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2015
The People Equation
A New Definition of Leadership for the Next Generation of Leaders
The People Equation
APRIL 27, 2015
The definition of leadership is changing. Societal expectations of the workplace, fed by economic and demographic trends, are morphing the leadership job description. From emerging organizational structures like Holacracy , to changing expectations of the Millennial generation, your kid’s boss isn’t going to resemble the one you reported to the first day of your job. Image credit: Pixabay.
6 Truths about Training and Development
The People Equation
FEBRUARY 23, 2015
Helping people learn new things is super-fun. It isn’t always easy, but it’s always gratifying. For over two decades, I was a corporate trainer, conducting in-person learning programs and later, webinars, to a wide array of employees. I’ve facilitated programs in warehouses, stuffy conference rooms, outdoors, and with simultaneous translation to groups of non-English speakers. Don’t work so hard.
Leadership Truths to Empower Millennial Leaders
The People Equation
AUGUST 3, 2015
This is one of my favorite quotes from the book. Are you crystal-clear on your purpose? Jon Mertz is. His purpose is to guide, challenge and inspire people of the Millennial generation to fully realize their leadership potential. Mertz realized this purpose in an unlikely place: a grove of Aspen trees while he was snow-shoeing in the American Rocky Mountain range.
How to Improve the Quality of Leadership Development
The People Equation
MARCH 3, 2015
Is leadership development a waste of time? Some might say “yes”, that formal leadership training isn’t worth the time and effort. Of course, as a former corporate trainer and a current leadership development consultant, you probably can guess where I fall in response to that question. Leadership development is important, but it takes many forms. Blog Carnival Leadership
Skill based learning – How it drives an organization’s performance
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Training and learning organizations today play an active role in contributing to the bottom line of any organization by aligning their objectives to the immediate business objectives. This provides a solid ground for cost justification and encourages businesses to place training groups right where they should be, at the heart of a growing, thriving, learning culture.
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Are Loose Cannons Driving Down Your Employee Engagement Scores?
The People Equation
MARCH 30, 2015
Have you ever worked with a “loose cannon”? This high-energy person moves ahead too quickly without checking facts. Loose cannons mean well, but their unpredictability causes collateral damage. Typically, loose cannon employees are seen as a liability—and management is often looking for ways to help them “find new employment opportunities.” Interesting.
Leadership Greatness Springs from Within
The People Equation
DECEMBER 7, 2015
“Leadership greatness springs from within. So you’ve got to go in.”. That’s what Bob Anderson, Chief Development Officer of The Leadership Circle told me when I interviewed him for his recently published book, Mastering Leadership: An Integrated Framework for Breakthrough Performance and Extraordinary Business Results. Only then will you perform at your best as a leader. Yes, that’s important.
Tips for Running a High-Potential Leadership Development Program
The People Equation
AUGUST 17, 2015
Back in the day when I worked for a large corporation, there were employees who had been selected for some sort of quasi-secret leadership development program. It was this weird situation in which Suzanne (or Jose, or Robert) was reportedly in “the program” but they couldn’t talk in detail about it with people outside of the program. What is a High-Potential Employee? They know. The sweet spot?
4 Key Skills Employees Need for the Workplace of the Future
The People Equation
JULY 27, 2015
I’m a sponsored blog partner with Spherion (a staffing and recruiting organization) and am participating in the release of findings from Spherion’s Emerging Workforce Study. All opinions are mine. What are the top skills that the employee of the future needs? recent study commissioned by Spherion and conducted by Harris Poll aimed to find out. Strategic thinking skills. Possibly.
Leaving performance reviews behind: Where to start [Guide]
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Is your company ready to move beyond the annual performance review? Where do you start? What are the keys to success? In this guide, you’ll gain an understanding of: the forces driving change, three foundations of success and take a deep dive into the skills gap many managers have that will sink your efforts before they start and how to address them.
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Women and the Politics of Promotion
The People Equation
MARCH 23, 2015
Research indicates that ambitious women are in a double bind—if they’re too aggressive, then they’re seen as threatening; if they’re too accommodating, they’re not seen as senior leadership material. Even though this bind is easing as more women assume top leadership roles, it’s still evident in many organizations, particularly those that are traditionally led by men.
What You Learn When You Tell People No
The People Equation
NOVEMBER 19, 2015
How good are you at saying “no?” It’s a fascinating subject to me. This is probably because I’m still a work in process when it comes to being 100% comfortable saying no. One way to look at saying “no” is from the standpoint of you as the individual declining a request or setting boundaries. For example, here are four different ways to say no and still keep your job. Think about this for a minute.
Being Neighborly Builds Trust – #Sprinkles by @ChipRBell
The People Equation
FEBRUARY 10, 2015
Service that delights, surprises, and amazes—it’s what we crave as customers. And, we are all customers. We’re service providers, too. Whether it’s as an office professional, an entrepreneur, a restaurant manager, a volunteer, a manager, a parent—there is always the opportunity to serve. That’s why it’s always refreshing to revisit the idea of “service” when a new book arrives on the scene.
