In a recent episode of the TV series Stranger Things, the four main characters, all young boys, show up at school on Halloween dressed as Ghostbusters. The problem is, two have dressed as Bill Murray’s character. When they argue about it,…
Time Management
Connecting Time to Outcomes Can Improve Engagement
Disengaged, unmotivated, or unhappy employees are a huge problem for the United States. Gallup’s 2017 report State of the American Workplace calculated that actively disengaged workers cost the nation $483 billion to $605 billion each year in lost productivity each…
You Can’t Say ‘Yes’ to Everything
It is fundamentally impossible for one person to “do it all.” At some point, you are going to need to learn how to say “no” when your bosses or co-workers want to dump more work into your lap. Saying “yes”…
HR 101: Automate Those Repetitive Tasks and Save Time
A human resources manager holds a vital position within their company, as their role directly affects the lives of employees in significant ways. In a large company, a manager may direct activities in a specialized area, but in small to…
Communication is the Key to Getting the Best From Your 1099s
We all know communication is central to the success of any relationship. So why, then, do so many companies and HR managers have trouble setting effective communication parameters with freelance talent? Part of it could be that most companies simply…
Achieve Your Goals the Boom, Rip, Rapid Way
“When it is obvious that a goal cannot be reached, do not adjust the goal; adjust your course.” —attributed to Confucius When available, I enjoy watching the TV screens on the seat back in front of me, showing the plane’s…
How To Implement Agile Project Management
The word ‘agile’ has been a buzz word for some time now. Agile – by definition – is the ability to move quickly and easily. Agile from a project management perspective is typically used within technology projects; however, other types…
Why Learning to Delegate Is So Important For You and the Team
Note: This is the third in a series of interviews with industry leading scholars, CEOs, founders and consultants on the subject of managed. The interviews were conducted by Rob Cahill, CEO of the management-training and education firm Jhana. Find the first…
Multitasking Is a Productivity Suck. Here’s How to Slow It Down
Checking off your to-do list gives you a huge sense of accomplishment. So, it’s important for you to get as many tasks done in one day as possible. You’re on a sales call, writing an order, and drafting an email…
How “Doing a Bad Job” May Just Be “Good Enough” to be Great
Demand for speed has overtaken all other priorities, it seems; whether it’s a program, a deliverable, a result, or a change, leaders want it NOW or YESTERDAY. And that’s understandable —- most leaders are themselves under tremendous pressure to deliver…
Hiring Wisdom: What’s the Answer Worth to You?
I was in a board meeting when a sales manager was asked the cost to procure each new account. Her answer was: “It depends. Do you want the $15,000 answer or the $5 answer?” She went on to explain that…
If Time Is So Valuable, Why Aren’t You Tracking It?
Most executives are accustomed to tracking a wide variety of variables that affect our organizations: capital expenditures, return on investment, amortization rates, operating efficiency — you name it. Not only have we become more focused on tracking data and analytics,…
When You Say ‘Yes,’ You Also Say ‘No’
Note: The following post is an excerpt from Michael Bungay Stanier’s The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever, published February 29, 2016. You know how there’s some work that you do that you…
Building a Workplace Culture of Trust: Yes, Technology Can Help Cultivate It
Second of two parts More and more organizations are recognizing the benefits of sharing data and giving direct control – not only to managers, but to the employees themselves. There is a good reasons for this shift. According to a…
Getting a Handle on Our Most Irreplaceable Workplace Resource
It’s that time of year – New Year’s resolution time. How many of us set resolutions with every good intention to follow through, but after a few months bad habits creep back in. One resolution I’ve committed to in past years…
The 3 Ways That Co-Workers Waste Everyone Else’s Time
“Much talking is the cause of danger. Silence is the means of avoiding misfortune. The talkative parrot is shut up in a cage. Other birds, without speech, fly freely about.“ — Sakya Pandita, 13th century Tibetan spiritual leader The gift…
Want A Competitive Advantage? Get Your Team To Make Faster Decisions
Editor’s Note: Readers sometimes ask about past TLNT articles, so every Friday we republish a Classic TLNT post. Can your team make a decision? I was recently thinking about a moment in my career that taught me several things about team…
5 Better Things to Do Than Have Status Meetings
What’s a good staff meeting? This is such an important topic that any effective manager needs to really get it right. Here are some questions I get: What should I be doing with my staff as a team? How should I…