Leadership IS example. You don't lead people by what you say to them; you lead them by what they see you do. Consider yourself on display. Realize that—for better or worse—you ARE a role model for your team members. Your attitude and actions serve as a constant point of reference for coworkers struggling to make [...]
If you’re working from home, it’s easy to sit back and avoid the initiative until you get a new set of directions, and to hold off until a boss or supervisor tells you specifically what to do. After all, “doing nothing” is one of the most popular ways to fight changes that are difficult to [...]
Psychological paychecks have always been important, but never more important than now. Their cost is next to nothing, yet the value is inestimable. Right now, you may not be in a position to give your team members more in terms of tangible rewards. Increases in pay or benefits may not be possible. But there’s no [...]
Leading a remote team is challenging. Leading a remote team during a pandemic might be close to impossible. So, what can you rightfully ask of employees during times like these? Not blind loyalty. Right now, you need something different than just allegiance from employees. Loyalty can get lazy—or be misdirected. During changing and unstable times [...]
Finding your way forward We’re all a little shell shocked. Our ears are still ringing and eyes still blurry from the explosion of COVID-19 across the globe. We’ve now had a few weeks to absorb the blow, and it’s time to realize that we are standing at a crucial intersection and it’s essential that we [...]
It’s never about the role—it’s always about the goal Leadership is the difference between success and failure—both personal and professional. However, it’s not about having a title or designation such as leader vs manager. It’s about impact, influence, and inspiration. The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves. Be [...]
A team isn’t a group of people who work together, it’s a group of people who trust each other. Have you ever managed people who didn't trust one another? If you have, then you'll know how challenging and draining that can be. A team without trust isn't really a team: it's just a group of [...]
Conflict happens, whether we want it to or not When you boil it down, conflict is just when one person’s desires are different from the other person. However, the emotions that conflict evokes can often make situations seem explosive. Most of us have a strong, gut-level reaction to conflict, including fear, avoidance, excitement, or dread. [...]
How to maximize your team’s productivity As a leader, there are all kinds of ways you can improve your team’s performance. However, if their productivity is lacking, your results as a leader will be lacking, too. That’s why improving your team’s productivity must be your greatest priority. Simply put, when your team becomes more productive, the results of your [...]
When we talk about company culture or organizational culture, at its simplest level, we’re talking about “How we do things around here.” It can be difficult to be aware and objective about your company culture— because employees adopt your culture by observing you and other co-workers. Sometimes their interpretation of your culture is not [...]
The Eisenhower Matrix is a presidential insight about productivity: soon after Eisenhower became president, he visited the campus of Northwestern University to deliver an address. What he said changed the thinking about “productivity” forever. He said: “I have two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never [...]
Most of us recognize a leader when we see one. Because, most leaders seem to possess a common set of behaviors. It seems that great leadership is more bold action than intellectual capacity. Here are three of the behaviors I have recognized in great leaders. Great leaders thrive on simplicity. They bring clarity to the complex. [...]
