Three Ways To Tell Someone That They Need Soft Skills Training
We’ve all worked with or for these folks because our workplaces are filled with them… The manager who thinks they know everything but hasn’t a clue about how to manage their team. The newly promoted boss who is the go-to subject matter expert but doesn’t know how to delegate or give feedback, so they either micromanage everyone, or do everything themselves, or both. The manager who says, “I...
There Is No Law Requiring You to Respect Anyone’s Opinion
Now that the election is over, some are insisting that the opinions of Trump voters must be respected and that labeling him and them bigots, misogynists, fascists, neo-Nazis, autocrats, and racists is disrespectful and needs to stop. First, let’s be clear, when you respect someone or something, it comes from a genuine place inside of you wherein you acknowledge, appreciate and honor someone...
Empowering Change: Strategies to Combat Gender Bias
Becca is a leader in a global pharmaceutical company. She’s smart, driven, and has a proven record of delivering results. Her boss, another female leader, had identified her as her successor, but Becca was denied the role when the time came. Her outspoken nature was labeled as “lacking in executive presence.” Leaders said she “dominates conversations” and knocked her off the list without...
Seeking A Promotion? How To Stay Resilient After Setbacks At Work
Forbes Coaches Council, October 14th. When you’ve made a significant mistake, or series of mistakes, at work, it can feel as if all your previous efforts may go unrecognized and unrewarded—especially if you’ve been aiming for a promotion. Bouncing back from a workplace setback requires resilience, which starts with learning from your misstep. As a members of the Forbes Coaches Council, Gregg...
Lead Your Culture with Respect
Ask any leader, “How are you?” and nine times out of ten they’ll say, “busy as heck.” They’re running from meeting to meeting, call to call, and email to text, with little time for chit chat or what are quaintly known as “the niceties.” Sometimes they’ll even skip the universal “How are you?” question before getting down to work. Given the pace of business these days, this is understandable....
Election Tension: Strategies for Navigating Workplace Dynamics
A few months ago I received a call from the head of HR of a global company who told me about how politics had invaded her workplace and caused a major uproar. It seems that a couple of members of the C-Suite got into a very public political argument in front of a town hall meeting. Afterwards, apologies were made, but it left a very bad taste in everyone’s mouth – to the point where no...
The Very Possible Dark Side to Amazon’s Return to Work Mandate
This past Monday, Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy sent a rather long-winded letter to employees announcing, among other changes, a mandatory “Full-Time Return to Office (RTO)” policy, which will take effect in January, 2025. Basically, he wants to return Amazon back to the days before the pandemic when everyone came into the office five days a week. Citing a previous announcement from February of...
Trust in Turmoil: Navigating the Trust Gap in Today’s Workplace
The research is clear: we’re facing an increasing trust gap between leadership and employees in our workplaces. According to PwC‘s recent annual trust survey, there is an 18-point gap between executives who believe their employees trust them (86%) and the employees who actually do (67%). Additionally, there’s a 26-point gap between leaders who say they trust their employees (also...
Back to School? Be Respectful!
Every August when I was a kid, as I headed out each morning to start yet another year of school, my parents commanded me to “be respectful.” My teachers were to be respected, my coaches, the principal, the nurse, the school staff, and yes, even the crossing guard – all were to be treated with respect by me. Never mind the kids, my parents told me. The ones who taunted and bullied me at the bus...