Are you responsible for the performance of a group? If you are, what you say is important. Words matter. One danger is that common words and phrases can have unintended consequences. Here are three to watch out for. Be honest On great teams, teammates trust each other and the team leader. Great customer relations are based » Read More
Category: Communication
Boss’s Tip of the Week: Don’t rush the conversation
If you’re like many bosses I’ve met over the years, you don’t like talking to team members about poor performance. No matter how uncomfortable you are, don’t rush through the process. Describe their performance without adjectives. Tell them why it matters. Wait for them to speak. Then, and only » Read More
Boss’s Tip of the Week: Find your common interests
The odds are that you share at least one common interest with everyone on your team. Find out what it is for each person and having non-business conversations will be easy. Here’s a hint. The best way to find out is to listen. This is only one of 347 tips in my ebook, Become a Better Boss One Tip at a » Read More
Boss’s Tip of the Week: Try listening
Too many of our “boss” stereotypes have the boss doing all the talking. You can’t learn much when you’re talking, so try listening. Listen for questions you can answer. Listen for ideas you can try. Listen for problems you can help solve. Listen for clues to what matters to your team members. This » Read More
Leadership and Listening
“God gave you two ears and one mouth, and you should use them in that proportion.” My mother said that. I suppose lots of mothers did. It’s great advice, especially if you’re the boss. There are three reasons that listening well will help you lead more effectively. Here they are. When You Listen, You Can Learn You » Read More