No one is indispensable, especially at work. I promise you. But many of us need to feel we are irreplaceable or unique, or surely act as if it were true.
In his best-selling book, “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There,” executive coach to the elite, Marshal Goldsmith, lists 20 behaviors rising leaders exhibit that hinder performance and destroy a positive and productive work culture. One of those traits is adding too much value. [Read more…]
One of the first action items I suggest when coaching leaders is to assess the team they manage. We look at the members from every aspect — experience, technical skills, people and thought leadership, potential, and risk. From this comes a strategy on how to retain, advance, and enhance the individuals and the team. [Read more…]
Much can be learned from parenting. I’m always amazed at how seemingly good parents find it hard to apply those skills with their employees. As a successful parent, you are… [Read more…]
What if I told you that as a manager / leader / boss / group head, you have enormous power and influence over whether your employees stay or quit. What if I said you could prevent employees from quitting? What would you say?
My guess is it would be something like, “The budget is the budget and I have no way of giving someone more money.” Or, “I don’t make the rules or set the strategy — it’s beyond my control.” You might be right about your lack of influence but where you are mistaken is thinking that the company mission or employee compensation are the reasons most people quit their jobs. [Read more…]
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did but people will never forget how you made them feel.” —Maya Angelou
Stumbled upon this quote and almost immediately had a visceral reaction. I contemplated the question, “How do you deal with your feelings?” I flashed back to experiences in grade school, high school, my first job, my last corporate job and everything in-between. While I have many wonderful memories of good people doing right by me, what makes my chest tighten are the times I was made to feel, worthless, different, incompetent, and unwanted. [Read more…]
Why do so many smart leaders become avoidant when it comes to succession planning — anticipating and strategizing potential openings, shifts, new leadership, management, and functional contributor roles within the organization?
Here are some reasons why every organization, team, department, and solopreneurs needs to dedicate time and brainpower to succession planning. [Read more…]
Over past decades the issue of diversity has taken a very visible place in the growth and structuring of the workplace population. Whether it was caused by mandates or natural shifts in population, the job sites look quite different.
The challenge, as I see it, is not only to continue to push for more diversity in the two major categories — gender and race/ethnicity — but also in less obvious areas such as education, energy, and temperament. It is these less noticeable areas where, I believe, the most opportunity and riches exists. [Read more…]
I am fortunate to work as an executive coach with people at many levels, in different stages of their careers, and in a variety of industries. Even though there is significant variety and diversity in my client base, I am often struck how similar their thought processes and experiences are. This is particularly true when it comes to discontent. You’d think everyone would be complaining about wages, or lack of [Read more…]
Everyone wants feedback — my utility company after a service call, the airlines, hotels, Amazon, and Apple. They all are looking for insights on how they can serve me better and looking for any missteps or flaws in their delivery of products and services.
The same is true with your employees. I can’t tell you how often my executive coaching clients tell me, “I wish I knew where I stood with my supervisor.” Why should this be such a mystery? And, why is it so difficult for employers to give feedback to their staff? [Read more…]
I was administered my first 360 review as a Senior Manager. I was instructed to hand out forms to my direct reports that would be collected and scored. HR would let me know when the results were in. The day of reckoning came and I found myself in a room of other Senior Managers and the Head of HR. We were given an envelope containing our scores. As we opened our feedback sheets there was dead silence. Some people went pale, others got angry, there were many “whats!!!!,” a few seemed quite content. Everyone then stood up, left the room, and that was the last I ever heard of or discussed my 360 review. [Read more…]