Email can eat us alive. Here are some pointers to manage the inbox, based on my daily practice, rather than ideal “best” practices. The way I do email these days helps me stay on top of it, while not letting it suck me in to constant distraction. And, because my literal inbox is constantly “zero,” … Read more
Leaders often know what the needs are in a situation, and dictate them with authority. While the leader is often correct about the direction, engagement can suffer without more buy-in; asking questions that help others discover the same needs can help. Even when you know what is needed, consider expanding your own understanding, helping others buy-in … Read more
Formal and informal networking opportunities abound. There are plenty of pointers on networking out there. And, we’ve blogged about DiSC in the past – you’d better review the basics if you’re unfamiliar. Let’s put those together; check out these quick ideas for your next opportunity. Pointers for your DiSC type: If you are a… D- … Read more
In the beginning, it was important that Alan lay out in detail for me exactly what amount of time he intended for me to spend on different tasks. This helped me plan my week, knowing that I needed a couple hours for this task, and a few hours for that… But there was one thing … Read more
At the Disney Institute, participants are challenged to think about how your decisions as a leader or team member make others feel. That seemed basic, even insulting, until they pushed us to look even more closely… Most of us think about how big things make people feel — we’re sensitive during that “crucial conversation,” we … Read more
Guest Author: Ashleigh Rader My first week on the job, Alan sat down with me to tell the story of Group Dynamic. Its past, present, and the future he sees for it. He did this, as you may recall, to ensure I was a good fit. We discussed the core values of the company and … Read more
Accountability is one of the areas of dysfunction mentioned in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. If you haven’t heard Alan discuss this, check out this video – it goes over the dysfunctions in a quick and compact way. In order for us to achieve the best results, Lencioni points out that … Read more
One thing I do to help leaders is teach them how to facilitate a SWOT activity. SWOT stands for: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. I’m going to assume that you already know the concepts behind SWOT (if not, we’ll make this clear during your workshop or session). I received a request to post about the … Read more
Deadlines are kind. They give people a way to prioritize their time and efforts. Priorities are also kind. Not setting them becomes fertile ground for frustration. Without priorities, people are led to think one of two things: 1- All of my tasks are equally important. 2- None of my tasks are important. The result? The … Read more
Some think a weekly one-on-one is just for the corporate environment, between full-time, salaried workers and their supervisors. There’s a lot out there on that – including this great guide from Manager Tools. One-on-ones truly work in a variety of environments, though. I’ve had a client in a medical clinic who added monthly one-on-ones with … Read more