Who hasn't said something in the heat of the moment that they regret? Everyone makes mistakes. We make insensitive statements, we speak before we think, and we let our emotions get the best of us. No workplace is perfect. Managers berate subordinates in meetings. Colleagues make snide remarks about … [Read more...] about The Tricky Art of the Apology
Managing
Strengths-Based Leadership
Which leadership style will prevail in the future? If you want to improve employee engagement and productivity while reducing turnover, your organization must build on individual and team strengths: strengths-based leadership will prevail in the future as the key leadership style. Nearly a decade … [Read more...] about Strengths-Based Leadership
Do You Know Your Strengths?
Most of us have a poor sense of our talents and strengths, yet are acutely aware of our weaknesses and flaws. Throughout the education system and subsequent careers, there's often been much more attention paid to how to improve and fix our shortcomings rather than enhance our strengths. "Most … [Read more...] about Do You Know Your Strengths?
The Quest for Leadership Purpose
Do you know what your leadership purpose is? If you want to drive a high-performance organization, you must find ways to make employee performance meaningful. Sadly, many executive teams focus on numbers instead of words when trying to motivate people to achieve more. Carrots and sticks may work in … [Read more...] about The Quest for Leadership Purpose
The Under-Management Epidemic
Are you part of the under management epidemic, or are you a truly engaged manager? A recent survey reports 9 out of 10 managers are providing insufficient oversight—a problem that consultant Bruce Tulgan calls the “under-management epidemic.” Ten years ago, research from Rainmaker Thinking, Inc., … [Read more...] about The Under-Management Epidemic
Motivate without Over-Managing
Many business leaders have lost sight of what motivates people at work. In fact, some companies haven’t updated their incentive practices in years, which means they’re probably struggling to create and sustain high-performing teams. Companies continue to ignore the obvious: Offering incentives and … [Read more...] about Motivate without Over-Managing
Toxic Leadership: A New Look at Solutions
“Toxic leaders cast their spell broadly. Most of us claim we abhor them. Yet we frequently follow — or at least tolerate — them.” ~ Jean Lipman-Blumen, The Allure of Toxic Leaders (Oxford University Press, 2004) Much has been written about toxic leaders with psychopathic traits and narcissistic … [Read more...] about Toxic Leadership: A New Look at Solutions
Driven to Lead: What Makes People Tick
Leadership is about relationships with others. You cannot lead without understanding the innate drives that are essential to human development and survival. “Our understanding of leadership can be no better than our understanding of what makes humans, all humans, tick—what are the ultimate … [Read more...] about Driven to Lead: What Makes People Tick
Mind Over Mood: 3 Paths to Better Decisions
Psychologists, neuroscientists, economists and Buddhism scholars are shedding new light on how we make decisions: We make the best choices when we acknowledge our emotions. In Western civilization, we’re taught that the best decisions are based on logic and reason. Businesses favor data … [Read more...] about Mind Over Mood: 3 Paths to Better Decisions
Are You Over-Led and Under-Managed?
“It has become popular to talk about us being over-managed and under-led. I believe we are now over-led and under-managed.” ~ Henry Mintzberg, Simply Managing: What Managers Do—and Can Do Better (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2013) Much has been written about the difference between leaders and … [Read more...] about Are You Over-Led and Under-Managed?