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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Should you be a dictator?
Few leadership articles have stirred a response like the one titled Your Company Is not a Democracy by George Cloutier. There was even some question about whether it was serious - or if it was a...
Making requests by e-mail
You need others to do something. The easiest way for you to communicate this request if probably via e-mail. The caution is that e-mail presents many opportunities to mis-communicate and make your...
Accountability with compassion
A recent New York Times interview with Niki Leondakis, chief operating officer of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, illustrated an important point. You can hold people accountable to high...
Coaching lessons from golf school
My recent experience at golf school illustrated how frustrating and exhilarating it can be to learn something new. In fact, an anonymous but wise person said, Golf can best be defined as an endless...
Expectation or suggestion?
Arnold is meeting with Bev, one of his direct reports. She is going over her current projects. Arnold comments that she appears to be overloaded with work that isn't a top priority. Bev is...
Over-accelerating the pace of work
The Harvard Business Review recently produced two articles related to the frantic pace of work that appears to be the "new normal." The Acceleration Trap by Heike Bruch and Jochen I. Menges and The...
Performance is improving…
You're piloting an airplane. You take off from the airport and head west towards the mountains. Your altitude is gradually increasing, but not at a fast enough rate. Without the right maneuvers now,...
Leadership lessons from Mom
That MBA degree is dandy, but the lessons learned can't hold a candle to Mom's (or Dad's or Gram's) wisdom. A recent poll of Humanergists resulted in these leadership lessons from our very first...
I could stop whenever I want to
You're addicted to your smartphone. So what? Isn't that a pretty socially acceptable compulsion - one that helps you be more efficient and effective? The term "Crackberry" isn't considered to be...
Are you a consistent leader?
Is your leadership consistent, regardless of the setting you are in, the people you're with or the circumstances you're facing? Consistency in leadership may sound like a recipe for boring sameness...
To 360 or not to 360
A recent Business Week article advocated that the 360 degree assessment should be a thing of the past. Typically, the 360 evaluation includes peers, direct reports and others giving feedback...
Think achieve, then do
If you don't know where you're going, you can never get lost. Herb Cohen When vacationing, the lack of a defined destination can set the stage for a grand adventure. In our work lives, however, not...
When facing a crisis, think wider!
You're facing a crisis and working hard not to panic. Sure, it's not your first emergency, and you survived the others. What tools can you use this time to not only survive, but maintain clear...
A former peer is your new boss!
You always knew she had talent and was hard-working. Now the person who used to sit in the next cubicle is moving to a corner office. How do you manage the transition and the issues that will arise?...
From peer to boss
You've done it. You've received the big promotion and will now lead your department. So, how do you handle the transition from being a peer to being the boss? Scott Eblin summarized a New York Times...
Made a mistake? Have a good laugh
Have you ever done something embarrassing, said something unintentionally funny or just goofed up at work? Did you laugh at yourself? Let others laugh too? Joellen was making a presentation to a...
Easy = True
Drake Bennett published an article in the Boston Globe's online edition titled Easy=True: How 'cognitive fluency' shapes what we believe, how we invest, and who will become a supermodel. He cites...
Humanergy: Ten years of laughter
Ten years ago, Humanergy was created. The funny name (who can pronounce it right the first time?) was just the foundation for 10 years of guffaws. It's possible that we aren't as funny as we think...
Trust and verify
Much has been written about the importance of people trusting their leaders. Less attention is paid to the essential quality of trust in your direct reports (sometimes referred to somewhat...
Stop talking, start doing
Great leaders give inspiring speeches, restate the organization's values and reinforce outstanding performance. They also know when to shut up, to put it somewhat crudely. What situations should...
Are you a Charlie?
Charlie, a retired engineer, is Humanergy's on-call handyman. And he is so much more than that. Charlie can fix anything. Even more impressive than his multitude of abilities is his total commitment...