The following two basic rules—80/20 and 50/10—assume that you already know how you are spending your time. You cannot manage an unknown. You will want to review the SMaRT techniques for taking control of your day, avoiding time bandits, focus and concentration, and delegation. But once you understand where your time goes and how you…

Scheduling and prioritizing are essential to time management; but if your day is out of control to start with, you will never be able to prioritize and every interruption to your plans will escalate your stress. Life is messy. But if you understand how, where, and why you spend your time as you do, you…

You and your team often make stressful decisions for the sake of your company—work longer hours, placate toxic but irreplaceable employees, take on more responsibility, delegate less. You do what you have to do. You expend time, resources, and money because you get a return on your investment, but often that ROI ignores one vital…

Measurement takes performance management out of the realm of speculation and argument into the realm of data, objectivity, and fairness. When you consider that unfair treatment increases the occurrence of employee burnout and stress by 230%, the importance of measurement is clear. End-of-year performance reviews, however, are considered ineffective and a waste of time by…

Stress affects the performance and objectivity of an individual—and then the team and its leader and, ultimately, the organization. Stress is sometimes easy to detect in individuals: it leads to complaining, highly emotional reactions, longer and longer breaks, distractions, and mistakes. Such indicators should propel a leader to take an in-depth look into the reasons…

At some point in your career, you will find yourself leading or serving on a dysfunctional team—one that has little interest in the work avoids or undermines honest conversations, and refuses to participate in discussions of ideas or problems. No one takes responsibility for their actions, and whatever praise is due is grabbed by the…

So many employees work while sick these days that the phenomenon has acquired a name: presenteeism as opposed to absenteeism. A slew of online articles now describe the etiquette of working sick (wipe down surfaces, cough into your elbow, and—since the pandemic—wearing masks). But if employees are present and working despite their illness, that’s good…

Some teams develop naturally the way friendships develop; some need help along the way. The most effective teams are characterized by leaders who: Recognize the strengths and weaknesses of team members Set realistic goals that are prioritized, so as not to overwhelm or distract the team Communicate clearly and often Embrace flexibility Make technology and…

The new head of operations called each of the department heads into his office one by one—and each one raced to the bathroom afterward to throw up or cry. By the time he reached Cathy, the manager of the support services department, she knew that she was in for a punishing interview. The head of…

Disgruntled employees may feel they have been treated unfairly, may resent their work situation, or may simply be plunged into a situation they don’t understand. Whether or not those allegations are true, a disgruntled employee affects those around them, who also become disgruntled and are just as likely to quit. Moreover, disgruntled employees may openly…