Have you ever joined an organization – personally or professionally – and realized after a short time, that you just don’t ‘fit in’? Or have you ever joined a company – loved it and the culture – only to have the culture shift so much over time that is it hardly recognizable and it does […]
In working with high level clients in Fortune 50 companies to rapidly growing venture-backed companies, it is truth that ‘office politics’ are no myth. They are painfully real and pervasive. In its worst form, I compare office politics to the mean girls from junior high school…..fed by jealousy, insecurity, and competitiveness. And yes, those mean […]
When I formed Alignment, Inc. almost 10 years ago, the word (and concept) of ‘alignment’ were, for the most part, reserved for body shops and chiropractors! Yet, successful leaders and my senior leader/CEO friends LOVED the concept as they said THAT is what distinguishes successful leaders, organizations, cultures, and strategies. Of course, I could not […]
Over the past number of years working with leaders of companies, organizations, non-profits, and teams, I have observed a number of actions which can impact the success of their teams. Some actions can be as basic and simple as a choice of words; and others run much deeper into a person’s psyche. Some actions can
TEAMWORK. Most of us know that true teamwork is the key that unlocks not only the collective potential – yet the individual potential as well. In my business experience, every successful team I was on – or that I led – was 100% attributable to the folks with whom I worked. Period. The rising tide truly …
Recently, I have been engaged with a few organizations and teams who are struggling to build good working environments. We have all heard the adage ‘team work makes the dream work’ and this most certainly is true. Most of us have been members of teams and organizations that were, in a word, dysfunctional. No one was happy. …
I can assure you, each person reading this has most certainly experienced a broken relationship due to the break down of trust. This breakdown could be in the form of a spouse cheating on them or a colleague using information (which you developed or found) as if it were their own with no accreditation to you. It could be someone outright stealing a concept from a keynote or workshop, and using it as if it were their own. Or it could be a so-called friend or colleague saying one thing to your face and calling you a ‘friend’ only to have them back-stabbing you with unflattering commentary or falsehoods behind your back. Let’s face it, trust is so integral to our relationships that we often take it for granted; yet in an era marked by business scandals and a desire for accountability – we clearly need to nurture trust in our professional and personal lives. Where in the world has all the trust gone? And what do we do about it?
Recently, I have been working with a number of executives who are being put through their paces to explain, persuade, and justify their approach to their Board and to other senior constituents. Needless to say, many grow frustrated. What is one question which can help to ‘cut the fat’ from those conversations?
Ever felt a bit out of control of your time, your day…your life?! In two and half words – who hasn’t?! This past month, many of my clients have been juggling with their over crowded lives with sending kids to summer camp, graduations, weddings, mid-year results, and keeping all their plates spinning. How do we stay balanced, together, and aligned with how and where we want to spend our time?
Recently there was an interesting article in TIME referencing characteristics of value in other people. The results were fascinating, and perhaps hold the key to our future – as individual leaders and in our places of works.