Amid the Noise and Haste

Speaking to the Masses

A wonderful post from the Explainist Blog talks discusses writing as yourself; removing the corporate language to really get your point across. The post features great quotes such as:

"If you work for an institution, whatever your job, whatever your level, be yourself when you write. You will stand out as a real person among the robots..."

I wholeheartedly believe this. If you want people to understand what you're trying to impart, don't fluff it up with flowery words and contrived jargon. Tell it like it is. You are a person, speaking to other people.

Creating a Culture of Empowerment

In this economy, it is hard to motivate and empower employees when all around us we see lay-offs, salary freezes, and a struggle for those few openings in the job market. I just read Creating a Culture of Empowerment, an article by Florence Stone, the editorial director for American Management Association, which provides some simple cultural changes companies can make to offset some of these ill-harbored sentiments. Here's the high level list:

• Listen to employees
• Demonstrate your trust
• Keep employees informed
• Help employees balance work and personal lives
• Foster open communication
• Give bad news straight
• Encourage reasonable risk
• Foster autonomy
• Praise success
• Link rewards to organizational goals

They delve into each suggestion in the article, explaining and providing examples to help both new and experienced managers create a culture of empowerment.