Dear Madeleine, I am fairly new to the workforce. I have a degree in accounting and got a great job right out of college, working in the finance department. I’ve been in this job for almost two years now. I like the company, the products we make, my manager, and my work. My issue is…
As so many industries are beginning the long challenge of recovering from the pandemic, organizational change seems to be happening everywhere. The first issue many organizations must deal with when planning a change is finding an effective leadership approach that encourages large numbers of people to buy into a change at the same time. What…
Organizations are quickly releasing policy statements as part of their contingency response to the coronavirus outbreak around the world. In addition to having well thought out strategies, it’s important for senior leaders to be prepared for questions that will inevitably arise as soon as these policy statements are released. When leaders are not prepared to…
In its simplest definition, culture is the way things get done in an organization. It’s about the behaviors and attitudes of employees and management and how that translates into different approaches to performance—both good and bad. If you are a leader looking to improve your organization’s current culture and work environment, here are five steps…
In our coaching practice we often coach leaders who are dealing with change in their organizations. One universal coaching truth we share with our clients is change starts with you. What do you need to say and do differently for your team to believe change is real? How do you demonstrate your commitment to achieving…
At The Ken Blanchard Companies we don’t just teach people in organizations to lead, learn, and grow—we live what we teach. Recently, we began implementing a company-wide change process that included redefining our organization’s values. As you might imagine, leading a change initiative in a company that teaches change management poses a unique set of…
In 333 B.C., Alexander the Great’s army was marching through Asia. In one city a chariot was lashed down with an extremely intricate tether now known as a Gordian knot. It was said that only one person would ever untie the knot and that person would be the future conqueror of the continent. Alexander studied…
You walk into a bank. There are 50 customers inside. Suddenly a robber runs in and fires off one shot. The bullet hits you in the right arm. Quick: What will you tell your friends later about this? Were you lucky or unlucky? Harvard’s Shawn Achor poses this dilemma in his book The Happiness Advantage.…
During the next couple of weeks, executives at hundreds of thousands of organizations around the world will be getting together to review their past year’s performance and to make plans for the coming year. Many will make a common mistake during the planning process that will greatly reduce the amount of alignment and buy-in they…
Organizations around the world have been forced to change the way they do business. The worldwide recession, downsized workforces, and value-conscious customers have created a new set of expectations. A just-released white paper from The Ken Blanchard Companies identifies key strategies for leaders. Here are four of my favorites to get you started on positioning…