"How to Tell Anyone Anything: Breakthrough Techniques for Handling Difficult Conversations at Work" ~ Richard S. Gallagher

"Surviving Dreaded Conversations" ~ Donna Flagg

"101 Tough Conversations to have with Employees" ~ Paul Falcone

"Organized for Success: Top Executives and CEOs Reveal the Organizing Principles That Helped Them Reach the Top" ~ Stephanie Winston

According to Vital Smart's research, about 70% of employees are currently facing a difficult conversation at the workplace; 38% have put off holding a difficult conversation for at least a month and 25% have put it off for more than a year. The work environment is not always rosy and bright.

The biggest difficulty we have as managers or human resource professionals are those "sensitive or tough conversations." These are the ones that are not clearly defined in our human resource manuals such as absenteeism, lateness, or substance abuse. Typically it is a personal characteristic or behavior not in line with the office culture, making the person stick out, a quirk, an oddity.

If your co-workers are complaining about the smell that an Italian hard worker gives off, would that be a sensitive subject - would you know how to handle this? These can include inappropriate attire, personal hygiene, touching behaviors, tattoos, warring employees, inappropriate language, gossiping bosses, and all the other poor work habits and performance concerns that need to be addressed and behavior challenged.

How do we ask for behavior change in those "gray areas" when individuals are superb at diversionary tactics that are difficult to handle? How do you prepare to talk about "bad attitude" when employees don't seem to care and they have been getting away with it for years? Who do you think fears these crucial conversations more - the employee or manager? Read more...

I provide training in effective time management to many clients. It is a huge topic. When I ask my audience, has anyone ever heard about someone complaining they had too much time on their hands, I get a giggle - (how impossible is that!). The irony is that the small business company is most at risk if they are disorganized. There is only one other company that is more in danger - that is the sole proprietor or the part-time entrepreneur.

Now if you are a good whiner, and know Barbara Streisand's repertoire, you will sing "It's just impossible!" The first challenge to managing your time is to understand where your time culprits are. They will be different for all of us. For example, I know a disorganized procrastinator who never takes the time to do any filing. The top of his desk is his file cabinet. He justifies, "I know where everything is - it is on top of my desk." He justifies this as the best way to control his time for finding material efficiently. His use of filling cabinets are to hide things when visitors come. Well, he is paying for an office suite with a waiting room and two separate offices. How high can you pile papers on your desk without them falling all over the floor.? Ah ha - he is taking care of his filing a new way - the use of his entire floor. How long has this been going on? Five years. Now he cannot even open the door to this office. As he has taken on a partner who is using the second office, he is now working in his entrance way and continues to throw any paper into his old office - which has now become his static storage unit.

He needs to stop the spiral and take control. Should he call in a costly professional organizer? Not until he realizes that time management is self-management and he needs to take responsibility in all areas to get organized for success. Would you like to take an eye-opening test to see just how out of control your workday really is? It will help you define those areas where you need to make changes in order to increase your productivity. You must first analyze your current situation to pinpoint the areas of your life where you're wasting or inefficiently using your time, energy and resources.

Go to our web site at www.workwondersnow.com. On the home page, lower left column, you will see assessments. Click on "Organized for Success" and see what needs to be changed.

"To know what has to be done, then do it, comprises the whole philosophy of practical life." ~ Sir William Osler