Even Good Leaders Lose Against a Bad System
The People Equation
JUNE 8, 2015
“The other day I had a revelation at work.”. That’s my friend Sally , chatting with me at lunch. “Oh? How so?”. That’s me, ever the inquisitor. Sally took a new job a few months ago and we were catching up on life. Well, the VP of my division stopped me in the hall the other day to ask how it was going. I was immediately on alert – I’m thinking, what had I done wrong? That’s it?
Innovation Buster: How Losing Your Best Employees is Killing Innovation
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Employees at the front lines often have better ideas for innovation than others within the business, but when they walk out the door, they take those ideas with them. Want to innovate better and faster than the competition? You need to hold onto your best employees and the ideas they have. In this session we will explore how various pieces of the talent life cycle are related to retention and examine more than 20 strategies and ideas for improving retention outcomes for your business.
Leading Yourself on the Path to Employee Engagement
The People Equation
MAY 19, 2015
Do employees really want to be engaged? If you define “employee engagement” as author Kevin Kruse does (“The emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals”), it’s likely that yes, all employees want to feel some level of connectedness to the work they do. Employees also must take on ownership for designing their level of satisfaction with their work. Wait, what?
5 Reasons You’re Over-Thinking Your Leadership Decisions
The People Equation
JUNE 1, 2015
How much time each week do you spend making decisions? Likely, many of the choices you make are almost automatic, requiring little thought: attend that meeting or not? Stay late to finish the report tonight, or come in early tomorrow? And then, there are more challenging choices, such as whether or not to terminate an underperforming employee’s employment. If it does, learn to let it go.
Blueprints for Nine Essential Business Meetings
The People Equation
AUGUST 10, 2015
Let’s just put it right out there: pretty much everybody loves to hate business meetings. I’m on the record in support of meetings if they’re held for the right reasons and are run effectively. So, count me in the minority of people who think (some) meetings are OK. The problem is, we humans can muck things up pretty fast. When it comes to meetings, the list of blunders is endless. Disclosure.
What Type of Employee is a Good Fit for Holacracy?
The People Equation
MAY 26, 2015
Do employees really enjoy working in a self-organized structure? Holacracy —sometimes touted as a “leaderless” environment—eliminates traditional management titles and functions. The degree to which employees enjoy this organizational structure depend on many factors. Some people take well to this extreme level of self-organization, others don’t. What type of employee is a good fit for Holacracy?
2016 Training Program Best Practices
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Can you hear the collective groan when you launch that new compliance course? Do you get complaints both public and private from trainees about the uselessness of the training courses you've launched? Is there anything that can be done about it?
49 Ways to Make HR Better
The People Equation
JANUARY 16, 2015
The ever-positive Steve Browne, who blogs at Everyday People, is hosting the week’s Carnival of HR. Steve, whose day job is VP of HR for a restaurant chain, asked bloggers to contribute their advice for “how to make HR better.” ” And, wow, did people crawl out of the woodwork with ideas. Go on over and check it out at Carnival of HR: Make HR Better Edition !!
Tips for Improving Your Company’s Leadership Development
The People Equation
SEPTEMBER 21, 2015
When I interviewed Devin Lemoine for the Smartblog on Leadership article, Is your star player ready for a promotion? she offered up excellent advice for companies seeking to develop their leadership talent. Lemoine, who is the President of the leadership development consulting firm Success Labs , had so many great ideas that I couldn’t use them all for the Smartblog post. This is Jennifer.
What’s Your Trust Building POV?
The People Equation
JANUARY 29, 2015
Welcome to Trust-Building Thursday, a new series on The People Equation. Each month, we’ll explore trust in the workplace and offer practical tips for building trust with your boss, colleagues, peers and team members. You can see other installments of the series here. When I was sixteen, my family moved across the state. No curfew?! And it was true—they did trust me. And guess what?
How to be A Great Leader
The People Equation
FEBRUARY 9, 2015
A few months ago, I reviewed Frank Sonnenberg’s latest book, Follow Your Conscience : Make a Difference in Your Life & in the Lives of Others. It is my great honor to host Frank’s guest post here today. Guest post by Frank Sonnenberg. Great leaders achieve success by setting the bar high, encouraging teamwork, promoting win-win relationships, and demanding everyone’s best effort.
Ditching the formal performance review? Kineo shares 3 Elements for Success
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Is your organization thinking about moving towards a performance development culture? What are the elements to succeeding and keeping managers and employees engaged? Download “A Road Map for Change” to find out and gain insight into making the transition as smooth as possible on your journey into this brave new world.
Are These 5 Signs of Trust Evident in Your Workplace?
The People Equation
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
Welcome to Trust-Building Thursday, a new series on The People Equation. Each month, we’ll explore trust in the workplace and offer practical tips for building trust with your boss, colleagues, peers and team members. You can see other installments of the series here. Do you work with people who trust you? Do they trust others? How can you tell? Sometimes, it must be done. Go ahead. trust you.”
