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Ask managers how they're doing these days, and you're likely to get the universal answer: 'Busy. Really busy.' Today's leaders must navigate meetings, projects, personnel issues, paperwork, planning, hiring, coaching, [...]

I'm accustomed to hearing people refer to office politics when talking about challenges at work. It's a negative descriptor, one that implies success is determined by game-playing. Such games may [...]

It was a wonderful event. The executive who promoted me and other women into management when it I was still a rarity (this was the early '80s) was receiving an [...]

We want our leaders to be positive forces for good. But what happens when they prefer to deal with only the positive aspects of the job and avoid the negative? [...]

The best leaders are good communicators, whether speaking or writing. That's why it's important to periodically assess how well you're performing in this area. My last column offered tips to [...]

Do professional public speakers get nervous? Absolutely--but they don't let it show. That's what I teach to both students and front-line leaders who want to be better communicators. I draw [...]

Ask people about the leaders they most admire, and they're likely to describe someone who's not only smart and strategic, but also approachable and accessible. Those respected leaders make that [...]

Have you ever worked in an organization where departments or divisions don't get along well? You might assume it's caused by old grudges or personality conflicts. But take a closer [...]

Don't you just love those days when it feels great to be a manager? Business is humming, quality is high, and your team is happy. As a leader, you have [...]

When we become managers, we start with assumptions about our role. We may believe that, as the person in charge, we must be a decision-maker, problem-solver, idea person and quality [...]

We know that clear, effective communication is an essential leadership skill. (a) Your messages convey a vision for the team. They describe what success looks like. They rally the troops. [...]

You're a good leader. You work hard, care deeply and want your people to succeed. You take part in trainings and programs to elevate your skills and the culture you [...]

May I give you a pleasant assignment? Think about a high performer on your team. Next, write a few bullet points about what that person does to earn your high [...]

Five generations are represented in today's workforce. They can range in age from 18 to 80--and all just might be working for the same organization! THE SECRET TO MANAGING ACROSS [...]

What are your key goals for 2023? You've probably established your business goals for the year ahead. But what about personal goals? What can you do to improve your leadership [...]

No one likes to fail. That's why so many people avoid having difficult conversations. They fear they won't be effective or that they'll make a sticky situation worse. For leaders, [...]

There's a pretty good chance you've seen the term quiet quitting, which blossomed after its recent debut on social media. (a) There's an even greater chance you have a quiet [...]

I'm sure you've heard people talk about leadership styles. You may even have been asked about yours. Perhaps it was while applying for a job. Or maybe a potential employee [...]

So you're applying for a management position. Or perhaps you've already been promoted. Good for you! I say that as someone who truly knows about moving up from within --the [...]

Incivility seems to be a sign of the times. But it doesn't have to be. When my boys were little and acting up, I'd say, 'I can't hear you when [...]

Whenever I hear about trends with catchy names--even those that intuitively ring true to me--I do a little fact-checking. My latest probe: The Great Resignation. I regret to tell my [...]

In the face of a horrific Russian assault on the people of his country, unspeakable tragedy and personal danger, Zelenskyy has been strong, steadfast and inspirational. His words, deeds, style [...]

You're a leader committed to making diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) part of your organization's DNA. But are you unknowingly placing an unintended burden on key staff in the process? [...]

Today, more than ever, you need to lead with empathy. But that doesn't mean you care any less about high standards or accountability. Empathetic leadership means you know how to [...]

Mentoring can be beneficial for both mentees and mentors. It can also help foster a more diverse and inclusive organization. Even so, it's important to consider whether you've got what [...]

No matter our position in our organization, each of us has the opportunity to be an ally. So what does that term mean? An ally is a trusted force for [...]

Years ago, I adopted the idea of 'work-life harmony' instead of 'work-life balance.' I think 'balance' sets us up to be perpetually disappointed if we're not in a 50-50 status [...]

The calendar tells us it's the traditional back-to-school time. Workplace homecomings are also underway as organizations return to the office and look to design their spaces and structures for today [...]

To work in an ethical culture is to show up each day knowing that from the very top of the organization on down, there is a shared understanding of what [...]

When spring arrives, there's a sense of renewal. We're sunnier, greener. Let's keep things bright as we look at your leadership toolkit. To be specific, let's focus on the positive [...]

