Question: I have a direct report who has high standards, is really great but depressed and easily overwhelmed…what can I do to help her focus? N.D., Alpine, NJ Answer: Feeling overwhelmed is often caused by mentally “spinning your wheels” e.g., speculating about issues/situations that are difficult, if not impossible, to resolve or to answer. This …
One of the major evolutions in the workplace is the shift from executing for immediate results to executing in order to build value over the long term (innovation). This is reflected in the expectations companies have for their management. Leaders used to be expected to have the answers; now they are expected to set direction …
Question: I’m normally a very productive person and pride myself on how much I can get done. As the holidays grow closer, though, I get less and less efficient no matter what strategies I try and it makes me feel like I’m doing a bad job. What should I do? P.L., New York, NY Answer: …
My productivity plummets during the holidays, help! Read More »
Many times leaders are asked to step in and facilitate a meeting, and they do so without shifting into the mindset of a facilitator. Leader and facilitator are very different roles and it’s important to be conscious of those differences if you want your meeting to be productive. Unlike a leader, a facilitator is a …
Numerous studies have shown that sleep deprivation impairs concentration, judgment, decision-making ability, and memory. Smart leaders are looking to encourage normal sleep in order to get a business edge. Here are some simple things to try: Work around your team’s “clock gene” or chronotype. Early birds will perform optimally earlier in the day than night …
Ever notice how superheroes are afraid of absolutely nothing? That’s exactly how we want our leaders to be—whether it’s our parents or our management. When we see someone in authority who remains unruffled in the face of a perceived threat, it keeps us calm and able to function. That’s great if you’re being managed. But …
Title: Shoe Dog Author: Phil Knight Genre: Biography & Autobiography Publisher: Simon and Schuster Release Date: April 26, 2016 Pages: 400 In Shoe Dog, Phil Knight shares the unbelievable saga behind the creation of Nike. It is a riveting read and a flat out miracle that Nike exists at all. Knight never envisioned creating an …
Bestselling author Seth Godin was interviewed recently and shared some interesting insights. Specifically, he noted the tendency we all have to track our errors and failures—the times we messed up, the missed opportunities, the one that “got away.” You usually track things as a measure to help yourself improve, but does keeping track of what …
Question: I am managing a senior group and honestly think none of them is invested in doing a good job. I think one is more interested in having a family, a few are looking to make career changes, and the rest are just miserable people. I recently inherited these people and don’t know what to …
I inherited a bunch of problematic senior staffers. Help! Read More »
Question:I have a peer who is very insecure. She’s a lovely woman but she frequently asks me to review important emails before she sends them and when she’s made a decision she’ll often run it by me. She has a difficult boss and I want to help but she’s starting to feel like my direct …
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