“Hire for attitude, train for skills” can be useful advice, but only up to a point. A person still needs the baseline knowledge and ability required for the role. You would not place someone in a specialized position simply because they are likable and enthusiastic. At the same time, a candidate who checks every technical … Read more
There is a concerning trend in the world of leadership. A recent global forecast shows some alarming numbers: fewer than half of managers actually trust their own bosses, and the trust towards senior leaders is even lower, with less than a third of leaders feeling confident in their top-tier executives. Think about this. Trust is … Read more
About seven years ago I wrote a post about “disruption,” which was a common buzzword at the time. The basic point was this: It’s important to pay attention to people who are different than you, rather than to surround yourself with like-minded folks. Unfortunately, I titled it “Leaders Know When to Tolerate High Maintenance People.“ … Read more
Shortly after Patrick Lencioni’s Ideal Team Player was published, I wrote a piece explaining and extolling the virtues of Hunger, Humility, and People Smarts. These concepts hold up well, and I haven’t lost my passion for talking about them. I hire for them. I’ve counseled others on how to hire for them. These concepts frequently … Read more
In 2016, I wrote this piece about the way to apply the Kübler-Ross stages of grief to organizational change, and made the case that a person’s needs change depending on their stage. The “dos and don’ts” definitely hold up. It’s interesting to revisit this post-Covid. I thought maybe the complexity of the responses to the … Read more
This week, I want to touch on a big role of leaders, which is the importance of getting to know their people. When I was getting my Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, one of the required classes was Career Counseling. I had worked at Group Dynamic for three years when I took this … Read more
You will need a piece of paper or a Post-It note for this blog. On that paper, write down an answer to one of these questions: Now, put the piece of paper aside and continue reading. Many of us drag our feet because of uncertainty. That’s normal. Because we’re leaders, we might fall into the … Read more
When I was a teacher, I learned certain responses annoyed students when they asked clarifying questions: No one likes to be talked down to. The best teachers answer the clarifying question without additional comment. If we’re honest with ourselves, the additional comments are not for the student anyway; they’re for the speaker as an outlet … Read more
I get into trouble sometimes. As a presenter, I see this comment once in a while on evaluations: “He didn’t follow the handout.” My response to patterns of critical comments on evaluations is to generally take them to heart and adapt my practice so it has more impact. But not this one. Toward the beginning … Read more
It has been a year since the world turned up side down. Whereas the lockdowns are easing, people are getting vaccinated, and life is beginning to look more like “normal,” we are faced with a hard truth: people are burned out and mental health problems continue to increase. One positive result of the pandemic is … Read more