Three years ago, wise, and award-winning leadership and communications expert David Grossman authored Heart First, which I named the Best New Leadership Book of 2021.  I selected Heart First because the book is easy to read, incredibly engaging, and is filled with inspirational and powerful stories of lessons learned by a wealth of leaders with diverse backgrounds. Plus, it covers pertinent topics for workplace leaders, including diversity, equity, inclusion, and culture.  It’s a playbook you’ll want to read and then refer to time after time.   Now in 2024, Grossman ha ..read more

You can't lead if your employees, team or followers don't trust you. Building trust takes energy, effort and constant attention to how you act. To help build trust, follow these 16 tips, recommended by author Susan H. Shearouse: Be honest Keep commitments and keep your word Avoid surprises Be consistent with your mood Be your best Demonstrate respect Listen Communicate Speak with a positive intent Admit mistakes Be willing to hear feedback Maintain confidences Get to know others Practice empathy Seek input from others Say "thank you ..read more

Today brings a new book I wish was published back when I was early in my career. It’s called, Bosses, Coworkers, and Building Great Work Relationships. It’s one of four books in the new Harvard Business Review (HBR) Work Smart Series.  The book includes adapted content from 20 articles that previously appeared on HBR.org.  “We probably spend more hours with our coworkers than with anyone else. So even if they’re not all perfect, it’s worth it to build connections that will provide you with support, help you network and learn, and keep your career moving forward,” shares HBR.  ..read more

“Too often, we don’t find out what’s truly on others’ hearts and minds because we don’t know how to ask the right questions in the right ways,” explains Jeff Wetzler, author of the new book, ASK.  In his timely, must-read book, Wetzler shows you a powerful method called The Ask Approach™, based on a simple premise: that tapping into what other people truly think, know, and feel is a game-changing superpower for leaders.  Wetzler explains that the only thing that allows you to understand what’s on another person’s mind better is just asking them.  Following the powerful The ..read more

The constant pace of change and a variety of new demands are contributing to widespread burnout among both employees and managers today.  According to new research from a Harris Poll survey done on behalf of The Grossman Group, more than 75% of employees and 63% of managers report feeling burned out or ambivalent in their current position.   And surprisingly managers are not recognizing just how overwhelmed their employees feel, with 89% saying their employees are thriving compared to the actual thriving figure of 24%. That is more than a 3-to-1 discrepancy.   Today, I asked Da ..read more

Yesterday, I published a post about the new book, Burnout Immunity, by Dr. Kandi Wiens.  In the book, she explains that employees who work at organizations led by servant leaders tend to have higher job satisfaction, higher engagement, and higher psychological well-being. Those employees also tend to have lower levels of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, boredom, and intent to quit. Less burnout.  As background, servant leadership places primary emphasis on the growth, freedom, health, autonomy, and overall well-being of those it serves, rather than on the leader.  Wiens lists i ..read more

Raise your hand if you have ever experienced burnout during your career? I sense many raised hands. That is because workplace burnout is incredibly common. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. Burnout also means feeling unmotivated and feeling stuck and ineffective. And making too many personal sacrifices, wanting to leave your job, and having a bad or cynical attitude about your work.   Fortunately, according to Dr. Kandi Wi ..read more

“The fact is that most companies are structured to maximize efficiency and minimize risk, resulting in an environment that ultimately prevents meaningful innovations,” explains Elliott Parker, author of the new book, The Illusion of Innovation.  Adopting inefficiency, experimentation, and messiness as a strategy sounds counterintuitive, but Parker – backed by 25 years’ experience working with Fortune 50 companies – proves it’s necessary for progress.  “The hard truth is there is no formula for innovation success because every innovation is new and every organization unique. The only ..read more

Speaking about his new book, The Generous Leader, author Joe Davis says, “This book is about the ways in which you can become a generous leader to be part of something bigger than yourself.”  He adds that the old model for a leader – a top-down, unilateral, single-focus boss, isn’t effective in today’s workplace. “That old model no longer attracts talent, invites collaboration, or gets the best results from the team. That leader’s time is passed. Today, there is a need for a more human-centered, bighearted, authentic way to lead,” adds Davis.   To help you become a generous leader ..read more

Years ago, Entrepreneur magazine offered these timeless and valuable tips on how to give praise: Praise followed by criticism is not praise. Praise followed by praise is probably a little too much praise. Ending an expression of praise with "...and stuff" nullifies the praise. And, Make it timely. The closer the recognition is to the behavior, the more likely the behavior will be repeated. Be sincere. Be impromptu.  Remember, a handwritten note is worth more than a gift card. Having trouble writing your handwritten note of praise? Try this template to ge ..read more