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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Surround Yourself With People Who Have It
Our habits are cemented by the people we spend the most time with. By surrounding ourselves with people who have mastered the habits we desire, we fit in by acquiring those same habits. Those around you will naturally encourage you to do what they do in the way they do it. When multiple people share…
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The Pain of Exclusion Is Real
Used as a last resort, leaders who purposely exclude team members will often find a huge shift in their willingness to play along. The power of social connections and relationships is fundamental to humanness. Before a leader accepts a team member who rejects the group and refuses to comply with ongoing rules and commitments, perhaps…
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The Power of a Shared Leadership Experience
The power of a widely shared experience is a common ingredient of many of the best teams and organizations. The best leaders know an organization’s culture can be brought to life through a foundational experience shared by all or many. Nothing links team members better than a great experience.
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The Disproportionate Influence of Quiet Leaders
Some of the best leaders in any organization are reserved, thoughtful, and quiet people. They defy the stereotype that leaders must be dynamic or charismatic to create followership. In a room full of leaders, quiet leaders typically outnumber the outspoken types.
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When Aspirations Don’t Line Up With Skill
Self-awareness is not as common among team members as we would like to believe. Truly knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses in vivid detail can be elusive for some. Colleagues with low self-awareness are also commonly blind to how others see and judge them and their skills. When a lack of awareness is combined with an…
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Living in the Future
Those who exclusively tolerate a painful present for a greater achievement later do so at great peril. This is a recipe for burnout, sourness, and chronic fatigue. Smelling the roses all day long is how the best leaders create a bridge between the present and the future. Anything less is destructive to the spirit.
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Refuse to Be Disrespected
You can’t force someone to respect you. Respect is something others give you. Unfortunately, not everyone thinks highly enough of you to grant you respect. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be treated respectfully. There’s no reason on earth for someone to treat you poorly. Those with self-respect refuse to be disrespected. A refusal to…
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Breaking Down Organizational Silos
When business units operate independently from one another, they avoid sharing information and engaging cooperatively. Over time, the silos created by this independence builds a wall between divisions, leaders and best practices. Of the many dysfunctions suffered by organizations, perhaps none is more common or corrosive than silos. In a highly siloed organization, leaders don’t…
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Getting Juniors to Speak Up
Those with less experience or who are new to a team often find it hard to say what’s on their mind. The courage to speak up and express candid viewpoints in front of tenured colleagues who think they know more can prove elusive. More junior teammates find safety by observing and allowing others to create…
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What Are Your Non-Negotiables?
Leaders who prefer principles and values to guide them are also often drawn to Non-Negotiables to set clear lines for personal responsibility within the team. Non-negotiables can highlight what leaders deem unacceptable from team members. The consequences of violating a non-negotiable are serious. The violation can trigger a strong reminder, difficult confrontation, or something even more severe.…