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Archive for Poor Leadership and Communication

Harnessing Your Inner Musician

Friday, June 7th, 2013

Music has a power that is hard to explain. A single song can bring the hardest, most stubborn person to the point of tears, while sending another into an encouraged state of action. In tackling the beauty and mystery of music, the great Danish author and poet Hans Christian Anderson once said, “Where words fail, music speaks.” Moreover, there are certain attributes that music creators have that are powerful, and harnessing these traits can actually help you be a more effective leader. But don’t worry; you don’t have to pull out your old six-string and play Beatles songs by the water cooler to lead like a musician.

The Multitasking Brain

Whether you enjoy listening to classical piano music or 8Os shred metal, there is one common characteristic between the two: the pianist and the guitarist are multitasking. Usually, when we hear the term multitasking, our minds go to the thought of texting, sending emails, and getting on social networking sites while working. But no, these musicians aren’t texting their band mates. They’re multitasking by using both hands to complete different tasks. While taking the listener through a story with a beautiful melody with the right hand, the pianist is playing walking bass lines with the left. The same goes for the guitarist. While sweeping through face-melting scales using the left hand, the guitarist is simultaneously navigating each string with the right, picking hand. Read More→

Don’t Let These 4 Myths Block Your Path to Leadership

Thursday, May 23rd, 2013

If you asked 10 leaders what makes them a leader, you’ll no doubt receive 10 different answers. It’s not an exact science and no two paths to leadership look exactly alike. However, no matter whose advice you follow to reach the top, there are a few common myths about leadership many people have to learn the hard way.

Myth: Only the boss can lead.
While final decisions on projects, strategies, and tactics often come down from someone in a decision-making position, there are plenty of opportunities for employees at every level of the hierarchy to lead. Whether it’s setting an example through consistent hard work and dedication or stepping up to the plate when the team needs them the most, your employees likely reveal their leadership potential every day. As their leader, it’s important to recognize those qualities and offer encouragement and mentorship to help them develop the skills and expertise to keep their careers moving forward – and upward. Read More→

Is Analysis Paralysis Killing Your Productivity?

Friday, May 17th, 2013

The short 19th century poem The Centipede’s Dilemma, most commonly attributed to Katherine Craster (1841-74), illustrates a common occurrence that has likely affected everyone at one point or another.

A centipede was happy – quite!
Until a toad in fun
Said, “Pray, which leg moves after which?”
This raised her doubts to such a pitch,
She fell exhausted in the ditch
Not knowing how to run.

Do you suffer from analysis paralysis?
Analysis paralysis occurs when we over-analyze a situation to the point where a logical decision can’t be made, eventually causing everything to fall apart. And, it’s a phenomenon that is common in the workplace. Whether it’s a leader who can’t decide on a strategic direction for the company or a team of individuals who have reached an impasse on which direction to take an important project – analysis paralysis can have dire consequences on productivity and success. Read More→

In our April question of the month, we asked how you continue to develop yourself as a leader, and for the most part, the results were evenly split across the board. Of the nearly 700 readers who participated in the poll, 27% say they read leadership and business strategy books; 24% attend conferences and seminars; 24% ask for feedback from employees; and 19% meet regularly with a mentor for advice and guidance. Approximately 6% selected “other” and submitted additional responses, including:

  • Attend roundtable discussions with various leadership groups
  • Obtain higher education, like graduate and MBA programs
  • Continue to develop interpersonal skills
  • Job shadow other experienced leaders
  • And, according to one reader – take regular naps

Less than 1% of survey participants said they don’t do anything to ensure they are constantly developing as a leader. Read More→

Delegation is an Important Part of Leadership

Wednesday, May 8th, 2013

Do you have a difficult time delegating work to your employees? If so, you’re not alone. According to leadership expert Michael Hyatt, one of the most common justifications leaders give for their refusal to delegate is, “I don’t delegate because it takes longer to delegate the task than to just do it myself.”

Check out this article from Hyatt’s blog for a little insight into why he believes this justification is flawed:

Why Some Leaders Find Delegation Difficult (and What to Do About It)

Do you have a hard time delegating tasks to your employees? Tell us about it in the comments section below. Read More→

Top Companies Rally Behind a Strong Mission Statement

Tuesday, May 7th, 2013

Part two of a three part series on developing a strong company culture. Read part one here.

If you met someone in an elevator and they asked what your company does, could you accurately explain it before you reach your floor? If you’re like many people, you’d probably give a quick three to five word description like “we do software development” or “we’re a small chain of coffee shops.” Yes, you’re answering the question, but with only the bare minimum of information. The elevator doors open, and all your new acquaintance really knows is you do something with computers. Or you sell coffee. Information that will be tucked away or completely forgotten as they move on with their day.

So, how do you share the who, what, and why of your company without breaking out flow charts and annual reports? It may be as simple as developing a solid mission statement. Read More→

In many workplaces today, there may be as many as five generations working side by side. So, it’s easy to understand why there could be a little conflict and misunderstanding. Check out this article from Life Inc. about a recent study that explores the values and tendencies of younger generations, as well as suggests how they are a product of the older generations.

Today’s Teens More Materialistic, Less Likely to Work Hard, Study Says

Which generation are you? How do you interact with other generations in your workplace? Let us know in the comments section below. Read More→

Choose Your Mentors Wisely

Monday, April 29th, 2013

Check out this article from author, speaker, and personal performance expert, Marlene Chism, about the importance of choosing your mentors wisely. According to Chism, “Learning and modeling those who have achieved more is one of the best ways to advance. However, there are some dangers and potential drama if you enter into this type of learning without first knowing yourself and your values.”

Full article: How to Choose Your Mentors, Coaches, and Teachers Wisely

What do you look for in a mentor? What qualities do you strive to emulate when mentoring others? Let us know in the comments section below.

A Thought from Yogi Berra

Friday, April 26th, 2013

Yogi Berra is one of the most colorful characters of the 20th century. Some of his one liners have been repeated for comedic relief, while others have been used for their simplistic philosophy on life. His most notable expression – “It ain’t over till it’s over” – has inspired others though its obvious commentary on what we all struggle with from time to time. But, let’s take a moment and try to make a stretch with one of his more humorous ones.

“Always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise they won’t come to yours.” Read More→

More Quick Teamwork Games to Build Engagement

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013

After a great response to our post Six Quick Teamwork Games to Engage Employees at Work, we put together four more teamwork activities for you and your employees. Interacting with your team is crucial in creating a strong culture of communication and strengthening engagement and retention through employee development. Consider trying some of these games to help build unity, strengthen morale, and decrease stress in your office.

Office Celebrity

The game Celebrity is great for parties, but this play off of this classic is bound to break any barriers between coworkers and lead to knowing one another better. When workers know more about each other, they tend to work better together!

  1. Break your office into two teams.
  2. Write everyone’s name on separate pieces of paper and place them in a bowl.
  3. Round One: The first team has one member get up and pull a name from the bowl. He or she tries to get their team to guess which worker it is by giving characteristics of that person. After the team guesses it, another name is chosen and so on until a minute has passed. After one minute, the second team picks one member to try and get their team to guess as many names as possible during a minute. This goes on, switching teams and rotating players until all of the names have been guessed. Replace all names back into the bowl. Keep a tally of how many names each team correctly guessed.
  4. Round Two: Same as round one, but each moderator can only use ONE word to describe each name drawn.
  5. Round Three: Same as the previous rounds, but each moderator can’t use words to describe drawn names, but instead must act them out. The team with the most correct names tallied after three rounds wins! Read More→