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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What’s the Difference Between an A-Player and the B’s & C’s?
Leaders naturally discriminate between team members based on track record, reliability, and skill. Giving team members a letter grade to capture the difference between them is somewhat of a parlor game for leaders. They love to argue about how many A-players they have on the team and why others don’t make that grade. Every leader…
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Micro-Goals Get Projects and People Back on Track
When team members focus on the smallest steps, the larger objective not only seems more achievable, but progress toward it continues.The best leaders know that the smallest goal can sometimes be the largest motivation.
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How Leaders Unwittingly Create Entitlement
Leaders who care too much about the happiness of others and have a strong need to be liked by them often reward people indiscriminately. When they fail to tie their caring and rewards to measurable goals, a sense of entitlement is usually the result.
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People Who Complain Incessantly About a Problem Before Addressing It
Some people make themselves hard to work with. They don’t realize how painful it is for others to collaborate and engage with them on tasks and assignments. One reason is because of their need to complain before taking action.
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It’s Time to Conduct a Distraction Audit
Distraction is the enemy of productivity. The more distracted a person is during a project, task, or meeting, the less productive they are. Toggling back and forth between full engagement and distraction all day long creates a rollercoaster of attention deficit. Even small distractions cause people to take longer to finish tasks and degrade the…
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Leaders Who Make Fun of Themselves Build Trust and Comfort
Self-deprecation does more than display humility. Leaders who take jabs at themselves create more trust and connection with others. This is because self-deprecation disarms people and makes leaders more relatable and personable. People tend to trust leaders they find more likable.
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For Top Performers, Practicing Fundamentals Never Gets Old
The question every performer must ask themselves is: What are the fundamental drills and exercises I should commit to no matter how successful I become? The best performers don’t go back to basics for the simple reason that they never abandon them in the first place.
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If You Don’t Believe Me, Maybe It’s Time to Ask Your Peers
Good leaders are caring, thoughtful, and candid when giving feedback to team members. Through their feedback and advice, they attempt to amplify a team member’s strengths and help them to change or overcome their weaknesses. On occasion, a team member receiving their leader’s feedback disagrees with it and chooses not to act on it. This…
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Be Careful Not to Celebrate Yourself When Celebrating Others
Celebrating yourself as you hold up others and recognize their accomplishments is more common than leaders think. The statement, “I knew this would happen when you finally took my advice,” is a prime and common example.
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Leaders Who Refuse to Submit to the Mob
Leaders are obligated to make the right call, no matter how unpopular it is or what pressure they face from outside or inside forces. Unfortunately, the pressure to bend to a vocal minority that maintains a persistent drumbeat is often very real and can wear down even the best of leaders.