Blog
Six Years on Eggshells: What Happened When a Manager Ignored the Bully
You can’t always control how someone treats you at work, but you can make conscious choices about how you respond, protect your well-being, and seek support. Have you ever dreaded going into work because you didn’t know what kind of treatment you would receive from a coworker? Maybe you’ve been publicly criticized, excluded from important…
Before Good Employees Quit: The Warning Signs of Abrasive Leadership
Employee turnover doesn’t always begin with a resignation letter, sometimes it begins with a leader’s behavior. One of your most dependable employees has become unusually quiet in meetings. Another has stopped offering new ideas. Someone who used to volunteer for challenging assignments now does only what’s required, and your strongest team members seem less engaged…
When Your Boss Is Abrasive: How to Stand Up for Yourself Without Losing Your Composure
Standing up to an abrasive boss is risky. Read further to learn what is at stake if you take stand with an abrasive boss.
When Your Team Starts Working Around an Abrasive Employee, Pay Attention
“I wouldn’t go in there right now.” “Why?” “He’s in one of those moods.” “Got it. I’ll come back later.” It may sound like an ordinary exchange between coworkers. But as a leader, it’s worth paying attention to what it tells you. Your employees have learned to work around someone’s behavior. They know when it’s…
When Problematic Employee Behavior Goes Unaddressed, Your Team Pays the Price
An employee comes into your office frustrated about a coworker. You’ve heard the complaint before. The interruptions, abrasive comments, blame, and the dismissive tone. You’ve hoped the two employees would work it out. Maybe you’ve offered suggestions, encouraged them to communicate, or tried to smooth things over. Yet here you are again. At this point,…
The Hidden Skill That Transforms Problem-Solving: Curiosity
When faced with a problem or personnel issue, leaders have two options: Option 1: Resolve it and figure out why it’s happening in the first place. Option 2: Ignore it, hoping it will go away on its own. Most leaders choose Option 2. In the moment, it seems easier. You don’t have to have the…
What Does Your Face Say About Your Leadership? How Nonverbal Communication Creates (or Destroys) Psychological Safety
Most leaders don’t learn how to create psychological safety until it’s too late. The skillset necessary to strategize your business plan, create systems, and monitor metrics is not the same skillset necessary to retain employees. That’s why having interpersonal skills that create psychological safety is so critical. What I know from working with many leaders…
What If the Conflict at Work Is Actually Teaching You Something You Need to Know?
April is Workplace Conflict Awareness Month. This is your invitation to ask: What is this conflict at work trying to teach me? There’s someone at work who makes your days unbearable. Maybe it’s the colleague who flies off the handle, or the one who withdraws into silence when you need to address a problem, or…
The Leadership Behaviors That Make Your Team Feel Safe Enough to Tell You the Truth
Your team just left the leadership meeting, and you asked if anyone had concerns about the new strategy. Silence. You asked if anyone saw potential problems with the timeline. More silence. You said, “I really want your honest feedback.” Still nothing. Later that afternoon, you overhear two team members in the hallway discussing exactly the…
Why Your Team’s Best Ideas Never Surface During Crisis (And the Brain Science That Changes Everything)
The next time you are faced with a looming deadline or project setback, try one of these counterintuitive strategies to enhance team problem-solving.