Even the Best Team Members Benefit from Basic Skills Training Some leaders believe that because they manage their time well and prioritize with ease that doing so comes naturally to everyone. For these managers, any employee who procrastinates, misses deadlines or is disorganized is a source of frustration. Leaders have a responsibility for developing employees, […]

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If you feel pulled in the direction of change, begin your planning and preparation with an honest self-assessment. Check in. See if your mind and emotions are aligned with your decision and plans. If there is a gap between what you think and how you feel, you have work to do. Moving ahead without attending […]

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Feeling restless, not quite satisfied, like something is missing or there’s got to be more to work and life than this! You may be ready for a change. Here are four cues that signal it’s time for something new: You’ve stopped learning and growing. You’re not developing new skills and knowledge, yet you feel an […]

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There comes a moment when you know it’s time to leave the comforts of the familiar and move on. You may be ready to move up to the next level, a lateral into a new functional area to broaden your experience base, a leap into a new industry or company where you can apply your […]

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Brainstorming has long been a productive way to bring new ideas to the fore.  Research at University of Texas Austin suggests that you can kick your brainstorming up a notch.  They studied three groups.  One group was incentivized based on the number of ideas they generated. One was given a flat incentive, while another group received nothing.   Each […]

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One of the behavior patterns I’ve worked on with many leaders is their need to be right and show others that they have all of the answers.  They know more and best. Insisting on being right is alienating. It turns others off. After all, if you’re always right, that automatically makes others wrong. Artist and […]

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 Forbes.com contributors David Sturt and Todd Nordstrom say that if you think you’re doing great at work, but others around you don’t agree, you may be undermining yourself without realizing it. Here are three surprising ways you might be sabotaging your reputation. You don’t take a breather. Are you constantly flitting about the office, […]

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The great Zig Ziglar once quipped, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily.” He is right. Motivation is fleeting. It’s something we call on when we’re pressed against the edges of our comfort zone. To Ziglar’s statement, I add that a steady diet of the […]

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Results recently released from a Binghamton University study prove that kindness and compassion are the key to better employee performance. The University’s researchers surveyed one-thousand members of the Taiwanees Army and 200 fulltime US workers. They looked at three types of leadership: Authoritarian-dominant leaders Benevolence-dominant leaders Classic paternalistic leaders The latter style combines the first […]

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Each of us is motivated by something different. For some people, it’s money. Others love the attention their accomplishments draw. There are those who get a thrill from the chase, or the heart pounding excitement of facing down fear. Still others achieve because they want to impress others, or at least not disappoint them. Each […]

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 How do you approach the end of your workday – when your energy is low there’s not enough time to start a new project? Do you surf social media, aimlessly finger through things on your desk, or scroll through emails to which you don’t intend to reply. Well, Fast Company has suggestions for making […]

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As companies scale up, it is easy to see how some employees can become disconnected from the customer. Focusing on the bottom line is important. Here’s one way to improve revenue, and so much more. Regularly remind everyone from the top down how their work connects with customers by allowing your customer service team to […]

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Are you crystal clear about what you’d like to accomplish over the next month, six months or 2 years? If your goals are specific, congratulations! You’re ahead of the game, and you’re likely to achieve them. If your goals are more general, perhaps even vague, you’re less likely to make meaningful progress. When you’re specific, […]

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Today’s leaders need a keen understanding of the people who report to them, and the unique obstacles they must overcome to be successful. Marion Anderson once said, “Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it.” Her message provides clear encouragement to seek to understand […]

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 While it’s fairly common for people who are successful as an individual contributor to rise to levels that involve managing others, research conducted by Gallup says that about one in ten people possess the right talents to manage others. If you’re wondering who to promote into positions where they manage people, Gallup says you […]

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Human nature can lead us down the path of emotional comfort. For example, Gallup says one of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make when they build their team is picking people who are too much like them. As a result, they surround themselves with a homogenous group. While homogeneity may reduce conflict, Gallup points to research […]

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 Are you starting an entrepreneurial venture? Have you already begun one? Or, do you work in a place where the entrepreneurial spirit thrives? If so, here are the 3 types of people Gallup says you need on your team. The Rainmaker. The aggressive, optimistic, risk-taker who is intensely motivated by sales and revenue. The […]

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Weekly team meetings – those regular check-ins – are still standard practice; a common occurrence in many workplaces. To keep pace with changing times, some have morphed into conference calls. Often, the purpose and format of these meetings were established long ago. Out of habit, they remain on calendars. But should they? It’s always good […]

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