Monday, October 18, 2010

Leadership and Mining...

The world watched this week as 33 Chilean miners, trapped for over 2 months, were rescued. can you imagine what it would be like, trapped over 700 metres below ground in absolute darkness? Over the next month or so, we'll see many interviews and perspectives on the tragedy and triumph that took place. How did they cope? How was their mental and physical health? How did they organize themselves? Who offered leadership?

This was an example of just how the human spirit can prevail under extreme circumstances. But as we know, it does not always turn out this well. Likewise in this economy, while many organizations are struggling, others are rallying staff and surviving - if not thriving - just fine. What makes the difference between the sad stories of failure, and the triumphs of celebrated success?

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

5 Habits Managers must break to be Effective Coaches...

Without question, these are interesting times for organizations. Managers are challenged with the mantra of "doing more with less", and one significant tool for achieving that goal has to be coaching staff for greater productivity. While most of us prioritize to-do items, we rarely "posteriorize" - that is, take the time to reflect on those things we should not be doing. Below is a listing of 5 habits that actually undermine the goal of coaching for superior productivity. Here are 5 habits you need to break if you want to coach your team to success.