Empowerment is a great thing, especially during times of change, upheaval and disruption. Empowered employees show greater commitment, stay more engaged, and create better results. Empowered employees take more initiative and get more done than employees who work in a fear-based, command-and-control environment. As a new supervisor, you hear and read about these … [Read more...]
About Guy
How to Talk to an Angry Person
Emotions are running high, and people seemingly get angry for no reason. If you’re like most of the people, you managing someone's emotional outburst is the last thing you one to do. While some people seem to have a knack for helping others “back off the edge,” most people feel at least a little bit nervous or apprehensive about such situations, especially new managers who have … [Read more...]
Don’t “Should” on People
Do you ever find yourself frustrated because people … Did not do things they should have done? Did not know what they should have known? Did what they should not have done? Said something they should not have said? Did not speak up when they should have? I’m guessing that your answer is “Yes” to each of the above. If you have not yet experienced these … [Read more...]
Figuring Out What Motivates Employees
Two questions I often hear from coaching clients during workshops and consulting engagements are: "How do I work with an unmotivated person?" "How do I motivate someone to work harder?" Here are the quick answers: There is no such thing as an unmotivated person. Everyone is motivated to do something. Therefore, everyone is motivated. You cannot motivate … [Read more...]
A Lesson I Learned the Hard Way: Data Tells and Stories Sell
Early in my career, I worked in the plastics industry as a process and product development engineer. At the time, I had a degree in chemical engineering, and I had just completed service as a nuclear engineering officer in the U.S. Navy. I had a pretty good technical background, and I knew almost nothing about polymers. This lack of knowledge created a bit of a problem for … [Read more...]
Can All Conflicts Be Resolved?
I often get asked if every conflict can be resolved. Since I work with leaders and teams to resolve workplace conflicts and to build the confidence people have to address conflicts, I think it's a really good question. The short answer is: yes, every conflict can be resolved. The question does have one problem though: It is incomplete. It is incomplete in that people often … [Read more...]
Get Comfortable With Employees’ Mistakes
One of my favorite leadership anecdotes involves my daughter when she was just learning to drive. Several years ago, my daughter and I had to drive about thirty miles on county roads through rural Indiana. Snow was not falling on the day we made this drive. However, there was plenty of snow in the fields on either side of the roads and the wind was blowing. Under these … [Read more...]
Encourage the Right Behaviors, Eliminate the Wrong Ones
It’s not true in every organization, but it is true in many: Leaders don’t understand their employees. They don’t know how to motivate, inspire and correct people effectively. As I work with my clients, I hear the same questions repeatedly: “How do I get my employees to … Quit complaining?” Do more than the bare minimum?” Contribute in meetings?” Show up on … [Read more...]
Be the Victor, not the Victim
In much of my work, I see a tendency that many people have (including me) to play the victim during interpersonal conflict. I encourage my clients, and I strive myself, to overcome this tendency to blame every conflict on the other party. I call this tendency to blame others a victim mentality. When I am blaming others, I am a “victim” of their behavior with no power to … [Read more...]
5 Steps to Become a Much Better Listener
How much we actually retain when we listen to people speak is up for debate. I've seen research that suggest it is as low as 17%. I don't know if I believe it's quite that low for most of us, but I do believe many of us have lost the art of listening. We're too distracted to offer our full attention to one person. We multi-task, constantly deal with the ding of our phones, … [Read more...]