High-performing leaders often fall into a “fixing” cycle.

When something goes wrong, they always come to you.  And sure enough, you are able to fix it – whatever “it” is.  Over time, this creates a toxic dependency. The more you fix, the less others have to. Your reliability effectively masks systemic issues, allowing broken processes and underperformance to persist because you are there to catch the falling glass.

The personal cost of this dynamic is significant. While you are busy firefighting and compensating for the gaps of others, you lose the bandwidth for the high-level strategic work your role actually requires.

By acting as the “fixer,” you are essentially teaching your colleagues that they don’t need to be fully accountable because you will always provide the rescue.  Your greatest strength has become a liability.

To reclaim your impact, your reliability must become strategic rather than reactive. Here are some ideas from a recent article in Harvard Business Review to help you make a fundamental shift in how you see your role:

• Surface the Gaps: Instead of quietly fixing a broken workflow, highlight the friction. Let the system feel the pressure of its own inefficiencies so that long-term solutions can be implemented.
• Clarify Decision Rights: Be explicit about who owns what. If a task isn’t yours, resist the urge to take it on simply because you can do it faster or better than the person responsible.
• Distribute Accountability: Leading effectively means ensuring that accountability lands where it belongs. Your goal isn’t to carry the load alone, but to ensure the team is structured to carry it collectively.

Stepping back from the role of “fixer” isn’t about withdrawing; it’s about leading with better judgment. By letting go of the need to be the constant hero, you create space for your team to grow and for your organization to become more resilient. True leadership isn’t about being the most reliable person in the room – it’s about building a system where reliability is shared.

*Ideas for this blog taken from: Velasquez, L.  “When Being the Most Reliable Leader Becomes a Liability,” Harvard Business Review online, February 27, 2026.

Are you seizing the day or sleepwalking through it?

Are you maybe feeling a bit “meh” at work?

Even the most dedicated professionals hit a wall. When work feels like a monotonous routine, or a sense of “fine” replaces genuine fulfillment, it’s a clear sign you’re in a slump.

The good news, according to a recent Harvard Business Review article, is that you can proactively reignite your motivation with a few key strategies.

1. Invest in Your Growth. Look over your last performance review and identify some professional development activities which excite you.  Connecting your proposal to your review will make it easier to convince your boss to support you.
2. Schedule Time with Work Best Friends. Make a point to regularly connect with the people you like best at work. This could be lunch meetings or just taking a walk together in the afternoon.  Work friendships make us more engaged and fulfilled with our jobs.
3. Create an Inspiring, Challenging New Project. What cool new project could you dream up that meets the organization’s priorities, but had not been on your radar screen? Brainstorm this with some of your work friends to see what they think.
4. Track and Record Weekly Successes. We are often so busy getting ready for the next week’s list of challenges that we do not take time to review and really savor what we accomplished the prior week. Create a list of your key successes at the end of every week.  Review these along with your “to do” list during the next week.

A career slump is a common experience, but it doesn’t have to be a permanent state. By taking control and proactively engaging in these strategies, you can find a renewed sense of purpose and motivation in your work.

*Ideas for this blog taken from: Goredema, O.  “In a Slump at Work?  Here’s How to Motivate Yourself,” Harvard Business Review online, March 28, 2025.

When faced with this situation, we need to figure out: Is this a talent issue, a training issue, a management issue, a motivation issue, or more likely – a combination.  Often “Performance Improvement Plans” – PIPs – are used in this situation.  Here are some ideas on how to use them effectively, based on an article from Harvard Business Review.

First, ask yourself the following questions:

• Can you imagine this employee someday as a high performer?
• Have you checked out all possible extenuating circumstances?
• Have you given yourself a “management checkup” to be sure you are managing them well? My favorite is the Gallup Q-12, which you can check out here.
• Have you given them time to improve as a result of your routine management process – which includes seeing clear expectations and providing feedback?
• Have you asked for some third-party co-workers to give you feedback on the situation?

Once you can say YES to these things, then it is time to approach the employee about a PIP.

1.) Begin with a positive attitude.  “Rob, we have discussed the fact that you are not meeting expectations in certain areas of your responsibility.  We now need to create a more formal process that is designed to support you in being the high performer I believe that you can be.”

2.)  Look for root causes.  Design a training program for the person that addresses the specific root causes of the performance issue.

3.) Focus on the future.  Don’t bring up the past or this will feel punitive.

4.) Set clear expectations with a timeline.  Make sure that these are in writing and clearly understood.

5.) Provide ongoing feedback.  Stay in communication about how the process is going and discuss their performance compared to the expectations.

Performance Improvement Plans are typically for about six months, maybe longer.  At the end of the agreed upon time, you need to make a decision.  If the employee is clearly not meeting expectations, then a change needs to be made.

However, if they are highly motivated, with values that match your organization, then you might consider that this is a “talent” problem.  That is not a reason to keep them in their current job.  But, it might be a reason for you to find a role in the organization that is a better fit for their talent.  This should not be confused with “unloading a problem.”  It should only be done if you sincerely think they would be a good fit elsewhere.

