Crises happen in the workplace frequently. Whether these crises are real or artificial, it seems there are four types of poor leadership that emerges during crisis (or perceived crisis) situations. Each having a negative impact on the team:
Leadership
Go Ahead, Have the Meeting, If…
“I can’t have you tying my team up in daily meetings.”
“Why do you need that meeting; we already have another meeting with the same people.”
I can’t tell you how frequently I get questioned on the number of meetings I hold. Inevitably, though, at the end of the project phase, most people agree with my meeting strategy. Meetings are a part of life. Get over it. Don’t be a meeting avoider, and even worse, if you are creating an environment where people are afraid to have meetings, have you thought about the unintended consequences? Continue reading
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It Is All About You, and Here’s Why
I’ve always been curious about people who go on journeys to find themselves. I imagine someone going to a far-off land, being isolated from everything that was once familiar, and connecting with a spiritual side, just like a page out of Eat, Pray, Love. I realized two things: “finding” yourself is important; and you don’t have to travel to do it (although your self-discoveries may be more intense if you do; since I haven’t done it, I wouldn’t know). Here is what “finding” yourself (or self-discovery) does: Continue reading
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3 HR Practices That Kill High-Performance Teams
It’s all about the money. While the number one reason people leave companies is not money, a lot of dissatisfaction stems from money and the performance review process. It’s not about the dollar amount, though. It’s about not getting equitable rewards for equitable work. I’m not sure about your experiences, but my experience during annual review time was never pleasant. A general tension permeates the office as people wonder where they will fall in the performance rankings. Rumors about force-ranking employees and how the bonuses will be distributed prevail. And then once the reviews are delivered, commence walking on eggshells as people dance around the subject of whether they felt their ratings were fair. The impact of this is highest for top performers and high performing teams. Here are some human resource practices that contribute to disengagement of high performers: Continue reading
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5 Reasons to Quit a Job You Love
I felt like I was on the top of my game: I had a great boss, loved my team, was getting high profile projects and visibility with senior leadership. So I did what any sensible person would do: I quit. That’s what you would do, right? After I put in my notice, I started doubting myself and asking myself if I was crazy. Who leaves a job they love, especially in a society of people who don’t like their jobs? I do. And perhaps you should to. So when do you leave a job you love? Here are a few thoughts: Continue reading
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3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Be Afraid to Share Your BHAGs
Since my junior year in college, I wanted to be a CEO. I was ecstatic when my Myers-Briggs test said that it was a job that would suit my profile (I was an ENTJ). “See?” I thought. “It’s destiny!” I didn’t want the job for the title. I wanted everything the job promised: having big ideas and making them happen; responsibility; being able to influence the course of an organization; building a strategy; and most importantly, being in charge. I wanted all the things a 19-year-old knows about being a CEO. While I have matured, I actually still want to lead a large company. Continue reading
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7 Tips for a More Highly Engaged Team
A kegerator? Friday lunches paid for by the company? Open workspaces where even the CEO doesn’t have an office? It sounds like a page right out of Silicon Valley. You won’t find this company in California, though: they are right here in Denver, CO. I knew there was something special about this company when I met a handful of the employees at a networking event. They all seemed to have a passion for life. They didn’t seem like many others at a networking event: the ones compartmentalizing home and life (which doesn’t work); and the overly professional or agenda-pushing. Everyone from the company was high-energy and fun to be around. Continue reading
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The E-Mail That Brought down a Company
How much thought do you give to everyday actions? When you write an e-mail, how much consideration do you put into who is in the “To” and “CC” fields? When you include attachments, how often do you double-check the size before sending to ensure it won’t overload a user with a restricted mailbox size? And when you “Reply to all,” how much time do you spend perusing the included recipients before sending? Hopefully, after reading this, you will spend a little more time. Continue reading
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Bossiness Is Not Leadership
Bossiness is not synonymous with leadership, despite what the recent movement claims. The difference? It’s all about the approach. I was a bossy child. In fact, I was so bossy that at four I was in charge of my single-parent family. I told my mom what to do and held her hostage to my whims. I bossed my friends around to the point I didn’t really have any. If my friends didn’t do it my way, I had a bad attitude or didn’t participate at all. That’s not leadership.
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4 Questions to Ask Yourself When Hiring
Technical skills can be taught, character cannot. Hire character. Technical skills are easy to define and measure. You can quantify someone’s expertise on software. You can give a test to measure knowledge. You either have a degree, or you don’t. When hiring we focus on these measurable aspects of a person’s resumé, but these aren’t important, at least not as much as character. You can teach someone software. You can send them to a class to close some gap in technical skills. It’s much more difficult to send someone to a class to teach them to inspire, collaborate, or be visionary. When you hire, focus on the character skills that are non-negotiable. Continue reading
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