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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Don’t Get Stuck in the Curve
By the time we arrive at whatever success we are experiencing, we face the ultimate challenge: Achieving future success will require different skills and insights than what was required for our current success. “What got you here, won’t get you there.” So says the title of a popular book. If we don’t invest now in
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Correct Errors in Remarkable Ways
Turning angry customers or clients into raving fans is an act of leadership often overlooked by more traditional views. In every customer experience that goes terribly wrong, there exists the possibility of responding to the event in such a way as to create a lasting and positive impact. A restaurant runs out of a popular
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Non-Posting Is a Ninja Move
“Keep me posted.” Leaders say it all the time. The simple act of posting someone to keep them informed is an everyday practice familiar to all of us. Messages that clarify progress on a project, acknowledge a promise has been kept, a signal that a package has been sent, or warn of a possible delay are all
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Don’t Toss a Last-Minute Grenade
To ensure any output will be delivered on time and with excellence, good leaders naturally check in frequently during the process to see where things stand and offer a hand if needed. Checking in is a leadership duty required to achieve great results. The key is to time the last check-in so the leader can
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Don’t Crush the Desire to Excel
For leaders, disappointing people comes with the job. When the people we coach or parent are not ready for the next challenge or have not earned the reward they have worked toward, we are obligated to tell them that their efforts have fallen short of the goal. In many cases, the person on the receiving
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Plan Meetings Like Practice Sessions
Look behind the success of winning sports teams and you will usually find a coach who scripts team practice sessions down to the minute. Practices are scheduled weeks in advance and planned to produce specific outcomes. Every segment of practice is designed to work on the skills or issues the team needs to master to
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The Mistake That Undercuts Performance
The idea that the best leaders are never satisfied resonates with those who value excellence. “Good enough” is never good enough for leaders who are driven to achieve extraordinary results. The best among us believe deeply in continuous improvement, which, by definition, presumes everything and everyone can always be better. Before we salute this line
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Beat the Forgetting Curve
We rapidly forget what we learn. Within 24 hours, we typically lose more than 70 percent of the information we acquired the day before. This is mostly a good thing. When we acquire new information, our brains will sort what is important and ignore the rest. Forgetting is our natural defense mechanism to prevent overloading
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The Power of Stubborn Inaction
The bias toward action shared by most successful decision-makers can also be a liability. Moving too quickly can be as detrimental as moving too slowly, although the latter is more painful to watch. Organizations need answers to their most pressing problems, and the best leaders deliver. Good leaders are decisive, we rightly learn. In fact,
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Challenge Mediocrity Where It Lives
Mediocrity is a disease with debilitating effects on teams and organizations. The recipe for mediocrity includes playing it safe, avoiding commitment, and holding low standards. Instead of rising to a challenge, team members who stand for mediocrity become paralyzed by the fear of failure. Success is never as sweet as is avoiding defeat. Over time,