so your vision is never lost.

LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

 
Have the Creative Juices Stopped Flowing? Here’s How to Combat Your Team’s “Creative Block” When Brainstorming
Creativity is a like a muscle. If it doesn’t get exercise, it can atrophy, and a weakened muscle can’t be called upon to lift at the drop of the hat. That’s a problem in the office: we’re just not using our brains creatively at work all that much. In fact, on average, people only spend 25 percent of their time at work in creative endeavors.[1. “The Global Creativity Gap,” http://www.creativityatwork.com/2012/04/23/the-global-creativity-gap/] That makes it really difficult for people to be suddenly creative when […]
Mind the Gap: How Conation Gaps Can Cause Stress and Disengagement, and What to Do About It
Brace yourself for a troubling statistic: a recent Gallup poll found that only 35 percent of employees are engaged in their work. What’s worse, research shows that when managers are disengaged, it has a cascade effect on the employees they manage, leading to less engagement over all. [1. “U.S. Employee Engagement Unmoved in June at 31.9%,” http://www.gallup.com/poll/184061/employee-engagement-unmoved-june.aspx?g_source=EMPLOYEE_ENGAGEMENT&g_medium=topic&g_campaign=tiles] With all the effort good leaders expend trying to create a welcoming, engaging atmosphere for managers and employees — everything from ping pong tables […]
Coaching – You CAN Do It
In this week’s video blog our expert guide, Don Hadley, discusses the importance of coaching. Sometimes leaders may say “I can’t do it.” However, coaching is not difficult. If leaders pay attention, ask very few questions and repeat back the information, it can be done. The value of coaching is causing the employees to think at a broader and deeper level. Do you ask direct questions? Do you listen attentively so you can help them dig deeper and broader? How […]
Is There Room in the Glove?
In this week’s video blog our expert guide, Don Hadley, discusses the concept of engaging or not engaging with individuals. There are certain times when it is appropriate to engage in conversations or business with people. Then, there are times when it is just as appropriate to not engage with people. This brings to mind a saying, “A relationship is like a glove. You should be able to fit in the glove, wear it and have room to work effectively.” […]
Taking Responsibility
  In this week’s video blog our expert guide, Don Hadley, discusses how critical it is for leaders to take responsibility for the success of their teams when they are not in the office. The only way to develop the people that work for you into independent, self-sufficient leaders is to clearly communicate the deliverables necessary to run your organization. Make certain that these deliverables are written down, part of the job descriptions, viewed as tactics for success. Your employees […]
The Secret Ingredients to a High Performing Team: Is Your Team Missing Emotional Intelligence?
Have you ever found yourself figuratively (or perhaps literally!) banging your head against your office wall, trying to rack your brain to come up with a solution to a new problem or opportunity that your company faced? Those solitary head-banging sessions often end in frustration because, frankly, even the smartest business leaders need the collective strength of teams to come up with workable solutions. In fact, a 2012 survey of employees and executives found that a whopping 86 percent of […]
Mission (and Vision) Control: How Establishing Effective Mission and Vision Statements Can Rocket Your Company to Success
Does your company have a compelling mission statement? What about an inspiring vision statement? For many business leaders, these may sound like trick questions; executives often don’t understand the crucial difference between a company’s mission and its vision, let alone carve out enough time for this key part of strategic planning. That’s bad news for leaders who want to earn the respect of their colleagues and guide employees to success. In a Harvard Business Review survey, 77 percent of respondents […]
The Art of Persuasion: Follow This System to Learn the Skills You Need to Persuade Effectively
You’ve got your PowerPoint slides cued up, your suit and tie on, and your team’s rapt attention — you’re about to embark on the herculean task of persuading your colleagues to invest a large amount of time, money, and effort in tackling what you think is a huge opportunity for company growth. You’re feeling confident; after weeks of research, you’re certain that your proposal will lead to a big win for the company. But after you’ve explained your way through […]
React Quickly: Prevent Slow Death
Running an organization is like flying an airplane, although it is not as dramatic. When an airplane has a warning light go on, the crew reacts. In business, too often leaders wait to see what happens…and they wait…and they wait… and by the time the crash occurs, it is too late. We have identified seven typical situations where we see slow death occur within organizations. Leaders in these situations must make changes to get to a new and better reality. […]