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 →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 →I’m a manager in a large company with 15 direct reports. Sometimes, I have trouble figuring out how to handle certain performance problems. How do I figure out what to do? ~D.G. Dear D.G., Here are a few “how to” pointers for your consideration. As you weigh various options, remember to make use of […]
Read More →In a recent Inc. article titled, “Make the Rest of 2013 More Successful,” Kevin Daum suggests you: Trim the fat and focus on your 2 to 3 most important goals. Step back from the fray of your day-to-day. Assess, think and make a solid plan. Make sure your plan is well structured with specific milestones […]
Read More →Every week, the content of my Office Talk Report is based on a real-life scenarios – ones I’ve experienced as a facilitator, executive and personal growth coach, keynote speaker, as well as a manager and leader. Unresolved challenges at work and in life often get in the way of productivity and personal satisfaction. They cause us to question ourselves and the value of contributions we make. Issues at […]
Read More →A coaching client, whose husband was teaching their son how to drive, told me a story that reinforces an important fact. She said, one day, as her husband, once again, admonished their son for not using his right turn signal, their son pulled over, stopped the car, looked his dad in the eyes and said, […]
Read More →To get clear about the best way to effectively address a specific performance or behavior problem, the first step is asking yourself which course of action the problem calls for? Is feedback sufficient? You simply describe the person’s behavior and its impact. Is coaching more appropriate? You work to strengthen performance through teaching, training and […]
Read More →Are you more tenured with many more years of experience than the person to whom you report? Is your manager the same age or younger than your children? These days, it’s not all that unusual for older people to report to those who are much younger. According to a 2012 CareerBuilder survey, “One third (34 […]
Read More →While interviewing a group of people for a client’s 360 Feedback process, one of the raters told me she has a rule with her team. They have to make at least one mistake a week and tell her about it. She is also bound by the same rule. She has to make at least one […]
Read More →Do you have a BIG idea – one that will transform your career, your company’s business model, streamline processes, save significant time and money, land you a brand new role or help you branch off and build your own successful enterprise? Have you put a plan of action in place or are you stalling, plagued […]
Read More →Millennials, those 18 to 35 year old workers, look for purpose and a sense of meaning in their work and lives. Here is one simple suggestion for helping this growing and important segment of your workforce feel more engaged and valued: Talk with them about the company’s vision, strategy and goals. Point how what they […]
Read More →The 18- to 35-year-old workers in your organization are the millennials. They are a breed unto themselves, just as preceding generations have been. Here are a few interesting facts about millennials – offered not to stereotype, but with the intention of acknowledging prevalent patterns among the group: They’re the most culturally diverse and well-educated generation […]
Read More →What do you do when you care about a person? You find ways to support their happiness and success, particularly when they’re motivated and moving in that direction. What’s a good way to get behind someone you care about and help them increase their effectiveness and propel themselves forward? Give them one of these forms […]
Read More →Carol was recruited to create change. Her expertise was just what the company needed…or so they said. One day, after yet another barrage from her team of, “That won’t work here.” “We tried that before.” “The company will never go for that.” Uncontrollably, she blurted out, “I don’t buy that! It is doable. We can […]
Read More →Begin your next meeting with an activity that jumpstarts the conversation. Here’s how: After discussing the meeting’s purpose, objectives and agenda, present one or more of the following statements and ask attendees to respond: 1. “To support the success of our meeting, I will…” 2. “It would facilitate our work if the team…” 3. “To make […]
Read More →When we like people, it’s easy to work with or for them. If we like them a lot, we look forward to interaction. But what happens if we don’t like a colleague? For some reason, we just don’t get along with them or can’t find their redeeming qualities. Here are a few strategies to consider: […]
Read More →In a year-end post by blogger Penelope Trunk called “15 Things Overachievers Do,” one of those things was they steal things. She admitted to stealing this particular blog idea from “Thought Catalogue. Forbes.com contributor TJ McCue stole the same idea from Penelope for his year-end piece “13 Things Overachievers Do.” My point: achieving great things […]
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