Understanding motivation is a critical trait of good managers. Most leadership training focuses on the manager of the team recognizing and responding to employee’s motivational needs. That’s good, in fact creating an environment that is motivating is critical for developing
3 Common Mistakes Managers Make (even experienced ones)
At a recent management skills workshop, one participant who has been a manager for over 20 years was so relieved that he was finally getting some leadership training. He made a point of letting me know how grateful he was
The Case of the Black Friday Surprise
Every organization has an event that occurs every year, if not more frequently, that is out of the normal scope of daily business. Yet somehow managers are taken by surprise, even though it happens every year at the same time.
What Leaders Can Learn From Captain Sully
Last week, my blog post described preactive leadership. This week, read about someone who practiced preactive leadership… airline pilot Captain Chesley Sullenberger, aka Captain Sully, and what you can learn from him. You may recall the event that made Captain
Problem Solving Skills for Managers
Problem solving skills are highly valued in the workplace. There is no shortage of problems to be solved, from small problems to big problems and everything in between. Many people are good at finding problems but not as many want
Time Management Practices for Leaders
Time management is one of those concepts that many leaders agree is important but fewer put into practice. One reason is that leaders are so busy being busy they don’t make time to think about what’s important. Maximum productivity is
The Answer: Set Expectations
The answer: expectations. The question: ‘How do I get people to do their job?’ This is the most common question I get at leadership development seminars. The answer is simple. Set clear job expectations and hold people accountable. A Gallup
Do you have to or get to?
During introductions at a recent professional development conference where I was the keynote speaker, one woman made it clear that she had to be there. It was evident by the sour look on her face that she wasn’t very happy