Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 25, 2016

The next time you are interviewing a candidate and you want to access their leadership skills, consider asking the candidate these questions: What personal qualities define you as a leader? Describe a situation when these qualities helped you lead others. Give an example of when you demonstrated good leadership. What is the toughest group from which you've had to get cooperation?

Armstrong 50

Armstrong Handbook Cooper Leadership Styles 50

Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 24, 2016

Set a good example for your employees and follow through on everything you say you are going to do. If you promise to get an employee an answer, get it for him or her. If you say you'll send a team member a report, do so. As the Nike campaign/slogan so aptly says, "Just Do It." Too many leaders don't follow through. Perhaps they get busy. Perhaps they forget.

Fashion 50

Fashion Efficiency Report Examples 50

Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 23, 2016

Here are 10 important questions business leaders should ask, according to Ken Blanchard and Garry Ridge , authors of Helping People Win At Work : Does my business have a clear, meaningful, and easily understood vision/mission? Do I have the right people in the right seats on the bus? Do I have a BHAG (big hairy audacious goal), and have I communicated it to my employees?

BHAG 50

BHAG Blanchard Goal Information 50

Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 21, 2016

"Truly accountable leadership is the only way to build an organization that can survive and thrive in our increasingly complicated world," says Vince Molinaro , author of his revised and updated bestseller, The Leadership Contract. More specifically, Molinaro believes that a new set of leadership expectations is redefining how each of us will need to lead in the future.

Books 50

Books Leadership Human Resources Uncertainty 50

Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 20, 2016

Open Leadership author Charlene Li reminds leaders to periodically ask themselves these " open leadership skills assessment " questions: Do I seek out and listen to different points of view? Do I make myself available to people at all levels of the organization? Do I actively manage how I am authentic? Do I encourage people to share information? Do I publicly admit when I am wrong?

Skills 50

Skills Information Leadership Organization 50

Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 19, 2016

From Paul Smith's book, Lead With A Story , here are the 10 reasons for embracing storytelling as a business tool : Storytelling is simple Storytelling is timeless Stories are demographic-proof Stories are contagious Stories are easier to remember Stories inspire Stories appeal to all types of learners Stories fit better where most of the learning happens in the workplace Stories put the listener in a mental learning mode Telling stories shows respect for the audience Smith goes on to say that:

Storytelling 50

Storytelling Tools Audience Books 50

Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 12, 2016

The Little Book of Leadership Development , by Scott J. Allen and Mitchell Kusy , is a very compelling read, packed with practical tips and techniques for both leading and helping others to learn how to lead effectively. What you'll find is basically 50 one- to two-page chapters , each highlighting a leadership tip. Some tips seem easy and no-brainers.

Leadership Development 50

Leadership Development Books Development Leadership 50

Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 11, 2016

Some of my favorite quotes for leaders are: A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit -- Arnold H. Glasgow I praise loudly, I blame softly -- Catherine II of Russia Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress -- Mohandas Gandhi A long dispute means that both parties are wrong -- Voltaire The least questioned assumptions are often the most questionable -- Paul Broca These and many more compelling quotes can be found in Susan

Leadership 50

Leadership Books Management 50

Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 10, 2016

Here is a good reminder from author Sharon Armstrong about how to avoid eight performance evaluation pitfalls. These are in what I consider is the best chapter of the book The Essential HR Handbook , that she co-authored with Barbara Mitchell. 1. Clustering everyone in the middle performance-rating categories 2. Overlooking flaws or exaggerating the achievements of favored employees 3.

Armstrong 50

Armstrong Handbook Books Positioning 50

Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 9, 2016

One of my favorite lessons from the book, The DNA of Leadership , is the importance of being a developing leader. Developing leaders: Create the next generation of leaders Are great listeners Grow talent by challenging others to take on more than what they think they can do Are open, honest and direct Model the behavior they want to mentor for others If you haven't read Judith E.

Development 50

Development Open-book How To Mentor 50

Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 7, 2016

Mistakes happen. The best thing you can do as a leader is to help your employee learn from his (or her) mistake. If your employee is afraid of ever making a mistake, he will be paralyzed from taking action or taking even calculated risks. If he knows that mistakes happen in the course of doing business and that one learns from making mistakes, you will have a more productive employee.

Policies 50

Policies Course Productivity Products 50

Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 6, 2016

Your employees have lots of ideas. So, be sure you provide the forums and mechanisms for your employees to share their ideas with you. Hold at least a few brainstorming sessions each year, as well. And, when you are brainstorming with your employees, try these five tips : Encourage ALL ideas. Don't evaluate or criticize ideas when they are first suggested.

Brainstorming 50

Brainstorming Tips Wilde Quality 50

Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 4, 2016

Consider this advice from author Paul R. Timm. He recommends a different twist on asking your customers questions: Stop asking your customers the "typical" questions and instead ask them open-ended questions. Here's specifically what Timm recommends: Don't Ask : How was everything? Can I get you something else? Did you find everything you need? Will that be all?

Advice 50

Advice Power Customer Loyalty Loyalty 50

Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 3, 2016

Here are some great tips from Michelle Tillis Lederman's book, The 11 Laws of Likability. They are all about: what to do and what not to do to be a leader who's an effective listener : Do : Maintain eye contact Limit your talking Focus on the speaker Ask questions Manage your emotions Listen with your eyes and ears Listen for ideas and opportunities Remain open to the conversation Confirm understanding, paraphrase Give nonverbal messages that you are listening (nod, smile) Ignore distractions Do

Open-book 50

Open-book Tips Project Books 50

Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 2, 2016

Here are five important questions you , as a manager and leader, should ask during employee performance reviews: What have I done to help - or hinder - your job performance? What can I do in the next review period to help you achieve/improve? What conditions here enable you - or make it hard - to do your best work? What do you want most from your job?

Armstrong 50

Armstrong Handbook Performance Review Review 50

Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 2, 2016

From John Blakey 's new book, The Trusted Executive , published just a couple weeks ago, here are these four tips from Jim Collins for how to be a humble leader : Demonstrate a compelling modesty, shunning public adulation and never be boastful. Act with quiet, calm determination and motivate others through inspired standards, not inspiring charisma.

Charisma 50

Charisma Collins How To Tips 50

Eric Jacobson

AUGUST 1, 2016

As a leader, it's critical that you understand the real reasons employees leave your company. To do that, you need to ask specific questions that may not be ones you currently include in your exit interviews. Fortunately, Richard Finnegan, shares in his book, Rethinking Retention in Good Times and Bad , four key questions you should include in your exit interviews : Why did you decide to leave us?

Books 50

Books Goal Company Management 50