A key skill to being successful in life is understanding yourself: how you think, why you act certain ways, and what makes you happy or unhappy. A healthy sense of self-awareness is a catalyst for living a fulfilled life. Self-awareness is also essential for the workplace, because every person has a different work style. If you want to maximize your … Read More
Take Time for Fun at Work
As a busy leader or employee, you might wonder: Is having fun actually an important part of work? In our view at ACHIEVE, it is. We recently conducted a 2,400-person survey about what makes a great workplace. In the written answers to the questions, “What about your workplace contributes to making it a great place to work?” and “What about … Read More
Why Interest in Our Work Matters – A Lesson from Fine Dining
A fine dining experience this past weekend showed me just how important it is that staff are interested in what they are doing. My family had been given a gift certificate for a local French restaurant, and we were pleased to have the opportunity to try something new. The restaurant was in a lovely setting in a historical building. My … Read More
2 Tips to Getting Teamwork Right
We are often told to avoid following the crowd. In the words of Henrik Ibsen, “The majority is never right,” but sometimes a crowd can provide insights an individual cannot. Francis Galton, a brilliant scientist in the early 1900s, demonstrated this point perfectly. He came across a contest at a country fair where fairgoers were invited to guess the weight … Read More
Why and How to Hire for Diversity
In the workshops I teach, I often talk about hiring for fit with an organizational culture. When I say this, I mean that we should be hiring applicants for the way they connect with our organizational culture and its values. On one level, it is important to hire people whom we can appreciate and enjoy. However, the risk in focusing … Read More
Building a Team to Last Through Engagement
The Challenge – Disengaged Employees Great leaders want to create change and have an impact. This can only be accomplished through the teams they lead and build. Stephen Covey, in his book The 8th Habit, describes a poll of 23,000 employees drawn from a number of companies and industries. He reports the poll’s findings: Only 37% said they have a … Read More
5 Risk Factors for Workplace Sexual Harassment
You’ve read the news, heard the stories, and you’re likely aware that sexual harassment happens more than we’d all like to admit. Have you taken an honest look at your own workplace? Don’t get caught being complacent, sexual harassment can happen anywhere and no organization is immune. By raising your awareness and understanding of the risk factors and types of … Read More
5 Ways to Increase Employee Satisfaction
Leaders often bemoan the fact that employees are disengaged, and it’s true – they are often disengaged. Many are bored, lack interest, seem passionless, and don’t invest energy in their tasks. Sadly, some organizations don’t do anything to help themselves or their employees. Sure, they try, but it’s usually by offering incentives that don’t get at the root of the … Read More
Guidance for Managing Your Team’s Emotional Climate
Great teams start with great leaders who give their team clarity of purpose, use intrinsic motivation as a primary motivator, and consider people’s personal work styles. Great Leaders provide an atmosphere where people can build quality relationships and engage in meaningful work. They encourage fun, collaboration, honest mutual feedback, and hold people accountable to get stuff done. The bedrock of … Read More
Inspiring Employees Through Your Story
I have two teenage boys. In 2017, this means I watch a lot of superhero movies. The superhero movies I like best are the origin stories, like Batman Begins or Antman, where the protagonist goes from being a relatively normal guy to a stupendous fighting machine. It’s hard to relate to movies that are only crazy, high-powered action, but seeing … Read More
