Stop Procrastinating

When beautiful spring weather makes an appearance, it is hard to stay focused and get necessary things done instead of wandering outdoors for a peek. In the past I have told you about our “handyman’s dream"--our work-in-progress home. My wife and I have been slowly renovating our home for many years. Each home project is a struggle in itself, but I have the toughest time focusing on completing indoor projects in the spring. I find myself finding other activities to spend my time on. I guess you could say I need help with procrastination.

You may find yourself in the same predicament at the office. I found an article that may give you some good tips on overcoming procrastination. Don’t procrastinate about learning to overcome procrastination! Enjoy.   

What NOT to Do!

Many leadership and management guides focus on "what to do” as a leader instead of "what NOT to do.” Obviously, both are very important, but I came across an article in CBS Money Watch that focuses on five things great bosses never do. (I think there are more than five!) Do you have any to add? What advice would you give to a new boss?

Disruptive by Design

The word "disruptive" typically has a negative connotation. It takes me back to my school days and all the trouble that somehow seemed to follow me around. Have you ever considered disruption as an effective tool for generating new ideas and innovations?

I first came across Daniel Pink, the author of Drive and A Whole New Mind, when we were both speaking at HRSouthwest 2011. I came across his message on "disruptive thinking" recently in an article on Wired.com.

The concept is simple and very practical. Most of our best ideas come at times when our daily tasks are disrupted. According to this article many companies even schedule “disruptive time” to encourage creativity. What would your disruptive time look like? Do any readers work in companies that encourage you to spend a portion of the week pursuing non-commissioned activities?

Leaders: Born or Made? Take Your Pick...

Are great leaders born or made? Well, there are many ways to teach and develop greater effectiveness in leadership. There are volumes of books, short courses, degrees, and, of course, jobs that develop great leaders. On the other hand, there are some who believe great leaders are born with special traits that allow them to be successful leaders. There are many resources devoted to the study of the “trait theory,” the attempt to define a person through the study of habitual patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion.

My research and personal experiences with leadership convince me that leaders are both born AND made. Each of us has a core of behavioral preferences that drive our thoughts and actions, which eventually influence outcomes. We can improve in all areas with some coaching, hard work, and a sufficient amount of time. But generally the fastest, strongest, and most gifted start with a “genetic foundation” of natural ability. Let me illustrate the meaning of a genetic foundation. As a college football coach I learned that I could teach any player to run faster with a lot of sprints, repetitive drills, weight training, etc., but my players could not escape their “genetic foundation.” Some young men came to me with natural foot speed and some did not. I could never teach the ones with less natural ability to run as fast as the young men with a better “genetic foundation.”

I also learned something else as a coach: Athletes with great natural talent sometimes fail to live up to their potential, especially when they lack dedication and effective coaching. Thus, athletes need both physical gifts (genetic foundation) and training in order to become great. I believe this applies to leadership as well. For this reason, it is important to select leaders with the best “genetic foundation” for the job and then pour extensive effort into shaping and molding their natural talents. Remember that without proper nurturing and exercise, talent will wither away.

What has been your experience in the development of leaders?

Data Talent Management

Big Data is getting big traction in companies across the globe. Leveraging Big Data to drive talent management is a stated objective of many organizations. I came across this article at www.Wired.com discussing the impact of Big Data in improving organizations. 

Leveraging data to make wise business decisions makes good dollars and cents. However, an organization’s ability to leverage the data relies on the type of data captured. Much of the press related to Big Data seems to focus on its various uses but not the TYPE of data to best grow your business. I am hoping that we will begin to see tips and hints for improved methods of capturing employee-level data.

Have you come across any interesting articles on best practices for collecting objective employee performance data such as throughput numbers, metrics, etc?