What do executives mean when they demand accountability? And what do employees mean when they complain that no one in the company has any? Usually, they mean that someone should have decided, acted, or otherwise... Continue reading
You can’t directly motivate anyone, but you can definitely create conditions in which people choose to contribute, participate, innovate, and push themselves. Demonstrating your own commitment helps set the bar for the team -- not... Continue reading
Challenging a leader’s directives can be frightening. “The powerful are often oblivious to their impact,” wrote Adam Galinsky in a New York Times article, “When in Charge Your Whisper May Feel Like a Shout.” So... Continue reading
Everybody’s had at least one boss they didn’t trust and desperately wanted to escape. But you probably learned invaluable lessons from that boss about how people should and shouldn’t be treated. You might even have... Continue reading
Executives often ask me how to motivate employees who don’t carry out the things they’re asked to do, from behavioral requirements like showing up on time to work quality requirements like capturing customer source codes... Continue reading
Not everyone wants to be a manager or should be one. Lots of people are more comfortable as subject matter experts, sole contributors, or administrators than as implementers. Not everyone needs multiple promotions to feel... Continue reading
If you can’t draw a direct line from performance appraisal to performance improvement, then, seriously, what’s the point? Yet in many organizations, the definitions, criteria, and explanations for the annual review aren’t specifically pertinent to... Continue reading
It’s demoralizing when you can’t seem to hit your targets -- even if your company’s still making money. In some companies, the compulsion to commit to stretch goals, unprecedented innovation, or drastic and immediate turnaround... Continue reading
You see your colleagues every day, or at least several times a week. You all get along, appreciate each other’s good intentions, and care about the company. And yet, some of your colleagues’ behaviors drive... Continue reading
Some time ago, James Altucher posted a piece on LinkedIn about bad leaders that I loved. The part I loved the most was his sixth point, relayed here exactly as he put it: “BAD LEADERS... Continue reading
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