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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Admiration May Be the Most Underrated Leadership Tool
Some of the best leaders on the planet know how to harness the power of admiration. They know that admiration is the leadership emotion that turns people into the best versions of themselves. But the power of admiration isn’t well understood or widely used. It’s time to change that. Of the 27 emotions identified by…
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The Discipline of Using Transitions to Revisit Expectations
Over time, the performance expectations shared by leaders and team members tend to become cloudy and less complete. The disconnect rarely happens all at once. Differences in perceptions and expectations accumulate quietly, one small assumption at a time. Eventually, the gap between what a leader expects and what a team member delivers grows wide enough…
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Fighting the Anchoring Bias in Negotiations
The first proposal has a tremendous influence on any negotiation. In what is known as “anchoring bias,” the first offer or proposal in a negotiation becomes a psychological mooring that sets the baseline. Even though people can counter with whatever they choose, most people allow this anchor to define the parameters of the exchange. In…
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Do You Nag People?
Nagging erodes trust and mutual influence, creating a pattern where one partner feels unheard and the other feels pressured.
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AI Tools Have the Potential to Widen the Performance Gap Between High and Low Performers
Generative AI tools, like Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini, are a tremendous help for team members with well-defined tasks, such as drafting emails, summarizing business strategy, or generating marketing ads.
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There’s No Better Feeling Than Knowing You’re Getting Better
Jack Clark has been coaching rugby at the University of California, Berkeley, longer than most of the coaches he competes against have been alive. After 40 years at the same school, producing 24 National Championships and 135 All-Americans, he has learned a thing or two about what motivates people. Clark believes that one thing motivates…
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People Anticipate a Negative Response in New Conversations
People are social creatures who are made happier and healthier by human connection. Yet, every day, people bypass scores of opportunities to connect. Research suggests they incorrectly predict that interacting with those they don’t know well will be awkward, uncomfortable, or unwelcome. So, they avoid making connections that would make their lives more satisfying. The…
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Making It Easier for People to Ask for Help
In far too many organizations and teams, asking for help is viewed as a weakness rather than a smart move. When seeking assistance becomes a sign of incompetence, team members hide their struggles and work independently without making the progress they could. Over time, this breeds stress, burnout, overwhelm, and isolation on the team. Performance…
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Staying on Message When Confronted by Tough Questions
Staying on Message When Confronted by Tough Questions
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Why the Questions You Ask Yourself May Matter the Most
Most leadership mistakes don’t result from a lack of intelligence or experience. They occur because of unexamined assumptions, unrecognized fears, unchallenged self-interest, or unbridled enthusiasm. While seeking outside perspectives can help leaders understand what they may be overlooking, looking inward is also an essential part of the discovery process. Asking hard, self-directed questions is how…