Bill Conaty, was a plant manager before Jack Welch brought him into HR. Conaty weighed in on key promotions and succession planning, working hand in glove with Welch in a sweeping overhaul of the company. Mary Anne Elliott, the CHRO of Marsh, had had several managerial roles outside HR. She is overhauling the HR pipeline to bring in other people with business experience. Santrupt Misra, who left Hindustan Unilever to join Aditya Birla Group in 1996, became a close partner of the chairman, Kumar Mangalam Birla, working on organization and restructuring and developing P&L managers. He runs a $2 billion business as well as heading HR at the $45 billion conglomerate.

Such people have inspired the solution I have in mind. It is radical, but it is grounded in practicality. My proposal is to eliminate the position of CHRO and split HR into two strands. One-we might call it HR-A (for administration)-would primarily manage compensation and benefits. It would report to the CFO, who would have to see compensation as a talent magnet, not just a major cost. The other, HR-LO (for leadership and organization), would focus on improving the people capabilities of the business and would report to the CEO.

HR-LO would be led by high potentials from operations or finance whose business expertise and people skills give them a strong chance of attaining the top two layers of the organization. Leading HR-LO would build their experience in judging and developing people, assessing the company's inner workings, and linking its social system to its financial performance. They would also draw others from the business side into the HR-LO pipeline. After a few years these high potentials would move to either horizontal or higher-level line management jobs. In either case they would continue to rise, so their time in HR-LO would be seen as a developmental step rather than a ticket-punching exercise.

This proposal is just a bare outline. I expect to see plenty of opposition to it. But the problem with HR is real. One way or another, it will have to gain the business acumen needed to help organizations perform at their best.

A version of this article appeared in the July-August 2014 issue of Harvard Business Review.

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It's time to say good-bye to the Department of Human Resources. Well, not the useful tasks it performs. But the department per se must go. I talk with CEOs across the globe who are disappointed in their HR people. They would like to be able to use their chief human resource officers (CHROs) the way [...]

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How Team Review Meetings Can Increase Collaboration

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How Team Review Meetings Can Increase Collaboration

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I chose this article for this module because it pertains to groups and teams in an organization and how increasing the number of team review meetings would help increase collaboration throughout the entire organization.

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Image credit: Caiaimage | Trevor Adeline | Getty Images

The following excerpt is from Riaz Khadem and Linda Khadem's book Total Alignment. Buy it now from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

The best results are produced through collaboration, a fundamental requirement for alignment. Collaboration needs to take place both within and outside teams, throughout the organization. In particular, the action planning process requires collaboration.

Related: How to Measure the Effectiveness of Your Company's Vision

How do you improve collaboration? Here are two approaches: Abide by the five principles of collaboration discussed below, and use the team reviews to erode the silos that might exist in your organization.

Five principles of collaboration

Collaboration produces a greater good, one that benefits the entire organization as well as your own department or function. The following principles of collaboration have a strong impact on releasing the power of alignment:

1. Only make a command decision when safety is at stake. This applies to everyone regardless of the role they have relating to a process indicator. A command decision is a decision you take without consulting with others. In an emergency situation, a command decision could be appropriate. However, at all other times, this type of decision can be highly demotivating.

2. Only take back responsibility after it's been delegated if the person is incompetent and is being replaced. This applies to managers with critical management factors (CMFs). If you have a CMF in your scorecard, then you've already delegated the accountability for the indicator to someone reporting to you directly or indirectly. If you're not happy with the performance of the person who has the critical success factor (CSF), you should pay attention to their level of competency and put them on fast track training, or replace them.

3. Only make a decision about your own CSF after first getting input from those who have indispensable influence on your success. Every CSF owner should consult with the cross-functional influence (CIF) relationships. If you make a decision completely on your own, those with CIFs for your factor will be less inclined to help you when you need their help later.

4. Only make decisions that impact the performance of people on whom you have indispensable influence after first consulting with them. This principle will help prevent CIF owners from taking over the job of CSF holders. If you have a CIF in your scorecard, and the factor isn't performing well, you might be tempted to take action to solve it. But you'd be interfering with someone else's job. Your action will not only be insufficient, but it will demotivate the CSF owner.

Related: The 4 Roles of Accountability Within Your Company

5. If you're managing people who have indispensable influence on someone else's results, remember that their contribution should be only through influence and persuasion. This applies specifically to dotted line managers who have critical influence management (CIM) factors. As a leader, you should encourage the people you manage to collaborate with CSF owners and not take over their jobs.

Adherence to these five principles will have a significant impact on the culture of your company and will increase collaboration. Consequently, you'll witness faster execution of initiatives at all the levels and higher impact on improving results.

Using your team reviews to erode silos

Many organizations have developed silos. They're a type of invisible structure that impedes the cross-functional collaboration essential to alignment. Often, silos exist where one function builds its own turf without considering the needs of other functions. Silos can thrive where company politics of acquiring budget, promoting special projects or influencing job promotions are rife.

Learning about silos and how to prevent them from forming will give any company great benefits. If silos already exist in your organization, following the pattern of CSF/CIF collaboration will help break them down or "erode" their negative impact. Here are some of the dynamics manifested in the team review process that will help erode silos and encourage collaboration:

Related: 3 Reports Every Manager Should Have

As the owner of a CSF, you should know you have permission to invite the CIF owners from different functions to your team review and consult about improving the status of your CSF.

As a CIF owner, you know you have permission to respond to the invitation of the CSF owner, attend their meeting and collaborate to improve a CSF.

Whether you're a CSF owner or a CIF owner, you both share the status of the CSF, and therefore you both benefit from the improvement of the factor.

Direct communication among individuals from different departments without requiring permission or going through their boss for approval gradually erodes the silos and promotes collaboration.

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How Team Review Meetings Can Increase Collaboration

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The following excerpt is from Riaz Khadem and Linda Khadem's book Total Alignment. Buy it now from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound The best results are produced through collaboration, a fundamental requirement for alignment. Collaboration needs to take place both within and outside teams, throughout the organization.

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5 Tips for Dealing Better with Workplace Diversity

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5 Tips for Dealing Better with Workplace Diversity

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I chose this article for this module because it is dealing with diversity in the workplace. It talks about five things managers must do to keep a steady and peaceful workplace among its diverse workforce.

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Diversity is a good thing. Always has been. Always will be. But, still, it can be just as dangerous as it is good. While a diverse staff can be a great thing and bring amazing new perspectives to the table, it can also cause palpable tensions that destroy whatever benefits have already been brought to the table.

The reason is obvious: People are touchy about issues like race, religion and personal orientation; yet understanding "diversity" as comprising much more than these things can help you become a better manager and employer. Here are a few tips.
Read This: Entrepreneur Voices on Strategic Management | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
1. Redefine, and recognize the many types of diversity.

As already stated, diversity has many categories, and not all are readily noticeable. To notice them you have to peer a little deeper. One key reason many people feel comfortable in one workplace, but unfulfilled in another, may be because they are diverse in those subtle little ways.

That all your staff hail from the same state doesn't mean they are not diverse. For instance, you have to take note of the obvious diversities like race, religion, gender and sexual orientation, but you also need to find out about the small guy who always slinks away from birthday celebrations; you need to notice the diversity of thought among your staff members.

The meaning of diversity has changed. Factors can be as simple as height. That unusually small guy? He may be plagued by a confidence complex and think he sees discrimination where it doesn't exist. The office's extremely tall guy, meanwhile, may feel the exact same way.

2. Redefine discrimination, and clamp down on all its forms.

Workplace jokes are often what make work fun, and the resulting camaraderie is what makes people look forward to coming to work the next day or to the next online meeting. Yet certain jokes and comments must be closely censored.

