I’ve been fortunate to work with many very good leaders over the years. Those who have been most successful have worked hard to surround themselves with good people. They also know that it takes more than having good people around you—it’s about tapping into and developing that talent that makes the difference.
Enough Already – Delegate (or Just Let Go!)
Author: Diane Hamilton, Date: 5/9/2013
Rewarding Others: Personal Currencies
Author: Paul Dillenburg, Date: 8/1/2012One of the challenges many managers face is determining how to engage, motivate and reward their workforce. While financial incentives do have a part to play, they often are not enough to keep employees “happy” with their work.
Not long ago I was discussing this topic with colleagues and the phrase “personal currency” came up. The theory behind personal currency is that each of us place a high value on different things in our work lives. Those things we value most are our currency. For example, some individuals find the most value from monetary rewards or advancement opportunities. Others covet flexibility of schedule or autonomy in their work. Still others place a high value on skill development or involvement in a variety of projects. The list of personal currencies can go on and on.
Create a High Performing Workplace
Author: Paul Dillenburg, Date: 9/20/2011In order get the best out of your workforce, look to create an environment that:
Ensures employees understand the significance of their work
- Do employees understand how their job impacts customers?
- Do employees understand how their job impacts the success of the organization?
- Do employees feel valued?
Appreciates employee contributions
- Do leaders/managers show appreciation to their direct reports?
- Do leaders/managers treat direct reports with respect?
- Are employees fairly compensated for the work that they do?
Allows employees to build their competence
- Are employees’ skills and talents being used to their fullest potential?
Creating a Coaching Culture
Author: Diane Hamilton, Date: 11/9/2010I spoke at a conference the other day and the topic included a discussion about creating a coaching culture. This is something I’m passionate about (ever increasingly). What can we do to create an environment where we are all responsible for coaching each other?
In most organizations, the expectation is clear that managers coach employees (e.g., performance-related coaching and sometimes development and career coaching). But this is a short-sighted view. Coaching is so much more powerful than that alone. While manager-employee coaching is crucial, if that is the only place we concentrate our efforts we miss out on the real value. I think we need to strive to create a culture where all employees are responsible for coaching. The goal is to uncover potential, deepen learning, improve performance, and enhance quality of life. The implications of this are that individually and organizationally we can produce extraordinary results.
Work/Life Balance… Work Hard, Play Hard
Author: Diane Hamilton, Date: 8/3/2010Work/life balance is something many of us struggle with. Late nights at the office. Evening work once the family goes to bed. Or, weekend work just to keep up. I profess to regularly having “work/life balance” as a goal on my development plan.
Since I have always enjoyed work, I don’t mind working long hours; I truly believe that if you are passionate about what you do, work can be part of your life’s mission. That being said, I think it is important to make sure that there is plenty of time for family, play, volunteering, and just plain relaxation. I was reminded of how to do this when I attended a conference recently and heard Dr. Jim Goodnight speak on the issue of work/life balance.
