When the results of Google’s research on team effectiveness (called “Project Aristotle”) were revealed earlier this year, the conclusion was surprising: the best teams have just one thing in common. Factors such as clear goal-setting and team member dependability are certainly important, but they’re not what definitively sets great teams apart from their average counterparts….
Communication
Why New Managers Must Excel at Setting Goals
Goal-setting in the workplace is key to getting things done. Countless studies on human motivation and performance bear this out. Yet it’s a fact that’s often lost on first-time managers. And even if they understand the importance of setting goals for team members, new leaders miss the nuances of this important management skill. I turned to…
New at Making Presentations? Check out these Tips from the Pros
You’ve been asked to make a presentation at a meeting and it’s not something you do every day. If you’re feeling nervous, it’s understandable. Standing up in front of a group of people can be intimidating. You feel judged. It’s especially nerve-wracking if there are people in the audience you want to impress. It’s scary;…
7 Things to Say When You Catch Someone Doing Something (Nearly) Right
A few years ago, I had the privilege of interviewing best-selling author and speaker Ken Blanchard. Last year Blanchard and co-author Spencer Johnson issued a revised version of their management classic The One Minute Manager. Titled The New One Minute Manager, the parable was tweaked to reflect the realities of today’s workplace. When we talked,…
Reaming Out an Employee While You’re on the Treadmill – Bad Boss
Well, here’s a new way to conduct performance management discussions: ream an employee out while you’re on the treadmill. I was at the gym. Near me, there was a guy on the treadmill vigorously exercising while wearing earbuds and talking into his microphone. Loudly. There was little doubt about what was going on: he was having a “performance conversation”…