Most organizations want to convey a particular image to the public, whether it signifies quality, or professionalism, or innovation. And when organizations put thought, care, and resources into crafting their image, they want it to... 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
Is this little hotel room presentation cute, or what? A couple of weeks ago my colleague Katie and I went to an all-day meeting in Virginia Beach, VA where we stayed at a Hilton Garden... 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
What can you do if it's clear that your boss thinks your job is a lot easier to do than it really is? You can think of her as the “Have You Gotten Any Better... Continue reading
Here’s an example of how to use emotional data to help individuals work more effectively. A frontline manager in a service company was known to have an emotional hair trigger. When Charisse didn’t care for... Continue reading
No matter how important it is to take everyone’s feelings into account, it’s still not reasonable to expect tears, shouts, or clenched jaws in the workplace every day. Excessive or poorly directed emotions get in... Continue reading
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