In our quest to be "good" leaders, many of us fall into a common trap: we mistake being liked for being effective. However, there is a significant difference between being a supportive leader and being "too nice". When niceness becomes a shield to avoid difficult conversations, it doesn't just stall productivity—it actively harms your team’s development and the … [Read more...] about Are You Being Too Nice?
teamwork
Shape Your Team Members’ Careers
What truly separates a "good" leader from a "great" one? Often we think of great leaders as inspiring and motivating. While these are important qualities, new research recently reported in Harvard Business Review, tells us that great leaders aren't just great motivators; they are expert talent allocators. Their secret sauce isn't how hard they push their team, but how well … [Read more...] about Shape Your Team Members’ Careers
Improve Your Team’s Productivity
How’s your team doing? Recent research reported in Harvard Business Review tells us that worker dissatisfaction is on the rise. As a leader, this is your opportunity to step up your game and support your team’s continuous improvement. Following are eight questions to ask yourself about improving your team’s satisfaction and performance: 1. What are the biggest … [Read more...] about Improve Your Team’s Productivity
Improve Your Delegation
Before delegating any task, ask yourself: "Am I the best and cheapest person to get this done?". If the answer is no, hand it off. Your role as a leader is primarily context-setting—explaining why the work needs to be done, the expected outcomes, the deadline, and the behavioral guardrails. The team should own the activity-based work, making the decisions about how to … [Read more...] about Improve Your Delegation
Build Your Team’s Trust
As a leader, one of the most important things you can do is to build trust with your team and among your team members. Teams without trust have interpersonal tension and frustration, are less motivated, play politics, and cannot get important decisions made. Trust is the foundation of effective teamwork. This all starts with you as a leader. Are you honest and … [Read more...] about Build Your Team’s Trust