The High Impact and Low Cost of Recognition
Human beings are hard-wired to crave recognition. When we know that others are seeing us in a positive light, our brains release a few chemicals into our systems that makes us feel good both physically and emotionally. This feeling encourages us to engage or move towards the source that triggered it. In short, we move closer because we want more of that feeling.
Bad Apples and Culture
At the start of a recent client session, as we were going around the table and checking in, the Head of Finance said this: “Since Tim left, the mood in my department is much better. In fact, it’s not just my department. It seems like…
The Power of the Weekly Pulse
My client Eva is the Head of Operations for a homebuilder that’s in the early stages of its EOS® journey. She’s a terrific leader on a terrific team, and she recently demonstrated what can happen when you start reporting a key metric weekly instead of…
That Note is Gone
When I’m sitting with a client team that has just finished reporting a poor quarter, I often think of a lesson I learned from my high school friend Larry. He was the natural musician in my class. I’m guessing you knew one, too. He showed…
Using a Scorecard to Turn Risk into Profit
Several years ago, I led a company that grew and distributed perennial plants. Located in the Midwest, our selling season was quite short, putting a premium on quick decision-making while “in-season” to maximize revenues and profitability. Hours, days and weeks mattered, not months. One of…
Living Your Ideal Life
In business and life, we sometimes lose sight of why we do the things we do. In our hamster-wheel efforts to complete our endless to-do lists, it’s easy to become lost in the details of what occupies our time, our energy and financial resources. Most…
Are Your Eyes Bigger Than Your Stomach?
When my siblings and I would help ourselves to large servings of food, my father would often ask, “Are your eyes bigger than your stomach?” It was his way of teaching us to pace ourselves. There was abundance—more than we could eat, which meant that…
One Giant Leap and “The Vision Thing”
The 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing on July 20 brought back some old memories. For my generation, Neil Armstrong’s first step onto the lunar surface is one of those few events in history where you can remember exactly where you were and…
Does Your Team Have Swing (Part II)?
In a recent post, I shared with you the concept of “swing” that Daniel James Brown describes in his book The Boys in the Boat. Swing is that magic synchronicity great rowing teams achieve where every flex, pull and muscle twitch is perfectly aligned. It’s…
Does Your Team Have Swing?
Every team faces adversity in their business. Even when things are going well, there are times when it feels like we’re rowing against the tide. It’s both easier and faster when we’re all rowing together. In his book, The Boys in the Boat, about the 1936…