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Understanding Stakeholder Theory
Collaboration 7 min read

Understanding Stakeholder Theory

What is stakeholder theory? This management approach argues that anyone affected by a business is a stakeholder. Read on to discover more about stakeholder theory.

7 Techniques for More Effective Brainstorming
Collaboration 10 min read

7 Techniques for More Effective Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a useful method to bring together a wide range of viewpoints. Additionally, it's a quick way to generate a large quantity of ideas. Here are 7 easy ways to brainstorm effectively, encourage collaboration, and eliminate judgement.

Making Mistakes at Work: What to Do if You're in the Wrong
Collaboration 10 min read

Making Mistakes at Work: What to Do if You're in the Wrong

All of us have felt the fear of admitting when we’ve made a mistake at work. We may be terrified to tell our manager, or nervous about the impact our mistake could have on the business. But mistakes are completely normal and should be viewed as an opportunity to grow. This article aims to provide a deeper insight into why this fear of making mistakes at work exists and how to overcome it. We’ll also provide advice to managers on how to react and problem solve collaboratively as a team.  Why is there a fear of making mistakes at work? Making mistakes at work can be scary. This is especially true if you’re the sole breadwinner of your household or rely on your position for everyday expenses like rent. When the stakes are high, it’s normal to worry about what-if scenarios when something goes wrong. In rare cases, extreme perfectionism is diagnosed as atelophobia which is the extreme fear of making mistakes.  While these are all valid reactions, making mistakes at work can actually improve your relationship with management and provide opportunities for self-improvement. But first things first, you have to adjust your mindset and overcome those fear-based feelings that are keeping you paralyzed.  Overcoming the anxiety of making mistakes at work If you’re like most people, you probably feel a knot in your stomach when something goes wrong at work. It could have been a minor mishap that no one noticed or a major mistake that cost your company a huge sum of money.  Regardless of what happened, overcoming the anxiety of making mistakes at work is the first step to finding a solution. If you skip this part of the process, you may find yourself covering up issues that could have been fixed, making things worse long-term, or even getting found out by your boss. Follow these steps to overcoming work-related stress and bounce back stronger than before after you’ve messed up:  Step 1: Process your emotions It’s natural to feel frustrated and embarrassed when something goes wrong at work. But, after a few seconds, the feeling should pass and you can begin to think logically. If it doesn’t happen quickly, take some time to process these emotions. Talk it out with a trusted friend, voice journal about it in your car, or take a walk outside to get some fresh air before starting fresh.  It can be hard to maintain a sense of balance when you’re upset. Try to make sure that your emotional response is proportional to the mistake you made. Step 2: Keep perspective If you make an error at work, it’s likely not a life-or-death situation. Most of the time, it can be corrected or resolved quickly. If you don’t find the right perspective, your mind may get too focused on the negative consequences of your mistake, which can trigger more errors in the future. Step 3: Acknowledge the mistake If you need to apologize for an error, do it quickly and politely. If it’s a small issue, a sentence or two via email or chat messenger is enough to make amends. If it’s a larger issue, consider holding a meeting or giving your manager a quick phone call. Also, make sure to tell your boss about how you intend to prevent this mistake in the future. Step 4: Review your response It’s so easy to get distracted by all your other goals and projects that you can forget about anything else that went wrong before you got to this point. Taking the time to review your response to the mistake helps you improve in case it ever happens again.  Ask yourself questions. Do you make the same mistake over and over again? If so, what changes can you make to prevent this from happening? Step 5: Practice self-care Getting back into a healthy routine can help you release pent-up energy and prevent making mistakes at work in the future.  To some, the concept of self-care may seem like a trend or luxury. But making sure you’re feeling your best is critical for improving your confidence and your performance at work.  Issues such as sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, and dehydration can lead to mistakes you otherwise wouldn’t have made if you had been taking better care of yourself.  Step 6: Evaluate your own performance The easiest way to earn people's trust is to consistently deliver stellar work. Even though you may have failed in the past, there's still time to move on and create a successful and rich working life. Remember, a mistake or two over the course of an otherwise successful period will not make or break your career.  How should managers react to mistakes at work? Managers are responsible for reacting to and assisting employees with mistakes at work. Even in the most high-pressure situations, doing so with care is not only good for morale but will prevent similar mistakes in the future. How a manager reacts to mistakes at work can make all the difference between transformational leadership and losing otherwise great employees.  Great managers understand that we can all learn from our mistakes. Mistakes help us develop as individuals and as a team.  Great managers can also recognize when they themselves have made mistakes. Before you approach a team member, take a close look at yourself to see if you're really worried about their work. If so, what do you think about their performance? Who is responsible for their work so far?  You may find that you’ve contributed to the environment, the process, or the miscommunication that made the mistake possible. Reflecting on this ahead of time will relieve everyone of playing the blame game and instead solve the problem from a fair and level-headed place.  Additionally, managers should make sure that each mistake is a teaching moment. It may be hard but don't try to fix the problem. Instead, frame it as an opportunity to improve and develop.  