The Leadership Caffeine Blog
Leadership Caffeine™—Is There a Leadership Reset Button?
During a coaching call, a client recently commented, "I wish I could hit the reset button with my team." I've been thinking about it ever since. I know my younger self would have been quick to suggest that there were no do-overs in leadership. Perhaps I've mellowed a...
Leadership Caffeine™—Is There a Leadership Reset Button?
Are there leadership do-overs? The answer is a firm, “It depends.” In this article, I share the circumstances where it is appropriate to hit your Leadership Reset Button and I offer guidance for succeeding with this important work.
Management Lessons Learned While Consuming Too Much Hospital Food
Little things make a big difference when a loved one is ill, and while our filters are tuned to high, doctors and healthcare professionals and hospitals are in the ultimate customer care business, and we as customers are quick to notice great performance as well as the occasional lapses. The many leadership and customer care observations and lessons are still top-of-mind following our recent experience, and I’ve noted a few below. It’s a fair bet that these lessons apply across disciplines and professions as well.
Health Care and Great Customer Service Alive and Well in Peoria, IL
With almost a month to observe a great number of healthcare workers, managers and teams at work, I’m much impressed with the care, compassion and dedication of almost everyone that we encountered during this sometimes frightening and always discomforting journey. And while my focus was on the care of our son, I am wired to look at the management systems and customer care approaches that tell me about the organization, its leaders and its commitment to quality. With a critical eye and some personal investment, I came away from this experience impressed.
Leadership Caffeine™: Let Your Questions Be Their Guide
The art of asking questions is a leadership power tool. A good question from a leader is like a pebble thrown into a pond. While the splash occurs at the impact point, the question encourages people to think experiment and even innovate, long after the initial asking.
The Anachronistic and Oxymoronic Tyranny of Marketing Control
The new world of marketing frightens many experienced marketing professionals. For those accustomed to believing that they have some form of inalienable right to control everything that is said or published about their firm in the name of “managing the brand,” these are difficult times, indeed.
Moving Beyond Your Fear of Delivering Constructive Feedback
Over the past several years beginning with the work for Practical Lessons in Leadership with my co-author, Rich Petro, I’ve made a professional hobby out of exploring the fascinating and very real fear that so many people have for delivering constructive feedback. One of my favorite interviews for the book was with a retired CEO who when I posed the question on whether he had any regrets, without hesitating, responded: “I really regret that I never learned how to have the tough discussions with the people that worked for me.” He quickly added, “To this day, I wonder how much money that I cost my companies.”
This most difficult of human interactions in the workplace is also one of the most important. The fear, much like the fear of public speaking is mostly in our minds, and with some deliberate practice, all of us are capable of improving our skills, and as a result, improving our performance, the performance of our teams and of our organizations.
Leadership Caffeine™: In Praise of Consistency
Take a few minutes to think about the best leaders that you’ve ever worked for. What terms best describe them? Chances are the word “consistent” didn’t show up in the top five. Perhaps it should.
Consistency may just be the very unsexy and uninspiring element to your leadership style that will help you grow your credibility and allow you to create and sustain a working atmosphere that allows your team members to prosper.
Management Excellence Book Series: Power by Jeffrey Pfeffer
Power and influence are topics in the workplace that everyone recognizes but that few talk about. I suspect that after reading Jeffrey Pfeffer’s newest book, Power (available 9/14), this will change. I connected with Jeffrey recently to hear more about his perspectives on this career-critical topic, and came away with some great and practical insights and even a health tip! Enjoy the conversation!
Leadership Caffeine™: In Pursuit of Your Potential
You’re good, but do you have it in you to be great? I work with a lot of good professionals. These are smart people, all technically adept at their jobs and committed to working hard for their organizations. Only a few of these good individuals push themselves to become great.
The Importance of Strategy Fueled Leadership
I’ve written on the topic of Strategy Fueled Leadership several times, and fresh off of a great podcast interview with Gary Harpst, author of Six Disciplines Execution Revolution (stay tuned for my posting) and my recent interview with Jocelyn Davis for Strategic Speed, I am on my soapbox again. It is critical to link leadership with strategy and vice-versa and the failure to do this is one of the root causes of strategy and execution failure in organizations.