Protect Your Culture SOONER OR LATER, all leaders confront the tough decision of what to do about a toxic team member. Company culture, morale, high-performance teamwork, and productivity are at stake. It is the moment of truth for these leaders: Should I take action or tolerate the toxic behavior? Do we walk our talk, or […]
A Practical Guide to Planning Your Plan STRATEGIC PLANNING is one of the most important and most misunderstood business processes. The word “strategy” shows up in just about every layer of an organization. Managers need to be good strategic thinkers; executives attend strategic retreats, and the board of directors approves budgets that support a strategic […]
Influence with the Right Style (3 of 3) by Dean Newlund, CEO HISTORY IS A GREAT teacher. Employee productivity went up during the great recession because the underlying message was “work harder to keep your job.” As the economy rebounded, the power shifted, and employees said, “reward our sacrifice, or we’ll slow down or quit.” […]
The Neuroscience of Influence (2 of 3) by Dean Newlund, CEO INFLUENCE: The actions taken to change the behavior of another person. Last week, I wrote that humankind’s story can be summarized as “the struggle to influence.” As long as humans have wanted to connect with and get something from other people, we’ve devised ways […]
How to Influence in Fear, Chaos, and Uncertainty (1 of 3) by Dean Newlund, CEO ANY LEADERSHIP development training would be incomplete if it didn’t address the ubiquitous question asked by managers near and far: How do I influence without authority? Leaders with authority influence differently than those with no authority. Most culture change consultants […]
USRS: Unpredictable Stress Release Syndrome THE EARTH gives up trying to hold back the pressure from below as hot water and steam spits out of the ground at the Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Society’s reaction to the recent pent-up isolation, uncertainty, and fear are like the geothermic eruptions in the Badlands: Unpredictable, uncharacteristic, […]
How to Respond to Elevated Stress Tragedy happens, even during a year of unusual stress. While the Pandemic rages, businesses “pause” and we get ready for a new President, loved ones still die as they do in any year. This year, however, those tragic losses are more difficult because of the unusual stress of this […]
Lessons Learned from 28 Years WHAT makes a successful manager? For years I dodged the question. The answers, I thought, were always unique to the person. And while I believe that is true, there are some patterns I’ve noticed. I love the work I do. And since 1992, I’ve coached well over 1,000 managers, senior […]
How to Replace Feeling Like a Victim to Seeing Options A VICTIM mindset has taken root in American business. God, it’s been a challenging year. And no one blames anyone for feeling beaten down, tired, and burned out. In any year, leaders need to shape their employee’s mindsets, not just the business balance sheet. Notice […]
Creating Human-Centric Expectations SINCE the dawn of the scientific revolution, humans have sought to control their external environment. Yet, our environment around us influences behaviors and decisions much more than we are aware of. A couple of examples: To protect itself from predators, the cuttlefish can completely change its color to match its environment in […]