New leaders often find themselves confronted with the task of holding others accountable for the first time. Having that first accountability conversation is never an easy task. You’re dealing with people who have different work styles, core values, backgrounds, and expectations. If everyone doesn’t align with the current accountability culture, they can get […]
I’ve never met anyone who enjoys being blindsided. With people working remotely in the silo of their own home while experiencing limited visibility, this may be happening even more frequently. It’s always tough to deliver bad news, whether it’s poor sales performance, a lost account, or losing a key team player. Additionally, you’re not passing […]
This conflict couldn’t have come at a more inconvenient time. Ron was dealing with the death of his father, a project delivery delayed by supply shortages, and losing one of his top salespeople all within a week. Now come to find out, his South American counterpart has stepped on his toes by moving forward with […]
Getting thrown into virtual meetings during the pandemic is like being thrown into the deep end of the pool when you barely know how to tread water. You know enough to keep breathing, but you’re not sure how to swim safely to the ladder. The challenges of virtual meetings are numerous and well experienced. People […]
Virtual work can be very challenging when you’ve never experienced it. There are the obvious benefits of the quick work commute and options of work attire. But the challenges can seem overwhelming when you realize that what you thought was temporary is now semi-permanent. The fact is that you need to find ways to achieve […]
My virtual workspace has always been an office within my house. Now that everyone is virtual, I’m sure that is not the case for most people. Yet having a virtual workspace to call your own is very important for effectiveness, productivity, and mental health. Working virtual is not new. I had my first virtual workspace […]
Codeswitching is another new term I’ve learned in the past month while examining my whiteness. This one came totally out of the blue. I was participating in a racially diverse video conference specifically talking about racial disparities and system racism. One of the black participants just started talking about the codeswitching they do every day […]
I never thought Zoom could be related to racial bias in any way. It never even occurred to me. I took the Harvard Racial Bias test, determined to show that I had beaten my bias down! With each picture, I worked hard to pick the good/bad button as quickly as possible. I was sure I […]
Emotional intelligence is gaining attention as a key essential leadership trait. And though I’d like to consider myself as having high emotional intelligence, I can think of many instances where the feelings of others were not top of mind. “The whirlwind of change makes it more important than ever for leaders to be self-aware and […]
