Blog
Deconstructing Delegation
Delegation may be among the most misunderstood and mishandled of all supervisory responsibilities. Ask any employee and you’ll hear stories of managers throwing tasks “over the wall” with little or no direction or support. At the other end of the continuum is the criticisms of leaders who can’t let go and end up limiting their…
Life, Leadership and the Ukulele
On a recent trip to Hawaii, I decided to escape the afternoon sun for a complementary ukulele lesson offered by a local musician, Jason Jerome. About ten hotel guests gathered – from age 8 to 80 – to learn a little about how to play the instrument… and a lot more. After a few minutes…
Developing Employees is Like Brushing Your Teeth
Helping others develop, learn and grow. It may be among the most fundamental responsibilities human beings have to one another. And it’s played out for millennia, as the lessons and cultural norms of past civilizations were passed on generation to generation much like parents today guide their children toward adulthood. Yet, in the workplace, where…
The Supervisory Squeeze
Being a front-line supervisor can be the most gratifying and exciting of roles that anyone will ever experience. It can also be the most terrifying, overwhelming and demoralizing. This is because new supervisors generally have no idea of the “squeeze” into which they are stepping. The front line is the firing line Imagine a place…
Career Development: A 5-Year Retrospective
Five years have passed since I wrote Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go: Career Conversations Employees Want with Beverly Kaye. It’s been a transformative time for me both personally and professionally as I’ve had the opportunity to travel the world, talking with business leaders from all walks of life about their commitment to the…
Develop a Growth Mindset Through Design Thinking
Guest Post by Jeanne M. Liedtka, Randy Salzman, and Daisy Azer I’m delighted to host this guest post featuring lessons from the trenches found in Design Thinking for the Greater Good: Innovation in the Social Sector. This newly released book is a study of design-led innovation projects by Jeanne M. Liedtka, Randy Salzman and Daisy…