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...]
When You Become a Leader Among Peers
Promotions are amazing. After all, they validate your ability and leadership skills. However, many first-time supervisors struggle with the transition from being "just one of the team" to leading the team. It can be hard to imagine managing people you once saw as friends, and you can worry about whether they will accept you as their leader. Some managers aim to overcome the … [Read more...]
The Power of Incremental Improvement
Many years ago, when asked what the most powerful force in the universe was, Albert Einstein said, “compound interest.” What I am writing about today, might be, with all due respect to Albert, just as powerful. The reason is that in many ways, they are the same thing: compound interest allows your money to grow on itself and incremental improvement allows your skills and … [Read more...]
The Compassion Paradox
Effective leaders are comfortable with paradox. They can call on skills and work in ways that seem to be contradictory. Dictionary.com defines paradox as “a seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true.” As I study the field, I find many paradoxes associated with leadership. I see that developing the skills of a great leader requires us to work in apparently … [Read more...]
Do You Have a High-Performance Culture and Why Does it Matter?
CEOs and C-level team members are generally focused on building the right company culture, and the “right culture” for many is a high-performance culture. The term has become a buzz word for company growth, and many executives believe that they have already mastered this culture. But does your company actually have a high-performance culture, and why does it matter if you … [Read more...]
Infographic: 9 Daily Rituals to Boost Performance at Work
We have officially turned the page on 2020, and now is a great time to put into place best practices that enable you to maximize the hours you spend on the job. Check out this outstanding infographic for quick tips and daily rituals you can use to boost your overall productivity and happiness at work. And if you want a free source of weekly inspiration to help you become a … [Read more...]
Manage “Everything is Urgent” Behavior
We all know one person who thinks every to-do is urgent. Everything the person asks of you needs to be done right now. Maybe, as the leader, you are that person, expecting your employees to drop everything to focus on your requests, no matter how insignificant. Right now, when people are already feeling stressed, overwhelmed and distracted, that kind of attitude can have a … [Read more...]