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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Leaders Who Blame and Shame
Leaders depend on the team and specific team members to do their jobs and get things done. Priorities shift, but to achieve the outcomes everyone wants, team members must execute on what needs to be done. Unfortunately, this execution doesn’t always happen to the satisfaction of the leader. Sometimes, the quality or effort is low.…
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When a “Complete Baller” Won’t Talk About It
Tom Kim is one of the best golfers in the world. Kim is currently ranked 36th and played all four days of the Master’s Golf Tournament last weekend. Kim’s playing partner on Saturday morning was a stand-in. You couldn’t find the guy’s name in the tournament program, and he wasn’t permitted to give interviews. His…
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Leaders Who Awkwardly Overshare About Themselves
Some leaders can’t stop themselves from disclosing too much. They make others feel awkward and uncomfortable whenever they share too many personal issues and details. They may mistakenly believe people will feel more connected to them, or perhaps they share too much to elicit sympathy or caring. Whatever the case, when leaders reveal too much…
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Beware of Frenemies
Colleagues, peers, team members, and leaders come in all sizes, shapes, and motivations. Some can be trusted, and some can’t. Others can be counted on to agree, while some will always take an oppositional view. Knowing the motivations of those who surround you is critical to your long-term success. The world would be a better…
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Using Identities to Elevate Team Member Engagement
The best team members rise to the occasion and engage more enthusiastically, while others go through the motions and do what they have always done. To increase the odds that team members will embrace their calls for action with more vigor and enthusiasm, great leaders have learned a secret. They turn their requests for action…
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The Many Advantages of Pre-Planned Pauses
Deciding on a pre-planned pause before engaging in a discussion, complex task, or activity can be a game-saver. Consider a surgeon who pre-plans a pause between procedures to regroup and reorganize for the next difficult task. A break in the action can give everyone a breather and help to clarify goals and reassess the current
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What Leadership Transparency Really Means
Some leaders believe being honest and open makes them, and their decisions, transparent. Unfortunately, that is simply not the case. Transparency is a very specific set of actions. Leaders who say they value transparency either prove it by their actions or they don’t. How transparent are you as a leader?
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Building Up Delegation Trust
In short order, the adage “If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself” becomes replaced with the mindset “If you want to get everything done, you have to delegate.” To achieve great outcomes, good leaders know they must learn to delegate. It all starts with sharing the smallest tasks and building…
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If You’re Going to Withdraw, Retreat Forward
Writing with AI is fast and often as good or better than our own writing. Not everything works out the way we envisioned it would. Sometimes the best move is to admit that the goal is no longer attainable and to regroup. But there are two ways to withdraw. One is to surrender. When we
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Authenticity and Writing With Artificial Intelligence
Writing with AI is fast and often as good or better than our own writing. Give the AI a guide trained on your preferences, and it can even match your voice, diction, and style. The efficiency of writing with AI certainly makes it hugely attractive to anyone who creates words for others to consume. But