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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True Mastery Requires a Beginner’s Mind
Rare are the leaders and performers willing to embrace the beginner’s mindset and admit to themselves and the world that they know very little. But for those who take this leap, the potential of true mastery awaits, along with the white belt of naïve curiosity.
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Will You Be Bitter or Better?
As the motivational speaker Zig Ziglar liked to say, ”Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” Pithy, but also true. The choice is always ours. Good leaders go out of their way to remind us that better is more powerful than bitter in tough situations. Since attitudes are decisions, helping others make the…
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Asking and Answering Your Own Questions
Strong leaders are confident people who have equally staunch convictions about issues that matter. The best leaders are highly aware of the markers or cues of confidence that they use to project self-assurance. Cues such as emotionally intense words and phrases, highly vivid descriptions, direct eye contact, and strong qualifiers help to create a composite…
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The Unexpected Ways Great Companies Show They Care About Their People
There are rewards and then there are rewards that take your breath away. That is an exaggerated way of saying not all rewards given to team members in an organization are of equal value or impact. Some organizational rewards carry more weight because they are both unexpected and special. Most importantly, they make it clear…
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Retaining Franchise Talent Presumes You Know Who They Are
Great leaders know exactly who the most talented and essential team members are across the organization. Without this knowledge and the concerted efforts to retain this talent, the organization is at risk of losing indispensable team members. The job of retention starts with knowing who represents the franchise talent inside the organization. No need to…
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‘Only the Mediocre Are Always at Their Best’
Good leaders understand but never accept mediocrity by choice. They do their best to confront average performers and hold them accountable to the same standards everyone else is expected to reach. Those who would prefer to sit back and cruise along soon learn to raise their game or find themselves looking for other places to…
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Become a Better Listener and Gain Clarity With ‘Say More’
Consider becoming a better listener by asking others to expand on what they have said. By requesting that others SAY MORE, leaders can better resist the urge to reply before they fully understand. As several authors like to say, the best leaders learn to listen by listening to learn.
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The Many Ways of Being Heard
Team members who play it safe by keeping their opinions about issues more closely guarded run the chance of not being heard and therefore not being seen as fully engaged in meetings. The same is true for introverted or shy team members and for those colleagues who prefer to listen deeply before offering a view.…
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Good Apples in a Bad Barrel
When productive and committed team members are thrust into situations and environments with disgruntled colleagues, they are highly likely to be influenced negatively by them. Research over decades has confirmed that good apples placed in a bad barrel will turn sour. It’s not that team members are too easily influenced by the gripes and grievances…
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Pushing Against a Candidate’s Flaw
Occasionally, a job candidate with huge upside displays a glaring flaw that prohibits their selection. Despite a set of amazing skills, talents, and experience, they exhibit a fatal flaw that turns a favorable review into one of deep concern. Once the selection team fully considers this imperfection, they normally conclude it is too risky to…