Several years ago, I was sitting in a team meeting when I noticed something. It was one of those recurring meetings, the kind that don’t have a lot of focus or urgency, and most people were sitting quietly on the sidelines…that is, until the topic arose of whether we should have cake or cupcakes at
It takes more than talent to win, according to new research. Two recent studies have found that, because winning suppresses stress hormones like cortisol, it increases your confidence and willingness to take risks, all of which help build more momentum toward more success. Essentially, success begets success. It’s what the researchers call the “winner effect.”
Mary manages a team of experienced people. Her philosophy: “I’m here to remove barriers —to jump in and support my team when they need it.” John works on the team reporting to Mary. He likes working for her because she is supportive, caring and knowledgeable. Mary steps in to help John solve problems, prioritize efforts
Despite the strain, I love the predictability of the events that mark this time of year: Thanksgiving Day football and the family meal that follows Faith holidays (For me it’s Advent, our annual tree cutting, the annual holiday card and Christmas.) Year-end financials and planning for next year The annual Dale Carnegie Convention These and
Recently, my friend and colleague Matt Norman wrote about mid-organization leaders and the critical importance to the success of a company. Matt’s insight regarding the need to free these leaders from being task doers so they can focus on leading and developing their people is spot on. After reading that post, I was reminded of lessons learned
More and more organizations are acknowledging that they have underestimated the value of middle managers. Research suggests that mid-level leaders might be the greatest determinant of the success of your organization. While top management sets the overall direction for an organization, according to Wharton management professor Ethan Mollick, middle managers play the most significant role “in
At a recent company meeting, one of the people on my team announced that she was “the most engaged at work” that she’s ever been. She’s worked on our team for several years, and this hasn’t been the easiest of them. Yet she is on fire. Imagine the impact her enthusiasm for work has on our
As I listened to a senior leader from a well-respected company review the findings of its latest employee survey, I wondered: Do people do this type of self-confrontation often enough—like, really dig into the brutal facts about themselves? Confronting your own weaknesses requires substantial humility, courage and insight. In the book Good to Great, Jim Collins
How much of what you urgently respond to is truly important for you to do? How much of what you’re neglecting is really the most important to get done? Your overall success may well hinge on how you answer these two questions. In 1967 Charles Hummel wrote a powerful essay about these two questions called
Jim leads an R&D team at a med tech firm. Medical products lay scattered across his desk. Like a child proudly showing his artwork, he provides a tour of each product in front of him. But this isn’t the tour he’s most excited about. “Can I give you a tour of our team?” We walk
Matt Norman is president of Norman & Associates, which offers Dale Carnegie Training in the North Central US. Dale Carnegie Training is a global organization ...READ MORE