At one time or another, all of us have probably worked for someone who was less than an ideal boss. Maybe they were brilliant at their technical job, but had zero people skills. Or maybe they were just a jerk.

Whatever the reason, having or being a bad boss is terrible for business. Studies by my firm and other consultancies have shown that a lack of leadership can lead to low morale, a huge drop in productivity, frequent turnover – and that’s just the beginning. It’s also bad for employees’ mental and physical health. I’m talking about workplace depression, stress and even a spike in blood pressure.

So how do you know if you’re on the path to becoming one of those managers that makes people cringe? Click here to find out.

Networking is not about how many connections you have on social media, or sending an email. Using technology is easier and faster, but there’s nothing like that personal connection of sitting across from someone over a coffee.  

Take it from Eddie Walter, who upon graduating last Spring made it his goal to connect with as many people as possible at his new employer, JP Morgan Chase,“Doors and opportunities open when people get to know you, and that can’t happen through a few lines of email,” says Eddie during an interview with Dulye & Co. President Linda Dulye. 

Since then, Eddie has had over 200 cups of coffee with employees across the organization.

Become a networking superstar like Eddie using his 6-step strategy in 
Linda's latest SpectatorFree Blog featured on Fox Business. 

Join Dulye & Co. at this year’s PRSA Connect 14 Conference in Chicago, May 20-21, where president and founder, Linda Dulye, will be a featured keynote speaker. Thrilled to be a part of such a tremendous organization and event, Linda is excited to present for the first time at a PRSA platform on, "7 Success Tips for Helping Managers Communicate and Connect."
Click here for a preview of Linda’s session 

By: Ashley Devick | Feb. 26, 2014 | NFIB.com
Featuring: Linda Dulye, Founder, Dulye & Co.

Employee turnover can be beneficial when it means new hires are bringing fresh ideas to a small business. But when a business resembles a revolving door and turnover becomes an epidemic, it’s downright scary—and expensive.

The cost factors are numerous, from lost productivity to reduced efficiency from the spread-thin workforce that remains at the organization.

“Managing turnover and really managing your talent—and especially your best employees—is something that any employer, including small business, can take proactive actions on,” says Linda Dulye, the founder and president of Dulye & Co., a workplace engagement consultancy in New York.

1. Speak up.

According to Dulye, lack of communication, particularly with a direct manager, and involvement in decision-making are major factors that drive an employee’s decision to leave. Workers tend to feel a sense of loyalty to a business if they feel informed about its performance and involved in daily operations. Increasing the number of cross-team conversations, brainstorming sessions and regular meetings about the performance of the company can help make people feel a part of the team.

2. Learn from those who are leaving.

If poor communication isn’t the problem, small business owners must figure out why people are leaving. “You really need to uncover some root causes,” Dulye says.

Frightened of burning a bridge, exiting employees may feel uncomfortable being fully honest with the small business owner. Instead, Dulye suggests small business owners have trusted employees conduct exit interviews and relay the information to you.

Or, bring in a human resources consultant to conduct the interviews and have that person follow up with people who have already left. It allows for more honest answers.

3. Hire the right people.

If a company is facing a high turnover rate, it could be the result of poor hiring practices. To find the right employees, Claudia St. John of Affinity HR Group in Cazenovia, N.Y., suggests adding behavioral interviews to your hiring process.

For example, if exit interviews reveal employees are leaving because of the high-stress nature of the available position, behavioral questions such as “Describe a time on any job in which you were faced with stresses which tested your coping skills. What did you do?” can give clues to how a candidate will respond.   

How ready are you to address or possibly avert the challenge of staff turnover? Four tips to help you lead and learn.

By Linda Dulye, president & founder, Dulye & Co.
December 17, 2013

What’s the best gift for your top talent?

No, it’s not a hefty gift card or Super Bowl tickets.

The gift of a challenge goes farther than anything you can tie with a bow. A new, on-the-job opportunity, that stretches the thinking and actions of a staff member, sends a clear message from you of trust, confidence and true caring.

Planning an office holiday party? Here are 5 practical tips for holiday merrymaking with meaning—that won't break the company budget!

There really is a silver lining in the behavior on Capitol Hill over the past few weeks. The crackling debates, snarly standoffs and prickly posturing of political leaders serve as clear evidence that 11th-hour planning stinks.

There’s no reason to fall in that trap with your department as 2014 looms large. Now is the time to get your strategic game plan moving, without alienating or annoying anyone.  

My PAPA model keeps you and your team engaged during the process. Follow these four steps and avoid the kind of spectacle that one senator called “an agonizing odyssey.”

Here’s what to do:

By Linda Dulye, President & Founder, Dulye & Co.
Published in Fox Business | Sept. 30, 2013

 

Whether your company has 
1 or 100 interns, Dulye & Co.
can help you maximize your investment in young talent today and for your future success.

Lately there has been lots of chatter about internships sparked by a growing movement to challenge the ‘no pay’ status that accompanies so many of them. Interns at the White House raised their opposition to unpaid internships. So did former interns at the Hearst Corporation, NBCUniversal and other corporate biggies.

Pay or no pay—the true value of many internships in non-profit, government, public and private sectors is being wasted.

The investment is being drained largely by how most internship programs are structured—as a one-way learning process.

Maximize your internship program with these five tips.

Those at the top of organizations are data focused. They ravenously devour daily operational performance stats about sales, orders, overhead costs, inventory, compensation, sick days, and so on. Ironically, data can also help save business leaders from themselves. 

Linda Dulye offers five big tips in her latest Fox Business column that will help you take the edge off your top leaders and help them connect with the workforce.