Do you wish your employees would be more accountable? Most supervisors do. I hear leaders complain all the time about the lack of accountability among their employees, and they consistently ask me for tips and tools for building accountability. Do you want to know what I think is the best tool for building accountability? You already have one. It's a mirror. Here's why: When … [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...]
National Blame Someone Else Day Shouldn’t Happen Everyday
Today, Friday the 13th, January 2017, is National Blame Someone Else Day. So, basically, if you don't want to take the blame for a mistake or failure, simply point the finger at someone else. While the spirit of the day is supposed to be in good fun, unfortunately, way too many people make everyday "Blame Someone Else Day," don't though? Even with many tenured employees, … [Read more...]
7 Ways for Leaders to Successfully Navigate the Unknown
Few things are certain in this world. When you take over a leadership position for the first time, you undoubtedly will face a world of uncertainty. Everything from how to motivate your team to how you will hit your goals is essentially unknown when you first take the reins. But it's not necessarily a bad thing, says Julie Benezet, author of The Journey of Not … [Read more...]
Make Memories, Experience Joy, and Rejuvenate This Holiday Season
Today's post is less about teaching you to overcome the challenges of being a first-time leader and more about helping you enrich your personal life. Thinking about things from a personal perspective seems especially relevant at this time of the year, and so I offer you this food for thought: “Memories are a treasure that can’t be taken from us. Create them regularly, … [Read more...]
Cure Employees’ “Holiday-itis” and Finish the Year Strong
If you are feeling a little less than motivated, you aren't alone. This time of year has a way of affecting people’s attitudes, energy, and productivity. Even if you are feeling especially productive, you may notice that your employees aren't. In fact, they could be suffering from a serious case of "holiday-itis." As with any ailment, the first step in treatment is to … [Read more...]
Unproductive Team? Ask Yourself These 7 Questions
This is a guest post by Scott MacDonald, CEO and author of Saving Investa: How An Ex-Factory Worker Helped Save One of Australia’s Iconic Companies. If your team does not seem to be reaching its potential or achieving its goals, here are some hard questions to ask. Do you have the right talent? Some employees are more talented than others, and you may need to upgrade … [Read more...]
[Infographic]: Put Together a Killer Presentation
Are you dreading an upcoming presentation to your new team, your boss or a customer? Don't. Whether you are presenting to one person or a room full of people, with this advice from The London Speaker Bureau, you can create a presentation that will wow your listeners and build your credibility as a new leader. … [Read more...]
[Infographic]: 10 Productivity Hacks to Transform Every Business Meeting
It's that time of year again when businesses across the U.S. start gearing up for next year. Budgets are analyzed and set. Marketing and sales plans begin to take shape. Teams assess their resource and manpower needs. And more. What does all that mean? Nearly everyone will be in meetings, potentially time-sucking, energy-draining meetings. That's why it is perfect timing to … [Read more...]
The Comfort Zone is Your Biggest Obstacle to Change
In a recent post, Frank Granara and Lorraine Grubbs, co-authors of Beyond the Executive Comfort Zone: Outrageous Tactics to Ignite Individual Performance, offered insight on how to shake things up and push both yourself and your team out of your comfort zone. Today, I am going to expand on that. Take a minute and mentally put yourself in a place that you love. You love the … [Read more...]