Nobody likes to be micro-managed. Yet nearly all of us have felt the intense pressure of a manager who was too involved in the minutiae of our daily work lives. There are many reasons why leaders micro-manage. In some cases, a hands-on approach actually has benefits, according to this...
To keep up with the development and growth of the leaders I coach, I do an annual assessment of their leadership with my clients and with the people they lead. Last year I heard an interesting bit of feedback in one of these sessions: “At times his passion is great, but most of the time it’s...
I’ve always been interested in the growing convergence between individuals and their businesses. One particular trend in this growing intersection is a type of corporate personification in which companies now have visions and values, just like people, and people now have missions—just like...
Big things happen because you do a bunch of little things supremely well that compound over time.— Jim Collins One little thing doesn’t make a difference. But ten little things do make a difference.— Swen Nater A series of small wins makes: Hard jobs easier. Quitting unlikely. Problems less...
Are you being held accountable to "drive for results" and "motivate people?" If so, consider joining the resistance. If you are in HR, you need to lead the resistance. Now is the time to rethink what constitutes good leadership -- and overhauling obsolete competencies in leadership performance...
If you have managers or supervisors below you, it's important to bring awareness to how your managers are leading. I’ve worked with many senior leaders blindsided by toxic behavior that eventually led to litigation, simply because they thought their managers were doing a great job. Here’s what...
We are already at the end of a challenging year. So much of it has been a blur as we’ve scrambled to reinvent our work and daily habits to adapt to a persistent global pandemic. We are heading into 2021 knowing that our best-laid plans will be quickly undone without warning. How do we survive and...
Retention rates for mentees are 50 percent higher than those not mentored. In fact, mentoring can have a much greater impact on retention than salary increases. Think back to the time when someone provided you with the best advice or opportunity that fundamentally shaped your career. Was it a...
Few argue over the need for speed when responding and adapting to crisis and rapidly changing circumstances. For a few decades now, adapting to the rate of change has been the mantra in business writing and strategic thinking. McKinsey's landmark research, captured in the book "Beyond...
Leaders today understand the value of coaching - and employees are hungry for the kind of guidance that goes beyond instruction. Chief Learning Officer magazine says that coaching is the number one skill that’s targeted for front line managers. Add the complexities of leading remote teams, and...
You know your company has hidden leaders, just waiting to be uncovered and given opportunities to shine. But how to find them? Your underrepresented talent pool contains some high-potential leaders held back by their gender, ethnicity, orientation, culture or even personal style. Their skills are...
You believe in the conclusion, and then you create supporting arguments.— Daniel Kahneman You weigh options based on the decision you’ve already made, while pretending to be open minded. Leaders make decisions and then find ways to look smart for making them. Problems: It helps to know the problem...