Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

According to  Ron Ricci  and  Carl Wiese , authors of the book,  The Collaboration Imperative , high-performing teams have the following characteristics: People have solid and deep trust in each other and in the team's purpose--they feel free to express feelings and ideas. Everybody is working toward the same goals. Team members are clear on how to work together and how to accomplish tasks. Everyone understands both team and individual performance goals and knows what is expected. Team members actively diffuse tension and friction in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. The team engages in extensive discussion, and everyone gets a chance to contribute--even the introverts. Disagreement is viewed as a good thing and conflicts are managed.  Criticism is constructive and is oriented toward problem solving and removing obstacles. The team makes decisions when there is natural agreement--in the cases where agreement is elusive, a decision is made by the team lead or executiv

The Courage Solution , a book by  Mindy Mackenzie , is all about the simple truth that the only thing you can reliably change or control is yourself. So, that is why Mackenzie wrote her book -- to teach you how to take actions that ultimately will improve your impact on the job and increase your happiness and fulfillment in your career. Mackenzie's  quick-read strategies focus on these four key areas : Part 1: You First  offers techniques to take ownership and accountability for creating a career and life you love. Part 2: Lead Your Boss  describes proven techniques to transform your relationship with your boss. Part 3: Lead Your Peers  provides methods for accelerating positive peer relationships to improve business results. Part 4: Lead Your Team  gives approaches for generating and creating the most effective teams and having more fun while doing it. Mindy Mackenzie A preview of Mackenzie's advice on Leading Your Boss  includes: Intensely

"Superbosses embrace certain practices that good bosses don't, and they do even more of the productive things that good bosses do," says  Syney Finkelstein , author of the book,  Superbosses: How Exceptional Leaders Master the Flow of Talent . What's more, according to Finkelstein's findings from ten years of research and two hundred interviews, superbosses focus on identifying promising newcomers, inspiring their best work, and launching them into highly successful careers, while also expanding their own networks and building stronger companies. Most important, " regenerating the talent pool is the single most important thing any leader can do to survive and prosper ," adds Finkelstein. Sydney Finkelstein Superbosses also do this : Create master-apprentice relationships Rely on the cohort effect Say good-bye on good terms Adapt the job or organization to fit the talent Take chances on unconventional talent Look for new ta

Some words of wisdom from  author Thomas Teal : Integrity in management means : being responsible communicating clearly keeping promises being an honest broker avoiding hidden agendas knowing oneself Also, explains Teal : Great managers serve two masters; one organizational, one moral. Managing is not a series of mechanical tasks but a set of human interactions. One reason for the scarcity of managerial greatness is that in educating and training managers, we focus too much on technical proficiency and too little on character. You can find more advice and expertise from Teal in his book,  First Person: Tales of Management Courage and Tenacity  (Harvard Business School Press, 1996)

If you’re having a difficult time clarifying inconsistencies you are hearing from an employee about a project’s/task’s progress, try asking these questions (or making these statements) the next time you meet with the employee: •  Here’s what I see. Here’s what I hear you saying. •  Here’s what we know so far. •  So let’s see if I’m on track with you… •  Let’s see where we are… •  How about we step back from a moment and look at a few different ideas… •  Did I hear you correctly when you said…? •  Am I missing something here? Always be sure you’re on the same page and have the same understanding of the progress being made with your employee’s projects. Thanks to Jane Murphy for these tips from her book,  What Could Happen If You Do Nothing .

Edward M. Marshall's book,  Transforming The Way We Work -- The Power Of The Collaborative Workplace , remains relevant today, more than a decade after Marshall wrote it. Particularly useful is the book's section that teaches readers how to be a collaborative leader. Marshall says that there are  seven different, important roles and responsibilities of collaborative leaders when leading teams , and those leaders should select the appropriate style to meet the team's needs. The seven roles are : The leader as sponsor  -- You provide strategic direction, boundaries and coaching for the team. You also monitor progress and ensure integrity in the team's operating processes. The leader as facilitator  -- You ensure that meetings, team dynamics, and interpersonal relationships function effectively. You also ensure internal coordination of activities among team members. The leader as coach  -- You provide support and guidance and you serve as a sounding boar