When approaching an employee who has made a mistake, start by being curious about it. Ask questions about what happened and what their perspective is on the situation. Use active listening skills when speaking to team members, as it will let them know that you are paying attention. They may fess up immediately. If they take the blame for something that wasn’t their fault, which is pretty common, address that. If they don’t admit to making a mistake, approach the situation with care and focus on the issue, not placing blame.  Give the team members the autonomy to figure it out on their own. Then, provide your feedback in a fair and balanced manner. Afterward, encourage them to learn from it and avoid repeating the same mistake. When communicating with an employee who has made a mistake, in-person meetings are often best. However, many teams are now made up of contractors, gig workers, and freelancers who work remotely so a physical location is not always accessible. If that’s the case, lean on digital tools to illustrate the issue.  For example, reports and individual task assignment lists from project management tools. These can also be used to prevent future mistakes, as managers can easily use them to communicate the actions and behaviors expected of team members and improve the overall work management process.  There may be times when mistakes happen over and over again. If that’s the case, the employee may be engaging in a pattern of behavior that keeps them from performing at their best. Managers can step in and provide ideas for healthy habits that will prevent the same type of mistake from cropping up again.  For example, you can ask a marketing team member to overcome a common marketing mistake of missing a content publishing deadline by writing a to-do list every day. This will help them stay on top of their tasks while also motivating them to finish their work at the same time.  In a nutshell, it’s important to understand that punishment for infrequent mistakes is unfair and ineffective. These mistakes offer opportunities to improve, which both managers and employees can embrace. How to admit a mistake in a professional environment You may end up in a situation in a professional environment where an apology is needed. And when it comes to making mistakes at work, honesty is the best policy. Certain actions can break trust, but an apology can help rebuild it.  In your explanation, it's important to detail why you acted the way you did. It shows that you care about how those around you are affected by your actions. It's important to address the person you're apologizing to by name, regardless of their status. Having an open conversation can help both of you understand the other person better, and it can prevent an insincere apology from happening. If the mistake you made affected someone personally, it's important to validate the feelings of the other person. Having the courage to admit that you're sorry can make a huge difference in how people treat you.  Take responsibility for your actions and have a plan in place for how to make amends before you approach the appropriate person or people.  Having a plan in place shows that you're thinking about how to make things right. You may even want to read about examples of taking responsibility at work and model your behavior on whichever feels appropriate for the situation.  However, don’t get carried away and make promises you can’t keep. It's important to set goals that are realistic so that you can avoid repeating the mistake.  If your apology is accepted, you can then try negotiating a solution by asking the other person to reflect on the situation and consider their feelings.  After you apologize, make a greater effort to keep your promises and not repeat the same mistake. Doing so can help improve the situation and make the other person feel more comfortable. How to learn from mistakes at work It's important to come clean and admit your mistake, but it's also important to move forward with a positive mindset. You'll most likely feel a bit down about your mistake right after it happens. But by learning from it, you can improve and become more resilient in the long run.  Start by creating a plan for improvement. If you made a minor mistake, then creating personal goals and action plans will help you put those lessons into action. You can learn a universal lesson from nearly any situation, no matter how unique it is. For example, if you learned that a mistake was made because of your forgetfulness, implementing organizational strategies to improve your memory could help. Next, keep track of progress over time in a notebook or virtual document. Be sure to note the highlights along with the lowlights. Look for patterns. As they come up, add them to your action plan or personal goals list.  Monitor whether or not these changes have led to better, more consistent outcomes. If not, adjust and keep going.  Lastly, don't be afraid to ask for help if you're unsure which strategy or tool will work best for you. Managers are there to support your performance. If you approach them with honesty and vulnerability, they’ll likely be flattered you thought to ask. They may even offer advice or make changes that will improve productivity for you and the rest of the team.  In conclusion The pressure to perform at a high level can often result in mistakes and inefficient habits. Learn from your mistakes and take ownership of them. Communicate in an open and honest manner. Ask for or provide help when needed and remember that every new mistake is also an opportunity for better performance. How Wrike can help you avoid unnecessary mistakes at work With so many files, folders, updates, and chat threads to keep track of, mistakes are easily made when you try to get through your day without a work management platform. Wrike offers a variety of features to help you stay on top of your workload easily, and avoid unnecessary confusion that can lead to mistakes at work. Full project visibility, including real-time updates and approvals, means that you can ensure every stakeholder is informed of what you're working on, with your tasks going to the correct approver every time. One shared space with over 400 app integrations means communication has never been easier, no matter where you or your team are based. And Wrike's Automation Engine allows you to streamline your processes and automate the time-consuming admin tasks that, when tackled manually, can easily be done incorrectly.  Try it out for yourself with a free two-week trial.

