January 06, 2020
Be a Problem Solver, Not a Complainer
Problems are a part of everyday reality in every workplace. That's true no matter where you work or who your colleagues are. Most of the time, you are probably dealing with...
December 03, 2019
No, Your Superstars Don't Want to Manage Themselves
How much of my management time should I spend on each member of my team? It's a question many managers have asked themselves at some point. Should they spend more time with the...
October 25, 2019
How to Manage Performance for Creative Work
If performance management is all about driving continuous improvement in productivity and quality--and helping employees strike a balance toggling back and forth between speed...
October 01, 2019
Soft Skills: Teaching Personal Responsibility
When it comes to teaching personal responsibility, the key is shifting someone's focus on the factors that are within their own control. Most often, when an employee struggles...
September 12, 2019
Don't Lose Your New Hire--Stay Top of Mind
As important as it is to be very selective when hiring, you also must do it fast! If you move too slowly, you will lose your new hire. The two watchwords of your selection...
September 06, 2019
How Managers Can Help Reskill Your Organization
We are on the brink of a reskilling revolution in the workforce, and it has already begun in organizations such as Amazon and Wal-Mart. The increasing pace of change has made it...
August 22, 2019
When Managing Large Teams, Use Your Chain of Command
Managerial spans of control have gotten wider and wider. As a result, most managers are responsible for too many people. Without a doubt, this has contributed to the under...
July 31, 2019
Help! I Need an Employee to Go the Extra Mile
A lot of managers ask me, "What about the employee who does just enough work and does it just well enough and nothing else? How do you motivate that person to go the extra...
July 23, 2019
Make Your Management Concrete: Turn Company Values into Actions Employees Can Take
Building a strong culture, one that attracts and retains the best talent, is a huge undertaking for any organization. Undoubtedly the most difficult part is aligning the entire...
July 18, 2019
Stick to the Basics: The Leadership Wisdom of Dave Christiansen
Dave Christiansen, CEO of MKC
If asked to describe his leadership philosophy, Dave Christiansen may offer you this quote from Walter Lippmann: "The final test of a leader...
June 26, 2019
Employee Burnout? That Could Be a Sign of Undermanagement
Burnout has officially been recognized as more than just a cultural phenomenon. The condition is now recognized by the WHO, probably to some relief from the HR departments who...
June 13, 2019
Four Ways to Tap into the Short-Term Transactional Mindset in Order to Improve Retention
Attracting, hiring, and retaining the best employees is a lot more complex than it used to be. It's no longer enough for employers to offer the same basic benefits or rely on...