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I love this time of year when so many people are focused on giving to others. Giving is a wonderful thing. It softens hearts, changes behavior, and strengthens relationships. Giving has a positive impact on both the receiver and the giver. Meaningful giving can even change lives. As a business leader, what do you plan to give those you lead this year? Will it be a nice Christmas party, a year-end bonus or some other nice gift? Will it be a heart-felt Christmas card or some extra praise, appreciation, and recognition? All of those would be great gifts!  [...]

How do you measure the effectiveness and health of your company’s culture?  Some companies I’ve worked with believe they have a great culture because people are generally nice to each other and everyone seems to get along . Others believe they have an amazing culture because they offer a lot of benefits and perks they think their employees love. And yet others believe that because employee turnover is very low, their culture must be good.  Though all of these factors certainly shape and influence a company’s culture, the ultimate barometer for whether a company’s culture is strong or [...]

Simon Sinek provided great insight when he said, “Give people a reason to come to work, not just a place to go to work.”  So what is the difference and why does it matter? Most companies provide only a place to go to work, so that is exactly what their employees do. They go to work, do what they must do to get by, and look forward to their next paycheck. The best companies however are different. They give their people a clear reason to come to work. They help them feel they are contributing to something bigger [...]

One simple way to improve organizational culture and leadership effectiveness is through gratitude. An expression of gratitude does two powerful things: First, it helps the recipient feel appreciated, recognized, and valued. When someone feels this way, it makes it easier for them to work hard and it increases their desire to do good work.  Second, gratitude softens the heart of the giver and endears them to the person to whom they are expressing appreciation. It helps them see those around them as people and as contributors to their personal success. One simple way to share gratitude is by [...]

Today my thought is simple. Keep score! Too many people work in the dark. They don’t know if their team is doing a good job or not. They don’t know if their team is winning. And this can lead to unproductive stress and anxiety, and even apathy and lethargy. The best leaders I know and the organizations with the strongest cultures don’t allow for ambiguity around results including progress towards them. Rather, they provide clear collective goals and then track them consistently. Doing this helps everyone stay aligned and focused on what matters most. It helps improve results. [...]

I love Mondays—and most days of the week—but Mondays are my favorite!  The reason? I choose to love Mondays!  Unfortunately, too many people I know despise Mondays. They associate Mondays with more work, sweat, grind, and a lack of freedom. They say Mondays rob them of their fun and relaxation.  I say Mondays are energizing, full of potential, and an opportunity to do great things. To me, Monday is a new beginning and a fresh start. A chance to improve, reach my goals and make a significant impact on the world. So who is right? Of course, we [...]

What are your expectations for those you lead? Is the potential you see in them made clear? Too many people feel unsure of what their leader expects of them at work. And too many leaders feel frustrated by the lack of progress being made by their team. Could there be a correlation?  People normally don’t lack capacity or potential to do good work. What they do lack is a leader who communicates clearly that they expect great things from them and that they believe in them.  A leader should strive to be a person who shines a light [...]

Does it feel like your team may be lacking motivation?This is a common concern I hear from leaders—that they can’t seem to get their team motivated.So what is a leader to do?Recently an executive I was working with set a goal for his team to achieve a special designation that exemplified excellence in their industry. He knew it would require hard work from his entire team to achieve it, but he was certain it would really help their business grow. Soon after he shared the goal, he quickly noticed a lack of enthusiasm around achieving it. Feeling frustrated he [...]