The Leadership Caffeine Blog
Just a Few Seats Left for the Next First-Time Managers Academy Cohort
A Few Seats Left for This Unique New Manager Development Program If it’s time for you or a new manager on your team to take a big step forward in developing as a manager, it’s time to enroll in First-Time Managers Academy-Live-Online. The new cohort kicks off on 4/28...
Just a Few Seats Left for the Next First-Time Managers Academy Cohort
If it’s time for you or a new manager on your team to take a big step forward in developing as a manager, it’s time to enroll in First-Time Managers Academy-Live.
Leadership Caffeine™: A Mostly Thoughtful Guide to Surviving Bad Leadership Days
Even the most dedicated and experienced of leaders will admit that there are more than a few days when they wonder whether it might not be a lot less stressful to hang up their leadership cleats in favor of an individual contributor role. Like marriage, not every day as a leader is filled with wine and roses. There are many days when you will drive home from work wondering whether you truly accomplished anything, and others when you will feel like you just took a few steps in the wrong direction.
December Leadership Development Carnival
There are few things that I let get in the way of a Monday Morning Leadership Caffeine post, but today’s Leadership Development Carnival, guest hosted by Mark Stelzner, author of the Inflexion Point blog and Principal at Inflexion Advisors, is one of them. Instead of your usual cup of motivation, you get the entire carafe today with many familiar and some new voices chiming in on all manner of fascinating leadership and business topics.
Learning to Project Confidence to Grow Your Career
Confidence is contagious. Arrogance will clear a room like rotting fish wrapped in newspaper and left to cure sans refrigeration. And lack of confidence is guaranteed to get you stepped on during most days. The perception by managers and executives of where you fall on the continuum of not self assure at all on one end to arrogant on the other is important. You of course, want to fall right in the sweet spot of appropriately confident. Here are 8 suggestions to help you develop and showcase your self-confidence.
Want a Dream Team? Give a Visionary a Voice
Who’s the Visionary on your team? Hint: chances are it’s not the leader. Contrary to popular myth, “being a visionary” is neither a prerequisite for leading, nor is it bestowed upon the chosen few as they ascend to their lofty perches above us. Many Visionaries labor in relative obscurity, often ignored or worse yet, mocked, because of their unique way of looking at the world and the issues in front of them.
Decisions, Decisions-How's Your Decision Making Agility?
Your decision-making style and pace directly impact your team’s performance. Wait for perfect clarity before putting your stamp on a key decision and you will have metaphorically held your team hostage. Jump too fast and make off-the-cuff calls and your errors and reversals will climb.
Promoted from Within-A True Career Conundrum
One of the most difficult transitions for any professional is moving from team member to formal team manager or leader. If you are on the receiving end of this positive acknowledgement of your capabilities, be prepared to deal with some unexpected headaches as you navigate these deceivingly treacherous waters.
My Personal Journey Towards Building Better Leaders
Note from Art: I’m taking time out from my usual blogging activities today to share with you a bit about the background and approach of my new program and website: Building Better Leaders. After conducting more discussions than I can count with professionals in product management, project management, marketing, new first-time leaders, those interested in leading, technical professionals thrust into leadership, I decided to create something that would solve the problems of: practical content, cost, access, sustainability and guidance. Enter Building Better Leaders.
As an Executive, Here’s How I'm Evaluating You Every Day
Someone once asked me when I evaluate people and my answer was a trite but true, “at every encounter.” For those of you early in your careers, forewarned is forearmed, and for those of you suffering from the malady of mid-level malaise, here are a few thoughts to help you snap out of it.
First, recognize that good executive managers are evaluating your performance constantly. They are watching and listening and learning about you when you give project updates. They’re paying attention to how you conduct yourself during group settings and how you manage through problem situations. Your success and growth depend upon your ability to grow and develop your leadership, communications and strategic thinking skills.
No-Regrets Career Development: You Own Your Career
In a perfect world, the firms and managers that we work for would recognize the importance of cultivating talent and they would focus their energies on working with us to develop and advance. In fact, some good leaders and managers do provide this support, but unfortunately, they tend to be in the minority.