This is a guest post from Chris Dyer performance expert, speaker, consultant, and author of The Power of Company Culture. When office relations go south, the boss is often the last one to know. Gossips and bullies act from the shadows. Employees might hold back their gripes for fear of losing favor. And trouble with customers may be shielded so it doesn’t reflect poorly on … [Read more...]
Do You Have 5 Minutes? Don’t Waste It.
Leaders are always telling me how busy they are. Heck, it isn’t just leaders, it seems to be everyone. We all have too much to do and too little time. Today, I am not going to ask you to set aside hours of time. I am asking you to find five minutes. That's it. We all have five minutes show up in our day. We have five minutes between meetings or phone calls. We all have … [Read more...]
Dealing With Creative Block
Two big ideas that have huge implications for you as a leader are swirling in my head. I am struggling valiantly (at least in my mind) to align the ideas in a way that briefly and meaningfully conveys them. I find myself in a creative block. Okay, here goes … Idea Number One: Leadership teacher and author John Maxwell says: Everything rises and falls on leadership. It seems … [Read more...]
The Do’s and Don’ts for Dating at Work
If the impending Valentine's Day holiday has you pining for a new love interest, finding that special someone at work is possible. In fact, 31% of office romances lead to marriage, according to Careerbuilder's Annual Valentine's Day Survey. Dating coworkers can be tricky, though, so follow this advice from HR authority and executive coach, Val Grubb, before you take the … [Read more...]
Lonely Leader Blues? Build a New Network of Confidantes
It is "lonely at the top?” For many, yes. As you move up the ladder in any field, your peer groups grow smaller, and that can be a very lonely feeling. Before you were promoted to a supervisory position, if you had a hard day or a difficult decision you needed to talk through, you probably had a variety of people to turn to: your immediate supervisor, your team members, your … [Read more...]
Avoid These 7 “Flowbreakers” That Are Killing Your Productivity
If you're concerned about your own or your employees' productivity, you may be dealing with one of the following flowbreakers, say James Manktelow and Julian Birkinshaw, coauthors of Mind Tools for Managers: 100 Ways to Be a Better Boss. Keep reading to learn their advice for managing distractions so that you all can be more productive: Personal technology Smartphones and now … [Read more...]
4 Things You Should Do This Holiday Weekend
In the U.S., we are about to begin a three day holiday weekend for Labor Day. It's a day created to honor American workers and the contributions they make to our great nation. You're one of those workers, and while I hope you've done something special to honor your employees and the contributions they've made, I also don't want you to forget yourself. Start by taking full … [Read more...]
4 Really Great Reasons to Write Positive Feedback Down
Every leader has been told that offering positive feedback is one of the most valuable things you can do. You've heard of all the benefits. You may have heard that you don’t do it enough. If you’ve been reading this blog, you've likely learned the basics of giving positive feedback successfully, such as: Make it timely Make it meaningful. Make it about the behavior, … [Read more...]
Is Your Focus Too Narrow?
Focus. It is one of those words everyone says is a good thing and something most people would like to be better at. Yet, focus alone, isn't enough. What you focus on is what really matters. Take some time to think: What are you focused on right now? What are your priorities? To become the best leader you can be, and to best serve both your team members and your … [Read more...]
5 Tips for a Successful New Beginning
Congratulations, you just accepted a new job as supervisor! After celebrating the victory, reality sinks in and you wonder whether you even know what to do. Your primary role is now staff management, so how do you begin? The best way to start a new chapter is to lay a good foundation. Establish important building blocks that will help you manage and communicate more … [Read more...]