Blog
Has Professionalism Become Passé?
Over the past several years, a focus on authenticity has touched nearly every aspect of life. At work and at home, we try to ‘keep it real.’ In customer and employee interactions, we’re encouraged to remain genuine. Open, frank conversation is sought after and candor...
Small Steps Drive Significant Change
Last week I had the pleasure of working with a national retailer whose leadership team has established some bold goals to transform the culture and reinvent the customer experience. It’s a heady vision that, given their size and structure, will likely prove to be...
Listening 2.0: Making a Splash with Employees
I’ve opened a few recent workshops using electronic polling applications. (If you’re not familiar with the technology, it might be worth a look.) I asked a few questions to establish a base of understanding and interest, and using their cell phones, participants...
An Argument for Conflict
We’ve all experienced it. The meeting goes well. Everyone nods, smiles, and quickly agrees. There are no objections or even questions to answer. You leave feeling confident that your proposal will be unanimously adopted. Then you hear about the meeting after the...
Top 3 Gifts Employees Want Most this Holiday Season (and All Year Long)
Despite the fact that I wrote this a couple of years ago, the suggestions continue to hold up well. Wishing you a happy, healthy holiday season. 'Tis the season... when leaders everywhere scramble to find the perfect holiday gift for their staffs. This year, will it...
The “Engagement Ring”
You’ve seen the research. Read the reports. Talked to leaders and employees alike. You know that despite our quantifiable understanding of the bottom-line impact of employee engagement, it continues to elude most organizations. The reason engagement is such a...
The Simple Connection Between High School English and Accountability
My daughter is taking an Advanced Placement English Language course this year. That may be why the November 2014 article in The Atlantic Magazine, “Passive Resistance,” captured my attention. The author, Steven Pinker, explores the role and value of the passive tense....
How Mindful Leaders Get Results
Guest Post by Scott Eblin This week's guest post comes from Scott Eblin, author of the new bestselling Overworked and Overwhelmed. Scott's message resonates with everyone in the workplace and his latest book offers research-based strategies designed to bring greater...
Closing the “discretionary effort” gap
Be honest. If you had a gas or water leak, you’d fix it. If an investment was draining your portfolio, you’d sell. So, why are so many smart leaders willing to accept “discretionary effort” as an inevitable feature of — and drain on — business today? Why do we allow...