February, 2014

article thumbnail

The Six Rules of Office Politics

Leadership Freak

'An adversarial relationship with a skilled office politician destroys opportunities. It could end your career. You despise their shenanigans, but unless you have authority to deal with them, learn to get along.

article thumbnail

Six Limits Leaders Need to Challenge

Kevin Eikenberry

'We all have limits – the boundaries beyond which we just don’t go. After all, it wouldn’t be safe. It wouldn’t be prudent. It wouldn’t be easy. We set limits for safety purposes, for logical purposes and sometimes as excuses. Limits are a part of life. But as leaders, we must be in the business […].

87
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Trending Sources

article thumbnail

4 Things to Do When You Feel Unappreciated

Leadership Freak

'It’s a cruel, cruel world. Most of the appreciation you receive in life happens when you’re young and incompetent or after you’re dead. In between, you have a measure of competence and you’re expected to get busy using it. Expectation ends gratitude. People aren’t grateful for what they expect. There comes a point when you’re […].

article thumbnail

How to Eliminate Traditional Job Descriptions

Leadership Freak

'February 26, 2010, I wrote, “Traditional job descriptions are a relic of a past age when jobs didn’t evolve and people were more inclined to do what they were told.” Yesterday, Stan Endicott, partner at Slingshot Group, got me fired up when he said, “Job descriptions are, most of the time, not a good way […].

article thumbnail

How to Make The Best Benefits Decisions for 2025's Workforce: An HR and Total Rewards Guide

Speaker: Kaitlin Ruby Carroll

Retaining top talent in 2025 means rethinking benefits. In a competitive job market, fertility benefits are more than just offerings - they are a commitment to your team’s well-being. Gain critical insights into the latest fertility benefits strategies that can help position your organization as an industry leader. Our expert will explore the unique advantages and challenges of each model, share success stories from top organizations, and offer practical strategies to make benefits decisions tha

article thumbnail

Bad is 5X Stronger Than Good

Leadership Freak

'Bad pollutes good. Pour good water into polluted water and you have more polluted water. Negative experiences usually cling longer and captivate our attention more than positive, for example. Throwing some good into some bad only damages the good. Proportions: Enough good renders bad ineffective, it’s true. But, the proportions are disproportionate.

article thumbnail

8 Powerful Ways to Inspire Courage in Others

Leadership Freak

'Leaders who don’t feel fear are oblivious to the challenges of leadership. Leadership of any consequence takes courage. Be afraid of leaders who aren’t afraid. The past is the future, apart from the courage to act. Aristotle warned, “You will never do anything in this world without courage” “In the realm of ideas everything depends […].

More Trending

article thumbnail

How to Eliminate Performance Reviews

Leadership Freak

'Traditional performance reviews are like the Easter Bunny. They don’t really deliver. I wish a Fairy would sprinkle fairy dust over every organization and eliminate this fraudulent waste of time, energy, and resources. Distraction: Traditional performance reviews distract HR and management from more useful tasks like real human development and culture building.

article thumbnail

10 Ways to Deal with Dark Gorillas

Leadership Freak

'Pushing toward positive environments, while others pull down, discourages and frustrates leaders. What’s the use? To make matters worse, one negative does more damage than one positive does good. It hangs on longer, too. Organizations grow dark unless someone intervenes. But, negativity does just fine on its own. It constantly pulls downward, picking up speed […].

article thumbnail

7 Ways to Find Graceful Boldness

Leadership Freak

'Boldness takes you further than timidity. But, boldness is dangerous. Lack of boldness is bedfellow to inaction. But, boldness is an ugly beast when taken too far. The sins of inaction destroy more than failure. It takes character and skill to act boldly with grace. Bad boldness: Uses anger and fear as energy. Reacts “against” more […].

article thumbnail

7 Ways to Gain Authority

Leadership Freak

'Those who constantly demand and use authority don’t deserve it. Thoreau said, “Any fool can make a rule…” Longing for authority reveals a deep sense of powerlessness, unwillingness to defend ideas, and lack of commitment to work with others. But, authority has a role in organizations. The limit of authority is service. The power […].

100
100
article thumbnail

The Diversity Reckoning: Can HR Survive Without New Perspectives?

Speaker: Jeremy York

2024 has tested every organization, and 2025 promises no less - the warning signs are everywhere. If you’re relying on superficial approaches to diversity, you might find yourself scrambling to catch up. Thought diversity - the fuel for new ideas, fresh perspectives, and disruptive innovation - is more than a buzzword. It's a survival strategy. And if you’re not building it into your workplace culture right now , you’re heading for trouble.

article thumbnail

Momentum: What it is and 5 Ways to Get It

Leadership Freak

'Negative momentum punches you in the gut every step of the way. But, positive momentum makes everything easier. It is never the size of your problem that is the problem. It’s a lack of momentum. John Maxwell 5 truths about the momentum: Momentum magnifies success. Momentum shrinks problems and obstacles. Momentum energizes. Momentum enhances performance. […].

