There is no steeper learning curve in leadership than your very first frontline leadership position. Perhaps the only comparable experience in terms of needing to hit the ground running and quickly close skills gaps is in parenting. Many first-time management experiences parallel first time parenting. Here are 10 of my favorite similarities:
What Would Ted Lasso Do?
It may seem odd to find lessons in leadership from a TV show, but I contend that the leadership (and life) lessons drawn from Ted Lasso are far more inspirational than any book I’ve read in the past few years. If you haven’t watched Ted Lasso, it’s time to subscribe to Apple TV and catch up. The heartwarming comedy follows Ted Lasso, a small-town college football coach who is hired to coach an English soccer team. With no experience or expertise in soccer, he joins the team with nothing but optimism and a belief that he will bring something positive … Read More
Be More Like Simone Biles
Even before the Tokyo Olympics began, Simone Biles had already shown the world that she was a truly remarkable individual. Her strength and courage are unquestionable and evident in the way she has handled enormous pressure, injuries, and unspeakable abuse at the hands of her athletic trainer. She always rose above and handled each situation with grace and maturity beyond her years. Her decisions during the Olympic Games this week further solidify that she is truly in a league of her own.
The Leadership Threat You Shouldn’t Overlook – Friday Flashback
The HR department typically bears responsibility for designing organization-wide engagement tactics and retention strategies, but the reality is this is everyone’s job. It’s a common belief that individuals don’t leave a job, they leave their boss. Poor management and leadership drive out top talent who are easily recruited away in today’s candidate-driven employment environment. It’s not just headhunters and great recruiters that managers should worry about these days. A veritable candy store of employment alternatives awaits your least satisfied/engaged employees, and leaders need to consider the risk this poses to the organization.
You Can’t Make Them Stay
From our archives: Employers are always seeking out ways to predict human behavior. Which candidate will excel? Which comp plan will improve retention and drive the biggest results? Which employees will remain engaged? Which employees will burn out? Which employees are high risk? Which employees are planning to leave? An HR technology vendor recently pitched their latest employee retention product to me. They believe they can predict (with alarming certainty) which of your employees are a flight risk. The algorithm they use to arrive at this conclusion is complex and expansive, but one key factor is the most predictive of … Read More
The Case for Book Clubs
The most successful leaders share a few common activities. They often report getting up earlier than most people (5am is a common start time), they exercise daily, and they read constantly. These habits are often shared as secret ingredients for their success. In particular, executives believe that reading frequently helps exercise their brain in unique ways while helping them broaden their perspective. Additionally, it helps support the creative thinking and problem-solving processes they need to address today’s complex, ambiguous problems. Essentially, if you’ve read enough books, then someone, somewhere has shared how they addressed the problem you’re currently trying to … Read More