Alan Webber sat at the end of the boardroom table. After a lot of hard work, he had landed an interview with former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt for Harvard Business Review.
“I’ve got my questions written,” he thought running through his mental checklist. “Recorder is set, last thing I need is a technical glitch and miss this whole thing. Man, this jet lag is killing me –…
The room turned frigid as your team members haul personal conflict and stress to Thursday morning’s meeting. They grab a seat around an intimidating conference table. Body language and seat selection shout: “This is war.”
“Old timers” sit on the north side facing the “new blood.” Battle lines get drawn in the freezing winter-mix of sleet and snow. New blood brings outside news and ideas. …
It’s a serious conversation. The weight of the words uttered behind the merry-go-round demand strong proof regarding the speaker’s sincerity, integrity, and commitment. Standing tall, the fourth grader summons her courage, “Cross my heart and hope to die.”
The promise
Promises matter.
A promise deals in potential, possibilities, and something significant: what you hope for in the future. Starting this New Year, you believe advancement is…
“Your height is a blessing,” his grandmother assured him. Teased by his classmates as the tallest kid in class, Kevin wasn’t so sure.
His mother, Wanda, encouraged his participation in sports. Raising her family in Suitland, Maryland – a tough neighborhood outside Washington, D.C. – she hoped team sports would help keep him and his brother Anthony, out of trouble. She created the opportunity for…
For over 20 years, Toni’s career has moved forward. Respected for her technical expertise, she is an “outstanding contributor.” But the feedback on her people skills is another story. Relationships are strained. While “brilliant” she is seen as unapproachable. Her personal influence is restricted by impatience and no tolerance for incompetence.
How much stress do you think Toni experiences and adds to the workplace?
Workplace stress
…
How many high performers intend to stay with your company? Where will they be one year from now?
The collision between “the need to reinvest in development and a disgruntled workforce ready to jump ship,” is pending according to Chief Learning Officer.
Employee engagement can be obstructed by the expectation to do more with less, down sizing and reorganization challenges, benefit…
“It’s as easy as pie.”
Really?
The only thing easy about pie is eating it, not making it. If you’ve made a pie, you know that flaky, melt in your mouth crust is an art.
Effective leaders harness “open-ended questions” to make communication with those they lead “as easy as pie.” They’ve broken the “telling habit.” Breaking that habit requires commitment and time.
It takes…
