Inspiring Management Tips
Bring curiosity into conflict
I wanted to quit. Really, I did. Over the past several weeks, I’ve been participating with a volunteer group trying to work through a sticky issue. It’s an effort that I joined readily and am actively engaged in. Every person involved is smart and dedicated, we all are driving towards the same goal. A variety of…
Telling an employee to do something is not very motivating
Grace doesn’t like to get her feet wet. She will dip a toe into a shallow puddle if she’s thirsty, but I’ve never seen her immerse completely to go swimming, though she’s had plenty of opportunity. It’s a big deal when she steps into water. Unless there is a frog out there tempting her. That changes everything. A…
Should you give respect? Or is it only earned?
Managers should be given respect by their employees. That’s a statement that I’ve heard several times lately. It’s not a claim I agree with. Managers need to earn their respect. But I do believe that we have to give respect to the position and the decisions one makes it in, even if we don’t agree with…
You might be creating an unnecessary thunderstorm in your office
Lots of dogs are scared of thunder and lightning. Grace definitely falls into that category. There is no consoling her. She’s frozen in her fear, unable to comprehend any comforting words or actions I offer. She paces and cowers, wandering around with desperate eyes seeking a reasonable answer to what is happening around her. As…
Are your employees always stressed out?
Do you find yourself talking about how stressed out your employees always are? Or perhaps you, yourself, are always feeling under great pressure to perform? Equally as problematic is if you don’t think the pace is too crazy, but your employees do. How do you view your work environment? Some managers view on-going, hectic, harried…
Stand Tall, Even When You’re Not
Last week, my husband and I toured four national parks in California. One of them was Sequoia National Park, sister park to King’s Canyon, located side-by-side in southern Sierra Nevada, east of the San Joaquin Valley in California. There is so much to say about what we experienced, but one theme was the sheer size…
People do crazy things sometimes
As a manager, you may never figure out why someone does something that you think is crazy! Instead of focusing on what’s wrong, spend your energy on creating a different environment that works for both of you. As you know, I believe there are many lessons available to us from the animal world. One such…
Managers that are too amiable to one employee put others at risk
This week, I had an overnight business trip. As I packed my bag, Grace and our two cats were close-by. Oliver tried to nap inside the suitcase, but I nudged him out so I could finish filling with essentials. I shut the case and he perched on top, purring and content with his spot. “Oh…
This should only take a minute for you to do ….
How to handle unrealistic requests (or ones that seem that way!) The other day, I witnessed exchanges among employees during a cross-department meeting of folks that were working on an important and complex project for their company. The team leader was running a tightly-controlled meeting, covering lots of details about tasks and schedules that needed…
Do something you haven’t done before!
Have you ever been surprised by something that an employee (or manager) has done in your workplace — and then been thankful for the outcome because it was something you would never have thought of yourself? This past weekend, Grace was nearby as I spread new mulch in our flower gardens. Because she’s an anxious…
