Is Organizational ADHD Derailing Your Change Project?
Sound familiar? “Here we go again – another program of the year!” “Another reorg – who’s my boss today? And I’m expected to pick up the slack – again?!” “Our company slogan should be, ‘All swirl – no strategy’!” As an “organizational doctor,” when I hear clients vent such frustrations, I know they are symptoms […]
When It Comes to Change, Seeing Is Believing!
I was recently reminded of the truth of the old adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words” and why it’s so relevant for us as change leaders. By nature, I’m a rather left-brained, analytical person – and with my doctoral-degree academic training, early in my career I was the queen of dry, fact-based, death-by-PowerPoint […]
When Change is Out of Your Control: What You Can Do
Have you ever experienced the shocking blow of an unforeseen major change in your organization? Three of my clients in the middle-management ranks of their companies are currently facing changes that were sudden, unexpected, and from their perspectives, out of their control: An IT organization notified of the decision to outsource several major functions A […]
Do Men and Women Lead Change Differently?
The short answer is “yes.” Although in the U.S. women comprise half the workforce, earn the majority of college and post-graduate degrees, and own 40% of businesses, when we look at Fortune 500 companies, only 4% of CEOs and only 16% of Board Members are women. Yet, we also know from research by Catalyst, McKinsey, […]
What’s YOUR Style of Leading Change?
WHAT’S YOUR STYLE OF LEADING CHANGE? Knowing your CQ (Change Intelligence) style can make all the difference for your ability to influence others and overcome resistance to change! Just as each of us communicates, collaborates and handles conflict in our own unique ways, so do we each have our own style of leading change. And, […]
Positive Feedback is the Biggest Source of Motivation
Here’s a question for you: Do you NEED positive feedback to do a great job at work? Like you need oxygen and water? Now, let me ask the question in a slightly different way: When you RECEIVE positive feedback, does it make a difference? Inspire you to do even better, make you feel valued? In […]
How Does an Engaged Work Culture Thrive for 25 Years?
Twenty-five years ago the ground broke in a cornfield in Indiana for an innovative new type of steel mill. Nippon Steel of Japan and Inland Steel of the U.S. partnered with the United Steelworkers of America (USWA) to construct I/N Tek and I/N Kote. The mill broke new ground both in its “technical” system, as […]
Winning the Race for Change: Lessons from the Iditarod
During our family vacation to Alaska last year, we got the chance to meet the fabulous and frisky decedents of the Alaskan huskies who led Susan Butcher to victory in the Iditarod (the 1,049 mile dog sled race between Anchorage and Nome, through Alaska’s treacherous sub-Artic terrain). The story of Susan and her favorite dog, Granite, […]
What Can Winston Churchill Teach Us about Leading Change?
While in London, I had the pleasure of visiting the Churchill Museum, an extremely well-preserved vista into the past, displaying the underground rooms where Churchill, his ministers, military advisors and staff led the effort to win the Battle of Britain and ultimately World War II. It was amazing to see history frozen in time, and […]
Leadership Unplugged: Finding Solutions and Inspiration for Change Initiatives
A few years ago I put myself through a 360-degree feedback process in which I requested developmental input from peers, clients, staff, friends and family. The strongest “needs improvement” area that emerged was “Work-Life Balance.” Written-in comments indicated that people were not concerned that I neglected family or friends – but rather that I did […]