Leaders not infrequently come to us with the complaint, “I’m the only one around here who thinks strategically. I’m the only one coming up with new ideas and innovations. I am so frustrated!” Believe us, that frustration is shared by those leaders’ followers … because the root of the issue does not lie in the… Continue reading A Leader’s #1 Task: Replicate Yourself!
Delegation can be a leader’s best friend. When you delegate, you grow because you give yourself the time and opportunity to focus on higher-value activities that can have a greater impact for the firm. The person you delegate to also grows as they gain experience and expertise to take on new responsibilities. Yet, despite these… Continue reading Putting an End to “Swoop and Snatch” Delegation
Picture in your mind’s eye: you are sitting in a team meeting. One of your team members is not hitting the mark. As the leader, you need to tell him … but you waffle. You don’t want to hurt his feelings, so you use circumlocutions. You don’t want tempers to rise, so you water down… Continue reading A Lack of Clarity Gets a Lack of Results
I (Tim) recall hearing about a leader who, when asked what his management style was, stated without apology, “Fear.” He purposefully and aggressively worked to instill fear in his people, believing that if they were afraid of him they would work better. You are likely repulsed by the thought of such a “leadership style,” and… Continue reading Detecting a Culture of Fear
Company offices can readily turn into interpersonal battlegrounds. Verbal grenades explode one after the other – undercutting, demeaning, belittling, attacking, insulting, and destroying team members. In consequence, work does not get done and forward progress stalls, damaging the business. How does this happen? Particularly when the people involved are capable, competent individuals? An antagonistic culture… Continue reading Toxicity Is Not Okay
One of the most difficult and painful positions you can find yourself in as an experienced and capable leader is needing to “manage up” because your boss does not have your back. It is an unenviable position – but that does not mean it is an impossible situation. Let’s consider an all-too-common scenario: you lead… Continue reading Four Strategies for Managing Up
