People love to talk about their leadership style. “I’m a visionary.” “I’m hands on.” “I like to empower people and get out their way.” None of these are necessarily bad ideas. However, when it comes to leading a team . . . It’s not about you. It’s about what your team needs. This is where the classic, though not used enough, Situational Leadership approach … [Read more...] about “Not Your Style?”
Teamwork
Improve Your Active Listening
Staying quiet and nodding your head is not enough! In order to be an effective, active listener we need to listen purely for comprehension – without an agenda! Wow – that is not easy. But it is important. Research shows that people who engage in active listening are considered to be more trustworthy, competent, and likable. Here are some excellent thoughts from Amy … [Read more...] about Improve Your Active Listening
Get the Best Ideas from Your Team
You have an amazing, brilliant team! How do nurture the best ideas from them? First, create a safe environment and a trusting culture for your team. Role model this by being honest and respectful. Once you have a trusting team, then you can set the norm of “constructive conflict” in which people are expected to respectfully debate ideas. These are bedrock actions … [Read more...] about Get the Best Ideas from Your Team
Mastering Accountability
You had a great plan, but it didn’t work. What happened? All too often it is because somewhere along the line, someone failed to do what they promised and no one called them on it. They were not held accountable. Lack of accountability is a huge problem in organizations. In fact, Patrick Lencioni names this as one of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team in his great book … [Read more...] about Mastering Accountability
Say “No” to False Urgency
Some people and organizations are addicted to “urgency” – it gives them a rush. It can be intoxicating indeed – “Hey everyone, the boss needs us in the conference room ASAP for an emergency meeting!” And there you have heated discussions why someone just complained about the color you used on a recent advertising flyer – and what to do about it. Give me a … [Read more...] about Say “No” to False Urgency