The Sharpest Consulting Group

02/27/2014

The Sharpest Tip of the Week: Listen.
A direct report destined for advancement received similar remarks following each evaluation, “Your work is phenomenal, Anna. Your dedication and subject matter expertise shines during each project. I encourage you to resolve challenges with coworkers and clients by removing barriers to listening.” Anna slowly recognized the acute difference between listening and hearing in the workplace. Hearing is a physical ability. Whereas listening is a skill which allows us to process and understand messages. In developing good listening skills Anna improved her ability to understand assignments, expectations and colleagues.

02/19/2014

The Sharpest Tip of the Week: Confront Conflict Constructively.
Conflict will always be attached to management. Leaders must recognize conflict, determine how to confront the ordeal, fully discuss the matter with pertinent parties, reach a resolution and determine how all parties will move on. When confronting conflict not only will you grow as a leader, but also as an individual – avoiding confrontation defers progression and creates future hardships.

02/19/2014

The Sharpest Tip of the Week: Before You Interject, Conduct an Assessment.
Some are born to confront conflict head-on. Some need more time to perfect our conflict resolution skills. Others will never feel completely comfortable in dealing with conflict. Through conflict in the workplace and in our personal lives we learn more about our management style and ways to improve our content delivery. Every team and situation is different so one approach to confronting conflict in the workplace will not suffice. Fully accessing the situation will determine if you need to interject. Matters that interfere with the ability of an employee to succeed on the job require guidance from leadership.

02/19/2014

The Sharpest Tip of the Week: Before You Interject, Conduct an Assessment.
Some are born to confront conflict head-on. Some need more time to perfect our conflict resolution skills. Others will never feel completely comfortable in dealing with conflict. Through conflict in the workplace and in our personal lives we learn more about our management style and ways to improve our content delivery. Every team and situation is different so one approach to confronting conflict in the workplace will not suffice. Fully accessing the situation will determine if you need to interject. Matters that interfere with the ability of an employee to succeed on the job require guidance from leadership.

02/19/2014

The Sharpest Tip of the Week: Evaluate Your Leadership Skills.
How does a leader who is not confrontational learn to tackle conflict head-on rather than let one ordeal lead to several? Conduct an honest assessment of your leadership abilities. Take a step back and determine if you really have what it takes to lead your team. Once you are honest with yourself you will know if you are truly ready to lead. If you are not ready to lead set goals, seek professional development or accept a position where you can truly learn and hone your leadership skills. Employees deserve a leader who is self-aware and one who has taken the time to truly perfect his or her management craft. Further, companies deserve more than a leader who shies away when faced with conflict in the workplace. Don’t sell your company or your reputation as a leader short.

01/31/2014

The Sharpest Tip of the Week: Nurture Culture.
Each culture has various strategies and distinctive qualities; however, culture is universally about better moods, better performance and the alleviation of work related stress. As companies grow it becomes increasingly difficult for employees to prioritize, communicate and problem solve. Conventional wisdom holds that culture picks up where the employee handbook leaves off and serves as a guide when the CEO is not in the room. At SCG we have found that culture impacts the values and behaviors of employees in the workplace. Accordingly, companies become more productive and efficient allowing for a boost against competitors when they build and nourish their culture.

01/22/2014

[Deadline Swiftly Approaching] SCG provides pro bono consulting services for one each year. http://ow.ly/sjbiB

01/21/2014

The Sharpest Tip of the Week: Before You Drown, Ask for Help. Employees commonly view asking for help as a sign of weakness or lack of professionalism. As a result, they turn to unproductive behaviors which escalate anxieties and push them one step closer to the edge. Prior to asking for assistance all employees must consider their company’s culture, timing and project constraints. Alternatively, if an employee decides to ask for help once a deadline has passed, leaders will interpret the request as a lack of professional maturity. So before you drown, ask for help.

01/20/2014

“His memory lasts and will last for a very long time because he set a very high mark for our country"

On Sunday, the eve of the national holiday for Martin Luther King Jr., an authority on King’s preaching will deliver a sermon at Harvard on behalf of the martyred icon of civil rights, who had deep ties to Harvard and to New England.

01/09/2014

The Sharpest Tip of the Week: Pause Before Recruiting.
Hiring the right person is never an easy task for a recruitment manager. Hiring managers extensively ponder vacancy search strategies, but rarely consider the company’s operational requirements, projected revenues and goals before determining the skills and competencies required to meet those needs. A company’s decision to hire is important and worth thoughtful planning. In hiring unnecessarily or hiring the wrong person poor decisions can severely impact the company’s bottom line.

12/25/2013

The SCG Team wishes you a wonderful Holiday Season! Thank you for following our news and updates.