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 an Organization Views Itself Can Have a Profound Influence on Decision-Making
During a moment of reflection, every leader should ask this question: How does our organization view itself and what impact is that having on the decisions that we make or don’t make? While leaders can’t easily reshape the organization’s identity, it is critical to understand the influence it has on how they think and act.…
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What You Practice Is as Important as How You Practice
The so-called deliberate practice methods of some well-known athletes are baked into sports lore. Steph Curry practicing his jump shot with a cover over the basket so he can’t see the end result. Pistol Pete Maravich dribbling a basketball from a moving car up and down his street. Serena Williams spinning the ball over the…
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Conversations That Pass in the Night
We desire distinct outcomes from the conversations with have with our most confidential partners. Sometimes, we want help fixing our issues and problems. At other times, we just want an ear to listen to us and validate our experiences. And on some occasions, we just want to share, connect, and learn from someone we respect…
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Leaving Behind a Trail of Inspiration, Ideas, and Suggestions
Leave-behinds are not only effective in stimulating ideas and inspiring others. They can also prime difficult conversations or raise uncomfortable topics. Asking people what they think about a particular book, film, or podcast begs the question of, “Why are you asking?” No specific answer is necessary. Only the curiosity of seeking an opinion and potentially…
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People With a Chip on Their Shoulder
Someone with a “chip” on their shoulder believes they have been underestimated, passed over, undervalued, or rejected unfairly. The perceived slights they have experienced create a desire to prove their value. This motivates them to work differently than others. In the view of many leaders, a chip, if channeled appropriately, can be a tremendous advantage in the
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In the Absence of Feedback, the Most Experienced People Presume the Negative
In the absence of feedback, people often presume they are doing poorly. In the words of legendary coach Pat Summit, they prefer to “fill in the blanks with a negative.” People have a genuine need to know where they stand in the eyes of the leader. Leaders who are reluctant to praise, criticize, or comment…
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When You Lose, Learn Like You’ve Won
But a team member with a well-earned reputation for lateness must be dealt with. This starts with an understanding that being on time is completely within the team member’s control. From there, good leaders make it clear that lateness reflects one of two essential problems. Either the team member believes what the team is doing…
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Can a Good Leader Be Too Candid?
Colleagues and team members exposed to the onslaught of candid viewpoints on nearly every matter soon learn to stay silent. In an ironic twist, unbridled honesty by the leader produces less candidness from others. While good leaders will always have to remain vigilant about being insensitive in their candidness, the most important aspect to guard…
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The Stand-Up Exercise to Illustrate Shared Values and Experiences
In a time where issues of ideological division are commonly broadcast across various media, it is important for leaders to remind the team that what they share in common is much more powerful than what separates them. Making this point demonstrably, on occasion, can have a profound impact on how people orient to each other.…
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What Is Your Leadership Derailer?
When left unchecked, personality derailers hijack how leaders think, act, and respond. The key is to not deny that you have one or more derailers. We all do. Knowing your derailers allows you to become more conscious of them and to find avenues to offset them, curtail them, moderate them, or tether them. Remember, a…