How Well Does Your IT Shop Welcome New Hires? Ask Them

cio.com: "Want to find out what new employees think of your IT department? Just ask them, says Direct Energy CIO Kumud Kalia... This kind of information has a short shelf life; employees forget their early experiences once they're settled. New employees obviously won't want to be too harsh, "but it is possible to get at the truth without overt criticism of coworkers [or] the company..."

Ongoing, unbiased, requested feedback - now that's something we certainly 'get'.

Tip: Fight Your Way to Breakthroughs

behance.com: "Many creative teams believe that their greatest mistakes are made when nobody argues. When you really care about an idea, you are likely to develop an opinion; when multiple people have a strong opinion, you’re bound to disagree - and clash. Your approach to managing the impassioned "fighting" that ensues is a critical factor in your ability to find the best solution. While some people shy away from confrontation, we have found that a healthy dose of tension helps ideas thrive...

In poorly run teams, the person with the most power or experience just makes the call. Or, sometimes people openly disagree and eventually some people become apathetic and give up... Rather than focus on the discomforts of fighting, consider the benefits from opposite perspectives duking it out!" Read on...

This is an interesting perspective. It's important to consider the effectiveness of disagreeing, when balanced against a genuine effort to move an idea forward toward success.

7 Tips for Resolving Conflicts Quickly and Peacefully

"Everyone has to deal with difficult people, whether they are argumentative, abusive, stubborn, or combative. The question is, how can you assert your own rights without creating an unnecessary incident?

In most cases, angry people are screaming to be heard. They want to be valued, loved, and listened to. They want to feel important but aren’t able to express themselves constructively. With the right attitude, it’s possible to get past these insecurities and reach an understanding. These 7 strategies will help you setting disputes quickly and peacefully for the benefit of everyone involved..."

See the list at PickTheBrain.com

Are you a windbag at work?

Think of someone who's long-winded (we all know such people). Chances are you also think of him or her as boring and self-absorbed. But is it possible people think you are a long-winded Benny Blowhard or Chatty Cathy? The more questions to which you answer yes, the more concerned you should be.

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Recognize that you'll pay a big price for talking too much at work. You will be held in low esteem and will be less likely to have close friends. Some bigmouths believe it's worth the price -- talking is pleasurable and helps them clarify their thoughts. But you should consciously decide, perhaps on a case-by-case basis, whether it's worth the price.

Now, some remedial advice. Keep saying to yourself, Be concise! As you're talking, ask yourself whether you might be boring your listener. Recognize that you're probably rationalizing that your long stories are interesting. Details and tangents are usually much more fascinating to you than they are to your listener.

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A rule of thumb. If, in any conversation, you're speaking more than 60% of the time, you're talking too much. Fifty percent is better. Thirty to forty percent is usually best.

Remember: If you care about other people, you'll make them part of the conversation. And if you tend to care more about yourself, know that you'll get further if you trade in your jibber-jabber self for someone who truly listens. Think of it this way: Big talkers learn little. Good listeners learn a lot.

Yes, we all know the guy who simply has to dominate the conversation, and who doesn't know how to pick up on nonverbal cues. Here's a killer product idea: a conference table that comes with a built-in buzzer that tells the loudmouth to zip it!