The One Minute Manager – A New Leader’s Story
The People Equation
MAY 7, 2015
In 1984, as a college senior, I was employed by my university as an Assistant Residence Hall Director (AD). It was the first job in which I had a staff that (dotted line) reported to me. During the day, everyone answered to the full time Residence Hall Director. On the evenings and weekends, I rotated shifts with two other AD’s overseeing fellow students who were Resident Advisors (RAs).
New Leadership Articles at HR Answers
The People Equation
JANUARY 5, 2015
Answers.com has added a “leadership” category to my HR Answers page. As you might imagine, this is exciting news because it’s a topic that’s near and dear to my heart. So for December, I jumped right in and wrote two leadership articles. The second is 10 Leadership Lessons from Accomplished Women in which I specifically highlight quotes about leadership from a woman’s perspective.
People Are Looking to You for Leadership
The People Equation
MARCH 19, 2015
“Every leader has exponential opportunity for influence,” writes Popeyes® Louisiana Kitchen CEO Cheryl Bachelder in her book Dare to Serve: How to Drive Superior Results by Serving Others. Considering that Bachelder believes that we all have the opportunity to lead at some point in our lives (at home, in the community or at work), this means we all can be influential. Are you providing it to them?
HR's Critical Role in Creating Productive and Meaningful Workplaces
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Today’s workplace is characterized by chaotic forces—low employee engagement and productivity levels, and declining employee well being. HR Leaders have a critical role in defining the vision and strategy to transform and create a more productive and happy workplace.
The Many Benefits of Gratitude
The People Equation
NOVEMBER 25, 2015
What are you grateful for? Our national holiday of Thanksgiving is tomorrow, so naturally, gratitude is on my mind. I was curious about the tangible benefits of gratitude. Can the act of being grateful have mental benefits? What about physical benefits? Turns out that yes, giving thanks provides more than just a temporary “feel good” state. Image credit: pixelsaway / 123RF Stock Photo.
Want to Land that Job? Pay Attention to the “Big 4” of Hiring
The People Equation
NOVEMBER 30, 2015
I’m a sponsored blog partner with Spherion (a staffing and recruiting organization) and am participating in the release of findings from Spherion’s Emerging Workforce® Study (“EWS.”) All opinions are mine. Want to find a new job? You probably figure that prospective employers place a heavy emphasis on your current job to decide if they want to hire you. Surprisingly, that’s not the case.
The Promise of Leadership
The People Equation
DECEMBER 28, 2015
People expect things of you when you become a leader. When we step into leadership, we may not be aware that it comes with implicit promises in the form of expectations,” says Bob Anderson, co-author of the recently published Mastering Leadership. Delivering on those promises is what makes a leader highly effective. What follows is an edited and condensed version of our conversation.). BA: Right.
Leaders See the Potential in Nearly Every Situation
The People Equation
FEBRUARY 16, 2015
As a leader, where do you focus your attention? If you said something like, “I fix problems” or “I help people improve,” you’d be like countless other leaders across the globe, primed to “close the gap” or strive for “relentless improvement.” ” And, according to psychologist Dr. Kathryn Cramer, you’re focus is misplaced.
Learner motivation explained! Learn how to use an LMS to motivate your learners to upskill
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Training and development professionals often bemoan the lack of apparent initiative in their trainees. Learning professionals spend huge sums of money creating or acquiring skill aligned libraries of learning content, only to watch almost helplessly as learners refuse to engage with any training available that isn’t mandatory.
16 Stories to Energize Your Leadership
The People Equation
APRIL 21, 2015
Feeling burned out as a leader? It’s a common feeling: work life is hectic and leaders feel especially “squeezed.” This constant pressure can suck every last bit of energy from you and the people you lead, with unfortunate results. This anthology of 16 essays is written by a group of leadership development experts who first met online. Energize Others. Energize Your Workplace. Energize Your Future.
The Real Meaning of Engaged Leaders
The People Equation
JULY 13, 2015
Much of what’s written about “employee engagement” focuses on how to get your employees more involved at work. As a leader at your company, you’re also an employee; how “engaged” are you? And, are you engaged in the right things? Undoubtedly, you’re busy, but is that the same as engagement? It makes sense that there is a correlation between your interaction as a leader and employee engagement.
52 Messages for Becoming a Disciplined Leader
The People Equation
JUNE 15, 2015
As a leader, are you committed to “relentless self-control and positive work habits?” In the book The Disciplined Leader, author John Manning makes the case for discipline, writing that effective leaders employ “consistent application of certain mindsets and actions that are vital for [their] success.”. For some, it felt too rigid or conjured images of ruler-wielding school teachers.
4 Ways to Get More Out of Meetings with Your Manager
The People Equation
MAY 11, 2015
Are you getting the most out of your 1:1 meetings with your boss ? According to a recent study , about 73 percent of employees meet with their team leader at least once a month. That’s not a lot of face time, so be sure you make the most of this important interaction with the following tips: Show Initiative. You’ll need to take the initiative and request that a meeting schedule be set.
The Performance Management Storm: Four Macro-Trends Driving the Change
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Needed: A shift from traditional performance management systems (organized as an annual review process) to newer performance development systems (organized around real-time dynamics). Download part one in a series to gain insight into why this shift must happen and why it needs to happening now
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