The team that plays together stays together -- right? We’ve all been on our fair share of business bonding excursions, from brunch to bowling, from workshops to drinking. Spending time with your coworkers that isn’t work per se is super important, but it can be difficult to come up with creative, affordable activities all the time. There are only so many times you can play … [Read more...]
5 Critical Resources for New Managers
A good friend recently started a new, dream job, and it includes managing other people for the first time. When I ran into her at an event, she shared with me the difficulties of learning to manage other people. Her arched brow and wringing hands showed how much it was weighing on her. I felt her pain. Developing as a manager has been at once the most challenging and most … [Read more...]
How to Achieve Peak Performance – Business Lessons from a Baseball Mom
My son has been playing travel baseball for nine years, and throughout those nine years, I have learned some valuable lessons: An eight a.m. baseball game in a state outside my own is the perfect alternative to the average family vacation. Life is far too short to waste precious time scrubbing stains out of white uniform pants. The True meaning behind “heads up!” is … [Read more...]
The Best People For The Job vs. The Best Job For The People
I was a bit of a late bloomer. I accepted my first "real job" five years after graduating from college. Sure, I made a living, but I bounced around jobs that, at least for my goals, were not career-track endeavors. Finally, I landed what I considered to be a “real job” – working for a law firm. Although I majored in advertising & marketing at Boston University, my lack … [Read more...]
If You Want Everything Done Right – Delegate!
I know this is nothing new. We are all aware delegation is necessary. “If you want something done right, Do it yourself.” Raise your hand if you can relate to this quote by Charles-Guillaume Étienne. That’s me, jumping up and down waving my hand in the air. I have been known to fall victim to that mantra every now and again. That's not terrible advice. The truth is if you … [Read more...]
3 Key Areas to Improve Your Business
The small percentage of entrepreneurs who succeed know this: If your business is going to succeed, you must focus on constant improvements. Small incremental changes in your business are the key to succeeding in business. Following are three key areas every business should focus on: 1. Customer Acquisition Getting new customers is tough for most businesses. Getting new … [Read more...]
There’s No “I” in Team, But There Should Be
I’m just going to come right out and say it. Being a team player is passé. Long the mantra of the corporate world, all employers babble about hiring a team player; every employee wants to be a team player (or feels like they have to say they’re a team player on paper). Well, I’m throwing it out there and saying the one thing you’re not supposed to say in the office. I’m done … [Read more...]
4 Ways to Deal with Negative Employees
A typical work environment doesn’t always bring out the best in people. An angry boss, spiteful colleagues, stubborn subordinates---these characters create the everyday drama at work. The thought of it is pretty exhausting but it’s a reality for most people, especially managers. Destructive employee behavior, intentional or otherwise, can leave anyone reeling or demotivated. … [Read more...]
Handling Conflict on Your Team
It is inevitable that discord among team members will arise from time to time, and stepping in to tackle and resolve conflict ranks pretty low on most managers’ list of enjoyable activities. But unhandled friction erodes morale and productivity, and can turn even top performers into stressed out B-team players. When disharmony is affecting your group, you may be tempted to … [Read more...]
Establishing a Leadership Brand Within Your Organization
The term, leadership brand, was first used by David Ulrich and Norm Smallwood in 2007. Not only were these university professors describing---in their book with the same name---a way to assess the competencies that individual leaders must possess, but also to address the importance of leadership within the organization. In other words a company needs both individual leaders to … [Read more...]