Parent Category for Leadership Learning Moments
by Michael Holland To fully function in your role as a leader, you should focus on the conceptual and human aspects of the position more than the technical. The challenge is that many of us are most comfortable and most experienced in the technical aspects of the job. It’s our comfort zone and it’s hard [...]
by Michael Holland Jesse Owens, the son of a sharecropper and grandson of a slave, realized his dreams by winning four gold medals in the 1936 Olympics. Jesse Owens said “We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” Of [...]
by Michael Holland The foundation to all relationships – managers and employees alike - is trust. We build trust through our actions and our behaviors. Are we reliable, dependable, and consistent? Are we true to our word and “talk straight?” Employees want to have confidence in their manager. They want their manager to manage, dealing [...]
by Michael Holland It’s easy, it’s fast, it’s convenient, but sometimes it can create a disaster. Knowing when to hit send and when to talk with someone directly is critical to your success. Some indicators that you need to have a real, live conversation: You’ve replied more than three times to the same person; [...]
by Michael Holland Some managers may find that they are easily focused on the tasks of their team, while others tend to focus more heavily on the people aspects. Ideally, it’s a balance. Remember – people come to work. That requires a manager to effectively manage both the people and the work demands of his team. [...]
by Michael Holland We race through our days - have back-to-back meetings, answer too many e-mails to count and push to meet the deadlines we are faced with. With this pace we need to be reminded to take some time out to think about the best way to work with each of our [...]
by Michael Holland “Take things always by their smooth handle” Thomas Jefferson There is a civil and respectable way to deal with people and situational conflict. Seeking a smooth path, a path of least resistance for all parties involved, can produce greater outcomes. As a leader, you make choices every day regarding how [...]
by Michael Holland Every leader interacts on a continual basis with employees, peers, supervisors and outside stakeholders. These dynamic interactions are ripe grounds for misunderstandings and ineffective leadership. You should take time to review – or learn about – your individual communication style and how you prefer to interact with your environment. Several assessment tools [...]
by Michael Holland What can you accomplish in the 38 days? During 38 days in late 2009, Jacob Shell endured a rare transplant procedure at The Children’s Hospital in Boston. As you might know, Jacob Shell, of ShellStrong fame, was 8 years old at the time and had neuroblastoma, a very difficult cancer. During this [...]
by Michael Holland All employees desire feedback on their job performance. For the employee-leader relationship, dynamics and timing are important factors in determining how feedback will be received. Consistency of both positive and critical messages is crucial. As you commute home during the week, make mental notes on some aspect of each of your employees’ [...]
