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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Why Team Objectives Matter More Than Team Goals
Why Team Objectives Matter More Than Team Goals. Setting goals and objectives within an organization or team is very different from setting personal goals and working toward achieving them. Both are creative processes that demand discipline, but organizational goal setting requires aligning the work and action of many people and therefore necessitates a distinctive strategy.…
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Dealing With High-Maintenance Team Members
Dealing with High-Maintenance Team Members. Leading a high-maintenance colleague is rarely fun or easy. But with a skillful appeal of setting clear boundaries, good leaders can help to repair a broken cup.
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When to Give People a Second Chance
Everyone missteps. But some mistakes are bigger than others. A willful mistake that erodes trust or seriously undermines credibility has to be forgiven. Without forgiveness and the willingness to give others a second chance, the relationship must come to an end or change in some meaningful way. It’s much easier to give people a second…
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Making a Bad Decision to Avoid the Agony of Complaint
Having the courage to weather uncomfortable conversations with those who disagree with their decisions goes hand-in-hand with leadership. Refusing to amend any decision because others grouse about it goes with the territory. The best decision might be to conclude that any team member who consistently refuses to accept decisions by complaining loudly and incessantly might…
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Expertise Is a Matter of Context
When making decisions, formulating strategy, and solving problems, everyone benefits from more information, data, and background. The context surrounding a challenge provides an initial pathway forward and often informs how to best tackle the dilemma. More, not less, context is always appreciated and preferred. Interestingly, some people need a lot more context than others to…
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Stop Fishing for Compliments
Asking others for their opinion of our work or performance or seeking suggestions for improvement will produce an occasional compliment that is part of the learning process. For the best among us, the idea is not about fishing for praise, but in learning how others honestly see us and our performance. This is what confident…
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Busting the Myth of Leadership Expertise
Busting the Myth of Leadership Expertise. Myths about leaders and leadership travel the world and back again. Despite empirical evidence to the contrary, once a myth becomes well accepted, it is hard to shake it off. The problem is that when other people repeat something often enough, everyone begins to believe it. The idea then…
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How the Best Hotels in the World Deliver Exceptional Service
By rewarding employees with the same quality service at another property, these brands create a pride of service that is unmatched in almost every other segment of the service industry. When employees are also customers, they deliver unequaled service. Allowing colleagues to experience and see the world as a customer or client is something many…
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How Colleagues Are Terminated Really Matters
The best leaders know some leadership acts carry huge symbolic weight. Promotion, compensation, and termination are the lightning rods of meaning in every organization. How team members are terminated carries long-term implications for leaders. Truly caring about people is always the best leadership choice.
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The Habit of Summarizing Conversations
There are always people doing great things out of view. Team members who work in other parts of the organization or who are junior or do specialized tasks unconnected to you are common. Too often, these colleagues do impressive work and sustain a record of excellence but fall below your radar. Yet, one of the…