My daughter is 12. Last Christmas she got her first laptop, and last Sunday she got her first cell phone. These are perhaps the first two tools new employees receive after getting their employee handbook.  These tools are incredibly valuable, and have been (along with other technologies) responsible for huge gains in productivity over the

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Earlier this week I wrote a post stating that leaders should have a closed door policy.  This post has created lots of conversation – I have received a number of emails, had personal conversations and several people wrote lengthy comments on the blog post as well. I’ll admit I used the “closed door” metaphor to

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Let’s start with a short thinking exercise . . . Think of every new leader speech you have ever heard.  They will all include “I have an open door policy.”  Does every leader truly practice that policy? If you made a list of leadership clichés, the “open door policy” would likely make the top ten.

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This weeks resource recommendation is Stop Workplace Drama: Train Your Team to Have No Complaints, No Excuses and No Regrets By Marlene Chism Everyone I’ve mentioned this title to, loves it! I mean who wants all the drama? Like many catch phrases and cliché’s, not everyone has the same definition of drama. Chism defines drama

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Think about your perfect supervisor/manager/leader for a minute. Build a mental list of the attributes that perfect person would possess and think about the words you would use to describe that person. Done? I don’t know what is on your list, but I’d bet the farm on what isn’t. Micro manager. I’ve never met anyone

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Your team has just completed a major project, introduced a new product or closed a major deal. Tremendous effort and dedication was required and as a result success was achieved. Everyone is excited, and everyone is pleased. And, everyone is tired and might not know what comes next. This article is for leaders who find

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If you’ve just been promoted, this is obviously for you. If you have been in your role for awhile, but your relationship and communication with your boss/supervisor/leader isn’t perfect, this will be of great help to you too. If you lead others and your relationships and communication with those you lead isn’t where you would

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This week’s Resource Recommendation is 9 Steps to Work Less and Do More By Stever Robbins People ask me all the time, “what is the best new time management book out there?” My flippant response is typically, “read the one you already have on your shelf, and use what it recommends.” I think this book’s

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As a leader you know results and productivity are higher when people are committed to their work. You also know higher levels of commitment or engagement also increase job satisfaction, safety performance and focus while reducing on-the-job stress and turnover. Commitment, engagement or buy-in – whatever you want to call – it’s a good thing.

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Every leader I talk to tells me they are busy.  Heck, it isn’t just leaders, it seems to be everyone. Too much to do, too little time, or so we think (and therefore say). While most lament about finding time for important projects and bigger tasks, when they look at the calendar, large blocks of

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