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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The Dark Side of Leader Generosity
Hard-working team members deserve a generous leader, one who gives freely of their time, attention, support, and encouragement. The best leaders go a step further in expressing their appreciation for others. They are also generous with financial rewards, perquisites, and the assets of the organization, including tickets, access to events, and other special privileges. Generous
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Engaging a Third Party to Nudge Us Toward Action
Leaders often know the right course of action but need a little extra confidence or a simple nudge to act. That’s why leaders commonly turn to third parties for support. Third parties with deep expertise, experience, and wisdom play a critical role. Armed with the assessment and view of an expert, leaders find the validation they need
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Sharpen Your Creative Thinking With Random Words
Sharpening the ability to think creatively and originate unique but practical solutions to problems is time well spent. Creativity is always in short supply. No one has too much of it. So, learning how to develop creative thinking skills is of critical importance to leaders and decision-makers. No one has thought more about creativity in a lifetime
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Shaking Hands and Other Gracious Acts
Leaders with signature strengths always have the option to use their gifts in ways that make others feel special. Sometimes those strengths are not skills or talents but status, relationships, influence or experience. When leaders go out of their way to marshal their intangible assets to make others feel important or special, they show themselves
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Fear Versus Promise When Communicating Major Change
Leaders are often surprised by how much the organization or team means to team members. For many highly committed colleagues engaged with the mission, work, and clients, the organization represents an inspired foundation from which they can excel and develop. The importance of the organization and what it truly means to them is monumental, even…
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Asking Team Members to Express What the Organization Means to Them
Leaders are often surprised by how much the organization or team means to team members. For many highly committed colleagues engaged with the mission, work, and clients, the organization represents an inspired foundation from which they can excel and develop. The importance of the organization and what it truly means to them is monumental, even if they
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Don’t Mistake a Pattern for a Habit
The habits people have will determine almost everything they achieve or fail to achieve in life. Creating new habits depends on repetition but goes a step further. Setting goals and inventing strategies for permanence is what forming habits is all about. Mistaking a pattern for a habit is why some behaviors don’t become everlasting. Make…
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Kedge Goals Help Leaders Get Ungrounded
When a sailboat runs aground, experienced sailors often deploy a “kedge anchor.” A smaller anchor, they row it into deeper water, drop it, and use their winches to pull themselves free. The kedge creates tension between where they are and where they need to be, while also providing leverage and movement. Leaders can become grounded…
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Consistency in the Customer Experience Creates Mediocrity
Great customer memories are a product of providers who go above and beyond, sometimes in the smallest of ways. Remembering a name and preference, searching for a best product recommendation to meet their needs, or following up to see how things worked, among many other details, are exceedingly difficult to bake into standard procedures. That’s…
