“They threw me under the bus” is one of the most common expressions of complaint among employees who see themselves as the victims of intra- or inter-team sniping. Whenever I hear it, I picture tire... Continue reading
You know this bit of slapstick comedy: A guy carrying a long plank on his shoulder spins around and without realizing it, whacks another guy in the head. Sometimes the second guy ducks, only to... Continue reading
Why is it that we go to so many meetings and yet so little seems to be accomplished? The answer depends on whether you’re using meetings as get-togethers and encounters or as structured forums for... Continue reading
Now that you’ve selected the right people, brought them into the organization, and let them know that they and their views matter, the next step is to help them shine in the jobs you’ve hired... Continue reading
It’s so much easier to critique what you can see than it is to conceptualize something that doesn’t exist yet. Michelangelo said, “Every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the... Continue reading
It can be very appealing to have an overreactive person on your team because of their strong drive for accomplishment and their very quick response time whenever there’s a problem to be solved. But for... Continue reading
A manager in a creative industry wrote in to ask how she can deal with a colleague who regularly throws hissy fits, all of which follow a similar pattern. The Hisser has a periodic and... Continue reading
I heard from a middle manager who struggles with his senior manager’s unclear delegation and occasional absence of direction. The senior manager constantly shifts assignments, switching up what’s urgent today and what’s important tomorrow with... Continue reading
It’s not enough to announce to your staff, “Just get it done!” Because either they will or they won’t. If a manager communicates performance feedback without a real understanding of how the job gets done... Continue reading
“Can you give advice for those with managers who fit these descriptions?” A discerning reader posed that question after reading my last two blogs, How 3 Leaders’ Mistakes Undermined Their Leadership, and How to Use... Continue reading
Want help coping with conflict?
Download your free Field Guide to help you identify and resolve interpersonal conflicts. You’ll also get Liz’s monthly Workplace Wisdom emails from which you can unsubscribe at any time.