1. I have to conduct an important meeting.

Points to remember:

1) Plan the purpose and agenda of your meeting ahead of time. 2) Send reminders to
everyone that needs to be present. 3) Keep participants on track, and stick to your
allotted time. 4) Follow up with brief minutes, including decisions made and actions to
be completed by participants.
2. Challenge 2. Ive got to interview somebody.
Points to remember:

1) Carefully list qualities and qualifications you are looking for. 2) Compose and practice
your good interview questions. 3) Rate the answers given by each applicant to the
questions asked. 4) Treat all those you interview politely and with respect.
3. Challenge 3. Im supposed to be in charge of a big project.
Points to remember:

1) Plan carefully who will be on your committee be inclusive. 2) Spend first meeting
getting organized and reviewing your purpose and goals. 3) Assign activities and
completion dates. 4) Follow up with people to remind them of their task and hear about
their progress. 5) Celebrate successful project completion.
4. Challenge 4. I need to make a big decision.
Points to remember:

1) Clearly write out the decision or question in words that make sense to you. 2)
Brainstorm alternatives and look at pros and cons of each. 3) Narrow the field to a
preliminary answer. 4) Move away from your possible answer for a few days to get in
touch with your gut feeling. 5) Commit to your chosen alternative and make an
immediate step in that direction.
5. Challenge 5. Ive got so many deadlines and time pressures.
Points to remember:

1) Develop a draft list of priorities as you see them. 2) Discuss your draft list with your
manager, including how long tasks will take, and get the bosss direction. 3) Involve your
team and delegate where possible. 4) Learn to handle your stress more effectively by taking
time off and proactively using stress reducers that work for you.
 6. Challenge 6. I may need to let somebody go, and Im not sure how to
do it.
Points to remember:

1) Counsel with the employee on several occasions. 2) Document all efforts you have made to
help them improve. 3) The final discussion should be as amicable as possible and not focused
on blame. Stick to the facts. 4) Wish them well, and let them go with their and yourdignity
intact.

7. Challenge 7. Ive got to do employee performance reviews, and I dont

know how.
Points to remember:

1) Have employee complete a copy of the appraisal form, and supervisor completes a copy
also before the appraisal interview. 2) Discuss the employees answers and agree when
you can. 3) Devise a plan for continued development next year. 4) Ask for the
employees suggestions for strengthening the department. 5) Resolve to do frequent
informal feedback discussions with them throughout the year, so you and the employee
are both clear how they are doing.
8. Challenge 8. I may need some help with one part of my job, but Im
afraid to admit it.
Points to remember:

1) No one expects you to have all the answers, so dont be afraid to ask for help when you are
stuck! 2) First consider possible resources or mentors within your own company. 3) Seek out
information from the internet that might shed light on your problem. 4) Get a fresh and
objective perspective from an outsider.

9. Challenge 9. Ive got to make a presentation to the big wigs.

Points to remember:

1) Adopt a positive and determined attitude you can make a successful presentation. 2)
Determine what your purpose is and what your audience expects. 3) Build a rough outline of
your information and gradually fill in details, including examples. 4) Practice, practice, practice
and approach your big day confidently.
 10.Challenge 10. I know I need to delegate better, but how?
Points to remember:

1) Make a list of possible tasks you do that could possibly be turned over to someone. 2) Begin
with one task and decide who the logical person is to have do this. 3) Have the delegating
conversation with your employeetell them you are entrusting this work to them because they
are capable; give good instructions. 4) Compliment and reinforce their efforts without
micromanaging.

11.Challenge 11. One of my people is late all the time.

Points to remember:

1) Intervene early; talk to the employee informally just as soon as you notice the tardiness. 2)
Always listen to their explanation and help them problem solve if possible. 3) Be firm about
enforcing the rules, and institute progressive discipline if the problem continues.

12.Challenge 12. Ive got two people fighting.

Points to remember:

1) Get those who are fighting together face to face. 2) Insist they listen respectfully to each
others perspective. 3) Problem-solve with them jointly to move forward. 4) Hold them
accountable for new behavior standards.

13.Challenge 14. I have an employee who I think is being unethical.

Points to remember:

1) If you suspect anything unethical, have an informal coaching inquiry session with the
employee immediately. 2) Ask for an explanation; give them the benefit of the doubt if you can
but be observant of their ongoing behavior. 3) Remind the employee of your expected
standards of behavior. 4) If the offense is grave or they admit to wrongdoing, consider
suspension while you investigate further.

14.Challenge 15. Ive got an employee who tries hard and just cant get it.
Points to remember:

1) Ask for their assistance on how you can help them improve; provide additional training and
instruction. 2) Set a plan and a deadline for improvement. 3) Compliment any and all progress
you see in the right direction. 4) If all else fails, terminate them with dignity.
 15.Challenge 16. I have to supervise somebody I dont like.
Points to remember:

1) Work on your own attitude keep an open mind that it is possible to improve. 2) Look for
something the person does well. 3) Make yourself compliment them for anything they do well--
even if it makes you cringe. 4) Continue going out of your way to be respectful.

16.Challenge 18. Ive got an employee who just wont do the work.
Points to remember:

1) Try to catch your employee doing something right and compliment them. 2) Work on your
own attitude and try to build a stronger relationship with them. 3) Try to make them feel that
their contribution is especially important to the team. 4) If all else fails apply progressive
discipline, the final step of which is termination.

17.Challenge 19. Ive got someone who is negative all the time.
Points to remember:

1) First try to make your negative employee feel appreciated for anything good you can find. 2)
Counsel with them about how their comments are unacceptable, and try to help them
problem-solve. 3) Develop a plan for improvement with a deadline. 4) Hold a follow-up meeting
on your deadline date and hold them accountable for improvement.

18.Challenge 20. My people are all lazy and unmotivated.

Points to remember:

1) Check your own attitude and be more helpful and respectful, rather than treating them like
unruly children. 2) Ask for the teams help in improving performance and utilize some of their
ideas. 3) Offer people genuine compliments on their work. 4) Post some numbers that show
your teams performance and let those help to motivate them; celebrate when the numbers
move in the right direction.

19.Challenge 23. My people just will not accept any kind of change.
Points to remember:

1) Announce a mandatory change as positively as possible and solicit employee ideas on exactly
how to do it. 2) When change is desired but not ordered, inform your employees and seek their
opinions. 3) Explain why change is necessary and what good may come out of it. 4) Compliment
and reinforce efforts on behalf of the change.

20.Challenge 26. My people are all complainers.

Points to remember:

1) Make your own attitude positive by looking for small successes. 2) Prompt the group to look
for positives; stop allowing them to focus only on the negative. 3) Regularly recognize and
celebrate your collective accomplishments.

21.Challenge 29. Every time I turn my back, they stop working.

Points to remember:

1) Give them respect by not micromanaging and being constantly present. 2) Trust them to do
the work and dont be so critical. 3) Meet with them individually or as a team and ask for their
help to do better. 4) Look for things that they do well and show appreciation.

22.Challenge 30. Ive got problems with the boss.

Points to remember:

1) Change your own attitude and realize that you have some control over the situation. 2) Go
out of your way to be nice and to be understanding of the boss. 3) Find out the boss most
important priorities and work to assist with those; try to make the boss look good. 4) Be careful
and organized about your approach with any issue or suggestion; go to the boss with solutions,
not complaints.

23.Challenge 31. How do I handle all the gossiping and rumors?

Points to remember:

1) Call a group meeting to discuss morale issues and get ideas for reducing gossip. 2) Implement
the best ideas(s) suggested by your group. 3) Hold the group absolutely accountable for new
and higher behavior standards.