In some parts of the world like Japan asking employees to work above and beyond is the norm. It's expected. When Simone Biles pulled out of the Olympics with concerns about her headspace, it was the right thing to do. Now put yourself in the shoes of her coach. Her...
Leading Change Beyond Lockdown: Three Essential Skills
I’ve been busier than ever over the last two years. And small wonder. This is not the workplace you knew just two years ago. 4-day workweeksReally really remote work and hybrid modelsAlways online, always accessibleDogs and children on work callsRising significance of mental healthNew hires who have never met their...
How to Celebrate at a Distance
Your project is going well. Stuff is getting done. People are putting in superhuman efforts to overcome obstacles in a single bound. At some point it occurs to you, “We should stop and smell the roses. Reflect on what’s been accomplished. Have a party!” It’s common knowledge that feedback helps drive performance....
Taking the REALLY LONG View
It’s easy to get stuck in a rigid approach to developing strategy. A new approach can unlock innovation in unexpected ways. Indigenous groups commonly take a long-term view using “seventh-generation decision-making,” making choices based on how an option will impact a community even hundreds of years into the future.Rick Hill,...
Project Delays Are Coming: Tell them now or later?
First our flights, then the latest James Bond movie, then my parent's new home. Delayed. Whether because of COVID or construction problems, no one likes to wait, but wait we must. It’s a rare occasion when a big project is completed on time. Delays are more common than news about the...
You Can Build a Change Plan Faster!
Many of you attended my speech on the Two Factor Assessment at the ACMP global conference. For those who missed it, I demonstrated how two simple questions can be used to quickly assess the impact of a change, and determine where resistance is likely to occur (get it here): How DESIRABLE is...
Strategize Your Hybrid
Now, where should we work today... There are several teachers in my extended family and I know all of the reasons why remote learning is a failure for most kids. Both parents and children have been eager for a return to school. And yet, many employees are not so enthused about...
Can You Announce a Change Too Early?
Q: Hey Jeff, should we announce a change when we are still working out the details?A: As a consultant, I am bound by the principles of my profession to respond with, “It depends.” Let me share what it depends on.The ArtIf you announce change too far in advance, people will...
Millennials are Entitled…To Better Leadership
I confess I am not a fan of articles about generational differences, but whereas I generally scoff at the idea of spoiled kids who think the world owes them something, millennials are now adults who have proven that standing up for worker rights and job-hopping clearly aren't impediments to career...
Got Resistance? Lack Speed? Focus on the Outsider
"Frequently, people are not officially employed by the company where they work, which robs them of the pride that comes from being part of a shared enterprise." ~NYT report on 'gig work' This quote really struck me. When I left IBM I really missed the camaraderie of a global consulting...
