Dear Madeleine, I was recently hired as regional manager of a large retail company. I come with lots of experience and a successful track record. In fact, my new company actually approached me and made me such a good offer, I couldn’t refuse. Unfortunately, I expected to be able to make some much needed changes…
In a new column for Fast Company, Scott and Ken Blanchard recommend taking a mid-year look at how you and your company are doing against yearly goals. The purpose is to identify what’s working and what might be in need of a mid-course correction. For goals where momentum has stalled, the two authors recommend reconnecting…
If there is a traffic sign indicating where you get on or off a highway, it’s important that you see it, and take action. Otherwise, you risk making a wrong turn or getting lost. In addition to regular traffic signs, drivers often encounter other types of signs. For example, have you ever been surprised by…
Accountability, accountability, accountability. It’s an issue that comes up time and again as leaders and HR professionals think about the one underlying challenge in their organizations that holds performance back. It’s a silent killer that operates below the surface in organizations and it’s tough to address. A best-selling business book (and one that I had…
If there was one question I’d like to hurl into deep space, “What’s in it for me?” would be it. The main reason is that the “What’s in it for me?” question breaks down our hope that we might accomplish something special together, and all be better for it. When individuals prioritize their own needs…
“Change is hard,” explains Madeleine Homan-Blanchard in a new article for Chief Learning Officer. And being asked to help someone change is a tough assignment—especially when that someone is a senior leader in your organization—just ask anyone responsible for learning and development and they’ll tell you. Have you been asked to help someone change? Here…
Innovation requires passion. It takes a lot of energy to develop an idea and implement it successfully in an organization. Fortunately, innovators have passion in abundance. Innovation also requires collaboration. Very few ideas can be successfully implemented without the cooperation and buy-in of others. Unfortunately, innovators often struggle in this area–especially if they fall in…
