It’s March….the most challenging month of the year for most people. Me included. I’m ready for sunshine and being warm outside, only to be taunted by cold days and mild snow flurries. And if that wasn’t bad enough, most people’s New Year resolutions have gone by the wayside. Very depressing indeed…. I can’t help you […]
Future Focused Leaders Create Cultures of Purpose
I was invited to speak in Budapest a few years back at the STRETCH Leadership and Management Conference. It was truly an honor. The STRETCH Conference invites people to learn from the best and stretch themselves. This year’s theme was “Building Effective, Adaptable, Resilient and Purposeful Organizations.” Speakers covered topics such as organizational agility, experimental […]
Five Tips to Transform Talent in the Workplace
Let’s talk talent. I don’t mean Broadway and Hollywood talent; I mean organizational talent. The people at work who lead projects, clash with their colleagues, and often give 100% to their organization. The questions I’ve been asked to address in my various talks over the years include: How to retain talent with limited promotional opportunities? […]
From Successful to Very Successful: Why Less is More
“Success is a catalyst for failure,” says Greg McKeown in a recent Harvard Business Review article. The basic premise of his statement is that once someone has a taste of success, a world of opportunities opens up and the temptation to pursue all of those new opportunities is too enticing to ignore. This loss of focus and […]
Should Your Organization Be Decentralized?
As Henry Mintzberg, author of The Structuring of Organizations, writes, “The words centralization and decentralization have been bandied about for as long as anyone has cared to write about organizations.” And that is a pretty long time, at least since 400 B.C., when Jethro advised Moses to distribute responsibility to various levels in the hierarchy. […]
20 Ways to Boost Employee Engagement Starting Today
HR managers can agree that employee engagement and retention are at the top of their priority list. Every company wants to attract and keep the best talent. The problem? Many employees in today’s job market quickly feel uninspired by their work, get bored after 2 years and start job hunting for something new. So we decided to speak […]
Do Unhappy Employees Stifle Innovation?
I recently read an article in Bloomberg Business Week titled, “Three people to fire immediately.” I know what you’re thinking – you loathe the idea of discussing problem areas that a certain ‘You Know Who’ needs to address. However sometimes, no matter how effective your management techniques, there are people who will not change and […]
Leadership in the Zone – How to Fully Engage Your Leadership
Think that brainpower alone will maintain high performing teams? Think again. Instead, it takes a special kind of energy, which is created from a combination of four aspects of our lives: the body, mind, emotions and spirit (yes, spirit!). I’ve invited expert Tom Ward, founder and principal of NextLevel, to be a guest blogger on […]
How to Define Your Organizational Values
Organizational culture can be seen as a “personality” created by the organization’s values, attitudes, and behaviors. This “personality” attracts and keeps great talent, creates a positive public image, and helps build long-lasting relationships with stakeholders, vendors and customers. But a good organizational culture doesn’t spring up out of serendipity. It requires intentional and thoughtful identification […]
How to Increase Employee Retention With Data
Your search is over. You finally found an ideal candidate after months of screening and interviewing. It took a lot of work (and many awkward conversations) but thinking about your new hire’s potential contributions to the team made it all worthwhile. However, don’t pat yourself on the back just yet… because one third (33%) of new […]
