When it comes to work, we all want to be part of a close knit and hardworking team. However, one bad apple can wreck a good team. If your team has been out of sorts lately, you may be to blame.
The axiom,“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” originated with Aristotle. In today’s culture this is perhaps more evident than ever. Leadership, human resources, and coach education programs emphasize the value of teamwork. Those who actively foster a team environment in their organizations are the ones who rise to the pinnacle of their chosen fields. Countless examples serve as evidence. Whether you are an athletic coach, business manager, or founder of a small start up, building an excellent team will sky rocket your success.
Who’s to blame? That seems to be everyone’s primary concern when a project falls apart or things don’t go according to plan. We call it finger pointing. However, the reality is that failures can almost always be traced back to one person – the leader.
A Gallup report from June 2015 revealed that only 31.9% of U.S. workers are engaged in their jobs. Furthermore, only 13% of those surveyed are highly engaged at work. Yikes! What does that mean? More importantly, what can leaders do about it? As someone who is passionate about encouraging people to do what they love and love what they do, I have to speak up.
When I was a kid I hated chores. My parents asked me to do all sorts of things I detested: eat my vegetables, clean my room, come inside before dark. I simply didn’t understand. Later, I came to learn that each direction was backed by a wisdom-laden rationale. Once I understood (and agreed with) my parent’s rationale, I stopped asking, “Why?” at every instance. How does this relate to how you lead your team?
“I’ll just do it myself.” Have you let that sentence pass your lips before? I know I have. Delegation can be a serious challenge for leaders. Often those in a leadership role got there by doing all things themselves and doing them with excellence. It can be hard to ease off the reins. However, for teams and businesses to grow, leaders must overcome their internal barriers and delegate.
This is a test. Don’t think of a red apple. Don’t think of a yellow taxi. Don’t think of a cup of coffee. Did you follow my instructions? If you’re human, probably not.
Our brains play tricks on us. They filter out key information. As you just experienced, one way your brain does this is by blinding you to the word “don’t.”
News Flash: We need more sleep! Most Americans get only 6 hours of sleep per night, according to Dr. Daniel Amen, author of Making a Good Brain Great.
Should employees’ sleep habits become part of a company’s conduct policies alongside drug use, sexual harassment, and drinking? In some professions, being intoxicated on the job is grounds for termination or even losing your license to practice. A lack of sleep can produce the same level of impairment. Yet, America’s workforce continues to operate at less than its best day after day.
As an adolescent, this young man was rebellious, had the lowest grades in his class, suffered a speech impediment and was incessantly rebuked by his parents for his lack of conformity. However, Winston Churchill overcame countless obstacles and rose to the position of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1940. Churchill was one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th century, an exceptional writer, politician and much more. As leaders, there is much we can learn from Winston Churchill.
When it comes to performing your best, confidence is king. Most of us know, inherently, that confidence is critical to optimal performance. What we are less familiar with is how to build it in ourselves and our teams.
