By Lynne Curry The report’s good, but not good enough. You should have worked on it a week ago, but you put it off. Friday afternoon, you panicked. You killed a perfectly good weekend to get everything finished by the Monday morning due date. If you want to break the “put it off until nearly too late” habit, try these five strategies. 1. Decide you’ll start projects when you … [Read more...] about 5 ways to say goodbye to the procrastination blues
Your career
10 tips to turn toxic management into teamwork
By Daryll Esposito You know how valuable your employees are. The question is, do they know you know it? The working world is changing fast, and so are the demands of leadership. Successful law offices must nurture an environment that is not only productive but also provides flexibility, opportunity, and job satisfaction. Almost two-thirds of small to midsized companies report … [Read more...] about 10 tips to turn toxic management into teamwork
8 ways to make your meetings zoom by
By Lynne Curry If you dread meetings–attending them, hosting them–and long for meetings to become more than a necessary evil, you can make it happen. Not long ago, I hosted a two-day, 15-hour meeting that the 17 attendees said “zoomed by,” “was fun, kept me engaged the entire time,” and “made an hour seem like five minutes.” Here’s how we did it. 1. A “you” start We started … [Read more...] about 8 ways to make your meetings zoom by
Carve out some calm amid the chaos
With the demands of your job as a manager in busy law office, turnover in today's staffing market, worries about world upheaval, and your own personal challenges outside work, life is stressful. Executive leadership coach Hortense le Gentil says you need to reclaim some mental space to make room for your intuition. Here’s her advice: Let your brain take a break! Breaks allow … [Read more...] about Carve out some calm amid the chaos
Beware the Bermuda Triangle of workplace conflicts
By Lynne Curry We don’t always understand why we react to some people, nor they to us. Or why otherwise talented employees and supervisors get tangled in interpersonal messes that create toxic work environments. Over the years, when I’ve helped clients fix workplace conflicts, I’ve discovered some of the most challenging conflicts stem from drama triangle collisions. Like the … [Read more...] about Beware the Bermuda Triangle of workplace conflicts
Own your piece of the action
By Lynne Curry “It wasn’t my fault. I blew up because I had the worst day.” “Anyone would have reacted the way I did.” When you lose your temper, shut down, or behave badly in other ways, you may feel tempted to rationalize your behavior. It can feel right to pin responsibility for your reactions on the other person or to attribute them to the situation. When you do, you … [Read more...] about Own your piece of the action
5 steps to take after you lose out on a promotion
By Lynne Curry You put your blood, sweat and heart into your job and this office. When a promotion came open, you thought it was yours. Except it wasn’t—you were passed over. If this has happened and you want the next promotion, or simply to be able to stand remaining in your job and at this office, take these five steps. Use your upset You can use your upset … [Read more...] about 5 steps to take after you lose out on a promotion
Win a promotion, lose a friend
By Lynne Curry Question: When I started with my current office, I met and bonded with a coworker. We were hired at the same time and shared similar interests. We ate lunch together two to three times a week and went camping together. Three months ago, I got promoted. I now supervise her and other former coworkers. She and I went out for a celebratory lunch. It was horrible, … [Read more...] about Win a promotion, lose a friend
What stops you from saying what you want to say?
By Lynne Curry A law office manager must be able to have difficult conversations with staffers, speaking up with the right words at the right time. Is this difficult for you? Why can't you say what you want to say? Is it: You’re afraid if you speak up or try to fix things, you’ll make them worse? You’re afraid you’ll make someone angry and lose a relationship or job? … [Read more...] about What stops you from saying what you want to say?
Increase your efficiency with these workday PC tips
By Ron Slyker Due to the limited number of hours in a workday, it is critical to maximize your time. If you’re having trouble getting work done due to distracting websites, disorganized files, or cluttered inboxes, use these methods to improve your time management and stay productive at work. Keep an eye on productivity levels. Begin by keeping note of the amount of work you … [Read more...] about Increase your efficiency with these workday PC tips