Problem: Article: If you're shy or nervous, you might experience fearful thoughts during moments of panic. These thoughts can feel very real, but by stepping back and challenging those thoughts you can help break out of your cycle of self-doubt and shyness. Ask yourself the following questions:  What am I afraid of? Is this fear realistic? Are my fears grounded in reality, or am I manufacturing/exaggerating this fear? What is the worst possible outcome? Would it be so bad, or could I handle that outcome and bounce back from it? Once you've broken the chain of self-doubting thoughts, you'll want to replace those thoughts with something more positive and encouraging. Remember that you have the ability to change the way you think, which in turn can alter the way you feel.  Try releasing your shy, nervous thoughts by telling yourself, "Shyness and fear are just feelings. They may feel bad, but I can cope with these feelings until they pass." Tell yourself, "I'm an intelligent, kind, interesting person. I may feel shy, but people will be interested in what I have to say." Remind yourself that you've felt shy or nervous before and things turned out okay. Try thinking about times you've succeeded or overcome your fears in the past to empower yourself. Doing things you enjoy can release endorphins, relieve stress, and soothe anxiety. If you know you'll be in a situation where you will have to interact with others and you'll be attempting to speak louder than you're comfortable with, take a little time beforehand to do something fun and relaxing. You don't need a lot of time or effort to squeeze in some down time. Even going for a short walk, listening to soothing music, or reading an engrossing book can all help you calm down and relax.
Summary: Challenge your nervous thoughts. Try to think encouraging thoughts. Do something you enjoy before every social gathering.

Problem: Article: To complete your floral headdress, use scissors to clip off any stems that are sticking out.  Be careful not to cut any of the flowers or any of the florist tape or wire that holds your crown together.
Summary: Trim any extra stems.

Problem: Article: Position it so that one corner is facing up and one is facing down. You should have a triangle now that's half the size of the handkerchief. Grab the tip of the bottom half you just folded up. Now fold it back down so that 2/3 of it has passed the halfway fold. You are only doing this to one layer. So at the top you should still see one whole triangle with another one folded down and sticking past the midline by 2/3s. Grabbing the tip bring it back towards the top of the pocket square. Just as you did before, let about 2/3s of the new triangle extend past the fold line beneath it. Each time we do this the triangle gets smaller, and we create another step (like stairs) on top of the last fold. Keep your folds neat and well-defined. This is the last time you do this kind of fold for the Three Stairs Fold. Once again you only want to let about 2/3s of the remaining triangle to stick out past the last fold. The folds should be intact and facing the table. Be sure to support the folds while you turn so you don't have to redo them. You should now have a triangle about one fourth the size of the whole handkerchief. Also, the multiple folds you did earlier should now be visible. The new halfway fold from the previous step should be facing up and to the left. This is similar to all of our earlier folds and serves the same purpose or creating a stable base. You should now have a flat bottom line to fit into your suit. Adjust the look to your liking and smooth out any creases or wrinkles.
Summary: Place the handkerchief on a hard flat, surface. Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner. Partially fold down the top half. Fold that triangle up again. Repeat this fold downward. Fold the tip upwards. Turn the pocket upside down. Fold the right side over to the left. Rotate the handkerchief 90˚ counterclockwise. Fold the bottom left corner halfway to the center. Fold the bottom right corner halfway to the center. Tuck the handkerchief in your coat pocket.

Problem: Article: Whether you are a boss supervising a team or if you are a supervisor that is a part of a team, people can sense genuineness.  It is rare that a person will listen to someone who is fake, but people are much more likely to respond positively to authenticity.  Be very honest and genuine with your employees and coworkers, but also with yourself.  Share information about yourself to your staff that you think is appropriate so they know you on a slightly more personal level. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not.  Even if you are the boss, you are not perfect. Remember that people support what they help create.  Get others on your team involved in working on developing a plan for creating a more optimal environment to work in.  You could start by appointing different people to different tasks or you could lead a group discussion.  Ask your staff for input on the process from the beginning.  You don’t want to make decisions before understanding everyone’s concerns. Find out also what people are currently happy or content with in the office.  You might ask them verbally or have them complete an anonymous survey. Avoid using negative and insulting language around people; remember that you’re conversing with your team, not talking at them. Even when you’re disciplining individuals, learn to use constructive criticism instead of putting people down. Listen to what people have to say and compliment them when good work is done. It’s easy to criticize negative actions but things go right every day and shouldn’t be overlooked. Be sure to appreciate people for their good work daily and encourage other supervisors to do the same.   If you are part of the leadership team and you have to discipline someone, make sure to talk to the person one-on-one. Do not do this in front of other people. If you need to address a group of people about a problem, then arrange a group discussion and do not target any particular person during the conversation. If you have coworkers who don’t get along, set up meetings with them to work through their issues so that they don’t poison the positive environment you are trying to create. Meet with each one individually and listen to their concerns. People may share more in  a one-on-one setting than in a group setting. You might say “I have noticed that there is a bit of tension between the two of you.  I care about both of you and want you to have a positive work life.  What issues exist between the two of you that we can address and fix?” No one likes to deal with ambiguity or uncertainty.  Once a decision has been made to change your office, you must explain this new plan to your staff.  Make sure that you have taken their suggestions into consideration and you incorporate them in some ways so that you are communicating that you care about your staff.  But remember, that at the end of the day, you are the leader and it is your job to create a positive environment. For instance, if you are now requiring that everyone come in 30 minutes earlier every day, you will need to justify this with a reason as this will require more effort from your team. Your team will likely have quite a few questions if you are seeking to change the office and will want to give their input.  You should give them the respect of answering them.  You may feel a bit of pushback from them, particularly if you are making big changes.  Even small changes might meet some resistance because some people do not enjoy change.  The team may be accustomed to working under a certain set of circumstances, so give them some time to adjust to this newness. Be willing to listen to feedback about yourself as well and look for ways that you can grow and improve. Consider the root of the issues in your office.  You will need to work to develop changes that will improve these core issues, but sometimes, everything you try will not work.  Work with your team to identify what’s not working and talk to your mentors or others who you trust.  You may find, as well, that your methods aren’t working because of resistance from an employee or perhaps your entire team.  Sit them down to have conversations individually and together. If you are the boss, you may need to fire someone if they are continuing to be negative or insubordinate, but this should be a last resort.
Summary:
Be genuine and authentic. Involve others in the process. Communicate positively. Work to address any negative group dynamics. Clarify your vision in detail. Answer questions. Experiment with different options.