In fact there are several. It’s true that to be most effective, the team should act as a coordinated entity, smoothly working together toward a common mission and shared goals. But, all teams are made up of individuals with their own personal goals and priorities. The leader’s challenge is to convince the team’s members that the mission is important enough to set aside their personal desires for the team. Doesn’t…
It was a cry of despair. The retail employee was waiting to find out if the store manager had decided to move her to a new position as she had requested. After listening to her story, I could see that she really wasn’t being impatient; her request had been made some time before and the manager had repeatedly said he would have a decision “soon.” But days had turned to…
As a young Boy Scout, I enjoyed hiking and camping in the beautiful mountains of New Mexico. One area where we occasionally camped was near an irrigation canal that brought water to the dryer, lower elevations. We were always warned to stay away from the canal. Even though the surface of the water seemed to be calm, there was a significant undertow that would pull in an unsuspecting swimmer. More…
I knew I had the answer. From the head of the table I had the power to end the discussion and let everyone know my answer. I really wanted to do that because I knew I was right. Finally, I could stand it no longer. With an air of confidence and a little authority I said, “Why don’t we do it this way?” The room was quiet for a moment.…
