Lead Change Blog

JANUARY 24, 2017

Years ago I had a peer (I’ll call her Nancy) who complained constantly about her team. We were both managers of large sales teams, worked for the same overly demanding boss, and had to manage in a period of never-ending restructuring and downsizing. I’ll admit, it certainly was trying and stressful most days, and there were definitely times when I was frustrated with my team.

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Development Restructuring Micromanagement Learning-by-Doing 191

Lead Change Blog

JANUARY 23, 2017

When companies talk about talent development, retention, and succession planning, words like “cross-training,” “knowledge transfer,” and “redundancy” tend to crop-up. I’m a big fan of these techniques, as they work in organizations large and small. By developing a workforce this way, companies create employees with overlapping skill sets, skills that may be applied intra-departmentally or inter-departmentally.

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Skills Team Sports How To 220

Lead Change Blog

JANUARY 19, 2017

I see it with my clients. I see it with my colleagues. I see it in myself. It’s damn hard to admit when we don’t know something. Somewhere along the line, we came to believe that being a leader meant being sure. Knowing the answers. Having the best and rightest solution to every problem. It’s not true. The strongest leaders I see are the ones who admit what they don’t know and what they’re not sure of, and who reach out to others for opinions, advice, and perspective.

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Advice Innovation Succession Leadership Development 310

Lead Change Blog

JANUARY 17, 2017

Last December, I did my post on Reflection. As we start the year, it is appropriate to touch on the topic of starting the year right. As a leader, it is important to close the year strong. However, it is even more important to start the new year strong. A good start creates momentum that can help you sustain a level of performance for the year. In reviewing your year-end plan, if you’re working with your team, it is important to communicate the plan and highlight the milestones.

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Audience Objective Planning Goal 188

Lead Change Blog

JANUARY 16, 2017

A few days ago, I saw the movie Hidden Figures with my friend Gwen. The movie, based on a true story, chronicles the contributions of three black women to the space program in the 1960s. This film is a must-see for corporate leaders. Set in segregated Virginia, Hidden Figures powerfully depicts the hardships faced by people of color during that era, particularly women.

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Film Learning-by-Doing Library Brainstorming 205

Lead Change Blog

JANUARY 13, 2017

My wife went to get a piece of carrot cake for my brother on Fathers’ Day. We had visited Aspens, the steak house she went to, a number of times over the last few years. Their carrot cake was excellent. She arrived just after four o’clock. The doors were open. When she walked in, she was greeted by a dark-haired teenager. “May I help you?”. “Yes, I’d like to buy one piece of carrot cake to go, please.

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Team Open-book Loyalty Learning-by-Doing 189

Lead Change Blog

JANUARY 12, 2017

While on vacation I was reminded of the power of positivity. During lunch, my wife and I couldn’t help but notice a particular waitress who bounced from table to table, serving her customers with a smile and a side of joy. We watched as she delivered a child’s sandwich in a sing-songy voice. “Here comes your grilled cheeeeese and haaaaam.” She made it fun.

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Positioning Leadership Class Learning-by-Doing 251

Lead Change Blog

JANUARY 11, 2017

Do you (or your organization) use the vending machine approach to leadership? That approach is when someone asks the boss a question (inserting the coins) and out pops (like the candy bar, soda, or bag of chips) the correct answer. Fitting the mold. This “all-knowing” expectation is common in many organizations: you, as a leader, are rewarded for looking smart by quickly providing answers.

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Leadership Uncertainty Self-aware Learning-by-Doing 281

Lead Change Blog

JANUARY 10, 2017

If you have ever visited a new doctor, dentist or other medical professional, you might find yourself in the exam room wondering: Will they respect me or talk down to me? Will we have enough time or will they seem hurried? Will we have the same values? I’m thinking about a recent experience. I realize now my underlying question is, “Am I going to be treated like a human being or just another case in a folder?

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How To Influence Review Leadership 225

Lead Change Blog

JANUARY 9, 2017

Welcome to the January 2017 edition of the Leadership Development Carnival! One of the components of the Lead Change Group that I most appreciate is its spirit of supportiveness. There are so many areas of our lives where we can feel isolated, personally and professionally. In reading through this month’s submissions, I see many interesting concepts and multiple strategies for being more productive and satisfied at work.

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Leadership Development Development Leadership Ethics 216

Lead Change Blog

JANUARY 18, 2017

LeadChange is a really cool word picture. The message is this: the role of leadership and the practice of change are intertwined. Effective leaders facilitate change; effective change takes good leadership. But, is there a component of leadership that does not change…that stands pat and is unwaveringly constant? There is insight from the ever-enchanting kaleidoscope.

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Banking Bottom-up Charisma Open-book 179

Lead Change Blog

JANUARY 25, 2017

Large businesses and corporations have a significant advantage over SMEs and freelancers when it comes to lowering their carbon footprint. And I say this from personal experience, for I have worked in both environments. This might sound odd. How can a huge conglomerate make the process of being environmentally friendly easier than a sole trader? Surely a larger building, countless staff and significant product output will result in a carbon footprint the size of a large crater?

Banking 188

Banking Travel Environment Energy 188

Lead Change Blog

JANUARY 20, 2017

The winter I renovated my apartment was one of the coldest I remember. I couldn’t stay there during the project. My sister generously let me stay in her family’s house, but the basement guest room was dark and drafty and the commute from Queens was long. The one-month renovation turned to two, then three, then four, then five. The costs overran to double.

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Mayo Short-term Workshop Long-term 204

Lead Change Blog

JANUARY 4, 2017

Poor leadership is often at the root of high employee turnover. In fact, according to a recent CMOE infographic , nearly 50 percent of employees were likely to leave their jobs if they didn’t feel recognized by their managers. While these types of statistics are disheartening, they also reveal an opportunity that the best leaders take advantage of. Developing specific leadership skills for the workplace can support employee retention by increasing performance, job satisfaction and a whole host o

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Skills How To Leadership Education 295