Blog Subscriptions

Most Prized Management Behaviors

"Be a good coach.
Empower your team and don't micromanage.
Express interest in team members' success and personal well-being.
Don't be a sissy. Be productive and results oriented
Be a good communicator and listen to your team.
Help your employees with career development.
Have a clear vision and strategy for the team.
Have key technical skills so you can help advise the team (p. 72-73)."

Believe in Yourself

“You are a unique human being, and there is no one else like you in the world. You have unique gifts, talents, and perspectives that you bring to your relationships with others. You have experience and knowledge that position you to make the world a better place.

Consider all of the roles you play in the work you do and the life you lead. Think about the difference your efforts have made to your networks over the course of a lifetime.

Seven Sources of Power

"Credibility: the power derived from your professional standing and expertise.

People-Focused Leadership

"In today's collaborative teams, it's not always the manager taking on the leadership role; sometimes it's another team member. The key is that leadership, regardless of who is doing it, is shifting more toward focusing on people than process.

Take Recess

Effective Leaders

Effective leaders typically do the following (among other actions).

Have a clear vision for the future
Set direction
Inspire others to follow them
Enable greatness in others

The Workday Blues

"Maybe you are the person with that burning passion to do well. You come in early, are the last to leave, and haven't taken off a day or weekend since you started. While you'd planned to scale back after you got the promotion or when the project was finished, you never did. Consequently, it's five or ten or fifteen years later and you are burned out.

Keys to Team Success

"Leaders of organizations must be willing to create team-friendly environments for teams to function effectively. This means that they must do the following:

The Value of Persistence

"Being persistent means that when things get in the way, as they will, you will find a way of overcoming them. If people knock you down, as they will, you are able to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and return to your path. It also means that when doubts creep into your mind, as they will, you are able to listen to their message without being distracted from your purpose.

Helpful Hints for giving Feedback

"Avoid sweeping statements. Words such as 'always' and 'never' only make people angry, and defensive.
Focus on major responsibilities and performance standards.
Ask recipients to identify causes of performance problems.
Provide feedback frequently.
Discuss behaviors or results, not the person.
Specify what needs to be done.
Use both positive and negative feedback.
Coach rather than judge.
Fit feedback to the individual (p. 126)."