Jay Tankersley

New hires typically receive some type of training. Entry-level or slightly experienced employees need training to learn how to handle their responsibilities and become acquainted with business operations. Senior managers who have a multitude of important responsibilities also receive additional training to improve their own management skills and to enable them to better oversee their respective departments.

Any sort of conflict in an office setting is guaranteed to damage your productivity. Its bad effects don’t end there, however; conflict makes people unhappy, and the damage it does to company culture can overwhelm every other aspect of the work environment. Your employee turnover will rise if people don't enjoy being at work, and your organization will repeatedly suffer the disruption and costs of replacing employees. Head off this negative scenario by inviting dueling staff members to participate in the following six conflict resolution games.

The importance of employee motivation in the modern business world can’t be overstated since it’s likely to be the determining factor in whether your best-laid plans succeed or fail. Indeed, one of the biggest reasons the American economy has been able to maintain its dominant international position is the fact that U.S. workers are among the most productive in the entire world. However, after 150 years of nearly unprecedented productivity, we may have hit our maximum.

As structural forces begin to slow growth in productivity, you’ll need to rely even more on motivating team members to find future gains and maintain the success you’ve already built. Here’s how to get started.

You manage an organization and want to do your part in making it a successful enterprise. Often, doing your fair share may not be enough in a growing and diverse work environment. As a manager, you should seek out help from your network of employees. The key is to elicit optimal participation from workers whose teamwork and collaboration benefit company growth and development. Finding the best employees to do that may seem like a daunting task, but, with the right strategies, it’s definitely possible.

Recruitment training is a vital component of any company’s game plan for attracting the best talent. However, it’s not always easy to convince your boss that recruitment training is important.

Microlearning is a technique that focuses on small, easily digestible lessons, instead of longer and more comprehensive teaching sessions. The benefits of microlearning are particularly well suited to the modern “on-the-go” lifestyle, especially when it comes to business environments.

You have already established yourself as a good leader. But to be a great leader, you must focus on individual goal setting - not just to advance your own position, but to support and develop your team members. Leaders become great by helping others excel. Focus on achievable goals to enhance the performance of your own duties, bring out the best in team members and advance company objectives. Your performance as the visionary for your organization will improve and your team will rise to the challenge of moving the company forward.

Get started with these five leadership performance goals for the next quarter to turn yourself into a great leader.

Have you ever watched your favorite TV show and thought, “This is just like my workplace!”? Sometimes, art imitates life in the best and worst ways.

Whether you’re witnessing Michael Scott bumble around the office with a poorly timed joke or Captain Kirk protect the Enterprise from the wrath of Khan, there are plenty of lessons to be learned about your management style from your favorite fictional leaders.

For many, a lack of office professionalism is a regular occurrence. As a manager, you may run into it with your employees and fellow leadership team members.

In fact, you might be guilty of unprofessional workplace habits, too. These practices break down productivity and team morale. Whether intentional or unintentional, they don’t help to cultivate a healthy work environment.

Explore some of the common – yet critical – areas where you should be especially mindful of displaying professional behavior in the workplace.