Often, new managers are promoted because they are very good at their jobs. Their supervisors may have caught a glimpse of leadership potential. Generally speaking, they are ambitious and hard-working people. Ever wonder why promising new managers end up becoming micro-managers? The problem is often under-supervision. Many times, new managers don’t get the direction and…
Last week I met with a group of sales managers for a national retailer that is doing very well. Turnover is low. Same-store sales have been outpacing their peer group for five years. Quarterly and annual financials have been excellent. The question they were asking was, “How do we keep our people motivated?” I asked…
Perhaps you got your New Manager position with the help of your boss. Perhaps you inherited a supportive boss when you got your job. Maybe your excellent boss arrived after you did. However you came to work with your “best” boss, losing that person rocks your world. When the stars line up perfectly, you have…
Stepping up from successful individual contributor to new manager creates a conundrum: Is it about you and proving yourself in your new role, or is it about them—the team—your direct reports? The quick answer is: It’s about both you and your team. There are two ways to look at your new role. First, it’s about…
Research in the fields of social, positive, and industrial/organizational psychology has repeatedly found that employees thrive best in work environments that allow them to think for themselves, and to construct and implement decisions for one course of action or another based on their own thinking and volition. The research is also clear that we suffer…
“Now the buck stops with me. Now I am the final decision maker. Now I am the person I used to go to for help!” Gulp. A young woman shared these words with me one week after being promoted to her first management position. I could see the look of controlled fear in her eyes,…
I just arrived back from beautiful Fujairah—one of the northernmost emirates in the UAE—where we held the final module of six in a 15-month leadership development curriculum for a global technology company. The total program included modules around personality, values, organization vision and alignment, leadership style, high performing teams, change management, and motivation—the gamut. This…
What is the purpose of a business? Search the internet for an answer and you will find different opinions. Many economists would say the purpose of a business is “profit maximization.” Peter Drucker said the only valid purpose for a business is “to create a customer.” Yes, profits are necessary, but Drucker adds that “the…
. Join trust expert Randy Conley for a complimentary webinar and online chat beginning today at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time (12:00 noon Eastern). In a special presentation on Building Trust: 3 Keys to Becoming a More Trustworthy Leader, Conley will be exploring how leaders can improve the levels of trust in their organization by identifying potential gaps…
Back in 2005, one of our clients, American Express, wanted to measure the impact of Situational Leadership II training that they had rolled out in their organization. The program was delivered via three venues—traditional classroom with people attending in person; completely virtual with people working through self-paced modules; and a third ‘blended approach’ that combined aspects…