FieldNotes
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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Develop a Facilitative Mindset
So many of the best leaders in the world have what we call a “facilitative mindset.” As leaders, they work to facilitate conversations between people as a way of deepening trust and understanding. Such a mindset is committed to curious inquiry and seeks to excavate the meanings people have in their heads about ideas, concepts,
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Don’t Sit Like a Potted Plant
Sometimes, we like to sit back and watch the action from the sidelines. This often happens in meetings. When others fill the space and we don’t have anything new to add, we often stay silent and allow the discussion to follow its course without our help. Observation, rather than contribution, may seem like the best
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The Power of the Triple Wow
Great ideas can change everything. When we hear a great idea, we think immediately of the possibilities and how they might play out. Excitement surrounds us. Adrenaline is pumped throughout our nervous system. We rush forward in the hope we have found something special. Unfortunately, many ideas which appear great when you first hear them
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If It Matters to You, It Matters to Me
When you stand for people, as good leaders do, you have to be a surrogate for what matters to them even if it doesn’t matter to you. Translated, this means living up to the idea that, “If it matters to you, it now matters to me.” This idea becomes symbolic in strong relationships and is
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Are You Withholding Wise Counsel?
As we mature as leaders and our teams gain experience, we face the dilemma of deciding how much feedback to offer people who are very good at what they do, or who have earned the right to make their own choices and decisions. Sometimes, leaders step back. They withhold feedback. Often, they’re waiting to be
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Make a Habit of Creating New Habits
Habits are formed with good intentions and solid structure. We don’t just fall into most habits. At least, not the ones that are good for us. We have to work at them. Think for a moment about the difference between exercising and working out. Many of us exercise, fewer of us work out. In the
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Don’t Paralyze Your Rookie Players
When those we lead are inexperienced at a task or activity, showing them what TO DO is far superior than telling them what NOT TO DO. Players new to any game or task simply don’t do well when hit with a barrage of ideas and actions to avoid. It’s easy to miss this simple truth.
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Coercive Power Undermines Trust
During a heated discussion, a mother says to her daughter, “Sit down.” The tone and volume make it clear that this is a demand. The daughter puts her hands on her hips and stares back without any movement downward. The mother then moves a step closer and says even more harshly, “I said, sit down.” The
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Passive-Aggressive Is a Major Problem
Passive-aggressive behavior is more common than we would like to admit. It’s always easier to express our candid views about a person without them present. The same applies to our views on issues. Many people find it painless to tell the leader they like an idea, yet later admit to others they hold an opposite
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Fend Off the Negativity Effect
When you ask a seasoned executive whether they first want to hear the good news or the bad news, they almost always ask for the bad news first. The reason is simple. They don’t have to do anything about the good news, but are likely to have to act on the bad news. In this