Productivity Theater

Productivity is a big concern for managers who have people working remotely. Will they actually work as hard as they would in an office? This fear has been called “productivity paranoia.” I recently…

Errorless Leadership: Helping Others Be Successful

“People learn more from their mistakes” is an old saying that should be put out to pasture. Not only is this statement untrue from a learning standpoint, but relying on people to make mistakes to…

Situational Awareness: A Safety Miracle Cure?

I recently talked to a client who was trying to gain commitment for some safety leadership improvements and was frustrated with the resistance he was facing from some of the management team. The…

From "Beat Down" to "Build Up"

Recently during a leadership workshop I was facilitating, a participant approached me at a break and told me he wanted more out of his direct reports. He wanted to know why his current approach was…

Be Mindful of Your Messaging

The messages and communications that leaders send to employees, particularly those on the frontline, are critical. A well put message can boost morale, inspire engagement, and improve relationships…

Who Cares? Relationships Do Matter in Business

Tonight, in MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred's press conference regarding the end of the MLB lockout, he stated that relationships are important in business and that he would do better at that in…

Two Truths about Performance Improvement

When it comes to influencing behavior in organizations, there are two truths that need to be considered. These truths relate to two major aspects of the organizational culture: the systems operating…

Overestimating Your Leadership: The Dunning-Kruger Effect

Many people underestimate the complexity of being a good leader while simultaneously overestimating their own leadership skills. According to Psychology Today, “The Dunning-Kruger effect is…

Leadership Success—A critical measure of effectiveness

In the book Measure of a Leader, the authors state, “The best predictors of leadership are found in the behaviors of the leader’s followers.” Measuring a leader by the success of the people he…

The One Thing Managers MUST Know to be Effective

It is quite likely that even the best MBA programs in the world are missing out on preparing their candidates with the one thing that will ensure they enter the real world with proven, effective…

Leadership During Uncertainty: Two Actions You Can Take

I’m guessing that many of you have begun to settle into a rhythm while working and leading remotely as we navigate a work world turned upside down by the pandemic. Even as we are adjusting to…

Adding Infection Control Behaviors into Behavioral Safety Systems: Beyond COVID-19

During this phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, have repeatedly advocated behavior change as mitigating steps to…

Increasing Meaningful Behaviors

For most of us in the US and for many throughout the world, our lives have been turned upside down by stay-at-home orders. We’ve lost access to many of our favorite places to spend our time.  …

3 Ways to Stay Connected and Focused

It is hard to concentrate right now. Really hard. Kids at home, breaking news lighting up our phones every few hours, concerns over family and friends, supply chain disruptions, stock market worries……

The Rising: Staying Focused and Hopeful

One of my favorite songs over the past several years is “The Rising” by Bruce Springsteen.  A song from the depths of despair that speaks of rebirth, resurrection, and forgiveness. During this…

Five Signs It's Time for a Culture Overhaul

Culture and its impact on employees and organizational success cannot be overstated. The behavioral definition of culture is, patterns of behavior that are reinforced or punished by people and…

Practical Solutions to Your Biggest Workplace Challenges

CEO’s are faced with many challenges, but what are the most common? The Predictive Index released a report outlining top CEO concerns. Fortunately, each of these challenges can be successfully…

Want to Build Discretionary Effort? Focus on Building Rapport

Think of discretionary effort as the more in the “I got more” GEICO commercials.  Discretionary Effort is defined as performance that is above and beyond the minimum requirements of a job. …