Conflict is a topic that often comes up when I talk with leaders. More and more organizations are making the decision to include conflict management in their training curriculum, and with good reason. Conflict is unavoidable. You will never be able to "put an end" to disagreements, hurt feelings, misunderstandings and bad moods in the office. People are going to disagree, … [Read more...]
6 Steps to Setting Clear Expectations
The most important thing you can do as a leader is to establish expectations for your employees. After all, if you don't show your employees what success looks like, they may never figure out what it takes to succeed within your organization and team. Follow these six steps to set crystal-clear expectations for your staff: Make them clear for yourself. It is … [Read more...]
3 Questions to Consider Before you Speak Assertively
Successful conflict resolution depends on the careful application of several communication and relationship-building principles and skills. Frankly, it can be complicated and difficult to do. One critical skill in the complicated mess of conflict resolution is assertive communication. As I speak, write, coach, and train on the application of assertive communication … [Read more...]
Navigating Emotional Minefields When Giving Performance Feedback
As a supervisor, it is absolutely necessary that you provide your employees with performance feedback. For new supervisors, the process is often challenging and uncomfortable. After all, it is not easy for everyone to criticize others. That said, you can't avoid it. Just remember that the words you use are only part of your message. Your full message is a combination of the … [Read more...]
Lead the Way You Would Like to Be Led
From Leadership & Learning with Kevin Eikenberry Why is it that some leaders can easily gain compliance from the people they are trying to lead, while others struggle? What leadership skills are necessary to successfully build and lead a unified team? The answers to those questions vary, depending on whom you ask, but one skill that is often omitted from the … [Read more...]
[Infographic]: Communication Framework for Change Agents
Change is inevitable, but far too often, leaders (remember the Reddit fiasco?) botch the process, failing to effectively communicate the changes they want employees to implement. That's why Workboard put together the following infographic to show us all the way change should occur within an organization. … [Read more...]
8 Tips For First Time Leaders to Get Results From the Team
This is a guest post adapted from YOUR FIRST LEADERSHIP JOB: How Catalyst Leaders Bring Out the Best in Others by Tacy M. Byham and Richard S. Wellins, Wiley, 2015. Byham and Wellins are CEO and SVP, respectively, of Development Dimensions International (DDI). We absolutely believe that as a leader you are a powerful, creative and indispensable force for good in society. But … [Read more...]
Maximize the Risk-Reward Relationship in Corporate Settings: A Safe Environment Plays a Key Role in Innovation
This is a guest post by Maxine Attong. There’s no shortage of fanfare for the hottest corporate buzzword of the past several years – innovation. As Forbes noted in a 2012 article, the word has become the “awesome” of corporate speak. Innovation is the quality desired by business leaders, who tend to believe that if you’re not innovating, you’re dying a slow death. While … [Read more...]
Been Promoted? 5 Key Conversations to Have With Your New Boss or Your Employees
If you’ve just been promoted, this is obviously for you. If you have been in your role for awhile, but your relationship and communication with your boss/supervisor/leader isn’t perfect, this will be of great help to you too. If your relationships and communication with those you lead isn’t where you would like it to be, you need this information too. The advice that follows … [Read more...]
[Infographic]: 5 Types of Toxic Employees and How to Deal With Them
One toxic employee has the power to kill productivity and morale on your team. Unfortunately, too many first-time managers don't have the confidence or skills to address bad behaviors, and they allow them to fester and wreak havoc on the team. Check out this awesome infographic from GetVoip, to learn how to recognize toxic employees and address their poor behavior. You can … [Read more...]