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 Best Gratitude Practice Isn’t What You Think
Being thanked, valued, and appreciated has an oversized impact on how people feel about themselves, feel motivated to perform, and feel connected and trustful with others. When leaders are grateful for what people do, they unleash a flood of positivity that team members carry forward with how they approach everything they do. The idea that
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Getting to ‘No’ Faster
There is nothing more frustrating or deflating than spending oodles of time and energy on a project or initiative only to have it negated in a few seconds by a leader who doesn’t agree. Some leaders are notorious for blowing up the hard work of a team or task force with a single utterance of
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Promoting a More Candid Discussion in Real Time
Even outspoken and highly engaged teams sometimes find a specific issue or topic that is difficult to discuss. The more the leader pushes for open and candid dialogue, the harder it is for the team to loosen up. Leaders are often at a loss as to how to break the logjam and get the team discussing the
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Creating Awareness About a Problem or Opportunity Others Don’t Yet See
Good leaders see around corners, recognize patterns quickly, and often see problems and opportunities before others notice them. Even though this visionary quality is an asset to the team, it presents a unique challenge. A leader who simply informs the team about their clairvoyant view often invites skepticism, doubt, and rejection. People resist being told
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For a Limited Time Only
The idea of providing a service, offering a product, or giving people access to a program for a limited time period has been a mainstay of marketing for over a century. Since the 1950s, advertisers have created limited-edition and limited-time campaigns to stimulate demand in food, beverages, household goods, and mail-order catalogs. And they work.
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Mastering the Skill of Making the Complex Simple
Quantum computing is predicted to change the world as much, if not more, than artificial intelligence. But the concept of quantum computing (what it is and how it works) is extremely complex and difficult to grasp for many people. Let’s use it to show how the best leaders make the complex simple…
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The Triangle of Critique
In the library of approaches to help people improve, critique plays a unique role. Whereas criticism typically points out flaws in performance and how to correct them, and feedback provides information to guide learning and improvement that can be accepted or rejected, the purpose of critique is different.
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Knowing When It’s Time to Quit
Contrary to popular wisdom, walking away from an unattainable goal is not a failure but a crucial leadership skill for organizational effectiveness. Successful leaders recognize that walking away from a commitment that no longer serves their goals is a strong call, not a weak one. What creates the confusion is the difference between reactive quitting and strategic quitting. These
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The Undervalued Leadership Skill of Self-Editing
Team members who propose a new approach or originate an innovative idea or program deserve high credit and a chance to showcase their proposal. But unfortunately, in many cases, they lack the skills, experience, or talent to execute on their own idea.
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The Delicate Task of Assigning a Team Member’s Idea to Someone Else
Team members who propose a new approach or originate an innovative idea or program deserve high credit and a chance to showcase their proposal. But unfortunately, in many cases, they lack the skills, experience, or talent to execute on their own idea.