It seems that leadership and civility would be an easy discussion. Alas, it is not. Civility is a concept that seems to be lost in today’s society even though it is absolutely essential for good teams. A cultural shift has been happening and now it seems that being civil means… Read More »Leadership and Civility
Do you encourage a feeling of employee ownership in the company? Should you? I was speaking with a group of business owners a few years ago when the discussion swerved into how much they should tell their workers about company financials. The catalyst for this discussion was a complaint by… Read More »Is a Feeling of Employee Ownership Important?
As I scroll through LinkedIn I see lots of pictures of people being recognized for joining a team, some accomplishment, or just being them. Recognition is great and I hope you are recognizing the people on your teams. Recognition is an important part of creating the motivational environment that will… Read More »Recognition: A Picture is Not Enough
You have many challenges as a team leader. Is one of those challenges a boss who doesn’t seem to know what your team is doing? He or she appears to be more of a stumbling block than a helpful leader? Harsh? Perhaps, but let’s be honest, sometimes the boss can… Read More »Help! My Boss is Clueless
I recently saw a video of a “flash mob” orchestra (the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès) in Spain performing Ode to Joy. The performance started with a bass player who was joined shortly by a cellist. As more musicians entered the scene, a conductor appeared. It would almost seem the conductor… Read More »Are You the Conductor? Does Your Team Make Beautiful Music?
As another year draws to a close, many people begin to consider New Year’s Resolutions. Please Don’t! Resolutions are certainly a noble idea, but are often forgotten a few months into the new year. You will be a more effective leader if you use this time to seriously consider a… Read More »Eight Steps for a Successful Next Year
One of the most effective communication skills a leader can have is to stay on message. I was assigned to lead an organization that had various different and largely disparate responsibilities, none of which seemed to have much in common. We were a collection of small groups, but definitely not… Read More »Effective Communication Skills: Stay on Message
Do I have to like everyone on my team? Should all my team members like each other? The answer leads to team conflict resolution. Bad team conflict is to be expected and we’ve written about it before. That conflict comes from the fact that each one of us is a unique… Read More »Team Conflict Resolution
Leadership communication training is a critical aspect of your leadership development and effective communication is one of the most important skills for a leader to master. Learning how to communicate is vital, but it’s just as important to be aware of what you communicate. You are always communicating so it’s vitally important… Read More »What Are You Communicating as a Leader?
Leadership fundamentals training sounds basic and it is. But that doesn’t mean the skills we present are not applicable to your individual situation. In fact, good application of basic leadership skills can make you most successful. Jack gave me a hard time for the entire three-day leadership course, constantly complaining… Read More »Leadership Fundamentals Training – Why Knowing How to Apply Basic Leadership Skills is Essential