Our daily Field Notes email is just the kind of jumpstart you need. A fast read. Maybe less than a minute. Because sometimes it just takes one insight to change the trajectory of the day.
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What Are You Amazed By?
Too many leaders are no longer looking for amazing things. They’re not seeking that sense of wonder. In the process, they miss a huge opportunity to show others what it truly means to be optimistic. Leaders don’t find what they aren’t looking for. What has amazed you lately? If the answer is nothing, perhaps you…
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What Makes an Experience Special?
Good leaders are in the business of creating special experiences for others. In order to support, challenge, and reward others, leaders design experiences that propel people forward. The best leaders are always thinking of new experiences from which to springboard learning for others. Making experiences special is what great leaders do. The question is: What…
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Are You Unknowingly Addicted to Hedges and Disclaimers?
Listen to yourself in meetings, discussions, and conversations, both in the workplace and at home. How often do you use hedges and disclaimers before you state your opinion? If you’ve trained yourself to overuse them, just recognizing this reality will allow you to slowly make a change. If it’s not a problem for you, keep…
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The Challenge for Aging Leaders and Thinkers
The Challenge for Aging Leaders and Thinkers. Through discipline, rigorous routines, collaborations, and steadfast persistence, productivity can be as strong in the later years as it was in the early years. The key is to maintain a focus on how many opportunities and challenges they pursue. If the shots on goal don’t decrease, neither will…
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Tackling What Is Most Urgent First
When the tasks and assignments pile up, leaders can become overwhelmed. A multitude of things to do can paralyze even the most productive leaders. When the problems and tasks are so plentiful that leaders don’t know where to start, they often shut down and pretend they just need a little room to breathe before starting.…
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Breaking the Ice
Getting team members to engage openly and freely right out of the gate is a challenge. On a day full of discussions, beginning the first conversation is always hard, especially when there has been considerable time since the last team meeting. Activities that break the ice, as the metaphor suggests, warm team members up and promote…
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The Importance of Execution Technique
All superior performance depends on sound execution technique. Not surprisingly, top performers spend more time practicing their execution technique than do others. These fundamentals are made up of details that are generally well-known, certainly by those who have studied or mastered high performance. The key is to recognize that every endeavor is comprised of details…
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Tom Brady and the Act of Signing Autographs for Teammates
Making others look special or influential in the eyes of those they care about creates a connection between leaders and teammates that can’t be easily broken. While no one would explicitly ask to be made to look special or influential, when leaders elevate the specialness of team members or colleagues in the eyes of others,…
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Your True Priorities Are Reflected by How You Spend Time
The best leaders maintain the discipline to put matters into perspective and commit to the time their highest priorities require. They create a distinct order of what matters most to them and spend their time accordingly. They don’t shirk their responsibilities to colleagues, but insist on reserving the time necessary to achieve their ultimate focus…
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Holding Up the Minor Voice
One commitment team leaders and facilitators must have when running meetings is to hold up the minor voice. Translated, this means to make sure everyone is heard and contributes to the discussion. This includes those who are reticent, inexperienced, introverted, or fearful of interjecting their views. Decision quality depends on everyone’s view. Making sure all opinions…