The word culture is currently the #1 most popular word searched on Mirriam-Webster.com. Google how to change your culture and youll find a myriad of responses that say a lot of the same things. You can define culture as a shared set of attitudes, values, goals, behaviors, beliefs, knowledge, and traditions that distinguish one group of people from another. In other words, its the ways of an organization that become the shared basis for its action. Culture is a French word, from the mid-15 th century. It had to do with the tilling... Read More

No one sets out to have a dysfunctional team in their workplace. The drama, the hassle, and the headache of a dysfunctional team can suck the energy right out of an organization. From the early years in the sandbox at kindergarten, all the way to the golf courses of Sun Valley, AZ, people have to play well together. Nowhere is this more evident than at work, where we spend a large portion of our waking life. An antidote is not a vaccination. A vaccination is given to build up immunity to prevent illness. An antidote is something administered... Read More

Passive aggressive behaviors seem to be the vogue in society and its spilling over into the workplace. Current employees, former employees, and applicants can all provide totally anonymous feedback about your company on websites and mobile apps. That means the disgruntled employee you may have just fired, the applicant who you did not offer a job to, or the toxic employee who is making your company miserable, all could be given more voice than those who are your best team members. Worse yet, your competitors, your neighbors, your... Read More

Ill be honest here. I dont like incognito methods of providing criticism. Hidden behind the veil of anonymity, many people will say things that they do not have the guts to say face-to-face. And theyll often say them in ways they never would live. Sometimes those ways are contrary to basic standards of decency and respect. Dont get me wrong; there are times when it makes sense to use a survey or tool that allows anonymous responses. But those should be only a means to an end the end being open and direct communication; an open door. The... Read More

5 Questions to Help You Make Up Your Mind to Terminate It can be a bittersweet thing to terminate an employee. It shouldnt be easy to turn off your emotions and go from being a boss who cares about employees to a boss who callously fires people. Thats part of being human. So is procrastinating. Part of being a good leader though, is making tough decisions and following through with them timely, particularly when it means getting the wrong person off the bus. In consulting with numerous really nice people over the years, Ive found many... Read More

There is a WHOLE lot more to employee satisfaction and retention than money. Bosses who think they can solve employee satisfaction, motivation, or engagement by throwing money at it are wrong, in a costly way. And yet, many people can be motivated by it. When asked in surveys, about 95% of employees say they like their rewards in the form of hard cold cash. There may be other forms of reward that are more meaningful, have a bigger impact, and create a lasting sense of satisfaction, but cash is king. There is debate about whether money... Read More

The right employees will make your vision come true; the wrong one can turn it into a nightmare. Or at least make it uncomfortable for you, your great employees, your clients, your wallet So what do you do with the person who doesnt fit, wont follow instructions, or performs poorly? Too many employers wait too long, hoping a poor performer will improve, thinking a behavior will change, or just putting off what needs to be done. Trust me on this one it usually gets worse. Jim Collins, author of Good to Great made the concept of getting... Read More

Unless youre just a one-person operation, ya gotta have employees. That can be scary. After all, youre trusting your vision, your resources, your reputation, your customers, and your future to people who may or may not do as you would. The right hire can make your vision come true; the wrong one can turn it into a nightmare. Here are 7 steps to take to hire the best, and avoid the rest. 1. Develop Your Employment Brand . While your marketing brand defines your employment brand, your employment brand will attract the right people to... Read More

It can be tough being a boss. Most people dont really like confrontation, particularly when its with someone they may have to work with day in and day out. Many make the mistake of thinking that if they just keep overlooking a performance deficiency or a behavior that is incongruent with company values, that the problem will self-resolve. Doesnt work that way. When we avoid confrontations that we need to be having, it sends a bunch of different messages that we really dont want to send: To employees with performance problems, the... Read More

How did your team do? Being that its February 2, 2015, that may sound like a post-Super Bowl question. Watching athletic teams is a great way to see how an effective team works. Or how an ineffective one doesnt. But Im really after how your team your work team - has done. It takes some time to build a team capable of making it to the Super Bowl, let alone winning it. Lots of practice, lots of review, lots of planning, lots of coaching, lots of losses, and lots of wins. The same is true of your team in your business or organization. Want a... Read More