“Goals are one of the most misused and abused concepts in business and life today. Quite often, they’re set but not met, or set without providing realistic aims and/or equipment to achieve them. As a result, goal outcomes are often lowered until they are met or scrapped entirely in favor of new … [Read more...] about Set a Big Hairy Audacious Goal
productivity
The Quest for Better Teams
“Teamwork remains the one sustainable competitive advantage that has been largely untapped.” ~ Patrick Lencioni, Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team (Jossey-Bass, 2005) Corporations increasingly organize workforces into teams, a practice that gained popularity in the ’90s. By 2000, roughly … [Read more...] about The Quest for Better Teams
Making and Breaking Habits
Many people believe it takes 21 days to master a new habit. Wishful thinking! Self-help books and motivational gurus have promoted the 21-day myth for at least 50 years, with little research to validate the claim. In a 2009 European study, participants took a full 66 days to adopt a new habit. As … [Read more...] about Making and Breaking Habits
Rekindle Your Creative Thinking
Creativity is something you practice, not just a talent you’re born with. ~ Tom Kelley and David Kelley, IDEO According to a global IBM survey of chief executives, creativity is the most sought-after trait in leaders today. Without continual breakthroughs, Facebook, Google, Apple, Procter & … [Read more...] about Rekindle Your Creative Thinking
Genius or Genius-Maker?
How Smart Leaders Bring Out the Best in People
Do you work for a genius? Are your organization’s leaders really smart, and do they focus on bringing out the best in other people?
Some corporations have made hiring the most intelligent individuals a core strategy on the basis that smarter people can solve problems more quickly than the … [Read more...] about Genius or Genius-Maker?
How Smart Leaders Bring Out the Best in People
How to Get the Most Out of Meetings
Meetings, like death and taxes, are an inevitable fact of business life. Many, unfortunately, turn out to be a huge waste of time. Instead of generating ideas, engagement and commitment, meetings often zap team members’ energy, replacing it with apathy and boredom. (photo courtesy … [Read more...] about How to Get the Most Out of Meetings
The New Groupthink:
The Problem with Teams
Teamwork demands shared responsibility, but it also demands individual contributions. It fails if team members shelter behind the consensus. ~ Robert Heller, Founding Editor, Management Today
A recent survey found that 91 percent of high-level managers believe teams are the key to success. But the … [Read more...] about The New Groupthink:
The Problem with Teams
Purpose-Driven Leadership: The Bridge to What Truly Matters
Knowing why you’re here, and who you want to be, isn’t a part-time job. The challenge is to live out what you stand for, intentionally, in every moment. ~ Tony Schwartz, author Far from being touchy-feely concepts touted by motivational speakers, purpose and values have been identified as key … [Read more...] about Purpose-Driven Leadership: The Bridge to What Truly Matters
A Dashboard for Managing Complexity
Leading people and organizations is fundamentally more complicated than it was 20 years ago—and it’s not getting any easier. Economic and global uncertainties, along with innovative technologies, complicate efforts to run a business. Businesses are also becoming more intrinsically complex. It’s … [Read more...] about A Dashboard for Managing Complexity
The Business Case for Positivity
What good are positive emotions in the workplace? As scientists study the brain and learn more about how we achieve optimal functioning, the term positivity has finally captured business leaders’ interests. One study of CEOs showed that training to be more positive could boost their productivity … [Read more...] about The Business Case for Positivity