In a friend's company, where most of the staff worked remotely and hailed from diverse nations; "Hello Jimmy, how is Africa?" addressed to a man named Jimmy who actually was in Africa degenerated to a racist slur when voiced repeatedly.

Discrimination is the most common result of diversity and the reason that same workplace diversity can be harmful at times. The Workforce Diversity Network has redefined discrimination to include actions both intentional and unintentional, conscious and subconscious -- all of which should be recogized and acted on by the manager closest in contact with the offending staff.

3. Celebrate diversity in all ways possible.

Nikos Antoniades, the CEO of Easymarkets, was asked in an interview, shortly after he took that job, how he handled diversity.

"Our clients are based in over 160 countries around the world," Antoniades replied. "I love the unique perspectives brought to the table and I particularly enjoy the many celebrations we have -- including the Chinese Moon Festival, the Polish national day and our Brits this year [who] celebrated Pancake Day. Recently we celebrated Carnival, which kicked off with a barbeque at work and was followed by a week of dressing up in costumes. Most of the celebrations are around food -- who can complain?"

Moving out of your comfort zone to other people's once in a while is a surefire way of maintaining decorum in a diverse workplace.
Related: The Myriad Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace
4. Keep reaching out.

Keep trying to learn about your staff, especially the new hires. Talk to them personally, and find out where they are from.

Vincent Seglior, who was the World Trade Institute's director of international training for 12 years, advises that managers place new hires who are from a different culture under longer-term staff who are from similar backgrounds but have become more integrated.

It's necessary to maintain the company culture, but to do this you may have to hold an orientation session any time there are personnel changes in your department. Be a manager who develops open relationships with your diverse staff. Talk to them positively -- both in a group and individually.

According to Seglior, if you remain curious, receptive and open to learning about people's different cultures, your staff will benefit, and so will you.
Related: Diversity Defines Our Global Economy. Do You Speak the Language?
5. Don't assume people understand your jokes.

A former manager I know of made a joke in a staff meeting about people who didn't go through college. I understood that he was trying to be funny, and it really would have been funny had there not been a fair number of people among the staff who hadn't gone through college. I saw their faces turn red, literally, and the manager didn't even notice.

Not everyone has your experience or privileges. You need to know your staff well, and be sensitive to their differences. Don't assume they ought to get your joke, because the next time you pass them over for a promotion, they may think it's because of their difference.
Related: Diversity Programs Often Make Workplaces Less Diverse, New Study Finds
That being said, a diverse workforce creates differences and some challenges, but if handled well it can explode with benefits.

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5 Tips for Dealing Better with Workplace Diversity

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Diversity is a good thing. Always has been. Always will be. But, still, it can be just as dangerous as it is good. While a diverse staff can be a great thing and bring amazing new perspectives to the table, it can also cause palpable tensions that destroy whatever benefits have already been brought to the table.

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Why Middle Managers Are Secretly the Superheroes of the Workplace

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Why Middle Managers Are Secretly the Superheroes of the Workplace

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I chose this article for this module because it talks about how middle management is vital for employee retention and growth development. This relates to the management of organizational culture and the fundamentals of organizing.

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4 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

What comes to mind when you think of the term "middle manager?" Is it someone who has little power, spends a lot of time micro-managing people and whose career is in a rut?

We wouldn't blame you for thinking that. In popular culture, middle managers get a bad rap. From "Office Space" to "The Office," the middle manager is often hapless, mocked by his employees and bullied by executives.

There are close to 11 million people in the U.S. working in a non-executive "middle" management role, according to the Wall Street Journal (compared to about 238,000 executive leaders, according to the Department of Labor). All those mid-level leaders are extremely important because they are directly responsible for the success of employees doing everything from writing magazine articles to designing jetliners. They have real leverage when it comes to inspiring success.
Related: 4 Steps to a Better Management Technique
Over the past few years, we've noticed many middle-level leaders coming to TINYpulse seeking a way to improve the morale and engagement of their direct reports. In new research we just released, we sought to find if there was a larger trend at play. What we found highlights that middle-level managers are, particularly in terms of employee retention and professional growth, basically workplace superheroes -- a notion that would surely brighten Michael Scott's day.

The middle manager's role.

Our first task was to estimate how many middle-managers are leading employee engagement efforts. To create a benchmark, we looked at how many middle managers use TINYpulse. We found that middle managers own about 20 percent of accounts. This estimate excludes anyone working in HR or specific talent management roles.

We also commissioned an independent poll of 502 U.S. and found that 70 percent said that their direct manager had taken steps to implement an employee engagement strategy at work. Of the remaining 30 percent, a majority reported that they would prefer a manager handle employee engagement rather than someone in HR or at the executive level.
Related: If You Want to Lead, You Also Need to Manage
The employees in the "yes" group told us that the most common employee engagement tactics their manager uses are employee recognition, asking for feedback and career training. Of the 30 percent who answered "no," the biggest problems they have at work are pay and benefits, communication problems with their manager and low recognition.

How middle managers reduce attrition.

We also looked at employee responses to TINYpulse employee satisfaction surveys to see whether the middle managers who are leading employee engagement actually have a positive impact on their employees.

The biggest superpower we found: middle managers have a superhuman ability to shrink attrition. On the question, "How likely would you be to leave for a 10 percent raise?" employees whose direct managers are responsible for engagement were 20 percent less likely to quit for that much of a pay bump.

Other key indicators reported by employees whose managers lead employee engagement strategies include: they have higher levels of work-life balance, have a stronger perception of their ability to grow in their careers, and are more likely to say that their company takes their feedback seriously and responds with action.

Nevertheless, it's not just our research that demonstrates the importance of managers. In separate research, Limeade, a corporate wellness technology company, found that managerial support was more crucial than C-level support for employee well-being efforts.

The middle manager's future.

Managers already have considerable control over employee engagement efforts. We don't see any reason for this trend not to continue, especially with the number of middle managers working in the U.S. and around the world (The Economist reported in 2011 that Lloyd's Banking Group would layoff 15,000 middle managers -- which begs the question how many they had in total).
Related: 4 Ways to Make Middle Managers Better Leaders
Companies invested in employee engagement should, however, consider the role managers play. One issue that we've seen is managerial efforts colliding with company-wide initiatives. To avoid this, adopt "common language" across the company, which allows both managers and executives to be responsible for employee engagement under a company-wide umbrella.

While the impact of managers on employee engagement efforts merits further study, one thing is certain: Managers are surpassing stereotypes. They're involved in decision-making; they're deeply connected with their employees, and they're unsung superheroes in the workplace.

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Why Middle Managers Are Secretly the Superheroes of the Workplace

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4 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. What comes to mind when you think of the term "middle manager?" Is it someone who has little power, spends a lot of time micro-managing people and whose career is in a rut? We wouldn't blame you for thinking that.

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3 Tips for Running a Company from Abroad

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3 Tips for Running a Company from Abroad

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I chose this article for this module because it discusses ways that a manager who travels to other countries for business, can help their organizations back home run smoothly without them.

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As an entrepreneur who travels frequently, I know all too well the anxiety of leaving my business behind. But I also know the feeling of elation I get when I explore new worlds.

My travels have made me a better entrepreneur and leader, and while not everyone has this insatiable itch to wander the world, I believe every entrepreneur could benefit from voyaging abroad and experiencing new things. In fact, 94 percent of business leaders say they're more successful because of their travels.

That said, while leaders are flying to a different continent, their team will be making key decisions without their oversight.

This can be scary, especially for the type-A leader -- but it is manageable. If you're looking for this kind of challenge, here are a few tips to keep your business running smoothly:
Related: The No. 1 Communication Problem for Managers
1. Let go of control.

At some point in your entrepreneurial journey, you've probably said, "If I want something done right, I have to do it myself!" Almost all entrepreneurs have. However, this mentality won't give you the freedom you need to travel. You need to delegate.

