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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Organizational Values Rarely Change But How they Apply Might
The best organizations in the world share a common feature. They have a long-standing commitment to a core set of values and principles that guide the enterprise and help it to navigate the many challenges and opportunities inherent in a fast-changing marketplace. In many cases, these values have stood the test of time over decades…
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Leaders Who Manage Others Poorly by Email
Email is a highly effective and efficient tool for sharing information. But it is a lousy medium from which to lead others. Leaders who depend on email to direct the team, encourage higher performance, send praise and admonishments, share feedback, and communicate strategy make a big mess of things. Because it lacks the social, visual,…
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Cultivating the Image of a Sage
Almost every team or organization has one. The colleague who doesn’t say much in most discussions. They sit back and watch while everyone else debates a topic or pounds out a conclusion or decision. They only enter the fray when they have something very special to say. Because what they offer is usually different and…
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Great Leaders Curate Excellence
Leaders organize and develop their collections so others can find utility in them. They share their collections so others can learn from them and know exactly where to go to find quality. Great leaders curate excellence. What exemplars of excellence should you be curating?
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Leaders Who Add Too Much Value
Leaders naturally want to contribute their views and ideas in conversations and meetings. Their desire to show up as smart, well-informed, and insightful compels them to express their candid views whenever they get the chance. The more passionate they are about a subject or topic, the more they want to add value to the discussion,…
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Leaders Raised by Wolves
It’s somewhat astounding how often leaders who play favorites, manage work-life balance poorly, have difficulty delegating to others, and express high emotions when they are frustrated have experienced those same tactics themselves from a leader or role model in their lives. Who and what we model after has a tremendous influence on what we do.…
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The Downside of Integrity
Leaders with integrity are transparent, fair, and true to themselves. They apply their values and principles consistently to engender trust and respect from others. How can anyone have too much of that? The problem is not that someone can be too honest, fair, or transparent. It’s that they can use the virtue of integrity to…
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Teams That Reject a New Colleague
New colleagues are not always welcomed with open arms. Some team members don’t feel they had enough input about the addition, while others dread the changes or differences the new colleague will usher in. For teams with a strong culture and close-knit relationships, new colleagues represent a perceived threat that might upset the delicate balance…
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Seeking Disconfirming Information About a Proposed Decision Will Elevate Conviction, Not Diminish It
Leaders and team members are naturally prone to seek information that confirms their existing beliefs. And ignore evidence that contradicts their views. This Confirmation Bias can severely undermine decision quality by blinding a leader and team to accept a false or incomplete reality. To counteract this bias, good leaders actively seek disconfirming information to create a more balanced and
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Closing in on Success, Performers Crave Near-Win Feedback
When performers, athletes, or team members almost achieve a desired outcome but fall just short, it is critical for leaders to provide just the right feedback that will inspire greater effort for the next performance. People naturally experience a motivational boost when they are on the edge of success, as a sense of hope and…