You’ve probably been there: just as your weekly meeting is grinding to a close, a well-meaning but somewhat impulsive co-worker brings up the topic that’s on everyone’s mind but no one wants to talk about: a series of decisions made upstairs that by most accounts were short-sighted and unfair. The fact that leadership has avoided addressing these concerns has turned the whole thing into a powder keg.
Read MorePositive feedback should never be seen as just an ‘oh, by the way’ or something you save for performance reviews or staff birthday parties. In this post, I want to share some insight into how you might go about being strategic in how you approach this important part of how you lead others.
Read MoreIn a strictly transactional view of work, your paycheck is your company’s way of saying, “thanks, good job.” Only it’s not really saying thanks…since paying you is an obligation on their part because you’ve agreed to trade some of your time for some of their money. Do your employees experience anything more than this?
Read MoreGiving corrective feedback is one of the most difficult jobs a leader has to do. It’s easy to do poorly — and most employees get it that way. Do it well and you’ll stand out, perhaps remarkably so. Learn how to actually build morale through this unavoidable aspect of managing others.
Read MoreAdaptive skills are the most fundamental skill set we bring to our work and will determine our long term success...for better or worse. Knowing how you impact others is where leadership development begins and this starts with the concept of adaptive skills.
Read MoreGrowing our adaptive skills will impact everything we do, in both our personal and professional lives. Our employees will benefit, too. It takes self-awareness and determination, but we can find a healthier place in life and work.
Read MoreSo you’ve been tasked to help an employee or coworker grow in their adaptive skills? This is tough work but it can be done. For those that do, the payoff is real, both in terms of employee performance, but also engagement and team unity. Yes, it can make a difference. Read on to find out how.
Read MoreLeading others will at some point include navigating challenging emotional terrain. Those who've developed this skill with themselves, first, are in a great place to do this effectively with others.
Leading others is challenging for all sorts of reasons. One of the most significant issues is how we manage authority itself. This is a deeply personal question and yet one we have to embrace if we're going to be effective.
Humility is a show of strength, not weakness, and leaders who let this impact how they lead build trust, are more approachable, and send the message that they're more interested in doing things right than protecting their position, power, or ego.
If you've been in leadership for more than 15 minutes, you know that managing can feel a lot like parenting at times. While I didn't originally write this post with the manager in mind, perhaps you can find some parallels. Whatever the case, a big shout out to all you "steps" out there fighting the good fight and trying to raise kids who will make a difference!
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