5 Things Great Bosses Never Do I recently described what remarkable bosses do. A number of people emailed and asked, "That's a great list, but flip it around: What things should I not do?" Glad you asked. As a leader what you don't do can sometimes make as much or even more impact than what you do. Say, "I've been meaning to apologize for a while..." You should never need to apologize for not having apologized sooner. When you mess up, 'fess up. If love means never having to say you're sorry, leadership means always having to say you're sorry. Deliver annual performance reviews. Annual or semi-annual performance appraisals are largely a waste of time. Years ago my review was late so I mentioned it to my boss. He was right. Your job is to coach and mentor and develop--every day. Hold formal meetings to solicit ideas. Many companies hold brainstorming sessions to solicit ideas for improvement, especially when times get tough. Sounds great; after all you're "engaging employees" and "valuing their contributions," right?
The One Skill All Leaders Should Work On - Scott Edinger by Scott Edinger | 11:30 AM March 29, 2012 If I had to pick one skill for the majority of leaders I work with to improve, it would be assertiveness. Not because being assertive is such a wonderful trait in and of itself. Rather, because of its power to magnify so many other leadership strengths. Assertiveness gets a bad rap when people equate it with being pushy and annoying. Here are some specific ways in which assertiveness complements a wide range of the critical leadership skills you may already have: • Creating a culture of innovation: A couple of years ago I conducted a study to determine the characteristics of the most innovative leaders in one of the largest companies in the world. • Being customer focused: We typically think of service or business development professionals as being good at, and focused on, building relationships. • Fostering teamwork and collaboration: It might seem like assertiveness has little to do with the skills you need to be a team player.