04/2012
Individual Development Plans, or IDPs, show you care enough about your employees to focus on developing them for the future. The plan is a signal we are making a long-term investment together. It's also the start of a conversation about how to achieve goals and get to a desired future. Continuous learning is a part of any IDP.
04/2012
Imagine hearing your boss say, "Because we see so much potential for you to be a star performer here, I want to provide you with an Individual Development Plan that will help you grow in your current role and for future roles in our organization." Would that be inspiring to you?
04/2012
Create a step-by-step plan that shows people how to accomplish more and achieve proven results. There is a fine line between fixing people and inspiring them to grow. Training managers to inspire employees and teams is vital to an organization's success. Want to know how to do this?
03/2012
In order to develop your team members, you need to understand their talents so you can create assignments focused on strengths and abilities. It's your job to know their weaknesses, and to help them eliminate them. The best way to optimize capabilities and talents-as well as their blind spots-is to talk about them. Ask the right questions and you'll help your team member figure out what it takes for them to become star performers.
03/2012
Your star performers are those who have figured out how their work aligns with their values, and that keeps them motivated and passionate about what they are doing. Our values or workplace motivators -which I use interchangeably, because in the context of star performance they mean the same thing- determine what we want to do with passion and joy.
03/2012
In all aspects of life we negotiate every day. Especially in the workplace, we are continually called upon to successfully negotiate with customers, coworkers, supervisors, and internal support personnel. Often, our approach to conflict resolution is influenced by a competitive “win/lose” approach, when what we need to foster successful long term relationships is a way to create “win/win” outcomes.
02/2012
What do you think of when you hear the word "Surprise?" Parties with unexpected gifts are the fun surprises. Mishaps in communication are more common. Have you heard the wise saying, "Never surprise your boss?" In communicating with others, it is best not to create unwanted surprises. Consider these examples:
02/2012
As a manager and leader, it's vital to know the strengths, weaknesses, blind spots and developmental areas of each of your direct reports, as well as those you are considering adding to your team. By being aware of your team members' varied abilities, you can ensure each person is in the right role, and they will add value to the organization. Do you understand the full array of talents of all of your employees, so you know how and when to best deploy those talents?
02/2012
I loved this article written by Marty Zwilling!  He gave me permission to share it with you here:The dictionary definition of a mentor is “an experienced and trusted advisor,” or “leader, tutor or coach.” The definition of a critic sounds similar, “a person who offers reasoned judgment or analysis.” The big difference, of course, is that a mentor looks ahead to help you, while a critic looks backward to tell you what you did wrong.
01/2012
No matter where you are in your career, no matter what industry your organization focuses on, whether you are a professional in a suit or a professional athlete, the ultimate desired outcome is high performance. Considering that high performance and good decision-making are the ultimate outcomes, how are they attained? There is no doubt that general intelligence and technical skills contribute to high performance.

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