Wake-Up Calls for Managers
For the hard parts no one prepares you for
When the path isn’t clear, the stakes are high, and the answers aren’t obvious—this is where managers struggle most.
Wake-Up Calls for Managers delivers practical, real-world guidance for navigating:
- Tough conversations
- Leading through uncertainty
- Building influence without authority
- Driving results through others
The Leadership Caffeine Blog
Feedback is Funny—Just Not in a “Ha Ha” Kind of Way
OK, the topic of feedback isn't stand-up comedy funny. It's funny as in odd because there are so many contradictions surrounding it. What the Experts Say About Feedback Run a search on "Feedback" at Harvard Business Review (subscription), and you'll encounter these...
Feedback is Funny—Just Not in a “Ha Ha” Kind of Way
OK, the topic of feedback isn’t stand-up comedy funny. It’s funny as in odd because there are so many contradictions surrounding it. Here are five practices to help managers bring feedback to life as the performance-enhancing tool it is capable of being:
Strengthen Your Team By Seeking People Who Believe that They Can Grow
Look back on your own recent string of hires and promotions, and if your batting average is lower than you would like it to be, consider Ms. Dweck’s advice: “look for both talent and a growth mind-set in prospective hires—people with a passion for learning who thrive on challenge and change. And remember to open your eyes and look around you for talent in unexpected places. Your greatest future success stories might be closer than they appear.
Do Your Employees Truly Believe That They Can Make A Difference?
The survey of Fortune 500 employees offered an interesting insight into what your employees might really be thinking while you as a leader are delivering yet again, another of your famous “take risks, innovate, create and you are empowered” pep talks. The survey results said that 79% of respondents understood that they were accountable for “taking initiative and bringing about change,”40% of the respondents indicated: “they do not believe that they can make a personal contribution.”
Lousy Customer Service Starts with Sloppy Leadership
While I am fascinated (morbidly so) at the number of people that make their living through customer contact that don’t understand how to contact customers, I am mortified at the sloppy leadership practices and sloppy leaders that allow poor customer service to rule the day. My armchair diagnosis is that these leaders suffer from an unhealthy mix of arrogance, apathy and ignorance. They either don’t give a damn or don’t know. Both are inexcusable.
Leadership Development Carnival #2 at Great Leadership!
Check out the fantastic collection of articles and leadership bloggers at Great Leadership. Thanks to Dan McCarthy for an outstanding job at his outstanding blog. I’ll be off on vacation this week, but Dan is providing you with 41 great articles, so enjoy and I’ll see you next week! -Art
Constancy of Purpose In Pursuit of Success
Organizations and individuals march forward when they have a clear goal and sight and are driven by some deep collective conviction that when successful, the world will be a better place, that they will be better professionals and that their positions and as a result, their families will be secure. The earlier that a leader understands that creating “constancy of purpose” is a core task, the faster they are on their way to truly fulfilling their obligation and responsibility as a leader.
Great Things Happen When Confidence and Capitalism Collide
In this cycle of bad financial news, high energy costs, record deficits and global turmoil, it’s exciting to meet people that see opportunities in the headlines. I had the great fortune to meet someone recently that has the right attitude about making lemonade out of the bumper crop of lemons we are experiencing this year.
Living, Learning and Leading in an Increasingly Virtual World
Somewhere between the world I grew up in and the world that we are living in today, everything about working, leading and learning began to change. It’s increasingly a virtual world, and everything about communicating, interacting and developing relationships feels a bit different than it used to. While many/most of us are compliant with the changes in communications (telex to fax to e-mail to IM, web conferencing etc.), I wonder how many of us are truly working to become competent at living and working in this world.
Don’t Miss the 39th HR Carnival at HR Capitalist!
If you are after thought-provoking, practical content from scores of leading authorities in HR, Leadership and Management, then click-thru to the great Carnival being hosted by Kris Dunn at HR Capitalist. You won’t be disappointed. Thanks to Kris for an awesome job.
Decision-Making and The Three Rules of Risk Management
Your decision-making style says a lot about you as a leader. Some people make a lot of decisions with little more than a gut hunch to guide them and others spend a lot of time gathering insights and information to support their decision. Others struggle to make decisions on anything and might still be considering what to order for breakfast when it’s time for dinner. And still others avoid making decisions because taking a stand increases the odds that they will be held accountable for results.