Leaders Make Clumsy Attempts to do the Right Thing

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Clumsy attempts at self improvement are better than smooth successes at nailing the status quo. A good, and immediate, example is feedback. We know (really, proven scientifically and anecdotally time and time again) that this is how to engage employees: Provide frequent, specific, behavior-based feedback that is more often positive than negative. I’ve never met … Read more

Effective Leaders Overcommunicate

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  An email I received yesterday: I would be interested in your thoughts about too much communication. It has been happening that with all the communication outlets, Facebook, Twitter, text, email, that keeping track of getting the word out is becoming overkill. I have some members that say they only check Twitter or Facebook and … Read more

On owning your leadership style…

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Let’s make the assumption that, as a leader, you’ve taken a number of human behavior assessments (like the Leadership Practices Inventory, Everything DiSC®, Strengths Finders or Myers-Briggs), and therefore you have some sort of description (or two or five descriptions) as to what kind of leader you are. What happens to those analyses after you finish the assessment? Do they sit on your desk? In a file? Or worse yet, do they take a one-way pass to the recycling bin?

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Organizing your attentiveness

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Last fall, I spent two blog posts discussing how effective leaders stay organized. At that time, I was referring to your actual to-do list, which typically won’t have the actual words “pay attention to John on Monday.” But maybe you should consider it. A colleague of mine was telling me about a car salesman who … Read more

Do Leaders “Pick on the People They Really Like”?

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When I was in 6th grade, my music teacher, Mr. Jones, played us some “Switched-On Bach” – Bach performed on synthesizer.

That was pretty cool back in 1980. If you’re over 40, I bet you know what I’m talking about. It actually got me really interested in “real” Bach music; I’m a fan to this day.

Mr. Jones was a real advocate, and fed me more to listen to, and encouraged my unusual (for a 6th-grade boy) passion for Baroque music.

Until one day…

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A thing that (wordy) leaders can say…

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If you’re a leader, you’re likely an expert on something. If you’re an expert, people come to you for advice and opinion. And you might find yourself talking and talking and talking. Then, you realize that you’re talking too much, and listening too little.  You know better, but you’re stuck.  What can you do? Here’s … Read more