Dear Madeleine, I have been working for a new boss for about six months. I think she is very organized and personable, and her whole team (me included) likes working for her. A while back, I had a rough time with the leader of another team. I won’t go into detail about exactly what happened—there…
Do the people you work with know what you expect of them? Do they know what to expect of you? Pause, please, and really consider those two questions. If I walked into your workplace and asked your team these questions, would I get immediate answers? Would I get consistent answers? Would I get answers you…
Dear Madeleine, I manage the logistics department of a global aeronautics engineering company. My job is intense—my whole team works like crazy when we are on deadline and relaxes a little bit when things aren’t so hot, which still means 50-hour workweeks. I think it is important for people to get a bit of a…
You have to put yourself out there if you want to create an authentic connection with people. Sharing your Leadership Point of View is one of the most powerful ways to accomplish that, according to coaching expert Joni Wickline. In the August issue of Blanchard Ignite, Wickline describes a Leadership Point of View as a…
“Thank you for your transparency!” These words came at the end of a presentation I gave where I shared a new strategy—a strategy that would require change, including new roles and some sacrifice, from everyone. I wasn’t sure how everyone would respond but I knew I would have my best chance of successfully leading the…
Leadership is not something you do to people, it’s something you do with people. Letting people know what they can expect from you underscores the idea that leadership is a partnering process. That’s one of the messages that Ken Blanchard highlights in his work with senior leaders. Blanchard underscores the idea that leadership transparency…
I have always loved the word earnest, and I bestow the word on another person when it is, well, earnestly earned! One who, according to Dictionary.com, is “serious in intention, purpose or effort … showing depth and sincerity of feeling” is good company indeed. Consider an earnest friend or an earnest family member. Thoughts of…
One of the best ways to build a connection between yourself and others is to share information about yourself—who you are, where you’re from, your influences, etc. Being vulnerable and sharing a little bit about your life helps people see you as more than a one-dimensional character. So why are so many leaders hesitant to…
In their latest post for Fast Company online, management experts Scott and Ken Blanchard share that, “One of the big mistakes we see among otherwise promising managers is the self-limiting belief that they have to choose between results and people, or between their own goals and the goals of others. We often hear these people say,…
Scott Blanchard, principal and executive vice president at The Ken Blanchard Companies calls it the new “F” word—feelings. And it is something that managers and organizations struggle with on a regular basis. Should you ask people to repress feelings and “check them at the door” or should you encourage people to bring their entire selves…