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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Finding Your Purpose in the Service of Others
On occasion, it is the service itself that shows us our passion and purpose. But more typically, navigating the challenges and dilemmas of helping others offers us a lens into what really matters most. What starts out as a selfless act becomes a mutually beneficial exploration, enriching our understanding of who we are and what…
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What Does it Mean to Have Someone’s Back?
What originated as a commitment between soldiers to protect one another from rear attacks during combat has evolved to signify unwavering support and protection in any relationship. Having someone’s back now means to stand up for another person, serving as a defender and protector from threats of any kind. Leaders who display this rare brand…
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How Does a Leader Know If They Have Followership Skills?
Great leadership is about more than achieving extraordinary results. Leaders who value long-term success place the utmost importance on bringing people along as they attain those results. Creating followership is the other side of the leadership coin. Without it, leaders won’t find the ultimate prize of credibility, respect, and trust necessary for sustainable performance. For…
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The Special Conversation Every Team Member Wants to Have With Their Leader
By focusing on who people want to be, what they want to experience, and where they want to land, leaders give team members something only they can provide. The potential impact of this conversation cannot be overstated. Many of the most important things in life are free. They just take some time and genuine interest.…
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The Role of Counterexamples in the Socratic Method
Asking great questions is what great leaders do. To fully incorporate the Socratic Method into their leadership style, the best leaders also understand the importance of counterexamples to further refine thinking about an issue or topic. Counterexamples attempt to disprove or rebut a statement of fact by offering a case or example where the viewpoint…
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Building Credibility Quickly in a New Role
Anytime a leader transitions to a new role, team members unfamiliar with them naturally become fixated on who they are and how they will lead the team. Leaders instinctively know that establishing their credibility quickly with the team is critical to their short- and long-term success. Demonstrating that they are worth following and have the…
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What Not to Presume About Large-Scale Change
As a general rule, people resist big changes. It slaps them in the face, and they often find a way to slap back. The best leaders approach an organization’s transformation by first understanding that change means movement. And movement inside an organization creates more friction than they can see. Creating change almost always takes more…
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The Ingredients of a Compelling Vision
Crafting a compelling vision for the team or organization is foundational for long-term success. A captivating vision shapes goals and strategies, motivates team members, serves as a bulwark to adversity, and unifies the competing interests of different teams or business units. A vision encourages the enterprise to focus on long-term goals rather than short-term gains.
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The Team Respects What You Inspect
The team respects whatever the leader inspects. Momentary measures garner a lot of attention and help to redirect the team to what matters. What ratio, percentage, correlation, or estimate are you using to create a sharper focus for your team? Consider trying a novel measurement to start a brand-new conversation within your team. It just…