The previous Lesson Found highlighted how being empathetic is a fundamental tool of leadership. How to do that is today’s Lesson Found.
A client asked my advice about an “always” productive team member who lately was barely producing. His company has been 100% virtual since March but the client only recently started to notice the problem. The client tried talking to the employee but the situation was not changing. (more…)
Could the “problem with millennials” be burnout? Why CEOs and owners should care is a Lesson Found.
In a her 2019 article, Anne Helen Petersen identifies Millennials as the “Burnout Generation” due to the circumstances of their coming of age. Petersen, a Millennial herself, makes her case in great detail (more…)
I’ve recently found myself in discussions with CEOs and Owners about the difference between being a “leader” versus a “manager”. And that is the subject of today’s Lessons Found.
According to Merriam-Websters, to “lead” is to “guide on a way especially by going in advance; to direct on a course or a direction.” This is in contrast to the definition of “manage”: “to handle or direct with a degree of skill such as to exercise supervisory direction of; to make and keep compliant.” Considering both at their extremes, leadership takes a broad, future-focused (more…)
Two weeks ago, I pointed to the perils of taking listening for granted. But what happens if there is a generational schism in how we communicate? That is where this Business Lesson Found begins.
When used in an email, what does an ellipsis, “…”, mean? How you answer reveals your age. Boomers and Gen Xers use ellipses at a sentence’s end to indicate their thoughts trailing off. Millennials interpret ellipses differently. As one millennial put it, “the dot-dot-dot is the height of passive aggressiveness.” (more…)
Last week I went to have my blood drawn for my annual physical exam. The results included a Business Lesson Found.
The technician’s first question was if I was there for a “wellness visit”. After a moment to consider whether an “annual physical” is considered a “wellness visit”, I said “yes”. (more…)
Last week’s ritual of turning our clocks back is a business owner’s dream: We gained an extra hour to accomplish our goals! This bonus hour suggests a Lesson Found.
This annual 25-hour day is not so much of a Lesson Found as a reminder. Time is our most precious asset. There are only 24-hours in the day and 7-days in a week. But how are we using our time and how much of it do we control? (more…)
These Lessons Found truly are inspired from expected and unexpected sources. For example, my favorite kaleidoscope inspired this Lesson Found.
I love kaleidoscopes. I even have one in my computer-bag and regularly take “kaleidoscope-breaks”. While this may sound silly, my kaleidoscope-breaks benefit my productivity and results in three key ways: (more…)
Over a 48-hour period last month, CEO’s were falling like mayflies at dusk. There are Lesson Found for owners to glean from these resignations.
The carnage began on September 24th (more…)
It’s only week 5 of the football season and already the NFL offers an abundance of Lessons Found for owners. But let’s limit our focus to employee relations.
As of this writing, Jalen Ramsey is still on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ roster. If you’ve followed recent events, you’ll understand the need for the word “still” in the previous sentence. It began two weeks ago when Ramsey and head coach Doug Marrone, openly argued during a game. The next day, Ramsey asked to be traded. Should the Jaguars acquiesce? Ramsey’s “employment” history provides perspective. (more…)
I recently was privileged to sit in on a board meeting for a family business. How the board came to a decision on a contentious issue is a Lesson Found for all of us.
The business’s only remaining founding member* started the debate with an impassioned plea (more…)