Empowering Performance

Setting Goals

2012-01-25T08:56:00.001-07:00

Each year, I spend the last of December and the first part of January setting goals. I set both personal and professional goals using the same method. It goes something like this:1. Evaluate successes and opportunities from the year2. Ask myself what goals need to carryover in to the next year3. Set new goals and objectives4. Give it time to simmer5. Evaluate and finalizeThe first three items

Results Oriented Culture

2011-12-07T13:58:00.009-07:00

Results seem to be a topic of conversation quite frequently these days. Every organization is trying to figure out how to achieve more with less. We use words like accountability, engagement, and behaviors in our discussions about getting more results. We analyze our workplace to determine if we are truly productive. We dream of changing “the way things have always been done”, convinced that if

More on Motivation

2011-10-25T12:22:00.003-06:00

We are all motivated differently and being aware of the nuances of motivation will make you a better leader. Intuitively we know that employees find motivation in work that matters and that makes a contribution in a larger sense. What else motivates employees?The results of a 2007 study by global HR consultancy Hewitt Associates show that compensation is not the number one motivator for most.

Your Attitude on Engagement

2011-09-27T12:00:00.002-06:00

Engagement starts with attitude. Chances are that the employee with the bad attitude is also the one who is disengaged, same goes for you. Some attitudes are invisible; behavior is not and can be an indicator of engagement. Engaged employees are those who are committed and understand the phrase “be here now,” and live it. As a leader, you influence this idea by modeling the behavior you want to

Are You Coachable?

2011-08-30T12:24:00.001-06:00

One of the goals of most leaders is to determine how to effectively coach. Some will attend training to learn more about coaching, others will read books and many will become better coaches through consistent practice with their teams. Leaders understand that coaching is not a one-time event, but an ongoing tactic that determines engagement, and performance. As a leader, have you ever asked

Handling Mistakes

2011-08-02T09:52:00.000-06:00

In my work with organizations, one of the challenges that leaders face is a fear of mistakes. Mistakes are generally viewed as mishaps that cost the company money. So not only does leadership fear mistakes, but so do employees. I understand this fear, but what if we looked at it differently? What if we started to view mistakes as opportunities for innovation? What if we gave teams the freedom and

Managing Up

2011-07-13T13:42:00.000-06:00

One of the questions I frequently get in sessions is how to effectively manage up. Ultimately managers at every level of an organization know that without a solid relationship with the senior leaders they report to, it is significantly more challenging to achieve results.The best relationships focus not on pleasing the boss, but on establishing an alliance between partners with the same long-term

The Leader in You

2011-06-10T16:03:00.001-06:00