Categories
Archives
Search
Subscribe to Our Monthly Digest
Category: Management
The value of a good sense of humor
Mark Twain once said, “A sense of humor is a sense of proportion”. He was so right. My coaching experience has taught me that top-performing teams have a hearty sense of humor. They laugh at life, and they laugh at themselves. They do not create humor at another person’s expense.
The enormous cost of low emotional intelligence
About 15 years ago, I was working in a key position for a worldwide training company. The owners decided to hire a new training director. She was from a large corporation and brought a new flavor to the team. The flavor she brought did not taste good. Sylvia was what is commonly referred to as a “body tripper”.
At first, Sylvia was friendly and gracious to everyone on the team. Then, once she got situated in her position, she began to change. She became aloof, ignored people, wouldn’t listen to anyone, and it wasn’t long before virtually everyone resented her. I said, “virtually”. There were a few people she was very nice too. They were all in top management. She had them snookered. Top management didn’t see what we saw.
Read More…
Superb leaders are good “pruners”
We have all heard that time-worn line from so many commercials: “My only regret is that I did not do it (buy it) sooner”. If your goal is to lead a #1 team, you may want to incorporate this concept also.Read More…
How to prevent employee poaching
Picture this scenario: You hire an employee for a key position. They are like a dream come true. They know what you want, and consistently deliver excellent work. Their attitude is exceptional, and they are a positive force on the team. They are eager to learn everything, and you spend extra time with them teaching them things that enable you to spend more time on what you do best. For two years, you have been in with them. It is a joy. Then, one day, you get the proverbial “punch in the stomach”. They announce that they are leaving for another company. Read More…
Effective owners are good pilots
Last week I was talking with a business owner who operated several franchises in the Chicago area. She wanted to do some teamwork training, and when she went to her Controller, he talked her out of it. He said, “Look, our numbers our fine. Sales are where they need to be, and we are making a profit”. That was his whole argument. Here is what he did not pay attention to:
- The employee turnover rate was 20% above the industry average.
- The absenteeism was up 40% over last year.
- Their district supervisor referred to the store managers as a “bunch of dummies”.
Most of us would say that these symptoms are not good, and very costly. We wouldn’t have to be brilliant to predict that this company is headed for trouble. Eventually, the sales numbers will go down, and by that time, the river may be too wide for crossing.Read More…