I was sitting in a restaurant and while enjoying my meal I noticed there was a change in shifts. As a result of the shift change, a new waitress approached the table and started clearing the used dishes and utensils without saying a word, making no eye contact with me or any of my guests. [...]
Earlier in my career, I worked with an executive who always reinforced the message, “What gets measured, gets done.” It is a deceptively simple statement because it has profound implications. For example, if you measure only processes, your people will focus on the process to the exclusion of all else. Additionally, measuring only processes can lead [...]
So why does change matter? Change is all around us. If leaders wait too long to address changes within their internal and external environments, organizations can miss the windows of opportunity to change without doing damage to their brand and ultimately their businesses. For example, in some circumstances, decision makers choose not to follow the [...]
As a leader, it is important for you to keep your fingers on the pulse of the organization. It helps to know what is happening, what is about to happen and why, because your ability to answer these questions equips you with information you need to take proactive steps to address situations that can create [...]
In multiple organizations, the CEO, Managing Director or owner is the primary architect of the culture whether or not he or she is aware of it. In organizations where the CEO is predisposed toward innovation and change, when the right employees are hired, they can keep up with the dynamism of change which has its [...]
Boundaries are a peculiar structure because there are so many interpretations of what a boundary is. Some boundaries are inflexible, others are flexible; some boundaries are established in a way that leaves persons reeling and feeling ostracized, others are set in a way that feels inclusive, strengthening relationships. Regardless the outcomes, boundary setting is a [...]
As a people leader, you probably witness a number of workplace transgressions on a daily or weekly basis. There are times we choose not to address the indiscretions because the employee is a high performer or because he / she may challenge you if you confront them and you do not feel you have the [...]
There are organizations that are unintentional about their cultures. Leaders of these institutions don’t perceive the value of spending time defining and sustaining their cultures. They don’t realize that a well-defined, intentional culture is so valuable that it can serve as a critical differentiating factor within their market(s). There are multiple factors that contribute to [...]
There are leaders who spend time determining the next step in their careers but they don’t put the same effort into evaluating work cultures that are compatible with their values and needs. Because of their lack of preliminary research, these leaders sometimes end up doing something they love in an environment that stifles their growth. In [...]
Regardless of how vigilant we are when making decisions, sometimes we allow known or indiscernible biases to penetrate our process, coloring them with assumptions, misinterpretations, and opinions. As a leader, you are involved with making decisions about persons that can permanently impact their lives so with great responsibility comes the need to demonstrate objectivity and fairness. [...]
