HUMANERGY'S LEADERSHIP BLOG
LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS THAT WORK IN THE REAL WORLD
Explore our library of practical tools, tips, and stories. Drawn from decades of coaching leaders and teams.
Explore Humanergy’s leadership blog for proven tools, strategies, and insights to help leaders and teams thrive.
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Know your organization’s culture?
Top leaders think they have their finger on the pulse of the organization. In reality, what they believe about the culture (how things really work) is often based on misconceptions or incomplete...
Does size matter?
Is it easier to communicate effectively in a small organization? Not necessarily. I have talked with many employees and owners of small businesses who bemoan the fact that they find it difficult to...
Keep it simple
Profound wisdom from Albert Einstein: "If you can't explain it simply, then you don't understand it well enough." I was reminded of this quotation when I attempted to gain an understanding of our...
Elephants and riders
When we ask people to reflect on great leadership moments, they identify a common theme. It is the ability to understand the self and others and put this intelligence into purposeful effect. In...
Conflict aftermath
In a perfect world, people in conflict would work things out and emerge stronger. In the real world, conflict can be complicated and take some time to resolve. While we firmly believe that the vast...
Boost your employees’ performance
It makes intuitive sense that how people feel day to day impacts their contributions on the job. New research by Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer "reveals the dramatic impact of employees’ inner...
A pile of rocks or something more?
This humble pile of stones has been created (and re-created) at Humanergy's back door. Although I created it initially, it is not uncommon to find people adding to the stack or re-building it after...
Is your ego a problem?
Leadership at the top is a tough gig. To meet shareholders' or other important stakeholders' expectations,leaders are expected to take bold action and still protect the organization's vital...
Do you really coach your people?
Dan McCarthy's post, Can a manager be a coach, is a breath of fresh air! He points out the reality that so many bosses consider every interaction with a direct report to be a coaching session. What...
Manage in a world without order
I have given up on the idea that life will settle down and become predictable or calm. I don't necessarily enjoy the constant change and hectic pace, but I'm trying to learn coping strategies....
It takes time to motivate
It's official. A recent McKinsey & Company report reviews best practices for motivating great performance. Numerous studies show that as long as people have adequate salaries, financial...
Does a game face work?
Everybody has a bad day once in a while, even the boss. Leaders sometimes feel that they cannot let their true feelings show, so they put on a "game face" to mask their true emotions. Janine Popick...
Communicating intent
You get along well with your co-workers and enjoy a pretty drama-free job environment. Yet sometimes it is frustrating when people "take things the wrong way." Sometimes over-sensitive people are...
Increase MQ
You know the feeling. You're on fire at work - moving from one priority to the next, and so in the groove that it doesn't even feel taxing. You are in that mental state that is both energized and...
Open yourself to awe
Those amazing folks at Brains on Fire posted this video on their blog, and it blew my doors off! I won't attempt to summarize this, except to say that I am going to put away my media for a part of...
Are you too nice?
I'm all for courtesy, kindness and generosity. But do you want to be thought of as nice? I can think of many reasons to avoid niceness as a label. Niceness can work against you. Studies about...
Visualize your treasure
Depending upon who you ask, it takes 21 to 66 days to build a habit from scratch. In my case, it's been about 660 days and counting since I said I wanted to get into better shape. If an upcoming...
Stop fuzzy commitments
I just read a post that made me wince. Fred K. posted on LinkedIn about making a mistake at the end of meetings. I think I actually make that same mistake via email and in casual conversations not...
If only others were perfect
Nobody's perfect. That seems like a pretty simple and well-accepted notion. However, when dealing with people at work, you need (or at least want) them to do the right things. The fact that others...
What is stopping you?
In an effort to be the best performer and leader, we often expend a lot of time and energy seeking the next great idea. However, sometimes it's better to put down that business book and act on what...
Communicating when emotions run high
Carla and Timothy were part of the team working on a crucial project. Timothy was tasked with completing all aspects of the design. Unfortunately, he missed a deadline by several days, and Carla was...