100
100
article thumbnail

Unlock Relationships that Transform Leadership

Leadership Freak

'I knew too much when I was younger. Now that I’m older, I have the same problem. But, the thing that most expands leadership is the belief that we don’t know. Those who think they know are worse off than those who know they don’t. Everyone who’s afraid to look dumb, remains dumb. We learn […].

article thumbnail

Three Ways to Stop Being a Doormat

Leadership Freak

'What do you call someone who keeps on giving but doesn’t receive? A doormat. Lead with generosity but reject abuse. One-way relationships indicate disrespect. First-time managers, who are kind and sincere, are most susceptible to the doormat problem. Tension: Giving to get is manipulation. But, constant giving with no return is abuse, assuming recipients are […].

article thumbnail

How to Resolve Interpersonal Tensions Quickly

Leadership Freak

'If it wasn’t for people, leadership would be easy. Unsuccessful leaders choose the ostrich or bull approach to dealing with tensions between employees. But, don’t miss the key. The key: Determine their commitment to the relationship. Those who aren’t committed find fault; those who are find a way. After listening to a description of the […].

article thumbnail

Recognition Powers High-Performance — If You Do it Right

Speaker: Radhika Samant and Todd Wuestenberg

Employee recognition has often been deemed a "feel-good" initiative, tied closely to rewards. While we understand its importance, we tend to associate recognition with intangible outcomes like engagement and sentiment, rather than direct impacts on retention and high performance. In today’s workplace, the true ROI of recognition lies in its ability to regenerate tangible, business-driven results.

article thumbnail

Finding Sanity in an Insanely Busy World

Leadership Freak

'Low impact leaders live frantic, unfocused lives. At the end of the day, they wonder what they accomplished. Busyness isn’t effectiveness. The more frantic you are the less powerful your impact. Three C’s for finding sanity: Clarity. Confused people are frantic. Determine what your life is about and focus on that. Everything else is b t. We […].

article thumbnail

Two Words that Create Focus Quickly

Leadership Freak

'He just stood there, pleased with himself… Our children played Tee Ball. Focus isn’t part of a kid between 4-6 years old. They wandered around the outfield chasing butterflies, scratch themselves, and find bugs in the dirt. Some lay down. I’ll never forget one little player who surprised himself when he stood up to the […].

article thumbnail

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Leadership Freak

'Few things sting more than the sting of disrespect. Put-downs are nothing more than disrespect. Facebook fans filled in the blank: I feel disrespected when. Someone looks at their phone or computer while I’m in a meeting they’ve called. Policy is determined by everyone except those directly involved for implementation and funding. Someone tells […].

article thumbnail

12 Ways to Maximize Collisions of Perspective

Leadership Freak

'Mediocrity is the result of peace and harmony. Rather than resolving conflict, invite it. Lousy leaders and weak organizations pursue peace at all costs. The heat of tension, tests, clarifies, refines, and strengthens teams and ideas. Consensus is the path to average. Teams without tensions have weak players. One person runs the show. Everyone else […].

article thumbnail

HR Meets AI: The New Way of Keeping Large Workforces Connected and Engaged

Speaker: Miriam Connaughton and Donald Knight

As organizations scale, keeping employees connected, engaged, and productive can seem like a monumental task. But what if AI could help you do all of this and more? AI has the power to help, but the key is implementing it in a way that enhances, rather than replaces, human connection. Join us for an exploration into how industry trailblazers are using AI to transform employee experience at scale while addressing both the potential and the pitfalls.

article thumbnail

The Ten Principles of Permission-Giving

Leadership Freak

'I’ve been asking permission all my life. I raised my hand, in first grade, to ask Mrs. Goodwin for permission to use the restroom. One finger meant I had one thing to do.

article thumbnail

How to Avoid Irrelevance, Guaranteed!

Leadership Freak

'You may be the world’s best pickle packer. But, if the world doesn’t value perfectly packed pickles, you are tragically irrelevant. Value: Customers determine value, not you. Spend as much time understanding the people you serve as you spend understanding yourself. Leaders who don’t understand others become irrelevant. 10 things to understand about others: Pain […].

article thumbnail

How to Get Projects Back on Track Fast

Leadership Freak

'People are the main reason projects fail. Getting projects back on track is first about people, then about circumstances. 5 people-reasons projects fail: Confusion regarding purpose. Why is this project important? Lack of clarity concerning current state and future direction. Where are we now? Where are we going? Conflicting priorities, personal agendas, and sideways energy. […].

article thumbnail

Employees and Customers Aren’t First

Leadership Freak

'One of two business philosophies dominate organizations today, “customers first” or “employees first.” Both are useful. Neither reflect reality. Employees first: Vineet Nayar, CEO of HCL Technologies, Ltd., is committed to employees first. Harvard Business Review published his book, “Employees First, Customers Second.” The employees first movement even reaches into health care.

