Master Chef, Coach, Russian Dolls: How Leaders Spark and Sustain Change, Part 2 - Peter Fuda. By Peter Fuda | 11:15 AM October 21, 2011 In the November issue of HBR, my co-author Richard Badham and I talk about four metaphors we use as prompts to help leaders spark and sustain change in their organizations and their own lives: fire (representing ambition), snowball (accountability), movie (reflection) and mask (authenticity). We developed these as part of a doctoral research project involving seven CEOs who had made the transition from ineffective to effective, stymied to successful, frustrated to celebrated. But there were three more metaphors we didn’t have room to cover: master chef, coach and Russian dolls. Here’s a brief explanation of what they represent in a leadership context, and how to use them.
Master chef This metaphor refers to how leaders should use frameworks, tools and strategies — the equivalent of recipes, utensils, and cooking methods — to progress from “amateur cook” to “master chef”. Ask yourself: How open are you to direct feedback on your leadership? The Twelve Attributes of a Truly Great Place to Work - Tony Schwartz. By Tony Schwartz | 8:42 AM September 19, 2011 More than 100 studies have now found that the most engaged employees — those who report they’re fully invested in their jobs and committed to their employers — are significantly more productive, drive higher customer satisfaction and outperform those who are less engaged. But only 20 per cent of employees around the world report that they’re fully engaged at work. It’s a disconnect that serves no one well. So what’s the solution? Where is the win-win for employers and employees? The answer is that great employers must shift the focus from trying to get more out of people, to investing more in them by addressing their four core needs — physical, emotional, mental and spiritual — so they’re freed, fueled and inspired to bring the best of themselves to work every day.
It’s common sense. Our first need is enough money to live decently, but even at that, we cannot live by bread alone. Commit to paying every employee a living wage. Steve Jobs:You have to think Differently. Steve Jobs Oldie but Goodie. Typeifororgs.pdf. :: The Years Are Short :: Find Your Strong: 8 Ways to Perform at Your Best. I love the phrase "Find Your Strong. " It reminds me to keep going when I feel like quitting, to keep up with my new running routine so that I can stay in shape, and it evokes an aura of confidence and resilience that I want not only for myself, but for all of you too. That phrase has become my mission; but what does it mean to "Find Your Strong? " What are its components?
This is an overview of a model I've developed based on my own experiences and the research I've reviewed, which is intended to open multiple pathways to manage stress , find some balance, and build your resilience: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. This is the formula I've developed in order to help you "Find Your Strong. " Paula Davis-Laack, JD, MAPP is a resilience and work/life performance coach who works with goal-oriented professionals to help them manage stress, perform at their best and build strong, healthy lives. Cohn, M.A. et al. (2009). Building resilience. Fredrickson, B. (2009). McGhee, P. (2010). Pink, D. (2009). Is the Life You're Living Worth the Price You're Paying to Live It? - Tony Schwartz. By Tony Schwartz | 8:00 AM July 6, 2011 What toll does it take, over time, if you get too little sleep; skip breakfast or settle for something unhealthy; struggle with a relentlessly challenging commute; attend meeting after meeting with no breaks in between; pump yourself up through the day with multiple cups of coffee or sugary snacks; deal with hundreds of emails that accumulate in your inbox; remain at your desk for lunch if you eat lunch at all; push through fatigue in the afternoon; head home at night feeling exhausted, but continue to check email through the evening; work on the weekends; and limit your vacations to no more than a week or two, if you vacation at all?
Consider the story of the boiling frog. It may or may not be true, but the point it makes certainly is. Toss a frog into a pot of boiling water and it instinctively jumps out, self-protectively. Next, place the frog into a pot of cool water. We’re experiencing the same phenomenon. Happy Workers Are The Single Greatest Advantage In Today's Economy. By Shawn Achor | 8:16 AM June 23, 2011 Nearly every company in the world gives lip service to the idea that “our people are our greatest asset.” Yet when the Conference Board Survey came out earlier this year, employees were the unhappiest they have been in their 22 years of tracking job satisfaction rates.
