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For any first-level leader — whether you’re leading an entry-level, customer-facing team or a team of tenured and experienced associates — the most significant challenge you will face is not with the people that report to you. Your most significant challenge you will face is with yourself. Specifically, your challenge is with your mindset and […]

Imagine never having to wonder where things stand with a direct report’s project and never feeling caught off guard by a status question from your boss. These 4 tips can help make that a reality. Why do it? Imagine never having to wonder where things stand with a direct report’s project, never feeling caught off […]

Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Seeking to be understood is the second half of effective communication. Once we are confident others feel understood, we can share our own point of view with respect and clarity. The early Greeks had a magnificent philosophy which is embodied in three sequentially arranged words: ethos, pathos, […]

Do you recognise the good work that your team is doing? Reinforcing feedback can influence behaviour change within the people around you. A good place to start with reinforcing good behaviour is by sharing the impact of the behaviour. For example, instead of saying you liked a report, you could say, “The summary really helped […]

When you delegate, do projects come back different from what you expected? Don’t burn out trying to fix things after the fact. Instead, do what you can and then ask a team member to take over. When you pass the torch, be sure to clearly define the project in terms of its purpose, expected outcomes, […]

A common challenge for leaders is to get their teams to take ownership for the goals they have set. Increase ownership by regularly sharing with your team why their work matters and how it influences the organisation for good. We have found that team members feel a greater responsibility towards each other than they do […]

Whether it’s your friends or your coworkers, don’t let favoritism come into play. It can make everyone else feel unappreciated and unimportant. You don’t have to treat everyone exactly the same—in fact, we recommend not doing that—but be aware of who is getting more praise, more hours, more professional development, and who is getting the […]

There is nothing more frustrating than not knowing what you’re doing. Make sure your team doesn’t feel that way by telling them what you expect from their work. Set goals with individuals, create a scoreboard, and make and keep commitments. As you and your team have a solid idea of what is expected, projects will […]

People like to win — but not “fake” win. Your team wants to work for it. But they don’t want the finish line moved, and they don’t want to kill themselves in the process. Budget should NEVER constrain your ability to celebrate wins. People might be happy to get some free food or gifts out of a […]

For some, shifting into a leader’s mindset is intuitive, something that comes easy. For many others, that shift can take significant time and effort. And be quite humbling. To explain this shift, I use an analogy about running a marathon. If you know me at all, you know that I’m the most non-athletic person you’ll […]