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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‘You Are Acting Out of Character’
Offering feedback when others are generally unaware of the negative impact they are having can be tricky. When a trusted colleague or leader unknowingly becomes more negative, dominant, distracted, status-conscious, or disengaged (among other issues), we face a unique feedback challenge. How do we offer this feedback without creating a strong and negative reaction? The…
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How Strong Is Your Capital Balance Sheet?
The real balance sheet of your organization is about much more than economics. The truth is, there is a lot of capital running around your organization. We all know how important it is to have access to Financial Capital, either by creating it, borrowing it, or collecting it. Businesses don’t exist without working capital to pay…
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Expect a Drop in Performance
When leaders introduce colleagues to a new way of doing things, they can expect a temporary drop in performance. This is especially true for new colleagues who have never been exposed to a particular way of achieving results. Any time leaders introduce a new learning, a new discipline, or a new language of doing things,…
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Don’t Get Stuck in the Curve
By the time we arrive at whatever success we are experiencing, we face the ultimate challenge: Achieving future success will require different skills and insights than what was required for our current success. “What got you here, won’t get you there.” So says the title of a popular book. If we don’t invest now in…
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Correct Errors in Remarkable Ways
Turning angry customers or clients into raving fans is an act of leadership often overlooked by more traditional views. In every customer experience that goes terribly wrong, there exists the possibility of responding to the event in such a way as to create a lasting and positive impact. A restaurant runs out of a popular…
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Non-Posting Is a Ninja Move
“Keep me posted.” Leaders say it all the time. The simple act of posting someone to keep them informed is an everyday practice familiar to all of us. Messages that clarify progress on a project, acknowledge a promise has been kept, a signal that a package has been sent, or warn of a possible delay are all…
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Don’t Toss a Last-Minute Grenade
To ensure any output will be delivered on time and with excellence, good leaders naturally check in frequently during the process to see where things stand and offer a hand if needed. Checking in is a leadership duty required to achieve great results. The key is to time the last check-in so the leader can…
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Don’t Crush the Desire to Excel
For leaders, disappointing people comes with the job. When the people we coach or parent are not ready for the next challenge or have not earned the reward they have worked toward, we are obligated to tell them that their efforts have fallen short of the goal. In many cases, the person on the receiving…
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Plan Meetings Like Practice Sessions
Look behind the success of winning sports teams and you will usually find a coach who scripts team practice sessions down to the minute. Practices are scheduled weeks in advance and planned to produce specific outcomes. Every segment of practice is designed to work on the skills or issues the team needs to master to…
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The Mistake That Undercuts Performance
The idea that the best leaders are never satisfied resonates with those who value excellence. “Good enough” is never good enough for leaders who are driven to achieve extraordinary results. The best among us believe deeply in continuous improvement, which, by definition, presumes everything and everyone can always be better. Before we salute this line…