Would you like a way to get better ideas, faster? Would you like to nearly automatically tap into your subconscious brain to help you solve your vexing problems? Would you like a tool that would help your team think more clearly? What if I told you that tool was free, except for the five minutes of time you had to invest? But rather than thinking about it like a … [Read more...]
This Leadership Mistake Really Hurts Employees … Are You Guilty?
Technology makes it possible for us to work around the clock, and it has become standard operating procedure to read and respond to emails after business hours. While many leaders love the idea of hardworking employees always "being on," the practice is having harmful effects on worker well-being, according to a new study, “Exhausted But Unable to Disconnect,” authored by … [Read more...]
Keep Your Team Productive During the Summer Slump
On Tuesday, we shared advice for managing productivity-draining and creativity-killing complacency in the workplace. Today, we are going to talk about another productivity destroyer that is wreaking havoc on workplaces right now: summer. In most places across the U.S., the weather is hot, the sun is shining, and people are zoning out, dreaming of being on a beach or by the lake … [Read more...]
6 Steps to Improve Slumping Morale
You take over a team for the first time, and despite being very excited about your promotion and this new opportunity, you can't help be feel a little dread. Why? Because morale is seriously low on your new team. Major upheaval, layoffs, the previous manager or other negative factors have your employees feeling low, unmotivated, and maybe a little resentful. That is killing … [Read more...]
Why the Best Leaders Do the Dirty Work
Some people think that once they ascend to a leadership role they don't have to do “real work” anymore. Even if you don’t feel that way, there is a good chance your employees do. There is no question that as a leader, you have different responsibilities than you had as an individual contributor. However, the best leaders realize it isn’t an either/or proposition. There is … [Read more...]
3 Communication Strategies Guaranteed to Irritate Others
In workshops and coaching conversations, I receive many questions about the right way to communicate with employees. While I cannot define a “right” way to communicate, particularly during conflict conversations, I can identify definitively wrong ways to communicate, including these three common tactics that are guaranteed to irritate others: Insinuation. … [Read more...]
Stepping In, Stepping Up: How You Can Lead Successful Change
By Lisa Hillenbrand and Ellen R. Auster, authors of STRAGILITY: Excelling at Strategic Changes Change we must, but how? Perhaps you are in a new position. Perhaps your organization is in a state of flux, and you’ve been asked to turn things around. Or maybe you are taking over a new project or leading a new team. So how should you go about leading strategic change and making … [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...]
Pull Meetings Out of the Weeds
Having grown up on a farm, I know a little bit about getting in the weeds. And I know when you find yourself there, especially if the weeds are thick and tall, the going gets tough and you might even lose your way. I don’t know about your office, but my experience is that this happens in meetings all the time for a variety of reasons. Meeting attendees can become bogged down … [Read more...]
8 Uncommon Approaches to Better Presentations
When you accepted your leadership role, did you ever imagine that you'd be giving so many presentations to so many different people? If you have public speaking anxiety, the task can feel daunting, or even downright nightmarish. The fear of bombing in front of upper management or embarrassing yourself in front of your new team can be debilitating. The good news is that with … [Read more...]