By Kevin Eikenberry I’m a big believer in the power of confidence. However, confidence often comes with a caveat. People would like to be confident, but most don’t want to be seen as cocky or over-confident. Because of that worry, they don’t go far enough. They grew up learning that “pride comes before a fall" (from Proverbs 16:18), and who wants to fall? While I … [Read more...]
How Do I Get People to Follow Me?
You've got questions, we've got answers. Hi, I'm Kevin Eikenberry, answering the questions that new and frontline leaders ask us. Actually, it's our goal to help all leaders be more productive, successful, and confident. And this video series is just one way we do that. Today, I'm asking the question. How do I get people to follow me? Are you ready for my answer? Let's get … [Read more...]
The Difference Between a Good Manager and a Great Manager
Guest post by Ryan Gottfredson As a leadership researcher and consultant, I commonly have employees evaluate the effectiveness of their managers. Then, on the back-end of these, I occasionally have interviews or coaching calls with these managers. Through this experience, I have been able to identify the difference between good and great managers. But before I share that … [Read more...]
How Do I Implement a Change I Don’t Like?
By Guy Harris If it has not happened already, the day is coming when you will need to implement a change that was not your idea and that you either do not like or at least have reservations about. As a new, front-line leader, that situation is incredibly difficult. You might feel stuck between your team and “management.” You might struggle to satisfy both your desire to do … [Read more...]
Lessons From a Lifeguard: A Drowning Man Doesn’t Care About You
Communication, conflict resolution and leadership, at times, resemble working as a lifeguard. In all these situations, you can, like a lifeguard, be in the position of approaching someone else when they are under distress because their needs are not being met. Picture a drowning man. He is flailing in the water. He is grasping at everything and everyone within reach. He has … [Read more...]
Retaining Top Talent in a Flourishing Gig Economy
This is a guest post by Rick Grimaldi, author of FLEX: A Leader’s Guide to Staying Nimble and Mastering Transformative Change in the American Workplace For many employees, the work/life integration empowered by the gig economy is not a cool trend but a priority, and companies may need to make it part of their offers, if they want to compete for Gen X, Y, and Z … [Read more...]
Respond Assertively, Not Aggressively
The basic difference between being assertive and being aggressive is how our words and behavior affect the rights and well being of others. - Sharon Anthony Bower No matter how great a manager you are, bad things will happen at work. Not every day, but occasionally. It’s how you handle those incidents—the ones that fill you with frustration, anger and dread—that determine what … [Read more...]
Tips for a Fun, Energizing, SUCCESSFUL Summer
While it's not officially summer for a couple of weeks, many of us already feel like the season is here. Hot weather, the close of school for summer break, cook outs, and vacations have us in a summer state of mind. As leaders, we must understand all that summer brings, while still keeping a focus on productivity and results. The challenge, as is often the case in life, is … [Read more...]
Three Questions to Ask on Your First Day as a New Leader
Many new leaders start their leadership journey with one, big question: “Where do I start?” It’s a great question with an answer that is often clouded by uncertainty, overwhelm, and, doubt. To help you sort out the answer to that question, I propose you ask three other questions on your first day as a new leader. After you answer these three questions, you can focus on the … [Read more...]
How to Recruit and Attract Experienced Employees
The most productive and high-performing companies include a nice mix of employees of all age ranges. In particular, “Organizations are stronger when they include the contributions of more seasoned employees,” says Grimaldi, author of the new book FLEX: A Leader’s Guide to Staying Nimble and Mastering Transformative Change in the American Workplace. A blend of different ages … [Read more...]