Otherwise, you need to let the employee go – as humanely as possible.  Remember that their hiring is a shared responsibility.  Your organization thought they would be great at this job.  Hopefully they will find a good fit elsewhere.

*Ideas for this blog taken from: Davey, L.  “When a Performance Plan Could Help Your Employee,” Harvard Business Review online, November 6, 2024.

You seek perfection in everything you do.

You receive lots of accolades for your performance.

Therefore, it makes it really hard for you to delegate . . .

This is a classic problem and I have seen it plague experienced leaders as well as new ones.

Based on a recent article in Harvard Business Review, here are some suggestions to become a more effective delegator.

First, you need a new mindset:

• If you try to do everything, you will burn out and limit your scope of activity
• Not everything has to perfect.
• The only way for people to learn and grow is through delegation.

If you can make this shift in thinking, then follow these steps:

1.  Select projects to delegate which won’t seriously damage operations if they are not done perfectly.  Give them to people who you think have strengths that match the project.

2.  Give instructions clearly and set a timeline for the project.  Establish check-in points, but don’t solve their problems for them.  “What do you think are potential solutions?”

3.  Provide encouragement along the way.  There are bound to be setbacks.  Take these in stride and call them learning opportunities.

4.  Finally, conduct an After-Action Review after the project and ask your team member to highlight the things they learned from working on it.

Your success – and your organization’s – depends upon your ability to develop a team of high performers.  The only way that will happen is if you give them these growth opportunities.  Take this long view and you will make even more of a Mission Impact.

*Ideas for this blog taken from: Hocking, S.  “Learning to Delegate as a First-Time Manager,” Harvard Business Review online, June 14, 2024.

Whether you are the boss or the direct report, many people dread their regular one-on-one meetings.

It does not have to be that way!

Here are some tips to improve your meetings:

*How Often?  Every two weeks works for most people, but of course there are exceptions.

*How Long?  Block 50 minutes and don’t feel like you have to fill the time.  If you are done then you are done.  If you need longer than this either one of you are long-winded or you have a special project that may need its own meeting.

*Create a Joint Meeting Agenda Using Shared Google Doc.  Set this up and add notes to it after every meeting.  Each of you can add things to the agenda for the next meeting.  There should be no surprises in these meetings.

*Take a Moment to Reflect on Purpose/Vision/Direction.  Take just a minute at the beginning of the meeting to remind yourselves of the “noble purpose” of your organization (check here to learn more about Noble Purpose).  This does not have to take long put sets up an important context.

*Regular Career/Professional Development Check-ins.  Every four-six weeks put career/professional development on the agenda.  This helps both of you to keep this top of mind.

*Bring a Positive Vibe.  This is an important person you are meeting with – no matter if you are the boss or direct report.  Bring your “A Game.”

*Close your computer and put your phone away.  Print out the agenda so both of you have it in front of you.  If you are meeting on Zoom, keep other windows closed and use just one screen.

BONUS:  How many direct reports should I have anyway?  Opinions vary, but I say absolutely no more than seven people – and five is even better.  With more than seven people you lose track of their activities or don’t have time to do your own work or both.

None of these are magical suggestions, but if you use most of them then you will create a more intentional and productive one-on-one meeting.  Maybe forward this to your boss and direct reports: “Let’s try some of these ideas for our next meeting.”

*Ideas for this blog taken from: Dary, J. “5 Signs Your One-on-Ones Aren’t Working,” Harvard Business Review online, June 3, 2024.

Those are two very fun words that confirm it is summertime.

Pools are open, Little League is in full swing, and it is time that you remember you have an inner child.

Let him/her come out to play!

Yes – even at “work.”

When I think of being “childlike,” I think of words such as . . .

Wonder

Enthusiasm

Kindness

Joy

Simplicity

Openness

Humility

Trust

Uninhibited

Truthful

Spontaneity

Delight

And of course, Playful.

Sure, work is hard and what you do is very important.  But that does not mean that we need to interact with one another in such “businesslike” ways all the time.  Lighten Up and enjoy the fact that you are alive and have an opportunity to work with other people committed to doing the same important work that you are.

A number of years ago one of my colleagues arrived at the office and told us she had just seen a young girl skipping on her way to school.  Skipping.  The other kids were walking, but she was skipping.  We all thought it was pretty cool that she was having that kind of fun on her way to school.

When is the last time you “skipped?”  Maybe you and your team should knock off early for lunch today and skip over to your favorite place for a bite to eat.  It might do you and the team some good.

Here are some tips from a recent article in Harvard Business Review on how you can sustain a high level of energy by utilizing strategic breaks during your day:

*Change Your Mindset: Breaks Are Smart.  The workday is not a tortuous marathon.  It’s more like an NBA basketball game where you need peak performance throughout the day.  This is why NBA players take breaks every quarter.  There are regular timeouts and substitutions.

*Don’t Task Switch.  Set blocks of time for various tasks and projects – don’t bounce around.  Research shows that “multi-tasking” creates stress and a loss of productivity.

*Reset Your Meeting Default.  Cut your meeting default by ten or fifteen minutes and use that time to get out of your office for a quick walk or a stretch.

