Posts Tagged ‘Tips’

Narcissism Kills Morale

July 19th, 2010

Narcissism Kills Morale Humility Saves It

“To be humble to superiors is duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness.”
- Benjamin Franklin

Rock Concert or Business Conference?

The scene resembled a large rock concert. There was a massive stage, huge projection screens, a booming sound system, laser lights and special effects that would make Broadway jealous. To say there was a great deal of excitement and anticipation for the presenter would be a major understatement. His name was announced, the music boomed and onto stage strode the classic image of a powerful, confident executive. Navy suit with pin stripes, tall, slender, salt-and-peppered hair, power tie and polished shoes. The audience’s applause roared. He walked to the podium, the music faded, applause stopped and the stadium settled to perfect silence in anticipation… » Read more: Narcissism Kills Morale

Pause to Reflect on What’s Important

April 12th, 2010

Two Deer in the WoodsMy wife and I both had to be in the office early. We’d gotten our 20 month old son ready for daycare, but were running late and feeling the pressure. Tension was thick, fuses were short and it was a poor way to start the day.

As I rushed outside in the still dark morning, a shuffling of leaves by the door made me pause. I stopped to let my eyes adjust and found myself practically within arms reach of two beautiful deer. One was bracing to sprint, but the other seemed calm and curious. Impressed by the pleasant surprise, I took in the moment. Then, backing away slowly, I loaded the car. In the small magic of that moment, my new friends reminded me to focus on what was important. Had I been “on time” I would have missed that special experience. I then realized I needed to make the time to serve my family by helping them start their day right.  I also needed to serve my colleagues by ensuring my mind was focused on the right topics and preparation for our meeting on my drive in. » Read more: Pause to Reflect on What’s Important

Ask The Right Questions

April 2nd, 2010
Asking the Right Questions

Ask the Right Questions at the Right Time

Great leaders ask the right questions at the right time. While great leaders are better at this than others, there is no magic to asking the right questions. By focusing on serving the organization, one can position themselves to identify the right questions at the right time. Below are some tactics that may help you serve the organization and ask the right questions:

1. Active Listening
It all begins with listening first. The meeting multitasker often misses key concepts and asks the dumb question. The person that actively listens, repeating back what they hear to ensure comprehension, is best positioned to ask the right questions. » Read more: Ask The Right Questions

New Year’s Resolutions for Leaders

December 28th, 2009
What are your Leadership New Year's Resolutions?

What are your Leadership New Year's Resolutions?

Thinking about your New Year’s resolutions?  Here’s a quick list of ideas for leaders.  The list includes a few of the standards, but aims to inspire some new ideas for each of us:

  1. Physical Fitness - Whether it’s weight loss, increased exercise or dropping a bad habit, this standard is important for leaders to maintain stress levels.  You may also find increased productivity.
  2. Listen More – Find yourself speaking more than you listen?  Did your latest 360 feedback suggest the team may not feel their input is valued enough?  Commit to listening a greater percentage of the time.
  3. Succession Planning - Too many leaders let real succession planning wait too long, if they do it at all.  Why not start the new year right with specific steps to ensure strong succession planning throughout the organization? » Read more: New Year’s Resolutions for Leaders

Top Commuter Tips and Tools

October 3rd, 2009
Top Commuter Tools and TipsIn Boston, my commute was 90 minutes a day, in the car. In New York, it was 3 hours, each day on the train and walking across midtown Manhattan. Now in Michigan, I still spend 2 hours a day in the car. You might say I am proficient at commuting. With this proficiency comes many solutions for maximizing productivity during the commute. Here’s what I find helps and recommend to fellow commuters:
1. iPod / MP3 Player: The obvious. I won’t say much about it, as an MP3 player is ubiquitous these days. However, it also underlies many of the tools / tips below.

2. Audio Books: Audio books can be immensely helpful on your commute. If you spend just 20 minutes a day » Read more: Top Commuter Tips and Tools

5 Tips for Work Life Alignment, Not Balance

August 15th, 2009

Aligning Work and Personal Life
Do you go home every work night feeling drained, with no energy left for your family, friends and other personal activities? While this is normal on occasion, it should not be the norm. Too many people believe the solution is work/life balance. Yet have you ever met someone that has found the perfect balance where work never comes up at home and home life never comes up at work? In contrast, many people have found the perfect work/life alignment. Work/life alignment occurs when one is equally comfortable at work and outside the office, handling both personal and professional activities in either environment. It’s amazing how much more energy and enjoyment one finds when they stop trying to balance their work and personal life and focus instead on aligning the two.

Below are 5 tips that help me achieve greater alignment:

  1. Be Yourself at Work
  2. Work for a Mission You Believe In
  3. Prioritize Your Work
  4. Find a Boss You Trust
  5. Establish Friendships at Work

1. Be Yourself at Work
Are you putting on a different face when you go to work? » Read more: 5 Tips for Work Life Alignment, Not Balance