Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

  “How you show up, what you stand for, and what actions you take to that end—as an individual and as a leader in your organization—are now gating factors to lasting success,” explains Frank Calderoni in his new book, UPSTANDING:  How Company Character Catalyzes Loyalty, Agility, and Hypergrowth . He adds that 2020 was the moment of truth for character, and building an upstanding company character is what will drive long-lasting success.  Calderoni explains that leaders must put character at the center of everything they do, and he explains that company culture is distinct from company character . He explains that:   Company culture is the system of beliefs, values, goals, behaviors, and the way employees feel working in the organization—from leadership style, decision-making norms, customer experience, and company policies—officially and unofficially. Essentially, it’s the personality of the organization.   Company character is the integrity, respect, ...

Today's inspiring quotes : "If you are too busy to laugh, you are too busy." -  Unknown "Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere." -  Albert Einstein "In matters of style, swim with the currents; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." -  Thomas Jefferson "You learn more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation." -  Plato "A man should never be ashamed to say he has been wrong, which is but saying in other words that he is wiser today than he was yesterday." -  Alexander Pope

Take a look at the list below. How many of these 27 management challenges are you facing right now? And, how many do you believe you'll face during the next year? Going from  peer to leader Coming from the outside  to take over leadership of an existing team Bringing together an  entirely new team Welcoming a new member  to your existing team Helping an employee who has a hard time  managing time Assisting an employee who needs help with  interpersonal communication Getting an employee more  organized Helping an employee who needs to get better at  problem solving Working with an employee who needs to increase  productivity Helping an employee who needs to improve  quality Managing an employee who  knows more about the work than you do Showing an employee how to start " going the extra mile " Working with an employee who does " creative work " Helping an employee make an  attitude adjustment Managing  conflict  betwee...

Here are the 12 golden rules of effective communication from  Paul Falcone , as highlighted in his book,  2600 Phrases for Setting Effective Performance Goals . Always remember to: Recognize achievements and accomplishments often. Celebrate success. Deliver bad news quickly, constructively, and in a spirit of professional development. Praise in public, censure in private. Assume responsibility for problems when things go wrong, and provide immediate praise and recognition to others when things go right. Create a work environment based on inclusiveness, welcoming others' suggestions and points of view. Listen actively, making sure that your people feel heard and understood and have a voice in terms of offering positive suggestions in the office or on the shop floor. Share information openly (to the extent possible) so that staff members understand the  Why  behind your reasoning and can ask appropriate questions as they continue along in their own path of career deve...

To help you bring out the best in your team, you need to get close and understand their skills, abilities, and motivations. So, the authors of the book,  Your First Leadership Job , recommend you hold  getting-to-know-you conversations  with each of your direct reports. Ask these  open-ended questions . Let each team member know the purpose of the meeting in advance. And, don't cheat by adding in work-specific questions. What do you enjoy doing most as part of your work? Why? What do you  miss most about the jobs you've had in the past? Why? What things about your current job do you enjoy the least? Why? How do you cope with or relieve stress? To help you do your job, what could I change about: Your work environment? The content of your work? How you get your work done? What form of recognition do you prefer or not prefer?

“Helping others is a good thing, but even the most well-intentioned attempts can be undermined by a simple truth: We almost always focus on “fixing” people – correcting problems or filling the gaps between where they are and where we think they should be. Unfortunately, this doesn’t inspire sustained learning or positive change. Even when people do respond, they often do so out of obligation rather than motivation,” explain the authors of the book,  Helping People Change: Coaching With Compassion For Lifelong Learning And Growth . The authors,  Richard Boyatzis ,  Melvin Smith  and  Ellen Van Oosten , teach that the most effective way to help people learn and change is to connect to a positive vision of themselves, or to an inspiring dream they’ve long held. Having a personal vision is one of the most powerful ways to engage neurologically and emotionally. Plus, great coaches know that people draw energy from their visions and dreams, and that same energy sustai...

These  eight decision-making tactics  from  David Lahey ’s book,  Predicting Success , are helpful to me and hopefully useful to you as well: Deep breathing , to clear your mind. Researching , to feel confident that you have all the information in front of you. Listing your options , in either verbal or written form, to keep the whole picture front of mind. Following through on the possible outcomes , complete with likely predictions and acknowledgement of whether they’re negative or positive (or design yourself a decision tree, that lays out every possible consequence visually). Testing your intuition , by imagining a committed decision and then gauging the corresponding feeling it inspires in your gut. Taking the time you need , so long as it doesn’t become an overly indulgent distraction. Evaluating your decision , an after-the-fact exercise that engages a conscious inventory of the lessons learned. Coming to terms with your pick , always cognizant of the reality ...

