Is there a person on your team you KNOW you can rely on to get things done promptly and correctly? When you delegate to her, without question, you’re certain the task will be handled. No need to give it a second thought, just wait for the perfect end product to […]
Read More →When unwanted results show up, and they always do, where do you put your energy and attention? On the problem or the solution? In the realm of your personal and professional life, if you’re like the majority of people, the thing you don’t want captivates you. You think about it. […]
Read More →Is there someone in your workplace who you feel is exactly your opposite? Perhaps, a bit of a thorn in your side. You don’t understand her thought process or agree with how he operates. He’s annoying. She’s difficult to deal with. Well, news flash: this person may be just the thorn in your side you […]
Read More →Ever noticed that one of the keys to success in just about every sport is “watch the ball.” “Keep your eye on the ball. Focus on the ball.” I’ve heard it during my efforts to learn to play tennis, golf, softball, Ping-Pong and basketball. Watch the ball a simple and wise instruction. It makes sense. If […]
Read More →Terri, an outstanding individual contributor, has a resume that boasts a string of successes. Recently promoted, her new role involves leading people. She’s struggling to find her footing in a position that calls for an additional set of competencies. This challenge is natural. As Marshall Goldsmith says, What Got You Here […]
Read More →Maya Angelou said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This is profound wisdom for leaders who want high performing teams that produce excellent results, in a healthy climate. Here are a few […]
Read More →You can stimulate workplace learning and discussion that results in real change. You can help ideas gain traction – new ideas to enhance your organization’s culture, strengthen its leadership and improve its financial performance. How? Share books and articles. Share good ideas and best practices. Encourage discussion about new, forward-looking possibilities. Relevant, thought-provoking readings are […]
Read More →While facilitating a strategic alignment retreat with a CEO and his senior team, they struggled to identify exactly what to do to change the culture. Finally, having nothing that felt like a good idea, I convinced them to involve the next level down. They agreed. In the meeting with the broader leadership team – the […]
Read More →According to Barry Oshry, author and founder of Power + Systems, middle managers often feel torn, squeezed; caught between a rock and a hard place. They understand what top leadership expects, they know what the broader workforce wants, and, where there is a gap between the reality of top management and workers, middles become the […]
Read More →Frequently, when conducting data gathering interviews for qualitative 360s, I’ve noticed raters self-reflecting and assessing their own behavior. The conversation makes them think. In a recent interview, the boss was describing the person he was rating as “easily distracted.” All the while, the boss’ computer was dinging, signaling the arrival of email. Each time it […]
Read More →How do you feel when someone says to you, “I have a question for you?” Do you say, “YES!,” with great excitement and anticipation? Or, do you feel a little anxious, perhaps defensive, concerned about whether you know the answer? Many people feel more comfortable with answers than they do questions. They prefer the knowing […]
Read More →Curiosity, a natural activity of an intelligent mind, is peaked when presented with thought-provoking questions – questions that make the listener think. When we’re open to queries and view interrogatives, no matter how challenging they may, as an opportunity to explore a new area and learn something we didn’t know, we serve the process of […]
Read More →More and more, organizational experts, including the well respected McKinsey & Company, are confirming what I’ve believed for years: organizational cultural change is inseparable from individual change. The two must work hand-in-hand. Why? Because organizations don’t change unless people’s mindsets and behavior change. Manager or leaders, shift the way you think, speak and behave. Soon, […]
Read More →Recently, a new client told me that two years ago her boss articulated a vision for how she wanted the senior leadership team to operate. Today, she said, “People are behaving exactly as they have for years. There’s been no change. We’re still highly paid technical experts – not developers of people, and certainly not […]
Read More →Mahatma Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela are well known examples of the significant, life-altering difference one person can make in the lives of many. Yet, think about it: those who’ve had a profound, defining impact on the person and professional you’ve become are probably far less famous than those I’ve […]
Read More →Dear Teressa, My boss is an excellent manager and a very inspirational leader. However, I have a colleague, who I think is a good person, but who seems to very much resent this boss. This colleague is also very good friends with my boss’s boss. The colleague is now making life very difficult and […]
Read More →Experts say the reason people throw temper tantrums into adulthood is because they work. This frightening behavior gets the tantrum thrower exactly what they want – even if it is at the cost of co-workers or workplace civility. The first step to taking the sting out of another’s workplace tantrum – whether it’s your employee, […]
Read More →I meet a fair number of business leaders who say they are empathy-challenged. Empathy is the ability to recognize and identify the emotions being experienced by another person. It’s one of the five components of Emotional Intelligence. Because it enables others to feel like you connect with them, it is an important skill set for […]
Read More →Dear Teressa, Any advice on how I can get more people to speak up in my meetings? ~John V. John, I’m glad to hear that you’re a leader who wants more voices in the conversation – more people engaged and contributing. Here are several strategies that have worked for a number of my clients. […]
Read More →When I walked into his office, Will’s head was down, his brow looked furrowed, his chest was noticeably rising and falling, indicative of deep breathing, and he was writing furious. I waited until he finished and asked, “What are you working on?” “I’m writing out my rage!” He smiled, pushed his pad aside and explained, […]
Read More →
