No matter how great a manager you are, bad things will happen at work: not every day, but occasionally. It’s how you handle those incidents—the ones that fill you with frustration, anger and dread—that determine what kind of leader you are. If you respond to those occasions aggressively (outwardly or passively), you’ll undermine your team, spread fear and start the rumor mill. … [Read more...]
Stop Sending These Emails
Spring is here, and as the weather heats up and skimpier clothing options abound, I’m reminded of one of my least favorite kinds of email: the “This is just a reminder” email. Many organizations like to send messages like this: This is just a reminder that we have a dress code. Please review it in your handbook. Men, you should be wearing a shirt and tie or a polo in a school … [Read more...]
Don’t Let Negativity Sink Your Ship
Have you ever looked carefully at a ship afloat? What do you notice about the water? As a submarine officer, I had plenty of opportunities to see ships tied to the dock, ships in transit in the harbor and ships in the open sea. All of them have this in common: They are held afloat by the water that is outside the ship. All ships also share this: They all have water inside … [Read more...]
Focus Half of Your Coaching Time on These Employees
I have the good fortune of working with lots of leaders, and often have the chance to talk with, teach or consult with them on a variety of issues including their role as a coach. The vast majority of those I work with truly want to be more effective and make a difference for their people and their organizations. When the subject of coaching comes up, invariably the … [Read more...]
How to Respond Assertively, Not Aggressively
No matter how great a manager you are, bad things will happen at work. Not every day, but occasionally. It’s how you handle those incidents—the ones that fill you with frustration, anger and dread—that determine what kind of leader you are. If you respond to those occasions aggressively (outwardly or passively), you’ll undermine your team, spread fear and start the rumor … [Read more...]
Turn Lazy Employees into High Performers
Slackers can ruin the dynamic of any team—without doing a thing. When workers get lazy, their colleagues have to do more than their fair share. That results in overworked, stressed-out employees and mediocre projects. When they waste time on Twitter, make personal phone calls and take long breaks, lazy workers reduce productivity and, when their laziness goes unchecked, … [Read more...]
Turn That Frown Upside Down: Tips for Improving Your Bad Attitude
Do you have a bad attitude? I'm not suggesting always, but sometimes? Most people do. It's hard not to when things are going bad. Besides, you're only human, and you deserve the occasional off day. That said, as a leader, when your attitude stinks, it quickly rubs off on your employees. If everybody's in a funk, productivity is going to sink. So, while you may want to sulk, … [Read more...]
That Escalated Fast! 5 Ways to Turn a Disagreement into a Full-On Fight
Just in case you would like to have some fun with another person during your next disagreement, here are some tips for quickly escalating a minor miscommunication into a full-blown argument. Tell people what they should feel When you want to get a strong emotional response from someone, just tell them how to feel. For example, you could say “Don’t be angry" or "You … [Read more...]
Nitpickers Usually Cause More Harm Than Good
By Jaimy Ford, business writer and editor. Having high expectations is certainly not a bad thing. However, when high expectations translate into nitpicking, it is a problem. When you or your employees are detailed-obsessed perfectionists, it puts unrealistic demands on everyone else, it wastes time, slows progress and leaves people feeling overwhelmed, annoyed or even … [Read more...]
Maintain Calm Leading Up to Election Day
It's been an incredibly ugly presidential campaign, and with two weeks left until Election Day, the worst may not be behind us. The conflict over the presidency has infiltrated the workplace, so much so, that a recent survey by the American Psychological Association indicates that one in four younger employees report they've been negatively affected by political talk on the … [Read more...]