5 Top Leadership Articles for the Week of December 5, 2016

 

In the past few days I’ve had several people tell me they’re giving Winning Well to a colleague, family member, or leader in their life. I love it – giving leaders the gift of a peaceful and productive next year!

Each week I read a number of leadership articles from various online resources and share them across social media. Here are the five articles readers found most valuable last week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think, too.

The 3 Great Boss Secrets to Recognizing Employees by S. Chris Edmonds at SmartBrief

How many of you get enough praise on the job? I ask this question at nearly every keynote I deliver. The results are astounding. Less than 10% of audience members raise their hands!

My informal social research mirrors that of Tiny HR’s 2014 Employee Engagement and Organizational Culture Report, which found that only 21% of employees feel strongly valued at work.

My Comment: You get more of what you celebrate and encourage – less of what you criticize and ignore. In the video accompanying this article Edmonds shares three things servant leaders consistently do to recognize their employees. If you’re having trouble recognizing people, pay attention to what you’re looking for – do you look for people succeeding and doing well? Or are you only on the lookout for problems. You’ll tend to find what you look for.

The Key Steps to Creating an Ethical Workplace Culture by Emily Russen

We would all like to think that our employees know the difference between right and wrong in the workplace. But do your employees know where to turn in a crisis?

The truth is, even employees with the best moral compasses can find themselves in an ethical gray area. How does this happen? The culture that your organization creates can cause employees to cross an ethical line. Does the company pressure salespeople to close deals no matter what? Are your best employees in fear of losing their jobs over a minor slip up? There are enough opportunities for people to cross ethical lines — don’t let your company culture be one of them.

My Comment: Ethical lapses rarely happen suddenly or in a vacuum. More often, a series of small compromises blur the lines. “Just this once” happens over and over again until it’s the norm, not the exception. Russen gives you three ways to maintain an ethical culture in the organization and teams you lead.

Seven Organizational Culture Killers by Don MacPherson

Organizational culture is an amorphous, powerful thing. Creating a strong culture can take years. Dysfunctional cultures are often the culprits behind highly visible events such as a data breach, a CEO meltdown, or even a rude remark by a customer service representative caught on video and posted to social media.

My Comment: This is a straightforward and to-the-point list of characteristics that will ruin the positive culture you need in order to achieve lasting results. Arrogance…lack of clarity…values that only live in posters…and more.

Finding Your True Motivation? Start by Being Bored! 3 Ways to Get Started by Susan Fowler at Blanchard Leader Chat

When was the last time you had discretionary time on your hands, wondering what to do with a gift of time where nothing was planned or expected of you? If it wasn’t yesterday, then read on.

A summer morning stands out with vivid clarity in my mind. I was eight years old. My younger sister, Dee Dee, and I were up before our parents. We were excited to put on our new summer shorts and begin our day. But we were up so early, all our neighborhood friends were still sleeping. And we were bored.

That’s when something magical happened…

My Comment: Discretionary or ‘down time’ is not just an indulgence for children. It’s a necessary part of brain health and creativity. I almost never have break-through ideas while sitting at my computer. The real thinking and creativity happen while I’m running, hiking, or allowing myself to sit and think. Your way of taking downtime and allowing yourself space to discover what is meaningful may look different than mine, but find ways to do it – and watch your life and work improve.

4 Ways Coaching-Managers Lower Stress and Succeed With Tough Conversations by Dan Rockwell

#1 Have them quickly. Delay makes matters worse. Say what you see as soon as possible. If you’re concerned that you could be off base, say so. “I might be off base here, but here’s what I see…”

My Comment: When I’m promoting someone into a leadership position, I start with a foundation of a integrity and competence at their job. From there, the first skill I look for is the ability to hold tough conversations well. I believe this skill is that important to your leadership success. If you struggle to engage in tough or personal conversations with your people, Rockwell’s suggestions will significantly help.

David works with leaders to get results without losing their soul (or mind) in the process. Have David keynote your next event or deliver corporate training: Email today or call 303.898.7018!

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