“Psychological Safety” Is the Key to Building Great Teams
Creating a team that works well together is no easy task. In 2012, Google launched “Project Aristotle” and studied 180 of their own teams to find out why some groups work well and others don’t. In his article “What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team,” Charles Duhigg of the New York Times explains Google’s interesting findings about what makes teams successful. The best...
Why “Grow a Thicker Skin” Isn’t the Answer
Disrespectful behavior is disrespectful, period. Below is a piece I wrote in 2014 that makes the case for Respectful Leadership clear. Feeling disrespected is a sign that your company may have a toxic work environment, not that you should be less sensitive. – – – – It’s pretty likely that if you’re disrespected by someone at work and you mention it to someone else, you’ll be told “grow a...
What Type of Influence Should You Use?
Influencing others is a necessary part of being a leader. QuickBase’s blog The Fast Track defines influence as changing someone’s behavior and taking action to bring about an outcome. Here are four ways to influence people respectfully and the situations that each tactic works best for. Rational or Logical Persuasion. This type of influence entails presenting facts in a clear argument....
Because Sometimes People Just “Step in it”
Do you ever feel unsure about what to do when someone on your team creates an awkward moment by saying something overtly disrespectful? Check out these step-by-step instructions on how to deal with the situation in a respectful way. – – – – Every now and then somebody at work opens their mouth and “steps in it,” saying something that’s incredibly offensive to just about...
Is Agreeably Disagreeing Possible?
Disagreeing with someone in a higher position can be uncomfortable, but it’s important to be able to speak your mind. If you aren’t sure how to respectfully disagree with your boss, check out this piece I wrote a couple of years ago about a Harvard Business Review article with some great tips. – – – – Sometimes it’s incredibly hard to disagree with your boss, especially if you...
Culture Comes First
Jessica Herrin is a savvy entrepreneur who has started two successful companies. In her early 20’s, she founded WeddingChannel.com, which she sold to the Knot. Now, she’s the founder and chief executive of Stella & Dot Family Brands. When Adam Bryant of The New York Times interviewed her, she revealed the important leadership lessons she has learned throughout her career. Herrin says her...
Giving Diversity the Bird?
Last month, after a ton of negative media around the tech company’s lack of diversity, Twitter hired Jeffrey Siminoff, former director of Worldwide Inclusion & Diversity at Apple, to take on a similar role at Twitter. But, lots of folks are still very upset because Siminoff is a white male. (By the way, he’s gay, but still a white male, so many perceive his hiring as part of...
Being PC About Political Correctness
If you’ve been listening to the presidential candidates and their surrogates lately, you can’t help but notice that many of them repeatedly claim to be fed up with “political correctness.” They shout that everyone has become too sensitive, that the PC Police are preventing ordinary people from “telling the truth,” or “saying out loud what everyone is thinking.” I have no doubt that we’ve...
More Positivity = Less Stress
Does a high-pressure work environment ensure that employees work harder and faster? The short answer is no. Emma Seppala and Kim Cameron of the Harvard Business Review reveal that a stressful work culture has hidden costs that can harm a company. A cut-throat environment is likely to cause the following problems. Health. Health care costs are 50% greater at high-pressure companies. About $500...