The No Frills No Fluff Management Skills Program: Registration Deadline April 24!: Don't miss signing up yourself or your managers for the Spring session starting on May 1st. This 15-week TeleCourse program uses proven tools and techniques to help participants become more effective managers. See coupon offer at bottom of newsletter.

The Assessment Guru Hour: This quarterly one-hour conference call is offered to all J.Ferm assessment buying clients. It is a great opportunity for assessment users to ask questions of various "gurus" about how to launch, implement, and maximize the use of assessments within organizations. To join us this Wednesday, April 22 at 9am EST or to learn more about producing organizational ROI using assessments, email us

Ezinearticles.com

It's hard to think that just a few years ago we didn't have or much less use the internet as our primary source for gathering information.

Today, we are used to "Googling" a topic or person and results appear within seconds. Because of the volume of information available, it can sometimes be a challenge to find exactly what you are looking for.

This quarter, we are highlighting a great web resource called Ezinearticles.com. Here you can search for free articles by category and/or by author. It is also a great place to share your own expertise with readers all over the world. Two of our articles were recently picked up by bloggers writing about how to do business in the Middle East and using a delegation checklist to maximize effectiveness. It is great to see how and where your content finds its readers.

Each article is listed under a specific subcategory and because we specialize in management and leadership consulting you will find most of our articles listed there. If you would like to stay in touch and recieve articles as they are posted, simply click here to subscribe.

"You Can't Afford to be an Average Manager in a Tough Economy"

In a down economy, "average" simply won't cut it. Now, more than ever, managers are asked to do more with less and to produce super-human results. As if that wasn't difficult enough, most managers are losing valuable team members due to budget cuts or restructuring and are often left with a skeleton crew of overworked, underpaid, terrified employees.

So what is a manager to do? Sharpen your management skills and do so quickly! These powerful strategies will help you stay on top of your game.

1. Clarify Your Deliverables: If you haven't done so already, set up a strategic alignment meeting with your manager, and if possible, with his or her boss. Now is not the time to be shy about meeting and strategizing with your superiors. Without their crystal clear direction and guidance, you may find yourself taking your team in the wrong direction or misusing valuable resources. Get specific answers to questions like: "How is the company affected by the current economic environment?" "How are changes in the external markets impacting our bottom line?" "What priorities are most important in the next 90 days?" "What immediate changes do I need to make to get my team through the next 30 days?" Think strategically and position yourself and your team as key players with eyes on the bottom line.


2. Communicate Your Deliverables to Your Team: After receiving direction from your superiors, schedule a meeting with your team to share key points in a positive, honest manner. Avoid over-promising results or actions for which you are not in control. Instead, share strategies and actions that your team can complete and measure. Allow them to vent about their challenges and fears. Venting can take the edge off and allow your team to move forward constructively.


3. Delegate Responsibility, Accountability, and Authority: If you're not already a great delegator and suspect that you have some micro-management tendencies, begin sharpening your delegation skills immediately. You simply won't have the luxury to micro-manage when you are asked to do more with less.