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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The Friction Between Centralized and Decentralized Decision-Making
The tension between making decisions on the ground or in the field as opposed to by a centralized source is a healthy one. Giving those leaders or producers closest to the issues and problems the ability to make decisions that affect them results in more practical and timely solutions. When field leaders feel empowered, they…
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When Performing, Never Tell Yourself What Not to Do
It may seem like a small or trivial matter to some, but the kind of instructions you give yourself during moments of key performance can profoundly impact what transpires. Anytime a performer plants the idea of what not to do in the mind, the brain has a funny way of punishing the thought. Whatever we…
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In Defense of Being Wrong
People don’t like to be wrong. They like to fail even less. This is especially true with big mistakes and faulty predictions. So, after mistakes or failures, they naturally reflect upon what occurred in an attempt to understand what happened and why. But a funny thing happens on the way to drawing a conclusion. People…
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Making Decisions That Negatively Impact People You Care About
Perhaps the hardest task in leadership is making decisions that negatively impact people the leader cares about. Decisions are choices with consequences. By definition, deciding to follow a specific path forward eliminates other choices and pathways. This invariably means that some people will be negatively impacted by the choice. Good leaders make the call anyway.…
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The Productivity Secret of Quincy Jones
Legendary musician, composer, and producer Quincy Jones died last week at the age of 91. Few artists have been as commercially successful or prolific as Jones during his more than seven decades of musical influence. He won 28 Grammy Awards, a National Medal of Arts, and placed his fingerprints on music icons that included Frank…
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The Incompetence of Incompetence
Allowing an under-skilled team member to learn how others (not just the leader) view their performance and how those peers suggest developing those critical skills can promote a learning environment conducive to overcoming the effect.A change in self-assessment and skill may occur slowly, but raising the awareness of the team member is critical for future…
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After a Major Decision, the Speed to Execution Matters
In too many cases, leaders behave as if making the decision signals the finish line rather than the starting line. They conclude that the hard work has been completed, and all that is needed is for the decision to be announced and for the team to begin making preparations to act on it. But without…
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If You Want Your Team to Be More Productive, Consider Trying a New Periodization
In many instances, simply shortening a traditional timeframe dramatically shakes things up and produces a different level of engagement and production. Leaders sometimes make these changes temporary instead of permanent. Creativity and common sense are the primary guides for thinking about how to incorporate periodization into the workplace. Time traditions are highly resistant to change,…
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Consider Crowdsourcing Your Next Meeting Agenda
Teams often get into a meeting rut. By following the same agenda and structure, they operate efficiently but sometimes bypass or overlook critical issues and discussions. Not addressing the most pressing issue that faces the team is far too commonplace. This is a direct result of depending on the same people and the same agenda…
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When to Delegate a Decision
Leaders must never delegate strategy to others. But to accomplish that and still maintain the momentum of team progress, they must share decision-making on nearly everything else. The best leaders reserve their decision-making rights only for those choices and issues that will have a major and lasting impact on the team. If it doesn’t involve…