In the New York Times bestselling book, Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success, author Adam Grant makes the case for being a “giver.” He writes, “Givers don’t wait for signs of potential. Because they tend to be trusting and optimistic about other people’s intentions, in their roles as leaders and mentors, givers…
Mentoring
Should You Give Advice or Coach?
“Hey, I need a sounding board. Can I run something past you?” This is pretty typical at work, especially if you’re a leader. But what if you’re not in a position of titled leadership? If you’re an individual contributor, congratulations! Somebody sees you as a trustworthy confidant. Should you offer advice or coach them? Is there…
Career Advice: How to Make the Most of Reverse Mentoring
A note to people in leadership: have you considered the role that reverse mentoring can play as part of your career development efforts with employees? Check out this career advice article on the topic. Consider sharing this post with a young employee looking to expand their network, or a mature colleague who would appreciate a…
Develop Leaders by Loaning Your Belief
“Me? A leader? No way. Not interested.” If you’ve ever entered into this kind of conversation with someone you believe has leadership potential, you’re not alone. According Harvard Business Review, many employees resist enrollment in formal leadership development programs. One of the key take-aways from the research cited is that employees view “leadership” in a…
The Power of Almost Perfect Practice
As the school year wraps up, I reflect on the intersection of learning a new skill and encouragement. My daughter is nearing the end of her first year of playing the trumpet for her middle school band. From my perspective, she’s done remarkably well. To hear her tell it though, you’d form a different conclusion….