I'm a huge fan of home improvement shows. One of my guilty pleasures is waking up early on a Saturday (when I don't have soccer mom duties), and catching up on the shows I missed that week while sipping a cup of hot coffee. My favorite show of the moment is HGTV's Home Town. If you like this type of show and haven't already, check it out. The married hosts, Ben and Erin … [Read more...]
How to Know if You Are a Truly Great Leader
What makes a great leader? Think about it. Your opinion may vary widely from the next person's. Certainly, great leaders come in all different shapes and sizes. They use different approaches and strategies. Some lead with an iron fist. Others inspire with their words. Regardless how they do it, they motivate, inspire and influence people to meet their full potential, to go the … [Read more...]
Boost Spirits and Protect Productivity This Holiday Season
This time of year is filled with fun, traditions and joy. However, it can also be filled with stress. A packed schedule, bad weather, financial worries and other issues can leave people feeling overwhelmed. Added pressures in the office can push people to the brink. After all, many of your employees are working hard to finish the year strong and ramp up for next year, while … [Read more...]
How Often Do You Get in Your Own Way?
A colleague of mine recently had a run-in with someone who was unhappy that her content had been cited in his publication without her direct consent. My colleague had followed all the rules, fully attributed the content to her, and even linked to her website. Yet, she was angry because "that content is how she makes a living." OK, fair enough. He will oblige. Problem is, … [Read more...]
Be Honest: What Legacy Will You Leave Behind?
By Jaimy Ford I lost nearly two hours on Twitter today, "absorbing" all the political news that has come out in the last couple of days. But this isn't a time-management post, nor will I make it a political post. I think most of us endure enough of that as it is. Nope, this post is about legacy, because I kept seeing the word pop up in my Twitter feed. People were … [Read more...]
How to Evaluate Workplace Training Programs
During a discussion with Bob Mason, who we interviewed for our “The Qualities of a Strong Leader: Deep Insight From a Long-Time Military Leader” post, he offered so much insight on leadership that we decided to write more than one post! Bob, along with Steve Alltop, formed The Daedalus Group, a provider of team-building, leadership and strategic planning training. He pulls … [Read more...]
Take These Actions to Prevent Missed Deadlines
During a recent dinner conversation, I asked a close friend “What is your biggest complaint about work?” Without hesitation, he said “People who miss their deadlines.” Then he went into a 20-minute tirade about how one missed deadline by one person throws everything off. He talked about how it is almost always up to him to make up for that person’s shortcomings. Finally, … [Read more...]
Nitpickers Usually Cause More Harm Than Good
By Jaimy Ford, business writer and editor. Having high expectations is certainly not a bad thing. However, when high expectations translate into nitpicking, it is a problem. When you or your employees are detailed-obsessed perfectionists, it puts unrealistic demands on everyone else, it wastes time, slows progress and leaves people feeling overwhelmed, annoyed or even … [Read more...]
The Most Critical Thing You Can Do During Your First Week as Leader
No doubt you have so much going on when you take over a team for the first time. Still, how you spend your time during those early days sets the stage for weeks, months or even years to come. Use it wisely by taking the time to build rapport and form relationships with your new employees. In your first week as a leader, sit down with employees individually, and ask each the … [Read more...]
Young Supervisors and Older Employees: How to Make it Work
Conflicts can arise between any boss and employee, but when a younger boss manages an older employee, he or she faces a whole new set of problems. Younger bosses might feel that older employees don’t respect their authority. Older workers might feel younger managers lack real-world experience. Either way, poor attitudes from both sides add fuel to the fire. If you are a … [Read more...]