If you struggle with delegation, don't worry -- you're not alone. Approximately half of all companies are in the same boat. But I've found the real trick to feel confident about delegation is to hire people with complementary skill sets to your own. That way, you won't be able to jump in on their work, because you can't actually do their work.

2. Hire employees who don't need you.

Studies have shown -- and this surprises no one -- that extrinsic motivation is a horrible method by which to drive behavior. Do you really want employees who only work hard when you dangle a carrot in front of their faces and require a firm pat on the back afterward?

Instead, hire a self-sufficient manager to anchor the ship while you're gone, and surround this individual with people who don't need constant validation. Under the right leadership, self-motivated employees won't kick back and relax the second you step out of the office, which means productivity won't plummet while you're off running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain.
Related: 4 Signs a CEO is 'Holding the Stick Too Tightly'
3. Establish organization modes that work for your team.

When I first started traveling, I had to find ways to stay connected with my team. We've tried various things and are now having weekly Skype calls to check in and stay up to date on the happenings within the company.

Some companies benefit by incorporating project management software, enabling them to keep tabs on projects quickly and easily at any time of day. Incredible tools such as Trello, Pivotal Tracker, Basecamp and Podio have popped up to offer incredibly robust project-management features fit for any traveling entrepreneur.

The desire to travel can be strong -- even overwhelming at times. If you feel torn between chasing down your dream business and mapping unchartered territory, hear this: You don't have to choose just one.

Setting my team up to handle the day-to-day tasks while I lead from afar has given me much more time to seek new creative enterprises, investments and entrepreneurial ideas. When I return home, I feel inspired, energized and ready to jump back into the day-to-day.

Build a flexible team that's empowered to succeed in your absence, and find the right organizational tools that keep you in the loop. Oh, and buy yourself a good backpack.
Related: Your Employees Want Transparency. Here's How to Give It to Them.

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3 Tips for Running a Company From Abroad

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As an entrepreneur who travels frequently, I know all too well the anxiety of leaving my business behind. But I also know the feeling of elation I get when I explore new worlds.

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The 10 Golden Rules of Effective Management

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The 10 Golden Rules of Effective Management

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I chose this article for this module because it gives ten very important rules for all managers to follow at all times if they want to run their companies as efficiently as possible.

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5 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Even if your job title doesn't include "manager," there's a good chance you'll have to handle some management duty sometime in your career. And, as an entrepreneur, you're already a manager, because almost every one of your responsibilities has some management element to it.
Related: 7 Management Lessons From a 7-Time CEO
In short, your employees are the ones making your vision a reality, and your job is to make sure they do it efficiently.

But being an effective manager is about more than just driving your employees to work harder -- or more efficiently. Forcing employees to work a certain way can breed resentment, even disloyalty, while being too soft can lead to bad habits, laziness or boredom. There's no "right" management style, as each employee and company is going to have an individual perspective.

But there are some universally "wrong" ways to manage. Avoid them by following these 10 "golden" rules of effective management:

1. Be consistent.

This is the first rule because it applies to most of the others. Before your management approach can be effective, it must be consistent. You must reward the same behaviors every time they appear, discourage the same behaviors when they appear and treat every member of your team with an equal, level-headed view.

2. Focus on clarity, accuracy and thoroughness in communication.

How you communicate to your team can dictate your eventual success. When relaying instructions, recapping meetings or just doling out company updates, strive for the clarity, accuracy and thoroughness of your communication. This goes for any other medium, whether that means in-person communication, email or a phone call. Clarity, accuracy and thoroughness are the best way to avoid miscommunication and keep your team on the same page.

3. Set the goal of working as a team.

If you want your team members to work together, have them work for something together. Setting goals just for the department or one individual breeds a limited mentality and forces team members to remain isolated. Instead, give staffers a unified focus and purpose, to inspire them together.

4. Publicly reward and recognize hard work.

When a member of your team does something exceptional, reward him/her -- with a bonus, a small trophy or even just a vocal recognition. Do this in front of the group; it will make the intended recipient feel good and show the rest of the team that hard work is rewarded. The only caveat goes back to rule one: Be consistent in your rewards so you won't be seen as playing favorites.

5. Be the example.

As the manager and leader, you should set an example in terms of your behavior. If you show up late, your team will be less punctual. If you lose your temper easily, others will be amiss in keeping their emotions in check. Strive to be your own ideal of the perfect worker, especially in front of the team.
Related: 5 Signs It's Time to Fire a Company Manager
6. Never go with 'one-size-fits-all.'

Your team is comprised of individuals with unique preferences, strengths, weaknesses and ideas. Never use the exact same approach to motivate, encourage or mold all of them. Focus on individuals, and customize your approach to fit each one.

7. Remain as transparent as possible.

Transparency shows your integrity as a leader, and builds trust with the individual members of your team. If you lie about something, or withhold information, you could jeopardize your relationships and the respect you command as a leader.

8. Encourage all opinions and ideas.

The more people you have actively participating in discussions and attempting to make improvements to the organization, the better. Never chastise a team member for voicing an opinion respectfully -- even if it goes against your original vision or isn't well thought out. Cutting someone down for voicing an opinion builds resentment, and discourages people from sharing their own new thoughts.

9. Help people enjoy work.

You don't need a pool table or dress code abolition to make work fun. You can make the workday more enjoyable with such new elements as surprise lunch outings, a dedicated break room or even just casual conversations with your workers. Help your people enjoy coming to work, and they'll do their best work for you.

10. Listen and ask questions.

If someone doesn't agree with your management style or doesn't like the direction of the company, don't silence that person. Listen. And ask questions of your entire team: What do you think of this? How do you feel about that? This open dialogue makes it easier to proactively identify problems and work together to create a mutually beneficial environment. It will also make your employees feel appreciated and acknowledged.

As you'll notice, these rules leave plenty of wiggle room to apply your own personal "brand" of leadership and management. They stand as fundamental truths, considerations and principles that govern an effective management role rather than a strict instruction manual to success. Stay true to these principles in addition to your own, and you'll unify your team in a rewarding and enriching environment.
Related: 5 Rules for Promoting Managers at a Fast-Growing Startup

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The 10 Golden Rules of Effective Management

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5 min read Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Even if your job title doesn't include "manager," there's a good chance you'll have to handle some management duty sometime in your career. And, as an entrepreneur, you're already a manager, because almost every one of your responsibilities has some management element to it.

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5 Types of Toxic Employees and How to Deal With Them

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5 Types of Toxic Employees and How to Deal With Them

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I used this article/infographic in this module because it relates to managing organizational culture and how to deal with five different types of employees to help save the workplace environment and make projects and everyday work run more smoothly and efficiently.

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The catty gossip. The relentless bully. The slovenly slacker. Toxic employees come in an appalling array of annoying forms. They're destructive, distracting and draining. Like a cancer sapping the energy of those around them, they cripple their coworkers' morale, performance and productivity. Worse, they poison your entire business in the process.

When it comes to abominable employees, you have two choices. You can either cut them out of your org chart altogether or you can devise a plan to rehabilitate them. Their fate hinges on how awful they are to work with, the damage they've already done and how willing they are to change for the better.
Related: 4 Ways to Diffuse a Toxic Workplace
Before you decide if problematic workers should stay or go, it's wise to consider the many ways you can coach underperforming or downright irritating employees to success. Not every laggard is a lost cause. Affording tough cases another chance could save you the cost and hassle of hiring a replacement. What's more, it could even inspire other lollygagging employees to kick it up a notch and fast.

If you're thinking of braving the employee rehab road, check out the infographic from cloud communication company GetVoIP below. Neatly packed within you'll find five types of toxic employees and how to deal with them, hot messes, martyrs and, yep, sociopaths included.

