A 2010 study of resilience in ecosystems identified resilience as the ability to return to an initial state after a disturbance and the ability to maintain that state during a disturbance. But continuing in an initial state can be counter-productive if that initial state is what caused the disturbance in the first place; for example,…
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Nick has just lost his job, but he’s optimistic he’ll find a new one; Morgan has just received kudos for her innovation but is pessimistic about her abilities to ever innovate like that again. The odd thing about optimism and pessimism is that they may bear almost no relation to the actual circumstances of our…
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Success is fickle: it is hard won, easily lost, and can lead to decisions that guarantee failure. Why Success Sometimes Breeds Failure When a successful company, team, or leader fails, the cause usually falls into one or more of these categories: Solidified Strategy: A strategy that is successful once is relied on over and over…
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Most definitions of resiliency stress the ability to bounce back from adversity. Grit and gumption are two of the characteristics often associated with resiliency. Individually and organizationally, this translates to the ability to reach goals despite obstacles. Grit is often measured using a scale developed by Angela Duckworth in 2007. How Can You Build Grit?…
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As a business leader, you are always alert for outside challenges: changes in consumer tastes, increased competition, product or service innovations, government policy changes, and other volatile impacts to your organization. The signs of internal threats are often more difficult to spot, in part because they worsen gradually, and in part because there is a…
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Time management is often broken down into prioritizing, planning, and scheduling; however, lack of organization can undermine all those strategies. Organizational skills affect your environment, your thinking, and your team. Organizing Your Environment A cluttered desk or office is distracting. Yes, you may be able to find that one file you need among the mess,…
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Effective leaders have developed their skills in thinking critically, aligning the organization or team, and taking appropriate action. Critical Thinking Critical thinking is what enables leaders to understand the impact of their leadership and to examine the relationship between their assumptions and conclusions, conclusions and actions, and actions and results. A critical thinker challenges assumptions…
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Occasional tardiness—a little lateness on a regular basis—can be easily overlooked, especially since 69% of workers who arrive late will stay late to make up the difference. Often it has its root in a problem that is strictly temporary, from a car that won’t start in winter to a child who awakes with a fever.…
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Difficult conversations usually mean bad news for at least one person, and they affect both the teller and the receiver of the news. Both people in the person the conversation experience a variety of emotions, including regret at having to speak, relief at getting the conversation over, and unhappiness at the result. How do you…
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Audits help an organization or team to solve problems. They identify areas for improvement; places where client or stakeholder expectations haven’t be met; violations of regulations or industry standards; and information on the accuracy and relevance of in-house metrics. A successful audit has management support, starts with sufficient preparation, is avoids antagonizing the people it…
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