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...]
The Power of Practice
In today's video, I'm building on an idea that I touched on in last week's video, Building Confidence as a Coach. And that idea is practice and the power behind it. https://youtu.be/10iBfH_nX50?rel=0&showinfo=0 Tweet it out: Practice. Done well, it is how we grow, improve, and build successful habits. @KevinEikenberry Check out the Remarkable Podcast episode on … [Read more...]
Do You Even Know How to Lead by Example?
Your employees are watching you, and they're being influenced by your behavior, for better or worse. Are you leading by example? Are you behaving in a way that you want your people to emulate? Are your actions always in the best interest of the team and organization? If you are leading by example, you aren't relying on your words alone to guide your employees. Certainly it … [Read more...]
Stop Letting Procrastination Hold You Back
We all procrastinate sometimes. Some people make it a way of life. Either they put off tasks they dread or they simply thrive when producing work at the last minute. Many people, however, wish they procrastinated less. They scold themselves for creating unnecessary stress or regret their time management when they produce less-than-stellar work. Of all the comments I’ve … [Read more...]
4 Big Mistakes Understaffed Leaders Make
This is a guest post by Naphtali Hoff, President, Impactful Coaching & Consulting. If you are a leader who is expected to do more with less, you aren't alone. In fact, throughout the world and in every industry, today’s leaders feel mounting pressure to achieve more with less. No longer can they simply bring on staff as needed to get the job done. Higher-ups have told … [Read more...]