Are you feeling burned out? Have you ever been burnt out? Chances are high that the answer is yes. There are ways to prevent burnout. Here are seven ways to keep yourself from burning out: Recognize burnout for what it is: a form of exhaustion. It is caused by excessive and extended physical, emotional, and mental stress. Good news-- this list will help you … [Read more...]
First, Define the Problem
By Guy Harris Many people rise to leadership positions because they can solve problems. That was certainly true for me. One of the reasons I quickly moved from an individual contributor role to a supervisor position in my first civilian job after the Navy was that I knew how to solve the technical problems my team faced. I excelled at individual problem solving and that … [Read more...]
How Do I Lead People Older Than I Am?
You've got questions, and we've got answers. Hi, I'm Kevin. I am very answering the questions that new leaders ask us. Actually, it's our goal to help all leaders be more effective, productive, successful, and confident. And to do that, I'm going to answer the questions I get asked, including, how do I lead people older than I am? Are you ready? Let's get started. It's a … [Read more...]
Three Questions You Can Use in Difficult Conversations
By Guy Harris Eventually, all leaders find themselves in difficult conversations. It might come as a result of a conflict between team members, as part of a sensitive coaching/feedback discussion, or when reconciling different ideas for how to proceed on a project. There may be weeks or months between them, or you might have three difficult conversations in one day. How they … [Read more...]
One Type of Conflict You Probably Will Not (want to) Resolve
By Guy Harris Working in a conflict free environment sounds great to most people. I know that it appeals to me, my work colleagues, and the workshop participants I have had conversations with. A great deal of discussion in our Bud to Boss workshops is directed towards finding ways to address and resolve workplace conflicts so that they do not interfere with getting … [Read more...]
Stop Using Feedback Sandwiches
By Guy Harris How do you like feedback sandwiches? That is common question I get both in Bud to Boss workshops and in work with coaching clients. To set the stage for my answer, I often ask: When you are on the receiving end, what do you think of them? If you are like me and almost every person I have asked that question, you don’t like them. They taste bad. I … [Read more...]
How Leaders Must Respond to Mistakes
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 productive, successful, and confident. And today I'm answering a question about mistakes and our responses to them. Are you ready? Let's go. Here's the question I've been … [Read more...]
Conflict Isn’t Always Bad
By Guy Harris Conflict definitely sounds bad, and it generally feels bad. There are very few people who look forward to a conflict discussion. Frankly, more people avoid or look to escape conflict discussions than are willing to actively participate in them. Conflict certainly has a negative emotional aspect for most people. Is conflict always bad, though? Before we … [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...]