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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Nonexperts Use the Wrong Criteria to Make Selections of Quality
Nonexperts Use the Wrong Criteria to Make Selections of Quality
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All Cultures Are Local
The best organizations have a strong culture created by consistently practiced values, unique ways of doing things, and common behaviors. But the culture that team members actually experience is shaped most strongly by their immediate environment, not by the organization’s corporate culture. This means all cultures are “local” first. It’s worth separating the two ideas.…
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The Story Is Not Always Yours to Write
When Serena Williams announced she was returning to competitive tennis after nearly four years away, everyone had a theory. She’s chasing one last title. She’s protecting her legacy. She’s risking it. She misses the spotlight. She never should have left. She never should have come back. At 44, walking back onto courts where 20-year-olds now…
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When Intractable Conflicts Require Separation, Not Repair
Some conflicts can’t be resolved or managed, at least not in the short run. When a conflict becomes so intense and self-reinforcing that neither party will budge, negotiate, or collaborate without rancor, it is time to stop pursuing a peaceful resolution and to create a complete separation instead. While it should be considered a last…
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The Leadership Dilemma of Knowing the Details
Leaders gain leverage with their time and focus as they delegate tasks, assignments, and projects to others. Learning to get things done through other people is one of the defining skills of leadership. But when leaders turn over initiatives to team members, they naturally become less knowledgeable about the details surrounding the effort.
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When Should a Leader Be Directive?
Good leaders are much more facilitative than directive. They work hard to discuss, explore, and engage with people as opposed to simply telling them what to do. They understand that including team members in the decision process, even about work assignments, produces greater commitment and superior results. But there are times and conditions that demand…
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Leading Team Members Who Start Out Strong But Fizzle Out Over Time
Team members who start out strong, demonstrate their skills through results, and appear to settle comfortably into the culture are a big win for leaders. But over time, these capable people sometimes lose their momentum, begin to underperform, and seem very different from the persona they projected early on. Leading team members who begin powerfully…
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Strategy Is the Art of Sacrifice
Strategy Is the Art of Sacrifice
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Experience Doesn’t Always Translate Into Expertise
The key takeaway is that two people with the same tenure can differ tremendously in actual expertise. Leaders must explore the difference. Is it 20 years of experience, or two weeks of experience over 20 years? The answer requires careful inquiry and a rejection of the notion that experience alone distinguishes expertise or wisdom.
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Proof Over Persuasion: NASA’s Unlikely Path to Organizational Transformation
Strong cultures, long-established bureaucratic processes, and ingrained work practices are highly resistant to change, even when it is painfully obvious that a complete transformation is the only way to avoid ruin or demise. This is especially true if the organization has a history of success and enjoys a strong reputation. When trying to change an…