Leadership means asking questions. What is the problem? What can we do that is new and better? How do we tackle this issue? What if we do something else? How can I help you? If your days, your meetings, your interactions are filled with answers, you are doing something else entirely. Take Gary Kaplan, who … Continue reading Questions and answers
Category: leadership
Sit or stand
In the face of adversity, we can sit down and complain, or stand up and do something. A couple of things. Sitting down and complaining makes us complicit in the adversity. If it was not our fault to begin with, it is after we make the decision to merely sit there. It does not matter … Continue reading Sit or stand
Bridge
When one gets squeezed between two opposing forces, it is quite usual to start depicting both forces as enemies. Lousy middle management is a great representation of this. Middle managers are at the crossroads of contrasting needs and ambitions, and the result can easily get to "management has unreasonable expectations" and "my team is lazy … Continue reading Bridge
Extend your hand
When there is tension, when you feel those that are not on your side are simply too far away, when talking is arguing, when it seems impossible to find common ground. Extend your hand. https://youtu.be/zVSuooQORTU
A small step
When you talk about change, you might get a lot of resistance or a lot of cheering. Most likely, a mix of the two. In both cases though, you are not one step closer to the change you are seeking. And that is because telling about change is only one small step on a highway … Continue reading A small step
Building relationships
The way you communicate reality is often more important than reality itself in building bonds. Or breaking them. Say you have to share a decision with your team, one that is not fully fair, one you were not involved in making, one that will not make them happy. You can state the fact, and say … Continue reading Building relationships
Gripes go up
If you are in a position of power, be mindful not to complain to people who report to you. Work is probably tougher, you are asked to juggle a load of different tasks, you are supposed to find time to talk to people, you negotiate, compromise, often work after hours, and I am sure at … Continue reading Gripes go up
Not listening
Not listening is not only ignoring. It is also finding weak reasons to continue on the path that is less risky, motivating the current situation with urgency, hiding behind busyness, coming up with own ways to define reality, diminishing the arguments of others, expressing agreement with words and not follow up with actions. And most … Continue reading Not listening
Better not ask
Sometimes we do not ask because we do not want to be an annoyance. Our team needs a new tool to do their job, but the company is going through a difficult period, better not ask. Our customers need a new feature, but Product already has their hands full, better not ask. Our prospects do … Continue reading Better not ask
Rewards
If everyone gets a reward, is the reward less important? I guess it depends. If you are on the receiving end, you should be proud and celebrate. I know somewhere deep inside you will feel like it does not matter, like you are not truly the one whose work is being rewarded here, like it … Continue reading Rewards
