By Kevin Eikenberry You've got questions, and we've got answers. Hi, I'm Kevin Eikenberry answering the questions that new leaders ask us. Actually, it's our goal to help all leaders be more confident, successful, and productive. And we do that by answering questions, including this one. Am I a role model? Are you ready? Let's get started. The more general … [Read more...]
The One Skill You Need to Succeed
By Kevin Eikenberry So, did my headline makes you wonder? That was my hope. Maybe you are guessing what that one skill is. Perhaps you are thinking I am pretty presumptuous to suggest I know the most important skill you need. After all, I don’t know you, your experience, or what you do for a living. This skill is so ubiquitous that it doesn’t matter what you do, … [Read more...]
Can You Be Both Strong and Kind?
By Guy Harris In a recent Bud to Boss workshop, a member of the class asked this question: “Are there some situations where you need to be strong rather than kind? I mean, if you’re kind, won’t people think that you’re a pushover?” Great question. It basically asks the question in the title of this post: can you be both strong and kind? I think the two concepts are not … [Read more...]
Manage Conflict by Eliminating the Three A’s
Guest post by Marlene Chism Getting promoted into a leadership position means you’ll have to do things that make you uncomfortable. You’ll have to initiate difficult conversations about performance, you’ll have to course-correct inappropriate behavior, you’ll have to set boundaries, you’ll have to inspire accountability. In short, you’ll have to learn how to maximize your … [Read more...]
Mentoring vs Coaching: 4 Key Differences And How to Maximize Both
Guest Post by Grace Lau When looking for professional and personal development, often coaching and mentoring are brought up. Both help individuals to grow, aiming to improve their performance and responses in various situations. However, the two terms have separate meanings and have significant differences in how they carry out their aims. We’ll look at some of the key … [Read more...]
Is Conflict Avoidance a Good Leadership Strategy?
By Kevin Eikenberry Conflict avoidance, as a general statement isn’t a good idea. Left unchecked and unaddressed, conflict tends to grow, not recede. But the question here is about you, as a leader, and whether conflict avoidance is a good idea. The answer is, it depends. If someone on the team is coming to you, telling you about what someone else is doing wrong -and … [Read more...]
How to Deal with a Persistently Negative Team Member
By Guy Harris One fairly common question I get from Bud to Boss workshop participants is: How do you deal with a persistently or aggressively negative team member?” While the full answer in a given situation depends on many situation-specific details, there is a thread of common themes that applies to almost all of my experiences with the issue and the conversations I … [Read more...]
How to Get Your Boss to Listen to You
By Guy Harris About half-way through the second day of a two-day workshop, a frustrated new leader blurted out: “All this talk about how to work with my team is great, but that’s not my problem. My problem is that my boss won’t listen to me. How do I get my boss to listen to me?” After sitting quietly for most of our prior discussions, she could not take anymore … [Read more...]
What to Do About a Team Member Who is Doing Nothing Right
By Guy Harris You have tried everything that you know to do. You have encouraged, corrected, taught, coached, sent to classes, partnered them with a co-worker, and they still do nothing right. What next? The short answer: fire them. The long answer: start (if you have not already started) the process of “managing them out of the organization” or whatever euphemism you … [Read more...]
The Power of Transition Conversations
By Guy Harris Navigating changes in your professional relationships is a big part of successfully transitioning from bud to boss. The change in your role and your responsibilities demands that your relationships change as well. You will experience changes in the type, scope, and sensitivity of relationship issues you face. The relative power dynamic or imbalance between you, … [Read more...]