management

Effective—and Possibly Crazy—Tips for Persuading Anyone

Not a day goes by that you don’t have occasion to try to persuade others, whether it’s for something big like canceling a project or something inconsequential like deciding where to go for lunch. Read on for tips to help convince people and get them on your side, both on a team and outside work.

Naomi Karten's picture
Naomi Karten
Tapping into the Power of Introverts in IT

Introverts—those who rarely talk to others, seldom engage socially, and answer questions only when asked—can be the strongest contributors on a team, but only if they’re engaged effectively. Here are some tactics that can help leverage the enormous strengths of the quiet ones on your team.

Deepika Mamnani's picture
Deepika Mamnani
AgileConnection Update: Transitions, Distributed Teams, and Managers

Johanna Rothman, technical editor of AgileConnection, highlights some of the content that's being published on the site, including articles about using certain agile practices on an otherwise traditional project, the challenges of distributed teams, and another myth for misguided managers.

Johanna Rothman's picture
Johanna Rothman
Six Focus Areas for Effective Test Management

For a test manager to be effective, Mukesh Sharma says six important areas must come together: domain focus, test expertise, leadership style, management practices, proactivity quotient, and communication protocols. Read on to learn how to become a well-rounded test manager in these areas.

Mukesh Sharma's picture
Mukesh Sharma
The Ambiguous Sounds of Silence: Why You Should Ask for Input

Silence may not be golden when members of a team are trying to reach agreement, resolve an issue, or make a decision. In this setting, silence is often taken to mean that those who haven’t voiced an opinion approve of the matter under discussion—yet they may very well not. You should make sure.

Naomi Karten's picture
Naomi Karten
Signs of an Ineffective Project Manager

Ineffective project managers take many forms. Sometimes the PM simply lacks the knowledge or training to do what the job calls for. Sometimes he is eager to please, so he gives ambitious timelines or says yes to every client request. But then, some PMs are just bad. Learn to recognize some signs.

Naomi Karten's picture
Naomi Karten
What to Do When You Really Want to Encourage People to Ask Questions

It’s simple, really. The thing to do when you encourage people to ask questions is give them a chance to ask their questions. But sometimes when people are eager to share information, they unintentionally stifle communication. If you truly welcome questions, make your behavior support your intent.

Naomi Karten's picture
Naomi Karten
Coping with Uncertainty

People tend to be more content knowing the worst-case scenario than facing the uncertainty of not knowing. But change—which organizations face nearly nonstop—is fairly synonymous with uncertainty and is a major stress trigger for many people. Here's how to cope with almost-certain uncertainty.

Naomi Karten's picture
Naomi Karten