How we view and interpret the world around us heavily influences how we conduct ourselves. People who go through life with an external locus of control believe that the outcomes they get are due to forces outside of themselves. If something happens that they do not like, they tend to blame other peo...
When people first start in business, they often give their very best. They want to live up to their résumés and recommendations, and they want to make a good impression. Their motivation is high, even if their skill might be low in the beginning. Through training and development, we are able to buil...
Setting an example for the people that work for you does not have to involve any form of punishment. In fact, according to the Harvard Business Review, rewarding positive behavior is more action-motivating than punishing negative behavior. People naturally want to feel valued and appreciated. You mi...
What are some of the things that come to mind when you think of leadership? Do you think of managing people or do you think of guiding them? Controlling them or influencing them? Being a leader is not about being in control of others, enforcing rules, or giving out orders. Leaders guide others towar...
Feedback is an essential part of a well-functioning business because it is important to check in on how things are going and make adjustments accordingly. Not only should you learn how to receive feedback within your business, you should also make it a point to hone your skills for giving feedback. ...
Being in a war for the right talent for your team is not a new thing. We have been fighting to attract and keep the best people since the beginning of time. I would imagine the original troglodytes (cavemen) were arguing over who was going to get the best hunters, gatherers, and leaders in their tri...
One of the struggles employees are facing in today’s market is that of having a target to shoot for in success. We bring on new employees, take them through the paperwork, teach them to do a job, and then hope for the best. It has been my experience that hope is a pretty lousy strategy. We have to h...
Einstein once defined sanity as, “doing the same thing over and over again, but anticipating different results.” And yet, we tend to do that as humans. We feel bad eating a certain way, but we keep doing it because it tastes good. We create turnover in our businesses by not investing in the developm...
Over the past couple of decades, I have encouraged leaders to share the stories behind their entrepreneurial journeys. Some have been reluctant, stating it made them sound self-absorbed. Others have been excited, hoping to inspire stronger engagement from their people. Those who have embraced the op...
I remember that Monday very clearly. I was sitting in a room filled with Gen Xers who had all started working for the same organization. An older gentleman, likely at the start of the Baby Boomer generation, stood in front of us and said, “You people scare me. You scare me because you are so differe...
Employee engagement refers to the extent to which employees feel invested in their work and committed to their organization. Research has shown that engaged employees are more likely to be productive, stay with the company longer, and have positive attitudes toward their work. Some factors that have...
We have to start with the premise that the main role of a leader is to create more leaders, not to gather followers. I have wondered what a difference this would make with organizations if they shifted their mindset away from trying to “make” people do what they are supposed to. The new mindset woul...
