Limitations What are your limitations? Are you the recent hire trying to prove yourself in a field of older, more experienced employees? Do you feel you will never learn as much as you should and therefore that promotion you want is off limits? Maybe you feel limited by organizational systems that were in place long before you got there and recognize that changing them is difficult…maybe too difficult? If, as Oliver Wendall Holmes, Sr. once said, “All limits...
January marks the start of a fresh chapter—a blank slate— and as Vern McLellan has said,“What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year.”What will you bring? Over the years, I have found the following six action items can go a longway in preparing for a successful and productive year ahead. Reset Your Goals"Success doesn’t happen by chance. It happens by planning." — Benjamin FranklinWhat better...
Leaders Are ReadersAs Harry Truman once said, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.”But workdays are longer today, and time seems scarcer than ever. Add to that the riseof social media and we find that our attention spans are shrinking. If a story can't be toldin less than 60 seconds, we’re quick to scroll and move on. As a result, we find the actof reading novels, books, and articles for business or pleasure...
All said and done, we spend a third of our life at work; more than that for some. Who we surround ourselves with, the culture and attitudes we show up for, and how we treat one another matters. From top to bottom of the organizational chart, we can all contribute to creating a workplace worthy of showing up for. It begins with gratitude which according to Forbes, is good for business not to mention our physical...
Leadership is never a smooth ride. If you're in a position of leadership, you're likely toface moments that push you far beyond your comfort zone. Right now, if you'regrappling with tough decisions and navigating uncertain waters, remember this: stay thecourse. Your resolve, wisdom, and ability to make tough calls are exactly what’s neededin these critical moments. Consider the Apollo 13 mission, for instance. In 1970, an oxygen tank explosioncrippled the spacecraft, leaving the astronauts with limited power,...
In my book Cultivate, I tell the story of Pete. Pete was not always a model employee. To quote Pete: “The first time I worked here three years ago, I acted like a spoiled brat. I complained, I moaned, I criticized and grumbled almost every day. I kept thinking everybody owed me something. So, I quit here and went to work across town pouring concrete, making really good money.” The next job did not work out...
Why don’t you ever see top organizations talking about their in-house drama? Perhaps they hire people who don’t have the temperament for drama and therefore they have employees who don’t “do” drama. Or perhaps these organizations are intentionally developing a work culture that is strong and focuses on the vision, mission, and values of the organization. But what happens when you do have it for whatever reason? Maybe you inherited it. Any way you get it, you...
Frontline leaders manage over 80% of the overall workforce. Finding yourself promoted to a frontline leadership role means you are now managing the people who deliver for the company. How you lead your team will determine, to a significant extent, the success of the organization. When managing the frontline, it is handy to have these 5 F's as your framework for leadership: Fair: Be fair and don’t play favorites. Lead with clear expectations. Let each employee prove themselves...
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin What do you want your front-line leaders to know? Have you told them? Have you taught them? More importantly, have you worked with them? Recently, I spoke to a group of leaders about the role of the Foreman in our work and what working as a Foreman in the field involves. I did some research with current Landscape Branch Managers and...
The word momentum isn’t used very often by the service industry. But this week I was a small part of an exciting Leader 2 Leader session with two separate groups of landscape employees. The meat of the class was watching a video on Momentum, and we discussed what momentum is, why it is important, and how to make it or lose it in the workplace. For a group of landscapers, momentum, or the strength of force, is...