One of the most common traps I see in leadership is the tendency to measure an employee’s worth by the number of hours they put in. This mindset may work for some roles—like a guard in a guardhouse, where coverage itself is essential. You would not want a guard who only shows up for fifteen minutes of a shift. But even in this case, time alone is not enough. What value does the guard bring during those hours?
[Read more…]My wife hands out compliments sparingly, so when she gives me one, I treasure it. It’s her style of love: genuine, authentic, sure. Years ago, in a passing conversation, she said something that stayed with me: “You’re not a micromanager. You’re a MACRO manager.”
[Read more…]Empowerment leadership has gained traction in recent decades—and rightly so. When leaders give ownership, responsibility, and voice to their teams, they unlock remarkable creativity, loyalty, and growth. I am an unapologetic proponent of this model. However, I’ve also seen it go badly wrong.
[Read more…]Years ago, I was ranked second in my division for company revenue. So when I spoke, people listened. At our national conference in New York City—held between Christmas and New Year’s, with hundreds of top employees gathered from across the country—the company leadership opened the floor for questions after presenting their compensation and growth plans.
[Read more…]In The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt, the Theory of Constraints (TOC) is introduced as a way to improve production and profitability by identifying and resolving bottlenecks. The power of this theory, however, extends far beyond the factory floor. For business owners and CEOs, it offers a compelling framework for prioritizing leadership focus.
[Read more…]In the pursuit of high performance, organizations often rely on incentive bonuses to motivate their teams. But what if the very structure of these bonuses is undermining motivation rather than boosting it?
[Read more…]Have you helped grow and develop a critical employee, and now they are leaving you for another opportunity?
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This morning, I spent some time coloring with my two-year-old granddaughter. She doesn’t always color within the lines. However, it never occurred to me while I was coloring with her to do anything other than praise her for using different colors, for her enthusiasm, and for her willingness to color with me. [Read more…]
I just received an incredible message on LinkedIn. It read:
“Jim. I was responding to someone else’s message and saw your name. [Read more…]
I like to read while I’m on vacation, and my reading list on vacation always includes one book that will help me learn and grow professionally.
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