Remote Working has Changed How Leaders and Followers Interact The daily exchanges between a leader and follower were as crucial as any factor in effectively leading employees. These minor interactions were the focus of much study in the 1980s but the findings are so well understood by most leaders that not much has been written … Read More
The Triple Threat
For over forty years the NFL single-season scoring record was held by a triple-threat player, Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer Paul Hornung. Hornung set a record of 176 points in 1960 by scoring fifteen touchdowns, kicking forty-one extra points, and also kicking fifteen field goals. Green Bay’s opponents feared Hornung, and for good reason. … Read More
Leadership: Developing Resilience in a VUCA world
If nothing else, the global pandemic — and our leaders’ responses to it — has taught us that nothing is certain. Over time, we have seen it all: Stock markets losing, and then gaining hundreds of points in a day. Investors adjusting their portfolios to deal with the uncertainty. Complex decisions to re-open being based … Read More
Will Your Response to the 2020 Crisis Fail?
While on a scrum call, one of our sales people posed this question: Does the 50-70% failure rate of change programs reported by McKinsey apply to change efforts in response to the pandemic? Although it may be too early to tell if the failure rate will be similar, we did a little deductive reasoning to … Read More
Leadership Development: Beyond the Pandemic – What are Your High Potential Talent Really Thinking?
Interviews over recent months with senior HR managers and corporate leadership about their experience with the pandemic have revealed some surprising insights and developments. Not just about the benefits (and challenges) of working from home, but also about how employees’ attitudes and motivation have changed. One high potential leader we recently interviewed remarked that “the … Read More
Restructuring a Toxic Organization: What to Expect
We mentioned in a previous article that toxic individuals are infectious. Such employees focus on means rather than ends, promote drama over performance, and create significant drag on an organization. Moreover, they recruit others and shift the cultural norm. When this happens, restructuring is essential — but it will be resisted. Predictable Resistance to Organizational … Read More
Leadership Teams: When Less is More
While this is not a new concept, our clients are showing a renewed interest in becoming leaner in response to the pandemic. While some organizations may be reactive in reducing their staff, others are trying to apply the lessons learned from the “work from home” experiment of 2020. In the case of the latter, their … Read More
Leadership: The Ten Worst Behaviors
It is often said that an employee who leaves a company is leaving their leader, not the company. Because leaders and their employees are in a power relationship, any corrective feedback often remains unspoken until the exit interview, or perhaps is never spoken at all. And in truth, most leaders do not intend to be … Read More
How Do I Know My Organization is Toxic?
A few toxic employees can start a movement that, if left unchecked, can derail your organization. The toxic behavior of a few employees can poison the culture; their numbers can swell and shift the focus of conversation from performance to cohesion. Ultimately, it marginalizes the true performers, causing them to question themselves and their own judgment. How … Read More