Unless you have been living off the planet Earth, you have probably already read or heard about several mechanical failures in Toyota automobiles that led the automaker famous for quality to recall nearly nine million cars worldwide. In addition, poor handling of the issue in the public eye has damaged the automaker’s brand reputation and caused sales to fall to their lowest point in more than a decade.

The global financial crisis has made cash a major priority for most companies. But according to a new study from REL, a division of The Hackett Group, Inc., many still fail to take the key steps required to build a corporate culture that successfully focuses on cash. REL's research "Blueprint for a Cash Culture" details the key steps companies can take to build a cash culture, and how prevalent they are in companies today. It details best practices in four key areas: organizational alignment and collaboration; executive leadership and sponsorship; measurement and accountability; and incentives and compensation.

Companies planning not to replace the staff they cut in 2009 may find a decrease in the quality and sustainability of knowledge workers’ performance. Knowledge workers are buckling under the extra pressure because many companies which reduced staff numbers in 2009 do not plan to rehire, a global research project has revealed.

With all the choices about what kind of work they might perform, more and more people are looking for meaningful work. Meaningful work? In many organizations, that's a strange term -something new, different and confusing. In Employers of Choice, having meaningful work to do means that practically every task performed by every employee has value. That value may be serving a customer, maintaining machinery so everything works smoothly, keeping records that support the company's financial health or directly producing goods and services that make our world a better place... for somebody.

Negativity at work can be harmful. Negativity often results in a loss of productivity and a high rate of turnover. Negativity is contagious. The expression "misery loves company" rings true when it comes to spreading negativity around the office. Those who have negative feelings will first seek out others who feel the same way, and then try to influence those who don't.

Professional networking can be an important element in your career, particularly if you are thinking of making a move to a new job. We give you ten tips for getting the most out of networking opportunities. Before you embark on a determined networking campaign you must define your goals. You must determine: why you are doing it; what the objective is; how much money you can invest; and how you will know you have reached your goal.

Recent studies show that one in three Canadians suffer from stress and the number is on the rise. But stress isn't a new problem. While the physiological state wasn’t properly named until the 1930s, new research from The University of Western Ontario proves stress has plagued humans for hundreds, and perhaps thousands of years.The first study of its kind, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, detected the stress hormone cortisol in the hair of ancient Peruvians, who lived between 550 and 1532 A.D. When an individual is stressed – due to real or perceived threats – cortisol is released into nearly every part of the body, including blood, saliva, urine and hair.

In addition to changing views on what success looks like and what behaviours and skills to reward, organisational and workforce models will have to evolve to accommodate the new business climate. A different set of employee and executive skills, smart deployment of talent and the realignment of compensation structures will be critical to firms’ ability to achieve a sustainable competitive strategy in the fundamentally different business, capital and regulatory environment that is emerging from the turmoil, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC).

Effective CEOs must cope with, and recover from, setbacks and remain adaptive in the face of often overwhelming pressures and competing demands. Those who don't are increasingly being shown the door. C students have to learn how to cope with setbacks and failure to meet expectations and, if they are to get through, recovery strategies for their next assignment or examination. This is all good training to become a CEO.

The most important issue in management success is being a person that others want to follow. Every action you take during your career in an organization helps determine whether people will one day want to follow you.

According to a new study by Leadership IQ, 87% of employees say that working with a low performer has made them want to change jobs. 93% of employees say that working with a low performer has decreased their productivity. But only 14% of senior executives say their company effectively manages low performers. And only 17% of middle managers say they feel comfortable improving or removing low performers.

Amid layoffs and burgeoning workloads, it seems, working any time, all the time, has become a habit. A survey of 605 U.S. workers last spring by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 70% of employees work beyond scheduled time and on weekends; more than half blame "self-imposed pressure." Now, new research suggests some have reached the point where a paradoxical truth applies: To get more done, we need to stop working so much.

Your leadership style is situational. Your leadership style depends on the task, the team or individual's capabilities and knowledge, the time and tools available and the results desired.

The 10th annual World of Work survey from Randstad found that 45% of respondents believe there is going to be a shortage of qualified managers in the future; and that finding and preparing the next generation of managers is emerging as one of the most critical issues companies will face in the near future.

The gaps between the kind of behaviour employees expect and actually experience from their managers are highly significant the latest European wide Krauthammer survey indicates. People’s expectations are not being met in a range of fundamental areas. And yet, despite these failings in managerial performance, around 70% of employees still appear to trust their managers. The study gives clear signals that employees expect certain behaviour from their managers such as to analyse their work problems together, involve them in solving dilemmas, admit their mistakes spontaneously and seek the feedback of their employees regarding their own performance.

Anger is a powerful energy. Being afraid of this energy, we often attempt to deny or hide it. When we cannot contain the energy of anger, we release it on other people or things.

