Do you put off dealing with employee performance problems? Many managers struggle with their reluctance to deal with an employee regarding poor performance or inappropriate behavior. Here are some concerns I’ve heard: “I don’t want to rock the boat, especially when the employee is performing the function even if not up to expectations.” “Correcting an …

Staying Sane When Leading Others: Summary Principles Everyone in management has gone through the transition from individual contributor to manager. Each person finds his/her own way to “survive.” The following guidelines will help you to keep your perspective and your health. 1. Monitor your work hours. The first visible, undeniable sign that things are out …

When I facilitated the PDCP Change Process (Blog March 2, Leading Adaptive Change) I was neither leading nor managing the actual work – the joy and frustration of being a facilitator. Observing leaders and managers who were at the working surface (the point where things actually happen) I realized the following: During times of Adaptive …

“I don’t think I know anyone who can honestly say that he or she doesn’t want to be a success. Do you?” asks June Melvin Mickens, J.D. of Executive Advantage, LLC, in her E. A. INSIGHT newsletter article, The Good Boss: How to Be (or Recognize) One. “What’s interesting, though, is that usually many of …

Some people like their eggs poached, or scrambled, or soft-boiled, or sunny-side up. Others prefer deviled eggs, an omelet, or a quiche. A key principle of employee motivation is that different people and different groups have different needs and desires. Here’s what you need to know about motivation. 1. Money is not the top motivator …

We don’t often think about staff meetings as a training ground, but they are. Granted, they exist at a very basic level (only lower level would be OJT, or on-the-job training, considered one of the best training environments), but few situations allow you to have so many company subject matter experts and leaders in the …

Is it time to strengthen your supervisory muscles? Here are insights from years of working with managers, teams, and new leaders on the realities of supervision. For some of you it may be “old hat”; for others an “ah’ha”. In either case, know that the moment you start taking things for granted, you stop being …

If you’re getting a new boss in your existing job, consider getting ‘hired’ all over again. How many bosses have you had in your present job these past couple of years? I’ve asked this question in my career management and personal branding workshops. I heard everything from “my boss seems to hang on” to several …

When I asked friends for ideas on training for this article, here’s what I received: How to train your dog to use the toilet. How to make a mountain out of a mole hill. How to make an American quilt. How to extract your own wisdom teeth. How best to express road rage-flipping the bird …

am not a regular fan of reality television; however, I do really enjoy watching the show where the contestants are fighting to lose weight. You all know the show, right? Well, I love seeing how the contestants are able to lose weight and reduce risks to their health. I also really like that the show provides healthy tips on eating during the sometimes drawn out two hour episodes. But my favorite part of the show may just be the trainers. They are tough, but you really get the sense that they care about helping the contestants achieve their weight loss goals. The push the contestants, they call them out on t heir bull**** and excuses, and they don’t give up on them.