In Parts 1 and 2, I focused on how new managers can begin to make the transition from being a team member to being in charge.

Recession depression is definitely impacting your people.

What is recession depression?

It is fatigue. It is low morale due to the way that people have been treated over the past year. It is the "doing more with less" that seems endless after a year or more of having to do more with less.

One of the most frustrating experiences people can have in the workplace is when there are unspoken expectations between a team member and a manager.

In a typical employment situation, certain expectations, such as salary, hours, and job duties, are clearly understood by both employer and employee. Other expectations, however, are so intimately linked to an individual’s concept of work that they often go unspoken or unacknowledged.

I had my annual physical the other day, and it reminded me of how customer service can be so bad, and how easy it could be to be really good.

Here's how my experience went at the doctor's office.

"Hi, my name is Sal Silvester. I am here for an 8:30 appointment."

Receptionist partially ignores me, continues to dial a phone call, and points a finger at me as if to say "hold on for one minute." My mother always taught me to never point fingers.

Date/Time: Tuesday, March 30th; 12:00 - 1:00 mountain standard time

The workforce is aging, and in the next 5-8 years, 40-65% of the US public and private workforce will be ready to retire. A change in middle management and executive leadership is inevitable. Is your organization prepared? Who will transition into those roles and how will it happen?

What’s your role in your organization? Who are your customers – internal and external?

A common mistake that I see too many people making is that they think their role means that everyone else in the organization should revolve around them.

Take for example a Human Resource Professional, a Communications Manager, and a Sales person.

I am on my 6th iphone. Yup, number 6.

The problem is that the phone does everything really well, except make phone calls.

And that's a issue for me, since I spend an enormous amount of time on the phone with my clients.

Last week was the last straw. So, as I had done five times in the past, I made an appointment with a Genius at the Apple store and filed my complaint.

Making the transition from peer to manager can be challenging.  Change of status and responsibility when you transition into a leadership role can affect both personal and work relationships.   I first encountered this type of challenge and opportunity as a young army officer.   One day I was playing golf with my buddy, and the next day he was reporting to me as my Operations Officer.

As I work with organizations and teams around the country, I see two sets of common symptoms that may indicate a new manager is struggling.

One of my best clients introduced me to a book last year by Brian Tracy called Eat That Frog. It has some great ideas to stop procrastinating and get more done in less time. And, now it's out in its second edition.

I was just reviewing his chapter on "Motivate Yourself Into Action"and thought I would share a passage.

"It turns out that optimists have four spcial behaviors, all learned through practice and repetition.