Around the same time, CNNMoney reported a survey that indicated 84% of Americans are unhappy with their current job. And earlier this month, Mercer’s “What’s Working” survey found that one in three US employees are serious about leaving their current jobs. Why is this lack of happiness at work important? Given the unprecedented level of unhappiness at companies and the direct link between the employees’ happiness and business outcomes, the question is NOT whether happiness should matter to companies.
To test the ROI of investing in happiness, I wanted to find a company in the midst of high challenge. Yet in this case, the effect held for the entire four months. The Happiness Dividend - Shawn Achor. By Shawn Achor | 8:16 AM June 23, 2011 Nearly every company in the world gives lip service to the idea that “our people are our greatest asset.” Yet when the Conference Board Survey came out earlier this year, employees were the unhappiest they have been in their 22 years of tracking job satisfaction rates.
Around the same time, CNNMoney reported a survey that indicated 84% of Americans are unhappy with their current job. And earlier this month, Mercer’s “What’s Working” survey found that one in three US employees are serious about leaving their current jobs. Why is this lack of happiness at work important? Given the unprecedented level of unhappiness at companies and the direct link between the employees’ happiness and business outcomes, the question is NOT whether happiness should matter to companies. To test the ROI of investing in happiness, I wanted to find a company in the midst of high challenge. Yet in this case, the effect held for the entire four months.
The Four Essential Drives That Every Creative Needs. Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Cath Duncan from Mine Your Resources and The Bottom-line Bookclub. Creative folks figured out a long time ago that traditional carrot-and-stick motivation and productivity strategies don’t work for us, and the rest of the world is starting to catch on to this truth now, too. In his latest book, “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us”, Daniel Pink says that the carrot-and-stick motivation strategies that used to work so well in the Factory Age where we were doing mostly left-brain-directed, linear, predictable tasks aren’t relevant or effective in what he calls “The Conceptual Age” where creating, empathizing, telling stories, leading, connecting, inventing and solving heuristic problems has become such a big part of the work we do.
Given the important shift in the way we work, we need to find motivation strategies that enable us to perform well when we’re doing this kind of non-linear, creative thinking, relating, and making. Project JumpStart | Building high performing teams where people thrive. What Works? Home » All, Awe, Business, Gratitude, Taking Action Alan Foster, MAPP '08 is a Principal at ghSMART. He serves leading private equity investors, hedge fund managers, and Fortune 500 clients in the areas of management assessment, leadership coaching, and organizational change initiatives. Alan's articles for PositivePsychologyNews.com are here. Over the last three years, almost every positive psychology intervention I have piloted has gone awry. The Appreciate Inquiry summit flopped, the strengths training never got off the ground, and if you mention the Optimism seminar given to top managers I will smile nervously and change the subject.
After graduating from MAPP I returned to my company. Change the language: No-one cared about the science of Positive Psychology and they found the language off-putting. The mistakes and flops I mention above were all too real. References Haidt, J. (2006). Seligman, M. How to Minimize Politics in Your Company. Who the f@#k you think you f$&kin’ withI’m the f%*kin’ boss—Rick Ross, Hustlin' Rick Ross - Hustlin' | Listen for free at bop.fm In all my years in business, I have yet to hear someone say: “I love corporate politics.”
On the other hand, I meet plenty of people who complain bitterly about corporate politics—sometimes even in the companies they run. So, if nobody loves politics, why all the politics? Political behavior almost always starts with the CEO. What do I mean by politics? How it happens A CEO creates politics by encouraging and sometimes incenting political behavior—often accidentally. Specifically, you will be rewarding behavior that has nothing to do with advancing your business. The other ambitious members of your staff will immediately agitate for raises as well. Now let’s move on to a more complicated example. How to minimize politics Professionals vs. Minimizing politics often feels totally unnatural. The Technique 1. 2. 3. Closing Thought.