Best of luck, boss. You've got this.
Related: Seven Ways to Boost Employee Morale

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5 Types of Toxic Employees and How to Deal With Them (Infographic)

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The catty gossip. The relentless bully. The slovenly slacker. Toxic employees come in an appalling array of annoying forms. They're destructive, distracting and draining. Like a cancer sapping the energy of those around them, they cripple their coworkers' morale, performance and productivity. Worse, they poison your entire business in the process.

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I chose this article for this module because it pertains to strategic planning when it comes to making sure you get all of your work assignments done on time. It also is a form of a planning tool because it deals with writing important due dates and other information down in an organized format.

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The good news is you won a big contract. The bad news is you committed to do the impossible.

Deadlines trip up most entrepreneurs. They're the direct cause of quite a bit of lost repeat business, not to mention a ridiculous amount of stress. The problem is that time and money are always intertwined because nobody gets paid until somebody delivers the goods. That goes for both you and the customer, if it's B2B.

Nothing teaches you how to deal with crazy deadlines better than putting your butt on the line as a top executive in a publicly traded company. That's what I did for more years than I care to think about and, while the pressure was enormous, entrepreneurial life seems like a walk in the park by comparison.

Whatever business you're in, meeting deadlines always comes down to estimating two data points: 1) When does the customer really need it, and 2) How long does it really take for you to deliver the goods. This is how to make those guestimates as accurately as possible and communicate with the customer along the way.

Know how long it takes to do your job.

I know that seems obvious, but few entrepreneurs understand the importance of that competency. Just remember you live in the real world where there's just one of you, one of each worker involved, and a finite number of working hours in a week. Don't laugh; you'd be amazed how many people screw that up.

At the end of every project, make sure you assess the accuracy of your initial forecast to improve future quotes. In time, you'll get very good at it.

Related: 7 Signs of a Future Success Story

Determine the customer's real plans.

When customers tell you to jump, your initial reaction will always be to say, "How high?" You need to resist that urge and learn to ask questions and find out as much as you can before providing any answers.

To be specific, when customers ask, "When can you deliver?" your reply should be something along the lines of, "When do you need it?" or "Can you tell me more about your project?" Always get information before you give it. Sometimes you have to do a little digging but that's how you build buffers into your schedule without risking the business or your credibility.

Also remember that things change. Even after you've committed to a schedule, it's a good idea to stay up to date and see if you've acquired any wiggle room - without setting off any alarms, of course

Always be honest ... with yourself.

While you need to know how well you're tracking to your forecast, it's equally important to be smart about what you tell customers. Never communicate more than you have to. Remember, not every schedule slip or milestone miss is critical and it may do far more harm than good to share too much information.

Always develop an aggressive internal schedule and have the discipline to stick to it religiously. Why? Things will go wrong. They always do. And when they do, you don't want it to impact the schedule you committed to, which you've hopefully had the foresight to pad as much as possible.

Related: The Only Good Reasons to Start a Business

It's OK to commit to the impossible.

You will be asked to commit to the impossible. That can't be helped. In fact, it's not necessarily a bad thing. The biggest, most successful companies on earth always ask the world of their vendors - and they usually get it because everyone wants their business.

Just do one thing before you sign on the dotted line: Tell the customer something along the lines of how important their business is to you, that it's going to be a real challenge, but they're your top priority and you'll move heaven and earth to meet their schedule. Then do it.

What to do when you screw-up ... and you will.

If you miss a deadline, and you probably will, don't beat yourself up. Well-managed companies usually build in some padding just in case. In the unfortunate event that your miss legitimately harms the customer's business, you can still recover and perhaps even create an opportunity to build a stronger relationship. It just depends on how you handle it.

Granted, it's a tenuous situation, but once you know you've passed the point of no return, you want to come clean and tell them exactly how you're going to do everything in your power to make it right. If you perform well when your butt's on the line, that should actually improve your credibility and their trust in you.

Nothing builds a stronger customer relationship than going through hell together.

Related: 10 Things Successful People Do Differently

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The good news is you won a big contract. The bad news is you committed to do the impossible. Deadlines trip up most entrepreneurs. They're the direct cause of quite a bit of lost repeat business, not to mention a ridiculous amount of stress.

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Government & Contractor Business Strategies

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Government & Contractor Business Strategies

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I chose this picture for this module because it shows kind of an overview of some of the specific processes that are used in different businesses.

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I chose this picture for this module because it shows the formula for a perfect organization and how in today's business world it would work.

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I chose this cartoon for this module because it shows the delicate balance that all managers face when making decisions. They have to make the right ethical decisions at all times even if it means not making as much money for the company.

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The Decline in Competitiveness in the U.S. Economy

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The Decline in Competitiveness in the U.S. Economy

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I chose this picture/diagram for this module because it is showing that part of the problem of the lack of competitiveness in the U.S. can be attributed to globalization.

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4 Smart Management Strategies for the Modern Leader

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4 Smart Management Strategies for the Modern Leader

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I chose this article for this module because it sheds light on how to become a more effective leader in todays workplace.

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Credit: Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock

Leadership has always been about inspiring and guiding a group of people toward a common goal. While leaders throughout human history have acted on this basic principle, the specific actions and behaviors that motivate their teams have changed.

Shifting social norms and workplace dynamics in recent years mean that "tried-and-true" management tactics of decades ago aren't necessarily the most effective anymore. Whether you're a brand-new leader or simply looking to modernize your existing leadership strategies, here are a few pointers about managing today's workforce. [What does it mean to be a leader? Experts share their definitions of leadership.]

Leaders, especially at the executive level, have traditionally been regarded as the people with final say over all decisions - regardless of what their team may think.

In recent years, however, leaders have stopped taking on the role of ultimate "expert" by virtue of their titles, said Demetra Anagnostopoulos, EVP of business development and strategy at SurePeople. Instead, leaders now embrace being coaches, conveners and hubs of knowledge-sharing, bringing together expertise and talent from their peers, superiors and direct reports, she said.

"Leadership today is more about ... [inspiration], transformation, authenticity and creativity, rather than the former authoritarian styles," added Carolyn G. Anderson, a leadership consultant and keynote speaker. "Those days are over. If you want to retain the millennials and centennials in the workplace, the behavior of leadership must change."

Anagnostopoulos said there has been a related shift from managing in hierarchies, where decision-making was clear, to managing in flat, matrixed organizations.

"[This] requires not only a collaborative mindset, but also decision-making practices that are more inclusive of multiple stakeholders and lend themselves to sharing power versus holding power," she said.

There are certain personality traits - extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, etc. - that have long been associated with being a good leader. Based on her team's research, Jasmine Hu, Ph.D. and assistant professor of management at the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business, argues that effective leadership is more dependent on how well a leader's personality fits the needs of the team they lead, particularly when it comes to the team's preferences and views on power distance.

"Our research suggests that team members who believe they should submit to the leader's authority will respond best to dominant leaders who are highly extroverted, conscientious and less agreeable, while teams that prefer having control will respond best to egalitarian or power-sharing leadership styles featuring high agreeableness, or low extroversion and conscientiousness," Hu told Business News Daily.

Hu noted that managers can make better decisions and build more effective teams by adapting their behaviors to complement their teams' power distance preferences. For instance, when highly extroverted or highly conscientious leaders work with low power distance teams, they should avoid taking full control and instead involve the team in decision-making. Similarly, highly agreeable leaders of high power distance teams should avoid being viewed as weak or ineffectual, said Hu.

Even from a more general perspective, it's a good idea to build good relationships with each of your team members, and personalize your leadership approach accordingly.

"I learned a lot from [my business-owner parents] about engaging with employees and connecting on both a personal and professional level," said Sloan Kamenstein, CEO of the Sloan's Ice Cream franchise. "I always try to put myself in the shoes of the employee to see it from their perspective and lead on a one-on-one basis."

