Tag: teamwork
How to Focus on Tasks, Not Emotions, to Save Money on Conflict
“Conflict costs businesses a ton of money,” management guru Steve Caldwell observed while interviewing me recently. Caldwell is a team leadership coach, the author of Manager Mojo: Be the Leader that Others Want to Follow,... Continue reading
This Is Why Being an Employee Is Not Like Being a Navy SEAL
An up-and-coming manager at one of my client companies asked for help with a longstanding employee. Over time, his behavior had become problematic for other employees — and sometimes for customers as well. In addition... Continue reading
Why You Need to Stop Covering for Your B+ Employees
When you inherit incumbent staff members, you almost never get all grade-A players. But if you wind up with too many people who are stuck at B+ or lower, it can be tough to achieve... Continue reading
How to Deal with a Colleague Who Threatens You
“I won’t oppose you now, but if anything goes wrong, I’ll go toe-to-toe with you.” My colleague was already standing practically toe-to-toe with me — and besides being much taller and stronger than I, he... Continue reading
How to Look Beyond Your First Impressions of Employees
Some leaders believe they can size up employees and their work styles — even people who don’t report to them — based on how the employees look or seem. These leaders make assumptions along the... Continue reading
How to Make a Small Tweak in Communication for a Surprisingly Big Change
When I interviewed a group of highly experienced technical employees at a client company last week, one of the things I asked them was what consistently made them nuts on the job. They told me... Continue reading
How to Stop Counterproductive Criticism and Coach Constructively
One of the most frequent concerns I encounter when I’m interviewing business people — regardless of whether they work on the frontlines or are members of boards of directors — is that they rarely hear... Continue reading
Have You Expressed Your Gratitude for Your Colleagues?
Most people like Thanksgiving for its relative lack of commercialism and its inclusivity. It’s all about food, friends, and family — an opportunity to be together in some semblance of comfort and caring. In many... Continue reading