| Training |  | 
| by Mark Breie | |
 Make sure everyone in your group puts the topic and desired action in the "subject" line 	of an email.
    	Make sure everyone in your group puts the topic and desired action in the "subject" line 	of an email. When forwarding a very long e-mail thread, edit it for fast reading (just like you would 		summarize a
   	When forwarding a very long e-mail thread, edit it for fast reading (just like you would 		summarize a
Hold Faster Meetings
 Have everyone stand up for the duration of a meeting. (Most will end in about 15 		minutes!)
   	Have everyone stand up for the duration of a meeting. (Most will end in about 15 		minutes!)
Make Customers Happier
 Incent everyone in your group by linking their pay to customer satisfaction (via quarterly 	surveys).
   	Incent everyone in your group by linking their pay to customer satisfaction (via quarterly 	surveys).
Solicit Employee Feedback
 Have the CEO do a "coffee and bagels" session each month with employees who have a 	birthday that month.
   	Have the CEO do a "coffee and bagels" session each month with employees who have a 	birthday that month. 
Build Fun Culture
 Reverse the casual trend and have a "dress up" day.
   	Reverse the casual trend and have a "dress up" day.
 Celebrate your star performers with themed candy bar or ice cream flavors. The themes 		are endless: $100,000
   	Celebrate your star performers with themed candy bar or ice cream flavors. The themes 		are endless: $100,000
 bar, Rocky Road, Good 'n' Plenty, etc.
General Management (or holiday) Tip 
 Be ruthless with time but gracious with people.
   	 Be ruthless with time but gracious with people.
Solicit Employee Feedback
 Give every employee $10 and tell them to give it to the fellow employee who is most 	responsible for their success
   	Give every employee $10 and tell them to give it to the fellow employee who is most 	responsible for their success
 (often mandate it go to another department employee).
Hire Smart
 Ask your candidate's references for additional references. These folks often provide the 	most honest and
    	Ask your candidate's references for additional references. These folks often provide the 	most honest and 
insightful input.
Run Meetings Faster
 If you need to cut a meeting short, simply stand up, offer to shake hands and say 	"thanks."
   	If you need to cut a meeting short, simply stand up, offer to shake hands and say 	"thanks."
Solicit Employee Feedback
 Ask your lapsed (i.e. one-time) customers why they haven't returned. The answer is key 	to the long-term vitality of your business.
    Ask your lapsed (i.e. one-time) customers why they haven't returned. The answer is key 	to the long-term vitality of your business. 
Manager Tip of the Month
 Be calm in tense times (and tense in calm times). From How to Manage Like Joe Torre in 	Fortune, 4/30/01: "When a situation turns tense, Torre grows outwardly calmer; when 	things are going well, he turns up the heat."
   	Be calm in tense times (and tense in calm times). From How to Manage Like Joe Torre in 	Fortune, 4/30/01: "When a situation turns tense, Torre grows outwardly calmer; when 	things are going well, he turns up the heat."
Mark Breier is an Internet expert who has led two major e-commerce companies. Breier served as president and CEO of Beyond.com. As VP of Marketing at Amazon.com, Breier helped develop radio ads, launched innovative promotions and participated in the company's explosive growth. Today, he advises and invests in Internet start-ups. [email protected].
	
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