Most people want to know where and low they fit into the various groups they’re affiliated with -- and they really want to know where and how they’re supposed to fit in at work. They... Continue reading
As a Connected Leader, you’re usually open to hearing whatever your team members have to say. You know them well and you’re skillful about encouraging them to speak. The challenge is to be able to... Continue reading
As a new leader, you’ve begun getting to know your followers, whether they actually report to you or are constituents of your organization. You might even be starting to feel more comfortable in your leadership... Continue reading
Whether you’re a new leader or you’re challenged by a team that’s not responding as well as you expect, the first rule of becoming a connected leader is that you have to make the connection... Continue reading
Even the most moderate and democratic executives can morph into erratic, mercurial autocrats -- and they may not even be aware of their transformation or the havoc it wreaks. Here’s a sample scenario: A senior... Continue reading
Most supervisors don’t actually spend the majority of their time developing their people. Instead, they’re often stuck in meetings -- which are sometimes about their people -- or handling paperwork, computer problems, and whatever other... Continue reading
A surprising number of companies no longer expect their senior managers to develop their people: They turn management development over to outsourced coaching firms instead. I’m a strong proponent of “coaching” for behavior change and... Continue reading
I was lucky to be a young manager at a time when it was still typical to be directed, trained, mentored, and generally developed by your senior managers. There were enough senior managers around that... Continue reading
Long, long ago, maybe back in the ’80s, “empowerment” was the hot new thing in workplaces. The word itself had a regenerative, creative, motivating sound. It held the possibility that, instead of laboring under bureaucratic... Continue reading
One of the kinds of leaders who can drive employees crazy is the “Brainstormy” Boss, who creates a work environment that’s as changeable as the weather. It’s Raining Ideas! When brainstorming is used appropriately -- as... Continue reading
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