Today's employees look for leaders who are genuine, authentic, informed and accessible, said Anderson. Rather than staying locked in their corner offices, managers should foster a more human approach to their relationships with their teams.

"Leaders need to humanize themselves because of the virtual nature of relationships and how work is done in today's digital and global economy," Anagnostopoulos said.

She noted that humanizing yourself builds relationships and trust, and the following behaviors and actions can help you accomplish that:

1. A good track record. Based on your past behavior, the team knows what you're about and how you'll operate under different scenarios and circumstances.

2. Transparency in decision-making. Your team knows why you make certain decisions and the logic behind them.

3. Credentials. Your team is confident in your experience, training or education.

4. Shared purpose. Your team understands and is invested in the vision, mission and values of the organization.

This last point is important, said Anagnostopoulos: It's important to be clear about your personal vision as a leader and how it aligns with that of the company. From there, ask others to align their personal visions to yours and the organization's, and to share it with their peers and colleagues, she said.

You can also build trust with your team through your social media presence. While it's not an absolute necessity, it's a good way for employees to get to know you a little better and show that you're engaged with and aware of what's happening within your company and industry.

"It's not only an opportunity ... to share [your] insights and advice, but it's a way to humanize a relationship," Anderson said. "Facebook, Instagram ... and the like are simply the vehicles to deliver information, but ensuring that your voice and personality comes through is what fosters trust. Proof and reread anything you post, be consistent in your point of view, and believe wholeheartedly in the content you put out into the world."

As much as you may love your current role, the reality is that one day you will move on, whether you get another promotion, find a new job or retire. Bryan Miles, co-CEO of BELAY, reminded leaders to view themselves as "stewards to their employees, their customers, the environment and their community." Stewardship has a time-bound element to it, he said, so you must lead well for the time you're in that seat as the leader.

"You are accountable and replaceable. One day you won't be the boss," Miles added. "So, with this mindset, see your role as a steward ... serving others. Show me a leader who sees their leadership as a stewardship, and I will show you a successful organization producing amazing results."

Nicole Fallon

Nicole received her Bachelor's degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She began freelancing for Business News Daily in 2010 and joined the team as a staff writer three years later. She currently serves as the managing editor. Reach her by email, or follow her on Twitter.

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4 Smart Management Strategies for the Modern Leader

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Leadership has always been about inspiring and guiding a group of people toward a common goal. While leaders throughout human history have acted on this basic principle, the specific actions and behaviors that motivate their teams have changed. Shifting social norms and workplace dynamics in recent years mean that "tried-and-true" management tactics of decades ago aren't necessarily the most effective anymore.

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The Importance of Planning in an Organization

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The Importance of Planning in an Organization

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I chose this article for this module because it talks about how planning affects the organization as a whole and how beneficial in can be in the long-run success of the differing business processes.

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The Importance of Planning in an Organization

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Planning helps an organization chart a course for the achievement of its goals. The process begins with reviewing the current operations of the organization and identifying what needs to be improved ...

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The Impact of Delegation on Management Decision Making

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The Impact of Delegation on Management Decision Making

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I chose this article for this module because it addresses the relationship between delegation and effective decision making by managers

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For the purpose of this study, the researcher relied mostly on textbooks aimed at extracting various views and opinions of other scholars.

Delegation can only be effective when it is accompanied by adequate authority and responsibility. Charles (1986), who defined delegation of authority as "the assignment of responsibility and authority supports this view, by a manager to a subordinate".

Koontz and Weighrich (1988) defined delegation of authority as vesting of decision making process on a subordinate. Delegation can be said to be a process the determination of results expected from subordinates, the assignment of task, the delegation of authority for accomplishing these tasks and the holding of people's responsibilities of such task.

According to Arthur (1991), delegation of authority must not necessarily be downward always. It can also be upward, upward delegation usually comes in an innocuous way.

Thomas (1993) "As we delegate, we communicate many things to those around us about our own self image, our perception of those we work with and our feeling about our job". Delegation involves more than just picking someone who has currently gotten some free times by following an orderly, thoughtful selection routings you can delegate to those whose skills are most compatible with the job, or pick those who stand to benefit most from their experience. This is supported by Carter (1992). He suggested that managers must learn the act of delegation because it is important in the quest to make effective delegation and it should be made clear to some extent, that the exact process used to assign work will be dictated by the nature of the task. The employee may need very little guidance other- than a clear statement of expected results.

What should we do if delegation does not work, Straub (1994) suggested several steps, which can keep us from shooting ourselves in the feet when delegation boys us down. They are:

i) Talk before you act

ii) Reviewing the how-tos tos

iii) Back-up your words with action

iv) Delegate additional parts of the job as performance improves.

We delegate in the effect to make concrete decision. Eleanor (1995) supported this view when he suggested that, "we have always heard that the hallmark of a good manger is the ability to make a good decision? But for most people, decision-making is a skill they gain through trial and error; the problem most mangers face is that they feel compelled always to make the best decision. They become so fearful of not meeting this goals that they get paralyzed in making no decision at all. The following checklist will give us some of the tools we need to:

Make strong decision that will withstand criticism.

Know when to settle for a less perfect decision determine whether making no decision might be the best option.

(a) Evaluate the situation properly

(b) Get feedback because many of the decision you make will affect others more than they affect you. This can be done in the following ways:

Hold staff meetings to outline the situation and ask for feedback;

Meet with the individuals in your department based on their strengths and knowledge;

Talk with your boss or superior

(c) Weigh the options

Which decision has the worst drawback?

Which one has worked in the past?

What are the long-term implications for each decision

(d) Take action; this is the time to announce your decision and go forth with it

(e) When the delegation goes wrong, the worst you can do iis avoid making further decision.

When a manager allows fear to become his guide, he loose the respect of his staff, peers and boss. If you make a decision that dies not work:

(a) Go over the decision and look for its flaws (defects)

(b) Think how it could have been done differently

(c) See what can be salvaged

(d) Ask for feedback

(e) Learn from the past

For either management or government to make a concrete decision, it involves a lot of processes as highlighted above, hence, management must delegate to make effective decision. Not only management delegate duties, government and other parastatals also delegate. This view is supported by Rondmell (1981) , where delegation is referred to as the transfer of power to sub-national government and or parastatal or other government establishments.

All the above mentioned current literatures have helped me to build a systematic development of this research work which is on the impact of delegation of authority on management decision-making. This literatures have provide that delegation is a tool for a effective management.

IMPORTANCE OF DELEGATION

1. It facilities action taken in an organization

2. it helps to facilitate training and development of employees

3. it will lead to higher level of motivation.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
One of the most important human activities is managing. Ever since people began to come together as a team to accomplish objective they could not achieve as individuals, managing has been essential to ensure a co-ordinated effort of the individuals. Managing involves the creation and maintenance of an environment necessary to improve the performance of individuals working together as a group towards the accomplishment of a common objective. He society tends to rely heavily on groups also increase, the task of managers has become of great importance.

The task of management is carried out in the context of an organization since there must be a social system where these individuals and groups common objective.

Management can therefore be defined as the process of planning, organizing motivating and controlling of resources of an organization to be able to achieve the organization's set objective.

Management position involve delegation of authority. Without delegation, no organized accomplishment of organizational objectives could take place. Delegating authority constantly takes place in a large, formal organization, but in the case of one man business is here only the sole proprietor takes decision, delegation many not be necessary.

A major function of the manager is to delegate the work for which he is responsible to his subordinates and to monitor and advise them on the progress they make. Delegation implies responsibility coupled with authority within reasonable limits. That is to say that authority should be commensurate with responsibility.

