If you've never made a mistake at work, raise your hand. Chances are, your hand is NOT up. If it is, kudos. You might be the first person ever to not make a mistake on the job. Most of us do, especially in the early days of leadership, but even leaders who have been at for a long time slip up. They make bad personnel decisions, act without thinking, jump to conclusions, lash … [Read more...]
Turnaround a Toxic Workplace Culture
We spend a good chunk of our lives working. If that workplace is toxic, it affects everything from our happiness to our health. From a bottom line point-of-view, productivity, performance and customer service tanks in a toxic environment. Turnover (and the high cost of it) grows. Given that we (and our employees) spend so much time on the job, fostering a positive … [Read more...]
Don’t Blame the Last Guy
This is a guest post from Pam Fox Rollin. You would never stoop to blame. Or would you? You're going to be tempted Especially if the person who last had the job was let go, demoted, or otherwise removed, you'll be tempted. But even if the last guy was elevated to his/her next walk-on-water job, you're still going to be tempted to blame him for your team's … [Read more...]
Get Better Results From Your Meetings
Meetings CAN be a waste of time and they can be the biggest productivity and engagement tool in any organization. The difference in outcome rests first and foremost on the shoulders and hands and mind of you as a leader. So think of your very last meeting with your team, and ask yourself: How productive was the meeting? Was that normal or the exception? How would … [Read more...]
3 Leadership Tips You Can Probably Forget
We're in the business of offering leadership and workplace advice, but even we can admit some advice runs its course. The times change, making that once sage advice obsolete. Or it just doesn't fit the same situations it once did. It's safe to say that there is always a chance the advice will be relevant again, but for right now, here are three nuggets you can forget. Don’t … [Read more...]
Why Do 96% of Millennials Experience Burnout?
By Jaimy Ford, business writer and editor. World Health Organization has dubbed "millennial burnout" as a medical condition, defined as "chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed." It's officially a real thing. Millennials, the 20-and-30-somethings, have been a bit of a punching bag for Gen X and Boomers, who love to throw out terms like "fragile," … [Read more...]
Learning to Say “Yes” and “No”
This is an excerpt from Bring Your Brain to Work: Using Cognitive Science to Get a Job, Do it Well, and Advance Your Career, a brand-new leadership book by Art Markman. Think about the requests people make of you. How do you generally respond? If you’re like most of us, you have a dominant response. Some people are prone to assent to requests. For example, Greg told me … [Read more...]
When You Catch an Employee in a Lie
Uh-oh. You caught an employee in a bold-faced lie, and now you're not sure what to do next. A single lie has the power to destroy your trust in the employee, but what is more concerning is why the person told the lie in the first place. Is he hiding something? Does she fear your response? And if the person lied so easily this go round, does it mean he or she has lied before? … [Read more...]
10 Things Your Employees are Thinking
This is a guest post from Roberta Chinsky Matuson. If you think it’s tough being a manager these days, try being an employee. Most are in the position of having to go with the flow, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they do so with a smile on their face. Here are 10 things your employees wish you knew about them: "We are happy to have a job." But that doesn’t necessarily … [Read more...]
Don’t Confuse Work Commitment With Work Addiction
Fifty-five percent of U.S. employees have admitted to checking work emails after 11 p.m., according to data collected by Instant Offices. Is that commitment or work addiction? Commitment is what you're looking for. Addiction to work, not so much. When employees feel compelled to be available 24/7, always have work on the mind, and forgo personal (and down) time to meet the … [Read more...]