Time Management on Steroids

One of the most important issues facing my clients is time management. They are over-scheduled, perennially interrupted, covering for others’ mistakes, and solving dozens of challenges.

I was working with a client in his office and within a brief ten-minute slice of time, four different people “dropped in” to ask something. When the fourth person walked in, he just looked at me and started to laugh. This man’s workday really begins in the evening, and obviously, that isn’t sustainable over time.

Aspiring to the Next Level

Top performers strive for the next accomplishment, soak up new information, and embrace the opportunity to challenge the status quo. They are eager to learn and stretch their minds.

I enjoy asking what people read, because it reveals interesting insights. Some people eagerly share their latest title; others look at me with a look that says “who cares about that?”

What Lies Beneath

Have you ever made assumptions about what someone is thinking, reacted based on those assumptions, only to find out that you were completely wrong? We all do this occasionally, but frankly, it’s a bad habit.

You never know what’s going on with someone…you need to ask.

Move Forward with Your Promotion

Over the years, I’ve worked with people who have been promoted into senior leadership positions and need some help adjusting to their new roles. Many of them have advanced from managerial jobs, but something just isn’t quite right in their new capacity.

The essence of these challenges is that these people haven’t moved forward with their promotions. For example, recently promoted senior level managers still operate from a mindset of middle management.

The Accountability Factor

Leaders find that accountability – or, more accurately, the lack thereof – is one of the more challenging issues in the workplace. How do you get people to do what they commit to do…especially when often they don’t stand by their commitments?

Creating a culture of accountability takes work and dedication by the leaders of an organization. You can’t just post rules and guidelines and expect people to follow them. They won’t. And you can’t expect behavior to change overnight.

Embrace the Change Agent

Have you experienced situations where employees resist raising their level of performance because of co-worker resentment? This might sound crazy, but unfortunately it happens . And it’s up to you to stop it before it gets out of control.

A few years ago, I delivered a leadership program over a period of weeks. One of the participants, Jeanne, eagerly returned to her office each week with the intention of applying something that she learned.

The Value of Consistent Action

Do you add so many tasks to your to-do list that it becomes harder to keep up as the days creep on? Many people have this challenge, especially with so much pressure to do more in less time.

Most leaders keep up (or try to keep up) with urgent activities, such as client-related deadlines, internal deliverables, or follow-up meetings. If you have a deadline, you’re more likely to get it done.

Breaking Up with an Employee

No one likes to fire an employee. It’s uncomfortable – even distressing – depending on the circumstances. But it’s one of the realities of managing; in fact, the rest of your staff will take note of how you handle it.

Here are a few examples of what not to do based on real situations that happened to three different clients.

The Dialogue of Feedback

What is your preferred style when delivering feedback? Some people embrace opportunities to offer positive accolades for a job well done. Others are quick to criticize what didn’t work well and focus on what needs to be done differently the next time.

Both types of feedback are necessary. You need to acknowledge the good as well as offer suggestions for improvement.

Management Myopia

Have you ever clung to an old narrative about an employee even if the circumstances have changed? For example, let’s say you reigned in a “renegade” employee six months ago and the person subsequently adapted to more moderate behavior.

In this case, the former scenario no longer exists. But you’ve recently discovered that the employee is actually underperforming because he’s following your previous directives to the letter and is timid about taking advantage of new opportunities.

Leadership is a Mindset

Category: Leadership Advice