Tag Archives: Winning Teamwork

Three Keys to Teamwork

The fundamental determinant of success on most projects and at most companies is teamwork.  Volumes have been written about how to foster teamwork.  My small contribution is to suggest that each of us, when part of a team, keep three … Continue reading

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Humor – A Vital Leadership Skill

“A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.”  Dwight D. Eisenhower (34th President of the United States) Having humor in the workplace is crucial to leadership success and … Continue reading

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5 Key Interpersonal Skills for Leaders

“Abraham Lincoln said that people think that the real test of a person’s character is how they deal with adversity. A much better measure of a person’s character is to give them power. I’ve been more often disappointed with how … Continue reading

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Three ‘Cheats’ of the Ethical Leader

An ethical leader is someone dedicated to always doing the right thing for the employees, the business, and all stakeholders.  Alas, this ideal for the selfless and driven leader clashes with the reality of who most of us really are. … Continue reading

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The ‘Crack Cocaine’ of Leadership

Crack Cocaine has three distinguishing features: It gives the user a short – lived, intense high It is highly addictive It inevitably leads to the user’s downfall These exact three characteristics are found when business leaders feed their egos. Let’s … Continue reading

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Lead With Questions

As leaders, we often have an employee come to us with an issue or problem. As “make it happen” managers, we then focus on getting the problem solved and getting it done as quickly as possible. Thus, we take charge, … Continue reading

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Get to the Front Lines

Undercover Boss has become a hit TV series by showing big corporate bosses going undercover and discovering the reality of the work lives of their employees. As leaders, we do not need to go undercover; we just need to get … Continue reading

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Calm the Rhetoric…Make Molehills

Today, exaggeration and hyperbole are ever-present. Listen to any sports event… tune into any news program…Speak with many of your friends and/or employees… What do you hear? Amazing… incredible… unbelievable The meeting was a disaster…this is crazy… what a collapse … Continue reading

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New Year Resolutions for First-Time Managers

Happy New Year! For first time managers struggling to move their business units forward in 2015, now is the time to take a step back and focus unwaveringly on the fundamentals of managing and leading others. As such, I offer … Continue reading

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We Need to Spend “Alone Time” With Our Skip Levels

As leaders, we need to spend time on a regular and consistent basis with our skip levels.   What is a Skip Level? As we move up in our organizations, we become ‘managers of managers’ with both direct reports and … Continue reading

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Empathy – A Crucial Leadership Skill

Henry Ford said it well: If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as from your own. This … Continue reading

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We Need to Deal with Our Non-Performers Today

Dealing with non-performers is likely the most uncomfortable (yet necessary) task in building a winning team.  Truth be told, few of us enjoy disciplining, remedial coaching, and terminating employees, especially those that we may work with on a daily basis. … Continue reading

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Instilling Passion Back Into Our Businesses

For many companies, the last few years have been a long, hard slog for the leaders and employees alike. Raises and bonuses have been minimal. It is more difficult to make good profits and win. Anxiety is high as there … Continue reading

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The 4 Innate Qualities of Great Employees

With title inflation, clever wordsmithing, and self-marketing campaigns, every employee or potential employee appears to be a great employee. However, we all know the truth; few people are stars. In order to differentiate people and find the gem, seek out … Continue reading

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Business Turnaround 301 – Right People Doing the Right Job

In discussing business turnarounds, we have seen that the three fundamentals to turn a troubled business around are as follows: Understand Reality, Face Reality Focus, Prioritize, Plan (Less is More) Right People Doing the Right Job Today, we turn our … Continue reading

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Human Resources – MIA, But Needed Now More Than Ever

For years, Jack Welch (former CEO of GE) has pleaded that human resources is one of the most important functions in any corporation. Alas, the reality in most companies today is that human resources (HR) people do not have a … Continue reading

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Leading at a Higher Level

In this book, Leading at a Higher Level: Blanchard on Leadership and Creating High Performing Organizations, Ken Blanchard summarizes his thoughts on leadership and building winning teams and winning businesses. Set your sights on the right target and vision Is … Continue reading

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It’s Your Ship – Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy

In this book, former Navy Captain D. Michael Abrashoff boils down the management and leadership techniques that helped his ship, the Benfold, become “the best damn ship in the Navy.” His 11 fundamentals are equally applicable in the business world. … Continue reading

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The Lost Skill of Delegation

“You cannot do it all.” As business leaders, most of us have come to realize that we need to better delegate tasks so that we can get what is essential done. But, it is important to remember that the purpose … Continue reading

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Go Home!!! Work Fewer Hours and Get Better Results

Business leaders pride themselves on working hard, putting in the long hours required to achieve success. Paradoxically, the extra hours many of us put in may actually hinder our effectiveness and the performance of our companies. In short, working fewer … Continue reading

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