The most persistent barrier to being a servant leader is a heart motivated by self-interest that looks at the world as a “give a little, take a lot” proposition. Leaders with hearts motivated by self-interest put their own agenda, safety, status, and gratification ahead of others who are affected by their thoughts and actions. In…
Each of us have natural tendencies and habits. Leaders are no different. We might love to share our sage advice, to be problem solvers, or to play the devil’s advocate. But these tendencies and habits, if overused, can have a downside. Here are some commonly overused leadership habits and alternatives we might put in their…
Dear Madeleine, I have just been promoted. This has been my career ambition and it has been a long time coming. I have been leading a large team of individual contributors and will now be managing three other managers in addition to some individual contributors. Two of these managers had been my peers and…
In today’s fast-paced working environment, people in leadership roles are being asked more and more to use a coaching approach to move people and their projects forward. Interestingly, the number one reason managers give for not coaching is that it takes too much time. Let’s explore that reasoning. At The Ken Blanchard Companies, we define…
The amount of direction and support people receive from their manager directly impacts the efficiency and quality of their work. Without it, people are left to their own devices, have to fake it until they make it, and learn primarily through trial and error. Eventually people get there—but it comes with a cost, says Ann…
Hi Madeleine, I just started a new position with an organization that is pretty young in the association world. I accepted the job because everyone gets along really well and works as a team to accomplish yearly goals. This type of culture is something I didn’t experience at my previous place of employment, but I…
Leadership works best as a partnership, with managers and direct reports working together toward achievement of company goals. It requires strong skills in goal setting, diagnosis, and matching for both manager and direct report. But most organizations only focus on one half of that partnering equation, says Susan Fowler, a senior consulting partner with The…
“Think about your best boss,” asks coaching expert Madeleine Blanchard. “Your best boss is a person who helped you to deliver phenomenal performance, but they also helped you to really grow and develop yourself.” In a short video interview Blanchard explains that, “Managers who have no idea how to use coaching skills, or use a…
If you are a leader, the end of the year is an opportunity for you to celebrate and thank everyone in your organization who, throughout the year, contributed to its success. However, encouragement and recognition shouldn’t be a once-a-year event—it ought to be a leader’s constant mindset, according to Ken Blanchard, management expert and coauthor…
In the latest installment of the Blanchard LeaderChat Podcast, Chad Gordon interviews Garry Ridge, CEO of WD-40 Company and coauthor with Ken Blanchard of Helping People Win at Work. In the podcast, Garry shares key principles from the book and how he has put them into practice over the past ten years at WD-40 with remarkable impact.…