All The Right Moves: Meanwhile, Back at the Office...

12. Business is terrible. How do I ask for a raise?

Only someone with incredible chutzpah would go to the boss for money now, right? Maybe not. Salary hikes aren't what they used to be. But if you're doing great work, you may be able to land better compensation.

Here's counsel from Jeff Hyman, whose firm, Canal Street Talent Management, represents executives. First, convince your boss that a raise would be cost-effective. If you're a star, it might take two lesser employees to replace you. "If you can demonstrate that two people would cost $250,000, and you're making $150,000, then there's probably some middle ground."

Even so, Hyman says, "it's hard to ask for an increase in salary." Try to negotiate an in-crease in the variable component of your pay, such as a bonus tied to higher revenue or lower expenses. "Get your manager to agree in advance that you should share in those results." The key phrase: "in advance."

A riskier fallback: Request an equity stake, in the form of stock or options. The investment won't require a cash outlay from your employer, and it demonstrates your commitment. If that fails, get your boss to agree to another review in three to six months. That lets her know that the matter is important and forces her to keep it on the table. Keith H. Hammonds

13. How do I dress for success?

We're just as confused about business casual as you are. Is it in or out? A relic of the '90s or a smarter way to work? For an answer, we turned to George A. Zimmer, founder and CEO of the Men's Wearhouse Inc.

"Our suit sales are up more than 10% over last year," says Zimmer. "In certain environments, it's still okay to dress casually. But we're seeing changes in policy on Wall Street, where firms such as Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers are starting to require jackets and ties. Lawyers tell me that they are dusting off their suits, because their clients are dressing more formally.

"The reasons for this are interesting. First, the dotcom world was the epicenter of business casual, and when that unraveled, so did the lifestyle. And since the election of President Bush, there has been a return to traditional values in America. That seems to be prompting changes in how people dress.

"What men have been struggling with for years is that we prefer to dress more casually, but we all know deep down that when we wear a suit, we make a better impression and we appear to be more knowledgeable and professional. Plus, let's face it: It's just a lot easier to get up in the morning and pick out a suit than it is to mix and match and try to figure out what's appropriate." Keith H. Hammonds

14. How do you get employees to do more without paying them more?

Memo to: CEOs
From: Your loyal (but slightly unmotivated) colleagues

Here's the thing, boss: It was never really about the money. Sure, it seemed that way a few years ago, amid guaranteed bonuses, sky's-the-limit options, and salary increases. When talent was scarce, you threw money at us and hoped that it would stick.

You got lazy. You threw money at us because that was easier than actually managing us. As business boomed, says John Sullivan of San Francisco State University, "managers forgot how to motivate."

Not that we minded the money. But nearly every credible survey on employee satisfaction shows that money isn't what greases our skids. Here's what's important: challenging work, a sane supervisor and respectful colleagues, and the promise of career growth.

You know how Southwest Airlines gets its workers jazzed? Every three months, an honored employee chooses the menu for a party of 15 -- and top management does the cooking. "Not only is it a blow-away honor that excites people," says Bob Nelson, coauthor of The 1,001 Rewards and Recognition Fieldbook (Workman, 2003), "but it has turned into a team-building thing for management."

It's not about the money. It has taken a recession for bosses to figure that out. How do you get more out of us when you don't have anything to give? Start by getting us to help. Try asking, "What would make you more productive?" And, "What's slowing you down?" They're powerful questions, first because they oblige us to take responsibility for our productivity, and second because they demonstrate your willingness to admit that we workers are -- yes! -- individuals, cheered and discouraged in myriad ways.

"Open a dialogue. See the person as a mass of interesting data that has to be explored," says Beverly Kaye, coauthor of Love 'Em or Lose 'Em: Getting Good People to Stay (Berrett-Koehler, 2002). Kaye recalls speaking to 1,200 managers at Wells Fargo Bank and asking them, "How many of you have ever been told by your boss, 'You're critical. I want you to stay. What I can do?' " Only a handful raised their hands.