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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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…
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Share Power to Gain Influence
Power for a leader is an elusively counterintuitive proposition. When we first lead others, we understand all too well how the position, title, and authority we have over others allow us to direct, push, and cajole them forward. As we mature as leaders, we come to learn that to be truly powerful, we have to…
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Learn to Play the Clarinet
When legendary Winged Foot golf pro Claude Harmon asked his mentor, Harvey Penick, what he could do to be a better teaching professional. Penick told him to learn to play the clarinet. Harmon was of the old school and followed his mentor’s instruction without resistance and to the letter. He took clarinet lessons for a…
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Fight This Feedback Bias
Everyone is really good at something. A signature strength defines who we are in the eyes of others. This asset allows us to dance and perform at the highest level. Such an asset deserves to be nurtured and shared with others — except when offering feedback. Every leader, parent, coach, and teacher is influenced by…