Gartner® names Wrike a Leader in 2023 Magic Quadrant™

Gartner® names Wrike a Leader in 2023 Magic Quadrant™

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6 Different Team Effectiveness Models to Understand Your Team Better
Collaboration 7 min read

6 Different Team Effectiveness Models to Understand Your Team Better

Understanding these 6 team effectiveness models can help you figure out which model to adopt for your own team. Or it may simply help shed light into what's working in your own group, and how to help improve what's lacking.

Empowering Teams With CWM: Solving 13 Common Pain Points

Empowering Teams With CWM: Solving 13 Common Pain Points

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Top 15 Problem-Solving Activities for Your Team to Master
Collaboration 10 min read

Top 15 Problem-Solving Activities for Your Team to Master

Some people may call it a problem, others call it a solution! Problem solving activities are a great way to get to know how your team works (both individually and together) and learn strategies that will help your team quickly react to any obstacles that stand in the way of achieving your project goals.

6 Tips for Dealing With Difficult Clients
Collaboration 5 min read

6 Tips for Dealing With Difficult Clients

Difficult clients are part of life at a marketing or professional services agency. Follow these tips for less stress and more success with challenging clients.

13 Awesome Team-Building Games (Infographic)
Collaboration 3 min read

13 Awesome Team-Building Games (Infographic)

Whether you want to do new hire orientation icebreakers or just bond your team closer together, check out our list of awesome team building games that you and your team will want to play over and over again.

New Hire Orientation Icebreakers That Are Actually Good
Collaboration 7 min read

New Hire Orientation Icebreakers That Are Actually Good

Want to plan a warm welcome for your newest employees? Use these new hire orientation icebreakers to encourage team bonding.

Mind Maps: How-to Guide With Examples
Collaboration 7 min read

Mind Maps: How-to Guide With Examples

What is a mind map? A highly effective tool to spark inspiring ideas. In this guide, we explain how to make a mind map and give useful mind mapping examples.

Top Tips for Online Whiteboard Collaboration
Collaboration 10 min read

Top Tips for Online Whiteboard Collaboration

Though there are benefits to an online whiteboard for training sessions and team brainstorming, it often takes more to get the best out of employees. Here are some tips.

The Ultimate Account Management Guide for Professional Services
Collaboration 7 min read

The Ultimate Account Management Guide for Professional Services

What is account management? Drive sales growth from existing customers and build deeper relationships with a successful account management strategy.

Trailblazers: Highlighting Six Notable Black Americans for Black History Month
Collaboration 3 min read

