Show Them the Love

Tomorrow is THE day of the year to declare personal expressions of affection, but it’s also a great occasion to convey appreciation for our employees, clients, vendors and other service providers – in other words, the people who help us do our best in an increasingly complex business environment.

This doesn’t need to be fancy; a sincere expression of gratitude goes a long way to make others feel good. You can really stand out from the crowd because regrettably, too few people take the time to show their appreciation.

Are You Too Busy to Manage?

Do you ever think that managing people is a side job that interferes with your “real work”? Or do you become impatient because a team member needs help at “inconvenient” times? Or have you ever become irritated because your employees didn’t telepathically understand what you really wanted?

When you answer “yes” to these kinds of questions, you’re probably (a) suffering from too much work, (b) feeling stressed about not fulfilling your goals, or (c) frustrated with the entire idea of managing.

Rising Above Disappointments

We all deal with little victories and disappointments on a regular basis, but every once and a while a biggie happens. It’s easy to celebrate the big victories, but it’s much more challenging to manage big disappointments.

This could be the expectation of receiving an important promotion, a new and better job, or an opportunity to break into a new client relationship. It doesn’t matter what “it” is; if you had your heart set on it and it doesn’t happen, it can feel like a setback.

Consensus vs. WIIFM

Many leaders enjoy practicing leadership by achieving consensus. They are challenged by the actual process of achieving consensus and feel satisfied when the various parties come to agreement.

Consensus is a worthy approach in many situations. The process breaks down when the various stakeholders begin to venture down that well-travelled road, WIIFM, or what’s in it for me.

Do You Need to Unstick?

As much as a new year can inspire a fresh start, sometimes it has the opposite effect. For example, if you took it easy during the holidays and haven’t yet gotten up to speed, even consistent high performers can get complacent.

It’s worth seeing whether such a malaise is affecting any of your people (or you, for that matter), and if it is, you need to help them snap out of it immediately. The longer it drags on, the longer it will take to reverse course.

New Year Fresh Start

The “fresh start” perspective of the new year is like a blank slate. Aside from the ubiquitous resolutions, it gives you a chance to refine or modify more subtle things that may need refreshed or enhanced.

What comes to mind?

Clear Out Mental Clutter

The week between Christmas and New Year’s is typically a quieter time for business unless, of course, you work in an industry that becomes congested at year end, such as accounting.

If you are working this week, it’s a great time to do some clean up. This doesn’t necessarily mean going through those piles of paper that surround your desk (although we know that physical clutter gets in the way of your productivity).

The Winter Solstice

Saturday, December 21 marks the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere at 4:19am EST. It is the shortest day of the year for daylight and, of course, the longest for darkness. The southern hemisphere will experience the summer solstice at the same time.

The celebration of the winter solstice marks the beginning of winter, and the return to more daylight.

When is “Good” Good Enough?

I have a colleague who strongly believes that “good is good enough”. He thinks most people procrastinate while fretting about perfection. He stresses the importance of accelerating rather than delaying action.

This works for him, and that’s great. Certainly, there are many situations where “good” is perfectly acceptable and leaders need to determine when the incremental difference between good and excellent doesn’t merit the additional time.

Being in the State of Flow

Have you ever felt completely absorbed in a task, losing track of time and effortlessly achieving a high level of focus and productivity? This state of heightened awareness and engagement is known as “flow.” For leaders, harnessing the power of flow can significantly enhance their effectiveness and overall well-being.

Flow, or being “in the zone,” is a mental state where you’re fully immersed in an activity. It’s characterized by a sense of effortless focus, clarity, and intrinsic motivation. When leaders experience flow, they can tackle complex challenges with ease, make sound decisions, and inspire their teams.

Leadership is a Mindset

Tag: Leadership Advice