The Leadership Caffeine Blog
Tired of the drama storm? Effective managers write the rules of the road with their teams
Is there a drama storm on your team? In my informal survey of coaching clients, workplace drama is all too prevalent and distracting. Managers are tired of officiating the he said/she said/they didn't/I can't work with... issues that creep up in daily work. "It's...
Tired of the drama storm? Effective managers write the rules of the road with their teams
In my informal survey of coaching clients, workplace drama is all too prevalent and distracting. Managers are tired of officiating the he said/she said/they didn’t/I can’t work with… issues that creep up in daily work. They are looking for a solution—something that places responsibility where it belongs. I teach my managers to write the Rules of the Road with their team members to solve this problem.
Running on Empty? First, Eliminate the Energy Sinks
Energy always flows from the source to the sink. In your hot water heater, the water is the sink. Eventually, the consumption of hot water is capable of exceeding the capacity of the source. The same applies in our professional and leadership lives. It’s essential to identify and eliminate the heat sinks in our daily lives to free capacity to focus on the work that matters. Here are 12 ideas to help you with this important mission:
For Younger Professionals: Grow Your Career by Succeeding Wildly Today
I admire people who are hungry for success and willing to work hard to get it. However, for all of us, the road ahead to success as we envision it is often murky. Sometimes it is good to suspend looking to far ahead and to focus on succeeding in the here and now and simply put one foot in front of the other. The future has a way of creating opportunities for those who succeed wildly now.
Leadership Caffeine™—Aim for the Heart
Leading by the numbers isn’t leading. Numbers are outcomes of nearly countless workplace and customer encounters. The real goal of the leader is to make certain those encounters create value. Do a great job building energy for the mission and good results will follow.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Coaching Experience
The opportunity to work with a professional coach is a game-changer for many in their careers. Those who derive the most out of their firm’s investment in their development tend to display these 10 important behaviors:
The Discipline of High Performers
I love former Navy Seal, Jocko Willink’s personal mantra: “Discipline equals freedom.” The development of and rigorous attention to discipline in every area of our lives is the difference-maker when it comes to succeeding or failing. Through out the resolutions and instead, start by developing discipline around one small activity. It’s contagious.
Leadership Caffeine—The 7 Tools of Great Leaders
For now and forevermore, vow to be a leader that serves as a source of growth. To do that, employe these seven powerful tools…
Life and Career Lessons from Tony Bennett
From his early life family struggles to serving as an infantryman in World War II to marching for civil rights in Selma, Tony Bennett personifies what it means to be a model citizen. And as impressive as his civic contributions are, his career and life lessons in remaining relevant across the decades are priceless for all of us.
Quit Waiting for Somebody or Anybody to Show Up
It’s time to break thru the status quo of inaction around problem-solving, improving, and innovating in our organizations. Change is a personal issue played out in group settings. It’s time for you to start the revolution of action!
Leveling Up in the Face of Change is THE Issue
In a recent discussion with a potential literary agent for my book proposal for, “Level-Up—The Career Guide to Surviving and Thriving in an Era of Change,” the agent suggested that books built around the theme of “change” were unlikely to sell. That perspective is preposterous. Learning to help our organizations navigate change while constantly leveling up in our own careers is a core challenge that all of us face in our professional lives. We need more help on this, not less, regardless of the views of publishers. Here’s why…