These days, it is quite easy to train yourself in hard skills. Accessible, post-secondary education and sites like Lynda.com and YouTube have made it possible for nearly everyone to gain quantifiable skills related to every field of work. So how does one stand out from the highly-educated crowd and prove worthiness for a leadership role? …
Tag: leadership
3 Cognitive Biases That Impede Decision-Making
We will often find ourselves making decisions and plans based on past experiences. Whether or not our predicted outcomes are logical or reasonable, we hold on to them because we have built ourselves a system of beliefs that we are convinced are true, and can only lead to one possible result. In some cases, these…
[Infographic] The Importance of Employee Engagement
Creating an atmosphere where employees feel engaged in their work can be tough. Everyone has different motivations, likes and dislikes, and expectations of themselves and their overall lives, so creating a workplace that caters to all of these needs can sometimes feel impossible. The challenge is so great for some that they simply choose to…
The Servant Leader
Anyone can lead when they are walking downhill on the sunny side of the street on a beautiful day. It seems effortless. When you experience those moments, take them in and enjoy the successes around you because they’re usually short lived. On the other hand, as you experience challenging moments working with others, this can…
Three Reasons to Use—Not Lose! —Your Vacation Days
A whopping 67% of American employees are not taking all of their eligible time off according to a study by job site Glassdoor. In fact, the average U.S. employee (of those who receive vacation/paid time off) has only taken 54% of his or her eligible vacation time/paid time off in the past 12 months. When employees finally…
Overcome Obstacles in Three Steps
Despite our best efforts, everyone encounters challenges that seem insurmountable. Procrastinating, worrying or wishing the challenge never presented itself only wastes precious time. Instead, apply these three steps to overcome them. 1. Get out of your head. When presented with a challenge, the stress often feels all consuming which hinders your ability to think clearly and…
Soft Skills for Success Series — #3 Impacts on Leadership
Today’s business leaders concur that soft skills are critical to fostering employee retention and creating a meaningful workplace culture, according to Deloitte’s 2016 Global Human Capital Trends report. Unlike hard skills which are gained through education, certification, on-the-job training, etc., soft skills are interpersonal such as communication skills, adaptability and the ability to manage and…
The Servant Leader
“Everyone is going to draw lines for you, especially when they think you should have achieved something or proved something or become something by a specific time. But it’s your job to reimagine these lines — to cross them, to jump them, and in some cases to ignore them altogether.” Academy Award-winning actor Benicio del…
The Servant Leader
This week I was visiting with a company whose third-generation leaders aspire to increase employee engagement by developing the leadership skills of their 70+ mid-level leaders. With that context, I was asking workplace culture questions to better understand where they had been and what might be challenging in their future. During the discussion, a statement…
Four Leadership Failures that Cause Employees to Quit
Multiple studies have shown that employees are more likely to jump ship when they lack a strong, positive relationship with their managers. Here are four common ways leaders often fail which can cause employees to jump ship. Micromanaging employees. Employees are initially hired based on their work experience and skills, yet many managers micromanage their team…