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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Are You a Courageous Delegator?
Leaders who entrust team members with significant new responsibilities, the authority to make decisions, and the autonomy to complete projects without seeking approval when those colleagues are not quite ready for the challenge can be said to have engaged in courageous delegation. Are You a Courageous Delegator?
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Teaching Team Members to Care About Customers and Clients
Teaching team members to care isn’t about asking them to be more curious or to take a genuine interest in customers and clients. They think they already do that, even when they don’t. Instead, good leaders ask for proof. And the proof is in what they know about specific customers and clients, not in what…
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Good Leaders Are Easy to Please But Hard to Satisfy
Leaders who are easy to please but hard to satisfy motivate others to produce their best work. The healthy balance of positive reinforcement and continuous improvement creates a dynamic work climate that team members want to be a part of. People feel appreciated but know they must continue to strive for more. That’s the reality…
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Decisions Against Consensus Can’t Be Because You’re Smarter Than Everyone Else
Decisions Against Consensus Can’t Be Because You’re Smarter Than Everyone Else
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The 24-Hour Rule of Celebration and Mourning
The 24-Hour Rule of Celebration and Mourning
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When Processing Email Stands for Productivity
Email overload is all too real for many leaders. But setting boundaries regarding when to check your inbox and how much time you’re willing to commit to do so is essential for fighting overload. Consider mastering the use of email filters and templates to assist in your effort. The bottom line is that processing emails…
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The Pain of Leaving Your Team for Another Opportunity
Good leaders feel a deep responsibility for the team they have helped to create. Loyalty to individual team members and the team itself is top of mind when new opportunities arise. The idea of leaving colleagues who have sacrificed for the team leader and were often recruited by them appears particularly self-serving and disloyal. So
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Good Leaders Help Others to Recognize Harmful Patterns in Their Behavior
If the ability to discern patterns is a source of wisdom, then leaders are most wise when they make those patterns explicit for those they lead. No one gets better without understanding the patterns that get in their way. Good leaders call them out, knowing all the while that patterns are created by behavior and…
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When Was the Last Time You Used a Decision Tree?
The decision-maker starts with a presumptive question that serves as the foundation for the tree. For instance, the initial variable in the dessert example may be cost: Do we have an unlimited budget for the dessert? The answer Yes might take us to the next branch question: Do we have more than 24 hours to…
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People Want to Be Part of Something Special
Waiting for the next notable experience doesn’t prevent good leaders from creating distinctive and remarkable relationships with team members. By gaining a deep understanding of who people really are and creating the connections all people desire, leaders can forge thick relationships with team members that make them feel extra special.