We’ve all heard the warnings about micromanaging and how demotivating it can be. But in a competitive world, where details matter, micromanagement tendencies can flourish. A micromanager may believe they are getting the best quality work out of their team. But in reality, this management style stifles initiative, inhibits learning and eradicates trust. Here’s how to avoid the costly trap of micromanagement.
Don't underestimate the power of small steps in leading us to our big goals. Breaking big tasks into smaller, attainable steps is key to getting started. Once we achieve some early success, our momentum grows and this leads to meaningful progress. Whether we are preparing for a big presentation, undertaking a home renovation or trying to be more fit, here are 6 reasons why small steps are the best way to tackle our big goals.
As leaders, we like to believe we know our team really well. But do we? Even the best leaders may have blind spots worth exploring. Ever wonder what your team is longing to tell you? Here are six truths your team wishes you knew.
We know delegating is key to success as a leader. But it isn’t always easy. Sometimes our team members are simply too busy. Adding anything more to their bursting plate could prompt them to run screaming in the opposite direction. This is often when we think, “I might as well just do it myself.” Yes, once in a while, it is helpful to model team solidarity by doing tasks we would rather delegate. But this should be an intermittent approach to trigger action. Use these five strategies to avoid the pattern of doing it all yourself. Otherwise, you’ll be the one left running from your team.
Formal mentoring programs are becoming more prolific in the corporate world. Theoretically, this is a strategic way to accelerate skill development. But as we all know, theory doesn’t always translate into results. Some mentors are frankly better than others. As a result, certain lucky employees are blessed with having won the equivalent of the mentor lottery. Their mentor is a unique blend of a champion, challenger and collaborator. How do you know if you are one of the lucky few with one of those infamous mentors? It’s relatively straightforward to determine – ideally, your mentor does most (better yet, all) of these seven things. Read on to learn more.
I’ve learned the important things in life and at work are far too important to leave up to chance. Sounds obvious but in truth, this is what many of us are doing when we set goals and don’t regularly review them. Reviewing our goals is how we maintain focus, momentum and stay true to our key priorities. Yet the busier we get, many of us tend to bump this important but non-urgent task. Now, I’ve got a one-page personal scorecard to keep me and my goals on track. Are you ready to create your own personal scorecard? Read on to learn more.
When it comes to developing people, feedback is an obligation, not an option. Yet far too many managers act as though feedback is optional. Unfortunately, few of us (if any) learn skills on our own. We need coaching, direction and opportunities to try, fail and try again. We also need positive reinforcement to keep us focused and motivated. And sometimes, we need someone to tell us where we are going wrong. Here are 15 critical strategies to guide you in offering constructive feedback.
Offering our recognition to those we appreciate has traditionally been reserved for annual occasions, like during a performance review or turkey dinner. Thankfully (pun intended), the surge of research on gratitude has prompted savvy leaders to show their appreciation more often.
Delegating can lead to a number of different outcomes. Sometimes, everything runs perfectly according to plan and we feel like terrific managers. But other times, delegating leads to one disaster after another and we are left wondering what went wrong. Unfortunately, few managers are ever given a clear road map on what leads to delegating success. Until now. Here are 12 ways to delegate effectively (almost) every time.
At this time of year, I can't help but think about resolutions, regardless of how cliche it seems. I just love the idea of new [...]
