When the need for a performance improvement plan (PIP) arises, it is important to look at the underlying factors. The root-cause of the situation may not be as easy as “performance.” Instead, it may begin at the onset of the individual’s tenure. Three basic steps exist to a strong performance improvement plan: Has the team...
Managers have a lasting effect on teams they lead. The right manager perfectly balances their own talents with the talents of the people they manage. But how do you find a good manager? Fortunately, we know how to spot them! In the past 30-plus years, we have assessed over 330,000 managers giving us insight to...
This story occurred when I was General Manager of a luxury hotel. It was Christmas season. Our hotel was elegantly decorated within an inch of its life. We had roaring fireplaces filling the atmosphere with warmth and that wonderful aroma you can only get from burning real wood. We had live Christmas music. Every function...
Proficiency in critical thinking is considered by many authorities to be a major goal of higher education. It’s often taken as an indicator of intelligence. And the practice of critical thinking is emphasized — for good reason — in numerous professions. This link takes you to definitions posted on the website The Critical Thinking Community....
Let’s take a couple of behaviors that are almost universally seen as negative – beating people up and lying. Can you think of any kinds of roles in which beating people up is actually considered a good behavior that can drive success?
In business, every day is game day and coaching happens in real time. The best managers are constantly coaching, and there are better and worse ways to go about that coaching. Listen in as Larry Sternberg, Kimberly Shirk and I move in and out of sports and business examples to discuss questions like these:
Managers who make a difference achieve more than just business results. They make a positive difference in the lives of the people they manage. The pinnacle of managing to make a difference is helping people self-actualize. Self-actualization is self-fulfillment. It looks different for everyone because everyone has a different set of talents, a different configuration...
The Follow Shirley Method? Whenever we talk about this topic, we get quizzical looks at first. Maybe you’ve never heard it called by that name, but you’ve been the victim of this training method at least once in your career. You arrive on the first day of your new job, your supervisor looks a little...
Are you still living with the fantasy that relationships should be 50/50? If you want to be a manager who makes a difference, we encourage you to embrace the reality that relationships ebb and flow. Some days relationship investments from the two parties might be 60/40. Other days they might be 30/70. And over time...
Managers spend a lot of time focusing on managing “down” – guiding their teams and energizing results that align with organizational goals. A recent study from McKinsey highlights the importance of also managing “sideways” with colleagues and “up” with higher-level leaders. In fact, the combination of managing up and sideways has a 50% higher impact...
