Developing leaders that make work better
Knowing how to build trust is critical for leaders and managers. Many people do it naturally. For others, it’s something that they develop over time. Trust relationships exist between leaders and their team members, between a manager and their own boss and also between colleagues. It’s important for leaders to build trust in all of […]
You may have heard the saying “altitude determines your altitude”. It means that attitude will determine how successful someone will be, rather than just their ability. I have come to believe that a positive attitude is far better than a high skill level, in many situations. I’ve seen leaders make excuses for disruptive team members […]
In the hustle and bustle of work, it can be easy to get into a situation where your team has too much work to do. Obviously this isn’t a great place to be. Overworked team members become stressed. Stress causes bad behaviour, low motivation and general unhappiness. That’s not the type of team you want […]
Last week a reader, Beth, asked me this question: “I’m interested in learning how to become a manager. So far, I haven’t had a proper leadership position. What do you think is the best way to become a manager?” Great question! As someone starting out, knowing how to become a manager can be tricky. One […]
I can’t count the number of times I have observed poor work performance being ignored. When it’s not happening in your team, it’s easy to point fingers and say that other people aren’t doing their job. In the harsh light of reality, there are a number of reasons why poor work performance may be overlooked […]
Jess is responsible for this. John is responsible for that. That all sounds great. But is it actually true? When a leader says somebody is accountable or responsible, it actually doesn’t mean much. For someone to take responsibility, you first need them to buy in. Many times, I’ve seen leaders fall flat on their face. […]
I was at work, about to start a teleconference with managers across the country. It was Friday, and one of the people on the line forgot to mute their phone before the meeting started. I could hear him singing the chorus line of the popular 80s song “Everybody’s working for the weekend”. If you haven’t […]
Work is a simple concept. People go to work so they can earn money, in order to live the life they want, or at least survive a little longer. But underneath that simple concept are layers of complexity. Workplaces are complex and the problems within them are many and varied. Some of my close friends […]
We all want to be leading and working in effective teams. But what does this mean? In my experience, an effective team does two important things. Firstly, an effective team does the right work. This means that the work helps to satisfy your team’s customers. These customers might be inside or outside your company. A […]
Self doubt can be a scary part of leading a team. When you have self doubt, it sits on your shoulder like a constant companion. Why should they listen to me? Am I cut out for this? To me, doubting yourself is a good thing. It can be uncomfortable and reduce your confidence from time […]