Recently we made the difficult choice to terminate a team member because she wasn’t producing sufficient results. The measures were clear, but the decision wasn’t. She is a person of integrity, professionalism, courage, compassion…and I could go on. We wanted to keep her on for her intrinsic value, but the numbers weren’t working out. For
I have a confession that hurts to write: I don’t have much appreciation for people who aren’t useful to me. When someone works hard and improves their results over time, I’m invested in the relationship. When they aren’t demonstrating the activity I expect, I distance myself from them and consider ways to “fix” the situation.
One of my favorite books of 2014 was Escape from Camp 14: One Man’s Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West by Blaine Harden. It chronicles the life of Shin Dong-Hyuk, the first person born in a North Korean political prison to get out and tell his story. The turning point in
I learned to dance Salsa in a university class called Bailes Latinoamericanos. Having an analytical mind and a Lutheran heritage didn’t set me up as a natural success. But thankfully, I had a good instructor who helped me move my hips to the even beats with the characteristic pause on the fourth beat. While I
What role do your eyes play in building relationships? Quite a bit, according to a new study highlighted in the Wall Street Journal. It found that human beings are unique among animals in how we reveal and interpret our emotions through our eyes. The eyes really are the window to the soul, and since the
The CEO of a consulting firm asked me how our company has landed among the “Best Places to Work” for the past five consecutive years. After considering a number of factors that drive employee engagement, I told him, “One-on-ones.” “Oh yes,” he said. “We do those, too.” So then I described what one-on-ones are like
I’m a control freak. See, I have this picture in my mind about my business, my kids, my wife, my health and my comfort. You want to see me anxious or angry? Mess with those pictures. Here’s an example. Last week my wife and I were up late creating a game plan to address some
You have someone on your team who is checked out. He might be smiling, putting in his required hours and keeping busy, but his heart isn’t into it. He’s going through the motions. When this happens, studies show it’s likely due to one or more fundamental issues: The person has lost pride in the organization,
As the elevator opened to the fourth floor of the Graves 601 Hotel, my mind spun a web of excitement, nostalgia and anxiety. Earlier that day, my wife had asked me if I was nervous about attending my 20 year high school reunion. I had told her of course not. After all, I’m comfortable with
Last week, I introduced a four-step process for growth that I’ve seen work effectively in a variety of situations. But I realize taking the steps is often easier said than done, particularly when big obstacles stand in your way. That was the situation Beau Garrett faced four years ago. He’d just taken on the role
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