Management Blog

When silence really is golden

Sometimes maintaining a dignified silence is the best way to handle a dispute or personality conflict with the boss, a recent Wall Street Journal article on the topic of workplace communication claims.

While the power of communication is often touted at the solution to all problems by biz lit authors, the Journal argues there are times when an issue between two people is simply unsolvable.

According to the article: “No amount of genius communication may help you in the face of an easily threatened manager, a fast-draw blackballer or, clinically speaking, a nut case. And if someone hates your guts, spilling them tactfully isn't always productive.”

Communications experts suggest that rather than inflame the situation it’s often best to bite your tongue and accept that the two of you won't always see eye to eye.

Green initiatives favoured over tax cuts

Over 50 per cent of Australians would prefer the Federal Government to devote more money to green initiatives and less to tax cuts, a new study has found.

The Australian National Retailers Association survey also claims a large number of people are concerned tax cuts will result in interest rate hikes.

When asked what they would do with any extra funds resulting from tax cuts the majority of respondents said they would spend the money on household bills.

Introducing the US$85 computer

A Thai based company is looking to shake up the world's computer industry with the release of an US$85 "bare bones" computer, Forbes reports.

A desktop PC the size of a large novel, Norhtec's Microclient JrSX offers just 128 megabytes of RAM and a 300-megahertz processor; there's no hard drive as the computer has been designed to store information on flash cards.

According to the article, the computer is aimed at "those people who are tired of paying for features they don't need".  However, the drawbacks include a lack of audio facilities and the inability to run programs that use a lot of memory.

So far one of the biggest corporate purchases of the cut-price computer has been McDonalds, which is using the units to set up wifi networks at their restaurants.

Web 2.0 isn't for every company

In the race to jump onto the Web 2.0 bandwagon many companies are not considering whether social networking is actually relevant to their communications strategy, a recent CIO Update article argues.

The story suggests that facilitating user generated Web 2.0 content is already a hackneyed and meaningless pursuit as "everyone from spammers to a dental company's toothbrush now have a MySpace page".

It's claimed sites that rely on user contributions can actually dilute the power of a brand as customers are often not the best or most reliable spokespeople for a product.

Telstra's Web 2.0 site nowwearetalking is a case in point for this argument.

The website made headlines for all the wrong reasons recently when an overwhelming number of consumers expressed negative views about the telco with regard to broadband speeds.

An end to Casual Friday?

Casual Fridays are a nightmare for men, a recent opinion piece in The Age argues, as many struggle when deciding if an outfit is adequately 'casual'.

The root of the problem for the author is having to look cool: "Many workers, wrestling with the initiative squirmed at their desks while their equally confused colleagues nervously compared frayed jeans, scuffed sneakers and faded rugby tops".

By comparison it is suggested that throwing on a suit, white or blue shirt and an inoffensive tie is a much more relaxed way for a bloke to spend the end of the working week.

The author goes so far as to say that the Casual Friday trend is now dead and buried with most companies deciding that employees should reflect a formal image five days a week.

Ineffective project management common in US: study

A US study has found just 35 per cent of senior HR and training executives believe their organisation effectively manages corporate projects.

In other findings, 40 per cent of respondents stated that their company 'sometimes' fails to meet deadlines and budgets; 25 per cent said problems occurred frequently.

The report indicates ineffective project management generally occurs due to inadequate resources and a lack of guidelines.

Experts believe companies can improve performance in the area by ensuring adequate training is provided and project management principles are established.

London is calling our top execs

Australia is facing a 'brain drain' in the property sector with executives being lured overseas to fill positions in Europe's growing property trust markets.

The Australian reports that London is the latest city sending headhunters our way in an effort to entice up to 20 property executives to work in the UK.

And the demand for Australian property experts doesn't like dissipating any time soon; a number of European nations are currently in the process of passing legislation to allow listed property trusts. 

Could this lead to a mass exodus?

Commentators suggest that once an Australian CEO or senior executive is appointed they often attract colleagues who they have worked with back home to join them overseas.

The dumbest resume blunders ever

US recruitment company CareerBuilders recently commissioned a survey of HR managers in a bid to reveal the dumbest resume blunders ever.

Some of the more memorable blunders included a candidate boasting that her sister had once won a strawberry eating contest. Another resume stated that the candidate worked well in the nude.

One candidate offered to give the hiring manager a car if they were chosen; a drawing of the car was provided as an enticement.

But who could go past the candidate who stated his ability to work on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays was limited as weekends were designated "drinking time".

The top ten list can be found at Fortune magazine.

Nokia goes green

In yet another sign that green issues are a key concern for multinationals, Nokia has come up with a clever little feature to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Australian reports Nokia is building an energy saving alert into its mobile phone handsets and other devices that will tell the user when a battery has fully recharged.

Nokia says the energy saving alert – which will read 'Battery is full, please unplug charger' – could collectively save enough electricity to power 85,000 homes a year.

Go regional for SME success: forum

The success of small businesses in regional Australia was a hot topic at the Regional CEOs' Forum held earlier this month in Wagga Wagga, news.com.au reports.

One of the guest speakers was Eagle Boys Pizza founder Tom Potter who claimed opportunities abound for SMEs that choose to do business outside Australia's capital cities.

Eagle Boys is proof positive of this sentiment. It is now Australia's third biggest pizza chain (the larger two are foreign owned) with more than 180 stores across Australia.

Potter says the advantages of doing business in regional areas include cheaper advertising rates, greater staff loyalty and stronger local community relationships.