Do you know a peaceable leader? What is a peaceable leader? Think back to all the leaders you have known, in business and in other fields. Now think about those you would consider the best. What do they have in common? I have had the privilege of knowing, working with, and working for several exemplary…
A great boss can bring out the best in you; a bad boss can transform the best job in the world to the worst one ever. You spend half of your weekday life in the presence and under the control of your boss. If you’re fortunate, the two of you are on the same wavelength;…
Team facilitation can make or break the best intended planning session. You gather your team together, set aside one or more major chunks of time, and launch your agenda. And you come away with a dynamic, focused plan and enthusiastic support… or not. There are no guarantees that your brainstorming or strategic planning sessions will…
In business, manipulation tactics can be subtle or blatant. They can be a part of cultural norms, or press uncomfortably into the realm of the unacceptable. We can argue that almost all of business, indeed almost all of life has elements of manipulation. A good report card might net an ice cream sundae for an…
It may be a rude awakening, or a creeping uneasiness, but at some point, you and other leaders in your organization may decide to make a concerted effort to improve employee morale. You may have been caught blindsided. You may have issued a survey with the expectation of stellar feedback, only to be caught in…
How can you create workplace hygge and improve the winter experience? Hygge is, pardon the pun, the new “hot” solution to the cold and bleak long winter days. Adopted from the Danish, and pronounced “hoo-guh” or some variant depending on the dictionary, it is a quality of coziness, comfort, warmth and well-being. It’s nurturing joy.…
How healthy is your corporate culture? Are you sure? What do your employees really think and say in private? From a management perspective, things can look great. Work gets done and employees are diligent. But is this because of your organization and leadership, or in spite of it? Corporate culture and morale rest solely on…
Creating a holiday work-life balance can seem beyond impossible. Indeed, work-life balance at any time is a challenge. But for many businesses, the 4th quarter means closing out the fiscal year, meeting sales quotas and deadlines, and setting budgets and plans for the upcoming year. Meanwhile, on the home front, there are family gatherings, winter…
Do your meetings destroy morale? Do your staff members suffer a slow “death by meeting?” Meetings, whether face-to-face or electronic, are entrenched in business culture. We feel we need to keep people informed, and solicit input, feedback and buy-in. We feel meetings build morale. But do they? Are your meetings building morale or tearing down…
When you are in a position of responsibility, leadership landmines are everywhere. One misstep can land you in an embarrassing, humiliating and costly trap. The harder you try to rectify things, the worse things become. While some crises are unavoidable, many landmines can be anticipated and sidestepped. Just a little thought in advance can steer…