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As a boss, should you tell it straight or break the news gently? It's a tough decision. Several variables are in play: Your natural tendencies, the employee's personality and openness, and the topic at hand all factor into your approach. What many leaders don't know is that available research on leader-employee relationships can also influence your choice of approach. Here's what experts have to say on the value of candor versus kindness in employer-employee communications.

Promoting the wrong person can backfire, but great leaders are essential for success. This guide will help you assess whether your top performers are ready to lead.

How hard should you push yourself – and your team? Science says there's a "right" answer!

You’ve got an employee who isn’t contributing their fair share. You know you need to address it. The rest of the team can tell this employee is a poor performer. If you don’t do something, your credibility will suffer. But what do you say?

Getting hourly workers to show up – and give their best effort – is especially tough during the “summer doldrums.” Use these quick-hitting ideas to get more from your team when the heat is on.