Be a better boss: Simple ways to make yourself a more effective manager

Develop your personal network: Chit-chat is the first step to building a business relationship, so get comfortable with small talk. Prepare for every event by thinking of three or four topics of relevance to other attendees that you can converse about easily. Sharpen your core communication skills: Establish the few key messages you want to communicate to your company, then take every opportunity to reinforce them through personal interaction, newsletters, reports and your intranet. Look outside your box: Learn from leading companies in other industries. What are they doing that your company isn't? How can you improve on what they're doing? —From "6 Ways to Boost Your Value to Your Business," by Jennifer Myers (December 2005)