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 Nudge of Thanking People in Advance
Thanking people in advance for something they would do anyway is simply a nudge and nothing more. But it works. Perhaps the most important thank-you nudges for leaders are: Expressions of appreciation for quality work before it has been completed. Thanking people for their candidness before they are candid. Thanking them for following group norms…
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How Far Should You Go to Accommodate a Superstar?
Leaders naturally treat their best team members differently than others. They give them more time, attention, responsibility, and information. When it comes to those with extraordinary talents and skills, leaders commonly give the Superstar the extra resources they need to perform at their best. Within reason, whatever the Superstar asks for, they get. Leaders smartly…
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What’s Your Strategy for Sitting All Day?
Sitting for long periods of time is an inescapable fact of life for many leaders. One downside of an increased dependence on virtual calls and meetings is equal dependence on a sedentary work style. The dangers posed by sitting for extended periods are well-known. Prolonged sitting is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases,…
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What Does it Mean When You’re Told You Need to Be More Strategic?
A common recommendation leaders hear from those above them is to work to become more strategic. Thinking, acting, and engaging more strategically sounds like straightforward advice and feedback. But what does it actually mean? In some cases, the idea of becoming more strategic is exactly what it sounds like. The feedback points to the need…
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Leading People Who Know More Than You Do or Do Work You’ve Never Done
As leaders gain more experience and rise in organizations, they invariably lead people who do work they have never done and know things that they don’t know. As a result, leaders are often asked questions they cannot answer or even understand. So, how do leaders show up credibly to those who are more expert than…
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When a Question Becomes Feedback
Feedback can be carried by an infinite number of styles and expressions. People can be direct or indirect, specific or general, or focused on the past or present when they offer feedback. The goal is the same — to influence another person’s behavior. Sometimes, the less direct approach lessens the odds that the other party…
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You’ll Figure it Out
When it comes to solving a highly complex or knotty problem, leaders would sometimes be wise to ask others to generate a creative solution without their assistance. This is especially true when a practical solution seems nearly impossible, and team members don’t have a clue about where to start. Leaders who swoop in and assist
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Getting the Team to Execute Twice as Fast
Results-focused leaders are unreasonably impatient with the pace of execution. When it comes to completing a task, they have a need for speed. They want everyone and everything to go faster. So, they ask those in charge of execution to find a way to shave some time off the clock. Any incremental improvement is a
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The Best Self-Affirmations Aren’t Perfectly True Just Yet
The positive statements leaders and performers tell themselves to raise their confidence and keep themselves calm under pressure are more than just personal pep talks. They are essential for maintaining a positive mindset during performance. By regularly repeating a self-affirmation, leaders and performers cultivate the inner confidence that is so important for focused execution. The
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Helping Team Members Find the Highest Vision of Themselves
Good leaders often believe more in their team members than they believe in themselves. That’s because exceptional leaders choose to see people in terms of their potential. By observing the skills and talents they bring to their work and their interaction with their colleagues, good leaders develop a view of what they are capable of.…