One minute things are flowing and the group is killing it. The next minute it seems as if you’re all slogging through a field of thick mud. Progress slows or stops. Stuck happens. You might find yourself stuck as a team due to long hours, seemingly impossible tasks, never-ending changes demanded of you, or some […]
HAVE THEIR BACK
Leadership is about them, not you. If you want to maximize their productivity, you have to value the team, not just drive the team. That means seeing them in a more holistic sense – even in the face of their imperfections and mistakes. It’s easy if you begin by realizing that you’re imperfect, and yet […]
JOIN THE PARTY?
Wouldn’t it be nice if work was a simple meritocracy? The rules and metrics would be clear. As a result, knowing who is performing well would also be very clear. Promotions would go to the most capable, the process would have no ambiguity, perceived fairness would be high, and so on. It’s simple, right? Not […]
IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO
I know that sometimes I sound like I’m coming down hard on leaders, pushing them to do better. Other times it seems like I’m coming down on employees, begging them to get a clue. Guess what? Both are true! I am an equal opportunity offender. Most leaders should be better, and most employees should try […]
THE SECRET TO ACCOUNTABILITY
THE SECRET TO ACCOUNTABILITY It’s a topic people are always talking about for a reason. Holding people accountable is difficult, but it doesn’t have to be if you know what you’re doing. There are three main solutions people typically offer for the accountability challenge. First, they say that it’s a matter of setting clear expectations. […]
MANAGERS BE TRANSPARENT!
There are many things a leader can do to earn trust and build loyalty. One of my favorites is to embrace transparency. That means sharing as much of your thinking as is reasonable and sharing what you know about what happens outside the group. You should of course stay within relevant work rules or instructions […]
THE FUTURE OF MOTIVATION
Most approaches to employee motivation fail to live up to the hype. We may have graduated from employee satisfaction to employee engagement, but the underlying assumptions are still wrong. It appears most organizations are set up to push employees to be minimally compliant. The real goal should be maximized commitment. The first approach inevitably leads to many bad […]
YOU DON’T KNOW JACK
I really can’t stand know-it-alls. Have you seen one lately? That person who, no matter what is being discussed, always seems to speak up quickly and confidently with “the answer.” Their response may or may not be correct or useful, but they are certainly going to offer it whether you like it or not. Most of them are […]
BUILDING TRUST WITH YOUR TEAM
According to a significant amount of research, we are facing a huge trust crisis at work. There are many reasons: economic shifts causing layoffs, the persistent use of non-employee labor to save money, increases in automation, bad bosses, you name it! The average employee reality has certainly changed. Employees work longer. Bosses take on a slippery slope of ever […]
THE TRUTH ABOUT LIKING
Your career moves at a pace determined by several factors. The most central is your professional competence (i.e., your functional or technical base). However, don’t neglect these two amazing factors: interpersonal ability and character. They are the secret ingredients that propel you forward. Why? Because when a person has both, they strongly contribute to that […]
