Blogs / Tags / Motivating

Team spirit is the catalyst every organization needs to achieve outstanding performance. Strategic plans, marketing, technology and capital investment are clearly important, but emotional commitment of the people using the tools and executing the pla... More...

"Someone who knows his desires and works with purpose to achieve them is a person whose feelings, thoughts, and actions are congruent with one another, and is therefore a person who has achieved inner harmony." — Mihaly Csikszenthmihalyi, Flow: The P... More...

"Embrace change" is a useless platitude mouthed by managers or motivational speakers who have not thought through its full implications — or they are masochists who enjoy suffering. Changes that bring new opportunities or propel us forward are easy t... More...

Ask any group of managers if they view themselves as an elite within their organization and you can be sure they will deny it. You'll hear comments such as: "I have an open-door policy" and "I take pride in always being accessible ... More...

A lot of times managers say to me, "How can I be a strong manager when I'm not the only boss an employee answers to?" Nowadays, a lot of employees are working on different projects for different managers; they answer to multiple people. And... More...

We've known for decades that money doesn't motivate most people to higher levels of performance. In his seminal 1959 book, The Motivation to Work, Frederick Herzberg identified money as a "hygiene factor." If we feel we're not fairly compen... More...

Think of all the time you have put in and the energy you’ve exhausted on attempts to cajole client contacts who love to say “no” but can’t really say “yes.” It can be a frustrating, morale-beating process. It also ... More...

"Leadership is about coping with change. Part of the reason it has become so important in recent years is that the world has become more competitive and more volatile...doing what was done yesterday, or doing it 5% better, is no longer a formula... More...

One of the things managers tell me about their young employees nowadays is that they seem to have such high expectations: "They walk in the door with such high expectations!" That is... if you have hired the right person. Of course, some... More...

Rumors, like conspiracy theories, are insidious, in part because they can prove difficult to disprove. When gone unchallenged, they can wreak havoc with a company’s image. So often though rumors are rooted in fact. And so companies must tread c... More...

When it comes to exemplifying poor leadership tactics, here's one situation that took place at a recent company retreat. The purpose of this retreat was for the partners to discuss the corporate vision, new ideas, and growth strategies as well as yea... More...

A central theme in my decades of trying to understand, apply, and teach leadership skills is that leadership is an action, not a position. Leadership is what we do, not who we are. Who we become is determined by what we repeatedly think and do. All t... More...

"I have yet to find the man, however exalted his station, who did not do better work and put forth greater effort under a spirit of approval, than under a spirit of criticism." — Charles Schwab, legendary steel industry pioneer It ... More...

Sometimes managers are afraid to be strong because they're afraid that their employees will think they're acting like jerks. Here's the funny thing. Almost always when your employees think you're a jerk it's because you're too weak, not because you'r... More...

Remember the heart-pounding, soul-stirring message of the movie Gladiator? Remember how Maximus, the Russell Crowe character, rallied his men around him and led them to victory, even in the face of almost certain defeat? Remember his “envision... More...

We all live by stories. I learned this from more than 30 years of coaching the performance of world-class athletes and top leaders from military special-forces, medicine, law enforcement, and commerce. I’ve seen many individuals’ stories ... More...

I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with, and around, Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart. That’s how I learned that “The Sam Walton Way” IS “The Wal-Mart Way.” What’s interesting about Sam Walton ... More...

In recent weeks our headlines and the world's attention have been directed towards two things, the US Presidential Election and the drastic downturn in the economy. These issues are both separate and related. Corporations of all shapes and sizes a... More...

For 15 years I lived in a monastic community as a Catholic priest. I now devote most of my time to Corporate America working on executive development, change management and organizational healing. Actually, the jobs have proven to be quite similar ... More...

"Hang in there! is more than an expression of encouragement to someone experiencing hardship or difficulty; it is sound advice for anyone intent on doing good in the world. Whether by leading or prodding others, or improving oneself, or contributing ... More...

A lot of time managers find themselves in a supervisory role where they are managing people who were their peers recently before they got promoted or maybe they are managing friends. And I think a lot of managers aren't sure how to deal with that sit... More...

Leaders are leaders only when they're being followed. Otherwise they might be considered eccentrics. People will follow practically anything--either when they're convinced, when there's a moving target (such as a drum major who leads a parade), or wh... More...

To be effective and lasting, corporate social responsibility must complement an organization's entire business strategy - particularly staff development. With a focus on experiential learning, philanthropy-based training and development programs can ... More...

Communication is at the heart of every interaction between a leader and a constituency. Business, political, social, and religious leaders all understand the power of communication - many are moderate in this skill set, but some excel. And leadership... More...

"Drive fear out of the workplace was one of W. Edwards Deming's fourteen mantras for total quality management. Of course, he was referring to core employees who grew up in highly controlling, initiative-stifling work environments, causing them to be... More...

Tags

News

Team Spirit Built from the Top

Personal Purpose Pathways and Pitfalls

Navigating Change and Adversity

Stop Managing and Start Leading

"When You Manage People Who Answer to Multiple Bosses"

Beyond Manipulating and Motivating to Leading and Inspiring

5 Trigger Tips To Turn Your “No” Client Into A “Yes” Client!

More Change Demands More Leadership

Does GenY Really Have Higher Expectations Than Those of Previous Generations?

Root Out Rumors

Share Ideas, Not Expectations

Lead, Follow, or Wallow

Cheer Leaders Inspire Others

Myth of the Jerk Boss

Today’s Businesses Need “Gladiator” Leaders

Leadership Story: You Need to Get It Straight

What Can You Learn From “The Sam Walton Way?”

Crisis or Opportunity? – Lead Like Barack Obama

Leadership in Turbulent Times

Persistence Goes the Distance

Managing Peers and Friends

How Are Leaders ID'd? And How Can the Company Help?

Social Responsibility as a Catalyst for Staff Development

How Leaders Lose Their Voice

Management In Real Life: Driving Out Leadership Fear

	Good Guy = Bad Manager :: Bad Guy = Good Manager. Is it a Myth?

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	Online Overload: The Perfect Candidates Are Out There - If You Can Find Them

	Cartus Global Survey Shows Trend to Shorter-Term International Relocation Assignments

	Rewards, Vacation and Perks Are Passé; Canadians Care Most About Cash