Because I came to motherhood late in life, I had nearly two decades of supervisory experience under my belt before my first kid arrived. Up to that point, I had been a frontline leader, a manager, an internal coach to executives. I led workshops on numerous leadership and managerial topics. I knew a lot about…
Leadership
Huffington Post’s “True North Leaders”
When Huffington Post published my article How to Stay Okay with Who You Are and Still Meet the Demands of Leadership, I discovered this great part of the site: their “True North Leaders” section, which highlights the “inner game” that leaders must master: authenticity, courage, values and integrity. I write about those topics frequently, so I’ll be sure…
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”…
Leaders Who Care Too Much Have Control Issues
It’s good to work with a boss who cares. As with most things in life, too much of a good thing can cause problems. Compassion in a work team leader is a desirable trait, but leaders who care overly much tend to avoid critical decision-making and stunt their employees’ growth. It’s an issue of understanding the boundaries…
The Promise of Leadership
People expect things of you when you become a leader. “When we step into leadership, we may not be aware that it comes with implicit promises in the form of expectations,” says Bob Anderson, co-author of the recently published Mastering Leadership. When I interviewed Anderson in advance of the book’s publication, he shared his perspective…