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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Three questions for helpful feedback
It can be daunting, intimidating and downright scary to ask people to give you feedback on your performance. You know you need it, but it seems both time-consuming and full of potential emotional...
Three reasons NOT to have a meeting
I saw a post today about how to drastically cut meeting time by sending out relevant materials in advance and proceeding right to discussion. Margaret Heffeman writes in her blog at cbsnews.com that...
The most powerful word
You're in a heated discussion with your colleagues. You need to make a decision and move forward collectively. What one word will help you reach alignment? And. When I strongly believe in my...
Help people learn by experience
Experience is a wonderful teacher. If you've ever tried to convince someone of something by using your gift of gab, you know what I mean. It's hard to talk people into changing their minds. Once...
Identify your elephants
Sheila and Sam have never gotten along well, and when they are assigned to a key project together, neither person is pleased. Minor tensions slowly grow into full-scale battle, and the rest of the...
The best way to think great thoughts
You have a problem to solve or a new idea to cook up. What do you do? Pile lots of people in a room and brainstorm, right? Wrong. It turns out that free association in a group uncovers predictable...
Feed your team
I am a card-carrying member of ASDT (Adult Survivors of a Dysfunctional Team). I am sure that it is just a coincidence (or the fact that I have been working for many, many years), but I've served on...
Evaluate results not time
We all know the workers who are the first to arrive and last to leave. They don't take time off. You wonder if their kids even recognize them anymore. Contrast that person with an employee who...
Great expectations
It may seem like common sense that when a teacher expects students to excel at a certain level, the students do. Grading can be subjective, after all. It is more surprising that studies of teachers...
Name your leadership genius
Should you spend more time leveraging your strengths or fixing your weaknesses? Evidence suggests that leaders are more effective when they focus on maximizing their natural capabilities. Stories...
Can you fix people?
We have heard it before. "You can't change people." Yet we persist with the idea that if we just use the right words at the right time, the other person will "get it." In "Leadership in the Age of...
Listen when you do not want to hear
On a couple of occasions recently, I've been challenged to listen to feedback that I did not welcome. In one case, it was a long-term member of an organization in which I hold a volunteer leadership...
Leadership examined
"The unexamined life is not worth living." Socrates Life seems to move at the speed of light, and most leaders don't feel they have the luxury of stepping back to reflect. Yes, you may do a project...
Mindful eating
If you are like me, the New Year's resolutions have come and gone. So now is the time for more sane and realistic goals to take center stage. Being effective in all realms of life requires a healthy...
One simple way to show you care
I am in a meeting with someone, talking about the status of projects, next steps and responsibilities. As usual, I bring along a notepad and pen to jot down important details that I know I won't...
How to kill wisdom
Barry Schwartz studies wisdom and gave a brilliant Ted lecture on the topic that you won't want to miss. In case you don't have 20 minutes to watch the whole lecture now, here are the highlights....
Losing your high potentials?
Retaining employees with high potential is essential to the success of your organization. The Center for Creative Leadership's High-Potential Talent: A View from Inside the Leadership Pipeline...
Make your customers happy
When it comes to making your customers happy, a recent blog post from our friends at Brains on Fire said it best. "Happy employees lead to happy customers. And that “shared happy” leads to positive...
Expecting the unexpected
Stuff happens. You pull out of the garage on your way to work, already thinking of what you need to do once you arrive. Suddenly, WHAM! You've sideswiped the huge dumpster that the contractor left...
First meetings – 6 steps to success
Whether you're a consultant, freelancer, small business owner or a leader in your organization, you know how important it is to have a successful first meeting with a prospect, client or other key...
You get what you schedule
I am great at making to-do lists. Right now I have a paper list at my office, one in Outlook tasks, and two or three on scraps of paper at home, including one that's buried in a pile of bills and...