We've barely scratched the surface of the areas in our organizations where thinking differently is essential for survival and success. Teaming, strategy and problem-solving all loom large and merit this treatment. However, starting with the role and work of leaders and the processes for adding talent to the team and supporting their development are perfect entry points.
We've got two great professional development opportunities launching over the next few days. Our free webinar, Think Differently in a World Where All the Rules Have Changed runs on 9/9 at 11 AM Central. And, our live-online First-Time Managers Academy kicks off on 9/10. Early registration pricing for the Academy ends at 11:59 PM on 9/3.
We talk a big game about teams in business, yet often they disappoint. Raise your hand if you've been on a so-called team that devolved into a debating society that went nowhere. Regardless of outcomes and experiences, we continue to throw teams at issues expecting or hoping for magic. It turns out, hope is a lousy strategy because team development demands deliberate focus and hard work.
Most everyone agrees it's critical to build a leadership pipeline in our firms. Unfortunately, when it comes to new managers at the front of this pipeline, without proper care and support, the failure rate is abysmally high. Here are five areas where new managers flail and fail along with some help to improve the situation.
In every cohort of our live-online First-Time Manager Academy, I know something that no one else knows. In this group, there are people who will change the world.
Every day, you have countless opportunities to exhibit behaviors that leave people and situations a little bit better off than you found them. Here's a list of fifteen behaviors that will help you improve the situation for everyone:
Cultivating influence in your firm and industry is a long-term process. However, there are a few communication adjustments you can make immediately to ensure you are properly projecting yourself when it counts:
It’s an understatement to suggest this is a time for creative problem-solving in our organizations. Yet, too often, we react to symptoms or throw solutions at poorly defined problems. The failure to get to the root cause and underlying assumptions behind something that seems to be a problem results in half-measures and new, resultant problems. Here's a technique to stop the madness!
While listening is essential for successful communication, the behavior that sets the stage for Fierce Listening is artful and empathic questioning. Our use of questions—type and tone—controls the direction of the dialog.
If your mission is to get work done through and with others across your organization, you need to develop and apply influence. In this article, I share ideas and approaches you can use to engage and succeed in your organization's political environment without compromising your values.
