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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When It Comes to Rewards, the Longer the Delay, the Less the Perceived Value
he inability to delay gratification is a common weakness for many people. They want rewards immediately and find waiting for the prize excruciating. Not surprisingly, they are willing to give up a bigger reward later for a smaller one now. Every parent knows this all too well. Less commonly known is how people slash the…
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Giving Others What They Need to Save Face
Taking the time to give people face before criticism or direction is something worth working on. The key to remember is that a person’s self-image often determines how they respond. The best leaders prove their emotional intelligence by offering favorable intentions and reasons to others before they disapprove or direct. Perhaps it is time for…
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What Are Your Hands Saying to People?
The hands carry meaning at a tremendous speed. Along with facial expressions and the emotion revealed by our eyes, the hands broadcast to people not only what we mean, but also what we want them to do. People look to our hands to reveal our intentions and focus. In an instant, our hands tell others
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The Fear of Success
The Fear of Success When succumbing to the fear of success, self-sabotage comes in many forms: Leaders and performers may procrastinate and fail to complete assignments, find excuses not to practice or rehearse, turn down important opportunities, or avoid competing or playing with others who are better than they are. They undermine themselves to prove…
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What Percentage of Your Life Outcomes Do You Control?
Some beliefs are more powerful than others. What we believe about the rewards and punishments in life and where they come from exerts an enormous influence on how we orient to the world. More importantly for leaders, those beliefs shape how we perform and excel in the workplace. In the 1950s, psychologist Julian Rotter proposed…
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Soft Yes and No Cultures
When many of the decisions made throughout an organization are considered optional or negotiable, leaders and team members take notice. When senior leaders are unwilling or too busy to enforce the decisions, directives, policies, and mandates they hand down, then the culture takes on an unusual quality. Everything is in play. Even critical commitments. When
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Winning Over Peers Before You Need Them
Finding and sharing information with peers before you need them is the essential move. Keeping them on a steady diet of information valuable to them before any requests or needs arise sets the stage and develops a stronger relationship. Then, when the time comes, peers are more likely to lend a hand because they know…
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Do Good Leaders Ever Act Aggressively?
The line between acting assertively and behaving aggressively is not as thin as most leaders believe. They are distinctly different approaches to how leaders attempt to get what they want from others. In reality, they are hard to confuse. Assertive leaders are forthright about their wants and needs, making it perfectly clear they hold a…
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I Can’t Do That, But I Can Do This
People appreciate that a leader has been thoughtful in their reply and values their request highly enough to suggest a substitute choice. In most cases, those making the request will feel supported by the response, even if they politely decline the replacement. The next time you must reject a request or invitation, consider the “I…
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Learn to Respond Instead of React
Learning to respond rather than react is not easy, especially for those leaders who are passionate and frank. Even leaders who recognize that strong reactions magnify negativity often struggle with making this important move. But the work is worth it. Leaders can never positively influence a negative situation with a bad reaction. Responding with just…