The changes brought about by the pandemic will stick around even after it’s over. A recent study reveals that most workers will spend about 20% of their time working from home, which is a huge increase compared to 2019 – it’s gone up by 400%. Employees have found working from …
A consultant once asked me about a person we’ll call Bill to keep his identity secret. I told the consultant that I found it hard to trust Bill, even though he kept his promises and didn’t deceive anyone. I explained that Bill didn’t practice what he preached and could be …
I am a data geek. I love it because data is objective, free from individual influence. Two plus two is four. I can’t just tell you that it’s nine. You wouldn’t believe me. You’re no fool. But what if the numbers are right, but the analysis is wrong? When does …
There was a dog that stumbled into what seemed like an abandoned house. It barked, but there was no answer. The dog went up the stairs and saw dozens of dogs sticking out their paws just like him. “What a nice place!” thought the little dog. “I’ll come back whenever …
Being a middle manager is kind of like being in the middle seat on an airplane. It’s uncomfortable in both directions. We’ve got to take strategy from above and communicate it into tasks for front-line workers. Then we need to provide advice to the workers about how that’s going, and …
I worried all the time. The only thing that I didn’t worry about was worrying too much. Ironically, worrying too much was exactly the thing I should have been concerned about. I thought it was just part of everyone’s nature. But it doesn’t have to be. If you’re anxious all …
Once I was at a fancy party at a Dallas mansion with a lot of important people. I went up to the host to thank him for his hospitality. I smiled, stuck out my hand and the host’s friend said “Qualify yourself. Tell him why he should talk to you.” Instantly …
When company leaders want to make big changes, they often stick to familiar methods that don’t quite hit the mark. That’s why 70% of company-wide transformations end up failing. There are three common mistakes that leaders make when trying to bring about change. First, they underestimate how hard it is …
Once Abraham Lincoln was giving a speech when he was interrupted. “You’re two-faced!” a heckler yelled from the crowd. Lincoln responded, “if I had two faces, do you really think that I’d choose to wear this one?” Lincoln understood that using humor could disarm his enemies. Leaders with a sense …
Between 27 and 46 percent of leadership transitions end in failure, with organizational politics being the main challenge. Nearly 70 percent of leaders wish they had changed the culture faster. To navigate this transition successfully, leaders should acknowledge the previous leader’s contributions, create space for forgiveness, and understand the experiences …
