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 […]
HAMMER, MEET NAIL
[Here is a short one. A simple idea with a big impact. It was originally posted at HRExaminer a few days ago (http://www.hrexaminer.com/hammer-meet-nail/). Great site with tons of great advice. Check it out!] It’s one of the most common workplace mistakes: applying the wrong solution to a situation simply because you went with your […]
MORE THAN CREDENTIALS
Drowning in credentials, we’ve forgotten what really matters: effectiveness on the job. Nothing scares me more than a person with six or seven credentials after their name. Hi, I’m Steve Johnson, BBA, MBA, PMP, PHR, CMPP, CFN! Really? Those letters might signal something terribly interesting. Or not. Whether we’re talking about degrees or certifications or […]
