Learn from the manager who, when an employee under lots of pressure started to get misty-eyed at a meeting, didn't ask: "Are you okay?" Instead, the manager blew her own nose, to alert the employee to where the box of tissues was. The manager then announced she had to go to the washroom, asking if the employee minded waiting for her, thus giving the subordinate time to compose herself.
Workplace consultant Alison Green suggests managers keep a box of tissues front and centre in their office, because it's surprising how many people cry at work. Ask A Manager
Ask for suggestions, and then act quickly
Harvard professors Anita Tucker and Sara Singer studied 20 hospitals that operate suggestion programs for organizational performance. The researchers found that programs where management focused on acting quickly on ideas that were offered saw more improvements than did programs that were more analytical (for example, trying to rank suggestions to decide which few should have the highest priority, given scarce resources). Harvard Business School Working Knowledge
Express your thanks, and do it daily
Want to develop better relationships in your organization? Write a thank-you note every day to someone who doesn't expect one. Seth's Blog
Marking a Web page? There's a shortcut for that
Tech columnist Rick Broida advises that you can bookmark a Web page in most browsers by using the keystroke Ctr+D. PCWorld.com
Harvey Schachter