Difficult conversations — those interactions that keep us up at night— are a common challenge for many managers. Most of us would love to learn how to approach tough interactions without getting stressed out, losing sleep, or endlessly rehearsing what-ifs. Fortunately, this is achievable for almost anyone; getting there just takes a little effort and practice. And it starts … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Fuel the Entrepreneurs in Your Teams
Companies are consistently pressured to innovate products and services to drive greater benefit to customers. Now, we have more data than ever on customer habits and preferences, but responding to customer needs can still be a challenge for many businesses grappling with increasing competition, legacy systems, and a non-agile workforce. While you may face challenges, there … [Read more...]
Struggling to Engage Employees? Here are 10 Ways to Engage
With all of today’s distractions, are you finding it difficult to engage employees at work? You’re not alone. Gallup’s Workforce Survey regularly finds that "[t]he majority of the U.S. workforce (51%) is not engaged. These employees are indifferent and neither like nor dislike their job.” Yet, as their leader, you want to engage employees to positively affect the … [Read more...]
Are You an Idealist or Pragmatic Leader?
In general, business leaders can be split into two distinct groups based on their strategic thinking patterns. Most leaders are either pragmatics or idealists. Yes, they might walk a fine line between the two, but ultimately, one will always be more dominant than the other. Idealist vs. Pragmatic Leaders Idealist leaders are visionary thinkers. They focus on the big ideas and … [Read more...]
Do You Have the Mind of an Effective Manager?
An effective manager is capable of leading a team of diverse people to reach a set of goals. In business, those goals change often, and keeping teams motivated to achieve them is extremely challenging. The reason isn't rocket science. Adults have their own reasons for showing up to work each day, and their individual goals don't always align with the goals of an executive … [Read more...]
2 Phrases that Kill Any Business
There are many ways to kill a business. Lack of strategy, poor execution, and the wrong team could lead any business down a path of failure, but did you know there are two very specific phrases that can kill any business, including yours? Whether you or an employee has said one of these phrases out loud or simply allowed them to enter your thoughts, they can spell impending … [Read more...]
5 Essential Habits to Be a Successful Woman Entrepreneur
To be a successful woman entrepreneur, you need to be more than just a good leader. You also need to be a good business person, and you need to be able to build a strong team. The list goes on and on, but at the heart of all of the things you should know to be a successful woman entrepreneur are some key habits. If you take the time to cultivate these habits, your business … [Read more...]
Tips for Female Business Owners on Ending Workplace Toxicity
A toxic environment is a business owner's worst nightmare and causes employee morale to dip quite a bit. Toxic environments in the office can also mean that your employees lose the motivation to get their work done, which means your office's to-do list isn't completed on time. If work isn't turned in on time, this can spell disaster for the entire office. This can happen even … [Read more...]
4 Alternative Ideas for Team Bonding
The team that plays together stays together -- right? We’ve all been on our fair share of business bonding excursions, from brunch to bowling, from workshops to drinking. Spending time with your coworkers that isn’t work per se is super important, but it can be difficult to come up with creative, affordable activities all the time. There are only so many times you can play … [Read more...]
5 Critical Resources for New Managers
A good friend recently started a new, dream job, and it includes managing other people for the first time. When I ran into her at an event, she shared with me the difficulties of learning to manage other people. Her arched brow and wringing hands showed how much it was weighing on her. I felt her pain. Developing as a manager has been at once the most challenging and most … [Read more...]