Trailblazers: Highlighting Six Notable Black Americans for Black History Month

February is Black History Month, and one of the important ways we can celebrate and honor Black history is to learn about the incredible contributions Black Americans have made to our lives.  We’re excited to introduce you to six Black Americans who have impacted their industries and, subsequently, all of our lives. From designing video game consoles to serving as the first Black female fighter pilot, these Black leaders have made history that we should all learn more about.  Jerry Lawson Jerry Lawson was the chief hardware engineer at Fairchild Semiconductor’s game division and is credited with designing the electronics behind the Fairchild video game console in 1976. This system was the first to enable players to play against the computer rather than needing another participant to work the game. Madeline Swegle Lt. j.g. Madeline Swegle made history by becoming the U.S. Navy's first Black female tactical fighter pilot. She received her Wings of Gold during a ceremony on July 31, 2020. Swegle graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2017 and is assigned to the Redhawks of Training Squadron (VT) 21 at Naval Air Station Kingsville in Texas. Mark Dean Dr. Mark E. Dean is a computer scientist and engineer who holds three of IBM's original nine PC patents for being the co-creator of the IBM personal computer released in 1981. He also helped IBM create the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, enabling hardware add-on peripheral accessories like printers, disk drives, and keyboards to be plugged directly into the computer.  Patricia Bath Patricia Bath's path to becoming the first African American female doctor to receive a medical patent in the USA was not an easy one. In interviews, she recalled the long hours needed to complete research and test the new technique she invented that used a laser to dissolve cataracts. But appearing on the television show “Good Morning America” in 2018, she also recounted the systemic racism and sexism she dealt with while establishing herself as an ophthalmologist and embarking on her research. Mary Eliza Mahoney Mary Eliza Mahoney was the first African American to study and work as a professionally trained nurse in the United States. In 1879, Mahoney was the first African American to graduate from an American school of nursing. Guion Bluford Guion S. Bluford Jr. is an aerospace engineer who was a decorated Air Force fighter pilot in Vietnam before joining NASA in the late 1970s. Colonel Dr. Bluford is the first African American and the second person of African descent to go to space. These and many more Black Americans have hit important historic milestones and made innovative contributions. We are grateful to our colleagues Renee Turunen, Xavier Cosmopolitan, Evangeline Clarke, Jonathan Vaughters, Jeanette Golden, and Steven Martin at our parent company, Citrix, for their help in highlighting these incredible Black innovators. 

Top Tips for Achieving Your 2022 New Year's Resolutions
Collaboration 7 min read

Top Tips for Achieving Your 2022 New Year's Resolutions

New Year resolutions are a symbolic way to let go of the past and set new goals. Learn top tips for achieving your 2022 new year goals.

5 Quick Tips to Avoid a Sales Slump During the Holidays
Collaboration 7 min read

5 Quick Tips to Avoid a Sales Slump During the Holidays

Some businesses almost make an audible sound of relief as they ring in the New Year. Truth be told, not all businesses fare well during holiday shopping madness. For retailers, year-end is often the busiest time of year for sales. For service providers, however, a slow season from Thanksgiving to New Years is almost expected… But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are five tips you can implement right away to avoid the dreaded holiday sales slump. As luck would have it, these tips can also be implemented any other time you’re experiencing a major sales nosedive. 1. Use Seasonal Content Marketing to Your Benefit People crave content, especially related to things going on in the here and now, like holidays and current events. Christmas and New Years (or any other holiday or major event) can provide major opportunities to cash in on content people are already searching for. A recent study from Outbrain indicates that people not only spend more money during the holidays, but also consume more digital content. So much content, in fact, that the demand is greater than the supply. Think about two basic things: what your customers need and what they’re already searching for online. For example, a couple good content ideas for the new year if you’re a business service provider might be: “5 Business Resolutions for the New Year That Will Transform Your Business” or “5 Quick Ways to Avoid a Sales Slump During the Holidays”. (See what I did there!?) 2. Master Your Upsell Upselling and cross-promoting are good sales practices any time of the year, but they can be especially useful for bringing in cold hard cash when you’re going through a slump. It’s much easier to sell an existing customer an additional product than it is to drum up an entirely new customer. If you’re new at upselling, it’s best to keep your upsale options limited. More is not always better, and can confuse the customer. Offering one or two upgrades or add-ons is more effective than offering a bevy of options. Business experts also suggest bundling your products or services to make the upsell. The likelihood that a customer will purchase multiple services increases if they can do it in one purchase, as opposed to multiple purchases. For example, if you can offer a package that includes social media, email marketing, and SEO, you’re more likely to make the sale than if you try to sell them separately. 3. Ramp Up Your Referral Discounts The holiday season is an opportunity for demonstrating your gratitude to your clients, customers, and business contacts. When you’re experiencing a sales slump, it’s a good time to make a list of your valued clientele and business providers. In addition to sending your valued clients a tasteful holiday greeting, you can also ramp up your referral discounts to drum up a bit of extra business. If your business contacts feel appreciated, they’re a lot more likely to send people your way. Freeman Lewin, CEO of corporate gift company Gimmee Jimmy’s Cookies, talked about the effectiveness of referral discounts by saying, “The one thing that makes successful companies stand out from the rest is how they treat their customers and peers. Never underestimate the power of referral discounts and appreciation.”  4. The Power of PR & Self-Promotion The one good thing about going through a sales slump is that it gives you extra time to focus on your PR and branding. Too often business spend every waking hour pleasing their customers (which is a good business practice, no doubt), but much to the detriment of their own marketing. There’s no time like a sales slump to revamp your marketing and PR campaigns. Never be afraid to toot your own horn. If you have positive customer testimonials, share them. If you’ve recently won an award or been featured in a business magazine, flaunt it. Perception is reality and how customers perceive your brand can make or break a buying decision. Shameless self-promotion doesn’t always have to be a bad thing. 5. Refine Your Sales Process When was the last time you really performed an audit on your sales process? Is the way you’re drumming up business really that effective? Take the time you’re in a sales slump to measure the return on investment for your key sales activities and make changes where necessary. You just might find that you can eliminate those cold calls after all, and get higher conversion rates with warm marketing. Refining your sales process to include only the activities that generate a high return can not only get you out of the holiday slump, but also increase your profit the rest of the year. Bonus Tip: Followup, Followup, Followup Followup should be a standard sales practice all year round, but it’s one that most people miss. There’s no time like the end of the year to reach out to contacts you’ve talked to throughout the year and find out if the timing is right for collaboration. Leading with something of value, such as a related case study or trending news story, is always the best followup option, rather than just calling and asking for business. Think Outside the Box While your business is idling, chances are there are others looking around for opportunities to expand. The holiday season is the best time to reach out to new and existing contacts and see what opportunities you can bring to each other. Be flexible. There’s no time like the present to explore new avenues for sales and examine new ideas. Think outside the box.           About the Author: Blair Nicole is a PR & Media Relations guru by profession and a writer by choice. She’s a contributor at Elite Daily, Social Media Today, Examiner, and Inquisitr, among others. She’s a full time traveling nomad and sits on the Board of Directors for 3 non-profits. Her motto is ‘kick ass, don’t kiss it.’ www.Blair-Nicole.com

