Technology, systems, and processes are all important. But what really drives your business? People. Managers, executives, interns, volunteers. Whatever role they fill they’re all people. And people get work done through relationships…with co-workers, managers, employees, team members, vendors, and customers. Business goes well when they communicate effectively. When they support one another in the [...]
You’ve probably heard it many times: Millennials are now the largest share of the US workforce. In fact, one in three workers are Millennials. While the focus of the last decade has been on understanding and managing Millennials, we’re beginning to see an important shift. As thousands of Baby Boomers retire each day the [...]
Development initiatives, learning opportunities, coaching … if it’s for mid-level managers most of the time I hear them say, “upper management needs to be here! Why aren’t they doing this, too?” And you know what? They’re right! Why? Because leaders go first. Because what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Because [...]
What process does your organization use for selecting or promoting people? How do you equip leaders for their roles? And how do you evaluate their performance? Here’s the approach I see too often: Scatter shot! Most organizations don’t have competency models. Many hire and promote without using psychometric assessments, even for their leaders. Well-meaning [...]
One of the vexing questions for companies (especially in the small to mid-size category) is about investing in new managers – and how it benefits you. The questions that lurk under the surface are usually along these lines: How can we know if investing in new managers is worthwhile? What if we just let [...]
It’s no secret that managers are key to a high performing organization. And yet the rate of failure is stunning. Research shows 75% of employees in the U.S. feel their direct manager is the worst part of their job. And 65% would rather have a new boss than a pay raise. Wow! So how [...]
Does summertime make you want to dig your toes into the sand and your mind into a good book? Many of us crank up our reading in the summer for pure enjoyment. How about sprinkling in some books to enhance your development as a manager? Sometimes the perspective of a good author is just [...]
Over two decades after Daniel Goleman first published Emotional Intelligence people continue to be keenly interested in the concept. I saw evidence this week as my company sponsored a SHRM-Atlanta event. We posted a flip chart with the question “What do you think new managers need to learn most?” Event attendees placed colored dots [...]
It seems wherever I go I end up in conversation with people who bewail the deficit of first-line management capability. I hear managers described as individual contributors promoted for their ability to deliver, and how that ability has somehow not translated into management excellence. What are some ways to help the newly promoted successfully [...]