But what about the angels of the workplace? Have you ever considered what makes a good boss good?The answer to that question is admittedly mercurial, as one person's view of a top-notch employer will differ from somebody else's. However, there are a number of traits, attitudes and abilities that are common to all good bosses. Moreover, the need for solid leadership skills is especially telling with smaller businesses.

New research by Haas School Associate Professor Cameron Anderson suggests a simple strategy for individuals to improve their own reputations at work: Just speak up!

Life's problems are rather growth challenges than obstacles. Problems don't pop up in your life to beat you down. Their purpose is to help you grow stronger. Despite the beneficial nature of problem-solving, there may come a point where you feel so overwhelmed with problems that you begin developing learned helplessness. You feel like you're drowning in difficulties, and you can't see a way out. This means that the weights in your life are too heavy for you to lift. It's like going to the gym and trying to lift a 300-lb barbell. It just won't budge, so you feel powerless and stuck. The solution is that you must reduce the weight.

Burnout ist ein körperlicher und seelischer Erschöpfungszustand, der häufig mit dem Arbeitsumfeld zusammenhängt und durch überhöhte Erwartungshaltungen entsteht. Die Folgen sind Lustlosigkeit, negatives Denken, Aggression, Pessimismus und Zynismus im Umgang mit sich und anderen.

Work can be a stressful place, wherever you earn your living, whether in an office, a factory, or a school. Some stress is good. It motivates us and makes us stronger. Too much stress is bad. It makes us irrational and it can, quite literally, kill us. Fortunately, there are specific things you can do that will help you reduce your stress at work and better cope with it.

Researchers have found that those who are shy tend to begin their careers later than non-shy people. They are also more apt to refuse promotions. This problem could have a possibly simple solution.

What causes job burnout? How do you know if you are burned out? And most of all: What can you do if you are burned out? Here is a listing that gives you a good picture about a terribly important topic.

We all know what anger is, and we've all felt it, whether as fleeting annoyance or as full-fledged rage. But when it gets out of control, it can lead to severe problems and needs to be dealt with.

The types and consequences of stress vary strongly, making it difficult to identify and manage them. Stress management is extremely important in securing that people don't suffer the consequences of stress unnecessarily.

Being seen as essential is key not only to keeping a job, but it is also vital for positioning yourself to move forward once the economy returns to an upswing. Develop your skills that make you valuable and an asset to your company. Be visible, take responsibility and focus on the bottom line. Make your contribution.

The idea of a traditional leader has been replaced and modernized. Social skills and ideas of what a leader should be has changed this position substantially.Are likeability and charisma the qualities we should be looking for in a leader or have we found proof during the recent financial crisis that some things should be handled once more by competence instead of social skill?

We are no doubt living in uncertain times. What is certain is that business will have to change. Because the fundamentals have changed, businesses must adapt how leadership is viewed. Skills and traits valued under ‘business as usual’ conditions no longer apply, as the economic times are anything but normal. Questions about leadership are not just constrained to the business world, as evident in the historic inauguration of President Obama. Traits inherent to Obama’s leadership, balancing pragmatism, innovation, decisiveness and inspiration, are desperately in need if a business and the public service are to come through recession successfully.

People dress inappropriately and unprofessionally for work. Personal hygiene is sometimes unacceptable. Flirtatious behavior can lead to a sexual harassment problem. A messy desk is not the sign of an organized mind. Unreturned pop cans do draw ants. Vulgar language is unprofessional. Revealing cleavage belongs in a club, a party, or on the beach. Leaving dirty dishes for others to wash is rude. Have you encountered any of these examples? They're just samples of the types of behavior that cry out for responsible feedback. These steps will help you hold difficult conversations when people need professional feedback.

The deepening recession is exacting punishment for a psychological vice that masquerades as virtue for many working people: the unmitigated identification of self with occupation, accomplishment and professional status. This tendency can induce outright panic as more and more people fear loss of employment.

With Congress grilling bank CEOs nowadays, it's a timely question. Regulators and business leaders continue to try to figure out how decision-makers' missteps may have triggered the economic meltdown. Sydney Finkelstein, a professor at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, has studied decision-making, and tried to track down some answers in a new book he's co-authored called "Think Again: Why Good Leaders Make Bad Decisions and How to Keep it From Happening to You."

For most of us, the idea of "workplace violence" conjures up images of physical harm. But there is another form of workplace violence that is just as dangerous and insidious - and that is workplace gossip.

Used to flying below the radar at work? Think not being noticed will keep your job safe? Not anymore. The best strategy now is to figure out how you can raise your visibility at work - in positive ways.

