Dear Madeleine, I work for a mid-sized global accessories brand. I was head of PR for many years but wanted to scale back when I had a kids. Now I serve as brand ambassador and influencer. The organization has been growing rapidly. About a year ago, it was sold and a new president was hired.…
Dear Madeleine, I read last week’s column with interest because I am also a fairly new manager in a small organization who isn’t sure whether to speak up about a problem. I have five direct reports. Two of them have come to me to say they have seen an employee who reports to another manager…
It is estimated that more than two million millennials step into their first leadership role each year—and that first year is critical. Research by Harvard business professor Linda A. Hill shows that the skills and habits people adopt in their first year of management can be a foundation for success—or an obstacle to it—for the…
Scott Blanchard, principal and EVP at The Ken Blanchard Companies, likes to use the phrase heart of the house to describe the important role middle managers play in an organization. In Blanchard’s experience, if mid-level management is neglected, the result can be heart trouble—a slow moving organization that doesn’t respond well to feedback. Is your…
Last week, I responded to a question about putting up with way too much. I introduced the idea of tolerations, those small, seemingly inconsequential things that drain your energy. They have a way of accumulating like barnacles on a ship—a few aren’t a problem, but layers and layers over the years take a toll on a…
Back in 2005, one of our clients, American Express, wanted to measure the impact of Situational Leadership II training that they had rolled out in their organization. The program was delivered via three venues—traditional classroom with people attending in person; completely virtual with people working through self-paced modules; and a third ‘blended approach’ that combined aspects…
Three years of a dismal economy has worn down a lot of people. While some people (about 20% according to most engagement surveys) have maintained their passion, a large majority have lost their mojo. Tired of a flat attitude and just going through the motions? Here’s a three-step process for jump-starting your work environment. Rediscover…
In a new online article for Fast Company, Scott and Ken Blanchard identify one of the biggest barriers to people working together effectively. The culprit? The human ego. As they explain, “When people get caught up in their egos, it erodes their effectiveness. That’s because the combination of false pride and self-doubt created by an…
Most managers prefer to use a supportive leadership style that encourages direct reports to seek out their own solutions in accomplishing their tasks at work. But that style is only appropriate when the direct report has moderate to high levels of competence and mostly needs encouragement to develop the confidence to become self-sufficient. What about…
What’s worth as much as a 25% increase in your labor force, or a 65% increase in the amount of your invested capital? A one-point improvement in your company’s management practices! That’s the shocking conclusion of in-depth study conducted by researchers at McKinsey, Stanford, and the London School of Economics that looked at more than…