What Is an Agile Coach?
Collaboration 10 min read

What Is an Agile Coach?

An Agile coach can help organizations restructure and reorganize their processes and pave the way for successful project delivery.

A Quick Guide to Client Communication Skills
Collaboration 10 min read

A Quick Guide to Client Communication Skills

Client communication skills are crucial for delivering impressive work and retaining your best clients. Here’s what you need to know to communicate effectively.

Lose the Cubicles: 5 Reasons to Embrace an Open Office
Collaboration 5 min read

Lose the Cubicles: 5 Reasons to Embrace an Open Office

Open floor plan offices are taking over traditional workspaces, breaking down flimsy cubicle walls and strengthening the camaraderie of your team. At apartment-finding service ABODO, we know how important your space can be. That’s why we recently upgraded to an open-concept office ourselves, with department “neighborhoods,” a work-free theater room, seating spaces, and plenty of private office spaces for meetings and phone calls. Other than that, everyone — CEO and executive team included— is out in the open and sharing tables.   Although open workspaces have received some pushback as of late, arising largely from noise complaints, there are numerous upsides to permanently folding up cubicles and opening up the office. Here are 5 we can personally attest to: Availability Like I mentioned above, at ABODO HQ, executives and upper-level management are working side-by-side with their departments. That means there’s no working up the nerve to knock on office doors, or wondering when your boss will be around for questions. They are around for questions and conversations, as are the rest of your coworkers. Innovation Sitting around and staring at the same four walls, cubicle or brick-and-mortar, day in and day out doesn’t exactly lend itself to innovation. Having your teammates within speaking distance opens up communication so you can quickly bounce ideas off one another, be they bad or good, and land on new ideas that neither would have stumbled across alone. Collaboration is key to innovation, and if you need collaboration, it’s waiting all around you. Productivity Many worry that the two factors listed above will actually diminish work productivity. But this doesn’t have to be the case. In addition to quick feedback, employees should still be entitled to uninterrupted work time. For this reason, many companies create “quiet zones” with more private workspaces, or enforce a “quiet time,” during which time interrupting others’ work is prohibited. There are also other cues to signal “busy” to chatty coworkers, such as investing in a pair of noise-canceling headphones or a shift to a more distant seat. Flexibility One of the key points of open-office setups is the flexibility — you aren’t stuck at a desk behind fuzzy gray walls that barely have the structural integrity to hold up your wall calendar. Instead, you can move from your desk to a couch or chair for a change of scenery. This flexibility leads to higher productivity and job satisfaction, according to Harvard Business Review. Privacy Likely the largest complaint or concern is the loss of privacy that those cubicle walls provide. And to some extent, it’s unavoidable: When you’re sharing table space, insulating yourself from the noises around you can be tricky. And it’s just as difficult to feel like you have privacy if you’re having a delicate conversation or private phone call (which is what extra meeting rooms are perfect for). But, a different HBR report found that more workers were dissatisfied with sound privacy in cubicles than in open workspaces. Fewer workers overall reported being dissatisfied in this aspect, suggesting that most employees are happy to see and be seen. An open-concept office might not work for every business — especially one that requires constant phone contact — but many are finding that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Before you make any decision, consider how often your team requires meetings (which can be trimmed with the proper work management software), how closely their work is tied, and if your current space could also support alternative seating, which is a key ingredient in open offices. Author Bio: Sam Radbil is a contributing member of the marketing and communications team at ABODO, an online apartment marketplace based in Madison, Wisconsin. In just three years, the company has grown to more than 30 employees, raised over $8M in outside funding, and helps more than half a million renters find a new home every month.  

