Posts with the ‘Candor’ tag
What’s a disengaged team look like? Some people are afraid to speak up and challenge the boss. Some people don’t want to put forth the effort. And some just don’t care anymore. As a result, the leader never hears the truth about himself and his ideas. The people either become silent bystanders or self-serving sycophants. […]
I was a wimp for three years. I was a coach for twelve more after that. Add it up and I spent fifteen years in sales leadership at a Fortune 50 company. Not surprisingly, my success as a leader came in those final twelve years. I realized, with the help of the people I was […]
A lot of people do not like performance reviews. Many times it is the anticipation of bad news that can cause anxiety in the individual. The fear of the unknown can overwhelm people. That’s the problem. Nothing that is discussed in a performance review should be unknown. That is why they are called performance reviews […]
“If you ever find yourself trying to read me, stop it. I am not intentionally being vague. I am just being a bad communicator at that moment.” This statement became part of my introduction to people joining my team. Most people reacted to that statement in two ways. Some seemed relieved. Some were confused. Whether […]
If I challenge my boss, she will thank me. If I speak up for what is right, my boss will not persecute me. If I fight for my integrity despite pressure from above, I will always keep my job. None of these results are guaranteed if I do the right thing. The only time I […]
Julie had her reservations. She wasn’t sure if this guy was right for the job. Over my first 18 months on the job, Julie always spoke with candor, and she seemed to be a good judge of people. But, I didn’t listen. I convinced myself, and then her, that this guy was right for the […]
Titles mean something. Team Leader, Manager, Supervisor, Vice-President- they are all titles bestowed on those who are called by an organization to lead. They have the official duties and responsibilities that go with the title. John Maxwell says leadership is influence. If that is true, are the people with the titles the only ones called […]
It was another day at work with Janet. She was once again telling me about her problems with her boyfriend. In my mind, she needed to ditch this loser. I was confident he was lying to her, cheating on her, and was not the guy she should commit to any longer. But, her friends were […]
It was one of those meetings. Every time I brought up an issue or an idea, all I got was blank stares or nodding heads. Every time I tried to illicit feedback from my team, I felt as if I were pulling teeth. All I heard was crickets. When I finally had enough, I looked […]
Confronting your boss is not fun. When I have done it, I have been met with anger, indifference, and/or passive aggressiveness. I have also seen some very positive reactions as well. When I speak to groups about Building A Culture of Leadership within an organization, I always discuss the need for those without the title […]
