There’s a growing trend on social media and in leadership blogs and podcasts – especially those intended for a primarily female audience – of rejecting the concept of “empowerment.” The argument is that people, especially women, don’t need to “be empowered,” which implies they need to be “given” power. Instead, they need to, or should, claim and step into their …
Is it time to … get out?
Most people stay in unfulfilling, stressful, challenging-in-all-the-wrong-ways jobs for at least 18 months longer than they should. (That’s not a formal study, but it is my strong opinion after four decades of observation.) There’s safety in a familiar, known situation, even when it’s uncomfortable, frustrating, and potentially unhealthy. Human beings don’t like change, even when it’s likely to be change for …
How’s learning working for you?
Do you read leadership books? (Or, really, any type of professional or personal development material.) How’s that working for you? I read a lot. And I’ve noticed that if I take the time to do the exercises from a book offering concepts and ideas for my business or personal improvement, two things happen. First, I often get bogged down. I read …
Are you an enabler?
How good are you at enabling your team, colleagues, and, yes, even your boss, to do what they need to do? Because it’s not enough to just delegate work to your team. Nor is it enough to just accept tasks from your boss. You need to be an enabler. Enabling your team When you delegate work to the individuals on your …
Is it THAT time of year again?
No, I don’t mean the holidays (though those are approaching all too rapidly). I mean … performance reviews. And the even-more-dreaded potential for layoffs. Because whatever we may think about companies that do this, it’s common practice that when RIFs (Reductions In Force) are necessary, they often happen just before the end of the year. (It’s a financial accounting thing. …
What’s it like to work for you?
Seriously: what’s it like to work for you? Have you ever thought about that question? Have you ever considered how your team feels about coming to work under your supervision and guidance every day? It’s human nature to remain in the rut of our own mindset: our thoughts, ideas, concerns, to-do lists, plans for the weekend, and wondering what our boss …
Is that fair?
As a manager, supervisor, and leader, you want to treat your team fairly. But just exactly what does “fair” mean? When we’re little, we tend to interpret “fair” as “equivalent” (even though “equivalent” probably isn’t in our vocabulary!). If Johnny gets a peanut-butter cup, then we should get one too. But as we grow up, we learn that maybe this …
What’s your default answer?
Does your imagination present you with all the reasons why something will go wrong? That’s a great skill, and I mean that sincerely. Being able to see potential pitfalls and problems is part of risk management, and leaders need to be good at managing risk if they want to succeed. But this ability to see all the ways something won’t …
Interview: Empathy in conversations
It’s a real honor to be invited back by podcast hosts; it means I did a good job, they enjoyed what I had to say, and they feel like it’s worth hearing more of what I had to say. Beth Buelow, whose Introvert Entrepreneur podcast I appeared on (was heard on, I guess, is the more accurate term!) a while ago, …
The perils of personality assessments
Personality style assessments are everywhere. Myers-Briggs, DiSC (or DISC, depending on which version you take), Keirsey, the Enneagram, the Five Languages of Appreciation – the list goes on and on. Organizations love these assessments, and with good reason. Using a reputable, validated assessment can help people understand in a felt way, rather than just intellectually, that people really are different from …