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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How Autocratic Are You?
An autocratic leadership style is characterized by a leader who makes decisions unilaterally without input from others, dictates rules, policies, and procedures without discussion, and directs team members on both what to do and how to do it.
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The Belief Required for Super Bowl Stardom
As millions tune in to cheer for their favorite team and players in today’s Super Bowl, it’s worth remembering a story about the power of having someone in your corner. Saquon Barkley was playing JV football his sophomore year of high school when something extraordinary happened. Norris Wilson, the running back coach at Rutgers University,…
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Sending Flowers Is Easy. Showing Up Is Hard.
In moments of significance for others, good leaders write a note, send flowers, or offer an acknowledgment. For leaders who genuinely care about people, such expressions are relatively easy. But great leaders go one step further. They show up when others don’t expect them to. Many leaders know how important it is to show up…
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Developing a Strategic Negligence
It’s critically important for leaders to know what is important and urgent and what isn’t. Good leaders decide this on their own. Just because others see something as important doesn’t mean it is. By assessing the landscape of problems, opportunities, and tasks in their environment, good leaders can decide where they want to spend their
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If You Can’t Solve a Problem, Make It Bigger
Some problems defy resolution. They are either too complex, too full of negative history, or too big to address easily. The size and scope of some problems make finding a workable solution nearly impossible. That’s where systems thinking comes to the rescue. Systems thinking views problems and their components as a whole rather than just…
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We Don’t Get There Without You
Leaders naturally single out those team members whose contributions stand out. Those who take charge, operate with initiative, and drive assignments forward get the bulk of the praise and recognition from leaders. It only makes sense to focus on those out in front and who make things go. But great leaders don’t forget about the…
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Make Recognition More Specific
Good leaders recognize the work, effort, and outcomes of those team members who make a real contribution to important outcomes. Unfortunately, most leaders are too general in their acknowledgment and miss an opportunity to boost engagement and add jet fuel to self-motivation. Team members want to know when their work matters, and that their leader
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The Nudge of Thanking People in Advance
Thanking people in advance for something they would do anyway is simply a nudge and nothing more. But it works. Perhaps the most important thank-you nudges for leaders are: Expressions of appreciation for quality work before it has been completed. Thanking people for their candidness before they are candid. Thanking them for following group norms…
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How Far Should You Go to Accommodate a Superstar?
Leaders naturally treat their best team members differently than others. They give them more time, attention, responsibility, and information. When it comes to those with extraordinary talents and skills, leaders commonly give the Superstar the extra resources they need to perform at their best. Within reason, whatever the Superstar asks for, they get. Leaders smartly…
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What’s Your Strategy for Sitting All Day?
Sitting for long periods of time is an inescapable fact of life for many leaders. One downside of an increased dependence on virtual calls and meetings is equal dependence on a sedentary work style. The dangers posed by sitting for extended periods are well-known. Prolonged sitting is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases,…