Corporate Culture

How to Avoid Getting Sucked Into Needless Activity

April 15, 2019

There’s no shortage of important work to do – both at home and in your job. So, the last thing you want tossed your way is unnecessary work. Nobody likes needless activity, right? But this is easier said than done. I’m sure you can easily recall getting pulled into something that did not add value […]

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How To Gain Buy-In From Your Team

April 8, 2019

When my daughter was in elementary school I chaperoned a group of second-graders on a field trip to the ArtPrize exhibition in downtown Grand Rapids. Picture this: ten 8-year-olds, excitedly dashing around parks and gardens, in and out of exhibition buildings. They were so excited to experience the art displayed throughout our city. Naturally, their […]

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Avoid Snappy Comebacks with Snarky People

July 12, 2016

Someone Googled “come back for want some cheese with that whine” and Google returned my post Want Some Cheese with That Whine? The person viewing the search was most likely disappointed, as the post was about how Human Resources deal with whiny employees.  However, it does raise an interesting question about workplace communication:  what would […]

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People Equation Quick Hits: Learning Nuggets from #WorkHuman 2016

May 11, 2016

For the past three days, I’ve been immersed in Globoforce’s WorkHuman conference. Have you ever been to a conference that was so amazing, you feel like you’re literally bursting at the seams with all the ideas? Yeah, that’s how I am right now, two hours after the conference wrapped.     Watch for detailed coverage […]

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Tips for Small Business Owners Who Want a Positive Company Culture

October 15, 2015

Many small business owners probably think they can’t compete with big-business perks like nap rooms and fancy corporate cafeterias. Although it’s true that “Mom-and-Pop” shops can’t offer big financial benefits, they can still build a reputation for their company as a great place to work. Head on over to my latest Smartblog on Leadership post […]

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Tips for Maintaining Your Focus as a Leader

June 18, 2015

In the new book The Disciplined Leader, John Manning writes about the importance of focus—and how it drives leadership success. After reading the book, I had the opportunity to ask John some follow up questions. What follows is an edited version of our conversation. Jen: In the book’s introduction, you write that leaders must learn […]

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52 Messages for Becoming a Disciplined Leader

June 15, 2015

As a leader, are you committed to “relentless self-control and positive work habits?” In the book The Disciplined Leader, author John Manning makes the case for discipline, writing that effective leaders employ “consistent application of certain mindsets and actions that are vital for [their] success.” Yet, as Manning found when he began conducting research for […]

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Even Good Leaders Lose Against a Bad System

June 8, 2015

“The other day I had a revelation at work.” That’s my friend Sally, chatting with me at lunch. “Oh? How so?” That’s me, ever the inquisitor. Sally took a new job a few months ago and we were catching up on life. “Well, the VP of my division stopped me in the hall the other […]

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What Type of Employee is a Good Fit for Holacracy?

May 26, 2015

Do employees really enjoy working in a self-organized structure? Holacracy—sometimes touted as a “leaderless” environment—eliminates traditional management titles and functions. The degree to which employees enjoy this organizational structure depend on many factors.  Some people take well to this extreme level of self-organization, others don’t. Even at online retailer Zappos, the most famous of Holacracy […]

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23 Leadership Lessons About Energizing Yourself and Others

May 15, 2015

How do you derive energy from the task of leading? Many times, being in a leadership role is draining, not energizing. As with many other things in life, one needs to actively seek out ways to overcome flagging energy. This month’s Frontline Festival blog carnival, hosted by Let’s Grow Leaders’ Karin Hurt, assembled 23 stories […]

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