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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Prepare Upstream for a Major Decision
When a high-stakes decision looms large on the horizon, smart leaders talk through the possibilities upstream forseveral weeks or months before the critical analysis begins. This is not a discussion about the decision. Rather, it is a conversation about the nature of the decision. The best place to start this discussion is to ask the fundamental question:
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On Becoming a More Courageous Leader
Courageous leaders have the same fears and trepidations as everyone else but make the choice to act anyway. We know a leader is courageous by what they do. We’d all agree that it takes courage for leaders to admit their mistakes, buck a trend, challenge consensus, ask for criticism, and send tough messages. It’s not
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Admired Leaders Are a Rare Combination of Result and Followership
Leaders who share both qualities—results and followership—are exceedingly rare and enjoy an unusual respect from almost everyone around them. Colleagues, clients, and friends reserve the label Admired to describe the impact these leaders have on the enterprise and on people. Listen for the Admired word and you will likely find it attached to a leader…
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When Leaders Reduce Their Status, People Tell Them the Truth
Leaders who push status aside get more honest answers to their questions and more candid ideas in discussions. This makes for a powerfully collaborative environment where the team’s collective skills can shine and quality decisions can be made quickly. Minimizing leadership status creates a different conversation between leaders and team members, one that is more…
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Make It Easy for Others to Comply
Three hundred cards needed to be signed by hand. The busy leader couldn’t find the time to sit down and spend multiple hours scribbling their signature and greetings on such an overwhelming pile of cards. So they procrastinated and promised to get to the stack. But, after several days, the cards sat untouched on a
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Creating a Culture of Accountability
It is often said that great teams are made up of members who refuse to let each other down. This is exactly the case when it comes to creating a culture of accountability. What is required to create such a workplace includes leaders who are, themselves, open and candid with each other. They then need…
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Team Leaders Should Not Be the Only Ones With Coaching Assignments
Team Leaders Should Not Be the Only Ones With Coaching Assignments. Team leaders make the requests and design the assignments for this ongoing endeavor. Once the pressure is off of giving everyone the amount of time and coaching focus they desire, the team leader can now pick the right spots to have the greatest impact…
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Recognize the Team or the Individual Contributors?
When teams perform above and beyond expectations, good leaders make a big deal of it. Recognizing excellence publicly is both highly rewarding and encourages team members to replicate their success in the future. At the same time, highlighting the great work of key team members with public praise can also be uplifting. Singling out important contributors
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First Take Something Positive Away
Focusing exclusively on what went wrong, as opposed to what went right, seems logical. But it imprints negative thoughts and impressions that will linger until the next performance. As one writer puts it, “If you knew how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.” By taking away the positive first, leaders…