Entrepreneurs' top people-management tips (November 2009)

I asked some of Australia's top entrepreneurs for their tips on how they get their employees to be switched-on and engaged.

Managing Stressed-out Employees (November 2009)

Research that came out earlier this year finally showed us what we know so well to be true: we're a nation of stressed-out workers.

The most common Management Communication Mistakes (October 2009)

If there was ever going to be just one skill that you as a manager could learn so that staff engagement is amplified and teams of workers unified, communication would be it.

Managing a Workplace Bully (September 2009)

When you think of health and safety at work, what probably crosses your mind is the use of machinery, ergonomics, and adequate breaks. But a more prevalent and dangerous beast is increasingly lurking in the workplace: the bully.

Gen Y: Does it really exist? (July 2009)

I've delivered many Gen Y presentations around the world and I've lost track of the number of Gen Xers and Baby Boomers who come up to me afterwards and say: "Everyting you've said also applies to me. I'm just like a Gen Y."

Using the Carrot to Motivate while Paying Peanuts (June 2009)

Employers are scrambling to find low-or-no-cost ways to get their employees to want them bad. Here are the seven non-monetary factors that get employees to forget they're living in a material world.

They Hate Me - They Really, Really Hate Me (June 2009)

Here are the main signs that indicate your employees have put in an order for a boss voodoo doll - using your petty cash.

Ten Ways to Ignore the Global Financial Crisis (May 2009)

Let's visit the top ten ways to get your team switched-on rather than turned-off when revenues have eased and budgets are squeezed.

Top 12 Leadership Training Mistakes (January 2009)

87 cents out of every leadership training dollar goes to waste - and there are twelve main reasons why this occurs.

Women Make Better Managers (September 2008)

Every male manager I've had has been a complete loser. Blokes so devoid of managerial talent they make George Bush look competent. Maybe I've just been unlucky, I don't know. What I do know is that my female managers have rocked.

Top 8 Signs your Workplace needs Help (August 2008)

More than 100,000 books have been written on the topic of work. Even a search on Google brings up 1 billion-plus pages. Despite the plethora of information, the tsunami of experts, and the abundance of courses, many of us are still struggling to get it right.

Management Lessons in Political Scandals (June 2008)

Within every political scandal, there's a lesson to be learned. Sometimes it's a simple lesson about life, but then there are the lessons about management, which we're fortunate to find in our very own home-grown scandals.

No Value in Values (April 2008)

Every couple of years a new HR buzzword comes into play. What seems to have stood the test of time is 'company values' and why this is the case is totally beyond me.

A New Way of Recruiting for a New World (November 2007)

Today, the world's most competitive companies are those with the most talented employees. These are the same companies that will survive and thrive in the future. To keep up, a whole new way of recruiting has emerged.

The Skills Shortage: changing workplaces forever! (May 2007)

In 2008 more people will leave the Australian workforce than will enter it. The skills shortage is set to force change upon organisations that is so revolutionary that our workplaces will be unrecognisable in just a few years' time.

Why Every Manager Needs to be Like Madonna (March 2007)

Madonna has been condemned by the Vatican, banned by MTV, and vilified by the media. And yet there's a lot we can learn from this superstar on how to be an engaging manager.

The Silent Treatment: Workplace Communication in 2007 (February 2007)

Managers are giving their employees the silent treatment. And it's not because they're bitter, angry or upset - it's because they've forgotten how to communicate. It all started in 1990, when the internet first became available for public use.

Why Performance Appraisals are a Waste of Time (November 2006)

Managers dread them. Employees resent them. They only come round once a year, and if you're really unlucky, twice a year. I'm talking about performance appraisals - the HR-inspired process of formally assessing employees that costs organisations millions of dollars each year - and does not work.

Workplace Bullying: The Silent Poison Affecting Managers (November 2006)

Need proof that workplace bullying is secretly damaging your organisation and costing you millions of dollars? Consider this. Workplace bullying costs Australian businesses $13 billion every year. What's worse is that the biggest victims of bullying seem to be managers.

High Staff Turnover...? You're To Blame! (August 2006)

Most employees don't leave jobs - they leave managers. How can you reduce turnover in your organisation? Focus on the four key elements of employee engagement...

Motivate Like A Master... Without Spending A Cent! (May 2006)

No matter what industry you're in, motivated and engaged employees are critical to your success. So how do you motivate your employees to achieve more? Most leaders turn to monetary or tangible rewards. After all, money is a great employee motivator, right? Wrong ...

When Your Employees Hate You! (December 2005)

Don't you just love the employees that think you're the best manager they've ever had? But what about those that can't stand the sight of you? The ones that answer your questions with one word responses... The ones that rejoice when you call in sick... Employees who don't like their manager become actively disengaged, and it is these employees that become destructive within an organisation. The solution? Build relationships with them...

Kiss Skills and Experience Goodbye! (November 2005)

In a world where finding talented people is hard enough and retaining them is even more difficult, employee engagement is more important than ever before. And here's they key... engaging employees is easy when you have the right people working for you ...

Stop Making Decisions! (October 2005)

Hundreds of decisions are made in the workplace every single day. If just a fraction of these are pushed down by managers to employees, engagement levels will skyrocket. Employees need to feel as if they're making a significant contribution to the team's success, and enabling them to own decision-making within the team is at the core of engagement. However, managers must ensure that they create the perfect environment and framework to enable this to occur splendidly, or else the outcomes could be disastrous...