 In their book,  Rapid Realignment , authors George Labovitz and Victor Rosansky , reveal the most common responses from  thousands of managers and workers  when they were asked to think of the best boss they ever had, and then answer the question: " What did that person do to qualify as your best boss ?" And,  those most common responses were : My best boss listened! My best boss backed me up. My best boss trusted me and respected me. My best boss gave me feedback. My best boss left me alone. What else would you add to this list?

Here are 10 behaviors, techniques and tips you can use to be an effective leader : Respond to questions quickly and fully. Take an interest in your employees and their personal milestone events. Give feedback in a timely manner and make it individualized and specific. Be willing to change your decisions. End every meeting with a follow-up To Do list. Support mentoring -- both informal and formal. Don't delay tough decisions. Do annual written performance appraisals. Explain how a change will affect employee's feelings before, during and after the change is implemented. Have face-to-face interaction as often as possible.

Equity ,  the new book by  Minal Bopaiah , is a timely guide to help leaders create more inclusive organizations using human-centered design and behavior change principles. The book is based on research and provides engaging, real-world examples for taking impactful next steps. Most important, Bopaiah explains that equity is different from equality .   She shares, “ equality is when everyone has the same thing. Equity is when everyone has what they need to thrive and participate fully. Equity does not fault people for being different; it makes room for difference and then leverages it.”   In short:   Equality = The state of being equal, especially in status, rights and opportunities. Equity = A state of fairness and equal access to opportunity that recognizes that people have different needs.   Equity allows leaders to create organizations where employees can contribute their unique strengths and collaborate better with peers. Equity in the wo...

  The global pandemic has awakened people of all ages to just how fragile and finite life can be. This reality likely disproportionately impacted midlife individuals. Because, midlife is a pivotal time to assess career goals, relationships, and lifestyles, to challenge ideals set earlier in life.  “So many people I’ve talked to have no idea where they are going or want to go once they hit their mid-forties,” shares Michael Clinton , author of the new book, ROAR into the Second Half of Your Life - Before It’s Too Late .  These past 1-1/2 years, often called “The Great Pause,” has made us ask: What is important in my life? Am I on a path that is satisfying? Do I have a lot of unlived moments that cause me regrets? Do I have a clear view of my future and what I truly want?  If you’ve asked yourself these questions, it’s time to ROAR proclaims Michael. ROAR is his new concept that is simple, understandable and can be followed by anyone willing to follow th...

"Questions help us break down barriers, discover secrets, solve puzzles, and imagine new ways of doing things, But few of us know  how  to question in a methodical way," explains  Frank Sesno , Emmy-award-winning journalist, and author of the book,  Ask More . Sesno's book teaches readers how the power of questions: Opens doors Uncovers Solutions Sparks Change More specifically, he reveals: The power and payoff of targeted  diagnostic  questions. How  strategic  questions can ease the hardest decisions and support triumphant outcomes. How and when to use  empathy  questions. How asking  creativity  questions help to get people to imagine, set their sights high and soar above failure. And, "when a leader fails to know where he/she is going, refuses to listen to what he/she doesn't want to hear, or relies on faulty information, bad things happen," adds Sesno. Frank Sesno Sesno also shares that some questions work best when they d...

If you want to delight your customers, then the book by  Steve Curtin ,  Delight Your Customers -- 7 Simple Ways to Raise Your Customer Service from Ordinary to Extraordinary , is a must-read for you and your employees. The book explains the  seven ways  for you and your employees to demonstrate  exceptional customer service : Express genuine interest Offer sincere and specific compliments Share unique knowledge Convey authentic enthusiasm Use appropriate humor Provide pleasant surprises Deliver service heroics "Exceptional customer service typically costs no more to deliver than poor customer service," explains Curtin. For example: How much does it cost to express genuine interest in customers or to anticipate their needs? Does it cost more to display a sense of urgency or to pay attention to detail? Do you pay your employees more to smile, to make eye contact, or to add energy to their voices? Curtin reminds readers that: Customers don't establish relationship...