Burnout. It’s a hot topic these days. What’s up with that? Is burnout really happening so much more now than in the past? Or is it simply getting more attention, given a growing shift in how we view employees and their experience? Or both? I suspect both – and more. Yes, burnout has always happened; I can attest to that myself, …
Wait, what? Change leadership?
If you’ve read even a few of my articles or LinkedIn posts, you know I’m a dedicated advocate of helping newly-promoted managers learn the skills and tools they need to succeed – which are vastly different from the skills and tools that got them promoted from individual team member into that leadership position. So why am I suddenly talking about change …
Oh no! Not change!
It’s a thing: senior leaders announce a strategic change, and the office tilts slightly as everyone rolls their eyes at the same time. (Okay, if you’re all on Zoom, the video grid wobbles.) It’s all too common for employees to “welcome” announcements of change with a solid dose of skepticism, not to say cynicism. Most organizations have experienced too many …
Who supports you?
There’s a recurring theme I’ve observed in listening to successful people interviewed on podcasts, or whilst reading their books. They talk about the meaningful, vital support they received as children, as teens, as young adults. There are plenty of people who had very difficult childhoods – poverty, violence, abuse, learning difficulties – and who nonetheless became successful. So I’m not …
But what can one manager do?
During a recent podcast interview (which I’ll post when it’s released), I was asked a tough question: If you’re working for a company that has, let’s say, a somewhat questionable culture, where it’s not as safe as it might be to raise questions or make mistakes, it’s easy to think that you’re stuck: your options are to either accept the …
Don’t drop that ball!
If you’ve ever complained about being overwhelmed, overbusy, or burned out, some helpful (?) person has undoubtedly advised, “You need to drop some of those balls you’re juggling!” These days, with so much about burnout in the news – and, more to the point, in our organizations and lives – “Drop those balls!” must be ringing down office corridors and …
What is an authentic leader?
Authenticity is one of those words. There’s a lot of talk about it, it’s become a buzzword in management and leadership, and … what does it actually mean? Obviously (I hope!) it’s not “letting it all hang out.” TMI (too much information) is still TMI, no matter how “authentic” someone’s experience and feelings may be. It may be completely authentic …
Delegating Decisions
There’s more to delegation than, “Here, do this thing.” A lot more. But we typically don’t think of it beyond, well, “Here, do this thing.” But what about delegating decisions? Yikes. Scary, right? What if they decide wrongly, and it comes back on you? Two reasons to delegate decisions – despite the risks The obvious reason: you’re developing and growing …
The loneliness of the first-line manager
They (whoever “they” are) say that “it’s lonely at the top.” Referring, of course, to CEOs and company founders. The thinking is that these people at the top of the company hierarchy have no one to talk with about their challenges. That may – or may not – be true. But what I’ve heard, over and over again, from my …
What does “communication” actually mean?
Everyone agrees that leaders need to communicate. But what does that actually mean? Most people learn to talk and express what they want and what they’re thinking as young children. They learn in school to answer questions, and to write essays and papers. And then we get into the workplace and we believe communication will “just happen.” But does it, really? …