If You Can, Work Closely

It probably sounds obvious: the nearer you are to your team, the more likely you'll communicate business goals with them. Gerd Gigerenzer of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin from his research: "Employees who work on different floors interact 50% less than those who work on the same floor, and the difference is even greater for those working in different buildings." The not-so-obvious: if you can, avoid working working virtually. Conference calls, phone calls, e-mail, and the plethora of other technological wonders impede your communication with your team. If at all possible, work near your team. William Hewlett and David Packard wasn't too shabby in that classic approach: management by walking around.

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