Category Archives: Managers
When Good People Make Bad Decisions—and How to Make Good Ones
Treat every decision about “Yes” and “No” as a choice about investing your time and energy. Like making an investment decision, you should follow a due diligence process.
How to Raise Your Standards and Start Holding People Accountable…Even If You Never Have Before
It’s never too late to lead with authority: Even if you’ve let things slide for years, you can reset expectations and take charge, starting today. Accountability starts with ownership: Admitting past leadership mistakes builds credibility and opens the door for real change. Consistency is key: Clear, repeated communication and follow-through are essential to shifting…
How Chain Operators Can Retain Talent Without Overspending
Every manager knows who the indispensable superstars on their team are. (If you don’t, you really should.) And most of those managers also know that in order to keep those superstars on the team, they must recognize and reward them accordingly. But what if there simply aren’t any more resources—money or otherwise—for a manager to leverage, even with top performers they can’t afford to lose?
Want Innovation? Start with More Boundaries.
The best people you manage want freedom to maneuver at work. They want some latitude when it comes to their schedule, where they do their work, whom they work with, what they do, and how they do it. The problem is that every task, responsibility, and project has parameters that constrain every employee’s freedom. …
Soft Skills: What role are you going to play?
Whether you are in a large complex organization with lots of resources or a tiny business where you are the chief cook and bottle washer, the most important element in bridging the soft skills gap is the human element. If you are not an active champion of high priority soft skills behaviors in your…