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
Do You Notice Every Relevant Thing You See?
When your expectations get in the way, you may not notice what's right in front of you. There’s been enough research done about cognitive biases that by now we all know we have them, even... Continue reading
10 Reasons It’s Risky to Be Friends with Your Staff
Clients often ask me how to deal with tricky interpersonal relationships in the workplace. Two of the most challenging situations occur when a leader hires a friend or even the friend of a friend, or... 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
Here Are the 3 Unexpected Things I Learned from Surviving a TEDx Talk
A couple of years ago, when a dear colleague emailed me to ask if I’d consider speaking at TEDxBaylorSchool, I was terrified. Not of speaking, per se, but of the combination of requirements that characterize... 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
When a Good Thing Triggers a Surprisingly Bad Response
This holiday season I gave a small gift to a local supplier as a token thank you. It was clear from her immediate reaction that she’s not used to receiving client gifts. She started out... Continue reading
How to Choose an Inspiring Theme for The New Year
Do you know anyone who can’t wait for this year to end? I certainly do, and who can blame them, between family and work troubles, political turmoil and natural disasters. Some of them are looking... Continue reading