Leadership is Listening
Listening is the key to great leadership. Here’s how you can tune in. Leaders do plenty of talking — delivering feedback, communicating goals, and managing change. But the best leaders are listeners. Good listening makes it possible to read people’s attitudes and motivations. It fosters more cooperative relationships. And it helps us detect the subtle, simmering issues that hum quietly in the background. Some leaders are naturally good listeners. When others speak, they eliminate surrounding noise and distractions. They’re fully engaged partners. For everyone else, there’s hope: Like most skills, listening is a learned behavior… Read More
A Better You (Part 2)
Four podcasts to help you lead and live with purpose. It’s amazing how far we can go when life stands still. Last week’s post kicked off a month-long series on becoming “A Better You.” Featuring four popular episodes from my podcast I Wish They Knew, the round-up offered great insights on discovering our hidden influence, developing a plan for productivity, growing sideways in our careers and finding that missing spark of motivation. Summertime is the perfect time for rethinking and reflecting. The stillness of summer provides just the right amount of time and space… Read More
Jerks at Work: A Better Approach
Before you blame and shame, try to name the cause of jerky behavior. Jerks at work: A sad but stubborn fact of office life. Office jerks cause all sorts of havoc, from minor annoyances to full-blown office showdowns. These experiences slowly deplete our energy, drain our emotional well-being, and make it downright unpleasant to show up for our jobs. It doesn’t have to be that way. Tessa West, a social psychologist at NYU, joined me on I Wish They Knew to provide some insights and instructions on how to handle office jerks — without… Read More
To Earn Trust, Extend Trust
Show others you trust them. Do you trust your employees? Better yet, do your employees trust you? The research case for trust is clear: Employees who are less trusted by their manager exert less effort, are less productive, and are more likely to leave the organization. Employees who do feel trusted are higher performers who go above and beyond role expectations. Plus, when employees feel their supervisors trust them to get key tasks done, they have greater confidence in the workplace and perform at a higher level. There’s no single measure or indicator of trust, but you basically… Read More
Lead Like a Coach
To lead like a coach, help others find their lane and excel there. Getting feedback, especially when it’s critical, can challenge our status, elevate our stress, and compromise our relationships. And that sting isn’t just limited to those on the receiving end – the aversion to feedback can also affect the managers who have to share it. Many worry about stirring up workplace drama or causing hurt feelings. Others feel completely unprepared to deliver effective feedback due to their lack of training or people savvy. When the time comes to discuss performance issues, some managers try… Read More
Tame Your To-Do List
We can do more by getting more out of our lists. Here’s how. Ever get to the end of your day and realize that your to-do list is barely done? I’ve definitely had my share of days when I feel super busy but strangely unproductive. And when I look at that list and see all the things that aren’t crossed off, I get a sinking feeling of frustration and guilt. But instead of beating ourselves up for not paring our list down, there are steps we can take to make sure that… Read More
How Cold Email Can Produce Hot Leads
Getting what you want from cold email means giving others what they need. The thought of having to write cold emails can put a freeze on just about anyone’s aspirations. But if you’re trying to pitch a new product, generate leads for your business or get noticed by a potential client, cold emailing can be a low-entry approach to opening doors. And while there are apps that streamline the process, cold emailing is more about form than finesse — and developing good form can be the difference between opportunity and rejection. The good news is that… Read More
How To Show Appreciation To Your Remote Team
Offer personalized thanks, work flexibility and career-advancing support. While good leaders routinely look for ways to show appreciation to their employees, current conditions have made it harder – and perhaps even more important – to recognize the contributions of others. A prolonged work-from-home order or staggered return to the office means less visibility for some workers who may already fear they’re being overlooked. For others, receiving positive feedback or other forms of validation can provide a momentary and much-needed boost at a time when job-related stress and uncertainty remain high. A little appreciation goes a long way…. Read More
How To Deliver Difficult Feedback When You’re Working Apart
It starts with better planning, problem solving and partnership. While it’s certainly preferable to share corrective feedback face to face, current conditions may not allow it. The sustained shift to remote work has crimped the communications of many leaders, especially when they’re called upon to share difficult news from a distance. The result: Low-grade, infrequent feedback that often resembles a “praise sandwich” and glosses over the delicate but necessary information employees sometimes need to hear. Withholding feedback comes at a cost. A study by CEB showed that companies with a culture of open communication had… Read More
How to Communicate In Times of Change and Uncertainty
Change is a constant in every business, but managing through change can be highly volatile. Whether it’s the arrival of new management, disruptive technologies, or customer tastes, leaders must act decisively to pivot with the market while allaying fears and pushback from team members who cling to legacy thinking and behaviors. How effectively leaders respond to these challenges can be the difference between widespread chaos or calm. As a communications speaker and consultant, I’ve noticed that the most skillful and sensitive leaders take a coach approach to managing change cycles. They demonstrate empathy but provide the right amount of challenge and support…. Read More