The Dangers of Overworking: How To Avoid Employee Overload
Collaboration 7 min read

The Dangers of Overworking: How To Avoid Employee Overload

Employee workload can have mental and physical implications. Learn about the dangers of overworking yourself and what to do when you are overworked.

Use Gamification to Revolutionize Your Team Task Management
Collaboration 3 min read

Use Gamification to Revolutionize Your Team Task Management

The thought of victory often pushes people to do their very best. It only makes sense, then, that this mentality leads to productivity gains in the workplace. By integrating gamification with team task management, companies can inspire a healthy level of competitiveness among employees.

Ways To Secure Your Company's Data/Processes With CWM Platforms
Collaboration 5 min read

Ways To Secure Your Company's Data/Processes With CWM Platforms

In an increasingly cloud-based work environment, collaborative work management systems with robust security capabilities are vital to protecting data. Businesses need to ensure productivity and collaboration for remote teams without compromising security.

How To Overcome Imposter Syndrome
Collaboration 7 min read

How To Overcome Imposter Syndrome

Discover how imposter syndrome affects well-being and how to address it. Learn how to overcome imposter syndrome in the workplace with these tips and insights.

How to Be More Grateful By Changing One Word (Work Management Roundup)
Collaboration 3 min read

How to Be More Grateful By Changing One Word (Work Management Roundup)

Friday is finally here, and with just one week left before Christmas/Winter Holidays, we're bringing you the Work Management Roundup filled with articles not just regarding productivity and working smart, but also thankfulness and team-building. Thanks for coming back every week to read our roundup. It's our privilege to share our favorite links and advice with you. Enjoy! Show Your Appreciation by Changing Just One Word (James Clear): 'Tis the season to be thankful! A really short read by entrepreneur James Clear on how to exercise gratitude. It may just change your (work) life.  Why I Don’t Want My Startup to ‘Go Viral’ (Observer): Laura Roeder shares a common problem she sees in startups: thinking that a viral loop can be planned. Doesn't work that way. You have to put in the hard work and find the right marketing to grow your user base. The Ultimate Guide To Winning Your White Elephant Gift Exchange Using Game Theory (FiveThirtyEight Life): Since it's holiday party time, chances are you're having some type of gift swap game. Thanks to Ben Casselman, here's a surefire decision-making system that will allow you to get (or steal) the best gift every time.  8 Team Building Exercises That Rock (Slideshare): And just in case you feel the gift swap is too outdated, you may want to peruse our Slideshare for 8 team games that you can play at the holiday party this year. How I Learned to Suck Less at GTD (Todoist): If you've ever tried the Getting Things Done productivity system and failed to maintain it, you may want to try these two tips that were written for the average disorganized Joe. 5 Ways to Winterize Your Cubicle (Payscale): It's cold, we know! (At least it is for us here in northern California!) But there are concrete steps you can take to make your work area much less wintery and much more comfy. Our favorite tip: sip hot water to keep you warm. More Work Management Reads Think About This: The Startup Framework to Validate Your Idea Before You Spend $1 (Medium) Information Overload Causes Fatigue Among Smartphone Users (Infographic)(Adweek) The 9 Email Mistakes That Make People Ignore Your Messages (Fast Company) Drinking Alcohol Will Not Help You Feel Warmer (Mythbusters) Go Try This: How to Work From Home Without Losing Your Mind (Entrepreneur) 9 Ways to Start a Conversation With Someone at a Networking Event (Hustle + Grind) 9 Ways to Make Sure You Run Effective Meetings (Infographic) (Wrike) How To Sleep Better: 16 Proven Tactics You Can Use Tonight (Mintfull) Browse The Work Management Roundup on Flipboard If you use Flipboard on your mobile device, then you can check out these links via The Work Management Roundup magazine.   View my Flipboard Magazine.