Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

"Change is disturbing when it is done to us, exhilarating when it is done by us." - Rosabeth Moss Kanter.

If you are leading an organization and are the last person to interview a candidate, focus your questions more on trying to see if the person is a cultural fit. Here are a few questions to pose to potential new hires (from the book, Advisory Leadership:
What motivates you?What are you passionate about? (Finding out what people are passionate about and why is a great window into someone's personality.)What are you telling your family/spouse about our company? (This question often takes candidates off guard and results in some often very honest answers.)What did you enjoy most/find most challenging in  your last position? (There are no right or wrong answers, necessarily. This question is a great assessment of the candidate, especially when considering certain roles.)What opportunities do you see for yourself here?

If your work no longer excites and inspires you, then the book, Find the Fire, is a timely read. And one that will help you rekindle your own inspiration.

You’ll learn how to: Overcome the common fears of failure, change and criticism.Adopt an open mind and seek out new experiences.Embolden yourself to take more risks.Build upon progress and create momentum.Unleash creativity and produce work you’re proud of.Kick-start learning and growth.Banish perfectionism.Lift your self-confidence and earn respect.Most important, you’ll find the fire in work that eliminates the common factors that drag people down, such as disconnectedness, fear, inundation, settling and boredom, dwindling self-belief, loss of control, feelings of insignificance, lack of evocation and dearth of creating – all things that sap your energy and optimism.

One of my favorite parts in the book is the list of nine ways to negate the fear of change.
“Change threatens our sense of stability and robs us of our sense of control,”…

In their book, Millennials Who Manage, authors Chip Espinoza and Joel Schwarzbart, quote Donna Hicks's explanation about how dignity is different from respect. Dignity is different from respect in that it is not based on how people perform, what they can do for us, or their likability. Dignity is a feeling of inherent value and worth.Therefore, Espinoza and Schwarzbart recommend that leaders treat those they are leading with dignity and follow Hick's 10 Essential Elements of Dignity: Acceptance of Identity - Approach people as being neither inferior nor superior to you. Assume that others have integrity.

Inclusion - Make others feel that they belong, whatever the relationship.

Safety - Put people at ease at two levels: physically, so they feel safe from bodily harm, and psychologically, so they feel safe from being humiliated.

Acknowledgment - Give people your full attention by listening, hearing, validating, and responding to their concerns, feelings, and experiences.

Recognition -…

The Courage Solution, a book by Mindy Mackenzie, is all about the simple truth that the only thing you can reliably change or control is yourself. So, that is why Mackenzie wrote her book -- to teach you how to take actions that ultimately will improve your impact on the job and increase your happiness and fulfillment in your career.
Mackenzie's quick-read strategies focus on these four key areas: Part 1: You First offers techniques to take ownership and accountability for creating a career and life you love.Part 2: Lead Your Boss describes proven techniques to transform your relationship with your boss.Part 3: Lead Your Peers provides methods for accelerating positive peer relationships to improve business results.Part 4: Lead Your Team gives approaches for generating and creating the most effective teams and having more fun while doing it.

Mindy Mackenzie
A preview from the book of Mackenzie's advice on Leading Your Boss includes: Intensely study your boss to get to know the huma…