Is it Dr. Smith...or simply Chris?

As a leader, have you dropped by your formal title?

Forget what your parents taught you, it's not always prudent to use a formal salutation, especially in today's more informal education and business worlds. Addressing people by their first name is now the norm in corporate and educational circles. Use first names to address colleagues, clients, and bosses. If you are a junior employee, this will level the playing field so that you are perceived as more of an equal. Confidently addressing people by their first names establishes you as mature and self-assured. If you are a seasoned leader, it will convey accessibility. Today's workers see hierarchies as stiff and outdated. Demanding that subordinates or staff members use a formal title comes off as pompous. Note that this informality is not the global norm—learn what is most broadly acceptable both locally and before you travel.  This is also especially important in education when addressing parents.  Start with the Mr., Mrs., or Ms. until asked to use a first name.  Additional respect for parents is never out-of-date.


Adapted from "What's in a (First) Name" by Jodi Glickman.

Staff Meetings

As a leader, are all your meetings purposeful?  If not, why do you have them?

Recurring meetings are a drag. These regular updates exist for a reason, but they are often boring and even unproductive. Here are three ways you can freshen up your staff meetings:

• Review the meeting's purpose. People may show up just because it's on their calendar. Remind them why the meeting exists and ask if it still serves a purpose.
• Solicit agenda items in advance. Give attendees the chance to bring up issues that are of interest to them.
• Cancel if there is no reason to meet. No agenda items? Cancel. People will respect that you aren't wasting their time and will show up engaged when there is work to be done and value in meeting.

Adapted from Guide to Making Every Meeting Matter by Ron Ashkenas, Martha Craumer, Anthony K. Tjan, Gina Trapani, David Silverman, Jane Heifetz, June Delano, Jodi Glickman, Melissa Raffoni