What Happens When a Leader Spells Team with an ‘I’?

Nov 17, 2020 | Leadership Development

We’ve all heard the old saying, “There is no ‘I’ in team.” When you hear it, you probably want to roll your eyes as you think to yourself, “Ugh! That’s so cliché and corny!” Yeah, well I felt the same way too until I recently experienced a board chair figuratively spell the word team with an 'I' at least six times during a board meeting. During that one board meeting, I observed 16 highly-experienced, professional, and articulate board members shrink from their responsibilities and limit their...

Now More Than Ever: Invest in Yourself. Become an Expert. Earn Their Trust.

Nov 3, 2020 | Leadership Development

Yes, this COVID craziness has caused you as an HR professional to become more creative, adaptable, and productive. You’ve had to either implement or help to create new ways to support your organization’s workforce near or far, as they struggle to be creative, adaptable, and productive. Let’s just say, it’s not been easy. But, you’ve done it. You’re doing it. And, there’s so much more to do. However, instead of wilting from exhaustion, I encourage you to focus on the opportunities this...

Why Are We Still Doing This?

Feb 18, 2020 | Strategic Planning

During a recent quarterly strategic plan update session, the CFO had an epiphany. We had been discussing what they, as the senior staff, had done to communicate their new vision and mission to all staff. We had also discussed what they would be doing next to work with their teams to help them understand how each team’s efforts should support the new vision. As part of that discussion, I suggested the senior staff ask themselves and their teams this question: How will this (process, initiative,...

Think Strategically – Ask Tough Questions

Jan 21, 2020 | Strategic Planning

One of the questions I’m initially asked by a new strategic planning client is, “How will we know what we’re supposed to focus on with our new plan?” Well, the easy answer is, “You’ll focus on what you need to focus on,” but the more appropriate answer is, “You’ll focus on what your answers to some critical questions tell you to focus on.” Now you may be thinking, “Those sound like a couple of non-answers and they don’t sound strategic at all.” In reality, my ‘appropriate’ answer is what...

Do You Believe Your Managers Can Manage?

Sep 24, 2019 | Leadership Development

Do you believe your managers can really manage? Do you believe your managers have the skills to make their own department or team decisions? Do you believe your managers can outline their own department or team projects and budgets? Do you believe your managers can resolve their own team problems and make sound decisions concerning their teams and talent? If you really believed your managers could manage, you wouldn’t be involved in so many of their management-level decisions and actions....