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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When a Disgruntled Colleague Infects the Team
As it turns out, the adage “one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch” is true, especially when it comes to teams. Because we overweigh negative information and are open to counterarguments, negativity in the workplace can quickly become contagious. It only takes one loud voice away from the table to raise the doubts and…
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Why Are the Smartest People Such Poor Listeners?
Instead of waiting for their turn to offer a view, the best leaders listen deeply to others without forming an opinion or thinking about their own counterarguments. Listening for analysis and empathy are very different ways to understand people and problems. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know we can never do both at…
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Leaders Who Find Fault
Working with highly critical leaders is an unpleasant experience. Leaders who polish the skill of criticism by always looking for faults do little to improve performance or enhance the skills of others. Too bad they don’t understand how much their constant criticisms actually detract from what they are seeking. Highly critical leaders reap what they…
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What’s Taking You So Long to Decide?
Leaders who remain steadfast in their commitment to keep their options open usually make better decisions. By waiting for the last possible moment to make a major decision, good leaders show respect for the changing marketplace and prevent committing to a path destined for failure. Optionality also allows them to account for the implications and…
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Why Incompetent People Are Promoted in Organizations
Good organizations and teams have learned an important lesson. The best way to prevent the Peter Principle is to offer skill training, coaching, and mentorship promoting people. Using skill development as a prerequisite to promotion encourages an honest conversation about who is, or is not, ready for the next role. Of course, leaders must first identify…
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Is Everything Okay?
Whenever a leader notices a pronounced change in attitude or performance, the smart strategy to explore it is to ask a caring question: Is everything okay? Such a question opens the door for the colleague to share whatever they feel comfortable with. No matter the depth of the disclosure, leaders will typically learn if something…
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When Disagreement Creates Trust
Establishing a connection in a new relationship is hard enough, but the task can be compounded when the target of our persuasion is of high status and deeply experienced. Senior clients, leaders, and decision-makers are naturally suspicious of being sold. They expect advocates to agree with them and tell them what they want to hear…
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Leaders Who Hold the Floor Too Long
Keeping talk duration under 90 seconds is a better rule in group discussions and should apply to everyone, especially the leader. This will keep the discussion free-flowing and everyone engaged. Leaders who treat these rules as suggestions will undoubtedly get on a roll and hold the floor too long — even when they don’t mean…
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You Suffer From the Verbal Virus, Am I Right?
Speakers of every vintage owe it to themselves to capture their speech on audio. Doing so without an audience is best because the embarrassment can be real. Fortunately, the horror of verbal tics can be erased with some concerted work. Learning that they repeat a particular non-fluency allows a speaker to practice conversations without it.…
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Is Brevity Always a Virtue?
We’ve been spoiling our teams with compact communication. And, thus, the skills to think through a complex issue and debate the merits of a decision option have become atrophied. The best leaders fight this trend. They ask team members to read, listen, and watch full narratives which capture the complexity of the issues in question.…