85
article thumbnail

The Upskilling Advantage: Transforming Your Workforce For Future Growth

Speaker: Brian Richardson

With a staggering 92% of CEOs prioritizing skill development, and 84% struggling with transformation, mastering upskilling is now more critical than ever. Drawing on extensive research and collaboration with hundreds of leading organizations, discover key hurdles and innovative best practices in workforce upskilling. You'll walk away with a deep understanding of how to build a culture of continuous learning, expert insights into assessing the current skills of your employees, and a strategic too

article thumbnail

Four Reasons Why Great Leaders Aren’t Firefighters

Kevin Eikenberry

'The role that firefighters play in our society is secure. The way that we honor their service is appropriate. I have close friends who are and have been firefighters, and so I personally hold them in high regard. Great firefighters are leaders of their teams in situations far beyond what most of us could imagine. […].

84
article thumbnail

5 Feelings that Signal Failure is Near

Leadership Freak

'Excellence is war. Business as usual means mediocrity prevails. It’s one thing to pursue excellence as an individual. But, how can leaders make the pursuit of excellence a matter of culture? “Scaling Up Excellence,” by Robert Sutton and Huggy Rao, takes readers deep into the battle of pursuing exceptional on an organizational level.

article thumbnail

Overcoming the Blindness of Vision

Leadership Freak

' The down side of seeing the future is blindness. Your dream makes you willing to do what it takes. Others should feel the same. Passion for the future blinds you to the pressing needs of people, today. Their reluctance or resistance suggests something’s wrong with them. In reality, something’s wrong with you. Blind leaders steamroll […].

article thumbnail

Thriving in the Fishbowl of New Opportunity

Leadership Freak

'Everyone’s watching intently and evaluating rigorously when you step into your new job. You earned this opportunity. Don’t screw it up. New roles, titles, or positions make or break careers. Rob McCleland, is the new executive director of EQUIP, a global training organization started by John and Larry Maxwell. I spoke with my friend about […].

83
article thumbnail

Mastering Remote Onboarding: Proven Strategies for Seamless New Hire Integration

Speaker: Tim Buteyn, President of ThinkingKap Learning Solutions

Join this brand new webinar with Tim Buteyn to learn how you can master the art of remote onboarding! By the end of this session, you'll understand how to: Craft a Tailored Onboarding Checklist 📝 Develop a comprehensive, customized checklist that ensures every new hire has a smooth transition into your company, no matter where they are in the world.

article thumbnail

Are You an Optimist or Pessimist?

Kevin Eikenberry

'Unless this is the first thing you have read from me, you will know my answer. Mckay summarizes my feelings on this issue perfectly. I believe your answer to this core question is critical to the level of influence and success you will experience in life. Questions to Ponder - Am I an optimist or […].

81
article thumbnail

Navigating the Line Between Brash and Bold

Leadership Freak

'Boldness ruins fools. Boldness doesn’t answer leadership issues. It causes many. But, “Freedom lies in being bold.” Robert Frost The line between brash and bold is: Experience. Maturity. Counsel. Preparation. Perseverance. Reflection. Friendships.

article thumbnail

Five Ways to Have More Luck

Kevin Eikenberry

'Luck. Some think it is some kind of magic. Some think there is no such thing. Some think only others have it. Most wish they had more of it. Years ago I heard the definition of luck as: Labor Under Correct Knowledge While I believe there is truth in that clever acrostic, I think it […].

80
article thumbnail

Making the Impossible Possible

Kevin Eikenberry

'One of the most written about (and therefore most quoted) people in history is Abraham Lincoln. Given that, it would make sense to share some of Abe’s wisdom here. Today, I share one I profoundly agree with, but don’t remember reading before. I hope it challenges and excites you as much as it does me. […].

79
article thumbnail

How To Empower Your Workforce With Modern Fertility Benefits

Speaker: Andrea Wuchiski

In an era where a workforce spans multiple generations, HR managers and Total Rewards leaders face the unique challenge of designing benefits packages that cater to diverse employee needs. This session will delve into how comprehensive fertility benefits can bridge generational gaps, support employees’ health, and enhance workplace satisfaction. Join us for an insightful session that highlights the strategic importance of fertility benefits in today’s competitive job market.