*Enforce Hard Stops on Meetings.  You know the usual suspects who use too much air time in a meeting.  Respectfully ask them to summarize and make sure to finish meetings on time.

*Schedule Breaks.  Experiment with what works for you. The NBA breaks up a game into quarters and maybe you can do the same thing – with a longer “half time” break in the middle of the day.  Put these into your calendar.

Taking strategic breaks will make you more effective and resilient for the long run.  And they will set a good example for your team.  Start pacing yourself better today by utilizing some of these tips.

*Ideas for this blog taken from: Zucker, R.  “Don’t Underestimate the Power of Small Breaks During A Busy Workday,” Harvard Business Review online, March 11, 2024.

It’s a culture of overwork – and it exists in many organizations.  Even worse – many leaders wear it as a badge of honor.

And while Overwork was an issue pre-pandemic, it has grown as a concern as the “always-on” expectation of many organizations has spread.

Research reported in a recent article in Harvard Business Review shows two disturbing trends that began during Covid: 1.) We became much more likely to work in the evenings, usually just before bedtime, and 2.) The number of work messages sent and received during the weekends increased by 200%.  These patterns have now become normalized.

Overwork – or “Workaholism” is the inability to disconnect from work.  This is bad for our mental health, erodes the quality of our work effort, and lowers personal as well as organizational, resilience.

If you are a leader who wants to break your Overwork Culture, here are some important steps you can take.  IMPORTANT: If Leadership is not on board with this then any change will probably not stick.  So begin there first. Then . . .

1.)  Start with an assessment.  Conduct some surveys and focus groups to find out how significant a problem you have and what attitudes exist among various employees – at different levels – about this.

2.)  Identify Incremental Change Opportunities based on what you learn in your assessment.  Put together a task force of people who are well placed in the organization and are committed to the effort.  Ask them to review the data of your assessment and identify changes that need to be made.  Look for places to start that you think will be successful.  You can’t set a new “no emails over the weekend” policy overnight.

3.)  Pilot Changes, Learn, and Expand.  Institute some small changes in a few places in the organization and learn how it goes.  Expand these efforts based on what you learn.  Changing habits takes time.  Begin rolling out small changes.  Start with changes that are relatively easy to build momentum.

You can count on resistance which is why leadership is vital to your success.  Stay persistent, reward those who get on board, and continue to build your momentum.  This will strengthen your team and lead to improved Mission Impact over time.

*Ideas for this blog taken from: Clark, M.  “How To Fix Your Company’s Culture of Overwork,” Harvard Business Review online, March 18, 2024.

In fact, given our access to a seemingly endless supply of information these days, the temptation for overthinking is at an all-time high.

Here are some tips on how we can identify and address three of the most common forms of overthinking, based on a recent Harvard Business Review article:

*Rumination is a mental loop where you dwell on the past and particularly negative outcomes.  You worry that the same thing will happen again.  As a way to address this, divide your worries into two categories – those things you can control and those you cannot.  Set aside the issues you cannot influence.  Ask your team to help brainstorm about those you can impact.

*Future Tripping.  Thinking about the future is not bad.  But it can become debilitating when you exhaust yourself by thinking about every possible outcome – especially the negative ones.  None of us know the future.  Some future thinking is a very good idea, but just focus on the top three most likely scenarios.

*Overanalyzing.  Analysis Paralysis is a classic problem.  Instead of striving for perfection, try to get the best info you can in a reasonable time.    Set criteria for a decision that is “acceptable” versus “perfect.”  Not every project needs to be perfect.  Make sure that you are your boss are on the same page regarding top priority projects.

Overthinking can become a bottleneck in organizations.  At a time when speed and innovation is vital, this can be a significant problem.  Watch out for these three overthinking traps and help your organization maximize your Mission Impact.

*Ideas for this blog taken from: Wilding, M.  “3 Types of Overthinking – and How to Overcome Them,” Harvard Business Review online, February 7, 2024.

Top leaders are always looking for ways to improve productivity.

Research reported in Harvard Business Review suggests that there are three categories of habits that the most productive people carry out:

1 – Prioritize Work Daily with Specific Objectives.

• Organize your day according to your priorities and set specific objectives for each meeting on your calendar
• Send out detailed agendas before each meeting
• Create outlines using a logic chain before you write anything of length

2 – Develop Techniques to Manage Overload. 

• Delegate, delegate, and delegate more – this helps your team grow and saves you time
• Don’t overbook your calendar so you have time for the unexpected
• Only check your screens hourly vs constantly

3 – Manage Communications & Meetings. 

• Schedule meetings for as short a time as possible; not every meeting needs to be an hour
• Conclude every meeting with a list of next steps and who is responsible
• Prioritize responses to email and phone messages to the most important people. Not everyone needs an immediate response.

Interestingly, the HBR research showed that working longer hours, did not necessarily make people more productive.  It was working smarter.

The research also showed that productivity increases as we age.  So, we can all learn!  Try out some of these new habits and refine the ones that work for you.  As you improve your productivity you will be making even more of a Mission Impact.

*Ideas for this blog taken from: Pozen, R. C. and Downey, K.  “What Makes Some People More Productive Than Others,” Harvard Business Review online, March 28, 2019.