The sweeping victory of Barack Obama ushers in a new era of leadership that will affect every aspect of American institutions and that sounds a death knell for the top-down, power-oriented leadership prevalent in the 20th century.A new style of "bottom-up, empowering" leadership focusing on collaboration will sweep the country. A new wave of 21st century authentic leaders will take oversea U.S. institutions of every type: business, education, health care, religion and nonprofits. These new leaders recognize that an organization of empowered leaders at every level will outperform "command-and-control" organizations every time.

Stress is normal. Everyone feels stress related to work, family, decisions, your future, and more. Stress is both physical and mental. It is caused by major life events such as illness, the death of a loved one, a change in responsibilities or expectations at work, and job promotions, loss, or changes.Smaller, daily events also cause stress. This stress is not as apparent to us, but the constant and cumulative impact of the small stressors adds up to big impact.

The number one new year's resolution for senior managers in 2009 is to manage their stress better, according to a survey from training specialist Video Arts.

How might you prevent a conniving colleague from damaging your reputation or stealing credit for your work? If a saboteur strikes, what's the best way to react? When a boss or colleague works to sabotage your career -- or you perceive you're being sabotaged -- no matter the reason, it can be tough to cope. Complain, and you're no longer considered a team player or may be accused of imagining the situation. Sit back and do nothing, and your career advancement could be in jeopardy.

Do you feel the need to be more organized and/or more productive? Do you spend your day in a frenzy of activity and then wonder why you haven't accomplished much? These time management tips will help you increase your productivity and stay cool and collected.

CEOs across Asia have expressed a willingness to develop the next generation of leaders in their respective organisations, but very few of them have been proactive and strategic in doing so, according to recent research.It found that the majority of organisations in the region do not have comprehensive leadership development strategies in place for grooming top talent. Most of the leaders who are in their current position were given the role without any formal grooming and training.

Hast du manchmal das Gefühl, dass du für deine Aufgaben einfach zu wenig Zeit hast? Dann solltest du versuchen, die dir zur Verfügung stehende Zeit möglichst effizient zu nutzen und „Zeitfresser“ systematisch zu eliminieren.

Flexibility of leadership style and the speed to respond to external drivers are essential for making change stick, according to Australian-based CEOsThe success of a major change program hinges on leadership style and the role played by the CEO, recent study has found. CEOs need to be chameleon-like, and flexible enough to choose the “right” leadership style to initiate a transformation and change at different points in time along the program, to achieve set objectives.There is no one right leadership style for success, but it is critical that the CEO walks the talk. PricewaterhouseCoopers conducted the study. Based on 40 face-to-face interviews with CEOs and other executives of leading ASX-listed companies and large government departments, the study found people, processes and technology remain the three levers for change, but can no longer be looked at in isolation.In designing and executing successful large change programs that draw all of these levers together, CEOs said they have learnt lessons in seven key areas.

Stress at work not only contributes to the nation's mental health statistics but is costing employers up to $10.11 billion in absenteeism and presenteeism, Medibank Private research shows.

Wisdom is knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action. It is also said in business and life that knowledge is power. We all have, however, different experiences and backgrounds, strengths and weaknesses, meaning none of us have all the knowledge (or wisdom) for the best use of power. Mahatma Gandhi said “It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.”

The Personal Balance Sheet technique by Janis and Mann is a form of Listing Pros and Cons. This was originally used by counsellors etc. for people to make a reasoned, public and recorded statement of why and individual was going to make a specific change (such as stop drinking or drugs) on the basis that it was then munch more difficult for a individual to renege later.

Managers in charge of remote Latin American teams often report having difficulty getting their employees to meet deadlines, but this failure to complete projects on time may have little to do with the tired stereotype about Latinos always being late.Here are some ways to find out - and understand - the factors that could be causing continual delays with remote multicultural teams.

As HBS professor Laura Morgan Roberts sees it, if you aren't managing your own professional image, others are.People are constantly observing your behavior and forming theories about your competence, character, and commitment, which are rapidly disseminated throughout your workplace.It is only wise to add your voice in framing others' theories about who you are and what you can accomplish.

To compete effectively in global markets, Australian business leaders will need to continue to increase their knowledge and understanding of the changing international scene and the inter-relationship between business, society and the environment.

To maintain employee morale during times of financial crisis, senior leaders can allay employee fears by communicating clearly on topics such as pensions, 401(k) investments and even job security, according to communication experts at Watson Wyatt, a leading global consulting firm.

HBS professor emeritus Abraham Zaleznik, skilled in the practice of psychoanalysis and an admirer of the insights of Sigmund Freud, explores motivation, decision making, and leadership skills as they progress in life and in business and reflects on the inner life of leaders.

Women who worked for one female boss or a mixed-gender pair reported more stress symptoms than those who worked for one male boss, according to the study.