Delegated duty without a corresponding authority is a duty never delegated, so it is imperative to examine closely the impact of a duty accomplished with adequate authority. The question is, how much authority can a manager delegate to subordinates the right to do anything that he (the manager) has the right to do, including decision making, except those things he is specifically prohibited from delegating.

Authority is defined as right conferred on some member of an organization to act in a certain way over others. It is the comment of a organization structure, the thread thast makes it possible and the means by which groups of activities can be placed under a manager and co-ordiantion of organization units can be promoted. It is the tool by which a manager is able to exercise discretion and create atmosphere for improved performance.

Delegation, therefore, makes an organization on possible since no one person in on organization can carryout all the tasks necessary for the achievement of organizational goals-so it is impossible as an enterprise grows for one person to exercise all the authority for making decision. For this reason, authority should be delegated to subordinates who will make decision within the area of their assigned duties.
NATURE OF DELEGATION
Delegation of authority is the process of assigning responsibilities along with the needed authority from a person of formal authority and responsibility to subordinates to carryout a specific activity.

Authority is delegated when a superior gives a subordinate discretion to make decision. Obviously, the superior cannot delegate authority they do not have. Delegation involves risk and the risk the managers take when delegating authority is adherent in the managerial job. If this can be acceptable to all managers, they would be more in dined to delegate adequate authority for subordinates to accomplish their assignment effectively and efficiently.

(a) Determination of results expected from a position

(b) Assignment of tasks to a position

(c) Delegation of authority for the accomplishment of the tasks.

(d) Organizing of people responsible for the accomplishment of tasks.

In practice, delegation of authority can be specific or general, written or unwritten. It should be clear and specific to ensure successful and effective accomplishment of tasks. If delegation is not clear a manger may not understand the nature of the duties or the result expected by his supervisor. A job assignment of a company controller, for examples, many specify such functions as accounting, credit control cash control, financing and statistics. To make the job more clear these functions may further be broken down into more definite duties. Authority delegated is not permanently disposed of. It can be regained; therefore re-organization no doubt involves some recovery and re-delegaton of authority.

DELEGATION, AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY

Authority in organization is the right in a position (and through the person occupying the position to exercise discretion in making decision affecting others. It is a sort of power in an organization setting. Responsibility involves. It refers to legitimate expectation of a level of performance that a superior has over his subordinates. It can be referred to as accountability, that is, that one person is accountable to another for a given task as Mafarland puts it. Henry fayol finds authority and responsibility to be related, with the later being the covnllary of the former and arising from it.

Delegation embraces both authority and responsibility, some writers argue that responsibility cannot be delegated. Authority without responsibility gives risk to possible abuse of delegation. It is not possible to delegate one without the other. There should be adequate responsibility to match the authority which is delegated to give the subordinate freedom of action without agreed terms of references and to avoid supervision. The fact remains that if subordinate is to take certain decision. Subordinates must be aware of their responsibility in the performance of their tasks and in dialing with other staff. Delegated duties are sometimes delegated further down the organization structure. Effective delegation, however, is not abdication of responsibility. Authority for performing managerial function of creating, planning organizing, motivating and control cannot be totally delegated, it is the up to the manager to sort thing out, to counsel or advice the staff concerned and to review his system of delegation.
PRINCIPLES OF DELEGATION
These are guides to delegation of authority, and unless carefully recognized in practice, delegation may be ineffective. Organization may fail and managerial process may also be impeded.

The principles include the followings:

(i) Scalar principle or functional clarity

(ii) Span of control

(iii) Principle of delegation by results expected

(iv) Principle of absoluteness of responsibility

(v) Principle of authority (authority-level)

SCALAR PRINCIPLE:

This refers to line of authority from top to bottom of the organization. The clearer the line of authority from the ultimate management position in organizations to every sub-ordinate position, the clearer will be the responsibility for decision-making.

SPAN OF CONTROL:

One of the major questions which has to be faced when considering the practical aspects of delegation is, how many subordinates or team members, can be effectively manager by employees reporting directly to one person. Smaller spans tend to be found among managerial, professional and technical groups. The more complex work is, the more better to report to a single superior, the smaller the problem of conflicting instructions and the greater the feeling of personal responsibility for results.

Principle of absoluteness of responsibility:

The responsibility of subordinates to their superiors for performance is absolute, and superiors cannot avoid responsibility for the organizational activities of their subordinates.

Authority -level principle:

This should not be considered without reference to responsibility. Maintenance of intended delegation requires that decision within the authority of individual manager should be made by them (managers) and not be referred upward in the organization structure.

The principle of functional definition:

The more a position or department has clear definition of results expected activities to be undertaken and informational relationship with other position individual contribution towards achieving objectives.

The principle of leadership facilitation:

The more an organization structure and its delegation of authority enable managers to design and maintain an environment for performance, the more they will help the leadership abilities of these managers.

The principle of flexibility:

The more flexible an organization structure, the more effective an organization can fulfill its purpose.
FACTORS IN DETERMINING THE DEGREE OF DECENTRALIZATION OF AUTHORITY
Managers cannot ordinarily before or against decentralization of authority. They may prefer to delegate authority or may like to make all the decision. Apart from individual factors in which most of them and beyond the control of individual managers the (managers) may resist their influences. But no successful manager can ignore these factors. Most organizations find the need to delegate forced on them by circumstances, especially the pressures on managers to concentrate on environment issues rather than on internal problems. However, the best practice is to be found in an organization that use delegation positively as an important employee motivator as well as a means of facilitating effective decision-making throughout the organization.

These factors are as follows:

(a) Cast lines of the decision: The more costly the action to be decided on, the more probable that the decision will be taken at the top level of management. Cost may be reconciled directly as a company's reputation, its competitive position or employee moral. Delegating authority does not mean delegating responsibility, therefore, managers prefer not to delegate authority for crucial matters (decisions).

(b) Desire for uniformity of policy: This refers to equity policy, that is, consistency and fairness to all.

(c) Size and character of the organization: It is virtually impossible to run a large organization effectively and efficiently while investing all decision-making authority in one or few top managers. Its an organization continues to grow in size and complexity, more decision areas will arises and for management to fully take advantage of these new areas, delegation may tend to increase. Therefore, the faster the rate of growth, the more likely it is for the top management level to cope with the ever increasing job forcing them (top management) to increase delegation of authority to the lower level management. But when organization growth is slow, the upper level under the disguise of tightening control and protecting profit level.

(d) His and culture of the organization: Whether authority will be decentralized frequently depends upon the way the business has been built. Businesses that expand from within show a market tendency to centralized authority while business that result from mergers and considerations are likely to show a definite tendency to retain delegation of authority, especially if the unit acquired is already operating profitably.

(e) Management philosophy: Sometimes, top managers are would not to give up the activities and authority the enjoyed before they reached the top, or before the business expanded. The executive may see delegation as a way of organizational life that takes advantage of the desire of peoples to create, to be free and to have status.

(f) Desire for independence: Individuals and groups often desire a degree of independence from bosses who are far away.

(g) Availability of Managers: Shortage of managers in organization would limit decentralization of authority, since in order to delegate, superiors must have qualified managers to whom to give authority. This scarcity of good or qualified managers are often used excuse for centralizing authority.

(h) Control technique: A good manager at any level of the organization cannot delegate authority without having some knowledge of whether it will be used properly. This is because some managers do not know how to control, hence, unwilling to delegate.

(i) Environmental Influences: This are influences from business environment outside the organization such as market characteristics availability of raw material, government policies and other social influences. These are very important because it is when managers choose the right strategy, which covers all these areas that opportunity will be opened for more avenue to be exploited, hence more room for delegation.
REASONS FOR DELEGATION
The reasons for delegation are mainly practical, but some are idealistic. The practical reasons are as follows:

(a) Senior managers can be relieved of less important or less immediate, responsibilities in order to concentrate on more important duties.

