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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Agile Leaders Rely on a Network of Experts to Make Faster Decisions
The confidence to weigh options objectively is enhanced when leaders ask experts in their network to wrestle with the same choices they confront. No wonder agile leaders are seemingly more decisive than others. They get to conclusions faster because of their networks. How many experts who understand the issues you encounter are accessible to you?…
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Leaders Interrupt Bias Whenever They See It
Organizations are replete with hierarchy, status, and judgment. Clear lines of authority coupled with a clarity regarding quality standards facilitate productivity and desired outcomes. But the downside of authority and constant evaluation is real. The negative consequence of status and earned privilege, such as seniority, tenure, and leadership roles, is a workplace filled with unspoken…
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The Secret That Isn’t
If our most dominate thoughts define us, then successful people work hard to eliminate or replace negative ones. They purposely chose optimistic and empowering thoughts over pessimistic and disempowering ones. The bottom line is this: Taking responsibility for what we think is of the utmost importance. While thinking positively does not guarantee results, it sure…
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A Good Strategy is Always Evolving
Changes in strategy rarely require abandonment or full-scale revision. Most strategies or plans evolve by adding pieces and emphasizing key issues. On occasion, a dynamic strategy must change course or revoke some of its working premises as changes in the environment require more than mere tweaking. Not to worry. There is no perfect strategy, nor…
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There Is Always Something You Can Do About It
The reasons for poor performance or results are often complex and varied. Many factors contribute to the roadblocks preventing superior outcomes. Macro issues like the marketplace, the economy, the competition and the supply chain can have a profound effect on what can be accomplished. More micro issues like resources, monies for incentives, policies, and directives…
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For Leaders, the Opposite of Belief Is Never Disbelief
Leaders attach themselves to people, ideas, and beliefs they can be committed to. In essence, they are on a continual search for belief. When they land, they land hard, with both feet making an imprint. But they don’t stay there for longer than they should. Perhaps that is why the expression “Strong opinions held weakly”…
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Leaders Who Hedge Before Admitting the Answer Is No
Leaders are just like everyone else. They like it best when others accept their decisions and favor their answers. They are not immune to the feelings of inadequacy when others react negatively to what they say or do. So, too often, when they anticipate a strong reaction to a decision, they offer a temporary hedge…
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The Stories We Tell Ourselves About Problems
What stories about problems do you like to tell yourself? The stories leaders spin about problems are both natural and necessary. It is almost impossible to begin the process of finding a solution without one. The best problem-solvers understand this and make this step explicit. Better yet, they interrogate the story and make sure its…
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Learn to Park Ideas for Later
Keeping meetings on time and on track is never easy. That’s why great leaders employ a Parking Lot, where off-topic ideas or comments can be parked and discussed later. A simple flip chart or whiteboard works marvelously to capture such issues. You can even use the title Parking Lot in bold letters. Anytime an off-topic…
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The Fatigue of High Standards When Selecting Talent
High standards sometimes slow down key decisions to the point of frustration. Leaders who reject inferior answers or solutions until the team finds a better one can wear people down. The temptation to accept a workable decision becomes ever stronger as time marches on and yet another choice has been classified as substandard. Fatigue can…