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...
I get antsy when I haven't heard anything as a deadline nears. A reader asks: I manage a team of folks who often say they'll get something done, but then the deadline's in less than 48 hours and they have nothing sent to me yet (after an earlier reminder). How do I remind them to get things done...
The COVID-19 pandemic has completely upended the traditional workplace, forcing most offices to go 100 percent remote almost overnight. During this new digital workplace reality, many companies have worked through small setbacks and technical challenges with their current workforce to ensure...
Few consider meetings the highlight of their workday – more probably consider it the bane of their work life. It is true that meetings, while important and potentially useful, aren’t always very good. Sadly, now that most meetings are being held virtually, it hasn’t gotten any better. The...
Lethargy and laziness aren’t virtues. But overworked managers are their own worst enemy. 3 things overworked managers need to stop: #1. Stop doing people’s work for them. Suppose you’re asked how to do something. The overworked manager ends up doing the work. Why? You did the job before you were...
Many humans are creatures of habit. They like their routine and feel uncomfortable or hesitant when that consistency is broken. However, change is often needed in the workplace, and it’s crucial to get your team onboard. There are many coaching techniques leaders can use to help overcome...
Long before COVID-19 entered the scene, requiring a significant portion of work and work-related communication to go virtual, meetings were an all-too-frequent feature of the business landscape. Our pre-pandemic research found that 77% of employees reported spending 25% or more of their time in...
Problems come in many varied flavors in the world of business. Solving a problem means figuring out the best way to tackle it. Unfortunately, the biggest problem with entrepreneurs stuck in a singular mindset is that this mentality doesn’t allow for experimentation. In many cases, the first step...
The cost of your company’s bad hiring decisions can be staggering. To calculate this cost, I tell my clients to add the first-year turnover rate to the percentage of people who the company wouldn’t rehire. This number is your company’s Bad Hiring Rate (BHR). Next, I ask them to multiply the BHR...
Here are three helpful ways to keep your team productive and relaxed by emailing with consideration and timeliness. First off, follow inbox decorum rules yourself. As millions of people navigate workdays that blend video meetings, homeschooling, pet sitting, and cooking, setting up boundaries is...
The implications of the coronavirus pandemic are and will be profound for individuals, organizations, and society at large. One of the casualties few will shed a tear for will be the demise of what can only be described as old-school management practices. In his fabulous video from a few years...
By not giving your employees the sick days they need, you're part of the problem. "I can't use more than three 'unscheduled absences' in six months, or it's a disciplinary ding. I used up my unscheduled days on sick kids, so when I got sick, I had to wear a mask and come in anyway. I ended up...