As a leader, how do you let your team know you are available to them? Sure, you’ve probably said (more times than you can count) “I’m here if you need me.” But do you back those words up with actions that show you are not only available but approachable? That’s a distinction that merits exploration,…
Leadership and the Civil Workplace: It Starts with You
Did you know that nearly half of the people in your organization are afraid to be civil to one another? According to Georgetown University researcher Christine Porath, 40% of employees say they hesitate to show civility at work because they fear people will take advantage of them. Porath, an associate professor at Georgetown’s McDonough School…
Is It Time to Get Back in the Mentoring Game?
Very early in my career, I had four bosses in the span of less than four years. It’s not as bad as it sounds; I worked in retail where churn was high. And all of the departures were due to internal promotions, so that’s a good thing. I look back on that time fondly because…
The Generational Gap in Workplace Recognition
Younger workers really like recognition. Research tells us that workers born after 1989 are 73% more likely to want frequent recognition than those in the Generation X and Baby Boomer demographics. In fact, some Gen Xers and Boomers say they “never” want recognition! This gap in expectations sets up a potential disconnect between leaders and…
The 3 Myths of Office Politics
I have long maintained that there is such a thing as “positive” office politics. “Bah!” You say with skepticism. “No such thing.” Here’s my counter-argument: there’s nothing inherently wrong with people who use power and status, but it’s the way in which they use it that gives office politics its bad name. It’s those “people…