Leaders: Your Encouragement Matters!
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This is how it looked in the Barnes Pavilion of the Poynter Institute in St. Pete as we welcomed managers from all professions to the November Great Bosses Boot Camp. They came from a fascinating array of disciplines: construction, IT solutions and security, medicine, education, financial services, real estate management, sales, public transportation, media -- and even leaders of an important non-profit training guide dogs for the blind!
Funny mug, right? I found it at the dollar store and bought it to remind myself how easy it is for managers to persuade themselves they're right. But often, they're not. They find out through evaluations, conversations -- and sometimes confrontations -- that they're doing something wrong.
That might sound like a bold promise -- but I mean it! Our one-day Great Bosses Boot Camp on November 15 will help you develop key management and leadership skills.
If you want to be a great boss, I suggest you pause and think carefully before using the word "lazy" to describe an employee. I know why you say it. You're frustrated. The employee isn't doing what you want. The person consistently delivers less than expected.
Here's your invitation to the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida -- for our Great Bosses Boot Camp, November 15, 2013.
People often say "Make a wish" on one's birthday. Well, today's my day and I'll use the opportunity to make a wish for you.
I'm looking forward to September 17, when I visit Barbados. The Cave Hill School of Business at the University of the West Indies is holding this leadership event for women, aptly titled: SUCCESS!
Thanks, Boot Campers!
This is how it looked in the Barnes Pavilion of the Poynter Institute in St. Pete as we welcomed managers from all professions to the November Great Bosses Boot Camp. They came from a fascinating array of disciplines: construction, IT solutions and security, medicine, education, financial services, real estate management, sales, public transportation, media -- and even leaders of an important non-profit training guide dogs for the blind!
What they shared was a genuine passion for getting better at the tricky art of performance management: how to get the best out of their teams, how to keep them engaged at work -- and how to build strong positive cultures in the process. We packed a lot into the day -- from feedback (positive and negative) to coaching to time management/priority setting and the secrets of top leaders! The group took home certificates of completion, along with a copy of this class picture:
Sincere thanks to all of you for your wonderful evaluations of the class. We take that feedback and use it to improve the next program we offer. We plan to offer this program again in 2014!
Umm, What If You’re Wrong, Boss?
Funny mug, right? I found it at the dollar store and bought it to remind myself how easy it is for managers to persuade themselves they're right. But often, they're not. They find out through evaluations, conversations -- and sometimes confrontations -- that they're doing something wrong.
That's when managers who aspire to be great bosses do something important: they act on the feedback. They take the steps necessary to fix a problem they caused or a behavior that's getting in their way.
Those steps are the topic of my latest column on Poynter.org: When Bosses Fumble: Five Steps for Rebuilding Your Reputation. Just click on this link to read it.
And, for your listening pleasure, here's my companion podcast for the column:
Become a Better Leader in One Day – November 15!
That might sound like a bold promise -- but I mean it! Our one-day Great Bosses Boot Camp on November 15 will help you develop key management and leadership skills.
We pack a lot into one day because we focus on the topics managers tell us are most important to their success -- some of their biggest challenges that deal with performance management.
Who's welcome at the Boot Camp? Managers from all professions: Business, government, education, non-profits; If you are responsible for the work of other good folks, you're a good fit for this class. Here's a link to info and applications. And there's a bonus: Everyone who takes part in the class gets a copy of WORK HAPPY: WHAT GREAT BOSSES KNOW.
The second bonus: It will take place in a fun and interactive environment at Poynter's wonderful campus in St. Petersburg, Florida.
We'll cover the feedback, motivation, tough conversations, managing time and priorities -- and how great bosses do it right!
What If That “Lazy” Employee Really Isn’t?
If you want to be a great boss, I suggest you pause and think carefully before using the word "lazy" to describe an employee. I know why you say it. You're frustrated. The employee isn't doing what you want. The person consistently delivers less than expected.
You have to do something about that, but making a character assessment doesn't necessarily help. And that's what calling someone "lazy" really does: assumes their behavior is driven by internal values -- or lack of them.
There may be much more to the story. In fact, you might be part of the problem. Don't get defensive about that; just get smart.
In this column for Poynter.org, I list seven questions managers should ask themselves before declaring an employee "lazy." Just click on this link for the column and podcast.
Great Bosses Boot Camp: November 15 at Poynter!
Here's your invitation to the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida -- for our Great Bosses Boot Camp, November 15, 2013.
Yes, the building is pretty darn attractive and a great place to learn. But we promise you more than palm trees. Our Great Bosses Boot Camp will pack an amazing amount of practical skill-building into one fun and interactive day.
The workshop is open to managers from any field. The skills we teach are some of the most critical for leaders, no matter their profession.
Here's a description of the program from our website:
Great Bosses Boot Camp: Performance Management is a one-day, highly focused and interactive workshop for managers in all fields. You will build your personal leadership skills as well as gain new tools and insights into raising the performance of your staff. Best of all, you’ll be able to put this practical teaching to work immediately.
Poynter’s Great Bosses Boot Camp workshops are fast-paced, using real-world examples and exercises. Participants will also receive a copy of “Work Happy: What Great Bosses Know,” to continue their leadership learning.
In the Great Bosses Boot Camp, you will learn:
- The top ten things great bosses know — and what they do differently from others.
- How performance changes when bosses wear “feedback glasses.”
- How to succeed at four levels of tough conversations; including how to assess, prepare and conduct each type for a positive outcome.
- How easily managers erase and undercut their positive feedback, and how to protect against it.
- How to gain better control of your time each day, so your work has maximum impact.
- How you can encourage employees honestly and effectively, without resorting to insincere or undeserved praise
My Birthday Wish for You
People often say "Make a wish" on one's birthday. Well, today's my day and I'll use the opportunity to make a wish for you.
I wish you happiness at work and at play. And I hope the two intersect. I hope you find such joy in your work that it often feels like play -- and certainly pleasure. I'm smiling in this photo, which was taken earlier this year at a seminar for new managers, because it reflects the joy I feel in working with leaders.
The workplace can be joyful. It happens when leaders believe in employee engagement and in building positive work environments. It takes values, skill and commitment. I know it's possible and I wish it for you as a leader and as an employee!
Join Me in Barbados?
I'm looking forward to September 17, when I visit Barbados. The Cave Hill School of Business at the University of the West Indies is holding this leadership event for women, aptly titled: SUCCESS!
I'll be sharing "What Great Female Bosses Know" -- and will draw upon my own personal experience as a woman in management, as well as my current leadership teaching. I'll share what research tells us about women's approaches, successes and challenges in leadership -- and what we can do to support all aspiring leaders, but especially those who have been underrepresented in the past.
Of course, I'll also draw on the lessons of "Work Happy: What Great Bosses Know" and will sign books. Events like these are a wonderful opportunity for women to learn together, share advice and experiences, and do the networking that helps them succeed.
Here's a link to the Facebook page of Cave Hill, just in case you'd like to know more -- and join us!
