One of the most familiar maxims in management is “what gets rewarded gets done.” While true, what is often missed is the more subtle, but equally powerful, point that what is rewarding gets done too. Managers and employees alike don’t just do things that offer an extrinsic reward; they do well at the things they…
Employers often hire with an eye towards those who have potential to move into management. That is an important consideration, but I don’t think it aims high enough. I strongly recommend you hire individuals who are potential leaders. Not everyone who can and will someday lead necessarily wants to be a manager. The title and…
Ockham, the scholastic philosopher of the thirteenth century is credit with Ockham’s Razor: make things as simple as possible but no simpler. Anything over-simplified becomes simplistic, and of little or no value. Sometimes in the pursuit of cleverness or clarity we accidentally oversimplify. As a communication tool, that isn’t necessarily bad if we are knowledgable enough…
Revisit why you lead. Get clear on your purpose, not just your strategies and tactics. Refocus on the most important things you should be doing. It won’t be a long list. Tend to important relationships. Repair for some and renewal for others might be in order. Set a few big goals. Aim for the big…
Do you have fringe people on your team? The leader of a volunteer group once asked me, “What can we do get people involved and committed. How can we move people from the fringe of the group to the center?” It is easy to hang out on the periphery. There are few risks. You can come…
Joe Calloway is a long-time friend and highly respected colleague. I can always count on Joe for clear thinking and practical insights and would be a fan of his work even if we weren’t pals. Here’s a guest blog that explains some of the big themes in his new book, Magnetic: The Art of Attracting Business. Get…
“Everything I have—my life, my potential, my time—was given to me. I’ve decided to spend the rest of my life returning.” – Charlie Jones, philanthropist Have you heard of the six principles of leadership? Well, one of them is the Power of Giving. Giving is just one of the many things that great leaders do…
Do you understand the importance of taking action? As Henry Ford famously said, “You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.” If there is one irrefutable test of a leader, it is the results he or she produces. But how does a great leader produce results? They take action. Intent without…
Communicating isn’t the objective in business or life. The objective is understanding. Communication is simply the tool to accomplish that. In one study, poor communication was cited as the cause of poor employee performance 80% of the time. Communicating effectively is what acting as a leader is all about, whatever your position or title. Words…
Everything we accomplish happens not just because of our efforts but through the efforts of others. The biggest difference between people who manage others versus people who lead others is how they develop those under them. As all leaders know, untitled or not, leadership is power with people, not power over people. Do you build…