Diversity, equity and inclusion should be a way of life in our organizations. We know that for many companies, such an approach is long overdue. We have to be humble [...]

Stress is a part of life in every workplace, but it varies in its frequency, intensity and toxicity. In its milder iterations, it's an uneasy feeling as we approach a [...]

Remember when you were thinking about becoming a manager? You probably imagined that such a role would translate into the ability to get things done. To make change. To deal [...]

Each holiday season, our greetings traditionally begin with the words 'Happy' and 'Merry.' We look forward to gatherings, gift-giving and good cheer. But the pandemic and other factors are unwanted [...]

Two types of defensiveness can harm an organization. One is cultural, the other individual. First, companies that lack a culture of collaboration often spawn silos--teams or departments that look out [...]

Even during so-called normal times, we cope with fear in the workplace. Fear is generated by deadlines; by bosses, colleagues or patients who can be demanding and critical; by roles [...]

This is a moment when employees want to hear clearly and unambiguously about the values of their organization and their leaders. A similar situation was seen when the #MeToo movement [...]

Offices inevitably will look and feel different coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, and leaders should prepare their teams for the changes by asking the right questions and being willing [...]

Everyone has been able to see the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on life as we know it. Even for those who may be in a lower health-risk category and [...]

I've been working with managers since before the invention of email, so I can tell you that the struggle with time management is an evergreen leadership challenge. The more responsibility [...]

Many people like to think of organizational culture as 'the way we do things around here,' but it's more complicated than that. I'm partial to the way MIT's Edgar Schein [...]

Having administered and interpreted a well-known personality assessment countless times, I've seen two key problems with how leaders tend to approach personality management. (a) First, managers may confuse personality preferences [...]

Last month, we talked about the importance of positive feedback as part of performance management. When you routinely let staff know about the things they do well, you build social [...]

Positive feedback is a powerful tool for performance management--when done right. Doing it right requires understanding what effective feedback is. Here's my definition: Feedback is information witi intent to influence. [...]

On a good day, social media can be informative, engaging and fun. On other days, it can feel like navigating a minefield. On a recent episode of the podcast, hfm [...]

I teach managers that information is currency, especially in times of change. Too many leaders hoard that wealth, intentionally or inadvertently. They underestimate their team's hunger for news, deliver too [...]

From the #MeToo scandals that erupted in late 2017, we learned that, while employers may have thought they were vigilant about workplace misconduct, there was significant work to be done. [...]

It is easy to say that leadership is the best answer to office politics, but what does that mean day to day? There will always be lesser-performing employees who seek an advantage by playing “games” around the office, but an effective leader can quietly defeat office politics in seven distinct areas: 1. Decision-making. Unless you are clear in your decisions and how you make them, people will “fill in the blanks” with their worst fears. They suspect you of indecisiveness, favoritism, or self-doubt. 2. Remote/hybrid work. Avoid proximity bias in your relationships. Do not get tripped up by an “out-of-sight-out-of-mind” mentality. Make sure you do not favor in-house work- ers for assignments and advancements just because you see them every day. 3. Sacred cows. Be objectively self-critical as you assess your efforts to avoid having “teacher’s- pet” employees. In fact, avoid any appearance of it. Make your evenhandedness apparent to all. 4. Power centers. Certain workgroups or depart- ments can become power centers because of the mission-critical work assigned to them. Monitor these vital workers; be up front with them about your expectation that they will treat workers in all other departments with respect — as valued colleagues. 5. Rituals. Employees may view attending office- related social gatherings or supporting the boss’s favorite charity as “political” situations. If they do not participate, they fear being seen as non-team-players. They worry about stunt- ing their careers. A good leader will go out of their way to assure employees that “optional” means optional. 6. Communication. Gossip, innuendos, and cheap shots meant to demean fellow work- ers are common in office politics. Make clear your definition of gossip versus info-sharing. And never allow yourself to get caught up in juicy conversations that you will later come to regret. 7. Authenticity. Can your staff be comfortable being themselves in the workplace if they do not sense true authenticity in you? It is not enough to have anti-discrimination rules firmly in place. They must see your unbiased appreciation of each individual regardless of individual identities — protected class or not. The underlying principle at work here is this: Organizational culture is conceived in the top leader’s office and flows outward throughout the company. If you conduct yourself as a non- politician, staff members will eventually come to the realization that political games simply do not work within the walls of your company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]