Last time we looked at what worked and what didn’t work for you in 2022. Today we’re previewing the new year with a focus on refreshing your mindset.
The end and beginning of the year are typical times that people think in terms of a fresh start. To have a successful fresh start, you will benefit by rebooting your mindset.
This month has continued the trend of busy Decembers. Everyone seems to have been going full steam since the beginning of the month and many have frantically tried to get twice the work done in half the time.
Once again, time management reigns.
Sometimes you need to make an announcement or take an action that will likely cause discomfort. Leaders who recognize this in advance can shape the message by foreshadowing empathy.
This means that although the impact of the bad news may be hard, you understand its effect and are standing in the shoes of the people receiving the message.
How often do you hear those words in the workplace? Not as frequently as you’d like, I imagine. Instead, often, you probably hear either silence or those career-limiting words, “it’s not my job.”
People who are eager to help and take on new responsibilities are primed to advance in your company. They don’t think about whether it’s what they were hired to do; rather, they see these situations as opportunities to learn and grow in their jobs.
A few years ago, one of my clients hosted a bowling outing as a morale/team building activity for her company. We laughed about the experience of bowling especially if you don’t play it often. She recommended that it’s easier to play when you use a lighter ball.
Of course, when I heard this, I thought about how often we do things the “hard way” in the workplace, when using a “lighter ball” would make life so much easier.
One of the top challenges facing executives relates to time management. They are over-scheduled, perennially interrupted, covering for others’ mistakes, and solving dozens of challenges.
I was working with a someone in his office last week 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, this isn’t sustainable over time.
One of my clients is going through the interesting exercise of articulating “what he stands for” so that he can make more informed career management decisions. This interests me for many reasons, not the least of which is that enhanced self-awareness is a vital asset for any executive.
What’s he really doing is clarifying his values. When you understand your values, everything from making decisions to business development to managing your employees is easier.
Have you ever made assumptions about what someone is thinking, reacted based on those assumptions, only to find out that you were completely wrong? Of course, you have! We all do this from time to time, but frankly, it’s a bad habit.
You never know what’s going on with someone…unless you ask…and the person actually responds fully.
Much of our discussion about leadership is within the context of the functional job that you do as a leader. This framework includes attributes such as sharing and acting on the company’s vision, managing a positive professional environment, and providing the support and resources that your staff needs.
There are times, though, when the organization’s vision or direction changes and you face more personal considerations. Typically, these changes occur gradually and although they may not be too noticeable, one day you wake up and realize that things are quite different.
There comes a time when conflict inevitably percolates in the workplace. How you handle it makes a difference in whether it permeates, lingers, or fades.
Sometimes you have little control over a decision, such as deeply cutting expenses when cash flow is tight. Other times, you might take an unpopular position that upsets some of your staff.