Coaching is one of your most important roles. When you do it well, it can also be one of the most gratifying parts of being a leader. While I have long shared insights and helped others learn to be better coaches, I wanted to see if I could summarize the essence of coaching success into seven sentences. I didn’t succeed. Instead, below you will find ten "rules," that if you … [Read more...]
4 Reasons to Conduct a 360 Leadership Assessment
One of the best tools for accelerating your leadership development is a 360 Assessment. The gist is this: Eight to 10 of your coworkers, and specifically your employees, spend some time assessing your abilities to lead, manage, communicate, motivate and more. So whether you are a team leader or the CEO of a company, you should be soliciting that kind of feedback, especially … [Read more...]
5 Really Good Reasons for You to Relax This Long Weekend
The long Memorial Day weekend is upon us, so it's a great time to remind you why you should make time to relax and have fun. You have a lot on your plate. You have lots to think about, lots to do and lots to decide. Still, you will be so much more successful if you unplug and take a breather every once in a while (starting this weekend). However, before the sheer thought of … [Read more...]
Don’t Let Rotten Attitudes Bring You Down
Attitude is contagious. One upbeat, positive person can change the vibe of the whole room. The same can be said for one negative person. In situations where multiple people are allowed to spread their negativity all over, the workplace can become downright toxic. If you find yourself regularly coming into contact with people who have bad attitudes, take these steps to avoid … [Read more...]
Get Employees Pumped to Attend Training
Because you are reading these words, I am confident you are a believer in ongoing learning and development for yourself and those you lead. So you may find it hard to understand why your team members dread the training that you make available to them. Many leaders who have attended my leadership training courses through the years have asked me "How do I get my employees … [Read more...]
Don’t Forget the Big Picture When You Delegate Work
"Just tell me what to do." "What is the task list?" "Can you give me a checklist?" "What exactly do you need from me?" Those are all smart questions that you hear from employees from time to time. For the sake of avoiding confusion and misunderstandings, we recommend that you provide employees with specific details whenever you delegate work to them. However, … [Read more...]
The Best Accountability Tool? You Already Own It
Do you wish your employees would be more accountable? Most supervisors do. I hear leaders complain all the time about the lack of accountability among their employees, and they consistently ask me for tips and tools for building accountability. Do you want to know what I think is the best tool for building accountability? You already have one. It's a mirror. Here's why: When … [Read more...]
The Valentine’s Gift to Give to Your Team
Elementary school and Valentine’s Day. It's probably a day you remember well. Everyone arrives with a bag filled with Valentine’s Cards, signed and sealed with names on the outside of the envelope. Secretly, or not so secretly, this is a day many have long been awaiting. Will I get a card from Bobby or Andrew or Betty or Ashleigh? And if I do (or if the “rules” state that … [Read more...]
Is All Coaching the Same?
“Is all coaching the same?” Absolutely not. There is a difference between skills and knowledge, and there is definitely a difference when it comes to coaching employees to improve in either area. IMHO, it is easier to coach knowledge. You essentially are presenting facts, data and what works or doesn’t work. It takes less time to coach knowledge because it often requires … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Support and Grow Your Top Performers
As a leader, you should be spending 50% of your energy, focus and time coaching and further developing your employees, specifically your top performers. I truly believe that your most important job is helping employees realize their full potential. When employees do their best, you are more capable of hitting your goals, increasing your productivity and innovating. Still, … [Read more...]