What to Do When You’re Fed Up

I had a great conversation with a colleague the other day, and like many coaching moments, it began with a great question:

When you’re fed up leading a “problem” employee, how do you not let your frustrations impact the way you lead that person as well as the other people on your team?

The truth is that a teammate’s bad attitude can make us dread interacting with them, and we can find that when we’re around a negative person our own attitude gets worse over time. So what should we do? Here are a few actions: (more…)

In my conversations with fellow leaders, I’ve learned that many people struggle with balancing independence and collaboration. Too much one or the other, and our leadership is out of whack!

When we’re too independent, we miss the opportunity to get input and rely on the strengths of our teammates. (more…)

Did you know that the man some credit with inventing the radio died penniless? According to Art Cashin in one of his recent issues of “Cashin’s Comments,” in 1902, Nathan B. Stubblefield stood aboard a boat in the Potomac and broadcast his voice to several devices (and about 1,000 onlookers) ashore.

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I’d like to introduce a guest blogger today. Bryan Greenwood is an executive leader at a client of Impacting Leaders. I was so impressed with his New Year message to his team that I wanted to share it with you this week.

As the New Year quickly approaches, it is common for many to self-evaluate and reflect on our accomplishments of the goals we have set for ourselves. During this time of reflection, we inevitably focus on our “successes” and “failures” in reaching these goals. Human nature is a harsh companion as it causes us to generally reflect more on our failures than our successes. (more…)

This Emerging Leader post by Kendall Markham is a follow up to her post last Thursday on working for a new leader. Great insights, Kendall!

If you read last week’s post on working for a new leader, you know that I’m the new kid on the block in a new job. As you can imagine, the learning opportunities that come along with starting a new career don’t end with learning how to work with my new leader; they extend to adjusting to the new personalities and new people who are now my new teammates.

As Linda mentioned in Monday’s post, encountering a bit of team drama is something new employees can expect. However, as the new employee throwing things off balance, you have the ability to resolve small challenges before they result in big problems by pausing, stepping back, and taking a look at how you can overcome communication and personality barriers before they seriously impact the entire team. (more…)

I used to live by the mantra, “Sales Can Fix Everything.”  When sales processes and sales people are aligned it truly can fix nearly every business challenge. When the recession played havoc on our businesses the only way to push through it was to sell through it. Those that did are still surviving or thriving today. Cutting expenses won’t get you to the top, and you can’t save your way through a recession. You have to sell your way through it.

As I matured through my career, I was inspired by John Maxwell to add another mantra to run beside my sales passion: “Everything Rises and Falls on Leadership.” When we weave sales and leadership together, we create an unbelievable one-two punch for our company’s success in both growth and sustainability. A strong sales culture can get you to the top, but it takes a leadership culture to keep you there.

So, let’s reflect on this: if sales fixes everything… and everything rises and falls on leadership… shouldn’t we then intentionally focus on creating a culture that amplifies both sales and leadership? How are you doing with that? (more…)

As a former school teacher, I remember the endless debates between the school board and the parents on who should be accountable to teach sex education to the children. Was it the school system’s responsibility or the parents? Should they teach abstinence or safe sex? When should the subject be introduced?

The business world is also struggling with the accountability questions of who, what, and when, but in our case it’s on the subject of leadership. Who is responsible for preparing the next generation of leaders? Is it the universities or the employers?  What do we teach them about leadership, and when should we start developing leaders? (more…)

One of my favorite team development books is John Maxwell’s “The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork.” In it Maxwell talks about the Law of the Niche, which says that, “All players have a place where they add the most value.”

Like most of Maxwell’s principles and laws, it makes perfect sense when you think about it. After all, working in your area of strength is a crucial element for your happiness at work. And we all know a happy employee is a more productive employee.

The Importance of Knowing Your Team Members’ Strengths

The opposite is also true: employees who aren’t allowed to work in their area of strength often feel frustrated and stressed.

As a young leader, I’ll never forget promoting one of my best producers by making her a leader of a division. Though I knew she was a talented hard worker, I failed to analyze her strengths, and leadership wasn’t one of them. (more…)

In my previous post, I discussed two of my top tips for leading new teams. First, it’s important to remember that when you begin leading a new team, you have to start over in terms of building relationships and earning respect. And second, it’s important to invest your time in your new team. Ask their opinions. Meet with each person. Start a lunch and learn group. Do what it takes to get to know and connect with your new team.

Today, I want to talk about three additional recommendations for leaders leading a new team. (more…)

Recently someone posed a question to a discussion group I’m a part of, and the conversation created so much buzz that I thought I’d bring it up on this blog. It’s a touchy subject but a great conversation piece. Here’s the question:

How would the world be different if 50% of leaders were women? (more…)