According to one study, 60% of small business owners lack a succession plan, but larger organizations don't seem to be doing any better. Experts again and again say that a lack of a proper leader succession and transition plan is one of the biggest issues organizations of all sizes face. While it can be very difficult and costly to replace someone in the C-suite, the problem … [Read more...]
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Prevent Regretful Behavior at the Holiday Office Party
According to a recent study by Four Loco, office holiday parties often leave employees full of regrets. You can see the full survey results here, but here are a few highlights: 1 in 4 respondents has done something he or she regrets at a company party 36% say they've witnessed their boss do something embarrassing at a work party 1 in 10 has been reprimanded for … [Read more...]
Should You Buy Gifts for Your Employees?
Maybe this is your first winter in a supervisory position. In addition to worrying about meeting year-end goals, you might have the added stress of figuring out what—if anything—to give your employees for the holidays. Some people will tell you that you don’t need to buy your employees gifts (or that you shouldn’t), and while I do think that’s your prerogative, I’m a big fan … [Read more...]
5 Employees to Thank Your Lucky Stars For
Thanksgiving 2018 has come and gone, but don't let your gratitude disappear with the last of the leftovers. If you have the following employees on your team, you should be incredibly thankful! So don't forget to let them know just how much you appreciate them. Optimists. Even on Mondays, these employees arrive at work cheerful and energized. They look at challenges as … [Read more...]
Take Accountability for Your Mistakes
Leaders often lament about the lack of accountability in employees. We write about it on this blog often. After all, it's critical that employees take responsibility when they fail, rather than point fingers or place blame on others. But how about when you mess up and it hurts the team? Do you own your mistakes? Or immediately find a way to shift the blame to someone else? … [Read more...]
Lonely Leader Blues? Build a New Network of Confidantes
It is "lonely at the top?” For many, yes. As you move up the ladder in any field, your peer groups grow smaller, and that can be a very lonely feeling. Before you were promoted to a supervisory position, if you had a hard day or a difficult decision you needed to talk through, you probably had a variety of people to turn to: your immediate supervisor, your team members, your … [Read more...]
To Continuing Climbing in Your Career, Start Here
Are you ready to advance in your career? The opportunity could be now. In fact, organizations are seriously concerned about the leadership gap. According to a LinkedIn report "Developing Employees Into Leaders," 85% of executives are not confident in their leadership pipeline, and 86% consider developing new leaders as either “urgent” or “important.” That bodes well for … [Read more...]
Thomas Jefferson on Keeping a Cool Head
We'll just leave this here: Things can—and will—go wrong in every job, but when you’re responsible for the success of others, the opportunity for problems rises significantly. It’s not avoiding problems that makes you an excellent manager, but rather how you respond to the glitches, delays and disasters. Leaders who keep their composure when things go bad, who remain calm … [Read more...]
Before You Send that Email, Read (and Follow) These Rules
It’s best to keep work emails short and to the point. Typically, a couple of brief paragraphs will suffice. At times, of course, you’ll need more space, but it’s still a good idea to limit your word count. Restraining yourself will help ensure that readers don’t misunderstand your message, and it will save you valuable time—both worthwhile goals. Here is a third reason to … [Read more...]
Managing Tricky Conversations in the Workplace
We are living in complicated times, friends. People seem to be up in arms over everything. Take this week's brouhaha over Nike deciding to include Colin Kaepernick in a new campaign. There seem to be two very distinct opinions regarding the company's decision, and neither side is pulling any punches. Once upon a time ago, our opinions were kept to ourselves or shared with a … [Read more...]