Focus on what is Not Urgent & Important. Steven Covey famously suggested this in his book, First Things First. When you do this you are able to focus on true strategic issues that will make an impact on your organization and its stakeholders. Covey says that we need to Minimize work on issues that are Urgent & Important, Delegate issues that are Urgent & Not … [Read more...] about Reducing Your Urgent List
Leadership
Aristotle’s Tips on Persuasion
You have a really good idea, but you know its going to take some convincing. Here are five suggestions on how Aristotle persuaded people: 1. Ethos/Character. Make sure people know why you are interested in this topic – and that is bigger than just you. This is not just “your pet idea.” This is an idea that is going to make a difference – for the organization, and for … [Read more...] about Aristotle’s Tips on Persuasion
Improving Your One-on-One Meetings
Do you really need to meet regularly with each of your direct reports? Yes! Supervisors are very busy people and many try to short-cut the need for these meetings, but research shows that they are critical to maximizing the performance of your team. Here are some ideas on how to run productive one-on-one meetings: *Lay the groundwork. Explain the purpose of the … [Read more...] about Improving Your One-on-One Meetings
Leaders Set the Thermostat
If we learned anything from Covid, it’s that we can expect Change & Challenges. Sometimes BIG Changes & Challenges!!! When these arrive at our organization’s doorstep, leaders need to step up. Following are three suggestions on how you can be a leader that serves as your team’s “thermostat” – helping to influence the “temperature” of your team’s response to a … [Read more...] about Leaders Set the Thermostat
Coaching Your Team to Success
Some people – like Dilbert’s Boss – think “managing” is all about telling people what to do. Others of us think of it more like “coaching.” Here are some great ideas on “managing like a coach” from a recent Harvard Business Review article that uses a COACH acronym: Care, Organize, Align, Challenge, Help. Care: Build Understanding and Trust. Trust is fundamental in … [Read more...] about Coaching Your Team to Success