Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “leadership”
Owners of successful business enterprises will be the first one to tell you that you need to invest in your people. When you are running a business, you need to rely on the efficiency of each person involved in the organization, whether that person is a front liner or is working in the back office. Being an owner of a …
Ah, the great American dream! Quit your day job, roll up your sleeves and build a multi-million dollar business. Who wouldn’t want that, right? Below, sharks from the ABC hit show, “Shark Tank,” contestants who’ve been there, done that (and lived to tell) as well as a prime-time TV host share their career advice. It turns out their lessons about personal branding ring …
Understand that the primary goal is not to have (stoopid) fun Will there be an open bar? Do I have to go? Can I bring my significant other? A few of the above questions may be dancing in your head when you receive the invite to your organization’s holiday party. These are reasonable questions — but if you want to …
Professional success is important to everyone, but still, success can and does (and definitely should) mean different things to different people. But one fact is universal. Real success, the kind that exists on multiple levels, is impossible without building great relationships. Real success is impossible unless you treat other people with kindness, regard, and respect. After all, you can be a …
It’s performance review season, and you know the drill. Drag each of your direct reports into a conference room for a one-on-one, hand them an official-looking document, and then start in with the same, tired conversation. Say some positive things about what the employee is good at, then some unpleasant things about what he’s not good at, and end — …
A new survey offers some surprising insight into what goes on in your employees’ minds. Ever wonder what’s really going on in your employees’ heads? A new University of Phoenix survey of more than 1,000 working adults may provide some insight into what those who work for you are thinking–but not saying out loud. The results are surprising. You might guess that …
Innovation, The First Mile: That first mile—where innovation moves from an idea into the market—is often plagued by failure. In fact, less than 1% of ideas launched inside organizations have any real impact on the bottom line. The ideas aren’t the problem. It’s the process. In his new book, The First Mile: A Launch Manual for Getting Great Ideas Into the Market, …
Fostering trust doesn’t have to be daunting. Employees are often suspicious and don’t trust management. Everyone has had a bad boss in the past, and that experience can taint future interactions, unless good bosses are sensitive to this baggage. You can’t take suspicion personally, but you do need to address it. Distrust can drain employee productivity and motivation. It can …
Call it instinct, intuition or just a hunch — all smart business professionals know what it’s like when somethining simply feels right (or wrong). Making a decision based on this sixth sense may not seem wise at the time, but as any successful entrepreneur can tell you, the best business decisions aren’t always based on logical analysis. Paying attention to …
Nobody washes a rental car. People will go the extra mile only if they feel they have ownership. It’s much the same in the workplace. Employees who take ownership of their work — and who feel that what they are doing matters — are far more likely than others to feel engaged on the job. You can have great talent that is appropriately teamed. …
Aside from the unpleasantness, bad company culture is also bad for your career. Successful people tend to work for winners, and a good company culture has been shown to drive long term financial performance. Work for a happy place, and you’ll likely do better in life. However, that brings up a question. How can you know anything about a company’s culture when …
Those first few hours after a Colorado weekend are critical. Start your week off right. Monday mornings are the most critical time of the workweek, as they set the stage for the day and week ahead. “Because you’ve stepped away for a couple days, these back-to-work mornings are the most memorable for the rest of the week,” says Lynn Taylor, …
During last fall’s America’s Cup, Oracle Team USA staged the greatest comeback in modern sports history. On September 18, Skipper Jimmy Spithill’s crew was behind 8-1 in the best of 17 series. In just over a week, they rattled off eight straight victories to defeat Team New Zealand, 9-8. New Zealand didn’t get slower; Oracle got that much faster. Hoping …
When you are busy running a business, providing a culture of communication is often not as easy as you would think. Working long hours day to day with the same people can breed complacency, which takes away from an environment of great performance. In a fast-growing, fast-moving company, providing ongoing feedback to your employees can fall by the wayside, but …
The distinction between being a boss and being a leader may seem small, but it means the world to the people who work for you. Being the boss does not necessarily mean you are leading. Here is a list of 10 characteristics that will help you determine if you are having a positive impact on your employees. A Boss: knows …
