I had the opportunity to train a remarkable group of Learning and Development professionals from a prominent company last week. The training session, called CONNECT for Teams, focuses on creating deeper connections within teams, including hybrid and remote teams. During one of the breakout sessions, there were lively discussions and brainstorming activities. As I actively participated in one particular breakout, I noticed that one participant was holding back. It was evident that they had valuable insights to contribute. Later, in a one-on-one conversation, I probed further and discovered that they were suppressing some great ideas and contributions to the team. It was at that moment I highlighted that they were "violating their own constitution by censoring their freedom of speech." That is how I like to present self-censorship. This prompted a discussion on the topic of self-censorship, its reasons, and its implications. Let's talk about it.

As a leadership development...

Remote work, Productivity Paranoia, Quiet Quitting, Quiet Firing...A lot of new terms are being tossed around in the world of leadership. While it is important to remain on top of trends, the blocking and tackling of the leadership is true and will remain true. Recognition being one of those truths.

As a leader, you may wonder where employee recognition belongs on your list of priorities. It turns out that it may be even more important than you think. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 79% of employees say recognition makes them work harder.

Unfortunately, much of that potential may be going to waste. A Gallup poll found that only one in three workers in the U.S. say they recently received recognition or praise for doing good work,

Letting employees know that they make a difference is an essential part of leadership. Study this quick guide to creating a strong culture of recognition.

Benefits of Employee Recognition Programs:

1. Reduce turnover. Revolving...

Ever felt like you were avoiding making a decision? Would rather make no decision, then make the decision? Leaders are constantly making decisions. Decisions around direction, people, risks, financial, etc. Each decision you make back to back increases the risk of making a bad decision. It can quickly reach the point that you’ll actually avoid making decisions once a certain threshold is reached. There are only so many good decisions you can make each day.

Decision fatigue also leads to impulse spending. Self-regulation also suffers during decision fatigue. There’s a reason why you’re more likely to eat unhealthy food or do something else detrimental to your well-being at night.

Have you ever noticed that many powerful and successful people tend to make poor decisions at night? These self-destructive decisions often come after a long day of making important decisions at work.

Use these strategies to avoid decision fatigue and make wise decisions:

1. Make...

Are you about ready to scream at the top of your lungs about team members that are wonderful "push backers"? But it has gotten out of hand. Lets talk.

Unless you’re a low-key despot, chances are that you don’t enjoy telling others what to do or reprimanding them. You probably don’t like being called out yourself and you might even question your right to tell anyone else what they’re doing wrong.

Kudos to you if you feel that way! You have what it takes to be a good leader! It’s the power-mad despots that make for terrible leaders and who eventually tend to come unglued.

But while it’s not a good thing to take pleasure in enforcing your will, it’s also not useful to bury your head and pretend that everyone can just get along nicely. That’s not how the world works, unfortunately.

The truth of the matter is that authority invites challenge. When you place yourself in a position of authority, others will be naturally encouraged to...

Feedback is one of the most valuable things a business leader can give. To underestimate the impact of a leader's process or ability to give feedback is a weakness. Continuous feedback is a minimum expectation in most cultures today. We train and coach on this right up front for Sr Executives and new leaders. Everyone's ability to give feedback can always be improved.

Constructive feedback in the workplace helps us to understand what we’re doing right and where we need to improve. When feedback is positive, it acts as a source of inspiration and motivation.

We get the reassurance of knowing that we’re taking the right steps towards success.

When feedback is negative, it can be worrisome initially, but it’s also a fantastic opportunity for growth. Negative feedback, when given effectively, shows us the things that we need to work on in a supportive, and insightful way. It means we can become better at what we do in the long-term.

Learn more about why you might want...

Yes motivation is your job as a leader. Many leaders I have coached, trained, and lead struggle with motivation. We become so focused on getting the work done, we fail to zoom out to see how we are doing the work that is getting done. Is the work sustainable and bringing out the best in the team? 

As a manager, your job will be easier if you know how to motivate your team. Employees who care about their work will be more resilient, innovative, and productive.

However, you may have a long way to go. According to the latest Gallup report, 51% of employees are disengaged in the workplace and 13% are actively disengaged.

The challenge may be even greater when you add in the new demands of remote and hybrid teams. The Harvard Business Review cites a study that found motivation dropped 17% when employees had no choice in shifting to working at home.

What can you do to inspire more positivity, and keep discouragement from spreading?

Try this proven formula for boosting your...

Before we go further. Number one rule I use with my leaders when it comes to humor. If you have to ask if it is appropriate, you have your answer. OK, now that we have that established, we can continue.

What qualities do you look for in a leader? You’d probably expect them to be powerful, charismatic, and decisive. However, you might overlook the value of being funny.

Research shows that humor has many benefits in the workplace, including drawing team members closer together, reducing stress, and increasing productivity.

The truth is most employees need a little cheering up. While the average four-year-old laughs about 300 times a day, they're down to three chuckles by the time they turn 40.

On the other hand, there are limits. You know you’ve gone too far if you make someone cry or you choose Michael Scott for your role model.

Effective leaders know how to use humor to their advantage. Join their ranks by studying these tips for remaining professional while you tap into...

In my 26 years of experience, I have had leaders that inspired and others that simply direct (boss). There’s a big difference between being a boss and being a leader. Anyone can be a boss, responsible for guiding their team and assigning tasks to different members of staff. But it takes something special to be a true leader.

A genuine leader inspires their team and motivates them to accomplish amazing things.

Effective leaders get to know their employees, so they can understand their strengths and weaknesses. This allows for effective delegation and increases the chances of each employee achieving personal and professional goals with the assistance of that leader.

If you’re working to become a more effective leader for your team, the key to success begins with inspiration. Here are some ways that you can motivate and inspire your people.

1. Set Clear Targets

Employees need to know what they’re working towards to ensure that they’re on the right path. As...

Leadership begins in the mirror as the saying goes. In all our training and coaching of leaders, we start with self awareness and reflection work. 

As a leader, it is important to have a strong self-image. You need to know who you are and what you stand for and be authentic in your interactions with others. It is also essential to have a good work ethic and be relentless in pursuing goals. These are just some things that will help you cultivate a better self-image as a leader.

Here are some of the ways you can cultivate a better self-image as a leader:

1. Understand your brand and what makes you unique. When you understand your brand as a leader, it helps you create a strong and unique identity.

Here are some of the reasons understanding your brand as a leader is important: It helps you to be authentic in everything you do.

When you know who you are and what you stand for, it’s easier to be real in your dealings with people. It allows you to develop a steadfast work...

A Manager’s Guide to Preventing Your Team from Burning Out

If you know you know. That feeling of consistent dread and lack of interest in your work. As a person we hate that feeling, so why as managers do we fail to be alert to our team's level of burnout?

More than half of employees in the United States say they’re burned out, and two-thirds say the pandemic is making their symptoms worse. That’s according to a recent survey by the job search site Indeed.

Burnout is a big concern for any manager. It lowers performance and morale and interferes with job satisfaction. The World Health Organization has deemed it an occupational hazard, and many experts believe it costs the economy as much as $190 billion a year.

How can you keep your team energized and engaged? Learn how to recognize and respond to signs of burnout in yourself and in the employees you manage.

Preventing Burnout on Your Team

You've probably read headlines about the Great Resignation, as millions of...