Complacency is all around us, but it (and the problems it brings) can be especially noticeable in the workplace. Think about it. How many employees fly under the radar doing just enough to meet the requirements of the job? How many long-time customers did you suddenly lose this year? How often do you see a dip or lull after a really successful period or outstanding … [Read more...]
5 Limits Leaders Must Challenge
We all have limits. Those boundaries beyond which we just don’t go. After all, it wouldn’t be safe. It wouldn’t be prudent. It wouldn’t be easy. We set limits for safety purposes or for logical purposes, but most often, we set them because we need an excuse. We are scared or lazy or we lack confidence in our own abilities, so we need a reason (an excuse) to not try … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Learn More From What You Read
Michael Hyatt builds a pretty compelling case for why leaders should be voracious readers in his post 5 Ways Reading Makes You a Better Leader, and he is not the only one touting the benefits. Many experts believe that reading is a major key to your success as a leader, and I agree. Reading improves your knowledge and skills, sharpens your mind, helps you to decompress and … [Read more...]
Setting Challenging Goals for Employees
We recently got the following question: How do I encourage my staff to set challenging goals for their employees. And while this is a great question, unfortunately, it is setting them up for failure. You see, there is a key component that all leaders must think about in regards to goal setting and goal achievement. Check out today's video to learn more about how you and your … [Read more...]
[Infographic]: Even the Most Successful People Fail Miserably
Every body fails from time to time, and as a new leader, you will too, but its not something that should keep you awake at night or stop you from taking chances. Because when (not if because it is going to happen) you fail, you receive an opportunity to learn a valuable lesson, while also proving to everyone how resilient, accountable and motivated you are. So rather than … [Read more...]
What Bad Habits Are Hurting Your Career?
Habits are a powerful part of our life. Without habits, we likely couldn’t cope with the complexity of our lives, yet, not all of our habits serve us well. As you grow as a leader, it is ideal that you think about your habits, so that you can replace bad habits with ones that will help you both professionally and personally. This exercise can help you to understand which … [Read more...]
6 Ways Leaders Can Help Others Measure Success
One of earliest tools I learned how to use growing up on a farm was a tape measure. There are several reasons for that. It is often used, using it won’t hurt you (think hammer, saw or torch!), and my Dad carried a small one in his pocket. As a boy, emulating Dad was always a good idea. I don’t use a tape measure every day now, and you may not either, but the idea of … [Read more...]
Switch Off Your Autopilot Mentality
By Jaimy Ford, business writer and editor As a new leader, it's easy to slip into a routine and stick to it. After all, why should you change what appears to be working? However, if you simply adapt a previous leader's style or you rely on trusted approaches that come easy to you, you run the risk of slipping into autopilot. When that happens, creativity and innovation … [Read more...]
8 Steps for Creating and Maintaining Team Ownership of Ideas and Goals
Results and productivity are higher when people are committed to their work, and higher levels of commitment or engagement increase job satisfaction, safety performance and focus, while reducing on-the-job stress and turnover. But how does a new leader increase employees' commitment? Isn't that something employees have to do for themselves? Actually, both you and employees play … [Read more...]
[Infographic]: A Star Wars Guide to Achieving Your Goals
As 2015 came to an end, the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was definitely the event of the season. The mega block buster has exceeded $851 million already in sales, and that number certainly will climb. Given the success of the movie, and since January is the time of year when we all set goals, it's only fitting to apply a bit of the sage advice from the Star Wars … [Read more...]