One of the more complicated parts of being a leader is building a vision your team connects to and eagerly stands behind. Here are two ideas you can use to get started.
My team said they won’t talk to me - what do I do?
While there are lots of reasons people decide not to talk or share information with a leader, our experience shows the top two are:
People aren’t feeling psychologically safe - they feel what they say can and will be held against them, especially when it involves their current and future well-being
People aren’t seeing a better future - they feel stuck because they aren’t enjoying their current reality yet don’t see anything better nor any way to get there
Until you deal with the first item and get some communication going, you can’t address the second.
We are not living our values. Help!
Last year's DIY team retreat was a disaster - what do I do this year?
We hear from many committed leaders who set out to rally their people in the right direction and call us after their self-facilitated retreat with: “There has got to be a better way to do this year-end retreat thing!”
Here are a few fails we’ve seen people experience when running their own DIY retreats along with a few remedies to make your retreat work well for everyone.
I heard some staff don't feel welcome here - how can that be?
The experience of receiving tough feedback about culture is common - even for leaders who feel they value everyone on their teams. How leaders respond to questions of inclusion—a sense of belonging at work—is vitally important for staff moral, workplace climate, AND the long-term success of your business.
My employees keep venting to me - how do I get the drama to stop?
As a leader, separating venting from important questions and concerns takes time and patience. It can be a drag to listen to people complain without solutions or bring you their concerns without seeing their role in the problem. Tune into three areas from Cy Wakeman’s work to decrease drama at your organization.
My questions to my staff at work are backfiring - what do I do?
The old adage “There’s no such thing as a bad question” might feel like a slap in the face. Rather than good or bad questions, we like to think of questions as unhelpful or helpful. Some questions can help everyone get to a good outcome. Others do the opposite. Consider these subtle shifts to help you get the outcomes you are striving for when asking questions of your employees.
How to get support as you build a purpose-driven business
While Chris has been an active participant in the Summit for a few years now, Senior Business Advisor, Jana Sanchez , experienced her first Small Giants Summit this year. For those who are wondering if yet ANOTHER conference would really benefit them, here are a few of her observations that might help make your decision easier.
Our meetings often suck ... the life out of everyone. How can we stay energized and on track during hard team work?
How do I know we have the right people on the bus?
Thanks to the popularity of Jim Collins’ Good to Great book and his signature finger pointing, leaders everywhere wonder if they have the right people on the bus. We think his three-prong answer provides the direction you need if you find yourself asking the same question.
I'm a CEO. How do I get people to really tell me the problems around here?
How do you coach your CEO to take action? Asking for a friend.
Hold Up! Three Ways to Celebrate 2018's Successes before 2019 Gets Here
We're working to change the (business) world - want to help?
It's fall - how's your plan for the year going?
Painting Your Team Out of its Corners
It’s easy for your department leaders to get painted into the corner of their titles, defending their territory with the skills for which they were hired. But leaders on a great team learn to come out of their department corners and engage with their peers to find solutions that work for the whole organization.
How to create a team that's change-proof
Why unasked for help often isn't ... and what to do about it
You know as a leader, people are counting on you to help the organization. And you need everyone working together, giving their best, stretching themselves to be better. Sometimes, offering help feels riskier than its worth. Here’s one way to provide feedback that gets to results and builds your relationships.
Psst ... looking for an uncommonly powerful leadership practice? Try peer leadership.
What are you growing at your company?
As a leader, you’re something of a gardener. It’s your job to nurture people and the culture so there’s a positive environment - a place where people are growing into their best selves, cultivating their talents, and working together for everyone’s benefit. Without tending, your company can become as unwelcoming as that gravel-strewn back lot of weeds.
Consider these five steps to tend your cultural garden as you work and lead.
