“Healthy conflict creates joy.” As my business partner and I stood in front of the team and made that statement, our excitement was a bit tempered by the reaction all around us: There were some enthusiastic nods, but more than a few looked at us in confusion and even disbelief about what we’d just said.
Engagement is a hot topic in organizations today, and with good reason. Recent Gallup research shows that organizations with high levels of engagement outperform all the others in just about every key measure of business. Organizations typically talk about the issue in terms of increasing employee engagement, but perhaps a more relevant way to describe
Last week at our Wednesday team dinner, I was reminded that I have a profound love for my co-workers. That’s not a statement I make lightly or as a dramatic platitude. Of course, we all disappoint, annoy or anger each other at times. Yet last week they moved me to tears because I care so
For no one can be alive on a pedestal. – Anthony de Mello, in The Song of the Bird “It would really mean a lot to us if you also came to our house for Thanksgiving. We’d be so disappointed to spend the holiday alone.” In the US, it’s the season for giving thanks…and for
Wouldn’t it be great if you could have more meetings? If you’re like most leaders today, your response to that question probably lies somewhere between “No” and “Absolutely not!” But hear me out… Recently, a company hired me because their people haven’t been engaged and their strategic plans haven’t been gaining traction. Year after year,
As the world changes more quickly and gets more competitive, and organizations restructure and retool, we work harder just to stay ahead. We get anxious and hurry, searching for the latest insights, struggling to stay relevant, fighting to protect our joy. As leaders, we feel this intense push and pull every day. And, so do
Certain topics are considered off limits at work. In most organizations discussions of faith and religion fall into that category. One of the reasons is that many approach or experience these subjects as “causes” or “judgments” designed to make others uncomfortable and encourage them to change. However, I believe it is possible – and beneficial
Your organization is made up of human beings. That’s not a radical thought, but sometimes we forget it, even though this basic truth gives us clear signals about how to strengthen our corporate cultures. People need to feel connected to each other and to a broader whole, particularly with so much uncertainty in the world.
We implicitly or explicitly expect a return on every bit of energy, money, time and loyalty. If we don’t get a commensurate material or psychological return, we stop giving. Just like financial analysts who assess risk versus return and results versus expectations, we weigh the expected return for every type of investment we make. Our
Most organizations lack organization. They are filled with individuals pursuing personal adrenaline, comfort, safety and recognition. Focus further breaks down through the competing priorities of departments, hierarchy and stakeholders. Occasionally, however, we glimpse an organization beautifully aligned. It was Mother’s Day 1995 on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, MA. We were the final boat out of
Matt Norman is president of Norman & Associates, which offers Dale Carnegie Training in the North Central US. Dale Carnegie Training is a global organization ...READ MORE