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 Asking for Advice Is the Highest Form of Respect
Anyone who witnesses the request now knows how highly you regard this person and their views. When that regard is true, why not make a point of showing others how you feel? Perhaps nothing creates more recognition than this easy choice. Saying “Do you have a minute? I’d like your take on something that’s been…
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Why Overweighing Loyalty to People Can Lead to Horrific Decisions
The next time you observe or read about a decision that seems so obviously bad that is unfathomable why a leader made such a choice, consider that loyalty to a person probably warped the decision-making process. Do your best to commit more highly to what is best for the enterprise over what is best for…
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When Criticizing, Good Leaders Separate the Person From the Opinion
Debating the merits of an opinion, idea, or proposal would be a lot easier if people didn’t take criticisms personally. But, they do. People have an exceedingly difficult time separating their opinions from their personal identities. As a result, any criticism or negative feedback regarding their viewpoints is often considered a personal attack. The more
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Why a Reputation for Fairness Makes Feedback More Impactful
When it comes to receiving feedback, team members respond differently to leaders they believe are fair. Rather than debate the criticisms or suggestions they might believe are inaccurate, team members reflect on what fair leaders recommend and take it to heart. They presume there is always a nugget of insight in what fair leaders suggest.…
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Colleagues Who Push a Point Too Far
Conquering others through brute force is never as satisfying as conquering yourself through new insight. For those who push too hard and too far in their advocacy, sometimes it just takes a leader to hold up a mirror to get them to see things differently. We could push this point further, but we will set…
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Making the Most of One-on-One Meetings with Team Members
Asking team members to run the meeting and come fully prepared to discuss their views and needs in one-on-ones is so foreign in some organizations that it may take a few meetings before the switch is actually flipped. But when the role of the leader in these meetings is calibrated to help and listen, rather…
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Bring People Along With Your Thinking
Good leaders will clearly explain the many premises they accepted or rejected in reaching the conclusion. They take the time to help others see how the decision was reached. By not skipping over the thinking steps involved, team members are given a deeper appreciation for the reasoning involved, even when they don’t agree. Better yet,…
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A Decision Owner Stops Colleagues From Stonewalling
On effective teams, every major decision has a decision owner. This may be the team leader, a subject-matter expert, or the team member most effected by the decision. The key is to establish the decision owner before the process begins. When a decision owner exists, consensus plays out as it should on major decisions. This…
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Navigating the Tension of Competing Values
Getting clear about your values means understanding what is most important to you now. The best leaders navigate the tensions of competing values by clarifying their value hierarchy, not by attempting to satisfy both values to the detriment of both of them. Good leaders have an acute awareness of their values and what matters most…
