“I’m Stuck.” These are words a leader will often hear from a direct report. You don’t want to micromanage, and you certainly don’t want to do the job for them. What do you do? Here are some questions you can ask to coach people through a challenge, while allowing them to maintain ownership of the issue. Not all of these questions are appropriate for every situation. … [Read more...] about Improve Your Coaching
Build Your Team’s Fearlessness
At the University of Maryland, we talk about Leading Fearlessly and moving Fearlessly Forward. Many people embrace the idea of being fearless, but what is it all about and how can you develop it in your team? For Amy Edmondson, the Harvard professor who wrote the book The Fearless Organization, it is all about creating “team psychological safety.” Here are some examples … [Read more...] about Build Your Team’s Fearlessness
Thank You for the Grass
Once upon a time I was married and had three young step-daughters. We thought it would be nice if the older girls, then seven and eight, would take turns saying the dinner prayer. But one night neither of them wanted to do it. “I’ll say it,” pipped up the three year-old. “Dear God, thank you for . . .” and she began to list everything she could possibly think of that … [Read more...] about Thank You for the Grass
You Can Make Meetings Better
You can make your meetings a SAFE space – and that will make your meetings more effective. As a leader, you help to influence the power dynamics in any meeting. Following are some suggestions on how to use your influence productively, based on a recent article in Harvard Business Review: Ask someone else to facilitate the meeting. You don’t need to be the center of … [Read more...] about You Can Make Meetings Better
Benchmark for Innovation
Landscape Analysis, Competitor Analysis, Benchmarking. Organizations of all types carry out these activities from time to time. Landscape Analysis is the broadest of these activities and can include both Competitor Analysis and Benchmarking. It may also include a Needs Assessment, Stakeholder Input, and Environmental Data Collection – often looking at PESTLE aspects of the … [Read more...] about Benchmark for Innovation