If you’re wondering whether interruptions from colleagues have disappeared during the COVID-19 pandemic, rest assured, they have not. Ask just about anyone—those side conversations are still happening, whether you’re working remotely or onsite. Whether it’s a…
The number one most effective form of shareable job aid I have seen is the humble checklist. It’s a simple but powerful tool used from kindergarten classrooms to nuclear launch sites. And in a world of…
Attitude may be intangible, but it really matters. You cannot always control your feelings (nor should you necessarily try to). But feelings are on the inside. Attitude is what you show everyone else on the outside—and…
We all know it but don’t often say it—email is a huge productivity killer. Like clockwork, as soon as we are about to start working on a task or project, an email pops into our inbox.…
When work is highly collaborative, there arises an authority conundrum. When there’s a problem or delay, and you’re left to work things out at your own level, nobody has the power of rank to resolve things…
With any new generational shift, there is always the hope that the new young upstarts will eventually wise up, settle down and, basically, conform. Anxieties arise as new generations come along with new attitudes and expectations.…
When it comes to teaching personal responsibility, the key is shifting someone’s focus to the factors that are within their own control. Most often, when an employee struggles with personal responsibility, it is because they are…
We are on the brink of a reskilling revolution in the workforce, and it has already begun in organizations such as Amazon and Wal-Mart. The increasing pace of change has made it clear to workers of…
A lot of managers ask me, “What about the employee who does just enough work and does it just well enough and nothing else? How do you motivate that person to go the extra mile?” The…
Attracting, hiring, and retaining the best employees is a lot more complex than it used to be. It’s no longer enough for employers to offer the same basic benefits or rely on long-term rewards to keep…
