Archive January 2014
Start navigating the negative forces
There’s a common refrain among many teams: “If only we had more ___, we could do more ___.” It’s easy to feel knocked around by the negative forces around you. But most teams have a lot more control than they realize.
Keep asking yourself these questions
How do you know if you’re a successful leader? Former Herman Miller CEO Max de Pree says the evidence of success is found in your team, not in you. Here are some good questions to ask: • Do the people on my team understand their potential? • Are they actively learning and growing? • Are […]
The manager is dead. Long live the manager.
Our ears pricked up when we heard that Zappos had decided to do away with managers and job titles. The idea is to distribute power more broadly, increase accountability, and get rid of all the bureaucratic layers that can make companies feel corporate in the worst possible way. The underlying intent seems spot-on. But let’s hope Zappos still finds a way to preserve the best of what great managers do (even if they no longer call those people managers).
On building trust
Want to keep your duos going strong? Focus on building a bank of trust not feeding a reserve of resentment.
Getting beyond grudges
Are grudges slowing your team down? Commit to giving feedback in the moment and working through conflicts openly. Don’t indulge teammates who sit and stew without trying to change things.
Belief = fuel
Belief is like a renewable energy source for your team. Your job as a manager is to keep recharging it.