If you’re in management – or you want to be – it’s important that you do it right. Sure, you can boss everyone around all the time and tell them what to do, but it’s much better for everyone involved if you can work with your employees and show them that they matter. They’ll be a lot more loyal that way. With that in mind, here are the top eight traits of a good manager.

1. Self-motivation

If you’re not motivated to do anything with the business in order to help it succeed, why should anyone who works for you be motivated? You have to model the behavior that you want to see in others, and that includes showing that you’re motivated. You may not always feel motivated, but make sure you always act motivated.

2. Being a Team Player

Getting along with people matters. If you never come out of your office and just give orders all the time, your employees aren’t going to like or respect you and they aren’t going to work as hard.

3. The Ability to Resolve a Conflict

People are going to get on one another’s nerves. It happens. When you’re the boss, it’s your job to make sure that it doesn’t escalate into something that’s a serious problem. Whether it’s customers, employees, or both, resolving conflict is vital.

4. Good Skills Where Customer Service is Concerned

Customers are what makes your business. Without them, you have nothing, so you have to know how to make (and keep) them happy.

5. An Optimistic Attitude

No one wants to work for a pessimistic person who never sees the good side of anything. Show your employees that you understand difficult circumstances, but that there isn’t anything that can’t be dealt with. Keep a positive attitude and your employees will generally follow along.

6. True Leadership Skills

Being a leader comes naturally to some people, while others take time to learn it. No matter how, where, or when you acquired your leadership skills, the important thing is that you take your position seriously and continue to cultivate the leadership skills that you’ve developed.

7. Trustworthiness and Integrity

Your employees need to trust you and so do your customers. If you can’t show them that you’re worthy of being trusted, you won’t be effective as a leader.

8. Industry Knowledge

Knowing about the industry you’re in is something that every good manager should spend time on. If you don’t know your industry, how can you ever really hope to be competitive?

Keep in mind that there are more ways to be a good manager and business leader than just the ones listed here. Some people are simply better at it than others, too, so you may have a natural talent for it or you may have to work a little bit harder. That can help you learn and grow, though, so don’t shy away from the work that it takes to truly be a good manager.

Most everyone gets a bit anxious around tax season. The good news is that there’s no need to be apprehensive about the yearly April 15th tax filing deadline. With a little forethought and the help of today’s online tools, you can rest easy knowing you’re prepared.

Here are the top five ways you can avoid stress during the dreaded tax season.

1. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

Keeping organized records all year round is the first step in keeping your cool come April 15th. This way you’ll be able to access receipts and other pertinent information easily when the time comes to fill out the appropriate IRS forms. Additionally, try to review the forms you need online and ahead of time, so there’s time to visit your local tax professional or the IRS website if you have any questions or need help filing. Many tax professionals even offer discounts like turbo tax coupons.

2. Do your homework.

Doing proper research about what deductions you’re allowed to take or what tax credits are due to you can save you money. Visit IRS.gov for important tax information and to see if you qualify to file your taxes for free. Tax Credit Resources is another great resource that will guide you through the available tax credits.

Donating to charities is also tax-deductible, so do your research, find a cause you’re passionate about, and start donating. Have an extra car laying around that you wanted to pass as a hand me down? Charities like Kars4Kids have resources within its site so you can understand what exactly you can write off.

3. File your tax return electronically and opt for direct deposit.

Join the approximately 90 million tax payers who filed returns electronically last year! E-filers that are owed refunds generally receive them in half the time as those who filed their tax returns on paper. Furthermore, e-filing your tax return is easy and promotes a higher degree of accuracy. Also, be sure to opt for direct deposit of any refund you may be owed to cut down the risk of your check being lost in the mail or it being stolen somewhere along the line.

4. Request a filing extension if needed.

The IRS will grant a six month extension to file your taxes automatically. IRS Form 4868 is called the Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. Refer to this form for a number of simple ways to request an extension. Be sure to note that the filing extension does not exempt you from paying any taxes due by the April deadline, however.

5. Don’t hit the panic button if you can’t pay.

Even if you can’t afford to make the full payment due, don’t postpone filing your tax return. File your return by the April 15th deadline and pay the maximum you can to escape having to pay penalties and interest. Then, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to discuss your options. The IRS may be able to grant you a short extension or negotiate a payment installment plan.

Think ahead.

Take advantage of the online resources available to all tax payers. Communicate with the IRS if you have any questions or concerns about filing your tax return by April 15th or paying any taxes due. By following these simple tips, you’ll be able to avoid a stressful tax season!

Many businesses are discovering that social media provides an excellent way to advertise and promote products and services. With the advent of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and many more sites, companies are able to reach consumers in a cost-effective way.

However, it’s of utmost importance for businesses that are using social media as a marketing tool to create and maintain an entertaining and informative blog to go hand in hand with these other marketing efforts. An illuminating business blog will keep readers informed, talking, and coming back for more.

Now the question becomes how to build an informative blog that keeps readers coming back again and again. The answer lies in how well you write and promote your blog, as well as how well you communicate and listen to your readers.

1. Keywords are Key

Start your blog the correct way. Keyword optimization is an integral way to target the right audience for your blog. Search for keywords that describe your blog posts and are commonly looked up on search engines, such as Google, and use them in your blog. This will ensure that current and potential readers are able to find your blog easily.

2. Write Interesting Content

Not only is writing interesting and informative content integral in maintaining a successful blog, but so is providing this information in a colorful and entertaining way. Make sure to use catchy titles or headlines that encompass the keywords you researched, and make sure the information your provide is useful and appropriate for your target audience.

One way to make sure your information is appropriate for your target audience is to utilize online survey software to hone in on the topics that your readers and customers find useful. Keeping readers talking positively about your blog will undoubtedly lead to brand awareness and new clients.

3. Promotion is Paramount

Sure, keyword optimization is one tool to help readers find the blog that’s right for them. However, no blog will succeed without promotion.

Whether you choose to advertise your blog on your website, email signature, printed business cards, or company letterhead, this is an easy way for customers to check out your blog. Another way to promote your blog is to participate in others’ blogs. Write a post on another blog as a guest and link to your blog at the end of the post. This will help your business blog gain awareness throughout different audiences, creating a plethora of potential readers and clients.

One last great way to promote your blog is to respond to readers. Interacting with readers, answering questions, and hopefully solving problems, will create trust and loyalty within your audience. This in turn will create buzz and cultivate clients, repeat business, and referrals.

Writing a blog is an easy and cost-effective way to disseminate pertinent information. If you use these tips and tricks in your blog posts, you will keep readers coming back, and you may even convert some of your new readers into clients.