teams

Dec 08 2014

4 Reasons Your Team Thinks You’re Not Listening

If you’re going to lead a team, you must listen. No excuses. No exceptions.

Some managers naturally focus on tasks and projects. Yet, the best leaders focus on the needs of the people they serve. Always.

Although some team members may be subordinates, they are also partners. And they need to know – without a doubt – that they have absolute freedom to contribute their unique perspective to the organization. Even when it differs from yours.

And their perspective will be different than yours – regularly. So if you are going to influence people, you must slow down and listen – long enough to understand and consider their perspective.

[Tweet “If you are going to lead, you must listen.”]

Most employees think their boss is deaf to their recommendations, their observations, and their pleas for more resources. And few managers realize that their team feels this way.

Here are 4 reasons team members think their manager isn’t listening…

Dec 02 2014

4 Ways to Respond When Your Team Thinks You’re Crazy!

I am task-oriented. It’s easy for me to identify a project that needs to be done and to focus on getting it accomplished.

And I’ve learned that there are times that my “driven” nature frustrates and intimidates other people.

A couple of years ago, I sensed a rising level of frustration within our organization. So I sat down with several of team members and asked them to help me understand how my actions were being perceived.

While I expected some of the responses – others surprised me. Some hurt deeply. Not because the team members were being unkind – I simply had a hard time believing what I was hearing. They said things like…

Dec 02 2013

Cyber Monday! Get My One-on-One Meeting Template 50% OFF – This Week Only!

If you want to improve your leadership and your relationships with your team, this post is for you!

It’s Cyber Monday in the United States and many online retailers are offering special discounts on their products. So I want to extend a very special offer to you for my popular One-on-One Meeting Guide and Template.

Aug 14 2013

Early Reviews of the One-on-One Meetings Template

We’ve received some great feedback on the NEW One-on-One Meeting Template since we released it.

If you missed the announcement, you can read it here – One-On-One Meetings that Work – NEW Template!

What people are saying

WOW! Super helpful! Great guidance and practical strategies. As someone who participates in a weekly meeting with my supervisor, this will be a powerful tool to help me guide the meeting better from my side of the desk. Chad Miller, Finance Manager

I like the structure that the template provides – meet at a regular time and 30 minutes maximum. This requires both parties to prepare for the meeting and keeps it from being a time waster. I love the challenge to prepare to listen and follow-up after them meeting. Todd Linder, Executive Director

The perfect study guide before you have a meeting with your boss. You’ll be prepared for anything! Lee Tomlin, Associate Director, BBFI

I really like the meeting agenda for team members that you provide as a part of the guide and template. And love the idea of more frequent one-on-one meetings, especially for the purpose of assessing work flow. TJ Ward, Lead Pastor

Aug 12 2013

Positive Impact – 4 Words That’ll Make Your Team Think You’re Awesome

Can I help you?

Just one moment, I responded as I waited for Madison to make a selection.

Madison (our 8-year-old) and I have a standing breakfast date every Saturday morning. It’s one of my favorite parts of the week. We’ve learned so much about each other and from each other during these special weekly moments.

Today would prove to be the same…

Can I help you? The manager’s voice raised slightly, almost pleading. No one else was standing in line – glancing around, the restaurant was mostly empty. She was talking to us.

The phone began ringing. The manager calls back – Someone answer that! Two rings. Three. Will somebody answer the phone?! – borderline yelling.

Madison paused a few more moments as crew members shuffled around cleaning floors, doors, air conditioning vents, walls, trash cans. It was cleaning day.

The manager sighed then shifted. Then one last emphatic attempt to coax me into ordering – I’m ready to take your order.