Are you sitting comfortably?

Your team spends a lot of time sitting - helping them to sit well is important to avoid injury.  Here’s how:

• Chairs should support the lower back and enable them to sit with a straight back and feet flat on the floor. Invest in adjustable seats.  Find a poster or desk card you can have them look at regularly for reinforcement.
• Keyboards should be on a flat surface and forearms should be parallel to the floor when typing.  Ideally, the keyboard should be level or tilted slightly away.  Consider adding some foam or a wedge under the keyboard to achieve that angle.
• The top of the monitor screen should be 2-3” below eye level. Studies show that looking slightly down at the screen is better.
• Encourage your team to relax their shoulders.  Many cases of injuries begin with neck or shoulder strain and lowering the keyboard and relaxing the shoulders can help.

Stay tuned for our next tip highlighting the most underrated health threat of our modern time and what you can do about it.

Do you want to build a snowman?

It's easy to complain about the cold, the snow, the 'bad' drivers, and the kids at home - again. However, complaining is contagious and can bring down even the most positive person.  Focus instead on the silver lining so that you can set a positive, friendly tone in the office, which translates to a friendly, positive tone to customers. Need help?  Try these... You're not alone. The National Weather Service reported snow on the ground in 49 of the 50 states. That snow will turn to water and many regions need help with their water levels. Shoveling burns about 500 calories an hour. For the first time ever, some of you had kids that wanted to go back to school! Check out the website for Ithaca, NY.  They've decided to have a sense of humor about the situation and are recommending visitors go to The Florida Keys instead!

Ar-range for results

Newsflash...!

Turns out that goals with a range of numbers are more motivating than those with a single number.

For example, asking employees to upsell 10-15 new offerings this month is more empowering than setting the target at 12.  That's an easy one to implement.  Give it a try!

To read more about this HBR article click here.  

A Better Response...

Imagine this:  We're at the water cooler where you're brimming with enthusiasm as you tell me about this wonderful technique you just discovered for dealing with customers and it's saving you time and energy. 

I respond casually:  “Yeah, I know” or “I heard that already.”

How did that feel?

Instead of making the other person feel as if they were the last to know, use the opportunity to acknowledge their efforts and build your relationship.  Try this instead: “That sounds great, where did you learn that?” 

Leaders leave a little bit of themselves in every conversation.  Think first.  

Leave a Message At The Tone.... Or Don't?

Do you listen to your voicemail?  

Would you be surprised to know that only 33% of people listen to voicemail from business contacts?  If it’s a number they don’t know, that drops to 18%!

What's the lesson? 

If you need a response from someone, try another method.  People like email (come on, how often do you check yours in a day?). We prefer emails because we can skim the message and get right to the important part - rather than having to listen to a sometimes rambling, lengthy or unclear message.

Try this strategy:
·       If someone you call doesn't pick up, send an email instead of leaving a message.
·       If you don’t want to receive voicemails, change your voicemail greeting.  

Instead of "Leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible" say "I can't answer the phone right now but I will receive your message by email instantly and will respond promptly."

A pleasant surprise...

This morning, take a stack of post-it notes and write a "thank you" note or "job well done" to each person on your team.  Be sincere and specific.

When they are out for lunch or away from their desk in a meeting - stick the note on their chair.

What a pleasant surprise for them to return to!

If you need a boost, watch their reaction to the note and smile, knowing you made someone's day.

and the winner is....

Tuesday.  Turns out our most productive day of the week is Tuesday.  

"In this 2013 study, Thursday and Friday tied for the least productive day, each receiving just 3 percent of the response. Wednesday came in at 14 percent.”No particular day” also received a 14 percent response, while 3 percent of respondents “didn’t know.”

Monday: 24%

Tuesday: 39%

Wednesday: 14%

Thursday: 3%

Friday: 3%

Don’t Know: 3%

With that in mind, look into moving that Tuesday meeting to another day and let the team focus and achieve. Achievement is a key motivator in the workplace.  You feel better when you get stuff done, pass that opportunity along and let them 'get stuff done'.

To read more about this study click here.