The goal should be to help every employee be more capable than they are today. One of the questions employees eventually ask themselves is: “What is next for me?” Sometimes they ask it after six months – Sometimes after several years. But sooner or later, most people begin thinking about where they are going, whatContinue reading “Leadership Lesson #19 – Every Employee Deserves a Growth Plan”
Tag Archives: management
Leadership Lesson 17 – Feedback Is a Gift
The best feedback is not given to tear people down. It is given to help them grow. Most leaders understand that feedback is important. The challenge is that not all feedback is helpful, and not all leaders give it well. Over more than 40 years of leading, training, and developing people, I have seen feedbackContinue reading “Leadership Lesson 17 – Feedback Is a Gift”
Leadership Lesson #16 – Coach More Than You Correct
Great leaders don’t just correct performance. They develop people. One of the easiest things for a manager to do is identify what someone has done wrong. The order wasn’t completed correctly. A customer complaint wasn’t handled well. A deadline was missed. A procedure wasn’t followed. A goal wasn’t achieved. The manager sees the problem, tellsContinue reading “Leadership Lesson #16 – Coach More Than You Correct”
Leadership Lesson #15 – Teamwork Is Built Through Trust
Leaders cannot demand teamwork. They must create the conditions in which trust between team members can grow. A group of talented individuals does not automatically become a strong team. People may work in the same department, report to the same leader, attend the same meetings, and pursue the same organizational goals without truly working asContinue reading “Leadership Lesson #15 – Teamwork Is Built Through Trust”
Leadership Lesson #14: Recognition Fuels Performance
People want to know that their work matters. They want to know that their effort is noticed, their contribution is valued, and their performance makes a difference to the team and the organization. This does not mean employees need constant praise or expect recognition for every routine responsibility. Most people understand that performing the jobContinue reading “Leadership Lesson #14: Recognition Fuels Performance”
Leadership Lesson #12 – Great Teams Need Clear Expectations
People cannot consistently meet expectations they do not clearly understand. One of the most common sources of frustration in the workplace is the difference between what a leader expects and what an employee understands. The leader believes the assignment was clear. The employee believes the work was completed correctly. When the result falls short, bothContinue reading “Leadership Lesson #12 – Great Teams Need Clear Expectations”
Leadership Lesson #10: Leadership Requires Accountability
Everyone requires accountability. Even Leaders. One of the clearest tests of leadership doesn’t happen when everything is going well. It happens when something goes wrong. The sale is lost. The project misses its deadline. A customer is unhappy. An employee makes a mistake. A decision doesn’t produce the expected result. In those moments, leaders haveContinue reading “Leadership Lesson #10: Leadership Requires Accountability”
Leadership Lesson #9 – Lead By Example Every day
A leader’s most powerful communication tool is not their words. It is their behavior. After more than 40 years in leadership, I have seen countless examples of leaders who delivered inspiring messages, created impressive plans, and established ambitious expectations. But the leaders who made the greatest impact were the ones who personally demonstrated the behaviorsContinue reading “Leadership Lesson #9 – Lead By Example Every day”
Leadership Lesson #8 – Make Decisions With Courage
One of the most important responsibilities of leadership is making decisions. Some are simple. Others affect employees, customers, budgets, and the future direction of an organization. After more than 40 years in leadership, I’ve learned that the quality of those decisions depends on two things: Doing the work before the decision—and having the courage toContinue reading “Leadership Lesson #8 – Make Decisions With Courage”
Leadership Lesson #7 – Consistency Builds Credibility
One of the greatest compliments a leader can receive shouldn’t be, “You’re inspiring.” It should be: “I always know where I stand with you.” After more than 40 years in leadership, I’ve found that people value consistency even more than charisma. Teams don’t thrive because their leader occasionally has a great day—they thrive because theyContinue reading “Leadership Lesson #7 – Consistency Builds Credibility”
