The Leaderboard

Ask and ye shall find out: Why good managers always ask questions
Ask questions and solicit feedback and ideas from employees in order to become an effective manager, Peter Friedes writes. This is harder than it seems, Friedes writes, but asking can help you and your team reach your objectives, and know-it-all managers rarely get the results they desire. LeadChangeGroup.com (2/20)

Sales Strategies

How to glean big-picture insights from the sales operations department
Sales leaders tend to focus on short-term results, but they can gain insights into improving overall performance by interacting with the sales operations department, writes David Brock. "A great Sales Operations executive has tremendous insight into where the bottlenecks are, where the challenges are, where we can improve," he writes. Partners in Excellence Blog (2/21)

Driving sales through gamification
A well-designed gamification program can help keep young employees motivated and engaged in sales activities, writes Bob Marsh, CEO of LevelEleven. Such a program should be simple, entertaining and rewarding, he writes. "There is nothing worse than empty e-points that can never be redeemed for anything tangible," he adds. Fast Company online (2/22)

Daily Data Points

U.S. economic data expected to be indecisive

Reuters

New figures due this week are expected to be a mixed bag for the U.S. economy. Consumer sentiment and home sales are likely to be positive, but data may reveal a downturn in orders for major manufactured items as well as lower manufacturing activity and a decline in household incomes. MarketWatch (2/24)

Other News

Strategies from Sales & Marketing Management

Crucial rules to consider before offering a discount
Salespeople constantly push their managers for the right to discount in order to reel in business. "We'll make up the margin on higher volume," they argue. Sales managers need to remind themselves of simple, but often forgotten, factors that should be considered in making discount decisions. Sales & Marketing Management (2/25)

On the Road

Hotels are tapping revenue potential from impromptu work spaces
Some hotels have begun managing their lobbies and other available spaces for use by business travelers as informal work or meeting areas -- and are earning extra revenue in the process. Marriott International and Starwood Hotels & Resorts have put their own spin on the trend by renting out on-demand work spaces with Internet access and a nontraditional atmosphere. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (2/18)

App Update

App can help you make the most of your Gmail account
An iPhone application called Mailbox can help you manage your Gmail messages to make sure you get all your work done. The app allows users to make specific gestures to delete messages, archive them or put them off. CBS MoneyWatch (2/22)

Making Small Talk

Oscar stars' swag bags are shrinking
Stars at this past weekend's Academy Awards received swag bags that were less well-stuffed than in previous years. This year's freebies were worth a relatively paltry $47,803, down from $93,108 in 2010, and included items such as tennis shoes, condoms and a bottle of Windex. Bloomberg Businessweek (2/21)

SmartQuote

There are enough distractions in this world, so to keep employees focused, managers need to make straightforward goals." -- Bob Marsh, CEO of LevelEleven, writing at Fast Company online Share: