The Manager's Desk with Evan D. Baltz

I received a follow-up question to a previous podcast about specifically dealing with employees with performance issues. Here are my thoughts on that subject and some tips. Please leave me your thoughts or comments. #workplace #managers #leadership #performance #PIPs

Good companies reward employees. That is not revolutionary thinking. But do good managers reward their employees for "getting the job done"? Are we doing it right? Good companies and managers reward employees. GREAT companies and managers reward employees for the right reasons. #rewards #workplace #managers #leadership #praise

In this special Happy Thanksgiving holiday podcast, Evan shares some personal stories and some messages sent to managers. 3 Ways to tell your team members you are thankful for them: 1. Appreciate them throughout the year. 2. Value who they are as a person, rather than the work they do for you 3. Tell them. Genuinely and authentically tell them, to their face and in writing why you are thankful for...

10 Steps to Becoming a Bad Employee By Evan D. Baltz Always be late   Always blame coworkers Backstab Give false praise Underestimate time to complete projects Be overly casual Use unprofessional language Always complain but offer no solutions Always make excuses Stay silent If you follow all of these tips, you too can become a bad employee! Thoughts? Did I forget some? Have you ever experienced a...

Yep. You read that right. I’m going to tell you all the steps you can take to become a bad manager. A number of years ago I was fortunate enough to work for a large company and had a great manager for about a year. In fact, he was the best manager I’ve ever had. But then, as they do, the organization decided to restructure, and as a result, I was placed under another manager – the worst manager I’...

#5 Handling Difficult Situations An effective leader is able to navigate and address difficult situations. The first four skills I've discussed in previous posts all need to be put into practice when a leader is faced with a difficult situation. In fact, how you are remembered and/or perceived is often dictated by how you handle difficult situations. Think about world leaders. We remember them pri...

#4 Compassion Strong leaders must be compassionate. What saddens me is that many might tacitly agree with this but then nullify that with their actions. Your employees and co-workers are human beings. They aren't perfect. They aren't soulless robots. They have families and pets. They have feelings and concerns. They have good days and bad days. They get sick. They have questions. Some are introver...

#3 Accountability Leaders must be accountable. Accountability is a huge problem in the workplace. Well, let us be honest, not just in the workplace, it's a huge problem in society. There is almost nothing more demoralizing or frustrating for employees than when leadership is not accountable for their decisions and actions. Too many leaders and managers hold to the "accountability for thee, not for...

Leaders must listen. A great leader listens. You've heard it before, two ears, one mouth. Listening is the key to communication, understanding problems, and understanding people. A manager who isn't a good listener isn't a good manager. Keys to being a good listener: • Make it okay for every person to speak their mind - truly. No judging or punishing people for their thoughts and opinions. Tell ea...

Leadership must be authentic. Have you ever had a manager who, in your one-on-ones (1:1), seems to be reading from a "how to be a manager" script? They ask questions that seem forced, formulaic, or worse, like trick questions. They use catchphrases more than Bart Simpson. They sound like a semi-human version of ChatGPT. Don't get me wrong—management training courses and books can be helpful on som...