Call it what you will — The Great Resignation, The Great Reframing, The Great Realignment — but know there is something dramatic afoot in the labor market. More Americans are quitting their jobs than ever before. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tells us that 4.3 million people, fully 2.9% of...
When I talk about balancing being directive and empowering as a leader, the distinction between being kind and being nice often comes up. Sometimes, folks who have to deliver hard-to-hear feedback soften it to the point where their teammate doesn’t clearly understand what they should do next. This...
People lie to leaders. Usually it’s not malicious, but it’s always unhelpful. Team members who aspire to get along or get ahead… Soften criticism. Deflect tough answers. Over-state compliments. Authority corrupts interactions. If your team treated you like a subordinate, you might receive useful...
A simple thing that’s made complex disappoints and drains. 4 ways to screw up one-on-ones: #1. Leave them to the last minute. People feel valued when you prioritize time with them. Rushing around at the last minute to spend a few minutes with a person leaves a bad taste in their mouth. #2. Focus...
For a leader who develops leaders, there is something scarcer and much more important than ability. It is the ability to recognize ability. One of the primary responsibilities of any successful leader is to identify potential leaders. So, how do you do it? How do you identify good potential...
Imagine you are tapped on the shoulder to lead an upcoming training program for a cohort of soon-to-be first-time managers in your organization. You're probably flattered, excited and just a bit nervous. While you've been successful as a manager, it's daunting to think about how you will translate...
An effective onboarding process is crucial to developing a productive and engaged workforce. After the catastrophic pandemic in 2020, this year is giving hope to professionals and organizations across the world. Companies are implementing new trends and practices to ensure that their business...
Dear Brittney, I have a direct report. He is very volatile, not at all a team player. Everyone gets along great in the department except him. He always tries to point out everyone’s faults but not his own. He is very difficult to talk to. How can I overcome this? Signed,Leader of Difficult Direct...
Every decision you make in business will have its consequences. While you always want to make decisions that will result in positive outcomes, things don't always go as well as you hoped they would. In this way, it's important for a leader to take the time to think through a potential decision...
Each of us has faced at least one event in our lives when things didn’t just go our way. When circumstances end up going “wrong,” it simply means that events unfolded in a way that we weren’t expecting to happen. However, when things don’t go our way, it can cause us to rapidly go into “crisis”...
Improve employee retention by having these three one-on-one meetings with your staff once a month. We all want to improve employee retention. The question is how? Our knee-jerk answers to this question can feel opaque. Pay, perks, and promotion opportunities could matter… but to what degree?...
The tips in this article will help you determine whether terminating or retaining a toxic employee is the right choice. As a business owner, you want to mold your workers into a dream team. Ideally, they will work together enthusiastically and give a rock star performance. But sometimes you may...