January 2021

Momentum is a beautiful thing. On a drive across the country, it’s the reassurance of signs that prove we’re getting closer and closer to our destination. In a classroom, it’s the student’s sense that a lesson is moving along in a noticeable way. Interesting instruction relies heavily on momentum, the second of the four factors […]

“Train people well enough so they can leave; treat them well enough so they don’t want to. —RICHARD BRANSON In a two-year study on team performance recently covered by Laura Delizonna, Ph.D., in Harvard Business Review, Google revealed that the highest-performing teams have one thing in common: psychological safety, or the belief that you won’t

It isn’t hard for me to get agitated and rattled by communications that many others wouldn’t bat an eye at. I have had the experience of receiving an e-mail asking me to “explain my rationale” for doing this or that, and, whatever the intention of the sender, it has made me explode inside. The tone,

One of the most powerful acts of leadership is often one of the most overlooked: providing feedback. In my book, “Saving Face: How to Preserve Dignity and Build Trust,” I detail how “face”—our sense of personal dignity, pride, and self-esteem—can be lost, recovered, and honored. Feedback plays a part in all three. When leaders approach

I’d like to share with you why mentorship is so important, especially now—during a pandemic. What qualifies me to do this? First and foremost, you should know that I speak and I write on this topic because I’ve lived it. Second, I propose to you that I am imminently qualified because I am, and always

These are the seven secret employee motivation techniques that I have found to work. You can start to use these methods right away, and they don’t cost a thing. 1. Get to Know Each Member of Your Team “Don’t forget to get to know every one of the people on your engagement teams. Remember, to

You don’t need to be an entertainer to be an excellent instructor, but you do need to be interesting. In my work with people from a wide range of ages and abilities, I’ve noticed that all interesting learning environments are characterized by four factors that you can implement yourself. These game-changing ingredients are: Meaningfulness Momentum

While some companies have hemorrhaged hard-won talent in droves from layoffs during the Coronavirus pandemic, others have struggled to recruit the numbers they need to fill their labor demand. This leaves HR and operations leaders to wonder whether it’s realistic to create a talent strategy amid so much continuing uncertainty. While every twist and turn