Check the team’s actions against purpose

Posted on Apr 10, 2014 | Tags: , | 2 Comments

When we talk about the team’s purpose, it tends to be abstract and aspirational. But, when it comes down to making the gritty, day-to-day choices, it’s easy to get pulled in the opposite direction. You want to reach for the stars; gravity keeps grounding you. Create a simple, gut-check question to ask in important moments, […]

Great ways to keep communication flowing

Posted on Apr 3, 2014 | Tags: , | No Comments

Whether you’re in leadership mode or management mode, the team needs to believe in you and your ability to guide them — and that makes trust and communication vital. Here are a three ideas to help make sure that you and the team are approaching challenges as one unit, united in understanding and purpose. • […]

Knowing when to manage and when to lead

Posted on Apr 2, 2014 | Tags: , | No Comments
Knowing when to manage and when to lead

Often, the words we use shape the way we think. The words “leader” and “manager” suggest an identity. But, in fact, those words are not really descriptions of what you are; they are simply descriptions of what you do.

Turning the critics into builders

Posted on Mar 27, 2014 | Tags: , | No Comments

In any decision-making discussion, it’s easy to get stuck in critic mode — picking away at every option on the table until there’s nothing left. And then you’re back to square one, which can frustrate team members and stall progress. When you notice your team stuck in critic mode, try asking questions that will get […]

How to get around decision dysfunction

Posted on Mar 20, 2014 | Tags: , | No Comments
How to get around decision dysfunction

Does your team have decision dysfunction? If so, you’re not alone. In our work with teams over the past 20 years, we’ve found that decision-making is one of the biggest challenges teams face. When the team’s decision-making is impaired, it can feel like a pebble in the team’s shoe — a constant irritant. Or like […]

How to buffer the work against the force of time

Posted on Mar 19, 2014 | Tags: , | No Comments

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the demands of time. As a manager, you want to ensure efficient progress — and that, funny enough, also includes routinely hitting the pause button to check in on the team’s progress. Here are three ideas, drawn from our own experience, to help the team […]