The Finals of the Men’s 4 x 100M Relay at the Rio Olympics makes a powerful case for believing that teamwork can outperform talent. The Japanese quartet did not have the personal and season best records of some of the high profile teams. Yet, the slick cohesiveness with which they moved the baton to the finish line earned them a Silver Medal ahead of individually more talented athletes. Having made the case for TEAMWORK, what are some of the keys to achieving Japanese-level team performance? Assess and respect individual capabilities An essential factor in effective baton changing is that the speeds of the incoming andRead More →

Naysaying is the enemy of enterprise. The 3 letters B U T have derailed so many progressive initiatives. We need some element of caution but too many of us are wed to naysaying. Reflect on your response to new ideas and see if you have assumed the role of naysayer. If you are faced with naysaying, do not be discouraged or side-tracked. Push forward and make a difference.Read More →

  Work – Life Balance? A lot of effort has been put into encouraging us to focus on work-life balance. The implication being that we should “get a life” … find things to do outside of work that is engaging and empowering. Useful advice indeed. As usual, I am struck by another angle with respect to work-life balance. It is the implied assumption that our “life” can be separated from our “work”. Team members are expected to leave whatever issues they are having at home at the gate. Trainers and supervisors will emphasize the message of not having personal challenges negatively impact interaction and performanceRead More →

How Do I Fall In Love With My Job Again? A faithful reader of my articles asked me to address this question. It comes at a time when low employee engagement is a global phenomenon and a major leadership challenge. I wrote an e-book for married folk who needed to rekindle their relationship entitled R.O.M.P. I injected various connotations of romping into the experience to spruce it up. Lightening the atmosphere at work also looks like a step in the right direction. So, I have modified R.O.M.P. for the work environment. Re-Visit The “again” in the question is important. Loads of individuals never loved theirRead More →

Executive Burn Out: What Next?    You have jumped through the hoops and cleared the hurdles. You have risen up the ranks, earn a good salary and have an impressive title. But you are disillusioned. When you clambered up the ladder you thought there would be more. You thought you will feel fulfilled. Right now, you feel like the dog that has caught the car. Now what? It is so anti-climactic. Bouts of depression now enter the picture and your joy is evaporating. You are one of an increasing number of executives who have worked hard to place their careers on track only to findRead More →

 Stay Put or Jump Ship?   Deciding whether to continue in their present job or actively seek alternative employment is a recurring question for mid-career employees.  The challenge is increased for those who are successful in their present job and have an apparently secure future. Deciding really gets difficult for people who joined the organization at an early stage in their careers and feel a sense of belonging and even obligation for the growth that they have experienced. Answers as to whether to stay or leave the job are as varied as the persons involved. Nevertheless, I share some guidelines that may facilitate the decisionRead More →

How To Cope With A Trump In Your Life   Donald Trump is a major talking point these days. His behaviour is puzzling to some, condemned by others and embraced by his enthusiastic followers. I have been intimidated out of my wits by dogs lying still in front of their gate. The fact that I was willing to give up my right to walk on a public thoroughfare because of I felt threatened gives us an important starting point in dealing with a dominant personality like Trump at work, home or play. Step 1 Recognize that at its core Dominance feeds on Intimidation and Submission.Read More →

Self-Image & Your TV Remote: Life Changing Insights     Cable repairman Jeff responded to the client’s complaint that his TV was only showing movies and he wanted news. Jeff pointed to the need to change the channel if he wanted different content. DUH!   This simplistic example has life changing implications. We are likely to be guilty of a similar but more serious error. We might be pursuing a dream or trying to shake a bad habit without success. We have relied on will power and affirmations and are stumped as to why the change has not taken place.   Our mistake is failingRead More →

How To Increase Your Assertiveness The caterers made an equal amount of plain cake and fruit cake. Not surprisingly the fruit cake ran out leaving some unmet demand. I told my waitress that I need my fruit cake and that she should make sure that I got some. As we got up from the table, one of the participants in the 3-D Leader Certification programme shared that he wanted to be able to do what I did. He wanted to be more assertive. Pay-Off When the waitress brought my fruit cake, I pointed to one key to being assertive: The pay-off. Doing a cost/benefit analysisRead More →

Is Miscommunication Frustrating Your Growth? If your car is experiencing serious mechanical problems pressing on the accelerator is not the best solution. Yet that is precisely what is taking place in many organizations. High performance is dependent on the presence of well-oiled teams. However, there is a tendency to ignore this fundamental principle and to try to accelerate with stretch targets and incentives. Teamwork – the foundation of high performance – is driven by effective communication. Issues like Giving & Receiving Instructions or Feedback often create conflicts that are masked. Undetected conflict undermines the cohesiveness of the team and negatively impacts productivity. Organizations make significant investmentsRead More →