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Your Strategy Should Serve Two Purposes
Do you have a strategy? A real strategy, not just an objective, or a goal, or a vision? Most leaders I meet think they have a strategy, but what they have does not meet the definition. If they do have a strategy, they are not getting the most from it by using the strategy in two different ways. Today, I bring you an in-depth post on what is (and is not) a strategy, how to create one, and the two things you need to do with it.
Do You Have a Theme for the Year?
How do you start a new year? Are you a resolutions person? Do you set intentions? I use themes. I’m evaluating my progress on my 2020 themes and sharing my 2021 themes in hopes you will use a similar process to bring focus to your year.
2020 Wrap Up
Before I take my Christmas break, I wanted to share some of my insights from a Covid fall. This post is personal and might not be your cup of tea (heck, tea might not even be your cup of tea). I’ll be back to tips and tools for building a happy, healthy, and productive team in the new year.
What Could You Say No To?
I have settled into a tradition of making a November advent calendar, of sorts. I call it NO-vember. For each of the month’s 30 days, I take to LinkedIn with a video about something you can say “no” to if you want to be happier, healthier, and more productive. Here’s the round-up with links to the videos and a short blurb to give you the highlights of each idea if you prefer to read. I cover both what to say “no” to and what that allows you to say “yes” to. Could you do me a favor? Let me know if you like video content like this and tell me what else I could provide that would be valuable for you?
Dysfunctional Behavior in Disguise
When introducing change to your team, it’s completely normal that you’ll face some unpredictable reactions. Heck, it’s completely normal that you’ll HAVE some unpredictable reactions. Volatility in the face of change makes a whole lot of sense when you think about how...
Do You Need to Protect Your People?
“I’m very protective of my people.” That’s a line I heard last week from an executive addressing the question of whether it’s ok for members of the executive team to give feedback to one another’s direct reports. What do you think? Is it necessary to “protect” your people? What would be the necessary ground rules for you to be willing to let your peers give feedback directly to your team? Hmmm… fun questions!
Why You Should Stop Using Adjectives
I love language. I have always adored selecting the perfect word to convey exactly what I mean. At least until I realized that those gorgeous, expressive, sumptuous adjectives that I love are little rascals. How could your management benefit from ditching the adjectives?
The Importance of Transitions
If you’re working from home, you have the huge benefit of not having to commute. But research shows that the ideal commute isn’t no commute. A commute allows a natural transition between your personal roles and your work roles. Here’s how to recreate an effective transition when you’re working from home.
When Not to Apologize
A sincere and direct apology can do a world of good. Unfortunately, a misplaced apology can send mixed messages and impact your leadership. Do you agree with me that apologies are out of place in these three situations?
Good and Bad Apologies
There is a good way to apologize and there are many, many bad ways. This week, I provide the formula for a good apology, one that increases trust and confidence. And for fun, I share a laundry list of bad apologies, some of which you might have heard from your own colleagues over the years.
New Research on Healthy Conflict
There is some new research that helps us understand the conflict behaviors that are associated with improved performance. I went through it and translated the findings into practical techniques you can use to contribute to high performance on your team (and added a bonus list of things not to do).
Facts Don’t Solve Fights
Are you smart, logical, armed with compelling evidence to support your case? Yeah, I thought so. Sadly, that’s not likely to do any good if you find yourself in a real argument with your colleagues. While facts are great for problem-solving, they’re of little use in conflict resolution. Read on to learn why facts don’t solve fights.