(b) Delegation enables decision to be taken nearer to the point of impact, and without the delays coursed by frequent upwards.

(c) Delegation gives managers the opportunity to experience decision-making and the consequence of their decision.

(d) Delegation encourages managers to learn how to cope with responsibilities.

(e) Delegation enables organizations to meet changing conditions more flexibility, especially at the boundaries of their system. Idealistic reasons include he following

(f) Delegation is a good thing for individual growth, and contributes to employee moral.

(g) Delegation according to Peters, T (1988) is "the Sine gua non of empowerment".

(h) Delegation helps to enrich individuals jobs and humanizes work.
REASONS FOR REFUSAL TO DELEGATE
Often times, some intelligent managers fail to delegate. This could be as a result of one of the following reasons. Awareness of the as the first step in learning effective delegation is important:

i) The decision is too important: Obviously where a decision is of crucial important to the organization or department or even to the manager, that decision must be made by the individual manager.

ii) The manager is reluctant to share powers: Some managers do enjoy power and so feel uncomfortable when they delegates. They believe they are no longer incharge when they delegate.

iii) The manager is insecure: Individuals when lack confidence in their managerial ability or who are personally insecure are often reluctant to delegate to competent employees for fear that these managers fails to realize that their own performance level depend on the performance of their subordinates.

iv) The manager is a perfectionist: Individuals who will want to know uncomfortable delegation.

v) Subordinate lacks the ability to take on greater responsibility: Some managers prefer not to delegate because their subordinate are not capable of taking added responsibilities.

vi) Subordinate are capable but do not desire added responsibilities: Some employee wish to develop and progress on the job while other are satisfied with their secured status, instead, they focus their lives on off the job pursuit.
BENEFITS OF DELEGATION
The benefit of delegation of authority as it relates to decision-making process in an organization can be viewed from three perspective as following.

Benefit of delegation to organization:

(1) It provides conformity and succession in the management hierarchy set up.

(2) It minimizes the utilization of resources such as labour, time, and money for the organization.

(3) It allows for the evaluation of subordinate for promotion in the organization.

Benefit of delegation to superior:

(1) It unburdens the superior and allows the manager to engage in planning and development of their areas.

(2) It gives managers more freedom and independence in decision-making.

(3) It promotes the development of general managers.

Benefit of delegation to subordinate:

(1) It gives room for self-development by the subordinate.

(2) Delegation creates a sense of belonging, as the subordinates are involves in work process.

(3) It helps subordinates to make better decision.

GUIDE FOR OVERCOMING WEAK DELEGATION

Decide what level of authority to grant . it is necessary to grant sufficient authority so as to make possible the accomplishment of goals.

Select the right person in light of the job to be done. Maintain open-line communication. There should be a free flow of information with which to make decision and to interpret properly authority delegated.

Establish, proper control delegation should be accompanied control with techniques to make sure the authority is properly used. Ensure that clears reporting arrangements are made. Provide any advice or future re-sourcing that may be required if as provide to be more difficult than anyone and first anticipated. Ensure that the objectives to be achieved are made clear...........................................................................................................

--This article is not complete----This article is not complete----

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The Impact of Delegation on Management Decision Making - ArticlesNG

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For the purpose of this study, the researcher relied mostly on textbooks aimed at extracting various views and opinions of other scholars. Delegation can only be effective when it is accompanied by adequate authority and responsibility. Charles (1986), who defined delegation of authority as "the assignment of responsibility and authority supports this view, by a manager to a subordinate".

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I chose this picture for this module because I felt as though it was a very clear and concise way to show all of the different functions that HR managers have to carry out in modern workplaces.

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I chose this picture for this module because it shows how important quality control is in the production process. It also shows that with great quality control processes a business can continue to grow and build on its reputation.

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I chose this cartoon for this module because I felt as though it was a good visual representation of most workplaces today. It shows a mix of different people all working in the same place trying to achieve the same organizational objectives.

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The Importance of Teamwork in an Organizational Setting

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The Importance of Teamwork in an Organizational Setting

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I chose this article for this module because it gives some major points on how important teamwork in the workplace is and how it can lead to the successful completion of organizational objectives and goals.

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The Importance of Teamwork in an Organizational Setting

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Teamwork in organizational settings is an important aspect of creating a well-oiled machine to get tasks and projects done. A single team often has a team leader, who guides all members to reach the ...

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Information Technology & Its Role in the Modern Organization

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Information Technology & Its Role in the Modern Organization

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I chose this article for this module because it talks about how information technology has changed the business landscape. It talks about the communication part of it and management information systems.

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Information technology plays a crucial role in every business

rackmount server farm datacenter image by Adryn from Fotolia.com

Information technology (IT) has become a vital and integral part of every business plan. From multi-national corporations who maintain mainframe systems and databases to small businesses that own a single computer, IT plays a role. The reasons for the omnipresent use of computer technology in business can best be determined by looking at how it is being used across the business world.

Communication

For many companies, email is the principal means of communication between employees, suppliers and customers. Email was one of the early drivers of the Internet, providing a simple and inexpensive means to communicate. Over the years, a number of other communications tools have also evolved, allowing staff to communicate using live chat systems, online meeting tools and video-conferencing systems. Voice over internet protocol (VOIP) telephones and smart-phones offer even more high-tech ways for employees to communicate.

Inventory Management

When it comes to managing inventory, organizations need to maintain enough stock to meet demand without investing in more than they require. Inventory management systems track the quantity of each item a company maintains, triggering an order of additional stock when the quantities fall below a pre-determined amount. These systems are best used when the inventory management system is connected to the point-of-sale (POS) system. The POS system ensures that each time an item is sold, one of that item is removed from the inventory count, creating a closed information loop between all departments.

Data Management

The days of large file rooms, rows of filing cabinets and the mailing of documents is fading fast. Today, most companies store digital versions of documents on servers and storage devices. These documents become instantly available to everyone in the company, regardless of their geographical location. Companies are able to store and maintain a tremendous amount of historical data economically, and employees benefit from immediate access to the documents they need.

Management Information Systems

Storing data is only a benefit if that data can be used effectively. Progressive companies use that data as part of their strategic planning process as well as the tactical execution of that strategy. Management Information Systems (MIS) enable companies to track sales data, expenses and productivity levels. The information can be used to track profitability over time, maximize return on investment and identify areas of improvement. Managers can track sales on a daily basis, allowing them to immediately react to lower-than-expected numbers by boosting employee productivity or reducing the cost of an item.

Customer Relationship Management

Companies are using IT to improve the way they design and manage customer relationships. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems capture every interaction a company has with a customer, so that a more enriching experience is possible. If a customer calls a call center with an issue, the customer support representative will be able to see what the customer has purchased, view shipping information, call up the training manual for that item and effectively respond to the issue. The entire interaction is stored in the CRM system, ready to be recalled if the customer calls again. The customer has a better, more focused experience and the company benefits from improved productivity.

About the Author

Chris MacKechnie is a graduate of Carleton University's Law Program and has been writing professionally for more than a decade. He is a regular contributor for a number of travel and business magazines and marketing websites, including "OutPost Magazine," "Report on Business" and several insurance trade publications. MacKechnie also writes extensively for several Fortune 500 companies located around the globe.

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Information Technology & Its Role in the Modern Organization

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Information technology (IT) has become a vital and integral part of every business plan. From multi-national corporations who maintain mainframe systems and databases to small businesses that own a single computer, IT plays a role. The reasons for the omnipresent use of computer technology in business can best be determined by looking at how it is being used across the business world.

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Diversity Management Is the Key to Growth: Make It Authentic

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Diversity Management Is the Key to Growth: Make It Authentic

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I chose this article for this module because it shows the importance of diversity in the workplace by explaining how it is necessary to keep up in the globalization of business.

