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.
Use the magnifying glass icon in the upper right to search for a topic!
Good performers resisting change?
Your organization needs to implement significant change in order to survive. You have high hopes that this will go well, since your people are talented and enthused about the mission. There's one...
Creating fertile ground for change
Culture change in organizations requires more than a series of passionate speeches and staff training. Before leaders sow the seeds of change, they need to increase their chances of success by...
Failure or success? Either way, you win!
Raise your hand if you prefer success. How about failure? When we succeed, we often say "whoopee"and quickly move on to the next thing to do. When we fail, we hurry past the mistake and try to...
Are you part of a culture of intimidation?
You may be thinking, "Me? I'd never be a leader in an organization whose culture was intimidating! I'm a nice person!" Unfortunately, organizational culture and habits have a tendency to creep, if...
Be disruptive
Whitney Johnson wrote a blog post called How to Identify Your Disruptive Skills. She wasn't instructing people on how to be rude or annoying. She wrote about how you can uncover their most unique...
Work/life balance for frequent travelers
Is business travel taking a toll on your home life? One in five adults in the United States will take a trip for business in the next six months. For many, it's a way of life. How can you travel for...
Just confident enough
Self-confidence is a prerequisite for leadership. But like other laudable qualities, confidence must be kept in balance. Successful leaders believe in themselves and their capabilities. They...
Most rules are unnecessary
Let's just clear this up, for those of you who are rule followers: Yes, there are a few rules that organizations need in order to comply with the law and create necessary structure and standards....
Why superheroes can’t be strategic
Think you're not focusing on strategy because you don't have enough time? Maybe it's because you're afraid to fail. You want - or even need - guaranteed success at every step. Being too successful...
Wait…what did she mean by that?
You walk out of your boss' office after a detailed discussion about the PDQ Project. You sit down at your computer, take out your notes, and begin amending the project plan. Suddenly that fruitful...
Dangerous assumptions
Shawna left the meeting feeling like her hiring decision had been all wrong. Why couldn't Hector manage this project on his own? When Shawna was in his role, she was able to make decisions and move...
It takes a village
Remember the 1996 book by Hillary Clinton titled It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us? One main idea of Clinton’s book was that it takes more than a parent to nurture children who...
The power and limits of logic
I am an unapologetic Trekkie. My favorite Star Trek character was Mr. Spock, the half-Vulcan, half-Human second-in-command. His Vulcan side was all about logic. Mr. Spock was the calm, rational...
Maintaining motivation in crazy times
You've decided to become a better project manager/crossword puzzler/paintball player. You start off strong, working diligently on your goal. Then reality hits, life gets hectic and your momentum...
Get real about procrastination
"If it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done." Author unknown Okay, in the spirit of full disclosure, I must admit to you that I'm working on this blog at the very last minute,...
Build courage when you need it
Remember the Cowardly Lion in the movie, The Wizard of Oz? Here’s how he introduced himself to Dorothy, the Tin Man and the Scarecrow: What makes a king out of a slave? Courage! What makes the flag...
Give yourself a break
It's a new year, and if you are like most people, you've come up with some resolutions. I will lose 20 pounds, read all of the classics and be a perfect leader. It's no wonder that most resolutions...
What if you were out of the picture?
It could happen to you. You could have an accident or experience a serious illness. It may seem odd to think about this scenario, and yet it is instructive for a number of reasons. First, there are...
Your leadership motto for 2011
Yes, it's almost 2011. With luck, you are taking this opportunity to pause, relax and take a breather before leaping headlong into another hectic year. What better time to reflect upon your...
Comfort doesn’t produce joy
Yes, the Christmas carol wishes you "tidings of comfort and joy." But in leadership, seldom do those two emotional states correlate. That's because leadership requires that you continually function...
Maximum lessons for minimum wage
Ever work in the hot summer sun mowing the neighbors' lawns? Do cold call sales for three bucks an hour? Sweat through the night making widgets in a factory? As a young person, your jobs may not...