CULTURE, what's the big deal?
Culture is a vague concept to many, and it is often difficult to define, manage and understand. We break down culture in a way that makes it easier to talk about, manage and change. The focus is on how you impact the culture in your organization and/or department.
understanding trust
Trust is the foundation of leadership and all positive relationships. Even though it is important, we often behave in ways that lead to a breakdown in trust and a breakdown in relationships. Understand the components of trust and what can be done when trust breaks down.
interviewing for culture
If culture is defined by the behaviors demonstrated in the workplace, then the people in the workplace make the culture come alive. Selecting employees to join your company that match the values and have shown behaviors you are looking for is key for either moving to a new culture or maintaining the existing culture. These employees can define your success.
understanding generations
Identifying generations is helpful to provide the framework around discussions about possible challenges in the workplace. We have to be careful in how we generalize. There are events that influenced each generation, but not everyone in a generation is the same. We need to focus not on the generalizations and instead focus on creating an effective work team.
coaching for performance
Good performance is not an accident. It is achieved through consistent, focused and on-going work. Many people get promoted into management positions because they were good at their previous roles. Some leaders believe that employees know what to do and how to do them. Both of these are false. Just like an exceptional athlete, the employee needs someone who can guide them, help them develop skills and modify their course when necessary.
leading change
Change is one of those things that strikes fear in most people. There are countless reasons why change initiatives fail, but most all lead back to one thing - those leading change focusing on the wrong areas and ignoring the people involved in the change. Taking the right approach to change can not only lead to a successful change initiative, but also create a team that may not resist change as much in the future.
leading EFFECTIVE meetings
Meetings are considered to be a necessary evil by many. Done poorly, meetings are often ineffective, costly and lead to a decrease in motivation and engagement. Done properly, meetings can increase organizational performance, employee morale and serve a purpose.
the art of delegation
One of the primary objectives of a manger or supervisor is to accomplish results through other people. We do this by assigning roles and responsibilities and provide guidance along the way. Delegation is one of the tools we use to accomplish this. The challenge is to delegate without decreasing morale or engagement.
motivation and engagement
There are as many things that motivate or engage someone as there are people in the workforce. The fact remains, you cannot motivate someone any more than you can force someone to do something. Our role as leaders is to create the environment where motivation and engagement are possible.
dealing with difficult behavior
Many times, we are asked to work with or manage people who cause difficulty or challenges at work. Either through reputation or our own experiences, we may determine they are” difficult” and that is just the way they are – and we accept this. In order to change their behavior, we need to stop labeling people and focus on their behavior.