According to author  Micah Solomon , to ensure you have  customer-facing employees , help them to: Display simple human kindness  Sense what another person is feeling  Have an inclination toward teamwork  Be detail oriented, including having the ability and willingness to follow through to completion  Bounce back and do not internalize challenges

After two years of research, forty focus groups and a national survey, author Sylvia Ann Hewlett  contends the three pillars of Executive Presence are: How you act ( gravitas ) How you speak (communication ) How you look ( appearance ) All three work together to help you telegraph (signal) to others that you have what it takes and that you're star material.   "One thing to note at the start is that these pillars are not equally important--not by a long shot," explains Hewlett.  "Gravitas is the core characteristic." And according to the senior leaders that Hewlett researched the top aspects of  gravitas are : Confidence and "grace under fire" Decisiveness and "showing teeth" Integrity and "speaking truth to power" Emotional intelligence Reputation and standing/"pedigree" Vision/charisma In her book, Executive Presence , she teaches how to act, communicate and look your best whil

Getting feedback is an important way to improve performance at work. But sometimes, it can be hard to seek out, and even harder to hear.  “Feedback is all around you. Your job is to find it, both through asking directly and observing it,” says David L. Van Rooy , author of the book,  Trajectory: 7 Career Strategies to Take You From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be . As today's guest post, Van Rooy offers these  six tips for how to get the feedback you need to improve performance at work . Guest Post By David L. Van Rooy 1.       Don’t forget to as k :  One of the biggest mistakes people make is assuming things are going perfectly (until they make a catastrophic mistake). By not asking, you’re missing out on opportunities for deep feedback: the difficult, critical feedback that gives you constructive ways to improve. 2.       Make sure you listen :  Remember, getting feedback is about improving your performance, not turning it i

Early on in Eli Broad's book,  The Art of Being Unresaonable , he reminds us of the power of a child's instinctive asking, " Why not? " Unfortunately, most adults lose that habit and Broad goes on to explain that it was his continuing to ask "Why not?" throughout his career that brought him success. " The questions you're willing to ask when others think they have all the answers are doors to   discovery ," says Broad. Other words of wisdom from the book, and my favorite takeaways, include : Most successful businesses have to begin by  bucking conventional wisdom .  Invention and innovation don't happen without it. Do your homework  no matter how much time it takes. Big ideas don't happen in a moment . You can't do it all yourself, so  ask questions and delegate . The trick to delegating is to  make sure your employees share your priorities . Find the best people to whom you can  delegate, and know their stre

Pictured above are two books to add to your list for reading this month. Let The Story Do The Work explains that at the heart of leadership lies persuasion. And at the heart of persuasion likes storytelling. In her book, author Esther K. Choy teaches you how to: Dispel any fears that you can't tell great stories. Connect with an audience by determining their point of view and speaking to their concerns. Tell stories with numbers. Turn complex material into engaging narratives. Enhance stories with simple visual elements. Tell your personal story in a way that builds credibility and forges relationships. Sense & Respond teaches you how to use that feedback loop to: Create two-way conversations. Focus on the outcomes. Embrace continuous processes. Create collaboration. Create a learning culture. It's a management playbook that enables organizations to engage in two-way communications with the market and to drive value from that conversation -- us

"Stories strengthen communications and presence for leaders," explains Kristi Hedges , author of the book, The Power of Presence . She recommends you consider adding stories to your communications when you : Want to motivate others and paint a picture of what's possible. Need to show others -- whether a large audience or one person -- that you have shared commonalities. Are trying to deliver difficult news and want to show empathy. Are facing adversity in the present that relates to a situation you've experienced before. Are interviewing for a job and want to demonstrate your ability to adapt, learn, and overcome challenges. Are in a new position and would like to show others your approach and values. Want to show clients or colleagues that you've been in their shoes. Want to encourage another person to tackle something difficult.

As a leader, your focus may gravitate toward your lower level employees and your higher level employees on your team. But, don't forget your  middle-layer  employees  who appreciate your attention and coaching, and your  training  and opportunities for new challenges . Often these employees are more eager to learn and to  tackle  new projects because they have the drive to move up and to learn new skills. And they recognize they have a shorter path to achieve advancement. So, develop your middle layer employees. It's a win-win situation.