I was visiting my best friend Matt, and his young sons Alex and Owen were outside playing. Owen came in and shut the glass door, leaving Alex accidentally locked outside. When Alex looked through the glass, amused but pleading, I channeled “Nelson” from The Simpsons, pointed at him and fake-laughed “HA – ha!” Owen looked … Read more
There’s a funny episode from The Office in which Michael thinks that if he makes his office more like Google, then people will be happy and work harder. He goes all out, installs a Nerf hoop, gets a beanbag chair, and creates an open office floor plan. While this was a funny TV show, I’m … Read more
If there’s one skill that leaders must master and habitually improve, it’s communication. I say “habitually improve”, because it’s impossible to communicate flawlessly ALL the time. But – we can sure try! Take a look at this story about a time when intent and impact did not match up: Stanley, upset about recent changes, talked … Read more
In their research on Characteristics of Admired Leaders, Kouzes and Posner found this: Far and away, the most desired characteristics of leaders are (in this order): HonestForward-lookingInspiringCompetent It’s fascinating that both “inspiring” AND “competent” are on the list together, as it feels frequent that a leader demonstrates one characteristic, but not the other. What really … Read more
Remember that two-word definition of leadership – “Meet Needs” ? You can really put that into action by staying conscious of things that you can deliver to the people who report to you. Your team is so used to deliverables they’re accountable for, that it’s a nice change of pace when you ask them specifically, … Read more
While it’s true that leaders need to show positivity, remain optimistic, and give positive feedback, there is a point at which it can be “too much.” In fact, showing empathy can be more important than positivity. If someone is very down, negative, or serious, then your attempts to “pump them up” can have quite the … Read more
I was recently at a formal event where a few dozen individuals were honored with a “once-in-a-lifetime”, very selective, award. Presenting the awards were leaders from the various sponsors of the event. And, on several occasions, honorees’ names were pronounced wrong. Some were difficult, or confusing, but still it was clear that some presenters simply … 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
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