The rhythm that we established as school children lives on in many of us. Admit it: You get antsy in the spring, realizing that summer is just around the corner. Feeling like September is a fresh start, you clear out a few old files and bring in a few new office supplies. ‘Back to school’…
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…
Think about the learning that contributed most powerfully to your development and who you are today. Consider the experiences that built the expertise you use and value most every day. Reflect on what you’re most proud of mastering during the course of your career or life. This memorable learning that has made a significant difference…
The beginning of the new calendar year frequently corresponds with the start of a new performance period. As a result, managers and leaders everywhere are preparing for those annual conversations designed to establish the goals and objectives that employees will work toward for the next twelve months. Today, few managers make the overt mistakes that…
A significant dimension of leadership is coaching… engaging in conversations that help others make the leap from where they are to where they want (or need) to be. Whether the focus is on correcting a performance problem, expanding capacity, improving relationships, or developing within one’s career, coaching is a powerful tool for supporting others as…
When employees succeed in their careers, so do their teams, departments, functions and organizations. As a result, businesses work diligently to develop systems and processes to promote career development; leaders grapple with how to help people reach their goals given structures that are flatter and leaner than ever before. Too frequently though, these efforts are…