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Diversity management is the key to growth in today's fiercely competitive global marketplace. No longer can America's corporations hide behind their lack of cultural intelligence. Organizations that seek global market relevancy must embrace diversity - in how they think, act and innovate. Diversity can no longer just be about making the numbers, but rather how an organization treats its people authentically down to the roots of its business model. In today's new workplace, diversity management is a time-sensitive business imperative.

To better understand this fast-changing terrain, I reached out to three notable diversity executives -- pioneers within their respective industries - to share their insights and perspectives regarding the future of diversity and some of the new best practices that will allow diversity to play a more strategic role in cultivating sustainable business growth:
Make it Real or Lose Your Authenticity
Corporate leaders pay lip service to diversity, but they don't really live it. Diversity is more than employee demographics and support for a few non-profits. You can't buy diversity, and organizations that continue to embrace this approach will tarnish their brand. America is changing, and the new population carefully evaluates how organizations relate to it. If you are not authentic, consumers and employees will begin to question the authenticity and leadership of your organization.

As Rohini Anand says, "The traditional representation perspective originated from the Civil Right era. This will never go away entirely. However, diversity must go beyond this mentality. At Sodexo, diversity is embedded in our brand. The Sodexo brand is synonymous with diversity. Though the Sodexo brand is not a known consumer brand, diversity leadership defines our brand - it's all about talent. Diversity is about responding to the needs of our clients in a holistic way.

And Kathy Hannan adds, "Companies must take a long term strategic approach to engage diverse talent. Companies must define their role in the global marketplace. The train has left the station. You may not be where you want to be with your diversity strategy, but you need to get started!"
How would you grade the authenticity of your diversity business strategy? Executives are Still Short-Sided
I'm reminded of a pre-recession discussion I had with a consumer goods executive who said: "Diversity is another way of saying affirmative action and we are forced to support it in order to protect our brand in the trade and amongst our consumer audience. Diversity has no real value tangible to the growth of our business." Unfortunately, many executives still share this opinion today.

As Rohini Anand says, "Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies have been particularly effective with diversity from a marketing initiative standpoint. However, this is different from embracing diversity holistically. Companies must think about diversity beyond addressing niche needs. Diversity is not just about accessing multicultural markets. Companies must look more broadly to reinvent the way we think about how business is done. How can diversity be pulled out of this commoditized mentality? Diversity leadership must drive innovative perspectives. Companies have not yet figured out how to unlock the potential within markets and processes that must be enabled globally."
Do your top executives still adhere to the traditional rules of the workplace? Has their approach lost its relevancy?
Diversity is much more than just a multicultural issue. Diversity is about embracing many different types of people, who stand for different things and represent different cultures, generations, ideas, and thinking. As Ron Glover says, "Innovation is about looking at complex problems and bringing new views to the table. Diversity has allowed IBM to be innovative and successful for and to work across lines of differences in 172 countries, amongst 427,000 employees."

For example, are you paying attention to the Internet and how online communities continue to grow and represent different voices and points of view?

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race and ethnicity in the united states census

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Diversity Management Is the Key to Growth: Make It Authentic

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Diversity management is the key to growth in today's fiercely competitive global marketplace. No longer can America's corporations hide behind their lack of cultural intelligence. Organizations that seek global market relevancy must embrace diversity - in how they think, act and innovate.

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Five Key Challenges Facing Global Firms Over Next Five Years

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Five Key Challenges Facing Global Firms Over Next Five Years

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I chose this article for this module because it talks about the major challenges facing the managers of global companies in today's business environment. It talks about collaboration, transparency, and innovation.

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Collaboration, agility, transparency, innovation and productivity are the five key challenges facing global companies over the next five years, according to data based on more than five million employees worldwide by global management consultancy Hay Group. However, the Hay Group research found that engagement and enablement levels in many global businesses haven't improved since 200

"The business environment is rapidly changing. Our research shows that many companies don't currently have the right strategies in place to respond to the challenges this brings through arguably their most critical asset - their people," says Mark Royal, senior principal at Hay Group. "Firms rated highest for engaging and enabling their staff achieve four and a half times the revenue growth of their lowest scoring counterparts and see up to 54% improvement on staff retention. People are the lynchpin to sustaining performance in this rapidly changing world, and organizations need to wake up to this. The successful organizations will be those that realize their employees are a unique asset and can help them meet the challenges both now, and as they intensify in the future," he remarks.

Keeping up with change and making the right decisions will require new levels of collaboration. "Big collaboration" will mean bringing together teams, functions, organizations and even competitors to reach solutions. But despite 80% of organizations globally placing team-working amongst their strengths, Hay Group's research reveals that close to half of employees (44%) say their teams are not adequately supported by counterparts elsewhere in the business. Furthermore, 40% don't believe there is a cooperative culture in their organization and more than a third (35%) feel that cooperation and sharing of ideas and resources is not readily encouraged.

Continuous training and clear communication are critical to help employees cope with changing demands - yet only 50% of employees say that they are given enough time for training, and 43% don't believe that their company communicates openly and honestly about change. Working in an agile way also requires a different way of thinking and behaving, and reacting to constant change with quick decision making at the right level. Hay Group data indicates that this is something many organizations struggle with, as more than a third of employees (36%) feel that decisions are not generally made at the right level and close to half (46%) are concerned about the speed of decision making at their firm.

The research identified a dangerous lack of clarity around reward and development. Less than half of employees (45%) feel that there is a clear and transparent connection between their performance and their pay, and 43% feel that better performance won't lead to opportunities to progress. Meanwhile, more than half (52%) believe they are not paid fairly for the work they do and 41% lack clarity on the possible career paths available to them. "When employees fail to see a link between their pay and performance they can end up feeling unfairly rewarded or insufficiently recognized for their contribution to the business," comments Martin Palimeris, consultant at Hay Group. "If they feel there's a misalignment between the efforts they exert and the expectations of their employer, they can feel demotivated and disengaged. Organizations can improve this link by creating a clear performance management framework that sends a consistent message about how performance is evaluated and how it links to reward and promotion. When announcing a promotion, business leaders should highlight examples of the employee's work that have led to their progress."

Managers should also be made aware of their responsibility to explain the performance management programme to team members, including how it affects reward, which elements of performance have the biggest impact on pay and what's needed to progress to the next level, advised Palimeris. "In addition, managers should be encouraged to set specific goals for each team member, and catch-up with each one regularly on how to improve their performance."

Innovation is another area where global firms are failing to capitalize on the ideas of their employees. More than a third (37%) of employees don't believe they're encouraged to take reasonable risks to try out new ideas and ways of working, and more still (47%) feel their ideas aren't put into practice. There is a dangerous risk for organizations that see responsibility for innovation sitting solely with the R&D department. Successful innovation either makes money, or saves money, argues Palimeris. "With these advantages in mind, it's within businesses' best interests to make innovation part of their culture, values and mind-set - part of business as usual. People generally want to work for organizations that offer good prospects and many understand that it's the forward-looking businesses that will succeed in the future."

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Five Key Challenges Facing Global Firms Over Next Five Years

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Collaboration, agility, transparency, innovation and productivity are the five key challenges facing global companies over the next five years, according to data based on more than five million employees worldwide by global management consultancy Hay Group. However, the Hay Group research found that engagement and enablement levels in many global [...]

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Challenges of Managing in the Global Arena

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Challenges of Managing in the Global Arena

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I chose this picture/infographic for this module because it shows some of the things that top managers of global companies are worried about in the near future. They are concerned that their companies will not be able to keep up in the ever changing business world.

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I chose this picture for this module because it shows the responsibility that companies have to their local environment as well as the global environment.