Fit leaders are optimistic and always try to see the glass as half-full. When a leader chooses optimism, he or she also chooses vitality and success. Martin E.P. Seligman, a former President of the American Psychological Association and a pioneer in the field of positive psychology, has been studying optimists and pessimists for 25 years.… Continue Reading Choose Optimism
As leaders, we delegate to increase the total amount of work we can accomplish. By working with and through our team members, we not only achieve our goals more quickly and effectively — we also help our employees learn and grow. Unfortunately, many leaders struggle when it comes to delegating. If you are having a… Continue Reading Train, Transfer and Track
Tis the season to give feedback in many organizations. If you struggle with conducting feedback conversations, try our seven-step process and turn feedback into a gift. Step 1 Describe the Problem Describe the problem in a sentence or two. Remain as objective as possible and stick to one point-do not talk about multiple performance issues. Here’s an example: “Tom, I’d like… Continue Reading Tis the Season
Fit leaders learn that asking the right question is often more important than knowing the right answer. A few years ago, one of my clients introduced me to David Whyte, a poet and a naturalist. Whyte shows us how changing the way we ask our questions can lead to strikingly different ways of seeing the world and our… Continue Reading The Right Question
What do leaders really do? This is a question I ask on the first day of every Fit Leader’s Program I conduct. Typical answers include: communicate a vision, resolve conflict, create budgets, recruit top talent, ensure sufficient resources, etc. With 20-30 answers documented on flip chart paper around the room, I proceed to teach John Kotter’s model of leadership which… Continue Reading Overmanaging and Underleading
Even when leaders become clear about where they want to take their teams, self-doubt can stop them dead in their tracks. All leaders are subject to resisters and critics, both external and internal. But with a little bit of practice, you can learn to overcome these negative voices. In Jump and the Net Will Appear… Continue Reading Jump and the Net Will Appear